**Next day**
Greed:
It was a very eventful couple of days in the Mountain. Well… 'eventful' was a gracious term for it.
From getting detained by Mountain mage knights to encountering the Mountain Arcane King, then him letting us leave and pass through the jurisdiction to arrive at Pardem after a day and encounter two Riot Gang Head Officers along with their bandit crews—to then having an unplanned beach day the following; after three days in the Mountain jurisdiction, I was just about ready to leave this fucking place.
I rose from my bed at 0710, and headed for my balcony, throwing on some boxers and a white muscle shirt. Belle was nude under the covers, enjoying a deep slumber.
I turned to face her and smiled. That's my heavy-sleeping princess…
Without looking, I subconsciously stepped over a body on the ground. It was Jo, sleeping on the floor with only an oversized T, flayed out with drool hanging from her mouth, and her hand wet… again… What was it and her always drooling on her hand?
When I scanned the room, Ophelia was sleeping half nude on the couch, and Star's legs were all I saw on the other side of it—looking as if someone had thrown her, and she remained that way for the rest of the night.
To my surprise, Alice was here too, sleeping in Ophelia's arms. It was the latest I'd seen her sleep until, as she was normally already up and dressed by 0600.
Yuna had gotten up from the floor on the other side of Belle to greet me, her sweeping tail wagging as I pet her large head.
The girls had decided to have a sleepover in my room after our time at Tahoe Lake yesterday. Normally—when I was fully aware—I'd refuse it, simply to have alone time with Belle, but ironically, it was her idea. And I didn't have the heart to tell her no. Especially after all she'd sacrificed just to be here.
I opened the black curtains, letting in the light, and headed outside to the balcony.
The air was cool, but not nipping as I beheld the beaming rays that shone through the pockets in the clouds. In a way, the Mountain truly was beautiful in its own depressing means.
And as quickly as gratitude should have come, so did guilt.
I recalled my dream yesterday… Ari. Leon. Pride…
But that wasn't all. For Ari's death was a symbol for all the others who lost their lives in the Valley that day. And then fast-forward to the Zion Orb retrieval mission—losing Zeno, Snow, Rex…
I thought I had gotten over it, but there were mornings like today that liked to replay my faults over and over before the day actually started.
Why do people die around me, and I get rewarded for it? Constantly?
It was then that a slender hand touched my shoulder. I had thought it was Belle at first, but my instincts already knew who it was a second later.
"Good morning," Alice greeted.
"Morning."
"No 'good'?"
"I'm gettin' there."
"So you just wake up a snarky asshole and just let the day go from there, huh?"
"Yeah, usually around this time when I hear a little runt's voice."
She smacked my head with a fist, and I winced.
"I'm waiting, you know?"
I raised a brow, comforting my head from her surprisingly strong punch.
"Wow… You really are dense."
Daz and Alice have it handled. I recalled Belle assuring, followed by Daz's, That's all you need to know… Just leave it to me and Alice…
I looked at her for a moment, and then closed my eyes with a light smirk. I then turned away, laid my hand on her head, and began patting it.
"Thank you. You did well."
She blushed and raised her shoulders, looking away as she willingly received her praise.
That was right… I didn't say thank you often enough. Especially to the people who have never left my side.
I've spent too much time wallowing in my own guilt. Things that slipped through my fingers that I blamed myself for not catching. Whenever something happened that affected someone else—and the pain that followed, I blamed myself for it.
Being selfish with pain… was that a form of greed as well?
"Okay, I get it… Stop petting me already…" she retorted, but her awkward face said otherwise—like she didn't want it to stop.
Belle had woken, and sat up on the bed.
"Well? Was the praise everything you hoped for, Alice?"
"Belle!" Alice reacted, flustered.
I chuckled. "I'm always happy to give it. Any time I forget, just ask," I said pleasantly.
"Why do I have to ask for it!?"
"I mean, if you don't, you won't receive it? Gee, I don't know."
"You're so infuriating!"
Belle giggled at our banter. "Shall we have breakfast?"
***
After about an hour, we all headed downstairs to the dining area. By special request of Belle, she aided Code in the making of breakfast.
An intense expression overtook her at this time. Her sky eyes focused viciously toward a random section of the dining area.
Her veins appeared on her neck and her hands as she tried with all her might to complete a single job.
The opening of a jar…
I walked over and took the jar from her, opening it without a second thought—or effort for that matter.
Her expression changed almost immediately as I placed it back in her hands, and she let out an exasperated phew as if she had done it.
"Ah… Now! As I was doing—" She saw the pan behind her burning. "Oh no, no, no!"
She took the pan, and it burst into flames as she flailed around to the sink, running water over it, followed by the resonant sound of a sizzle, relentless protruding smoke, and the smell of charcoal filling our noses all at the same time.
Code's eye twitched as he watched her burn one of his most prized 'stainless' steel pans.
"I'm sorry! I-I-I'll get you a new one!"
"It's fine…" Code said tightly.
After a few struggling beats, they actually managed to get breakfast out in a timely manner. And wildly enough, despite Belle's episodes, it looked delicious.
On the table, from left to right, there were tamago kake gohans, steamed rice with natto and mustered, tamagoyaki rolled omelets and plum rice omelets with furikake, rice porridge with umeboshi, homemade fluffy milk bread with butter, grilled yellowtail tunasnapper from Tahoe Lake with daikon radish, and of course, matcha and sweet red bean filled pancakes. And for the road—onigiri rice balls with eelsalmon mayo.
"Hooo!" Star crooned, drooling with literal stars in her eyes.
"Please don't eat all the rice balls… they're snacks for our trip," Code said.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Don't 'yeah, yeah' me! That just means you're gonna fucking eat them all now! Hey! Slow down!"
I grabbed a gracious plate and sat next to Belle. "Thanks princess," I said with a playful smirk.
"Is it good!?" She startled me saying.
"Uh… I haven't even taken a bite yet, but it looks and smells amazing."
"W-W-W-What if it doesn't taste amazing? What if it just looks and smells amazing, but doesn't taste amazing?"
"That's usually a sign it should taste amazing, too…" I led a spoon-full of grilled yellowtail tunasnapper to my mouth.
"Oh! I forgot the salt! Hold on!"
Just as I was about to stuff it down, Belle grabbed a salt shaker without looking and began heaping it over my impending bite… At least… I thought she grabbed the salt…
I chomped down on it, already mid-motion, and began chewing.
But I stopped abruptly.
My eyes began to water, and I felt a wave of goosebumps ripple from my feet all the way up to my head. I swore my goosebumps also got goosebumps…
"Ah…" Belle uttered as she realized what she had grabbed instead of the salt.
"M-M-My Greed! Are you okay! Ohhh!"
My eyes nearly rolled to the back of my head after that mouthful of straight peppercorn.
"Its… delicccious…" I muttered with a shaky voice and even shakier thumbs up.
"He's dying. Give him water, would you, Kiki?" Alice said blandly from across the table.
"Right away, Miss Alice."
Aside from that first bite, everything from the food to the company was like a continuation of yesterday in Tahoe Lake.
I sat back as I watched everyone. Doing this seemed to be my thing.
I guessed it was just my way of actively preserving the times. Like it would be taken away from me at any moment. And I refused to let that happen.
***
**A few hours later**
After surviving breakfast, the Black Wolves moved the Den to the other side of the mountains of Tahoe Lake.
By now, it was about 1030. And goodbyes were once again pending.
The crew hung around both the dining area and the entrance hall, as Kiki and Milo readied all of Belle's things by a standalone Pink Room door in front of the staircase.
"How did she have more things leaving than she did coming here?" Milo addressed.
"I don't know, but please keep your thoughts to yourself, Milo, please…"
"I'm just saying… it's not like they went shopping… How the fuck does this bitch have so much things?"
"Milo!"
Belle looked at the tall maid, and Milo squealed as they met eyes. Belle only smiled with a tilted head as she went on like nothing happened. Most people would have read that as a sign of relief, but Milo read it differently, shivering as Belle easily passed by.
As Kiki brought another luggage inside the Pink Room, she dusted her hands and said, "Well, that's the last of it. Just put that one in with the rest and we'll—" She looked at Milo with a raised brow. "Milo?"
Milo startled as her name was called.
"Everything okay?"
And then she stuttered as she said, "That woman…" She creaked her head to look at Kiki sidelong. "Is terrifying…"
Oblivious, Kiki only observed her, blinking twice in response.
"Make sure you say thanks to Daz as well. Okay, my Greed?" Belle spoke.
"Ugh… Do I have to?"
"Yes."
"I don't wanna…"
"You will," she said sterner.
All of a sudden, Greed felt just as Milo did.
"Yes ma'am."
She is scary… Kiki thought as she watched their seemingly harmless conversation.
Greed smirked, showing his infamous fanged smile as Belle leaned in to observe him from below.
"I don't know how soon I'll be able to see you again, but after this, I need to take care of a few things that are pending in the Desert that need my attention," she said.
"Oh? You're taking your princess role seriously now, are you?" he replied.
"I always have… Somewhat…" she thought of Lance, and how he had always pressed her to take her role more seriously. Especially with the Black Wolves on this long-term mission, moments like this with Greed were few and far between. And without him being so easily accessible, the second choice was to be present for her duties.
On top of this, there was something on her mind that she grappled with. Something she didn't know if she should share now or later… But when was later? This wasn't a simple escort mission to bring Envy to Tartarus. They still needed to deal with Wrath and the rest of the Riot Gang Head Officers. What if something went terribly wrong? What if—
"Hey," Greed interrupted her thoughts. "You have your thing, and I got mine. And that's okay."
Her eyes softened as he spoke, like his low, mildly raspy voice was some comforting ASMR.
"Besides, you got people looking up to you. It'd be wrong of you not to answer to their call, especially with the position you have." Greed pondered for a moment before continuing. "How were you able to stay a night here anyway? Didn't Daz have you casting a barrier over the Valley on the daily while we're away?"
"Aye. But for a night, forces have been tighter, and a temporary barrier second to mine was cast from multiple high ranking mages that can perform Protection spells… Under the supervision of Varn, that is."
Greed raised a brow, and then said, "I keep hearing about this Varn guy… Since we left and even here after speaking with the Mountain Arcane King… Just who is this guy?"
"Well, he was the third strongest mage knight behind me before coming back from the Mountain, but since his return, his achievements have given him a title even higher than mine. Let's just say I'm no longer second to Daz. That would be him."
"No way… Someone besides the Idiot King is stronger than you?"
"Aye. And Varn is amazing! He singlehandedly defended the Valley against a nationwide threat during the Great Magistral War, and even took down an Apostle before arriving back. He's definitely someone who deserves his title."
"Hmm…"
Belle sensed Greed's uneasiness.
"How old is this guy?" he asked.
"Maybe about four years older than you? In his thirties I believe?"
"How tall is he?"
"How tall…? Um… Probably five inches taller than you?"
Five inches!? Like Nash or even skinny-ass Tubolt? Greed thought.
"Is he buff or lanky?"
"My Greed… what's with all these questions?"
"Is he buff or lanky, princess? Please answer."
"Okay, um… I'd say he's pretty muscular…"
"Muscular? Interesting word choice… Does he have a beard?"
"What? I mean, a five-o-clock shadow, I suppose."
"I see… It seems I need to train harder, grow a beard, and drink more milk…"
Code appeared out of nowhere yelling, "SO IT'S YOU!? YOU'RE THE MILK THEIF!"
"What? No! fuck off, asshole, I'm having a very important conversation with my girl."
"Did you really just tell me to 'fuck off'— Hey, don't ignore me!"
"Star, isn't that you're fifth onigiri?" Havoc commented.
"No…" she replied suspiciously.
"STAR! WHAT DID I TELL YOU!? THOSE ARE FOR THE TRIP! DON'T EAT THEM ALL IN ONE SITTING!"
She stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry.
"YOU MOOCHING ANIMAL! DON'T YOU TAKE THAT! DON'T—"
Greed continued to ponder in his own thoughts, then. But Belle interjected. "You're not… jealous, are you, my Greed?"
He scoffed, replying quickly, "Me? Jealous? Of a taller, older, stronger mage knight who came out of nowhere, and has a lot of achievements and merit? Pssh. No…"
She giggled. "You're technically stronger than me, my Greed."
"That's… That's different… It was just a jar…"
"No, not the jar, and though yes—technically… I was talking about strength elsewhere…"
She daintily touched his chest and trailed downward. Ever downward…
"Am I now?"
Milo gagged, and Kiki grew nervous, nearly turning red like she was holding her breath.
"Kiki, when's my meeting in the Desert?" Belle spoke without looking or changing her movements.
"Uh…" Kiki scrambled, snapping her fingers and summoning a digital toon calendar that giggled as it came to be.
She checked the contents, and then checked the current time.
"At 1145. So about an hour and fifteen minutes from now."
"Good," Belle replied, and then spoke to Greed. "That enough time for you, my wolf?"
Greed rolled his jaw as he focused so intently on all of Belle.
Then without a second thought, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her upstairs.
Milo stumbled as she said, "Um, Miss Belle! Don't you need to leave, like, right now? We still need to make a few stops before arriving to the Desert. Miss Alice's magic can only extend so far without detours!"
"I'm aware, Milo. We'll be there on time… And even if we're not, it's my problem, not yours."
Both Greed and Belle turned to the second flight of stairs almost too quickly, and just like that, they were gone.
"Ugh! Can you believe that woman, Kiki?"
No response.
"Kiki?"
"Maybe I should check on them… make sure they made it to Master Greed's room safely…"
"You perverted bimbo! I will not let you go up there, you hear me!?"
"Ah! I almost forgot to change the light fixtures in that specific hallway! I must go!"
"I already changed them this morning…"
"Then, I will vacuum the hall!"
"Ulrich vacuumed after breakfast…"
"Oh, I need to inform Miss Alice of the delay! Her room is just next door, so…"
"You can just go through the Pink Room door right behind us, if that's the case."
"Um… I forgot to use the little girl's room…?"
"There's a bathroom on this floor. You're not going anywhere."
Kiki groaned. "Fine…"
***
Atop the Den's main balcony Daz had frequently occupied, he poured himself a cup of tea as usual as he admired the view of mountains and rolling clouds.
But when he held the cup to his mouth, he paused for a moment, pondering something.
"Hmm… Tea smells off today…"
He set the cup back down and looked ahead, searching for something that wasn't there.
It was then that the Den booted up, extending its legs and fuming its smokestacks.
Daz then looked behind in the distance, and found no Mountain Knights following as they normally had been. Perhaps it was because they were nearing the border of the Mountain jurisdiction, but even still, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
Like everyone avoiding a storm that they knew was coming, except for them… For in their minds, it seemed to be a storm they thought they could conquer.
***
**Outside north Mountain jurisdiction**
A tall, built man with long brown hair, like a mane, sat on a stone chair in the middle of a vast, empty mountainous valley. It was the border from the Mountain jurisdiction and the path that led to the Arctics down to Tartarus.
A mage bandit was summoned to his side, already kneeling before him.
"Sir Galza, they head our way. Just as planned," the bandit said, head facing the ground.
The man didn't say anything, remaining as he was with his burly fist propping up his head, elbow resting on the earth armrest, staring blankly into the distance.
"Shall the Ironmanes ready our positions and blockade?"
"No," he finally responded, with a voice as deep as a quiet fissure.
The bandit was taken a back, slightly looking up for confirmation as Galza said,
"There's been a change in plan…"