After saying goodbye to the four Cullens, Alex lay in Lucina’s arms looking utterly dejected. He was still upset that he’d missed the most entertaining moment — the beginning of Bella and Edward’s relationship. Lucina and Alice quickly noticed how his ears drooped and how he hung limply in her arms.

“Alex, what’s wrong?” Alice asked, glancing at him with slight concern.

Alex didn’t bother hiding the truth and admitted that he was disappointed for missing the chance to laugh at Edward and ruin his “romantic moment” with Bella. Hearing this, Lucina only sighed tiredly, fully understanding that Alex just wanted a bit of fun. Alice, on the other hand, laughed — she knew her brother Edward far too well and could easily imagine how awkward his confession to Bella about being a vampire would be.

She looked at Alex with understanding, gently stroked his head, and reminded him that he’d have another chance in the future. That lifted Alex’s mood a little, though he still felt sad for missing the part where Edward confessed to killing people and Bella replied, “So what?” And then he sparkled in the sunlight like a disco ball.

When they reached the Impala, Alex deftly jumped into Alice’s arms, while Lucina took the driver’s seat. Alice sat beside her in the front, holding the fluffy nekomata close. The engine started, and the car smoothly rolled out of the school parking lot.

Before they drove off, Alex cast a glance at Bella’s old pickup truck. He quietly snorted, hoping the girl wouldn’t forget her car after her little forest stroll with Edward.

Once the Impala left the school grounds, Alex settled comfortably in Alice’s arms, stretching his hind legs forward like a person while holding a phone in his front paws. Alice and Lucina couldn’t help but smile — their hearts melted at how adorable he looked, sitting there seriously and swiping across the screen with his paw.

“He’s just precious,” Lucina whispered with a smile, pulling out her phone.

Smirking, Alice turned slightly to pose while Lucina took a few photos. In them, Alex in his nekomata form sat like a person, holding a phone and lazily swishing his tails.

Of course, Alex understood that the girls simply wanted to spend some time with him while he looked like this, so he didn’t mind the little photo session. When they were done, he opened a chat and immediately texted Samantha — he wanted to know how she was doing. For him, more than four days had passed, while for her, only one night and half of the next day had gone by.

Samantha replied almost instantly. She said they had already been discharged from the hospital and were on their way home. As Alex had suspected, the police had gone to investigate Blackwood Mountain. According to the story he had made up, the group of teenagers was attacked by a madman who had lived in the mines. Even old Jack, once he regained consciousness, confirmed this version, claiming he had been a guard at the abandoned sanatorium.

In the end, the police found only collapsed tunnels and not the slightest trace of the Wendigo, though circumstantial evidence supported the teens’ story. Samantha and her friends were no longer questioned.

Instead of writing more, Samantha decided to make a video call — she wanted to see Alex in his cat form. When the call connected, she couldn’t help but smile as she saw him sitting there, holding the phone in his paws.

They chatted for a bit, and Alex asked when she would arrive. Samantha admitted she needed about a week to settle things and prepare for the move. Alex nodded in acceptance. At the end of their conversation, just as Samantha was about to board her flight, Alex leaned toward the camera and kissed the screen with his feline muzzle.

Samantha laughed and said,

“I’ll try to finish everything as quickly as possible.”

After the call, Alex set his phone aside and opened other files — he needed to update the data sent by VEGA so that Doom Slayer would understand: Davot could still be resurrected nine more times.

Alice leaned over curiously to see what had him so engrossed, but upon seeing lines of code in an unfamiliar language, she only blinked in confusion.

“What are you doing there?” she asked.

Without looking away from the screen, Alex calmly explained that he was editing information about Davot’s resurrections. Lucina, still driving, also listened and nodded in agreement when Alex mentioned that William was supposed to handle it.

While they were stopped at a red light, Alex felt someone’s gaze. He turned his head and saw a child in the car next to them, eyes wide, watching the talking cat with a phone.

Alex lazily waved his paw.

The child smiled in response, and as the car moved forward, Alex caught the gleam in the child’s eyes — the kind of look given by someone who has believed in a miracle once again.

Soon, the Impala smoothly pulled up to Alex’s house. He still didn’t hurry to take his usual form — resisting Alice’s pleading gaze was impossible. She literally radiated happiness, holding the fluffy nekomata close, and Alex sighed, deciding he could stay a cat a little longer.

Besides, he had already started getting used to walking on all fours and using his powers even in this form, so he felt no discomfort. Once brought inside, Alex frowned for a moment, trying to remember something important, but quickly brushed it off, deciding he would recall it later.

While Alice and Lucina went upstairs to change into home clothes, Alex prepared for the Cullens’ visit. He wanted to share stories of his time on Pandora and, of course, hand out the souvenirs he had brought from the Eridian vaults.

A few minutes later, everything was ready: the food from the Orario restaurant was still warm, gift boxes were neatly arranged on the table, and a delicious aroma filled the air.

Alice was the first to come down — the smell of the food caught her immediately. Ever since she could eat regular food again, her true appetite had awakened, and she was especially drawn to sweets and tasty dishes. Fortunately, her vampire physiology didn’t let her gain a single gram, which she openly enjoyed.

As soon as Alice reached for a plate, a fluffy paw softly but firmly tapped her fingers. She looked at Alex with a mock-offended expression, as if he had betrayed her in the cruelest way.

“Just one bite… I’ll just try it,” Alice said, picking up Alex with her paws and looking into his eyes pleadingly. “You bragged so much about how good the food in Orario is.”

“Want me to remind you how your ‘I’ll just try it’ ended last time?” Alex said lazily. “Erina made me strawberry ice cream from another world. I got one spoonful, and you ate the rest.”

“It was too delicious! And anyway, you let me!” Alice protested, though her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Yeah-yeah, of course. The husband is guilty, he’s a terrible person,” Alex grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Wait a bit. You’ll get to try it when the others arrive.”

Alice pouted in dissatisfaction, then seized the moment — pressing Alex’s muzzle to her chest. While he tried not to give in to the distracting sensation, she deftly snatched a piece of fried potato and popped it into her mouth. Alex sighed heavily.

He understood that Alice hadn’t eaten real food for over a hundred years, and now she wanted to make up for lost time. Still, he wasn’t about to scold her. Especially since the Cullens were all happy to taste food again that didn’t remind them of cardboard.

At that moment, Lucina came down from the second floor, already dressed in light loungewear. Seeing the scene — Alice holding Alex close and stealing food from the table — she couldn’t hide a smile.

“Save some for the guests, at least,” she said with a soft laugh.

Realizing it was pointless to argue, Alex wriggled out of Alice’s embrace and pulled several bottles of alcohol from his inventory, which he had grabbed from Moxxi’s bar on Pandora. If they were talking about Pandora, the drinks had to be fitting too.

Since all the Cullens were over a hundred years old, Alex saw no harm in treating them.

About ten minutes later, the sound of approaching cars was heard outside. Alex smirked, shifted back into his usual form, and went to open the door.

Emmett was standing on the doorstep, grinning widely.

“I was hoping I’d get to see the talking cat,” he laughed.

“You’re just jealous,” Alex replied lazily with a smirk. “Your wife loves cats, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Emmett stared at Alex, then burst out laughing. As he walked inside, he gave Alex a friendly pat on the shoulder, acting as if he were at home — which wasn’t surprising, since the Cullens often spent time at Alex’s place.

Rosalie followed behind, only smiling as she still chuckled at his comment. Jasper gave Alex a light smile and shook his hand before entering, while Jane, as usual reserved, limited herself to a brief nod and entered last.

As soon as the Cullens crossed the threshold, they were greeted by the aroma of delicious food. At the center of attention was Alice — cheeks stuffed, chewing on fried potatoes. Noticing the guests’ eyes on her, she turned her head, quickly chewed, and waved without stopping.

Everyone settled in front of the TV, and Alex connected his phone to the screen to show a recording of his adventures on Pandora. Laughter erupted in the room within the first few minutes. Especially during the moments where Alex made amends to those affected by the antics of the four gremlins. Emmett laughed the loudest, slapping his knee and wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

Before the show began, Alex warned:

“Pandora is a strange place. One word — a crazy planet, just like its inhabitants.”

He showed only the most interesting moments, skipping the boring parts, but even the condensed version brought fits of laughter. When it got to the episode with Lynchwood, even Jane, usually unflappable, couldn’t resist and laughed at the sheer absurdity of it all.

While the recording played, Alex answered questions, explaining who the Sirens were and what powers they possessed. Time flew by unnoticed. Everyone was engrossed in the stories until the sound of an approaching car broke their attention.

Alex and Emmett exchanged an instant glance — they couldn’t miss this opportunity. They would recognize that engine out of a thousand: Edward was bringing Bella home.

Without a word, they sprang into action and ran into the yard, hiding near the entrance to observe. Even the girls peeked outside — no one wanted to miss the show. Every Cullen had the same thought: it was time to get back at Edward for his habit of reading minds.

Edward and Bella stepped out of the car, standing and looking at each other as if they didn’t want to part. The atmosphere was almost cinematic — if not for the two vampires and the demon hiding by the porch with grins from ear to ear.

Alex pulled posters from his inventory, quickly scribbled a few phrases, and handed one to Emmett, another to Jasper. He made one for himself, and the three prepared.

Bella, eyes closed, waited for Edward to make the first move. He looked at her lips, then at her neck, swallowing hard to restrain his thirst. He slowly reached for her, and it seemed like…

“Kiss her already, for heaven’s sake!” a loud male voice shouted from behind.

“Yeah! Stop acting like a shy schoolboy!” another chimed in.

Bella opened her eyes, and Edward turned irritably toward the source of the shouting.

On the porch stood Alex, Emmett, and Jasper, grinning with joy, holding up their posters. In large letters, they read: “Eggward, kiss Bella!” Below, there was a drawing of Edward’s face on a white egg next to a photo of Bella.

The trio waved the posters wildly, laughing at the top of their lungs. Bella blushed to the tips of her ears — whether from embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell. She buried her face in Edward’s chest, trying to hide from the shameful scene.

Edward, however, stood still, glancing between his face on the poster and the three idiots on the porch, fully aware — no mind-reading was needed to understand that the entire family, except Carlisle and Esme, was clearly in on the conspiracy.

From inside the house came a chorus of female laughter. Bella let out a quiet groan, realizing that the entire vampire family had witnessed her almost-kiss.

Alex, satisfied, leaned back on the railing and grinned:

“Well, Edward? Now you definitely can’t back out. Everyone’s waiting for the next move!”

A few minutes later, having laughed their fill, Alex, Emmett, and Jasper finally returned inside, deciding not to interfere while the two lovers enjoyed the rest of the evening before parting.

Edward watched them go, then gently ran a hand over Bella’s shoulder — signaling that it was over, and they were alone again. Bella, burning with embarrassment, lifted her head and glanced toward Alex’s house… where, like two schoolboys, Alex and Emmett were peeking out the window. The moment they realized they’d been caught, both raised their thumbs in unison — as if to say, “Come on, Bella, act, or Eggward won’t kiss you.”

Bella froze, unable to believe her eyes, and Edward, noticing her expression, turned — only to see Emmett miming a passionate kiss with tongue while Alex doubled over in laughter, covering his mouth to avoid bursting out loud.

For a moment, Emmett paused, but then, with doubled enthusiasm, he continued his “inspirational gestures.” Behind him appeared Rosalie, who grabbed her husband by the ear and, with an irritated expression, dragged him away from the window. Lucina, letting out a heavy sigh, did the same with Alex.

Once the two troublemakers disappeared from view, Edward and Bella were alone. The atmosphere, of course, was hopelessly ruined, but still… Edward exhaled softly, took a step forward, and gently touched his lips to Bella’s.

The kiss was brief — light, almost intangible, yet for Bella it felt like more than just a touch. Her heart pounded so loudly it seemed as if it could be heard from outside. Edward closed his eyes for a moment, feeling two conflicting desires within him — to be close and to maintain control.

Bella didn’t know what to say. Her thoughts swirled like a whirlwind: she was in love with a vampire. One who admitted to having once killed people for blood, one who shone in the sunlight like living glass. It was all insane and wrong… yet at the same time — real.

Finding no words, Bella simply pressed herself to Edward, resting her head on his chest. And froze — not feeling a heartbeat. That silence, that cold beneath the skin, made her shiver.

Edward, meanwhile, felt the thirst returning with every breath. Bella’s scent was too… alive. Sweet, warm, enticing. He sensed every detail: the beat of her heart, the flow of blood through her veins, the slight tremor in her breathing. Everything inside him screamed with desire — and at the same time, fear.

He gently took Bella by the shoulders and stepped back, trying not to meet her eyes.

“T-then… I’ll go,” Bella said softly, nervously biting her lip.

“Yes,” Edward exhaled, trying to smile. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“Please do,” Bella murmured, looking away. “My pickup is still at the school.”

They exchanged a few more awkward words before Bella headed toward her house. Edward stood there, unable to look away, as if afraid she would vanish if he blinked.

When she reached the door, Bella glanced back — he was still standing there, motionless like a statue. She held her gaze, hoping he might say something… but he didn’t, and she didn’t either. When the door closed, Bella sank to the floor, leaning against it, hiding her face in her knees, and closed her eyes.

She had fallen in love with a vampire. The thought screamed in her mind. Bella tried to understand how Alex and Lucina had so calmly accepted the fact that the Cullens were vampires. And she realized: Alex simply lived as he wanted, without worrying about boundaries. Sometimes Bella envied him — for that freedom, for the ease with which he accepted the impossible.

She remembered Edward telling her that Alex was involved with both Alice and Lucina. Bella couldn’t comprehend it, but she didn’t judge — everyone had their own life, and that certainly wasn’t her concern.

While Bella tried to sort out her feelings, Edward was still standing by the car. He could hear her breathing, her heartbeat, even the slight rustle of her clothing. He heard her exhale heavily and settle by the door.

Edward let out a quiet sigh, turned, and glanced toward Alex’s house, from where boisterous laughter drifted. His eyelid twitched. He realized that Alex and the others had deliberately ruined his moment.

Taking a deep breath, Edward headed to the house and knocked.

From inside came Alex’s lazy voice:

“Come on in, Eggward! Don’t be shy! I’m not getting up from the couch anyway — the door won’t open itself!”

Edward just rolled his eyes and stepped inside. The first thing that caught his attention was that everyone was sitting around a low table, which was covered with a full feast. The smell of food was so rich and inviting that Edward, despite himself, felt something akin to hunger.

Noticing him, Alex smiled and waved, inviting him to join. Edward took an empty seat, and a plate — filled with food from another world — and a glass of some unusual drink were immediately placed in front of him.

“So, did you finally kiss? Or were you still staring awkwardly at each other?” Emmett asked with a grin, raising a can of beer Alex had brought from Pandora.

“Emmett, for God’s sake, shut up,” Rosalie exclaimed, giving him a light flick on the head. “Look at Edward! He’s all red. Our little brother just fell in love.”

At her words, Edward nearly choked on his food and looked up irritably. Everyone stared at him with the same intensity — as if, by not answering, he would be forced to confess. Even Rosalie, despite scolding Emmett, was clearly curious.

Realizing that silence wouldn’t save him, Edward nodded briefly and returned to his meal.

Alex, not hiding his smirk, reached out to Emmett. Emmett clicked his tongue in annoyance and dropped ten dollars into Alex’s hand. Jasper silently mirrored the gesture — also a ten.

“Heh, see? I told you he’d kiss her!” Alex said proudly, pocketing the bills. “You two kept saying, ‘No way, he’ll chicken out, push Bella away again.’ And now my twenty bucks! I’ll buy some strawberry candies.”

“Damn,” Emmett grumbled, crossing his arms. “If I’d known… I wouldn’t have argued.”

“Don’t you three have anything better to do?” Edward asked wearily, throwing a dark glare at Alex and Emmett.

Everyone looked at Edward, who clearly didn’t want to talk about what was happening between him and Bella, but everyone already knew that something had happened. Edward, however, wanted to change the topic from his relationship to something else. Alex and Emmett stopped laughing and turned to look at Edward, who looked like someone who had just eaten a whole lemon. Emmett just smiled and shrugged. Like the others, he was simply curious how far Bella and Edward’s relationship had progressed.

“Listen,” Alex said lazily, leaning back in his chair, “I’ve been gone for almost five days. For you guys, that’s half a day, but in the meantime, I was traveling through another universe. I uncovered a plot to resurrect an ancient evil god, killed him, and got an entire orbital station for it. So yeah, I deserve a little fun. And watching you and Bella awkwardly interact — honestly, that’s the best show I’ve ever seen.”

“Wait!” Emmett grabbed Alex by the shoulders, his eyes lighting up. “Did you say — an orbital station? A real one? Huge?”

“Yep,” Alex nodded with a wide grin. “Though I had to clear it out first. Well, not me exactly — Zhang Ya sent out her pets, and they wiped everyone out. But the fact remains — the station is mine now.”

“Damn, that’s amazing!” Emmett breathed out in awe, completely ignoring how Alex had actually acquired the station.

“And when will it be ready?” Alice asked, hopping onto Alex’s lap.

“Hmm… maybe in a month,” he answered thoughtfully, scratching his chin. “Gotta deal with the aftermath — it’s not every day that a giant metal contraption appears over the heads of Danmachi’s residents. Then there’s repairs, system adjustments, reprogramming the cargo robots… A lot to do. My clone can handle it.”

“As long as our little gremlins don’t mess anything up,” Lucina sighed, rubbing her nose bridge. “I don’t want them accidentally blowing something up… or, worse, building a giant combat robot.”

“Wait,” Rosalie said, surprised. “You said they were kids? They can actually build a robot?”

“That’s the problem,” Alex replied with a heavy sigh. “Nyaruko and Jinx inherited my brain… and my madness. Anya — she wanted to be like me, and I couldn’t say no. Now she’s officially the little demon princess. And Tina… well, she didn’t even need changing — she’s already an explosives genius. Put all four together, and you get gremlins capable of accidentally burning down the entire world.”

He exhaled heavily and shook his head in exhaustion.

“And all I wanted was a peaceful family life. But this… this is actually more fun,” he added with a quiet smirk.

Seeing the confusion on Emmett, Rosalie, Jane, Jasper, and Edward’s faces, Alex decided to tell them what his little gang of gremlins had gotten up to on Pandora.

As he recounted the events — from what he had to deal with to how he compensated half of the Sanctuary for stolen items — Alice and Lucina could barely hold back their laughter. They quickly realized that Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx had only told a small fraction of what they had really caused on Pandora that morning.

Alex could only sigh, regretting that Navi, the fairy-drone capable of recording everything on video, wasn’t flying after his daughters. But even without proof, everyone could tell from his story that the chaos caused by the four young girls had been monumental.

Emmett laughed until tears ran down his face, especially after hearing the story about how one of the girls had stolen a refrigerator from some poor guy right under his nose while he stepped out of his house. He laughed so hard that he fell out of his chair and rolled across the floor, unable to stop.

Rosalie listened with a gentle smile. Despite all the mischief from these little devils, there was a hint of longing in her eyes — she still dreamed of having children of her own.

Alex noticed the look and remembered that he had forgotten to tell Rosalie about an important discovery — that she could now have children.

He mentally sent the words directly into her head. Rosalie flinched, confused, and then stared at him in shock. Alex nodded to confirm it was true. He added that it wouldn’t be easy — she was still a vampire, which meant her body would need special preparation.

When Rosalie grasped the meaning of what he had said, her eyes filled with tears. She stole a glance at Emmett, still laughing on the floor, and smiled softly. Alex said that she would need to “try her best” — and she intended to do so with full seriousness.

Emmett, noticing that glance, suddenly felt as if a predator were watching him. His laughter immediately stopped. He jumped up abruptly and began nervously looking around, causing confusion among the others.

Rosalie simply coquettishly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Tonight was going to be a long night for Emmett. Whether he liked it or not.

The evening passed joyfully. The group stayed up late into the night, laughing, discussing adventures, and reminiscing about the past. Before leaving, Alex, as promised, handed out souvenirs: artifacts from Pandora, rare trinkets from Orario, ancient books, and even a cookbook for Esme, which was sure to delight her domestic soul.

The Cullens left Alex’s house with their hands literally overflowing with gifts. When the door closed behind them, Alex paused for a moment, trying to remember if he had forgotten anything. But deciding it wasn’t important, he, along with Alice and Lucina, cleared the dishes, took out the trash, and went to bed.

What he had forgotten… was still in the basement.

There, bound hand and foot, sat the Crossroads Demon named Albert Percival. His day had turned into a true nightmare.

At first, he was just bored, while a chatty robot named Claptrap fussed around him, endlessly repeating that he would be Albert’s “best friend and minion.” Albert tried to ignore him, but after an hour his patience snapped — he told the robot to shut up. In response, he got a strike to the knee with a metal club.

By the second hour, things got worse: Claptrap wouldn’t stop talking, and for every sharp word Albert said, he was beaten by GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — three creatures who had dragged him into the basement. They sat in front of a small TV, munching snacks and watching anime, as if nothing was happening.

By the third hour, Albert realized that ignoring the robot was a fatal mistake. Claptrap, sensing indifference, began talking even more, louder and crazier.

By the fourth hour, the demon felt himself losing his mind.

By the fifth hour, he desperately tried to escape, but he was firmly tied to a chair, and beneath his feet glowed a demon-trap that prevented him from breaking free.

Every hour, one of the trio would approach him with a sign that read:

“Where’s Crowley?”

If Albert stayed silent, a baton would strike his knee again. Hour after hour, it went on. Between Claptrap’s endless chatter and the regular blows to his knees, Albert genuinely began to believe that he wasn’t in a basement at all, but in his own personal hell.

Albert increasingly felt himself losing his mind.

Before he became the crossroad demon, he had been an ordinary human soul, sent to hell for his sins. And though demons in hell were inventive, none of them had ever filled him with such terror. In hell, tortures were physical—pain, fire, chains, screams. But what was happening now was far worse. This was torture not just of the body, but of the mind.

Hour after hour, the same routine: endless chatter, the question, a blow to the knee… and it all started over again, like a broken record playing in eternity.

The worst part was that Albert couldn’t even turn his head—he had no sense of how much time had passed. Everything around him blurred into abstraction, as if he had spent not a few hours in this basement, but weeks or even months.

The only source of light was a dim lamp above his head, casting harsh shadows on the walls. And endlessly, Claptrap rolled around in circles—a talkative robot that never stopped. It would sing, dance, or spout nonsensical ramblings, loudly and enthusiastically, driving him insane.

Once an hour, it would fall silent—when GIR, MIMI, and Stitch approached him in turn with a sign that read:”Where’s Crowley?”

Albert repeated again and again that he didn’t know where Crowley was. But no one believed him. And then it would start all over: silence, question, blow to the knee…

Silence—that was what he wanted most. He dreamed of it like salvation. But it never came.

He realized that whoever had captured him was far scarier than the Winchester brothers. At least they were predictable—if they didn’t get an answer, they killed or sent you to hell. That would have been a release. But what was happening now… was worse than any punishment.

In the middle of the night, Alex suddenly opened his eyes.

The sudden movement woke Alice and Lucina. Alice rarely slept anyway—she just liked lying next to him, holding him, feeling his warmth.

Lucina, sleepy and tousled, rubbed her eyes and asked hoarsely:”What’s wrong?”

“I remembered something I forgot,” Alex said, staring at the ceiling in shock.

Alice pressed her cheek to his shoulder and yawned:

“And what did you forget?”

“We have a demon in the basement. And I completely forgot about him,” Alex said, his expression stunned.

Lucina yawned wider and waved her hand dismissively:

“Ah, that… So what? Go back to sleep. You can check him in the morning. He’s not going anywhere.”

She tugged Alex’s hand, laying him back on the pillow. Alice did the same, not wanting to let go of him.

Alex looked at both of them—calm, sleepy, completely indifferent to the fact that a demon was slowly going insane in the basement. He just shrugged, but barely moved—at which point the girls immediately made disapproving noises, demanding that he stay still.

He sighed, glanced at the clock—three in the morning—and closed his eyes. Sleep came instantly.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Albert was enduring the worst day of his life. His mind was cracking at the seams, his consciousness dissolving into the endless torrent of Claptrap’s words. Not for a single second did he get the silence he so desperately craved.

Alex didn’t even think to peek into his memories—the demon deserved the suffering. Mercy would have been far too easy a way out.

The next morning, Alex woke up to a pleasant, soft sensation on his face. Opening his eyes, he saw light fur tickling his skin. Carefully moving the fluffy source of warmth away, he discovered Haruhime sitting on the edge of the couch. Her tails gently wrapped around him, as if trying to shield him from the cold. Alex blinked and instinctively counted her tails. Nine.

He quietly smirked—Haruhime had finally become a full-fledged kitsune. Seeing that Alex was awake, she gave a gentle smile, and her ears twitched slightly. Alex returned her smile and, rising, petted her head.

After quickly washing up and heading downstairs, he saw Alice and Lucina having a traditional Japanese breakfast. Bowls of rice, miso soup, and tea were laid out on the table.

Grabbing his coffee mug, Alex planned to check on the prisoner first—Albert.

Descending into the basement, he immediately heard Claptrap’s familiar, annoyingly cheerful voice—apparently, the robot had not paused for a second.

Arriving at the right spot, Alex noted that GIR, MIMI, and Stitch had taken their task seriously. Albert sat tied to a chair directly under the single lamp. The light struck his face, preventing him from seeing anything beyond the circle of illumination.

Alex grabbed another chair and placed it opposite. Seeing the master, Claptrap finally fell silent and moved aside, as if afraid to interfere. Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise but paid it no mind.

Before him sat Albert—head lowered, eyes empty, lips murmuring the same word repeatedly:”I don’t know… I don’t know… I don’t know…”

“Albert, my boy,” Alex said calmly, sipping his coffee. “Are you ready to tell me where Crowley is?”

“I DON’T KNOW where Crowley is!” he shouted, his voice rising. “I’m just a crossroad demon! I make deals and collect souls! I don’t know where the King keeps the Darkness!”

Alex pretended to think.”Hmmm… I think you’re lying. Maybe you don’t know where Crowley himself is, but you surely know someone who does. And since you don’t want to talk…” He stood and stepped back. “We’ll meet tonight.”

“Wait, wait! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell everything! Just don’t kill me, I can’t take it anymore! These creatures are worse than demons!” Albert screamed, realizing Alex was heading for the exit.

“You should have said so sooner, my boy,” Alex replied mockingly, not even looking back.

“NOOOOOOO!” came the desperate cry after him.

Alex smirked. Albert looked pitiful—there was no trace left of the arrogant crossroad demon. One night with GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and Claptrap had turned him into a lunatic.

To avoid listening to the screams, Alex lazily snapped his fingers—a silence spell was cast on Albert, which would wear off in an hour.

“Good work,” he said, glancing at his quartet of “helpers.” “Once he stops screaming, you can continue.”

“Glory to the Imperium!” the four of them saluted in unison.

Alex blinked.

“The Imperium?.. Alright, whatever.”

He didn’t even bother figuring out how GIR, MIMI, and Stitch had managed to brainwash Claptrap, and headed back upstairs.

Sitting at the table, Alex thanked Haruhime for breakfast and began eating, sipping his coffee while recounting the state in which he had found Albert.

Lucina just snorted.

“No wonder. I would have broken down in half an hour if I were in his place.”

Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“I want to see.”

She went downstairs and returned a minute later, her face a picture of complete bewilderment.

“Well… now I understand why he was screaming,” she said quietly, struggling to find the words.

Alex just smirked and finished his coffee.

To be continued…

(Well, we’ll go over the Twilight plot a bit before moving on. I don’t know, maybe I’ll spend a couple of chapters on the Twilight plot, and then we’ll move on to the plot that will touch on why Alex will be able to leave Forks safely and begin hunting the monsters Chuck brought into this world.)

Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep