Upon entering the castle through the roaring portal, John was completely marvelled at what he saw. The air that hit him felt crisp and ancient, carrying the scent of dusty velvet and ozone from the closing portal. The castle was colossal on the inside and was decorated with a breathtaking, almost overwhelming opulence. Massive stone arches supported a vaulted ceiling that disappeared into shadow, while tapestries depicting scenes of intense, violent beauty hung from the walls. John thought that the inside of the castle looked copied straight out of a fairy tale picture book, but with a dark, sophisticated edge.
"Wow, this place looks f—ing dope," he thought, the sheer scale of the architecture silencing his usual nervousness.
Before the portal could fully dissipate, Angeline rushed past John and Jiren. "Dad, Mom, I missed you so much!" She ran directly to her mother, Anna Crimson, and gave her a powerful hug.
Anna, looking perfectly composed and stunningly youthful in her mid-30s, immediately dissolved into raw, maternal emotion. "I also missed you, honey! You didn't even give us a call after this many years!" Her voice trembled slightly, a genuine sound that seemed out of place in the vast, cold hall.
"Mom, I am sorry… I…" Angeline began, but Anna silenced her with a teary smile.
"It's okay, honey, as long as you are safe and you are okay. That is all that matters." Anna's eyes, the same vibrant red as John's newly activated one, were swimming with tears of joy.
Angeline then turned her attention to her father, Leonidas Crimson. His posture was rigid, his expression perfectly emotionless, his face a sculpted mask of cold indifference. She walked up to him slowly and gave him a careful hug. "Hello, Daddy," Angeline almost whispered these words in his ear. Leonidas enclosed his arms around her body like a birdcage, a protective but restrictive embrace.
"Welcome home, my precious," he said, his voice low and devoid of warmth, sounding like stone grating on stone.
When they parted, Angeline went and stood next to her husband, giving him a supportive nudge.
"Greetings, old man," Jiren said with a wide, challenging smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief and defiance. "I see you ain't wearing any diapers."
Leonidas's one visible eye twitched violently. His jaw was so tight a muscle pulsed in his cheek. He looked at his wife, and she gave him a piercing, unspoken gaze—a clear warning only he would understand: Behave for our daughter. Leonidas cleared his throat with great effort and, forcing the words out, said, "Welcome, Jiren, to my humble abode. You and your family are welcome to stay as long as you like." The politeness was strained, heavy, and clearly mandatory.
"Well, thank you, Leo. I see you learned some manners over the long years," Jiren replied, baiting him relentlessly.
Leonidas silently gnashed his teeth from the inside, fantasizing about the sheer pleasure of tearing his son-in-law limb from limb. The contempt radiating from the vampire lord was palpable, settling over the room like a cloak of freezing air.
"This handsome young man is probably my grandson, right?" Anna's voice cut through the tension, focusing the energy back on John.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Angeline said, turning to John with a proud but nervous smile. "Mother, Father, this is John Fang, your grandson."
Anna's eyes, full of tears and warmth, fixed on John. "Well, child, are you only going to stand there or come give your grandmother a hug?"
John looked at his mother, Angeline, for confirmation. She smiled and gave a gentle nod of encouragement. Taking a deep breath, John walked slowly toward his grandmother. She was beautiful, terrifying, and smelled faintly of a delicate, sophisticated perfume mixed with something metallic and ancient. He extended his arms to her, and they gave each other a tight, gentle, but genuine hug.
"Nice to meet you, Grandma," John said, inhaling deeply. "You smell very nice."
Anna's tears began to crawl down her beautiful, porcelain-white skin like a river. They were tears of pure joy, relief, and validation. She held him tightly against her elegant gown.
"Why are you crying, Grandma?" John asked, confused by the strange mix of joy and sadness.
Before they parted from their hug, Angeline gave John a gentle kiss on the cheek. "It's because I am happy, honey. So happy to finally hold you."
"John, go greet your grandfather also," Angeline prompted, sensing the need to complete the awkward family ritual.
Jiren watched the whole scene, his previous happiness momentarily replaced by alert concern. When Angeline told John to greet his grandfather, Jiren looked at Leonidas very closely to see his reaction, ready to step in if the vampire lord made any sudden move.
John, however, was already taking the initiative. He walked up to his grandfather, gave a gentle bow—a move he'd seen in a dozen anime series—and delivered Jiren's instruction: "What's up, old man? How you doin'?"
Leonidas froze, his body going stiff as stone. His one eye twitched violently, and he shot a searing, menacing look straight at Jiren. Angeline palmed her face in mortification, while Anna gave a light chuckle, finding the entire scene highly amusing.
Jiren was laughing loudly, clutching his side. "That's my boy! Straight to the point!"
Leonidas finally managed to gain control. He looked at John, his crimson eyes filled with contempt and controlled fury, and said in a clipped, cold voice, "Greetings, child. I hope you all can excuse me." Without another word, he turned sharply and walked out of the room, his long, red coat sweeping behind him, the sound of his heavy, rhythmic footsteps fading into the castle halls.
The room for a minute was quiet as a mouse, the silence loud and heavy, broken only by the crackle of distant candlelight. Anna finally broke the ice with a smile that was both loving and slightly dangerous. "Come, you all must be very hungry."