A few moments later, Feidric and Douglas also woke up and finished their morning routines. Douglas grumbled, "For once, Aria, you actually woke up before us!"
But Aria replied directly, "No, I barely slept at all last night."
Douglas stared, dumbfounded. "Huh?"
To say this was even more absurd would be an understatement.
Just as the three of them were ready to leave, they ran into Cipher returning. She had changed out of her usual attire into a sailor uniform with a pleated skirt, white knee-high stockings, and small leather shoes. The entire ensemble, from head to paw, gave her a youthful, lively, and distinctly schoolgirl-like appearance, making her utterly adorable.
After all, they were supposed to be visiting the school today with Aria and the others. Wearing the school uniform was only natural. Cipher had not only dressed herself but also brought a set for each member of Aria's team.
Of course, Feidric and Douglas weren't given sailor uniforms, but rather men's school uniforms, a British-style ensemble featuring a black jacket with a white lining, paired with black trousers. It looked somewhat like a suit, but with a more youthful design.
Cipher exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, you guys are up so early?"
Douglas, equally surprised, responded, "Cipher, you're back already?"
As everyone knows, when children who've been studying or working far from home finally return, their parents inevitably shower them with affection, exchanging pleasantries and expressing concern.
Well, Cipher hadn't exactly been studying or working; she'd been off playing. So, upon returning home, she likely first endured a stern scolding. Only after her parents' anger subsided would she receive the aforementioned greetings and concern.
This cycle would likely last a day or two, right? Then it would revert to nagging: "Why are you still lazing in bed?" "Stop staring at your phone all day!" "Can't you wash the dishes or sweep the floor instead?"
It's possible that no other place in the world besides Okhema has mobile phones. The specific details of her disdain might vary, but the overall pattern remains largely the same. Either way, this whole routine would likely take at least three or four days to play out. That's why Douglas had assumed he wouldn't see Cipher for at least that long. So how was she back the very next day?
Judging by the timing, Cipher had only experienced the initial familiarity, but none of the subsequent care and disdain.
Of course, Cipher had no idea about the torrent of thoughts flooding Douglas's mind. She turned her head slightly away, a faintly awkward expression crossing her face. After all, it wasn't that she had woken up early; she hadn't slept at all the night before!
It had been so comfortable. She and Aglaea had tried every activity imaginable, leaving traces of their endeavors in every corner of the bedroom. Before they knew it, it was almost dawn. If not for her Demigod Body, her legs would be trembling so badly she might not even be able to stand.
Only after seeing the first light of day did Cipher hastily tidy herself up and rush over.
Shaking her head to banish the memories, Cipher pulled out the clothes she had brought for the trio and shoved them into Douglas's arms, blurting out, "It's not like I was worried about you guys or anything! Just hurry up and change. I'm going to take you all on a tour of Okhema later."
Then, Cipher rushed straight to Aria's room and grabbed the Little Squirrel by the scruff of its neck, shaking the recently slumbering creature awake. "Transform back now!" she ordered. "We're taking you out today, too!"
The Little Squirrel blinked in confusion before transforming back into the half-elf girl, Eve. Cipher handed her a fourth set of school uniforms.
It had to be said, Eve had been maintaining her squirrel form for far too long. Apart from meal times, she remained in animal form almost constantly.
As previously mentioned, prolonged immersion in animal form could lead a Druid to adopt the animal's behavioral patterns. Eve was already deeply socially withdrawn, and squirrels were naturally timid creatures. The combination was only making matters worse.
That's why Cipher had decided to enroll her in a random school, hoping that attending classes would help Eve overcome her social anxiety.
Unlike Aria and the others, Cipher arranged special training for them, one-on-one instruction with individual teachers. But for Eve, Cipher planned to enroll her in actual school for several years.
This arrangement was a win-win-win situation! Although Aria had already forgiven Eve, and Cipher no longer harbored strong objections to her, having Eve remain in the group still felt awkward. Temporarily kicking her out of the group in this way would be a welcome development.
Eve, though confused about the plan, couldn't bring herself to refuse due to her social anxiety. She slowly removed her own clothes and changed into the women's school uniform Cipher handed her.
However, when it came to putting on the white stockings, Eve was completely clueless. Having never seen such garments before, she had no idea how to wear them. Cipher had to step in to help, rolling up the stockings and instructing Eve to lift her small foot.
Just then, Aria returned to the room to change her own clothes. Upon seeing the scene, her first reaction was, "Sister Cipher, I don't know how to put them on either! Can you help me put them on, too?"
Cipher's lips twitched slightly as she helped Eve get dressed, then turned to assist Aria. Once both girls were fully dressed, Cipher gazed at the pair before her. Aside from the faint dark circles beneath Eve's eyes, both looked incredibly adorable, radiating the fresh energy of students.
I have to say, the invention of sailor uniforms paired with white stockings was truly brilliant!
Soon, Feidric and Douglas also emerged, having changed into their outfits. Feidric immediately gave off the air of a top-tier student, the uniform fitting him perfectly. Douglas, on the other hand...
Cipher paused, unsure how to put it. He lacked even the slightest hint of a student's demeanor, looking more like a street gang leader. Douglas was simply too muscular; the uniform clung to him like a second skin, clearly outlining the contours of his abs and arms.
If not for Okhema's high-quality fabric, the uniform might have already ripped.
Or, if Douglas really wanted to, he could cast a Divine Magic buff on himself, flex his upper body forcefully, and inflate his muscles; perhaps he could even recreate that classic manga scene where a character's clothes burst off in a display of raw power.
After changing their clothes, the group of five ventured outside. The streets were far more crowded in the morning than they had been at night, with cars constantly whizzing by on the roads.
While the city's nighttime scenery was impressive, its daytime appearance was no less awe-inspiring.
Feidric couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Just how many people live in this city?"
He had meant it as a rhetorical question, but Cipher actually provided a surprisingly accurate estimate. "Around 5.1 million? The last census was seven or eight years ago, so the population has only grown since then."
"Over five million!?" Feidric exclaimed in shock. To put this in perspective, even a small country like the Grand Duchy of Kandela, Aria's homeland, had a population of less than half a million!
This single city had ten times the population of an entire country! Was that even possible?
Aria then asked, "What's a census?"
In that moment, Cipher felt a surreal sense of déjà vu, as if she had been transported back in time. She faintly recalled Olivia asking her the same question in a similar tone.
Cipher first answered Aria's question: "They send people door-to-door to ask how many people live in each household, then tally the numbers to calculate the city's total population."
She then turned to Feidric and explained, "That's why all the buildings here are four or five stories tall. The same land area can house ten times more people than elsewhere."
Feidric was so stunned he couldn't speak for a long moment. Finally, he managed to say, "Your city alone has five million people? How many people does the entire country have?"
Cipher replied, "This city is the entire country. This nation consists of only this one city."
Feidric breathed a sigh of relief. He had initially feared that if one city had five million people, the entire country might have forty or fifty million; an absurdly high number.
To put it in perspective, the All Nations Alliance had a population of around thirty to forty million, while the Dragon Ember Empire likely had slightly fewer, perhaps twenty to thirty million.
Even so, Okhema was still astonishing. A hidden, unknown nation, concealed in some unknown location, boasting a population nearly a quarter or a fifth of that of superpowers like the Alliance and Empire?
A nation of this scale would be formidable anywhere. If the Alliance and the Empire were to discover its existence, the world's balance of power could shift dramatically.
No, not just shift, it would be a complete upheaval. Normally, a nation's strength is directly proportional to its size and population. Feidric had initially thought the same way, but he suddenly realized that Okhema possessed an astonishing number of high-end combatants, twelve beings suspected to be Ancient Gods!
Feidric couldn't help but glance at the Catgirl beside him, who exuded none of the majesty one would expect from a god. He mused, "Well, at least the other Demigods I've met so far- Mydei, Aglaea, and the like—all exuded a proper aura of authority."
As for Castorice... at least during battle, that Dragon was absolutely awe-inspiring, her aura of authority maxed out!
Just as Feidric was lost in thought, Cipher suddenly announced, "Before we head to the school, let's grab some breakfast first. There are tons of delicious things here. Pick whatever you like—my treat!"
"Really?!" Douglas exclaimed, immediately scanning his surroundings for something that looked delicious. Occasionally, they spotted breakfast stalls lining the street, offering variations of dishes Cipher remembered from her previous life, breakfast burritos, stuffed biscuits, skillet sausage and eggs, and even pancakes hot off the griddle, all with local twists.
After surveying the options, Douglas pointed directly at a recently opened hotel restaurant nearby, the Golden Labyrinth Grand Hotel, and declared, "Let's go there!"
"Huh?" Cipher was stunned. First, who eats at a hotel restaurant for breakfast? Second... Douglas's choice was almost too coincidental.
The name made it clear: this was the establishment recently opened by Mydei, having just completed its preparations and officially launched in the past few days!
Seeing Cipher's expression, Aria said worriedly, "But this place looks so luxurious... the prices must be high. Shouldn't we find something more affordable?"
Douglas scratched his head. "But isn't Cipher one of the twelve Demigods of this city?"
Douglas paused, perhaps realizing that even for a local "big shot" hosting, choosing such a lavish establishment right away might be a bit much. He quickly changed his tune. "Then let me look at some other places."
But Cipher insisted, "No, that's not what I'm surprised about! It's fine, it's fine, let's just go here!"
With that, she pulled the group toward the hotel. It was early morning, so the entire place was deserted. Seeing this, Douglas grew even more uneasy. "This must be ridiculously expensive... Not a single customer in sight. Maybe we should reconsider..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he froze in his tracks. A man with short golden hair, wearing a white chef's uniform, had emerged from the kitchen and approached them.
What shocked Douglas was that he recognized this man. It was none other than Mydeimos, the Demigod of Strife, known as the "Enemy of All," who had single-handedly routed the Imperial Army!
WTF!?
Douglas wasn't the only one stunned. Feidric and Aria wore equally bewildered expressions, especially Feidric, who had recently been internally lamenting that all Demigods except Cipher exuded such imposing dignity. Now, he was utterly dumbfounded.
"What the hell?"
"Aren't you the Demigod of Strife? What are you doing here?"
Cipher, barely suppressing a laugh, waved her small hand in greeting. "Hi, Little Prince~ Long time no see!"
Mydei shot Cipher a flat glance before handing a menu to the still-stunned Douglas. "We just opened. Tell me what you want to eat."
"Uh... uh," Douglas stammered, shakily taking the menu. After scanning the dishes, he pointed at one called Braised Lion's Head. "N-no wonder this is a Demigod's restaurant! Even lion heads are on the menu?!"
Then he spotted another dish, Husband and Wife Lung Slices, and shuddered. "N-no way! Do they serve people here? And a whole pair at once?!"
Douglas stole a glance at Mydei before quietly sidling up to Cipher. "Hey, uh... this Demigod of Strife... he won't mince us up and turn us into dishes, right?"