Alklair sat on the couch, the cat on his lap and a novel in his hands. It was a very interesting one. About a dungeon core that had a mouse, fox and something called mana mites. And, above all, the dungeon core was peaceful. It tried to make it big by selling tea. He could hardly believe it.

That dungeon core reminded him of the hamster dungeon core, or, should he say, Armaros. He wondered what the Try Hard Party, and platoon 23 as a whole, was doing now.

Was Leander cooped up in Alklair's former office, looking at paperwork and client complaints, like how the elf had done? That had been a bore and a half. But staying at this house was no different.

The scholar, Soed, had told him to take it easy. That he had done plenty for Huergaz, and he needed to catch his breath. Yet, Alklair was restless.

Alklair had cleaned the entire house, top to bottom. Had washed everything that was to be washed, including the carpets and the curtains. Given the cat a bath and was surprised at how calm the cat had been.

Cooked a meal for two, with a pudding for dessert. Plum, his favorite. There had been no other pudding mix, and he wondered if Soed liked it too, or if he had bought ten packages in preparation to welcome Alklair to his home.

Soed was an enigma. There was something familiar about him that Alklair could not place. There were times when the man reminded him of Asmodeos, but Alklair must be mistaken.

Still, he couldn't deny that Soed hooked his leg over his knee while he read, just like Alklair's partner. Or that he liked to smile in a mischievous way before making a strange suggestion, just like Asmodeos.

Just yesterday, Soed had asked him to come to the guild. To help him with the front desk. Alklair had not wanted to. Surely, Leander would show him the door. But Soed had hit him with the same pleading look that Asmodeos had always hit him with, and Alklair had melted.

Everyone at the guild looked at him strangely as he handed some of them quests. They spoke to him politely, but had not known why he was back in the guild. Then, Leander had come back from a series of F ranked quests with his platoon and smiled at him.

He had offered him a position at the front desk and given him today to think about it. Alklair had gaped openly. He knew there were no hard feelings between himself and the new guild master.

 And that, apart from a few dirty glares from S ranked adventurers, Soed had informed him were because the cat was out of the bag regarding the cut he had taken out of their payment, everyone looked almost...relieved to see him back.

But Alklair wanted something more than a position at a front desk. He wanted to go out in the field. He itched for it. To feel the grass under his shoes and the danger on his tongue.

Five hundred years, give or take, had numbed his adventurer's spirit. But they hadn't killed it. He could party with Valerie, and someone else. The healer had not disbanded their party, despite him being, for all intents and purposes, being kicked out of the guild.

"What do you say? Am I still good enough to save people?" Alklair asked the cat, who stretched lazily. He scratched it behind the ears, and it snuggled into his lap.

Alklair heard the lock click, and steps in the front hall.

"Alklair, I am home," Soed called. He had manned the front desk by himself today. So, Alklair could think on Leander's offer.

"Welcome home, Soed," Soed came and looked at the elf with the cat in his lap.

"Dorothy, what are you doing, getting master Alklair full of cat hair? Go to your bed, girl," Asmodeos chided the cat, who hoped down obediently and went to nap in her bed.

"You don't need to call me master, considering I am taking advantage of your hospitality," Alklair blushed a deep red, Asmodeos wanted to go and kiss him then. Huh, guess the old feelings were not as gone as he had thought.

"Once a guild master, always a guild master," the, always the guild master of my heart, was something that Asmodeos left unspoken. There would be a time for him to pursue Alklair romantically. Maybe even tell him the truth. But now was not that time. "Have you considered guild master Leander's offer?"

"Do you think he might let me become an adventurer again? I mean, I miss going on quests. Have been for quite some time," Asmodeos chuckled at the words. Yes, Alklair was a free spirit. He had expected something like that.

"You are the best light mage in the entire Alcandino. Why should he deny you?" Asmodeos went to sit by Alklair. The elf must be deep in thought because he didn't notice how close the necromancer was to him.

"I will need to go through another battle evaluation. And I am rusty, now," five hundred years ago, the guild wouldn't have made it to his office, no matter how much they perspired. And he wouldn't have ended up with no mana. His mana control had slipped, and he had given each golem too much mana. He could see his own failures for what they were.

"I am sure you will be SS again, master Alklair," Asmodeos stood, and clapped his hands. "My, the house is practically shining. I have to do something for you! How about a foot massage?"

Alklair blinked. His feet were a bit stiff. Wait, what was he thinking? This man had given him so much already. Was he going to take further advantage of him?

"You did enough by letting me stay at your home. Come on, I think the fire rune has worn off, and the food is getting cold. I was never good at those," Asmodeos smiled. He will get close to Alklair again. It was just a matter of time. Old love was the sweetest, and he will taste it again.