Chapter 40 Conflict

Aarav went to check Fire Elementals village. It was a closed pocket dimension. So, he only went near it. He could not enter it. He checked around for any suspicious activity. The jungle around it was silent. There was nothing suspicious. He was about to leave but remembered the contents of the conversation. They sprinkled something in the water. So maybe he should check water sources. There was a fountain near the village. He scooped some water from the fountain and kept the sample.

He went back and sent the samples to the lab. The results came out soon. There was nothing suspicious in the water or the soil sample. The water from the elemental's village was also clean.

Ulnas was not happy with his report. He said if he found the report to be false, then he should have come back. All he did was useless, and the conversation of the suspicious people was bogus. He didn't bother checking it or do some further investigations. Just as he had thought, Ulnas was a difficult person to deal with.

Without minding Ulnas, AAarav sent the report to SOUL HQ. It would take time, but they were likely to take action, unlike Ulnas. Aarav was dispirited. It was his first mission, and the result was unclear. The lab results were negative, and the authority was too lazy to investigate.

It was same everywhere. Without solid evidence, nothing could be proved.

When he came back home, there was a golden envelope on the table. It was an invitation to the party of the naming ceremony. It was from Alize. Alize and his wife Sophie were blessed with a baby girl.

It will be their first party in Caito. Alize was from an aristocratic family. So, there was definitely a dress code. Not to mention etiquettes which he hardly know any.

"Hey. What's up? We need to go shopping."

Kiara came out and said all that in a single breath. Women are more bothered about their dresses. Kiara was no different. It was time to empty their pockets a bit (entirely).

"Ok. I think we will be needing some advice."

"I know. So I called Pansy to help us."

"Who?"

"Pansy. Jeremy's fiancé. Jeremy will be joining us too. So get freshen up and get ready."

Kiara was already dressed up to go out. That leaves no choice but to obey.

"By the way, when did you become friends with Jeremy's fiancé?"

"Not yet. I talked to her over the phone. Apparently, Jeremy told her about us, and she wanted to meet us. Then there was this invitation and hence the plan."

"Uhuh"

"Geez, how long will you take? Let's go."

They met Jeremy and Pansy in the city centre. Pansy looked like a sophisticated aristocratic woman. She looked elegant, wearing an emerald green gown with the netted neckpiece. She wore simple stone earrings and a beige bonnet. She was dressed neither extravagantly nor scarcely making her look like an English lady. Beautiful and charming. Jeremy, in comparison, looked like an ogre. They were a classic example of beauty and the beast.

"Hi. AAarav and Kiara, meet my beautiful would-be wife Pansy. And Pansy, meet my friends."

"Wow! She looks like a doll."

With that, the elegant lady image broke down like a mirage. Pansy came forward and held Kiara's hand. She was excited to meet her. Kiara was overwhelmed, but she soon got used to her ecstatic behaviour. Kiara wasn't able to relate with the elegant lady in front of her with the next-door-girl image she had when she talked to her over the phone. They left the men behind and got busy with their girl talk.

"Isn't she a beauty?"

"Very much. How did you manage to woo her?"

"My charms and my handsome face."

"Shall I show you a mirror?"

Jeremy punched AAarav from the side. AAarav skillfully dodged.

There were posters and hoardings about the upcoming mayor elections. Alize's father was also a candidate. If he was not wrong, then this party was an important one where many big elites would come.

"Hey. Who are you voting for?"

"Me. Of course. Uncle Elios. Our family were always allies."

"Don't you think he might lose? His propaganda is controversial."

"That's what my Dad is worried about. Uncle Elios is a nice guy. I'm also in support of his various reforms. But society has not reached that point yet. We might face a lot of opposition. Including radicals, rebels and what not. I am fed up from the number of secret meetings my family is taking part."

"Secret meetings. Were you part of it?"

"Do you think I'm allowed?"

"Not a bit."

"Anyway, this election is going to be important because_"

Jeremy stopped midsentence. He then looked around and got near AAarav.

"What are you doing?"

AAarav bends backwards as Jeremy leaned towards him.

"Lend me your ear, idiot."

"Oh!"

Jeremy whispered, "I overheard my father saying this. Third generation immortals will soon engage in competition for the Grand Throne's position."

Jeremy had an excited face. AAarav was puzzled.

"What's that?"

"What you don't know that? Have you not read history books?"

Indeed, he had not read history books. Jeremy soon informed him. There were thirteen grand thrones, each for a galaxy. It was nearly 5000 years ago when the 2nd generation fought for the positions, and it was a bloodbath. There were 100 immortals in the 2nd generation, only 30 survived the battle. Only thirteen were able to rule. Remaining were banished. The number of third-gen immortals was unknown. It was probably a lot.

Few immortals had started making a name for themselves. There was a ranking of the immortals. People betted who would end up taking a position, which planets might get destroyed, which nation was aligning to which immortal. All sort rumours were going on but this information was limited to the upper echelons. Normal people were not aware of it. They would not know when an immortal would destroy their planet just on a whim.

They continued talking as they went around all the shops. Pansy and Kiara were busy picking clothes. They were taking forever to choose a single dress. Finally, Kiara settled for a beige gown. It was simple with minimum laces. She was against anything too huge or too lacy. The gown was much more modern like Earth. She matched them with beige sandals. AAarav too got his set of a black suit similar to ones from middle ages. That was the dress code for the party. Jeremy offered to pay for the dresses. The bill was outlandish. Putting together the yearly salary of AAarav and Kiara would not be enough for paying the dresses. Also, they had to save up to find a way back home.

AAarav simply surrendered and wrote a note 'I swear to pay back 200000 silver coins to Jeremy'.

Very soon, the day of the party came. Nothing unusual happened in between. Aarav and Kiara headed for the East zone where Alize's mansion was. The mansion was huge. Calling it a mansion was wrong. It was a castle. Jeremy's mansion was only half the size.

They showed the invitation at the gate. As they entered, there was an enormous garden with all kinds of flowers. There were roses, tulips and other flowers that were recognizable were also in the garden. Their experience had taught them that if they recognize something in the first glance, it had to be imported products. Naturally, roses or tulips were not native of the planet. It was brought from other planets. Well, that just shows how wealthy Alize's family was.

The castle looked like something out of Disney movie. The atmosphere also looked like some dance ball. AAarav and Kiara were enjoying the dream-like experience with a glass of wine in hand. People were standing in small groups in the garden lawn talking about politics or the latest songs or some scandals. AAarav and Kiara did not know anyone. Jeremy and Pansy had not arrived yet. As Alize was the host of the party, he was simply too busy. He was not even in sight.

A group of youngsters were looking at their direction. A girl with brunette hair and haughty attitude approached them. She looked like someone in her early 20s, that would mean she was about 20- 50 years old. Humans in Taiba would grow normally till they are 20, just like in Earth. After that, they would grow very slowly. At 70, they would look 30ish, at 100, they will still look 30ish.

"Hi. Are you new here? I have not seen you guys before."

"Yes. This is our first time."

"Are you country bumpkins?"

The girl was only looking out for fun. Her attitude was not nice at all. Her group of friends were also cheering for her.

"Childish."

Kiara blurted out her inner thoughts.

"What did you say?"

"Childish. You are being childish. If you are looking for fun, there are plenty of ways instead of annoying strangers."

"Whh…", the girl had a dumbfounded expression. Nobody had ever replied to her like that. She could not speak back at all. All of a sudden she burst out in tears. No, she was wailing.

Kiara was confused. Wasn't she the one who came looking for trouble? Was that her way of fun?

"Miss. I apologize for my friend. Please don't cry."

AAarav tried to amend the situation. Who knew the girl would start crying? People looked at their side. Looking that they were youngsters, they ignored them. Her friends did not come to her. They looked elsewhere like they did not know her at all.

"Geez, you are really a child. Your face looks like a panda now." Kiara added more fuel to the fire.

"Waa… Your face looks like panta. You are panda your whole family is a panda. I don't know what that is. But you are as ugly as Paanda."

The girl kept crying. Panda this. Panda that. AAarav brought her a glass of water from the waiter.

Kiara had a headache. AAarav was having a tough time being a gentleman.

"Hey just leave her be,"

"Don't be so harsh on her."

"Was I talking trash about others to their friends. I had not even started being harsh."

Kiara had heard some rude comments for them. She could feel that the girl was jealous of her for some reason, but that does not give her leeway to insult someone so blatantly. And it was totally clear, how much attention she was demanding from someone. And someone clueless was being a gentleman. Kiara was pissed.

Jeremy and Pansy came by then. Because of that, Aarav got away from the crying girl.

"Who is that crying girl?"

"Oh! Isn't that Prof. Thomas daughter. Forget her, she is an attention seeker," Pancy replied to that.

"Oh, my Kiara. You look absolutely gorgeous."

Pansy ran to Kiara. They got together like childhood friends. AAarav also started talking to Jeremy. The crying girl just became the background. She tried to grab attention a few more times. People were acquainted with her temper tantrums. So, nobody bothered with her. Soon her father came to pick her up.

"Daddy. I want that dress now. Tell her to give it to me. Also, I want him."

She was loud enough for people around to hear. Kiara too heard her. If their life was manga, then her head would have been marked with several black lines.

"What a crazy girl?"

The girl glared at Kiara. The situation was crazy.

She had underestimated the pettiness of the brunette. And also of her father.

"Excuse me. I will compensate for the dress. Will you_"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Look_"

"You want me to strip naked and give your petty excuse for a daughter my dress. I do not care who the fuck you are. Even if you were the mayor, I will not comply."

The father and daughter had the same expression. They were fuming. Never in their life, anybody dared to refute them. They had started to think that the world revolved around them.

The bystanders were speechless from the blatant arrogance of the father and daughter. The pair had forgotten they were in the Elios family mansion.

Hearing the commotion, Alize came to them.

"What's going on here?"

"Thank god. Mr Elios. You are here. Teach this arrogant girl some respect."

"Kiara, what's going on?"

"They want me to strip naked."

"Huh?" Alize was baffled, "Prof. Thomas?"

"What nonsense she is spouting. My daughter liked her dress. She demanded it."

"Isn't that what means to get naked," Alize was annoyed by the unreasonableness of the situation. He had heard about the notoriety of the Thomas family. But he did not know they were this crazy. Because of the upcoming election, he was going to comply with their request. But this was beyond absurd. If he stood on their side, his father's slim chance of winning would go down the drain.

"I'm sorry, but I would have to ask for your family's leave. Please."

Alize humbly showed him the exit door.

Thomas family was insulted. They were a big faction. Gaining their approval would have increased their chances of winning. Anyway, that was the strangest demand anyone could have. Just buy a similar dress if you liked one. What craziness was this?

Jeremy and Pansy did not intrude in the situation as they were aware of the political situation. Thomas was a large faction but famous for notoriety.