Chapter 555: New Faces

"What?!" Alexandra yelped. "NO!" She flailed, hands shooting up to shove Nyx’s face away with all the dignity of a woman being bullied by an affectionate demon. "Stop messing with me!"

Luna slowly looked between the two of them. "Wait. Hold on. Did you two have something going on in your teens or what? Some secret academy romance?"

"What?!" Alexandra shrieked, twisting halfway around. "No! Absolutely not! This nasty woman is just messing with me!" She growled under her breath, pushing harder at Nyx’s face. "And why are you so strong?!"

Nyx chuckled, barely budging. "I am a level forty-something space babe."

"That is NOT fair!"

Aria was openly giggling now. Bastet watched with amused, narrowed eyes, tail swishing. Even Kaiden raised an eyebrow, clearly wondering if he’d walked into the middle of a sitcom. He found it curious how Alexandra didn’t show signs of any PTSD surfacing, despite Nyx’s actions.

He wondered if it was because of her gender.

’Hmm... Or perhaps the trust between them is too high. They are just playing with each other, and Alexandra knows it.’

Nyx finally relented, easing her grip just enough to rest her chin lightly on Alexandra’s shoulder. Her voice softened, just a touch, though the grin stayed sharp. "It’s good to see the feisty gal I knew is still there."

"Grr..." Alexandra growled, going completely tomato red as the table erupted into laughter.

Then the blonde maid caught herself, took a deep breath, and entered zen mode.

Still in Nyx’s hold, she changed her posture until it became prim and proper, even dusting her outfit.

The pink-haired curvaceous beauty then sing-songed, "Look at my bestie, girls. Isn’t she such a graceful lady?"

"Where did you learn those motions?" Aria asked, clearly impressed.

"Or are you a natural?" Bastet purred, amused.

Alexandra’s blush instantly returned. "Y–YouTube..." she murmured.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then they all burst out laughing for a second time, save for poor Calypso, who did not get it. The demoness leaned toward Bastet and asked in a hushed tone, "Chocolate Kitty, what’s that? A training agency?"

"..." The Ra-Blessed Felinid’s eyes narrowed instantly. "What did you just call me? Did you get bored of calling me simply a kitty?"

Calypso shrugged. "I learned what a chocolate is only recently. Can’t call you what I don’t know even exists. Now stop complaining and tell me what YouTube is. I am tired of being out of the loop."

"..." The already narrow eyes of the bronze-skinned desert queen turned into fiery slits as she glared at the demoness.

Then, she sighed with defeat. "I’ll give you some education after we get back today. As for YouTube..."

She smiled. "It’s one of humanity’s greatest creations."

"Oh! Now I’m even more excited!" the demoness decreed with her tail flicking.

...

The plates began to circulate soon after, warm waffles disappearing one by one into eager hands. Honey glistened as it soaked into the crisp surface, butter melting into every little pocket like it had been waiting there all along. The other potential toppings, such as maple syrup, jams, and Nutella, also surfaced.

The girls were all impressed with Alice’s cooking.

Yes, it wasn’t complicated food, sporting no rare ingredients, needing no expert technique, but it didn’t need to. The balance was right. Sweet without being cloying, crisp without being dry, comforting in a way that hit somewhere deeper than the stomach.

"This is really good," Aria said between bites, eyes bright. "Like... really good."

"Mm," Luna agreed. Being another sweet tooth, she had a big appreciation for this breakfast. "I’d eat this before a dungeon run any day."

Nyx hummed happily, already on her second half. "Little sister’s got talent."

Alice sat tall, shoulders straight, clearly trying not to look too pleased - and failing completely. She accepted their praise with small nods and quiet smiles, her happiness obvious even when the words didn’t come from the one person she cherished most. It was enough that they liked it. Enough that they ate it.

Enough that no one pushed her cooking away.

Before long, the easy warmth of breakfast gave way to movement. Armor was retrieved, robes exchanged for travel gear, hair tied back with efficiency. The moment lingered, then gently loosened its grip, as all good moments did.

At the doorway of the private wing, Alexandra stood with her hands folded neatly in front of her skirt, watching them prepare to leave. One by one, the girls offered smiles, nods, casual farewells.

Then came Alice.

She looked at Alexandra fully. Her expression was sincere.

"Thank you for teaching me. I will not forget it."

Alexandra nodded, her smile bright and unguarded. She watched as Alice shifted with her form blurring for just a heartbeat before the familiar dark halo settled atop Kaiden’s head, the girl once more in her comfortable place.

The group moved on.

Alexandra raised a hand to her mouth as the door closed, and her eyes began to water.

"Come back safe and sound..."

She stood there for a long moment after they were gone, heart full in a way she hadn’t known it could be. She truly was fortunate, fortunate beyond words, to have met these people.

Then, she wiped her tears. "I need to stop being so emotional... I’m always crying..."

"But I’m just so happy..."

...

The guild hall was already awake when Kaiden and the others emerged. Voices echoed through the wide stone space, members coming and going, some laughing, some tense, some already bloodied despite the early hour. Greetings were exchanged easily; nods, brief words, shared understanding. No one lingered.

There was no starting horn. No countdown.

The competition didn’t wait.

The thirty-day event never stopped, not for sleep, not for nightfall. Somewhere, people were fighting right now. Somewhere else, someone was falling behind. Every minute mattered.

Kaiden’s group moved with purpose, passing through the hall and out into the mountain air. The path wound downward, carved into the stone, leading toward the main gathering ground below.

The air at the gathering ground was sharp with mana and ambition.

Dozens of awakened moved through the open space carved into the mountainside, some tightening armor straps, others checking weapons or quietly conferring with their parties. Banners fluttered in the cold wind, guild insignias stitched proudly into cloaks and pauldrons. It felt less like a camp and more like a staging ground for war.

Kaiden and his group stood out anyway, because of the way people noticed them and then subtly adjusted their paths.

Whispers followed in their wake. Curious glances. A few hardened looks laced with envy or calculation. They were just about to step fully into the flow of traffic when a voice cut through the ambient noise, sharp with disdain.

"So the star boy is here, huh? I wanted to meet you."

Kaiden stopped.

Slowly, he turned his head.

Standing a short distance away was a man with neatly styled ash-blond hair and a smug, self-assured posture, arms crossed over a high-grade combat jacket etched with unfamiliar sigils. His aura was solid, well-trained, the kind that spoke of constant dungeon exposure and a confidence that hadn’t yet been broken.

Flanking him were three women, all armed, all alert.

The man’s lips curled as his gaze swept over Kaiden and his three Valkyries before moving back to Kaiden again, where it lingered, pointedly dismissive.

"I wonder why you’d bother coming here at all. Isn’t this place a little too risky for someone of your... level?"

The mountain wind swept between them.

Aria’s smile thinned.

Luna’s fingers twitched.

Nyx’s grin deepened.

Kaiden simply looked at the man, observing for a few seconds before, with a confused expression, he asked,

"Who are you clowns?"

All who heard his words went quiet.