Eating and talking with kins of Lily.

So, it's morning and time for breakfast...

Soon you and your sweetheart arrive in the mansion's dining room.

A large room with a long table in the middle.

Lots of chairs and armchairs that look quite shabby.

Windows that are carefully covered with curtains (strange - why do this?).

Paintings on the walls, candelabra, a small number of burning candles that emit a faint light.

The lighting in this room is clearly not enough.

But it seems that this fact does not bother Lily.

She introduces you to her relatives.

Because of the darkness, you can’t see well those who are sitting at the head of the table...

The silhouette of the figure of Henry Addison is hidden in the shadows, but you notice the non-human sparkle of greenish-golden eyes...

This sight gives you goosebumps on the back of your head...

Henry greets you courteously and inquires about your well-being.

During this “small talk” you realize that his voice sounds somehow unnatural... as if it is something between the grinding of metal and the creaking of breaking tree branches.

Catherine sits next to Henry - so you can only make out the silhouette of her elegant dress...

Her voice sounds a little softer and quieter, but still... the feeling of the unnaturalness of what is happening does not leave your consciousness.

The sparkle of her golden eyes in the darkness only intensifies your hidden fears...

Catherine asks you about your relatives, your home village and the situation in nearby villages.

She asks a lot of clarifying questions.

Perhaps her interest seems a little... excessive.

Sitting closer to the center of the table is the brother of Lily.

Alex...

You gradually examine his face, silently surprised by his similarity to his sister’s facial features.

This guy has an amazingly feminine and gentle face...

Only his men's clothing (grayish camisole, white shirt, trousers, black men's shoes) emphasizes the differences between his appearance and Lily's appearance

Alex is a rather modest guy and speaks little during the meal. However, you notice a few fleeting glances in your direction. There is carefully hidden interest in these views. And one more thing: he exchanges glances with his sister. A quick succession of winks and graceful gestures...

You can't understand the meaning of this...

This probably means something...

Lily suddenly giggled and looked at you and then at Alex.

You ask her in bewilderment: “What’s so funny?”

She smiles sweetly and says: “Don’t pay attention, Michael... These are just our old games with Alex...”

You lean closer to her, feeling the warmth of her breath...

Her plump breasts, heaving with her breath, are visible through the neckline of her elegant dress.

Trying to suppress your growing excitement, you whisper quietly, “Why is the dining room so dark?”

Lily replies: “Is it dark? Really? I don’t think so... Everything is clearly visible... Honey, don’t be distracted - at the end of breakfast, Grandpa Henry will tell you something important..."

So, breakfast and casual conversation continues...

Servants who serve at table: Bellworth and Mary. They are both dressed in classic servant clothes and have masks on their faces. And one more thing: elegant leather gloves on their hands.

Probably, the owners of Thornwood hall carefully planned every nuance of what was happening...

At the end of the meal, you feel the warm thigh of Lily press against your body. The nipple of her breast touches your right elbow. Even through the fabric of your clothes you feel the growing warmth...

It becomes more and more difficult for you to keep your thoughts under control.

At this moment, Henry Addison looks at you and asks a question: "Michael, I see that you and Lily share a powerful bond of love. This is wonderful... I support this in every possible way... However, love means not only pleasure, but also the ability to take responsibility... Answer me, Michael, are you able to protect your beloved? Are you able to take the burden of responsibility on your shoulders?"

You are slightly embarrassed by the non-human voice and the strange greenish-bluish shine in your interlocutor’s eyes.

You answer: “I love Lily. She is the meaning of life for me. I will do everything to ensure her safety!”

Henry Addison coughs hoarsely and continues: “Krrrkrhh... The answer is worthy of a man... I am satisfied... But you should know that the life of Lily is connected with Thornwood hall... The legacy of the Addison family... It is not so easy to understand... But you gradually realize it... The important thing is, that to survive we need... resources... Crrghh... And we also need privacy. Let secrecy cover Thornwood Hall as it has for many centuries... Secret is a guarantee of safety. Are you ready to eliminate the threat to our common security?”

You ask in bewilderment: "A threat? What do you mean, sir?"

Henry Addison makes a sound vaguely similar to a mixture of grinding metal and laughter: “Khhh... Khhh... I think you can guess for yourself... What is the reputation of the part of the forest in which Thornwood Hall is located, according to the residents of the nearby villages?”

You say embarrassedly: “These are just ignorant superstitions... But I can say that those with whom I communicated called this area of ​​​​the forest with frightening names - “cursed place”, “place of unholy witchcraft”, “forest of shadows and bane”...”

Again, something vaguely resembling laughter: “F e a r is good... Fear helps maintain the veil of secrecy... But sometimes there are “problems”... I ask you to help eliminate such a “problem”, Michael...”

You ask worriedly, “What happened?”

Henry replies: “A group of armed hunters from the village of Kane. There are five of them. They probably want to start looting Thornwood hall. Rumors and superstitions do not scare them. Most likely, they think that this place is just an abandoned ruin among a dense forest... However, greed can prompt them to aggression. Imagine what would happen if their aggressive actions put Lily’s life in danger?”

You resolutely answer: “I won’t allow this!”

The sound of applause.

Voice of Henry: “Commendable courage! Tomorrow you, Bellworth and Bernhardt will go to solve this “problem”. Bernhardt has tracked down their group and will lead you to them. Now they are still on the outskirts of the forest..."

The meal is coming to an end...

Henry and Catherine get up from the table, clearly intending to leave the dining room somewhere along one of the dark corridors.

Before leaving, Catherine Addison smiles at you and says, “Welcome to the family, Michael!”

You bow politely.

The dialogue that took place sowed doubts in your mind, which are like vague shadows...

However, the gentle touch of Lily's fingers on your skin distracts you from reflection.

She strokes your neck and whispers in your ear with her voice, in which one senses voluptuousness and the anticipation of a love embrace: “The boring conversations are over... Follow me quickly, Michael...”