Alan noticed how hungry he was after the smell of melted butter and coffee reached him. At the cafeteria, close to twenty people chatted while enjoying scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice, and tea.

This reminds me of the lively recreational rooms from the Alvearium Enterprise HQ. The teens that would later become the Santa María’s passengers spent some time there, getting to know each other before leaving Earth. So nostalgic. I met Astrid there, and it was the best week I--

His smile faded as half of the present stared at him. The rest also noticed him once Tamara grabbed his hand to lead him to the food bar. “Come, Alan,” she said, oblivious to the fact that the whole place had gone silent.

Before looking away, Alan did not recognize any of their faces from the previous night. Which means that word of my return has already spread to the rest of the guild. He looked down at Tamara’s small hand, grabbing him. And who knows if people here support that Marco guy too.

The expression Marco dedicated to him in the Trophy Room made him sick. How can you smile like that after what you did to me?

With the help of Tamara, Alan filled a tray with pancakes, coffee and eggs, and returned to the tables, where people were now whispering at each other while sending him furtive looks.

“Hey, Level Five!” a known girl waved her hand at him. “Come and sit with us!”

Ashley’s killer…

Besides her, a long-haired redhead hissed at her: “What the hell are you doing?”

And the devil from my dream…

Alan exhaled deeply and walked towards them, ignoring Tamara’s suggestion that they should sit somewhere else.

“Hi, ‘Kidnapper Girl’,” he said, approaching them.

“Don’t call me that! You wanted to come here voluntarily, remember? I just helped. And use my name, ‘Five’. I’ve already introduced myself yesterday.” She waited, but seeing Alan’s blank face made her groan. “I’m Marissa Laflamme! MA-RI-SSA!”

“Alright, Marissa. My name is not ‘Five’. I’m Alan,” he said as he took a seat, to the dismay of Tamara, who reluctantly joined them.

“Mooorning, Tammie.” Marissa smirked.

“Morning, Marissa… Amelia.”

Amelia did not answer, pretending to be busy on her User Interface.

“Good! The more the merrier!” Marissa clapped. “Five, I suppose you already know my sister.”

“Who?” Alan frowned, looking in Amelia’s direction. “Wait! Are you guys sisters?”

“That’s right,” Marissa replied, while stuffing her mouth with food. “The Deadly Flowers of Carcella."

Alan kept staring at Amelia, who was changing the color of her lipstick by tapping her User Interface. Her lips changed from pink to blue to black.

Marissa swallowed her food before giggling. "Do you like what you see?"

Hearing that made Alan blink repeatedly and shake his head. "I-I wasn't--"

"Tam is showing you the facilities, isn't she? Do you like what you've seen so far?"

"R-Right! Very impressive place! I can't imagine how much you've all inves--"

After deciding to wear a dark crimson shade of lipstick, Amelia snapped her fingers, making her breakfast catch fire and burn into a crisp. "I've lost my appetite." She then stood up and passed by Alan without glancing at him.

Seeing that fruit salad combust reminded him of how painful dying by her pyromancy was.

What was I thinking? Just because I had a wet dream about her doesn't change the fact that she opposes me being here… He closed his fist under the table. What am I even doing here?

"Tamara. Punch me," he blurted out.

"W-what?! Why wou—I mean, NO!"

"Can I do it?" Marissa raised her hand like a child.

"No, Marissa, you'll kill him!"

"It'll be a small hit using my index finger, I promise."

"Do it," Alan said. "Before I change my mind."

Both of them nodded at each other and leaned forward.

"You know…" Marissa whispered, while holding her finger in front of his forehead. "I kind of get the idea why you're punishing yourself…"

After Alan dedicated her a puzzled look, he noticed Marissas’s finger glowing with a red aura.

Crap… I'm regretting alre--"OUCH! Holy shit!"

The hit took away 20% of his health.

“That looks like fun,” a high-pitch male voice said, giggling, as he approached their table.

While still holding his forehead, Alan recognized the tall pale guy wearing a monocle and a business suit.

He’s one of Marco’s followers. This guy did not punch me, but enjoyed slapping me instead. He killed me twice while keeping a nasty grin on his face.

“Do you need something, Jason?” Tamara asked aloud, and Alan noticed her tone of voice changing from joyous to severe.

“I’m just here to have a quick word with our guild founder. It won’t take much of your precious breakfast time, I promise.” Jason then put his left hand against his chest and turned to Alan. “Mr. Warden, I’m Jason Foreman, Shooting Stars’ Treasury Secretary, and your humble servant. L-Listen, I’ll go straight to the point. I was the one that screwed up yesterday. Remember the whole fiasco about the money our First Guild Officer, Marco Souza, alleged you stole?” Jason then grimaced, showing something resembling diamonds encrusted in his teeth. “Y-Yeah… Sorry, Founder. That was on me.”

Alan’s first reaction was to glance at his other two acquaintances. Marissa seemed to be enjoying the show, calmy sipping coffee, and Tamara looked tense and her facial features looked rigid.

“What do you mean?” Alan asked cautiously, as Jason smiled apologetically.

“It’s pretty simple. It was my fault. Accidentally, of course! Yesterday, I didn’t know that we had a new First Officer in town! And in my stupidity,” Jason hit his forehead with his palm, “I just filtered the guild members’ list by rank and sent the gold to you without giving it a second thought! When I realized my mistake, I sent a claim to withdraw the gold from your account to resolve the issue.” He chuckled, putting both hands on his hips. “What a mess, huh?”

“Is there something else you need to add?” Tamara asked dryly, prompting Jason to correct his posture.

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology, Founder. I promised to you, no, I swear that as long as I work here, you’ll never see a mistake like that ever again.”

Alan took a peep at the other tables. Was everyone in that place watching? What am I supposed to do?! Smile and say: ‘Try to be more careful next time, silly’?!

Fuck off, you, monocle weirdo!

Wait… Something doesn’t add up about his story.

“It’s okay, pal.” Alan forced himself to smile. “Try to be more careful next time. All right?”

Alan noticed a grimace briefly forming on Jason’s lips that quickly faded.

“But of course, Founder. It won’t happen again. Now, if you excuse me. Ah, by the way, try the chocolate muffins. They’re to die for.”

“That apology didn’t feel sincere at all,” Alan commented as he watched the guy walk away. “Marco Souza was angry at me for supposedly stealing his gold, right?”

“That’s what he said,” Marissa responded, sighing. “That’s how he convinced the righteous Oscar to find you and bring you here. Matt only went to ensure Oscar didn’t screw up, and I went because I wanted to be close to my little teddy bear.”

“But by the time you showed up, the money had already disappeared.”

Marissa snickered, shrugging. “We didn’t know that. But you’re right. It’s pretty suspicious, huh. Astrid thinks the same, that’s why she sent Jason flying--”

“Marissa…” Tamara called in a stern voice. “Our breakfast has been spoiled already. Could you please talk about something a little nicer?”

“Whatever. Is there something you’d like to know, Five?”

“Could you…” Alan began, feeling that his face started to blush. “...talk to me about Astrid?”

 

***

**

*

*

**

***

 

“Thanks for ruining my breakfast, you freak,” Amelia Laflamme mumbled while forming fists that fumed and constantly sparkled. Even her steps left burned footprints on her way to the Damage Calculator Room #3.

Since the room was soundproof, the tranquility of the hall was broken once she opened the door, letting out the cry of someone inside: “Do you have any idea how much gold I lost last night?!”

“415,000 gold,” Amelia replied aloud, shutting the door behind her. “You’ve said it a million times.”

Karen Svensson, the enraged black-haired young woman, groaned as a response. She then cast balls of fire, blades of ice, and gusts of wind at rapid speed, striking a target 100 feet away from her. Her spells had no finesse and instead looked like out-of-control machine guns. “I’M--SO--SICK--OF--HER!”

The white specialized walls were programmed to withstand the attack, but outside of the Damage Calculator room, such magical firepower would have demolished half of the Headquarters.

When the elemental witch ran out of mana and the smoke dissipated, a system window appeared above a dancing unscathed mannequin.

 

Amazing!  Damage Rank: Silver A!

 

"Yeah, that’ll show Astrid,” Amelia sneered, sitting on a black leather cushion in the spectator area. “So, what are you going to do about it? You’re badmouthing our great and valorous Guild Master! She might be stupid and childish, but let’s not forget that she could do that same amount of damage with just one punch."

Karen, wearing black sporty clothes, stomped out of the testing area to yell at her. "Are you being sympathetic to that bitch, Red?!"

Amelia's amber eyes shone with a fiery intensity. "Don't even joke about it, Karen."

A sonorous slurping sound made them turn to Faiza, the dark-skinned girl wearing a panda-themed hoodie, who was vigorously munching ramen next to them. She glanced back at both, blinking.

“Sorry, did I interrupt your bickering?” She shrugged while mixing her food with her chopsticks. "But Amelia is right. As long as Astrid is our leader, we can’t do shit about it…” She then started mumbling: “We shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I told you that yesterday… I lost money too, you know?"

Karen narrowed her eyes at her, grimacing. "Hey, give me a bite of that."

"No way!” Faiza hugged her bowl protectively. “You were the one that said, ‘it’s too early to eat ramen’!”

“Come ooon! Just a little--” Karen got close enough to snatch the bowl, but was pushed by an elephant-headed spirit that manifested out of Faiza’s body.

“Do you see that?” Faiza pointed at a system window hovering above a coffee table. “That’s the menu! Order yours and leave me alone!"

"Fine!” Karen stretched out her arms to her sides. “Someone doesn't know what sharing means, huh?! Red, since our Lord Marco is taking his sweet time, I’m going to order some ramen. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"I was going to, but…” Amelia sighed. “Just order black coffee for me, please."

Damn, Ghost. Who the hell does he think he is? Amelia thought, biting her lower lip. Just because Astrid supposedly ‘cleared his name’, he thinks he can sit with us so casually? Seriously, Marissa, that was low, even for a prankster like you!

Amelia stared at the end of the room, where the dancing mannequin taunted her, ready to test her power. She wondered what rank she would get for stabbing or beheading it with her bare hand, as she did with Alan the night before.

‘Are you guys sisters?’ he had asked, while maintaining a dumb smile in his face.

Makes me sick…

“That was fast!” Karen beamed at the sight of the male NPC entering to deliver the food.

Amelia did not glance at him. She was too busy observing her own hands. The feeling of taking Alan’s many virtual lives was still palpable. She checked her nail polish and decided that the black color did not fit her anymore and changed them to red with the help of her User Interface. Red, like his blood…

"Here is your coffee, miss," the NPC spoke, but Amelia did not reply.

“Just leave it there, sweetheart,” Karen said from her seat. “Someone is a little cranky today.”

Amelia snickered. “Says the one that was popping a vein just minutes ago.”

What’s taking you so long? she thought, watching the NPC taking Faiza’s empty noodle cup and taking his sweet time to leave the room. She then tapped the mug to display a temperature slider, lowered it, and gulped it down immediately.

“Guys, don’t you think that Ghost’s 'coma story' is bullshit?” she began.

“It’s too convenient,” Faiza pointed out, quietly.

“Exactly! So what do you think it’s the real story?”

Faiza shrugged, hiding her gaze under her hoodie as if she was ready to take a nap. “Maybe he was working outside with the rest of the ship’s staff.”

Amelia stared at her. “What makes you think that?”

“Aren’t we just guessing?”

“Yeah, and you suck at it!” Karen interjected, pointing at Faiza’s face with the chopsticks. “If one of the ship’s engines exploded or something serious like that, why would they choose him to help them out? He’s a teen, just like us. If he was some sort of hotshot engineer or something, he would’ve bloated about it last night!”

“I didn’t say that they woke him up to do some important stuff!” Faiza suddenly shouted. “Maybe they just needed a janitor or someone to rub the captain’s shoulders!”

Karen vigorously shook her head. “Why are we talking as if ‘working outside’ was the only valid theory?”

“What do you suggest, then?!”

“Don’t ask me! I don’t even know why we’re talking about that piece of crap!”

“Astrid literally pissed off a third of the guild because of him,” Amelia reminded Karen in a soft voice. “Don’t you want to know why would she risk everything she has built for a guy like him?”

“Maybe they used to be ‘fuck-friends’! There! That’s my theory! She defended him because he was her little pumpkin.”

“Astrid with a guy like that?” Faiza loudly sneered. “Please! And you said that I sucked at guessing.”

“Whatever, who cares! I don’t care! You?!” Karen shouted, furiously mixing her noodles, until noticing Amelia’s lost in thought expression. “Too bad you couldn’t make him talk yesterday, even though you literally tortured him.” Karen giggled, pointing at Amelia’s bosom with her gaze. “Maybe he was into it, just to see those balloons of yours wiggle over and over again. Hu-hu.”

“The guy kinda strikes me as a masochist after all…” Faiza added, embracing herself and shivering.

“‘Risk everything she has built for a guy like him’, eh?” Karen quoted after slurping noodles, smirking. “One can only hope--” The room’s door opened, prompting Karen to quickly wipe her mouth with her sleeve. “There it is! Welcome in!”

Marco Souza entered at a calmed pace, accompanied by his confidants.

William The Stoic looked like a bodyguard, Matthew Bernstein crossed eyes with Amelia before nervously looking away, and Jason Foreman quietly giggled as if he had heard a joke inside his head.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, ladies,” Marco said, slightly bowing, putting his right hand against his chest. “But as you know, organizing all this resulted in quite a challenge.”

“But you’re bringing us good news, right?” Karen beamed at him. “Are we finally free of that harpy’s claws?”

Marco smiled warmly at her for a brief moment, holding the information for a little longer. “Kathleen Maher is awaiting us at the Drinking Banshee, yes.”

“AT LAST!” Karen cried, ecstatic, dashing towards him to hug him. “I knew you could do it!”

“I’ve instructed the rest to go there as soon as they can,” Marco continued. “As for you, my most trusted companions, she has sent for us a special transport. It’ll arrive shortly.”

“That’s our boss!”

Seeing Karen keep embracing Marco, made Amelia frown. 

“It’s so reassuring seeing you here, beautiful,” William, the seven-foot-tall hulking man said, sitting beside her. “You made the right choice.”

“As if I had plenty.” She sighed. “I couldn’t bear sharing the same roof as that bitch another day, so…”

“Jason, what are you doing here?” Faiza asked, looking at him through her hoodie’s panda eyes that also acted as goggles. “Aren’t you supposed to respawn in like half a day?”

Jason giggled while rubbing his hands constantly. “It takes more than a punch of the Golden Bitch to take down this chad.”

“Or you got lucky thanks to your ‘Flip Coin’ Passive Skill,” Matthew whispered.

“Which only emphasizes how awesome I am!” Jason cried, before invading Marco’s personal space. Even Karen stepped back too. “By the way, Boss, at what time is Kathleen picking us up?”

Marco winced as if Jason’s breath had hit his nostrils. “Any moment now,” he replied patiently. “Why? Afraid that Astrid will crash through the ceiling again?”

I could ask the same to you, Amelia thought, sneering, which did not go unnoticed by Marco.

“I seriously think we should go right now,” Jason said, making Marco twitch one eye.

“Listen… I can’t cancel Kathleen’s ride. Why don’t you relax a little and…” Marco went silent after Jason whispered something in his ear. Even Karen slightly frowned. “You didn't…"

“You aren’t mad at me, are you?” Jason asked, hunching like a grounded kid, but Marco just chuckled.

“Not my way of doing things, but I can’t blame you for being so… daring… William? Could you escort this fool to the Drinking Banshee? Don’t make any stop and don’t take your eyes off him until you arrive there.”

“Sure thing, Boss,” William said, and leaned towards Amelia before standing up: “Let’s have a drink later, yes?” he whispered to her.

“Can’t wait,” she replied, without gazing at him.

“I-I’ll go with you, guys,” Matthew rushingly said after cautiously glancing at Amelia for the third time.

She groaned. Stop looking at me as if I’m going to scorch you, kid! It always happens when you and Marissa have a fight. Did you have a fight? You, little…

“Will you wait for Kathleen’s transport, Boss?” William asked as Jason and Matt crossed the exit.

“Yes.” Marco smirked. “The rest of the guild needs to see ME leaving. That’ll make the cogs in their heads work.”

As the door closed, Amelia examined Marco’s expression. There was a gleam in his gaze that Amelia had only seen a couple of times. Although he looks like in control of the situation, why do I perceive something else?

Marco crossed eyes with her, making her flinch. “There’s still a spot available for your sister,” he said. “I hope she can join us.”

“Thank you, Lord Marco, I appreciate it.”

“Did you really convince the ‘Snow Diamond’ to receive us?” Karen took the word, embracing him again. “Only you could pull it off. This is like a dream come true!”

“It was something that took months in the making,” Marco said, chuckling. “Thanks for your confidence in me, Karen.”

Noticing Amelia’s lost in thought expression, Faiza got closer to whisper in her ear: “‘For how long is she going to continue hugging him?’ Is that what you’re thinking?”

“You don’t know me that well, Faiza,” Amelia replied, rising from her seat to stroll towards the test area, where the dancing mannequin reset the score and waited. She stepped on the designated spot, then focused on the dummy. “Fire Crafting,” Amelia intoned, getting surrounded by a fire whirl, hoping that the roaring of the flames could drown Karen’s annoying voice.

The spell intensified, giving birth to a flaming serpent, which gradually turned into a 10-feet long dragon. Amelia reached out her hand aloft, commanding the monster to rise while channeling a fire breath.

Her mind superimposed Alan's stupid face on the dummy doll. Your entire existence doesn’t matter to me. I couldn’t care less if you were really in a coma, or working outside. The only good thing you’ve done for us is give us the little push we needed…

She giggled and commanded the dragon to launch an incandescent fire beam. The explosion startled Karen and made Marco purse his lips. Amelia then sent the monster forward while transforming its entire body into a long metallic projectile. With the banging metallic sound of what now was a giant lance, the impact created a shock wave that blew the caster’s hair away, along with the coffee mug and Karen’s bowl of ramen off the coffee table.

“I’ll go get my stuff,” Amelia said, passing by her companions.

“Bitch...” Karen whispered, watching the test’s results.

 

Outstanding! Damage Rank: Gold E!