Kapitel 112: "Chapter 112: A Typical Family Evening"

When Alex returned home, he was greeted by a familiar scene. Valeri was lying on the couch, engrossed in her favorite show. Alex glanced around, looking for Gloria, and heard the sounds coming from the kitchen. Taking off his coat, he headed there. In the kitchen, he saw Gloria, focused on preparing dinner, looking as she always did. She was the only one in their family who knew how to cook something delicious.

Everything the other girls made tasted like styrofoam. Alex still couldn't figure out how Gloria managed to create something edible from synthetic products. Even though they had more money now, she still preferred to cook herself, avoiding ready-made meals.

Alex felt a twinge of envy as he remembered her ex-husband, who was the first to enjoy her culinary masterpieces. However, despite that, Alex respected Gloria's ex-husband for his character and principles.

In a city where even the police were corrupt and afraid to patrol the poor districts, Gloria's ex-husband stood out. He was the embodiment of justice and a desire to help people despite the dangers.

But Alex understood that people like him often met a bad end. To truly help others, you needed strength and influence. Alex admired those who tried to make the world a better place, even at their own expense, but they often forgot that they had families to protect too. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching Gloria as she continued to cook.

Gloria, engrossed in the process, suddenly felt someone watching her. It puzzled her—besides Valeri, no one was supposed to be home, and Alex, along with the other girls, had promised to come back later. Lately, Alex had been taking on more work, and the girls were helping him in their own ways, except for Rebecca, who preferred only to shoot and kill.

Turning her head, Gloria noticed Alex standing in the doorway, looking at her with a tender smile. She once again reflected on how much her life had changed since he appeared. Her feelings for him had blossomed, and to her surprise, they were mutual. Gloria had never imagined herself dating a younger guy, but now she was used to it.

And compared to goddesses who lived for centuries, she didn't seem old at all. Pushing her thoughts aside, Gloria decided to find out why Alex had returned so early.

«You're home early. Did something happen?» she asked, wiping her hands on a towel.

Alex walked closer and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. Gloria smiled, feeling his warmth and care. She always found it amazing that Alex, with his dangerous work and serious demeanor, loved to cuddle so much. She hugged him back, savoring the moment.

Rising on her toes, she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. She used to feel shy about such displays of affection, but now it had become a familiar ritual—kissing him before bed or in the morning, even if he was still asleep.

«What's with the sudden affection?» she asked with a smile after pulling away.

Alex pressed his forehead to hers, their noses lightly touching.

«I just missed you,» he said quietly, a small smile on his lips.

Gloria rolled her eyes, but warmth filled her heart. They spent so much time together, yet Alex still said he missed her. This sense of attachment was new to her, but she didn't mind—she actually liked it. She hugged him tighter, but after a minute, she gently pushed him away.

«Alright, that's enough cuddling. I still have dinner to make. We've got enough hungry mouths to feed,» she said with a smile, nudging him away.

Alex pouted as he looked at Gloria. He felt like he wasn't spending enough time with her, as he was increasingly busy with mercenary work. Gloria also often stayed late at her job. Alex had suggested more than once that she quit, but she always refused, saying she didn't want to just sit at home doing nothing.

In response, Alex often pointed to Valeri, who barely ever left the house and spent most of her time on the couch. If it weren't for the occasional missions he brought her along on, she would have turned into a lazy teenager completely.

Eventually, Alex decided that when they moved to his world, he would send Valeri into the dungeon with Lili and the other girls, to get her to be more active.

«Come on, just a little longer,» Alex pleaded pitifully, reaching out his arms.

«No! Now go, don't get in the way,» Gloria replied and began pushing him out of the kitchen.

Smirking, Alex didn't resist and let her push him out. Shaking his head with a smile, he went into the living room. There, he saw Rebecca lounging on the couch next to Valeri, scrolling through a weapons website. Lucy sat in an armchair, focused on her tablet, petting GIR on the head—it looked like a scene straight out of a mafia boss's life.

After changing clothes, Alex sat down on the couch, and Rebecca immediately laid her head in his lap.

«Got kicked out by Gloria?» Lucy asked with a half-smile, glancing up from her tablet.

Alex rolled his eyes at Lucy's snarky remark, as if he was always getting kicked out of the kitchen like a disobedient child. Well, sure, a couple of times Gloria had indeed asked him to leave, but that was only because he got bored and started distracting her with conversations, making it hard for her to cook. Another time, he just wanted to hug her, but that didn't work out either—Gloria couldn't focus with his constant displays of affection.

«Hah, the Demon King, banished from the kitchen! Where else would you see that?» Rebecca laughed, looking up at Alex.

Alex grimaced and grabbed Rebecca by the nose, cutting off her air supply. She began to squirm, trying to free her nose, and when she finally did, she turned onto her side and bit him on the leg. To defend himself, Alex grabbed her cheeks and started squishing them, preventing her from continuing her «attacks.»

«Unlike some people, I don't get kicked out for constantly stealing food from plates like a gremlin,» he said, stretching Rebecca's cheeks.

Lucy and Valeri burst out laughing, watching their playful squabble. These good-natured scuffles had become an integral part of their daily life, especially when Rebecca tried to bite Alex, and he valiantly fended off her attacks. Still holding her cheeks, Alex turned his gaze to Valeri, who was practically rolling on the couch with laughter.

«You might want to laugh a little less. Do you think I don't know you've been stealing snacks from GIR? Or swiping parts from Rebecca?» Alex said, narrowing his eyes.

Valeri's laughter stopped instantly, and she swallowed nervously. GIR's eyes were full of reproach, as if she had stolen something far more valuable than just snacks. Rebecca's gaze, on the other hand, suggested she was ready to tear Valeri apart for her little thefts. Valeri frantically glanced at Lucy, hoping for some support, but Lucy only looked away, clearly not wanting to get involved.

She knew that GIR would share his snacks if asked, and that stealing from him wasn't necessary. As for Rebecca, the weapons gremlin—well, Valeri had gotten herself into that mess by stealing her parts. Valeri shot Alex a hurt look, feeling betrayed that he had ratted her out.

«Don't look at me like that,» Alex continued calmly. «It's your own fault. Just because you've eaten your daily ration doesn't mean you get to steal from GIR. As for the parts… well, you'll have to handle that yourself. I'm not helping you with that.»

Rebecca immediately jumped off Alex's lap and loomed over Valeri, who shrank back on the couch, trying to find an escape route. But Rebecca anticipated her move and didn't let her get away, immediately scolding her for stealing parts.

«Even if they're not needed right now, they could be useful in the future,» she explained. Valeri, in her defense, said she wanted to create her own weapon and that's why she had taken the unused parts.

«If you wanted your own weapon, you should've come to me. I would've helped you build something worthwhile, not those little toys you're putting together,» Rebecca said with a smirk.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked Valeri to show her creation. Valeri enthusiastically bolted to her room, leaping over the couch as if she left nothing but a trail of dust behind her. Alex shook his head, realizing that under his and Rebecca's influence, Valeri had also gotten into the habit of creating something destructive.

Meanwhile, Lucy removed the sulking GIR from her lap, who still hadn't forgiven Valeri for stealing his snacks, and sat down next to Alex. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

«You and Rebecca have influenced V way too much. Now she's making weapons of her own,» Lucy said with a smile.

Alex shrugged, seeing nothing wrong with that.

«Better than drugs and bad company,» he replied, glancing at her.

Lucy paused to think. Although she had initially wanted to argue, she realized he was right. Making weapons was far safer than getting involved in street fights or gangs. Many teenagers her age were already wrapped up in crime, and Valeri's choice was definitely not the worst.

«Alright, you're right, better this way,» she agreed and gently kissed Alex on the cheek.

Alex chuckled at Lucy's words. Of course, he was right—he had to keep an eye on Valeri to make sure she didn't get into trouble. That's why he didn't mind her staying home most of the time, only going out with him when he took her along for his side jobs. If she spent more time outside, he might have to fend off annoying admirers who would try to ask her out.

Alex didn't want to become the guy waving a stick at every teenager trying to take Valeri on a date. But for some reason, he felt that would become his main job once he had his own kids. A wide grin spread across his face, almost distorting it as he imagined chasing away suitors for his daughters.

Noticing the strange expression on his face, Lucy squinted in confusion.

«What are you thinking about?» she asked, skeptically looking at him.

Alex stopped fantasizing about how he'd chase boys away with an «idiot stick» if they dared to court his daughters.

«I just thought... when we have kids, if it's a girl, sooner or later there will be suitors,» he said, frowning.

Lucy's cheeks flushed slightly at the mention of kids. She wasn't opposed to having children, but she couldn't understand why Alex was grinning so widely while talking about it. It's normal for a daughter to have a boyfriend someday, right?

«Well, that's inevitable. But why are you grinning and frowning at the same time?» Lucy asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

«Isn't it obvious? No father ever wants his daughter to get married,» Alex replied with a serious expression.

Lucy rolled her eyes at his words, as if they already had a daughter, and she was about to bring home a suitor.

«You do realize this is unavoidable, right?» she said, staring directly into his eyes.

At her words, Alex's face stretched as if he had just eaten a handful of lemons. But a moment later, he smiled again, realizing he could intimidate any boy who dared approach his daughter.

«That won't happen if I scare off every idiot who tries to get close to her. I've even got a stick ready for the occasion,» Alex declared with a smug grin.

Lucy sighed heavily, knowing that in the future, when they had kids, Alex would do everything to keep boys away from their daughters.

Rebecca, overhearing their conversation, jumped on Alex and laughed.

«What are you talking about?» she asked, beaming with a mischievous smile.

Catching her, Alex began explaining the essence of their discussion about the future. Rebecca nodded in agreement, sharing his thoughts. She also didn't want any boys hanging around her daughter if she had one in the future.

«Just let anyone try to get close to my daughter. I'll unload a whole magazine into his backside!» Rebecca said with a wide grin.

Lucy, laughing, shook her head.

«That won't be necessary. If your kids are even half as crazy as you, no sane person will risk going near them.»

Alex and Rebecca exchanged glances and burst into laughter, realizing Lucy was right. Any boy would run for the hills if his girlfriend was building strange and dangerous weapons out of random materials and having fun with it. Lucy joined in their laughter, imagining what their children might be like.

In her mind, Alex and Rebecca's kids were like walking powder kegs, ready to explode at any moment, while her own children resembled lazy cats, leaving their stuff scattered around the house.

As they discussed the potential future, Valeri, out of breath, joined them, dragging a bunch of strange weapons she had made with her own hands.

«Here's what I put together myself,» she said proudly, placing everything on the table.

Alex smiled and shook his head, watching her enthusiasm.

Rebecca jumped off Alex and stepped closer to examine the weapons Valeri had assembled. Alex was also intrigued, surprised that this lazy teenager had managed to make something in her room using just what was available. He got up from the couch and moved to the table, where he saw Rebecca twirling a pistol in her hands, carefully inspecting its design.

Alex picked up another weapon, which reminded him of a submachine gun from his previous life, only with a customized red paint job. Valeri eagerly waited for Rebecca to give her opinion.

«Well, I have to say, you did an excellent job, especially considering you did it all on your own without any guidance,» Rebecca said with praise, still examining the pistol.

Valeri's smile widened at the compliment. Alex returned the weapon to the table and took another look at it, amazed by how skillfully Valeri had crafted it. She glanced at Alex, clearly expecting his reaction.

«Well done, V. If you want, I can introduce you to someone I know. She's a master at creating bladed weapons and can teach you some cool things,» Alex said, placing his hand on her head and gently ruffling her hair.

Valeri's smile grew even wider, but the fist pump behind her back signaled her internal victory. Despite her interest in crafting bladed weapons, Valeri preferred firearms, so she replied that she would think about the offer. Alex didn't push her—there were plenty of opportunities ahead.

Curious about what was going on, Lucy approached the table to take a look at Valeri's work as well. On the table lay a modified pistol and a submachine gun, both assembled by the teenager. Though Lucy wasn't as fascinated by weapons as Alex or Rebecca, she understood that if Rebecca, the «weapon gremlin,» praised Valeri, the girl truly had potential.

Alex returned to the couch and watched as Rebecca gave advice on modifications. At that moment, she stopped being a mad inventor and became a true teacher, guiding her student down the right path.

«Maybe soon I'll give her some space in my workshop,» Alex mused, pressing his cheek against Lucy's head.

«It would be great if she worked under the supervision of experienced people,» Lucy nodded, agreeing with Alex.

While Alex and Lucy sat cuddled up, and Rebecca and Valeri were enthusiastically discussing the weapons, Gloria entered the room and invited everyone to the dinner table. The moment Gloria called them, the discussions stopped immediately, and Rebecca was the first to rush to the table to claim her spot. Valeri quickly ran after her, fearing Rebecca might pile up too much food. Alex and Lucy, holding hands, followed them.

During dinner, everyone ate quietly until Valeri couldn't resist and started bombarding Rebecca with questions about weapons. She no longer hid her interest and eagerness to learn more. Despite eating, Rebecca tried to respond, and each time, Alex raised his hand to wipe her mouth. But before the conversation went too far, Gloria intervened, politely but firmly:

«We don't discuss weapons at the dinner table.»

Rebecca and Valeri tensed under her gaze. Gloria was usually gentle and caring, but when it came to table manners and order, her patience quickly ran out. No one wanted to hear about weapons or killing while eating.

The girls, understanding that it was better not to argue, quickly nodded, not wanting to anger the mistress of the house. After all, if you upset Gloria, you could end up with just a plate of vegetables for dinner.

Rebecca still remembered the time Gloria placed a plate of vegetables in front of her and said everything had to be eaten. Gloria saw that the two girls decided to eat silently. She nodded approvingly and shifted her gaze to Alex, who was watching everything with a smile.

Satisfied, Gloria turned her gaze to Alex:

«You don't want to explain why you came back so early?» she asked.

Alex sighed, and his face grew serious.

«Maine had a cyberpsychosis episode. He's in a medically induced coma now to prevent him from harming anyone,» he explained.

Gloria sighed sadly. To her, Maine was a good friend, and she knew how hard this must be for Dorio. Maine had been there for her many times when she needed help, and now she felt most sorry for Dorio, who had witnessed the event.

Gloria could understand how Dorio was feeling in this situation. Gloria herself worked with people who had cyberpsychosis episodes, and she had often seen families look at their loved ones, now just empty shells after most of their cyber implants had been removed.

«And what are you going to do?» she asked, looking at Alex with concern.

Valeri looked at Alex, waiting for his response. She didn't know Maine or the other team members, but she considered them good people, as everything she had heard from Lucy and Rebecca showed that Maine was a nice guy and a big brother to all of them.

Alex sighed and decided to explain his crazy plan to Gloria to help Maine.

«I have a plan. I'm going to infiltrate Arasaka, supposedly for a cure,» Alex replied with a barely noticeable smirk.

Gloria's hands trembled when she heard Alex's words about his intention to break into Arasaka for a non-existent medicine. She asked why Alex couldn't simply heal Maine with his magic.

Alex began explaining the real reason he couldn't heal Maine so easily. Gloria nodded, understanding that if Maine found out about the existence of such a cure, he would become even more reckless.

«Then what do you actually need in Arasaka?» she asked with a heavy sigh.

«I need any data I can pull from their servers. I have a feeling something is brewing, and I want to understand what it is. Even if it's just my paranoia, I need to make sure I'm wrong,» Alex replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

The girls looked at him with interest, waiting for an explanation. Alex started to share that something similar had happened in his past world. That was when he first encountered mutated monsters and the first minion who wanted to kill him.

Ultimately, this led to a conflict with gods who decided to wreak havoc and an avatar of a particularly unpleasant entity that now wanted something from him.

«Do you think there might be something similar to what happened in your world here?» Lucy asked, looking at Alex with concern.

«I don't think gods or anything like that are involved here, but I need to be sure that's not the case,» Alex shook his head.

He didn't believe in such a coincidence that, just like in his home world, there could be something related to Nyarlathotep here as well. He had stumbled into this world by chance, and there couldn't be shards or avatars of that entity here. That would be too strange of a coincidence. Until he was sure this was just his paranoia, he intended to stay on high alert.

«Do you really think such data could be on the corporation's servers?» Rebecca asked, slightly frowning.

Alex rubbed his chin, pondering this. If you want to hide something important, the best place to put it is in plain sight so that no one even thinks to look there. It's like a teenager hiding pornography in a folder labeled «homework.» If you need to hide something, put it where it's easy to find but easy to ignore.

«I think that's quite possible. Hide in plain sight, and no one will suspect a thing,» Alex said, wrapping up his thoughts.

Lucy nodded in agreement—he was right about that. But she had another request. When Alex downloaded the data from Arasaka, she wanted him to erase all records about her and her past. She had already told Alex who she was before she escaped from the corporation, and now she wished for all her files to disappear from the archives. She knew they might still be searching for her.

After all, Lucy had been told she had immense potential as a Netrunner, and she had done quite a bit of work for Arasaka. Few knew about her past, mostly those who were currently around her. Even the other members of Maine's team were unaware.

To be continued...

(A few words from the author: I had a weird and crazy plan for the next world, the plot of which I came up with while I was cooking dinner. I was thinking of choosing the DхD world as the next world and making the gods from the Danmachi world part of this world and its lore. For example, Loki is very similar in character to Odin from DхD, which makes her very similar to this perverted god. But then I realized that I had driven myself into a dead end by mentioning in the Danmachi world that the Gods descended from the divine realm, and they did not know about other worlds and so on. But if such an idea is not bad, then you can share your opinion.)