章 102: "Chapter 102: New Side Job from Padre"
Alex sat at the table, enjoying the dinner Gloria had prepared. No matter the ingredients, food made by a loved one always seemed tastier, even if it was made from synthetic products.
Gloria sat beside him, watching as Alex eagerly devoured each spoonful. It always pleased her to see him enjoy her cooking so much. She was initially surprised when Alex once mentioned that he didn't need to eat. However, he added that he would never pass up good food, and ever since then, she had made an effort to cook the best meals she could.
Catching her gaze, Alex turned his head and smiled.
«As soon as Yamato's feeling better, I'll take you all to eat at Mama Mia's. That's where you'll find real, natural food,» he said with a nod.
Gloria smiled but didn't comment on his suggestion. Deep down, she had long wanted to visit the world where gods walked among humans and meet the goddesses in person. Talking to them via projection was one thing, but meeting them face-to-face would be something entirely different.
Rebecca, having heard the mention of food, immediately perked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Meanwhile, Valery, who was watching her show and oblivious to everything around her, suddenly tuned in at the mention of another world. She turned her head toward Alex, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. When she first learned who Alex really was, her shock had been beyond words.
And when he admitted that he carried the title of «Demon King,» at first she thought it was a joke. But after finding out it was true, her excitement only grew. Instead of fear, she felt joy—after all, in her world, demon kings weren't always evil.
Finishing his meal, Alex leaned back in his chair with a satisfied look, patting his stomach. Despite not needing to eat, he still enjoyed delicious meals and sweets that reminded him of his past world.
Gloria, noticing that Alex was done, quietly took his plate and put it in the sink. She then poured him a cup of coffee and placed it in front of him. He smiled gratefully, knowing that the questions were about to begin.
And he wasn't wrong. No sooner had he brought the cup to his lips than Rebecca was already sitting beside him, her eyes sparkling with impatience.
«Come on, tell us what happened!» she demanded with a wide grin.
Rebecca had been eager for the details ever since she saw the news about the incident. She was especially intrigued by the fact that Alex appeared in his outfit as a member of the Flying Spaghetti Monster cult.
She had liked that costume for a while now and had often asked Alex to make her one, but Gloria always strictly forbade any hints of creating a cult. Now Rebecca had the perfect chance to learn all the juicy details.
«Don't keep me waiting!» she added impatiently, having waited long enough for Alex to finish eating, since Gloria forbade such conversations during meals.
Alex sighed, took a sip of his coffee, and set the cup down on the table. The moment his hand left the mug, he was already prepared to say whatever nonsense necessary to avoid revealing the real reason behind the events.
Valery, sensing something interesting was about to happen, quickly set aside her tablet and scooted closer to the table. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
«Well, you see, Kiwi offered me an easy job. I thought, why not? So I grabbed ninja-Gir and set out to make some money,» Alex began, gesturing toward Gir.
Everyone turned to look at Gir, who was sitting in the corner in his ninja outfit, showing no intention of changing out of it. Noticing their stares, he made a ninja gesture and said, «Nin-Nin.»
No one paid much attention to him since their return, as if he had truly become invisible, like a real ninja. The girls had only laughed at Gir's new outfit when Alex sent them a photo, finding it cute.
«And then what?» Valery asked impatiently, staring at Alex.
Alex took another sip of coffee, cleared his throat, and continued:
«After we got the data, Kiwi mentioned that a gang meeting was happening nearby. Being the curious person I am, I got interested in how it all works, so I decided to check it out up close.»
«A curious demon,» Rebecca teased with a smirk.
«Yeah, a curious demon,» Alex agreed with a shrug. «So I decided to take a closer look.»
Gloria sighed softly, knowing that his curiosity always got him into trouble. She was aware that Alex had become a mercenary out of interest in the city's happenings. However, that didn't explain why he had once again put on the cultist costume. She narrowed her eyes, still staring at Alex.
«And why did you wear the cultist outfit?» she asked, not breaking eye contact.
Alex hesitated, quickly sifting through possible excuses in his mind.
«Well, I just didn't want to be recognized. It was the first thing that came to mind,» he replied, trying to keep a straight face and shrugging.
Rebecca started to suspect the real reason behind his actions. She had begun to have her doubts from the moment she saw the news report. Gloria wasn't entirely convinced either, knowing full well from the goddesses that Alex was a chaotic guy. He could lounge on the couch carefree for half a day, then suddenly get up and cause a whole bunch of trouble. Seeing no one was commenting on his story, Alex decided to continue spinning his tale with the same playful smile on his face.
«Long story short, I decided to watch how these gangsters conduct their business. Turns out the beams in the warehouse were pretty weak, and I fell right into the middle of their gathering,» Alex said with genuine amusement.
Rebecca burst out laughing, imagining him actually falling off a beam. Gloria sighed, realizing that Alex had probably sought out trouble on purpose. Valery, on the other hand, eagerly awaited the most exciting part—the shootout that had been mentioned in the news.
«As soon as I hit the floor, those idiots immediately pointed their guns at me. But, being polite, I introduced myself and said I was there by accident. Naturally, they didn't listen and started shooting,» Alex said, feigning sadness and even wiping away a fake tear.
Gloria rolled her eyes, knowing he had probably enjoyed being shot at. She recalled the incident with the stolen limousine and knew he had had a great time back then too. This was no different.
«Well, since they started shooting, I figured I could 'shoot' back—but with knives,» Alex smiled, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
That smile confirmed to Gloria that he had indeed enjoyed the situation. She had long realized that Alex seemed to have two sides: one that was kind and caring, and another that was chaotic and reckless. Rebecca, hearing about the knives, started laughing again, while Valery, on the other hand, was practically glowing with admiration.
«And how did it end with the police surrounding you and MAX-TAC being sent after you?» Gloria asked, narrowing her eyes.
«While I was dealing with the rest of them, a few idiots decided to run. I called after them, 'Why are you running?' but they ignored me. So, I caught up to them and landed on top of their car—which, by the way, flipped over. And when I asked one of them why they were running, he spat in my face, so I had to kill him,» Alex said, as if it were the most mundane thing in the world.
Rebecca laughed even harder but felt a slight irritation at having missed such an event. She promised herself that next time, no matter the cost, she would go with him.
Gloria just shook her head and took a sip of coffee. She didn't judge him for killing the gang members—they certainly weren't good people. However, she didn't support it either. She held her own opinion but didn't impose it on Alex.
«So, you had fun?» Gloria asked suddenly, looking at him.
«Of course I had fun. It's not every day you end up in a shootout between two gangs,» Alex replied without thinking.
Then he realized he had said too much and met Gloria's gaze, who was looking at him with a crooked smile. He understood that he had slipped up.
It was like a scene from a movie, where the main character accidentally ends up caught between two sides. And today, his dream had come true. Plus, he killed his target and enjoyed every moment of it.
«The important thing is you weren't hurt,» Gloria said with a sigh, knowing it was pointless to scold him.
Alex pulled her close, hugging and gently stroking her back. Gloria pressed against him, burying her nose in his neck, savoring the tender moment.
«It'll take more than a few bullets to hurt me,» Alex said with a smirk.
Gloria rolled her eyes, knowing full well that even though he was strong, she would still care for him and worry about his safety. Then Alex stood up and headed to his workshop.
Rebecca immediately took advantage of the moment, jumping on his back like a backpack. Once they reached the workshop, Alex walked over to his desk and turned on the monitor.
«Are you going to tell me what really happened there?» Rebecca asked, peeking over his shoulder and teasingly licking his neck.
Feeling her touch and hearing her question, Alex just opened a file with photos. One of them—labeled Dylan—was crossed out.
At first, Rebecca didn't understand what was going on, but then her eyes widened in realization. She instantly figured out who those five people were. Or rather, who the four remaining people were now.
«Are they who I think they are?» she asked, pointing at the photos on the screen.
Alex carefully lifted her off his back and sat her on his lap. Rebecca leaned against him, waiting for his answer.
«Yes, it's them. Four more to go, and then I'll feel at ease,» he said in a grim tone.
Rebecca raised her head, meeting his gloomy gaze, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
«Shouldn't it be Gloria who feels at ease?» she asked, gently touching his nose with hers.
Alex sighed heavily, realizing why Rebecca had asked that question. Gloria still had no idea who was responsible for her accident, and any mention of it would only reopen old wounds that had just started to heal.
She still cried in her sleep from time to time, making Alex's heart ache. Reviving David could lead to serious consequences. In the world of Danmachi, there's a reincarnation system, and everyone who dies is reborn in that world.
But here, in this other universe, the process was different. David's soul had likely already been reincarnated in a new world, and he was possibly a teenager by now, living his own life. Interfering with the flow of time could lead to catastrophic consequences.
«Gloria doesn't know who's responsible for her accident, but I can't stand the fact that those bastards are still alive and enjoying life,» Alex said through clenched teeth, barely containing his rage.
Rebecca pressed herself closer to him, understanding his pain. It was hard for her to watch Gloria suffer, and she knew Alex was willing to go to great lengths for justice. Her embrace helped him relax and forget, even if just for a moment, about those who had caused so much pain.
«Everything will be fine. I'll help you with this,» she said softly, kissing him on the nose.
Alex smiled at her words. He never saw himself as a savior whose mission was to rid the world of evil. But he believed that sometimes, you had to act, even if it didn't make you a hero. He always saw saving worlds as his duty, a job he did without too much fanfare. Although his jokes often left others baffled, he never harmed the innocent.
«Of course, because causing trouble together is always more fun,» he teased, cupping Rebecca's cheeks.
Alex kissed her on the nose and then started blowing air at her. At first, Rebecca was amused, but when he increased the airflow, her face twisted into a grimace, and she playfully bit his cheek.
Alex, maintaining his composure, began tickling her, and she couldn't hold back her laughter, wriggling in his arms. In an attempt to fight back, Rebecca tried tickling him in return, but it had no effect, forcing her to search for other ways to stop him. Laughter filled the workshop until they both were out of breath.
Eventually, when Alex stopped, Rebecca sat with her hair disheveled, breathing heavily, and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She suddenly took the offensive, kissing him passionately. What happened next in the workshop stayed between them.
The next morning, contrary to the usual ritual where Rebecca would start chewing on his arm or face, Alex was woken by a phone call. Half asleep, he fumbled for his phone and answered:
«Psychiatric Hospital 'Happiness.' If you're too happy, we'll fix that,» Alex mumbled.
Laughter on the other end made him wake up completely.
«As always, Alex, your sense of humor is top-notch,» said a familiar voice.
Alex immediately recognized it and sat up abruptly. Rebecca, who had been sleeping on him, fell onto the bed and, turning over, snuggled against Lucy.
«What can I do for you, Holy Father?» Alex asked with a smile.
«Son, how many times do I have to tell you, don't call me that. I'm retired. Just call me Padre,» he laughed in response.
Alex enjoyed teasing Sebastian by calling him Holy Father, and he continued doing it, knowing that it wasn't exactly to Sebastian's liking, but without any malice.
«So, what brings you to me today, Padre?» Alex asked, leveling his tone a bit.
«There's a job where I could use your skills,» Padre replied calmly.
Intrigued, Alex raised an eyebrow, anticipating another adventure.
«The Valentino gang has a few bad sheep that decided to engage in some rather unpleasant business at one of the abandoned warehouses. This doesn't fit with the family's policy.»
«Valentino? Don't they market themselves more as a big family than a gang?» Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
«You're right, but like in any family, there can be rotten apples. One of the guys, Loka, and his associates decided to split off and set up a drug den and brothel there,» Padre explained.
«I see. So, what do you need me to do?» Alex asked, already planning his approach.
«Gustavo requested that everything be handled discreetly,» Padre added.
Alex thought for a second, trying to figure out how to handle this without anyone suspecting the Valentinos.
«Well, let's make it look like the work of some axe-wielding maniac or whatever maniacs usually use,» Alex muttered with almost indifference.
«Sorry to drag you into this, son,» Padre said with a hint of regret in his voice.
«It's fine. You helped me with Valerie, so I owe you one. Besides, I'll only take half the usual fee for this,» Alex replied with a smirk.
He knew something interesting awaited him.
Padre sighed heavily on the other end, realizing that Alex wasn't too concerned about his request. It bothered Padre to ask for such a favor. To him, Alex always seemed like a kind and calm young man, and Padre especially appreciated how Alex cared for those he considered family. In that, they were alike.
«How's Gloria doing?» Padre asked suddenly.
Alex sighed deeply. Gloria was still struggling to cope with her son's loss, and it would be a long time before she came to terms with it, but she was getting better.
«She's doing a bit better. She set a goal for herself — to scatter David's ashes on the moon, and I'm helping her ease that burden,» Alex replied with a light sigh.
«You're doing a good thing, Alex,» Padre said warmly.
«It's my duty to take care of her,» Alex smiled.
They spoke a bit more, going over the details of the job and the location of the warehouse, and then Alex ended the call. Turning his head, he locked eyes with Lucy and Rebecca, who were already awake and watching him intently.
«Who was that?» Lucy asked, nudging Rebecca, who was lying on her.
Alex stretched, got up from the couch, and started getting dressed, deciding to tell the girls about the job he'd been offered.
«That was Padre. He offered me some work,» Alex said, buttoning his shirt.
Rebecca jumped off the couch, shrugged off his t-shirt she'd been using as pajamas, and started getting dressed too.
«What kind of job?» she asked, pulling on her pants.
«A couple of scumbags in the Valentino family decided to start dealing drugs and get into human trafficking,» Alex replied, popping a candy into his mouth.
Lucy raised an eyebrow in surprise. She didn't expect that such people could emerge from the Valentinos, who were always known as a close-knit family that protected each other and didn't harm people in their territory.
«I didn't think the Valentinos would have such rotten elements,» she muttered.
«As they say, there's always one black sheep in the family… or in this case, a few rotten ones,» Alex sighed.
Lucy nodded, understanding that even in the tightest-knit family, there's always someone who feels left out. Rebecca, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned with such things—she was just looking forward to putting a few extra holes in those bastards.
«So, what's the plan?» Lucy asked, getting up from the couch and starting to dress as well.
Alex thought for a moment before answering.
«First, we eat to build up some strength. I don't know how long we'll have to wait before all the scumbags gather at the warehouse.»
Heading downstairs, Alex didn't see Valerie and realized she'd gotten even lazier since moving in with him. Now she either slept until noon or stayed up watching her shows all night and slept half the day.
The only one in the living room was G.I.R., watching a morning comedy show. Hearing footsteps, he turned and raised his paw in greeting, not taking his eyes off the glass of milkshake he was holding. Alex pulled some food from the fridge, heated it, and set it on the table. Breakfast started in complete silence.
«What should I take with me for the mission?» Rebecca asked, breaking the silence.
Alex stroked his chin, remembering that he had recently prepared something for her but hadn't had the chance to give it to her yet. With a smile, he looked at her, anticipating her reaction.
«I have a surprise for you, my little gremlin,» he said affectionately.
Rebecca, who was currently stuffing food into her mouth, froze, staring at him in surprise. But as soon as she realized that Alex had prepared something special for her, her eyes lit up with joy.
«What did you make for me?» she asked after swallowing her food.
«Go to the workshop and open my cabinet. There are two cases in there, and one of them is yours,» Alex replied mysteriously, leaving out the details.
Rebecca quickly finished eating and, not wasting any time, dashed to the workshop. Lucy raised an eyebrow, watching her, and then turned her gaze to Alex, who was smiling at the rushing Rebecca.
«And grab the second case with the eagle!» he called after her.
Alex smirked, shaking his head. This impatient gremlin always went crazy when it came to weapons. Ever since they started living together, she had been constantly begging him for magical weapons, but Alex knew that could end badly. He had no doubt that if he gave her something too powerful, she would blow up half the city.
«What did you make for her?» Lucy asked, drawing his attention.
Alex grinned and casually replied, «Vacuum bullets. Just for her.»
Lucy sighed at Alex's carefree tone. Rebecca was already too chaotic, and Lucy was always the first to oppose Rebecca's requests to create magical weapons for her. From the very beginning, Lucy thought it was too dangerous, and the current situation was no exception.
«Do you realize that could be dangerous?» Lucy asked with concern in her voice.
«They're just vacuum bullets with a small effective range,» Alex tried to reassure her. «She won't destroy anything.»
Lucy didn't believe a word. Rebecca was the kind of person who could make even a stick start shooting if she wanted. Lucy sighed and decided to leave it to Alex's conscience—since he had chosen to give Rebecca the weapon, he could deal with the consequences when she got into trouble.
«And what's in the second case?» she asked, taking Alex's hand.
At this question, Alex smiled broadly. He had enthusiastically taken on the creation of this item after G.I.R. mentioned the Imperium universe. And now that he had some free time, he had finally finished his project.
«It's for G.I.R. A couple of trinkets,» Alex said, clearly pleased with himself.
Lucy noticed his satisfied smile and realized he had created something strange again. She remembered the moment from yesterday when she saw G.I.R. in a ninja costume—it was really cute. Now she was curious about what Alex had come up with for their robo-dog this time.
«And what exactly did you make for him?» she asked, moving closer, clearly trying to get Alex to reveal the secret.
Alex smiled at her attempt. He didn't mind sharing, but he needed to make sure G.I.R. didn't find out just yet. He leaned in closer to Lucy's ear, causing her to blush slightly at his proximity.
Even though they showered together and slept in the same bed, Lucy still felt shy about his displays of affection.
«Do you remember when G.I.R. quoted the Codex of the Imperium?» Alex whispered.
Lucy pondered for a moment, and then her eyes widened at the memory. G.I.R. shouting about the glory of the Emperor and the greatness of the Imperium—how could she forget? She realized that Alex had made something from that universe for him.
At first, Lucy had been skeptical about G.I.R.'s obsession, but she never tried to talk him out of it.
«You mean you made something based on that?» Lucy asked, surprised, in a whisper.
Alex nodded with a wide smile, prompting another sigh from Lucy. She understood that Alex was further fueling G.I.R.'s obsession and already feared what would happen when they went on a mission, especially if G.I.R. got what he had been asking for all along.
She had already seen his disappointed face when he tried to convince her to help persuade Alex to make him a weapon. And each time, she had refused.
«I found it!» Rebecca shouted, rushing in with two cases in her hands.
Alex quickly stashed them in his inventory, and Rebecca immediately jumped on him, demanding her "new toy" back. At first, she threatened him, then tried to seduce him by whispering something in his ear, but Alex remained steadfast.
He didn't want to give her the vacuum bullets just yet, knowing she would probably try to dismantle them. He already had a plan—to promise her that he would make a special weapon inventory so she could carry it with her.
After they finished breakfast, the team began to prepare for their mission to deal with the troublemakers.
To be continued…
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GreedHunter
GreedHunter I don't know what's been going on with my body for the last two days, but I feel absolutely disgusting. Everything hurts and I feel terrible nausea. I just want to lie on the couch and not move. And it takes a lot of energy to write a chapter. Enjoy reading!
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