Doors closed, all that was left was to look for her afternoon companion. Her eyes were scanning the people picking books in the shelves and reading them gathered on tables when the call interrupted her. Caterina turned to regard that young man. He looked like a teenager; however age did not merit anything in her experience. Wasn’t the king of the Germanicus Kingdom, Ludwig II, a mere lad of fifteen when he assumed his throne? Wasn’t Esther Blanchett crowned Queen of Albion at nineteen? Hadn’t she been given the mantle of Cardinal at her eighteen?

Still she didn’t know his interest to meet. With that name, he couldn’t be from her world, unless the vampires from the Empires were baptized with that exotic name. In a closer look, the young man wasn’t pale enough to be a Methuselah.

“I am and you must be Mister Shiba,” she replied with a soft yet hoarse voice, turning her lips up in a pleasant smile and acknowledging him immediately with a nod. “Good afternoon. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long.” Caterina stayed where she was, expecting him to lead the way back to the chosen table. Truthfully, she hadn’t seen from which direction he had reached her.