"Do you not have friends, Naira?" Nyx asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I do... Or I did... Years ago."
"Hmm? What happened? Can you tell me? A young lady such as yourself shouldnât be out here. Were you not aware of the monster outbreak? Do you have a tribe?"
Naira didnât answer right away; her eyes were focused on the dirt as if searching for something to say. Nyx opened her mouth to try again, but the noise of movement cut her off.
Branches swayed, then parted.
A group stepped through the undergrowth in formation, armed and alert.
At the front was a tall man in heavy armor, Jack. Behind him strode a woman with a glaive strapped to her back. Her expression was sharp, and she was sure of herself. Kaiden knew that face. Caitlyn. The B-tier glaive wielder. The one Tessa had described as a woman with a fondness for pulling rank.
Following them was Sasha, her red hair tied in a loose braid, bow raised. Next came Vaelira, blonde and composed, her steps perfectly matched by the rhythm of the puppet soldiers surrounding her. Behind them, a man with a sword kept his distance, scanning the area.
The easy air around Kaiden that came from such a great victory turned sour. He felt it settle on his tongue like iron. His expression didnât change much, but the tension in his shoulders said enough.
Luna spoke first, her tone dry. "Didnât Tessa promise we wouldnât have to deal with your nonsense on this mission? Why did they have to send you?"
Indeed, Nyx called for backup when Naira surfaced with five more Ravager monsters. However, Tessa ensured they would be far from each other; they shouldnât have met.
Vaeliraâs eyes coldly turned toward the Storm Valkyrie, ready to answer the question with something that clearly wasnât going to be uttered with utmost professionalism.
But before she could part her lips, Caitlyn stepped forward. "Thatâs enough, Vaelira," she said without looking back. Her voice was full of authoritarianism. Vaelira visibly looked frustrated because she hadnât even done anything yet, but she was already being told off. However, Caitlyn did not seem to care for her thoughts one bit.
The woman came to a stop in front of Kaiden. For a heartbeat, neither spoke. Then she extended her hand.
"Iâve wanted to meet you for a while, Kaiden Grey. My name is Caitlyn, Squad Leader of Nova Circuit," she said with a confident grin.
Caitlyn stood a step too close when she spoke. Her armor fit tight around her frame, emphasizing the kind of curves that didnât go unnoticed by most men. Her red hair was tied high into a ponytail, and her sly eyes held a mix of charm and calculation in them.
Kaiden didnât take the bait. His gaze stayed level with hers, not wandering one bit.
Even when she pushed her chest forward under the guise of adjusting her armor, his eyes didnât drift. He simply reached out and shook her hand. The grip was firm, businesslike. Nothing more.
The mere audacity of the woman nearly made the man laugh out loud; how dare she think heâd be so easily charmed when he had four beyond gorgeous women by his side already?
She was a pretty lady, no doubt, but a whole league beneath his girls.
For a moment, Caitlyn studied him before the corner of her mouth turned upward, forming a foxlike smirk. "Seems like youâre a hard nut to crack... Even when a loving lady makes the effort to talk nicely, you pretend to be made of stone."
Her eyes drifted past him toward his Valkyries, all young and striking. The smirk deepened as she sized up the group. "Ah... I see how it is," she said, amused.
Did she think her being a few years older than them was the sole thing making her poor attempts at flirting fail?
From a small pouch, she pulled out a folded photo and showed it to Kaiden. "What do you think of her? Pretty, isnât she?" A similarly red-haired girl smiled in the picture, showing off a V sign with her fingers. "My little sister. Nineteen. Sheâs a big fan of yours, actually."
Kaidenâs brow lifted, unsure why none of the Nova Circuit people seemed to be able to act in any professional capacity, but he didnât speak.
Caitlyn leaned closer, her grin sharpening. "Sheâs not awakened yet, though. Poor little girl is a dejected college student with big dreams of awakening. You know, itâs her last few months of hope, but I can tell sheâs all but given up."
The woman was referencing how, save for the initial arrival of the mana apocalypse a decade ago, only children and young adults below the age of 20 had a 15% chance of awakening, save for the one in a million late bloomers.
The slyness of the woman increased even further as she winked and purred, "All she needs is a hero to help her achieve her dreams. Iâm sure if someone can help her, sheâd give them her everything... Everything~"
Her eyes flicked toward the Valkyries again. "Odin had seven, didnât he?"
The air shifted.
Ariaâs hand landed on Kaidenâs. Firm. Possessive. Her glare couldâve cut steel.
Without a word, she forced his hand free from Caitlynâs and stepped forward, taking his place. Kaiden didnât stop her in the process. He only looked amused as his beloved moon was about to center stage with flaring jealousy and a sassy attitude as her weapon.
Aria extended her hand toward Caitlyn. Her voice was calm, but the edge in it was sharp enough to draw blood. "Kaiden isnât Odin. He doesnât need to copy another man to be great, donât you even dare imply such a thing."
Her eyes narrowed. "And you were late. The fightâs already done. You can turn around and head back."
Caitlyn looked her up and down with one brow raised. The smirk, however, never left her face. "Well..." she murmured, clearly entertained, "arenât you a spirited one."
Nyx was the one to speak up next, displaying even more slyness than Caitlyn had.
"Iâll give you credit, it was a nice try. I respect the attempt. But donât you think youâre being a bit too optimistic?"
Her tone carried that teasing smoothness she was known for, playful but edged this time around, showing that she did not appreciate the womanâs attitude either. "Kaiden already has four very loving and extremely clingy girlfriends. Add to that the endless queue of fangirls trying to get his attention, and you really think heâd fall for someone because of a cute photo?"
Caitlyn laughed. The sound of which was unbothered. Her hand was still locked with Ariaâs. She didnât pull away. If anything, she leaned into the tension. "Then how about a two-for-one combo? A young, dedicated girl and an experienced lady. That might get his attention, donât you think?"
Ariaâs hand tightened around hers even further. If the redhead wasnât a strong awakened dressed in armor, her hand wouldâve turned into a gory mess.
The two womenâs gazes locked, neither blinking. "You can stop pretending," Aria said with a cold tone. "I know what youâre doing, and Iâm not so easy to manipulate. Keep this up, and I promise Iâll submit a complaint to Tessa."