Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Sense of Belonging
"To think we were lucky enough to witness the great Kassadin in person today," someone said in awe.
"Those who left early for the New Year are going to regret missing this."
"Well, it's not their fault. They planned to come tomorrow—who could have known the mighty Void God Kassadin would show up today?"
Excitement still lingered on the faces of the crowd as they chatted, their joy visible.
Soon, several people began expressing their gratitude to Sonya, thanking her for introducing them to Kassadin.
"There's no need to thank me," Sonya replied with a gentle smile. "It was your devotion that moved Kassadin, and that's why he decided to grace us with his presence."
In reality, Sonya herself felt grateful. Kassadin had chosen to celebrate the New Year on Xandar only after learning about these people's intentions.
She hadn't been aware of the side of Kassadin that he had just revealed to them. She only knew that he had instructed her to announce at a certain time.
This event made the members of the Void Cult realize that their prayers and offerings had been acknowledged by Kassadin, which was undoubtedly the best gift they could have received.
"Kassadin has felt your devotion," Sonya said, addressing the group. "As a token of his generosity, he wishes for you all to share the food you've brought as offerings."
Sonya's words weren't made up. When Kassadin learned that the group had brought not just food but also money, he instructed her to make sure they kept the food for themselves.
She was simply passing along his wishes.
"Praise Kassadin for his kindness!" someone exclaimed.
Though Sonya mentioned only the food and said nothing about the money, nobody felt dissatisfied. Shortly after, Sonya excused herself, thinking they could collect the monetary offerings later, once the New Year festivities were over.
In a few days, Kassadin was planning to leave, and it seemed he would be gone for a while. Sonya, of course, wanted to see him in person before then, rather than through a cosmic communicator.
As the group began to divide the food, people split off into smaller groups to enjoy the feast together. Tony, Reno, Kael, the Seer, and Lacey gathered to chat.
Reno asked Tony about his homeland, C53.
Tony enthusiastically described Earth, noting that while its environment was similar to Xandar's, its technology was far behind.
He talked about Earth's various nations, focusing mostly on its major powers, such as the United States and China.
"Earth still has separate nations?" Lacey asked, surprised. "It's not a unified entity?"
"With its current level of technology, Earth is nowhere near achieving free space travel," Tony explained with a grin. "So of course, they're still preoccupied with their little territories."
"But when it comes to entertainment, Earth is leagues ahead. There's so much to do—it's way more fun than Xandar."
"More entertainment?" Lacey mused. "Maybe I should visit sometime. But would Earthlings freak out if I suddenly showed up?"
"Nah, your appearance isn't much different from Earthlings'," Tony assured her. "You could blend in with the crowd, and no one would even bat an eye."
Lacey seemed intrigued by the idea, though Tony was excited for another reason. If she visited Earth, she would likely stay with him, and if any trouble arose, he'd have Lacey's help.
"I look similar to the people on Xandar?" Kael chimed in. "Then I guess it wouldn't be a problem for me to visit either."
"As long as you and Reno behave, you should be fine," Tony said, nodding. Kael was over two meters tall and built like a tank, but Earth wasn't unfamiliar with people of that height—though they weren't usually as muscular as Kael.
"So, does that mean I would be a problem?" the Seer asked, noticing Tony hadn't mentioned him.
"You'll be fine too," Tony replied, carefully choosing his words. "But your attire is a little… avant-garde for Earth."
"Even if you don't change, people will probably just think you're cosplaying."
Tony eyed the Seer's bandage-wrapped body, trying to be diplomatic.
"I get it," the Seer responded, nodding. "You're going back for a while, aren't you? If anything comes up, don't hesitate to contact us. We'll come to help."
"Even if there's no trouble, I'd still love to have you guys visit," Tony said with a smile. "I'll show you all the entertainment Earth has to offer."
"Sounds good. If we decide to visit, we'll give you a heads-up," Kael said, laughing.
As each small group gathered to enjoy the delicious food and talk about the future, the atmosphere remained lively and harmonious.
Back at Harvey's villa, Sonya returned from the temple to find Kassadin had already come back, and the table was full of food.
"Sit down and join me," Harvey said when he noticed her surprised expression.
"Thank you for the invitation, but it's not proper for me to sit at the same table as you," Sonya replied with a polite smile, though she was tempted.
"In the past, I've often spent New Year's alone, the only difference being that I would treat myself to a better meal," Harvey said. "This time, I wanted to spend it here because I knew you'd be around."
"So, on this New Year's Day, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Just sit and eat with me."
Hearing this, a blush crept across Sonya's cheeks, and she nodded. She chose to sit at Harvey's side rather than directly across from him, which showed her respect.
"Sonya," Harvey began, "you've helped me so much over the past year. I'll be relying on you to continue looking after Void Island."
Harvey's eyes flashed as he spoke. When he had first hired Sonya, he'd only paid her half a million credits a year. But her work, handling countless mundane tasks and managing the island, had far exceeded the value of that salary.
He had grown dependent on her, and frequently rewarded her with extra bonuses.
"Even if you hadn't asked me, I would've continued to do so," Sonya said, raising her glass with a smile.
As harmony reigned at Harvey and Sonya's table, the various groups on Void Island were equally content, eating, drinking, and enjoying each other's company. Even the chefs, who had prepared the lavish meal, gathered to cook up a few small dishes and have a drink, before planning to visit their families after the holiday rush.
All of this came from a shared sense of belonging to Void Island.
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