All Things House, reception area.
A black-robed figure slowly removed his hood, revealing a flawless face.
If Angel had been here, he would have recognized the other party at once. Without a doubt, it was Rice God.
Rice God politely declined the receptionist's attentive service and merely asked, "Where did the other black-robed people who came in with him go?"
After learning that the others had been assigned to reception areas for their respective races, Rice God nodded and asked no further questions. Instead, he turned and headed outside.
He needed to hurry to the affairs hall and rendezvous with the others.
After leaving the reception area, Rice God moved swiftly through the long corridor. In the utter silence, only the alternating tap-tap of his footsteps could be heard.
Suddenly, a buzzing voice sounded beside his ear.
"Do you know that person from earlier?"
There was no one beside Rice God, yet the abruptly appearing voice did not surprise him.
Rice God slowed his pace and said blandly, "What does that have to do with you?"
"Why wouldn't it have anything to do with me? Don't forget, it was your human companions who stirred things up last time, causing such a huge blunder at the gem trade fair." The buzzing voice ought to have sounded simple and guileless, but now it carried a trace of anger.
Rice God said, "Although those people belonged to the same organization as me, they were from another faction and had always been at daggers drawn with me."
The buzzing voice said, "I know. You told me before that you're conservatives, while they're extremists. But that makes no difference to us. All we know is that you are all humans."
Rice God fell somewhat silent. He did not know how to refute that.
It was