The Daily Life of the Demon King

After returning to the captain's bridge, Alex and the girls decided to rest until the evening. Alex knew he had a little time to come up with a convincing lie that would persuade the others that Diego hadn't actually turned into a demon but had merely taken on a resemblance to one.

Lazily stretching out on the couch, he absentmindedly stroked Shizuka's head. She had made herself comfortable on his chest, occasionally glancing at him with half-lidded eyes. Whenever their gazes met, Shizuka would slightly lift herself up, kiss him on the lips, and then settle back down, content with his warmth.

Rebecca, Valmet, and Rika decided to experiment with their weapons—disassembling and reassembling them in an attempt to improve their performance. Namiyo took over the aircraft carrier's controls, giving GIR, MIMI, and Stitch a break. The mischievous trio instantly vanished, and there was no need to guess where they had gone—they had, as usual, run off to Alice and the other kids to have fun.

Alex had planned to remind them about the rehabilitation center, where former members of Cosa Nostra were supposed to go to reintegrate into society, but he decided to postpone that conversation for later.

Kiriko joined Namiyo to keep her company, and the two older women were now chatting cheerfully. Catching snippets of their conversation, Alex tensed up when he heard words related to pregnancy and children. A few drops of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He tried to act as if he hadn't heard anything. It wasn't that he was against children or the idea of one of the girls getting pregnant, but given his true nature, it wasn't a simple matter. Even his father's words about "trying harder" didn't exactly clarify things.

Brunhilde, lying on his arm, also overheard the women's conversation. Noticing his reaction, she barely suppressed a smirk. Chuckling to herself, she returned to working on her tablet.

Meanwhile, Saya, Rei, Renka, Saeko, and Beatrix were discussing training. Or rather, Saya was simply sitting nearby, silently listening to her friends talk. Everyone knew she wasn't a fighter, but she liked spending time with girls her age. Though, in Beatrix's case, calling her a schoolgirl would be a stretch—"college student" would be a more fitting term.

Shigure, once again transforming into a lazy cat, had simply fallen asleep.

Alex noticed that the atmosphere on the bridge was suspiciously quiet. Scanning the room, he realized that Ada and Koko—who usually found some excuse to argue—were unusually calm. Koko was studying something on her tablet, while Ada was focused on painting her nails. Both were completely ignoring each other.

"At least, for once, they're not bickering," Alex thought with relief.

He pondered what to do next. Lying on the couch was nice, but he already knew where that could lead. His gaze shifted to Brunhilde, who was still working on her tablet, planning supply stops along their route.

Alex moved closer, peering at the screen. Brunhilde, noticing his interest, tilted the tablet slightly so he could see better. Judging by the route, the stops were necessary regardless of circumstances. They had to replenish supplies, especially since, after arriving in Alaska, they would need to establish self-sufficient food production.

Brunhilde gave him a questioning look, hinting that she wanted his opinion. Alex was about to take the tablet in his hands when he realized that his arm was trapped. Turning his head, he saw Shigure, who had nestled onto his arm and, like a plush toy, was hugging it in her sleep.

Brunhilde smiled and flipped through a few more pages as she continued explaining the route. In truth, Alex trusted her planning. She always thought through every detail and preferred to account for all possible problems in advance.

After reviewing the planned stop points once more, he decided not to change anything. According to the plan, they were scheduled to make another stop in China, then Japan, possibly Korea, and after that, head toward the shores of the Slavic Empire.

When Alex thought about the Slavic Empire, now ruled by Svetlana Belikova, only a few things came to mind. The most important fact about this woman—she would cling to power until the very end. He needed to have Koko contact Svetlana again to get an update on the current situation in the country.

Especially considering that Alexander Gaidar, a native of the Empire and a colonel in its army, was not only a soldier but also part of the villainous martial arts organization. Two members of the Unified Shadow of the Nine Fists had already switched sides in pursuit of power. The question was, which side would Gaidar choose? Would he remain loyal to his people, or would he betray them, attempting to overthrow Svetlana?

Brunhilde, sensing Alex's thoughts, also wanted this information so she could adjust their plans if necessary. In the worst-case scenario, they could assist Svetlana if she managed to escape the besieged capital with her people. Though there was little doubt that the capital would fall—the undead horde, controlled by demons, had likely already begun moving from China. Some of that horde was probably guarding the Red Markers, while the rest prepared to annihilate everything in their path.

Alex glanced at Koko, who was lounging and watching a movie. He decided not to disturb her and would discuss it later.

Remembering that Ada had once worked for Svetlana or was supposed to, Alex realized how tangled the timeline of this universe had become. Keeping track of which events had already happened and which had been disrupted by the zombie apocalypse was becoming increasingly difficult.

Shifting his gaze to Ada, he noticed her playfully winking at him after finishing her nail polish, showing off her well-manicured hands. Alex simply smiled and gave an approving nod, to which she smirked in satisfaction and returned to her task.

He also recalled that the Slavic Empire had previously been ruled by Sergey Vladimir. Perhaps Svetlana had overthrown him. But was he still alive? And if so, had Alexander Gaidar been one of his subordinates? If that were the case, then Svetlana was facing a serious problem.

Brunhilde gently touched Alex's cheek, drawing his attention. Their eyes met, and without words, they exchanged thoughts about the current situation in the Empire.

In the end, they decided that Koko should first contact Svetlana to assess the situation before they made any further plans.

Regardless, their route passed along the shores of the Slavic Empire, so if necessary, they could pick up Svetlana and her people.

With the planning discussion closed, Alex wrapped his arms around Brunhilde, pulling her closer so she could rest against his chest. She closed her eyes, deciding to take a short break and leave the strategic thinking for later.

By evening, it was time to take care of business. Alex remembered that he had promised to explain to the others what had happened to Diego Carlo so that there would be no unnecessary questions in the future. In any case, he planned to pin all the blame on the Marker, presenting it in a way that sounded plausible enough for everyone to believe. They all knew how the Marker affected people—he just needed to craft another legend that fit into the bigger picture.

Carefully freeing his arm from under Shigure and gently moving the sleeping Shizuka off of him, Alex got up from the couch. Glancing at the girls, he decided to check if any of them wanted to join him.

"Anyone interested in hearing what happened to Diego?" he asked the others.

"Nah, too lazy," Rebecca replied lazily, continuing to disassemble and reassemble her weapons. "I'd rather work on my babies. Listening to some nonsense about a dead guy isn't my thing. If he could be killed with a bullet, why do I need to know more?"

Alex just smirked, knowing that was typical for Rebecca.

He wasn't surprised by her reaction. Shifting his gaze to Rika and Valmet, he saw they were also busy working with Rebecca and had no intention of leaving. Kiriko and Namiyo weren't planning on going either—someone had to manage the aircraft carrier while the usual trio of troublemakers was absent.

Koko was in the middle of a laziness attack, completely absorbed in watching a movie, not even bothering to get up. Ada simply pointed at her freshly painted nails, silently indicating that she couldn't go. But Alex knew the truth—she was just too lazy.

Looking around at the rest of the girls, he confirmed that no one was eager to join him. Even Saya, who was always thirsty for knowledge, wasn't interested this time.

"Where did the ever-curious Saya disappear to? Where are you hiding her?" Alex narrowed his eyes at her. "Bring her back, and I promise I won't spank you too hard."

"Who are you planning to spank?!" Saya huffed, rolling her eyes. "I just don't feel like going. You're going to tell the story later anyway."

"Who else? You, of course," came Rebecca's teasing voice. "You love it when he spanks you on the ass."

In an instant, a heated argument broke out between Saya and Rebecca.

Alex just sighed, knowing this was going to take a while. His attention shifted to Brunhilde, who had already gotten up and slipped on her sandals. Judging by her movements, she was planning to go with him.

Smiling, Alex walked over to her and took her hand. Waving to the others, he left the bridge with Brunhilde and headed for the deck.

Descending, they were slightly surprised to see a rather large group of people already gathered on the deck, eager to hear Alex's explanation about the situation with Diego. More than that—they had even prepared chairs to comfortably listen to his story.

Alex noticed Yuriko, who had been missing all evening. But he didn't need to guess where she had been—it was obvious she had spent time with an old friend, reminiscing about the past.

Noticing Alex and Brunhilde, Yuriko waved, inviting them over.

Alex and Brunhilde took two empty seats among the sizable audience. Scanning the gathered crowd, Alex felt a slight pang of guilt for the nonsense he was about to spout—but only slightly.

Among those present were Lehm and his guys, Price, Soap, and Ghost. The martial arts masters, including Madam Ma, who was holding Kensei by the collar to keep him from running off. Miu, who stood close to her grandfather Hayato, occasionally sneaking glances at Alex. Ken and Ryu were near the other masters.

Chun-Li and Cammy exchanged glances with Alex before playfully winking at him.

Also present were Kasper, Chiquita, and Kasper's other bodyguards. Even Kota, Takashi, and Jonah had decided to join. The newly arrived members of the group and Balalaika's people were here as well.

But what surprised Alex the most was the presence of Nathan Drake—a rather well-known archaeologist in this world. Quickly assessing the situation, he figured that Nathan's knowledge might come in handy for the nonsense he was about to tell.

Smirking, Alex lit a cigarette.

"There are so many of you that I'm actually getting shy," he said, feigning uncertainty. "Maybe I should come back later when there are fewer people?"

"So you had no problem cracking jokes while fighting that weird guy, but now, standing in front of a crowd, you're suddenly shy? Stop lying," R scoffed, giving Alex an amused look.

Alex simply shrugged—it was just something he had said for fun.

"Alright, let's do it this way: what exactly do you want to know? What interests you?" he asked, trying to decide where to start.

"I think it would make sense to begin with what happened to Diego and why he turned into something resembling a demon," Akisame suggested, giving a slight nod to indicate it was a logical starting point.

Alex nodded and pulled a holographic projector from his pocket to make his explanation more visual. He decided to provide as much information as possible for those who wanted to understand. After all, sooner or later, he would have to explain everything anyway.

Balalaika, intrigued by the device Alex was holding, turned to Yuriko and asked what it was. Yuriko quickly explained the hologram's function and purpose. Balalaika nodded in approval, mentally noting the level of technology Alex possessed—aside from the two robo-dogs she had already seen. The newcomers also didn't hide their surprise.

"Alright, let's start from the beginning," Alex said, activating the hologram and displaying an image. "I think most of you already know what a Marker is, so I won't go into too much detail. But for those who just joined us, here's a brief explanation. The Marker is an ancient obelisk that fell from space and has a peculiar effect on people. Basically, it brainwashes them, grants them knowledge, but at the same time drives them insane. Eventually, those affected die… and then turn into something very unpleasant."

As he spoke, he projected an image of the Marker so that the newcomers could get a clearer idea.

"Sasha, how do you know so much?" Balalaika asked, studying the hologram carefully.

"Hm… I just do," Alex replied with a mysterious smile. Then, glancing at one of the people in the crowd, he added, "For example, among us sits someone who loves exploring ancient ruins and searching for artifacts."

He pointed at Nathan.

Nathan Drake, who had been thoughtfully examining the Marker's image as if he had seen something similar before, didn't immediately notice that everyone was looking at him. He was trying to remember where exactly he had come across something like it. And when he finally realized… his eyes widened.

Over the years, he had stumbled upon mentions of similar obelisks more than once, but now it was clear that he wasn't the only one searching for clues. Judging by the way Alex spoke, he had learned far more about it than Nathan himself.

"What? Did I miss something?" Nathan asked awkwardly, noticing that all eyes were now on him.

"Judging by your face, you've also come across references to the Marker," Hayato observed, watching the archaeologist closely.

"Well… 'come across' might not be the right word. More like I've seen hints of it in various places during my expeditions, but my knowledge on the subject is clearly nowhere near as extensive as Alex's," Nathan replied with a slight smile.

Alex smirked. He was well aware that over centuries of history, this world had accumulated a wealth of information about the Marker. If Nathan, a treasure hunter, had truly dug through ancient ruins, then he had surely come across a few mentions of it… if not dozens. Fortunately, he hadn't reached the core of the mystery; otherwise, he would have already joined the ranks of deranged fanatics.

"Then maybe you'd like to share?" Alex suggested. "I'm always happy to learn something new."

"Of course," Nathan nodded. "The first mention of the Marker… though back then it was called the 'Sacred Pillar' or the 'Divine Obelisk,' I found in the tomb of the first pharaoh."

"You mean Narmer?" Brunhilde asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex also nodded, well aware that Narmer was indeed considered the first pharaoh to unify Egypt. Brunhilde, being a Valkyrie, had an excellent grasp of mortal history.

Nathan chuckled, pleasantly surprised that not only Alex but also Brunhilde knew such details. For the rest of the group, however, the conversation was beginning to sound like a history lesson, and some were already thinking about leaving.

"Heh, no, of course not," Nathan shook his head. "Narmer is indeed known as the first ruler of unified Egypt… but during one of my expeditions, I discovered a pyramid that had been buried in the sands far longer than previously thought possible. And inside, there was mention of another pharaoh. One who ruled before Narmer."

He paused, letting the suspense build.

"His name was Neferhotep. Imagine my surprise when I found that name."

Upon hearing the name Pharaoh Neferhotep, Alex instinctively frowned. Suspicions immediately surfaced in his mind, but he wasn't quick to jump to conclusions based on a single name. However, his gut feeling told him that his assumptions were correct—Neferhotep was exactly who he thought he was.

"Then why was your discovery never made public? Shouldn't it have been the opposite? You supposedly found the pyramid of the very first pharaoh, yet there's no record of it anywhere," Kasper asked with clear curiosity.

"Because some bastards intercepted my discovery," Nathan replied through gritted teeth.

Alex immediately had an idea of who he was talking about. Most likely, it was the Evil Corporation. If his suspicions were right, then inside Neferhotep's pyramid was the first fragment of the Marker, which ultimately fell into their hands. The others also quickly pieced everything together. It was becoming obvious why Nathan's discovery had never reached the public. The Corporation had simply buried all the information—and it was a miracle that Nathan and his team hadn't been eliminated in the desert.

"Were you able to find anything at all before they shut everything down?" Brunhilde asked calmly.

"Yeah, luckily, I managed to take a quick look around before those bastards sealed everything off," Nathan began, but he was immediately interrupted.

"Get to the point. I don't care for history lectures or your whining about the bad guys stealing your toy," Revy scoffed impatiently.

Alex shot her a glance. She looked annoyed. Some couldn't help but think that Revy and Rebecca were two peas in a pod when it came to personality. It was probably a good thing Rebecca wasn't here; otherwise, the two of them would have first prevented anyone from saying a word, then started arguing with each other—which was an inevitable fact.

"Alright, alright, geez, you're so impatient…" Nathan sighed before continuing. "Anyway—according to the hieroglyphs I managed to decipher, Pharaoh Neferhotep was the wisest and most intelligent ruler in all of history. He was the one who taught people how to build pyramids. In some records, he was even described as a wise deity who descended from the heavens. The texts I found stated that he fell from the sky along with the brightest star and carried with him incredible knowledge and wisdom."

Alex involuntarily began massaging the bridge of his nose. Now he was completely convinced of who—or rather, what—this Neferhotep was. This only confirmed his worst suspicions. The Minister of Monoliths was clearly engaged in a long chess game. But why hadn't he finished it back then? Why had he been waiting all this time?

The only explanation was that he had been laying the groundwork for the future. Perhaps he was simply testing how far he could go while remaining unnoticed. Or maybe it was even simpler—he was just stroking his own ego, manipulating mortals whom he saw as nothing more than ants.

"From the heavens, you say…" Kota muttered thoughtfully, adjusting his glasses. "Didn't Alex mention that Marker shards also fell from the sky? Maybe this Neferhotep just found one, gained knowledge, and became a genius?"

"Quite possible," Nathan nodded. "But the most remarkable thing is that his sarcophagus was different from the others. Usually, pharaohs' sarcophagi were made of granite or basalt, making them look fairly ordinary. But Neferhotep's sarcophagus was made of an entirely different material. It was black, and it seemed like it was meant for containment rather than burial."

"That confirms what Alex said," Price exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Which part exactly?" Akisame asked, delving into the details.

"He said that if there were those who sought to use the power of the Marker, then there must have also been those who fought against them. Maybe this pharaoh was the first to attempt building a Marker, but his own people rebelled and sealed him in a sarcophagus?" Ghost suggested.

"That makes sense," Nathan agreed. "Honestly, his sarcophagus looked truly eerie. As if someone had tried to claw their way out from the inside. Oh yeah, I also found many of the same hieroglyphs Alex showed us on the walls of his tomb, as well as depictions of the Marker itself. But unfortunately, I didn't have time to decipher all the inscriptions, and for some, I simply ran out of time."

"A shame," Alex said with frustration, realizing that the lost information could have shed light on the true history of this world's past.

Alex and Brunhilde exchanged glances, understanding they were thinking the same thing. Now, there was no doubt—Neferhotep was exactly who they suspected him to be. However, the idea that mere mortals had managed to imprison him seemed absurd. Most likely, he had allowed people to believe in his "defeat" only to later disappear into history and begin his game anew.

Comparing the past with the present, Alex concluded that the Minister of Monoliths had merely been amusing himself, occasionally staging a grand performance of the struggle between good and evil. However, now his stage encompassed an entire world, and he was calmly observing how events unfolded.

The only unresolved question was Davoth. Had he been invited by the Minister of Monoliths? Or had he found this world on his own? Perhaps some mortal had accidentally opened a passage for him? These thoughts wouldn't let Alex rest.

"Have you seen anything like this anywhere else?" Lady Ma asked in a serious tone, giving Nathan a sharp look. "I mean references to the Marker."

"Yes, many times," Nathan nodded. "One of the times I encountered similar hieroglyphs was in a Mayan pyramid."

"Don't tell me there was another 'wise ruler' or something like that," Takashi said dryly. "Because that would be too ridiculous."

"You're right," Kota nodded. "It's like in those manga and anime where authors just copy each other, only changing the names of the characters and locations."

"Yeah, a complete rip-off," Itami agreed with a nod.

"Can you stop talking about your kiddie cartoons?" Shino snapped irritably.

"Never! Anime is an art form!" Kota and Itami exclaimed in unison, high-fiving each other.

Shino clenched her fists, preparing to teach both chatterboxes a lesson. However, Kota was saved by one of his girlfriends, who immediately grabbed him by the ear and forced him to shut up. Itami, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky—he took a punch from Shino and collapsed onto the floor with a wounded expression, curling up like a shrimp. No one quite understood how a discussion about ancient history had suddenly turned into a debate about anime.

Fortunately, Toji remained silent—perhaps he was saved by Kyoko's piercing gaze, as she watched him closely, ready to intervene if necessary.

Toji's friends quickly picked up on the moment and wasted no time teasing him, calling him "henpecked." Alex just shook his head—if the events in Mayan history mirrored those of Egypt, it meant that the Minister of Monoliths wasn't particularly imaginative when it came to storytelling.

"Shall we continue?" Yuriko suggested in a calm tone.

"Ah, right…" Nathan cleared his throat, wiping the smile off his face. "Well, you're wrong, kid. In the Mayan pyramid, I found something new. Yes, there was also mention of a god who 'fell from the heavens,' but to be precise, that's not entirely the correct translation."

"Do you mean 'descended' or 'came down'?" Brunhilde clarified.

"You could interpret it that way," Nathan nodded. "But the real point is different. The pyramid spoke of a process called 'ascension' or 'elevation.'"

"Can you translate anything properly?" Sasaki asked sarcastically, crossing his arms. "Or are you only a great archaeologist in words?"

"Sorry, I don't know the Mayan language that well," Nathan shrugged. "But there was something strange. The records mentioned 'chosen ones' who could undergo the process of 'elevation.' The process itself is hard to translate—too many unclear terms related to sacrifice and the idea that 'only one who escapes death can be reborn.' I couldn't fully decipher what exactly they meant."

"Hmm… why does that sound familiar?" Akisame muttered thoughtfully, stroking his mustache. "If we put everything together, doesn't it resemble what happened to Diego?"

"You're right, Akisame," Alex nodded. "Because I definitely killed Diego with my final strike. At that moment, his brain and face were reduced to mush—there was no way he could have survived."

Alex paused, scanning the gathered faces.

"And now you have the full picture. Who, what, how, and why."

As soon as Alex spoke, all eyes shifted from Nathan to him. After all, this was why they were here—to understand what had happened to Diego and why he had transformed into a creature resembling a demon.

Fortunately, Nathan hadn't been able to fully translate the so-called "ascension" process in the Mayan temple, because behind that fancy term lay nothing more than a transformation into a Necromorph and the attainment of "new life."

"Well, I think everyone felt that ominous energy that burst from Diego's body at the moment of his death. I won't go into too much detail, especially since we have martial arts masters among us. To put it simply, there are two types of Ki: Dou-Ki, which is fueled by rage, and Sei-Ki, which serves to calm the mind. The first is used by those who rely on anger and bloodlust, while the second is for those who seek inner harmony," Alex began explaining.

"Sasha, get to the point, please," Balalaika calmly reminded him.

"Alright. Basically, Diego was a Dou-Ki user, drawing his power from rage and negative emotions. But the most important thing is that he was already under the influence of the Marker while he was alive. And unlike ordinary people, who simply turn into Necromorphs after death, he went through a different process. That surge of negative energy that erupted from his body at the moment of death—that was the power of the Marker he had received. In other words, he didn't die; he was reborn. Or, as Nathan put it, 'ascended'—call it whatever you like," Alex finished, giving everyone a moment to process his words.

Brunhilde looked at him, and her gaze clearly said, You're a master at feeding people nonsense. If not for their spiritual bond, she might have believed this nonsense herself. Alex just smirked and lightly squeezed her hand. Still, he wasn't lying—the situation with the Marker and Davoth was almost identical. Diego had simply become a pawn of the Dark Overlord, his experimental plaything.

Alex even felt a bit curious—how exactly had Diego received power from Davoth? Had he been recruited into his army? Or had Davoth simply taken someone else's "toy" for himself, just like the Minister of Monoliths had done?

"That does make sense when you think about it," Chun-Li mused, crossing her arms. "No matter how you look at it, everything keeps following the same pattern—there's a villain, and there are those who fight against him."

"Maybe you'd like to hear more? I've got plenty of interesting stories about my discoveries," Nathan offered enthusiastically.

"If this is another history lesson, I'm out. It's all cool and everything, but it's boring as hell," Revy raised her hands, signaling she was ready to leave.

"Oh no, this time it's much more interesting. You see, my search for ancient artifacts took me to France. There, in a nursing home, I met an old Arab man whom everyone considered crazy. He had an archaeologist's journal and guarded it with his life. This man was once a miner and had participated in excavations, accompanying an expedition searching for traces of an ancient civilization. I managed to get him to talk, and after seeing my genuine interest, he gave me the journal so I could study it," Nathan said with a slight smile, clearly enjoying the moment.

Balalaika scoffed, looked at him mockingly, and said,

"Drake, you sure know how to spin a tale, but your stories are only good for little girls. No one here believes that old man just handed you the journal. Admit it—you stole it."

Nathan gave an embarrassed smile as he noticed everyone staring at him. Even the youngest listeners clearly didn't believe that the old Arab had just given him the journal out of the kindness of his heart. Realizing that convincing them was pointless, Nathan didn't even bother trying to justify himself.

"I prefer the term 'borrowed for research.' Maybe I would have returned it… but, you see, the apocalypse started, and the journal wasn't of much use to the old Arab anymore," he declared with the most serious expression.

"Just like I was totally going to pay off my gambling debts," Dutch smirked.

"Hahaha, exactly. Anyway, this journal from the old archaeologist mentioned something called the Mog-Nation. Same story—beings that fell from the heavens, bestowing knowledge and immortality. It also spoke of sacrifices and rebirth into a deity. One of the entries stated that when the Mog-Narod awaken, they will prepare the world for the arrival of the Lord, who will slay Death itself and ascend as the greatest deity, ruling over all existence," Nathan recounted.

Alex immediately understood which "Lord" they were talking about, but he was skeptical that this mutt could kill Death. After all, Lady Death could erase Nyang-Nyang's avatar with a snap of her fingers—self-proclaimed deities like this one didn't stand a chance. However, he considered another possibility: maybe it wasn't about killing Lady Death herself, but rather about erasing the very concept of death from this universe.

"What the hell is this Mog-Nation or whatever you called them?" Kasper asked, slightly puzzled.

"The translation is 'Soul Devourers,'" Alex explained. "Doesn't really change much. We've just confirmed once again that this world is an even bigger pile of shit than we thought. But nothing we can do about it."

"Couldn't have said it better," Kouta muttered, shaking his head. "Why couldn't a portal to another world full of elf girls have opened instead? Or at least a tower where we could level up?"

Alex smirked, understanding exactly why Kouta had said that. Since no one seemed in a hurry to leave, there was plenty more to discuss—time was on their side.

Before long, Alice, Honoka, Malka, and, trailing behind them, a trio of little troublemakers joined the group—apparently, the kids had decided they wanted to listen in on what the adults were talking about. Alex noticed Garcia was with the three girls, followed closely by the maid, Roberta.

Narrowing his eyes, Alex glanced at Garcia, then shifted his gaze to Alice. Maybe it was time to get himself a good stick to start chasing boys away from her. At that moment, he locked eyes with Jonah, and both of them exchanged a silent nod, immediately understanding each other's thoughts.

To be continued…

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