The Alchemists

A smile appeared on Alaric's face. Now he understood why Aleksis was very friendly towards Terry dan Nicolae. Terry was her brother, and Nicolae was the son of her godfather ...

Now Alaric could see how things were connected. He didn't need to worry about feeling jealous or anything...

"So how are you doing in England? When are you going home?" Aleksis asked him. "Can we switch to video mode instead? I really really really miss seeing your face!"

"Why do you want to see me?" Alaric questioned, pretending not to understand her question. He started to enjoy teasing Aleksis.

"I'm a forgetful person, you know. If you don't want to talk via video don't blame me if you come back after one month and I couldn't remember what you look like anymore ..." Aleksis grumbled. Without waiting for Alaric's approval she pressed the projector button on Takeshi's cellphone. She wanted to see how Alaric was doing. Unfortunately, Alaric did not accept the video call from Aleksis, making the girl annoyed. "Why did you reject my video call?"

The man coughed, "Sorry I can't use projector mode here. I'm having a conference in the meeting room. People will pass out if they suddenly see your face appearing here."

Aleksis subconsciously covered her mouth in surprise. Jeez ... Does it mean she was currently interrupting Alaric's meeting with other people, that she had bothered her husband without asking what he was doing?

"Gosh ... I'm sorry. You should have told me that you are busy so I wouldn't call you," Aleksis murmured in guilt. "Sorry, I didn't ask."

"Ahaha ... it's okay. I told you to call me before you sleep. Since it's you, of course, I would have to pick up your call." Alaric spoke soothingly.

"Yes, but I should have texted first to ask if you are busy or not. Hmm ... then tomorrow morning you should call me, it would be nighttime in your timezone. Once it's the evening in Singapore, I will call you. Hopefully tomorrow, we are both not busy," replied Aleksis with finality in her voice. "I'm not comfortable bothering you at work."

Inwardly, she was actually embarrassed, she had been blabbering nonstop for almost 15 minutes before asking what Alaric was doing.

"Are you really fine with that? Have you talked enough?" Alaric asked her in a teasing tone.

"Yes, I have. Let's talk again tomorrow ... I will go to sleep now. Have a good meeting. Take good care of your health." answered the girl before ending the call.

"That is all?" Alaric inquired again.

Aleksis smiled shyly as she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too. Good night," said her husband who was smiling on the other end of the line.

Alaric hung up and turned back toward the middle of the room, where his directors in the European Union countries had gathered in a conference call. All of the six people present were visibly shocked and puzzled because for 15 minutes their boss suddenly paused the meeting to receive a call, and he seemed to have smiled several times while speaking with the one who phoned him.

They almost never saw the man smiling, whether it be when he was still wearing his mask or today after taking it off in front of them. This was truly a rare sight.

Only Pavel could guess who had just called his boss.

***

Aleksis woke up feeling happy. She did not expect that after listening to Alaric's voice, she would become so happy that she could sleep soundly and even had sweet dreams.

She giggled as she remembered her dream last night. She and Alaric lived in beautiful countryside in Switzerland and raised a bunch of sheep, with Little Prince Siegfried running after some geese on a green lawn against a backdrop of the blue mountains with snow-covered peaks. There were also several waterfalls behind their lovely home.

They had three beautiful children who were happily running around the place. They were so troublesome that Alaric had to chase them one by one. Her husband was so preoccupied with them that he did not have enough time to think about how to conquer the world ... He devoted his life to them, mostly focused on their adorable and naughty children.

Hahahaha ... what a beautiful dream. If only it could become reality. Aleksis sighed dreamily.

The thought made her feel very happy and she was smiling all day long. Lauriel who saw her daydreaming with a grin on her face while they were having their breakfast at the dining hall's table could only shake his head.

Aww.He patted her shoulders when the head of the girl who was too absorbed in her daydreaming almost slammed into the chair.

"You seem very happy," Lauriel commented.

"Uhmm ... ahahaha ... you think so, Uncle? I'm always happy," she answered simply.

"Finish your breakfast, I will take you to campus. I have to make sure you always reach there safely until the additional bodyguards for you arrive," The uncle announced, taking the car keys from the table.

"Ehhh ... you will take me to campus? Oh dear ... you don't have to.. I don't want to bother you, Uncle," said Aleksis quickly. "I have Carl and Sascha ... they are enough for me. I will also meet Nico there ..."

"It is no bother for me, really. I just want to check how your school arranges its security system. Who knows, I might be able to fix it and make it better. Especially when Esso and Petra will be coming later, they can provide some advice to further the security of that place."

"Oh ... yesterday, you said that there are two wolf packs coming. So cool!"

Lauriel nodded. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready ..." Aleksis picked up some eggs and fruit from the table and put them in a lunch box meant for additional snacks. She then hurriedly wore her shoes. After that, she kissed Little Prince Siegfried on the head before saying and waving him her goodbye.

"Ahhh .. I feel like an ordinary schoolgirl being dropped by my father to school ..." The girl exclaimed while laughing.

Lauriel smiled at that. Outsiders certainly would not think they were father and daughter duo because physically Lauriel looked only a few years older than Aleksis. They looked more like lovers who went to campus together. The two walked hand in hand towards the elevator and went down the parking lot located in the basement.

Carl and Sascha who were waiting for Aleksis by the car looked so surprised to see the girl coming down with Lauriel.

"Are you coming with us?" asked Sascha.

"We'll take a different car. Uncle Rory will drive me to the university. You guys follow us from behind as usual," Aleksis said quickly.

She still remembered, yesterday when she and Nicolae left for the campus aboard Carl and Sascha's armored Mercedes, the innocent Carl accidentally revealed many of her secrets about Prince Siegfried to Nicolae.

She could not risk the same happening with Lauriel in the same car.