Under the Veil of Night

Core member serving place…

It was a dangerous position as they would get close with those from the core member of the Ryukalin Clan. In addition, they have to be extra careful to not invoke the wrath of those members. Each of them was experts in a fight. Offending them would be the same as searching for an instant ticket to hell.

Kanae stared at the words with a complicated feeling. This would make her stood close to Kevin as she might even be the one serving him drinks. However, she was afraid he would recognize her real identity as she always stayed near him under her real identity.

"Rei, you have to be careful," Jason warned when he heard her words. "It'll give you more chances to protect him, but you might risk your identity leak out."

The thing that group' members feared the most were not wounds, but their identity leaked out. They became groups for a reason, usually money, and they didn't want others to know that they were part of the underworld. This caused the groups to become someone who has a dual identity and if possible, lasted until the end of their life.

Many of them only became part of the underworld due to their condition and not their own volition. It was the same as Kanae, which made her extremely reluctant to reveal her second identity as Rei to anyone. If words went out about that, she might not be able to live a peaceful life anymore, something she didn't want to happen.

"It's dangerous," a man by Kanae's side commented when he saw Kanae's plate.

"I know," Kanae answered. "I just have to be more careful."

"Good luck," the man nodded his head.

Kanae stared at the words once again, sighing internally. It seemed she wouldn't be able to escape the fate of staying close with him, yet unable to talk with him.

After they were divided into groups, they were taken to their respective workplace. Seeing the large hall decorated with finely decoration, Kanae was absolutely speechless. She knew that the clans were mostly rich, but she didn't know that they were this rich.

It was no wonder small clans always pursued to have bigger territory. More territories meant more money for them. Who would want to reject free money offered to them?

"You will stand here, near the counter," the man instructed. "You stay there and give drinks if anyone calls you. As for you, you can…"

As he pointed them randomly, they paid attention to any of the position he said. Finishing his instruction, he told them to stand by their post and never leave it for any reason in an hour. Before that time, they have to change their uniform and so on.

Time passed swiftly and Kanae finished her preparation. Seeing the flimsy youth appearance in the mirror, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

'Thankfully, I wear a mask. My appearance is not suitable to pretend as a boy.'

Kanae walked back to the hall and stood near the table calmly. The other servants were standing on their place too; ready to serve the clan members if it was needed.

The members started to arrive one by one. Many of them were strangers to her as she didn't recognize them. Some of them looked towards the servants with disgust. After all, many of them did come from the slums and many other poor places. They only came because of the large money the clan offered should they come here.

It was then she saw Master Rudy walking with the young man beside her. She still felt rather resentful to the young man as he didn't allow her to know his name, yet.

Master Rudy walked to a table near her and sat down calmly. He waved his hand for drinks. Kanae looked to the other side, seeing that the other servants were busy, she knew that Master Rudy meant for her. She took the tray and walked to Master Rudy.

"Master, what do you want to drink?" the young man asked.

Master Rudy laughed. "Just pick anything easy to drink. Not the alcoholic one please, I don't want to get drunk before the gathering started."

The young man rolled his eyes. If Master Rudy could get drunk, that would be a miracle in itself. He had stayed by Master Rudy's side long enough to know that this old man's alcohol tolerance was rather high.

"I'll just pick some light drinks."

As the young man picked the glasses, Master Rudy was looking at Kanae with interest. Even without anyone telling him, he realized that many of the servants were hiding their martial arts. It was interesting to see how many people sneaking into this gathering.

He didn't know their intention, but those experts in martial arts wouldn't become a servant for little money the clan offered. He was sure that they had a deeper plan.

Also, this person before him…

Master Rudy smiled slightly. There was no way he wouldn't recognize his disciple. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, her habit and power were apparent in his eyes.

"Rei, you shouldn't try to involve yourself deeper in the clan," Master Rudy said in a low tone.

The young man's eyes grew larger in surprise. He knew that Master Rudy was talking to the servant beside them, but never in his wildest dream would he thought that this young person was his junior disciple.

Kanae smiled wryly. She really shouldn't get this position. "There is a mission I have to finish."

"I hope you won't stand in front of me, Rei."

"I won't, Master."

Master Rudy nodded his head when he heard Kanae's answer. He didn't want to hurt his own disciple, so he could only hope that she wouldn't stand against him.

Kanae moved back to her post right at the time Kevin came in with Neo and Mike beside him. Seeing that his appearance was no different than usual, she wondered if he didn't care too much about his appearance. At the same time, she noticed that the atmosphere turned rather cold.

'Is the dispute in the clan has become this severe?'

Even an outsider like her could feel that the situation was rather tense. Several members of the clan were giving their own clan head look of hatred. It was as if, they didn't even hold an ounce of respect to him.

Kevin ignored them all as he walked to his seat. He bypassed Kanae without any intention to look at her. Right now, his face was as expressionless as ever with icy aura emanating from him.

When he bypassed her, Kanae could feel the surge of invisible power emanating from Kevin. The other servants were already trembling in fear, but she stood rather firm. Her eyes were looking at Kevin.

She wanted to hold him.

This side of him made her rather troubled because he looked rather scary and unfeeling. It was the perfect picture of a cold leader with dangerous aura around him, telling people to not go near him. Although she knew that it was necessary, she preferred his warm smile and tender affection.

*cough*

That would be rather weird if he showed that in front of his clan's members.

Kanae watched as Kevin sat down not far from her. He was close, yet she couldn't stay by his side like before. The difference between them made her only able to see him from afar. The privilege to stay close to him has disappeared for it was no longer her place.

She lowered her eyes to the ground, looking towards the finely carved marble floor below her feet.