A few minutes later, after Cobra used her Phase power for the first time in five years:
Everyone was in Dariush's office. Dariush sat at his desk with a confident yet soft expression. Kian stood beside him. Eira sat on the couch, and Cobra sat across from her on another couch. There were two tea cups in front of both women on a low yet long table.
Cobra wasn't wearing the armor. She now wore the same duchess-maiden clothes that she had gotten from Eira much earlier.
Dariush, being the first to break the silence, said: "Looks like you are feeling better, right, Cobra?"
Cobra indeed looked better—more alive... and more like a woman. She was surely quite shy, so she blushed but said softly: "Yes, I am, milord. I feel alive again. Thanks to you and... others." (She glanced at Kian and Eira with a smile, and both of them nodded in acknowledgment.)
Dariush chuckled heartily. His chuckle was like music to everyone's ears: "No problem. And you don't have to thank us too much. But we appreciate your kindness too."
Cobra looked at her hands, which she had clasped together, and nodded. She blushed more but firmly said: "Yes, I will remember that."
Kian chuckled quietly under his breath and shook his head. Then he cleared his throat to get attention: "Well... Today I managed to get some important information about the... elf prince of Enoy. And surprisingly, it's good."
Cobra looked confused, so she asked: "Can I know what you are talking about, milord?"
Kian nodded and started to explain about the forced arrangement between Dariush and everything else.
After explaining, Cobra said with a serious tone: "I see..." (Her expression darkened.) "I know what kind of empire Enoy is. An empire that... is all about power, peace, and just and only bloodline. They look like a good empire, but in fact they are a corrupted empire... just like... Nari."
Kian nodded and said with a serious tone as well: "Exactly. But more importantly, it's the royal family. The family of Emerald Wood. They have too many people. Each one holds a part of the empire's ministry jobs. For example, their elder uncle, who died long ago, was the minister of war. Now his daughter has taken his spot."
Dariush and Eira remained silent and heard everything—every single word. Then Dariush said: "Is that so... huh? An empire that a clan is controlling it. Right?"
Kian nodded and said: "That's right. They have too many people, and now they are a clan with blood relations."
Dariush fell into deep thought for a moment. Then he turned his head to Kian and asked: "So... What is the name of the person I am going to marry? And how does he look?"
Kian took a subtle yet deep breath and said: "His name is Arvin Emerald Wood. And I don't know how he looks. But rumors—and nearly everyone says—he's a fragile boy, so beautiful, and adorable. He isn't a feminine-looking boy, but he is noticeably beautiful and adorable."
Dariush turned his head away and looked ahead. Then he said: "Hmmmm, interesting. So, Kian, I want to ask another question." (He turned his head to Kian again.) "What will happen if I marry him?"
Kian answered quickly: "First, he gets your family name, and he becomes Arvin Farzad. Second, you might get a chance of becoming emperor of the Enoy empire. But remember this: it depends on your chance, because your power currently isn't even that high in Nari. So you have to raise your political power."
Kian cleared his throat: "Anyway, third is that after marriage, you can ask for anything you want from the emperor of the Enoy empire. And this is for sure, because you are the head of the Farzad family and, more importantly, you will be his son-in-law."
———
About Dariush: The Farzad family is actually a clan. A clan whose members are all vampires. All of them are in World 99 (where Dariush is currently living), and all of them are blood-related—some in a normal way and some in a strange way. More importantly, they can be everywhere. Dariush is the head of the clan, yet his clan wants him dead for a lot of things. Yet still, he is an important man in World 99 and, more importantly, in the Nari empire.
———
Dariush, taking the information with an open mind, turned his head to Eira and said: "Looks like... this arrangement isn't that bad, though." (He smirked.)
Eira chuckled humbly and said: "Indeed, my dear husband... indeed. But we can't trust them easily." (Her expression grew slightly serious.)
Dariush nodded understandingly: "True. Very true... Now we just have to be prepared. Fortunately, I can marry him anytime I can or I want. Even if I want to marry him 20 years later." (He joked slightly, then chuckled lightly.)
All three—Kian, Cobra, and Eira—chuckled too, clearly amused by his joke and irony.
After a few moments, a knock came at the door, followed by a maid's voice: "Milord... Shira Delester is here. The leader of the firefighters. She wants to see you, and she said it's important."
Dariush cleared his throat and said: "Then let her come in."
After a moment, Shira came into the office. After she saw Cobra, she instantly bowed: "L-Lioness. I greet you."
Cobra chuckled slightly and said: "I greet you too... Shira... right?" (She felt a bit awkward.)
Shira straightened her posture and said: "Yes. And it's nice to meet you, Miss Lioness... I mean Miss Cobra! Miss Cobra, I mean." (She felt awkward too.)
Dariush chuckled heartily and said: "How adorable."
Both women blushed furiously and shut their mouths instantly, looking away shyly.
Then Cobra muttered: "Don't tease us. Shira is going to say something important, right?"
Shira nodded frantically, clearly grateful for the change of topic. She said: "Yes, absolutely yes."
Eira giggled softly. Kian chuckled under his breath and shook his head.
Dariush's expression softened, but he was clearly amused by the situation. Then he said: "Then go ahead, Shira, and say what happened."
Shira cleared her throat: "First, I greet my Lords and Duchess." (She bowed again, referring to Cobra, Eira, Dariush, and Kian.)
All nodded in acknowledgment.
Then Shira straightened her posture again and, this time with seriousness, said to Dariush: "Do you... remember that fire that happened two days ago, right?"
Dariush nodded; his expression grew serious too.
Shira continued and said: "Well... that incident wasn't just an incident... I found something that shows... that fire wasn't an incident."