Something Immortal

06: What Just Happened?

The Grand Hall was huge, and the tables were in their respective places. Som walked and swallowed at the same time as he tried to find an empty chair. He spotted the Strigoi brothers waving at him, but on the right side of his face, he could feel a familiar intense stare.

And Som hates being right.

As soon as he looked at that side where the aura was the strongest, Som realized that he was exchanging stares at His Imperial Highness, the Grand Prince Kali, who still looked like he wanted to eat him alive. Immediately averting his gaze, he pretended that he had never met him and that what had happened earlier was nothing but a figment. Yet, he also couldn't help feeling the sudden burning in his cheeks that was quite inexplicable. Som was baffled by this since he vividly recalled reading out loud the part where the writer introduced his protagonist. Sure, it left him in awe, but he was never this flustered.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was the chapter where Som felt eager to prove himself, and Kali being his best friend, supported his principles. However, Kali wasn't his best friend in this version, and given that all eyes were on him, it felt like this opening ceremony was a gathering of beasts that could "eat" him first. Well, the Dragon Prince already referred to him as a bunny. It shouldn't be surprising if others see him as prey too.

Som glanced at the Strigoi brothers once more, and the talkative one of them seemed to be pointing at something. Som had already told himself that he wouldn't be sharing a table with them. Not in a million years! But as he observed, he realized that there were name tags on top of the round tables. And yes, he was looking at his name written on the tag of the nearest one. Som sat down wondering about the other name on the table that was simply intended for the empty chair next to his. As he tried to read it, a shadow loomed and blocked his view.

"I'm your seatmate."

Som looked up when he heard a monotonous voice and saw a woman. It surprised him that such a deep voice could come from this gender, but he soon recognized that this was his ultimate crush, and that was when he started fanboying hard!

There was no way that he could mistake her identity. Her race was also among the most famous ones: The Harpy. They were known for their savage ways, hostile to almost everyone, and disinterested in following orders, yet strict when it came to their own. The name of this who took a seat beside him was Rai Saanvi Nitya Vapurda, and she was the elected Rai of the Harpy race plus the Chief Officer of the Harpia Army.

Saanvi has always been one of the toughest characters in the original novel. Not to mention that she has always been described as one of those with rare beauty. And the book was right—here she was, sitting beside him. Very much alive!

Her hair was long and straight with feathers sticking out on every strand of her hair, colorful ones that were making her strong and boyish features softer. Only that, there was nothing soft about this girl; she was as hard as a stone and quite tall too.

Saanvi sat on the chair next to Som in a casual way that left the other dumbfounded. Then, she proceeded to open a bottle of what he presumed to be alcohol and drank it without any care. Som was once again amazed at the way she drinks and realized the difference between imagining and seeing things unfold with his own two eyes. Saanvi drinks like a man!

"I thought druids wouldn't send someone here," her deep voice pulled Som out of his reverie. The words were followed by a loud burped, making Som flinch. Not at all repulsed but rather culture shock.

"Well, the rumor is wrong, HAHAHAHA..." he answered and added a laugh that sounded fake. When he noticed how she glared, he quickly stopped. Geez, Som didn't think that his ultimate fictional crush was this frightening in person until she spoke again.