"...." Esdeath just stares at her, her face completely blank, unsure of what to do now. She look over at Maruti with uninterested eyes, as if silently asking her what she should do about this crazy girl.
Many of the pedestrians on the street stops what they were doing and starts looking towards them, some whispering and murmuring to each other, trying to figure out what was actually happening. The crowd grew thicker, their curious eyes fix on the scene unfolding before them.
But Claus didn't pay any attention to them at all. "What are you waiting for?" she shouts, her voice echoing slightly in the sudden quiet. "That violet, ethan and you... I'll show everyone what I'm truly capable of!" she adds, her eyes burning with a fierce light. A bolt of yellow lightning started sparkling from her body, crackling with dangerous energy.
She was actually ready to use her Awakened powers right in the middle of the street, with so many ordinary humans nearby.
"Ms. Claus—" Valen tries to stop her again, his voice trembling with panic, but then.
SMACK!
Before Claus could finish her threat, Maruti moves in a blur of motion. In a single, fluid movement, she swiftly smacks the back of Claus's neck, turning her unconscious with just one precise strike.
She didn't even bother to stop her from falling. Claus's eyes turn blank for a moment as she watches maruti's face and then Claus's body slumps to the ground with a low, dull thud.
"Problem solved," Maruti adds lightly, dusting off her hands as if she had just swatted away a fly.
Esdeath pretended as if there wasn't a person knocked out cold right in front of her and looks at Valen with a small, calm smile.
"Back to the topic. Come back to Anastasia with me. Don't worry about your safety. Your new job is to be a tutor," Esdeath explains, her voice steady and clear.
"A tutor? What am I supposed to teach? To who?" Valen ask back, his confusion clear on his face. He had always struggled with low self-confidence, and the idea of teaching anyone made him feel even more unsure of himself.
"Theory, of course. Strategies, magical formulas, information about essence stones, combos, etc. etc.—all the things you're pretty good at," Esdeath answers back, her tone matter-of-fact.
Of course, Valen was barely as strong as an average Awakened. But he was incredibly knowledgeable about all the things Esdeath had just mentioned.
Even more than that, he knew a great deal about essence stones, strategies in fighting, combos, and how to make the best use of multiple things in a battle.
Yes, despite knowing all of that, he couldn't really use any of it in an actual fight himself.
But there's a reason it's said that "Coaches don't play."
Esdeath then rolls her eyes awkwardly, knowing it was time to reveal who he was suppose to teach. "You'll know who you're going to teach once you come back," she say flatly, not wanting to give away too much just yet.
Of course, she was talking about none other than Corin, who had turned into a wolfman during the first arc.
Esdeath had thought of appointing three teachers for him, and even though she had already decided which teachers, everything doesn't always go as planned.
For his strength and combat training, there was the new academy principal, Kaya. The academy was shut down right now, so she probably had enough free time to train Corin.
The other could be any beastman who could teach him properly about transformation and about being half human and half beast.
And lastly, now there was Valen. Who could provide him with some much-needed wisdom.
"Aren't I doing too much for him? He's kinda useless to me anyway. But I can't just let him die. If he's no use, he can be used for refinement instead," Esdeath thought to herself, her mind wandering for a moment before she focuses back on Valen.
"In return, I'll pay for all your expenses, Alongside thirty gold coins a month, plus essence stones and some other resources as well. You aren't the only teacher; there are others for different things. So, if you want, you can also learn from the other teachers as well," she explained, and then pauses for a few seconds, giving Valen time to process everything she had just said.
"So, what do you think?" she ask, her eyes searching his face for his reaction.
"Do I have any other choice?" he ask back with a weak chuckle, scratching the back of his head nervously.
"No," Esdeath replies, her face completely serious.
"Then I agree," he answeres, knowing he didn't really have a say in the matter.
"Good. Let's meet again in some time," Esdeath saya immediately, waving her hand, She turn around without another word.
Maruti did the same, and both of them walk away, leaving to go meet Maddie.
Meanwhile, only then did Valen's attention finally go to the unconscious Claus lying on the ground. He panicks immediately, his eyes widening in realisation. He quickly apologises to her, even though she couldn't hear him, before grabbing her arm and throwing it over his shoulder. With a grunt, he lifted her up and starts carrying her back home, his face flushed with embarrassment as he tries to avoid the curious stares of the people around them.
******
Meanwhile, back at Maruti's house, in the living room, Kailith sat on the sofa, staring straight ahead with a blank face, her eyebrows blinking several times.
It was already daytime, and everyone else had woken up. Right now, they were all standing in front of her.
But there was one more person with them—Meldia.
"So.... This is your mother?" Kailith ask flatly, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"Yes!" Alice smiles brightly, her face lighting up as she huggs Meldia tightly.
"From when?" Kailith's lips twitches. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was actually Arlecchino, secretly playing some kind of trick on her.
"Not long ago. The paperwork is all done, too. I've officially adopted her," Meldia replies in her usual flat tone.
"Yes, we had the exact same expression as you when we found out," Brenna sighs, shaking her head slightly.
"What would Maruti think... well, she probably wouldn't care at all," Kailith murmurs to herself, and then took a deep breath, trying to process this strange new information.
"And can I ask why you decided to become her mother?" she ask, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"To provide her with a mother's love and care, what else? I'll make sure to fulfill my responsibility," Meldia replies, her voice shifting to an ethereal tone, different from her earlier flat one.
"Okay... okay... So what are your motherly senses telling you to do for your daughter right now?" Kailith questions, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
There was a small silence in the room. Meldia was quiet for a few seconds, with no facial movements at all, and then she finally spoke.
"That my daughter isn't having a fulfilling love life," she answeres with a completely straight face.
"What!?" everyone in the room shouts in unison, their voices filled with shock.
Even Kailith was expecting some rehearsed, over-the-top speech about motherly love, not... this.
Actually, she had already been suspecting that Meldia was just sent by Lortell here to train Alice. To do that, she was just acting as her adoptive mother. That was all.
Meldia nod. "Yes. I'll complain about it once Maruti comes back as well. Alice told me everything. It seems she's not giving her as much attention as all of you," she adds, her voice calm and matter-of-fact.
"Ohh, mother~, you think so much about me," Alice murmurs politely, rubbing her head against Meldia's chest while still hugging her tightly.
"You punk, why don't you tell her what you do once Arlecchino comes out?" Kailith's lips twitched in irritation as she stares at Alice with bloodthirsty eyes, barely holding back her frustration.
But she immediately took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and looks at Meldia.
"Of course, it is also because of her lack of communication skills, which I'm helping her with currently. But I'll feel more happy if you all are more active in your current relationship and make sure no one feels left out," Meldia suggests, her voice gentle but firm.
"Is that how you feel? Well, do you have any tips you can give us?" Kailith ask sarcastically, but to her surprise, Meldia actually responds.
"Go on a date," Meldia answers simply.
"A date?" Alice repeats, raising her head to look up at Meldia.
"A date?" Brenna, who had been now busy with her work, turns back as soon as she heard the word "date."
"Date?" Kailith and Ravenna exclaims in unison, both looking equally surprised.
"Hmm... honestly, that's a good idea. I was thinking about that as well, but Maruti isn't here yet," Kailith sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly.
"Yes, she should've been here by yesterday. She's late," Ravenna sighs as well, a worried look on her face.
But then, Meldia interrupts them. "Then go without her. Maruti is the center of your relationship, for sure, but she won't have that much time to pay attention to all of you, all the time. She needs a breather as well," she says, her words full on point.
"Besides, isn't it a polygamy FWB group? You should get along with each other as well. That's the way where no one feels left out, and no one gets burnt out by this relationship either," she suggests.
And somehow, her suggestions felt quite logical as well.
Kailith's face flushes a little red. "Cough... cough... well, it's not exactly a polygamy FWB relationship," she say awkwardly. But then, remembering her training about being used to all kinds of naughty and dirty words, she once again regained her composure, her expression becoming neutral again.
She looks at everyone in the room. Their attention was on her as well, all of them waiting for her to say something.
"What do you guys think?" she ask.
Every one of them looks at each other, and then they all look back at her. The look in their eyes was definitely saying—"Why not?"
A small grin slowly spread across Kailith's face, turning into a wide smile as she stood up from the sofa.
"Well then, let's go on a date, just the three or four of us," she announces.
The air now filled with a newfound excitement.
A date between four rivals in love, who were quite friendly with each other but didn't necessarily fully get along.
The date only had two possible conclusions: either it would turn into a huge chaos.
Or a date where all four of them actually understood each other more, and their relationship would take a qualitative change.
There was no in-between.