Capítulo 99: "Chapter 99: Moving to the New House"
Alex sat between the girls, recounting his adventures in the world of Danmachi, starting from his first descent into the dungeon and his victory over a giant monster. Unfortunately, he couldn't give the girls an outside view of his adventures, so he used a projection from his own perspective.
Even though they were seeing everything through his eyes, it didn't lessen their interest at all. The girls occasionally asked questions about magic, trying to learn what else Alex was capable of. But his explanations weren't enough for the curious Rebecca, who wanted not just to listen but to see everything with her own eyes.
"Can you show us one of your magic tricks?" Rebecca asked, gently tugging on his sleeve.
Alex thought it wasn't a bad idea to demonstrate a couple of spells. After all, this world relied more on technology, and magic here was only shown by street magicians pulling cheap tricks on passersby.
He carefully lifted Rebecca off his lap and stood, stepping back a few paces to set up his show. But at the last moment, a funny idea popped into his head, and he decided to play a little prank on them.
"Ta-da! Magic!" Alex declared, clasping his hands together and slowly spreading them apart.
A rainbow appeared between his palms. Gloria let out a tired sigh, as she had seen this trick before. The first time Alex had shown her a rainbow at arm's length, she had even fainted from shock.
Lucy, however, looked back and forth between the rainbow and Alex, as if not believing that was all there was. Rebecca, like a curious child, approached and started poking the colorful arc with her finger.
"And this is your magic? Couldn't you come up with something more interesting?" Lucy asked with a slight smirk, raising an eyebrow.
Alex puffed up at her words. What did she mean by "more interesting"? Could anyone else hold a rainbow in their hands? But quickly realizing that with local technology, such a trick could easily be replicated, he sighed, clapped his hands, and the rainbow vanished.
"When Gloria first saw this, she fainted from shock," Alex said, pouting, pointing at Gloria.
Lucy and Rebecca looked at her, but Gloria just turned her gaze away. Growing up in a world of technology, she wasn't prepared for magic and initially had trouble coping with it.
However, over time, she adapted to Alex's magical displays, which became something mundane to her. Now, instead of shock, she felt envy toward the opportunities magic gave Alex. Even simple apartment cleaning spells annoyed her.
"Maybe show us something else?" Gloria suggested, trying to change the subject.
Alex nodded and pondered what to show that wouldn't be too overwhelming with destructive spells. After a moment, an idea came to him, and he decided to show them something he used to confuse those hunting him.
"Well, I think this will do," Alex said and began to glow.
A bright light filled the room, making the girls squint their eyes shut. When the light faded, they saw Alex in a new form. Lucy, the first to open her eyes, couldn't believe what she was seeing.
She pinched her leg to make sure she wasn't dreaming, even feeling a warm drop run down her nose, which she quickly wiped away. Gloria couldn't hold back a surprised gasp and began imagining passionate thoughts about Alex's new form. Rebecca, standing the closest, giggled foolishly, not even noticing the drool escaping her lips.
"So, what do you think?" Alex asked, standing before them in the form of a nine-tailed fox.
His fluffy tails swayed softly behind him, mesmerizing the girls. Alex had used a spell similar to the one Lily used to evade pursuers, and he'd been wanting to use it again for a while.
"Are those... real?" Lucy asked, trying hard not to look at the tails.
"Want to find out?" Alex smirked, inviting her to come closer.
Lucy nervously swallowed, but her curiosity won out, and she cautiously reached out, trying to touch one of the tails. Rolling his eyes at her hesitation, Alex wrapped one of the tails around her body. Lucy froze for a moment, but soon relaxed, feeling the soft, fluffy tail encircle her.
"Anyone else?" Alex asked the others.
"Say no more!" Rebecca squealed and immediately wrapped another tail around herself, giggling happily.
Rebecca pressed her face into Alex's tail, giggling foolishly, as if she couldn't get enough of the soft touch. Not wanting to feel left out, Gloria carefully approached, and Alex wrapped a tail around her as well, as if saying, "Don't worry, I won't leave you out either."
Feeling the softness of the tail, Gloria almost melted from the pleasure, as if turning into a soft mass from the incredible sensation.
When Rebecca finally lifted her head, having stopped snuggling with the tail, her curiosity got the better of her.
"What else can you show us?" she asked, still rubbing her cheeks against Alex's tail.
Alex smirked, deciding to tease the girls a bit. He made up his mind to take on another form, but first, he removed the tails, which caused disgruntled groans, especially from Rebecca, who grumbled that there was no need to get rid of the tails just to show off another spell.
Once again, a blinding light filled the room, and the girls instinctively closed their eyes. When they opened them, Alex was nowhere to be seen.
"Alex, where are you?" Lucy asked in surprise, looking around.
"I'm here," a childlike voice replied.
All three of them simultaneously looked down and saw Alex, now in the form of a little boy. Their minds seemed to overload from the unexpected twist. Gloria couldn't help but imagine what their children with Alex might look like.
Her heart tightened as she remembered her son, David, whom she had lost not long ago. Sadness once again enveloped her, and Alex, noticing this, gently took her hand in a gesture of comfort.
"Heh, now I'm taller than you," Rebecca smirked, comparing her height to Alex's childlike form.
Holding Gloria's hand, Alex frowned at her teasing remark. But then his face lit up with a wide smile, as if he had thought of something amusing.
"I'm 10 years old now, and you're almost 20. I'll still grow, but you… won't," he said in an innocent childlike voice.
Gloria, immersed in her sorrowful thoughts, couldn't help but laugh. Alex's words sounded so sweet, yet they were a real blow to Rebecca's pride. She clutched her chest as if she had taken critical damage.
It became clear that she would never outgrow her petite frame, especially compared to her tall brother, Pilar, and other members of their team.
"But don't worry, I still love you," Alex added with childlike innocence, making a heart shape with his fingers right in front of her face.
Rebecca looked up at the heart shape, and though it bothered her at first, she soon remembered that Alex also had short girls in his family, like Hestia, who was the same height as her. Smiling, she stood up from the floor, deciding to get her revenge for this joke sometime in the future.
"Wait, are you telling me you're 10 years old right now?" Lucy finally spoke up, still processing what she had seen.
"Exactly. This spell changes the caster's age," Alex explained, returning to his adult form.
Lucy nodded, realizing that this spell could be dangerous—especially because of the inappropriate thoughts she had when she saw child-Alex. Stretching to relax his muscles after the transformation, Alex glanced at the time.
"I think we can call it a day. It's time to get some sleep," he said, snapping his fingers to return the apartment to its normal dimension.
The girls agreed. The day had been full of surprises: first, they came to visit Gloria, but ended up discovering Alex's true identity. Now they all felt a strong sense of fatigue, especially Rebecca, who began yawning and didn't even notice her eyes starting to close. However, the question arose — where were they all going to sleep?
"And where will we sleep?" Gloria asked, realizing that the couch was clearly not meant for four people.
"I've got a solution," Alex confidently declared, giving a thumbs-up.
He asked the girls to step back and, after moving the coffee table away from the couch, reached into his inventory, pulling out a massive bed. All three of them stared in shock, their mouths hanging open. No one expected him to carry something like that with him.
"Why do you have a big bed with you?" Lucy asked in bewilderment as she watched Alex carefully lower it to the floor.
Alex set the bed down and, dusting off his hands, nodded proudly, satisfied with himself. He mentally patted himself on the back for his foresight — after all, who else would think to store a massive bed in their inventory? When Lucy asked her question, Alex turned his head, trying to come up with the best way to explain his decision.
"Well, I've spoiled Hestia," Alex shrugged, as if it had nothing to do with him. "So I carry this bed with me just in case I have to spend the night away from home."
Lucy thought there might be a more important reason for carrying such a huge bed around, but it turned out he had simply given in to the whims of the goddess who couldn't sleep on anything less soft. Rebecca didn't pay much attention to it — she quickly tossed off her jacket and dove headfirst onto the bed, rolling around in delight.
"This is the softest bed I've ever slept on," Rebecca said, rolling from one side to the other.
Alex shook his head, watching the little whirlwind, and pulled out four pillows and a large blanket from his inventory so everyone could settle in comfortably. Meanwhile, Gloria went to take a quick shower before bed.
Alex didn't need any water procedures — he used magic to change into shorts and a t-shirt. Noticing that Rebecca and Lucy were still in their street clothes, Alex handed them a couple of his own outfits.
"Change, I don't want you sleeping in my clean bed wearing the clothes you walked around in," he said, passing the clothes over.
Lucy took the clothes and noticed that all of Alex's t-shirts and shorts were of the same style and colors — blue, red, and black. But setting that thought aside, she headed to the bathroom to change after Gloria. Rebecca, without a second thought, slipped into Alex's t-shirt and ignored the shorts — the shirt was long enough to cover everything that needed covering.
Alex settled on the couch and waited for the girls to take their places. Like a true gremlin, Rebecca snuck under the blanket and popped out right in front of Alex's face, resting her head on his chest. Gloria got comfortable beside him, placing her head on his shoulder, and Lucy, after coming out of the shower, took the free spot on the other side.
"Goodnight," Alex said, closing his eyes.
In the morning, Alex woke up to a strange sensation on his face. Opening his eyes, he saw a foot pressed right against his nose. It wasn't hard to guess whose foot it was. Apparently, Rebecca had turned over in her sleep.
Rolling his eyes, Alex was about to wake up this little chaos, but then Rebecca had a dream and suddenly kicked, landing a solid hit on his nose. A vein pulsed ominously on Alex's forehead, and unable to hold back, he grabbed her foot and started tickling it in retaliation.
Rebecca woke up from a sudden burst of laughter, wriggling and giggling. Alex stopped when she was already breathless from laughing, and she looked at him with a pout.
"Why did you do that?" she asked, looking at Alex.
"What do you mean, 'why'?" Alex rolled his eyes. "You just kicked me in the nose, and now you're surprised?"
Rebecca wanted to protest, but when she saw the red mark on his nose—clearly from her own doing—she couldn't find anything to say. Huffing, she turned away and laid back down on the couch. Alex glanced around to check if Gloria and Lucy were awake.
Gloria was already sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, while Lucy was in the bathroom. Satisfied that everything was in order, Alex sat down next to Gloria, poured himself a cup of coffee, and began thinking about the day's plans.
"I think it's time to move," he said, taking a sip. "After the last mission, I have enough money to rent a bigger apartment."
Gloria thought for a moment. She didn't mind changing the scenery either—this apartment held too many unpleasant memories.
"Have you chosen a place?" she asked.
Alex raised his index finger, indicating where he planned to move. He had often browsed housing sites, but most options either didn't suit the location or were too expensive. Gloria didn't understand his gesture and asked him to explain.
"I want to move to the upper floors of the megabuildings. When I was researching the market, I found that there are apartments up there that would be perfect for me," Alex replied.
Gloria nodded, agreeing with his choice, and they continued their breakfast. After her shower, Lucy joined them at the table to eat as well.
Despite wanting to keep sleeping on the softest bed she'd ever experienced, Rebecca couldn't resist the smell of food and, giving in to temptation, hurried to the table. She ate with such focus that she barely paid attention to the others.
Noticing that everyone had gathered at the table, Alex suggested to Lucy and Rebecca that they move in with him, now that they knew who he really was, and their relationship had reached a new level.
Without hesitation, Rebecca immediately agreed, mentioning only that she'd need to grab her things from home. Alex nodded, then turned his gaze to Lucy, waiting for her decision.
"I don't mind either. Actually, it looks like I don't really have a choice. Like you said yesterday, you'd kidnap me if I refused," Lucy smiled.
"You catch on quick," Alex confirmed her words, giving a thumbs-up.
Once breakfast was over, Alex and Gloria headed to the building manager to inform him about their move and to rent a new apartment on the upper floors.
Entering the office, the chubby manager, who had once experienced Alex's wrath, flinched at the sight of the man who had almost thrown him out of a window. Alex, with a wide grin, sat down across from him, only intensifying the manager's anxiety as he began to sweat like a pig.
"Long time no see, my friend," Alex began, settling into the chair and continuing to smile.
Gloria sat beside him, watching the situation unfold. The manager, on the other hand, didn't know what to expect and was trying to recall if he had broken any of their previous agreements. When it became clear he hadn't made any mistakes, he relaxed a bit and asked in a stuttering voice:
"How can I help you?"
"Don't worry, I'm here for something else today. We're moving and would like to rent an apartment on the upper floors," Alex calmly explained, trying to ease his nerves.
The manager wiped the sweat from his brow in relief and switched to professional mode, offering several apartment options.
One of them caught Alex's eye—a two-story apartment with enough rooms for the girls to have their own space, while he could set up a workshop. The lease was signed under Gloria's name since Alex didn't have any documents in this world, nor did he need them.
After signing the lease, Alex and Gloria returned to the apartment to prepare for the move. Alex woke up GIR to help Gloria with her relocation, while he went to assist Lucy and Rebecca in packing their things. Just as they were about to leave the apartment, Alex received a phone call.
"Moshi moshi," Alex answered, bringing the phone to his ear.
"Your greetings are getting weirder," came the voice of Dorrio over the line.
Alex merely chuckled, intrigued about why she was calling at such a time.
"Yo, Dori, what can I do for you?" he asked.
"Main and I are going on vacation for a week, and a package arrived for Pillar. Can you deliver it?" she explained.
"No problem, I'm heading there anyway. Rebecca is moving in with me," Alex said, glancing at Rebecca, who smiled widely.
"Congrats! I was wondering when you two would finally live together," Dorrio laughed.
"Thanks! By the way, I'm glad you called. I wanted to give you something yesterday but forgot," Alex added with a grin.
Dorrio was puzzled until she received a file with an unusual title. Upon opening it, she froze in surprise.
"Alex, what are these data?" she asked in a stunned voice.
"These are my research findings on Sandy. From what I understand, Main plans to install it, and this information will be useful to him," Alex calmly explained.
As Dorrio reviewed the file, she realized that Alex had put significant effort into this matter. In particular, she noted the warning that excessive use of Sandy could lead to cyberpsychosis. Recognizing the importance of the information, she expressed her gratitude:
"Thank you, Alex. I'll pass this on to Main."
"That's what friends are for," Alex smiled, wrapping up the conversation.
Once they reached the parking lot, Rebecca and Lucy were curious about what had been discussed. Alex explained that Main was planning to install Sandy—a cyber implant that could cause cyberpsychosis if overused. Intrigued, Rebecca asked him to forward the information, while Lucy decided to put off looking into it for later.
"Where are we heading first: to Rebecca's or Lucy's?" Alex asked, looking at the girls.
"I can manage on my own, so go with Rebecca. I have a few things; I can take the subway," Lucy suggested, making the decision for everyone.
Alex shook his head at her mention of the subway, scanning the surrounding parking area. His gaze landed on an old, rusty car that seemed to have been sitting there for years. He approached it, mentally deciding to create another mode of transportation in case they needed to travel with a larger group. Rebecca and Lucy watched curiously as he demonstrated his magic. Right before their eyes, the old, half-broken car began to transform. In an instant, a sleek black beauty stood before them.
"What model is this?" Lucy asked, inspecting the car.
"This is a 1968 Chevrolet Impala. A classic. Every guy dreams of having one," Alex said proudly, gently running his hand over the hood.
Lucy shook her head slightly upon hearing the fondness in his voice as he spoke about the car and continued her inspection.
"Why did you create it?" Rebecca asked, peering inside the cabin.
"I can't let Lucy walk home, so I decided to make this beauty," Alex replied with a satisfied smile.
Lucy was touched by Alex's concern, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.
"Well then, Miss Lucy, we present you with a unique choice. How would you like to get home? In this brand-new car or would you prefer a motorcycle?" Alex said playfully, holding an imaginary microphone up to her face.
Playing along with his joke, Lucy smirked and, after a moment of thought, made her decision.
"I'll take the motorcycle," she said, pointing to a nearby bike.
Alex nodded, grabbed his katana from the motorcycle, and waved cheerfully as Lucy rode away. His spirits lifted suddenly, as if he had just received a gift. Slumping into the driver's seat, Alex happily felt the steering wheel of the new car, as if savoring his victory.
"Can we leave already?" Rebecca asked with a hint of sarcasm, watching Alex still admiring the vehicle.
"Alright, alright. But first, we need to grab the package for your brother," Alex replied, finally starting the engine.
On the way to Rebecca's house, Alex picked up the package for Pillar. He was curious about what he had ordered, but Rebecca, without a second thought, opened the box and showed him a couple of shiny golden cybernetic arms. Alex didn't understand the obsession with cyber implants but never imposed his opinions on others.
However, one curious question kept surfacing in his mind: what would happen if complete healing were applied to a person with cyber implants? Would the limbs grow over them, or would the implants just get pushed out? Would it be painful, or would the person feel nothing? These thoughts wouldn't leave him alone, and he knew he would soon be able to test this in practice. After all, Lucy had promised to help him find those responsible for Gloria's accident.
"I hope it hurts," Alex thought quietly, involuntarily breaking into a broad smile.
When they arrived at the apartment where Rebecca and Pillar lived, Alex was about to knock, but Rebecca burst inside, loudly shouting:
"Bro, I'm here for my things! I'm moving in with Alex!"
Pillar, who was busy with his own affairs, heard her shout and came out of his room to see what was happening. Upon seeing Alex with a package in his hands and a slightly embarrassed smile, he realized that Rebecca was indeed moving out. He felt a bit sad that his sister was leaving him, but at the same time, he was happy for her.
"Well, finally, you and my sister have decided to move in together. I'm so proud of you," Pillar said in a deliberately dramatic tone, wiping away "tears."
Alex's eye twitched nervously at Pillar's theatrical behavior, and he could only shake his head. Without further ado, he handed the package to Pillar, who immediately opened it and smiled like a child receiving a long-awaited gift.
"Oh, finally! My beauties! I've waited so long for them," Pillar exclaimed joyfully, pressing the cyber arms to his cheek as if they were his personal treasure.
However, a moment later, Pillar suddenly stopped demonstrating his childish delight and looked at Alex with a serious expression, which surprised him a bit.
"How did she sleep last night?" Pillar unexpectedly asked, staring intently at Alex.
"Like a real gremlin," Alex replied with a smirk. "She even managed to kick me in the nose," he added, pointing to his nose.
Pillar sighed with relief. He knew that Rebecca sometimes suffered from nightmares due to her troubled past. In the past, Pillar himself had slept next to her to help her feel safe. Alex understood why Pillar had asked that question: Rebecca had told him about her past.
Like Valerie, she had been betrayed by her own parents, sold into slavery. If it hadn't been for Pillar, she would have faced an even worse fate. Her nightmares were still tied to the time she spent at the child trafficking base, watching as some children were taken away while others were brought in.
When Alex learned about this, his desire to go back in time and throw those traffickers and Rebecca's parents into the abyss of chaos only intensified.
"I hope you can protect her... Though I'm sure you can. Former secret agent," Pillar said in a confidential tone, patting Alex on the shoulder.
"I will protect her at all costs," Alex replied seriously, "even if I have to burn this city to the ground."
Pillar simply nodded, realizing that Alex was indeed capable of that. During their conversation, Alex suggested that Pillar improve his cyber implants in honor of their new family bond. Pillar pondered this proposal. Although he enjoyed upgrading his implants himself, he was intrigued by what Alex was capable of.
Meanwhile, Rebecca had already gathered her things and came out of her room with two huge bags in her hands. A blanket was draped over her shoulder like a superhero's cape. Alex couldn't help but laugh at her improvised outfit.
"Well, are you ready?" he asked, smiling at "super" Rebecca.
She nodded and placed the bags in front of Alex, who easily lifted them. Rebecca approached her brother to say goodbye. Pillar hugged her with a smile, reminding her to behave. In response, Rebecca just huffed and lightly punched him in the stomach to hide her embarrassment. Alex said goodbye to Pillar and stepped outside after her.
After tossing the bags into the trunk, he turned to Rebecca with a wide smile.
"Now a new life begins," Alex said confidently.
"And a fun one," Rebecca added enthusiastically.
Alex laughed, started the engine, and they drove toward home. Thoughts about creating a cult still swirled in his mind. How to deal with those responsible for Gloria's accident? Should he create chaos or act more elegantly? The answers would come as soon as he obtained the footage from the cameras. But for now, he could enjoy a brief moment of peaceful life.
To be continued…
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
GreedHunter
GreedHunter Another day and another chapter. I want to thank you, my dear readers. I am very grateful for your enthusiastic suggestions about different worlds. When I woke up and saw that number, I was simply amazed. Thank you once again for your engagement. Enjoy the reading!
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