Welcome Lunch

Alma came back in a half hour to retrieve the bowl. She said I could keep the glass in case I wanted to refill it. My bedroom had a small bathroom in it.

I continued to look through the book for the next couple of hours. In it, I learned about the famous shrines of the light and darkness spirits. The creator was named Louis Artegneo.

Apparently, a special item had been placed on each shrine. Just before I read about the items, I looked up at the clock in my room.

It was now eleven-thirty o'clock. Wow, I never knew how time consuming reading could be. I let out a sigh, closed the book, and set it down on my bed.

A quiet clicking noise could be heard, and Eon walked into the room.

"Lumine, I would like you to join me for lunch at noon. You man take a quick shower if you like. Please feel free to wear any dress in the closet."

I gave a quick nod and said, "I will be there, Eon."

As Eon walked out the door, I made my way to my bathroom. Showering only took ten minutes because I didn't wash my hair. I wrapped a towel around my body and began to search for a dress.

There were about twenty dresses available, but no shoes. Great. It wouldn't be long before I stepped on another needle or something else sharp.

A light green dress stood out to me. It looked a lot like the blue dress I wore yesterday but with more volume. Slipping it on was rather easy. The entire dress was comfortable.

Ten minutes to go. My hair was a bit messy, so I ran through it with a comb. I pushed a few locks behind my ear and exited the room.

Wait. Eon never told me where we were eating. I know he meant the dining room, but where was that at? Probably somewhere on the first floor.

Living in Diablo Manor made me realize just how small Auntie and Uncle's cabin was. It had a kitchen, a small living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. My bedroom was just a closet Auntie cleared out.

I caught the scent of ham. The dining room must be nearby. Talking and chattering echoed through the hall. I followed the scent and voices until I caught sight of a large table. Eon sat at the end. A few servants were bringing out plates, silverware, glasses, napkins, and a bottle of wine.

Afraid the lunch had already started, I rushed into the room.

"I was afraid you would be late," Eon said.

"You didn't tell me where the room was." I felt frustrated with Eon, as all he did was smile and say, "I guess I didn't."

Eon pointed to the opposite side of the table.

"Please, sit."

I walked over to the table and sat down. Servants set the table around me. As dishes of food were brought out, the room's smell grew even more wonderful. In front of me sat a slice of ham, mashed potatoes, and cooked asparagus.

Eon poured contents from a wine bottled into a glass. He swished it around a took a sip. After he drank a bit more, Eon grabbed the bottle and walked to my side of the table.

"Here is the wine I told you about. Field Nectar," Eon said as he poured some into the glass.

I looked at the glass. The wine inside was almost clear, just a tint of yellow and green could be seen.

"Well, take a sip," Eon's smile faded just a bit. Nervously, I lifted the glass to my lips and took a tiny sip. It tasted even better than the grapes.

"This is delicious," I said.

Eon walked back to his seat and sat down. He raised his glass. I did the same.

"To a new home," Eon said. His smiled looked almost wicked.

"To a new home," I agreed with a shaky voice.

We set down our glasses and began to eat. The ham tasted juicy and tender. Auntie and Uncle had made cooked asparagus only once. I forgot how good it tasted. The potatoes tasted the best. They tasted like they had been backed with lots of butter and sour cream.

"I had planned for the two of us to share a meal last night, but things did not go according to plan. My apologies for the intruder. Hopefully, he has not made you feel uncomfortable living here." Eon was obviously tired of the silence.

"N-no, he didn't. Diablo Manor promises t-to be a comfortable h-home," I stuttered.

Eon smiled.

"Yes, home."

The lunch between Eon and I made me feel a bit more comfortable at Diablo Manor. But it still wasn't home.