Greetings, everyone! It’s me, Lily, your fluffy and cuddly Vampire princess, and I'm so excited to be heading back to my home country, the Vamper Kingdom, passing through the Garrison Empire's gates. Currently, my new brides, Sue and Klare, are here with me, and we have our sweet daughter, Freya, with us. Lucy and Yami are handling the horses, while Mana and Iris are playing a board game. Sue said it was called Chess, but it's too complicated for me.

As we travel at a steady pace, Klare speaks up and says, "My Dear, we will pass through the village I used to live in with my mother soon. Would you mind if we stopped? I'd like to show you where I came from and share my story of what happened those many years ago. Our daughter told me you once said to Mana that we shouldn't hide our pain with a smile. You were right, and I believe I should face this pain head-on, especially now that I have two people whom I love more than anything else in this world, and I know they will always be by my side."

"Of course, my Darling Klare," I reply. "If that's what you want to do, I will support you with all my heart. Do you want us all to go or just the two of us?"

"Well, I..." Klare trails off, unable to decide or perhaps too nervous to voice her preference.

Freya pipes up and says, "I think Mommy and Mama Klare should go together alone."

"Mama Klare, are you okay with that?" I ask.

"Mhm!" Klare nods, grateful for our daughter's help.

"Excellent. Sue and I will stay here and play with Freya," I say.

Klare takes my hand and asks, "Lily, my Dear, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on an impromptu date this evening?"

"Of course, my Darling Klare," I reply, feeling a flutter of excitement.

Lucy interrupts, "We have arrived at Rondo Village, my Darling."

"Thank you, Lucy," I say, turning to Freya. "We've arrived, sweetheart. You be a good girl and listen to your Mamas, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy, I will," Freya replied, giving me and Klare a big hug before toddling over to Mana. As we exited the carriage, I overheard Iris telling Klare, "Please keep an extra eye out. I can sense something off about this village. I won't stop you two from going because this is important, so please be careful. I know you two can't be killed, but mental pain can be far worse than physical. Please protect our Darling."

"I understand. I promise I will protect our Dear with everything I have. Please do the same for our daughter. If you go into town, please stay away from the east side of the village. That's where a lot of crime happens," Klare responded.

After we said our goodbyes and see-you-laters, Klare and I headed into the village. I interlocked my arm and hand with hers, and as we walked, I sensed that she was becoming more and more on edge, so I called her attention.

"My Darling Klare, look here for a moment," I said.

After Klare turned to face me, I gave her a short and sweet kiss before stating, "Please don't be so on edge. I am right here with you. I promise I will be by your side no matter what."

"You're right, hehe. I am sorry, my Dear. With you by my side, I have no reason to feel nervous. I honestly feel as if I could take on the world. I love you, my Dear," Klare said.

"I love you too, my Darling," I replied.

"Now, I know there must be some places that you have some good memories of in this village. Why don't you show me them first, and then we will move on to the other memories, my Darling Klare?" I suggested, looking deeply into Klare's eyes.

"Okay, my Dear. You're right. There were places that I did find joy. I know a place. Come with me. I hope it's still here," Klare said.

"Where are we going, my Darling Klare?" I asked.

"There was an inn with a wonderful café around here that was run by a sweet family. They would help my mother and me by giving us food when times were really tough," Klare explained.

"I would love to meet them. I hope they are still there as well," I stated, looking at Klare's smiling face as she looked back on her memories.

"The inn is still here, but it seems to be in bad shape. Let's go in, my Dear," Klare said.

"Welcome. How may I help yo... Is it really you? Little Klare? I haven't seen you since that day," Mrs. Long said with a solemn face.

"Yes, it is really me, Mrs. Long, but let's not talk about the sad memories. I wanted to come see if you and Mr. Long were still running the inn here, as my Dear Lily and I were passing through the village," Klare said, trying to avoid discussing a sad topic.

"Oh, sadly my husband is no longer with us, and I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep this inn after 30 years. But enough of that. You're married now. That is amazing. Congratulations, you two. It's not much, but I will pour you a celebratory drink," Mrs. Long said.

“I am Lily Vamper, the First Princess of the Vamper Kingdom. I am sorry for your loss. Instead of a drink, I heard that you cook wonderful meals, and you fed my darling Klare and her mother when they needed help. For that, I would like to order two of your specials for 25 gold each, and here is 50 as a tip,” I introduced myself to Mrs. Long, handing her a bag filled with gold coins.

“This would help me for years to come. Are you sure this is okay, Princess?” Mrs. Long asked, bowing.

“Please keep it, Mrs. Long. I wanted to help you, and I set a protective barrier spell on that bag to keep you safe. It will deflect any attempts to harm you in an effort to steal your money bag,” I assured her.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I will get to making your meal right away, Princess,” Mrs. Long said, grateful.

After some time had passed, Mrs. Long returned with two wonderful and delicious-looking meals.

“Thank you for the food,” Klare and I said before consuming the food. It was exquisite and better than most dishes I have eaten in the royal castle.

“Mrs. Long, would you like to cater for our wedding? Your food is some of the best I have ever had,” I asked with a serious expression.

“I would love to, but I don’t know how I would get there,” Mrs. Long replied.

“You can ride with us on the way there. I will send a message to one of my brides to pick you up soon, if that is okay with you?” I offered.

“That is fine, thank you truly. You are marrying a wonderful Princess, Klare,” Mrs. Long said.

“I really am. I am the luckiest woman in the world,” Klare replied, smiling at me.

After a while, Yami arrived to pick up Mrs. Long. I felt relieved that she would be better protected with my brides. Klare and I left the inn and headed towards our destination.

As Mrs. Long said goodbye to us, I could see the sadness in her eyes. It was as if she was reliving the memories of her late husband and the inn they ran together. I felt a lump form in my throat as I watched her.

Klare noticed Mrs. Long's sadness and took her hand, offering her comfort. "I know it's hard to talk about, but if you ever need someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to reach out to me," she said with a gentle smile.

Mrs. Long nodded, grateful for Klare's kind words. "Thank you, dear. Losing my husband was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through, but I'm grateful for the time we had together. And now, thanks to your generous offer, I'll be able to keep the inn running a little while longer."

Klare smiled, glad that she could make a difference in Mrs. Long's life. "I'm just glad we could help in some small way. And we're both looking forward to having you cater our wedding. Your cooking is truly exceptional."

Mrs. Long beamed with pride at the compliment. "I'll make sure to put my best foot forward for your special day. It will be an honor to be a part of it."

As Klare and I left the inn, we both felt grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in Mrs. Long's life.

As we walked, Klare's grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel the tension in her body. I looked up and saw that we had arrived at the east side of the village, also known as the slums.

I squeezed Klare's hand in reassurance and gave her a small smile. "I'm here for you, always," I said softly.

Klare's eyes met mine, and I could see the pain and sadness in them. I knew this place held difficult memories for her, but I was determined to be her strength and support.

“This is the place where my mother and I used to live, this is the place where my journey to you began, my Dear.” Klare said.