I g Adam, feeling a tangle of guilt tightening in my chest. I’d promised him I wouldn’t drink. And here I was, clutg ay gss, caught red-handed.

  Damn it, past Charlie.

  “Hi, Adam,” I said weakly, my voice barely above a murmur. “No, thank you. I’ve had enough… for today,” I added, bitterness spiking my tone, uo hide the sadness in my words.

  He said nothing, just kept that pierg, disappointed dad stare. I resisted the urge to shrink u. Instead, I turo Lena, grasping for a way out of this awkward frontation.

  No, face it, Charlie. We’re not pushing problems away anymore!

  “Lena, wait here with Lucas, okay? I think you already met him… he’s that friend I told you about.” I g Lucas, who nodded and fshed Lena a warm smile, clearly relieved to have a task that didn’t involve emotional ndmines.

  “Okay, Auntie Charlie!” Lena chirped, hopping onto the seat o Lucas with more energy than should be legally allowed. Within seds, they were deep in versation, her excited voice boung off the neon-lit walls.

  I steeled myself as I moved toward Adam, who still hadn’t ged his expression.

  His face was unreadable, but his eyes tracked my every movement, waiting.

  Judging.

  I gave him the weakest smile I could muster, the kind that said, Please don’t make me feel worse than I already do.

  “So…” I started hesitantly, stuffing my hands into the folds of my skirt like I used to after getting caught by him sneaking cookies before dinner. “Have you seen my performance?”

  To my surprise, a small smile crept onto his lips. “I didn’t expect you… well, her to be that good with a sword, nor with ag.” He shook his head, his tone shifting to something lighter. “Remember the ag css? When you pyed a weasel and still mao mess it up?”

  The memory hit me like a surprise frost bst. I couldn’t help it—I burst out ughing. “Not fair! I was so nervous!” The giggles came out untrolbly, fueled by the sudden shift in mood.

  “And you weren’t nervous today?” He raised a brow, his smile turning darker. “How much?”

  My grin faltered. Oh, here we go. I bit my lip, trying to think of the least incriminating way to answer. “I mean… only two. Total. Because Lucas told me something really… heavy.”

  “And your first solution was alcohol?” His voice was calm, but the disappoi was unmistakable.

  “e on! I promise—” I started, but he cut me off.

  “Like yesterday?”

  I ched my fists, frustration stirring up. “Am I drunk?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, irritati in my chest. “Really, Adam?”

  This again?

  He sighed and held up a hand in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry. I’m not being fair to you, am I?” He shook his head, exhaling heavily. “Let’s put it behind us.”

  I blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in his tone. His face softened, and for the first time since we started talking, I saw genuine joy shining in his eyes.

  “I’m so proud of you, by the way… Charlie.” He gestured at me with both hands, as if framing me in an invisible picture. “This… this really suits you. I thought… well, I was wrong when I said you shouldn’t ge. Sorry.”

  Hearing that felt… odd. Warm, but odd. Like being ed in a b you didn’t expect but secretly needed. I didn’t know how to respht away, so I just smiled—a real, unforced ohis time.

  “Thanks, Adam.” My voice was quieter, less biting for once. Yeah, maybe this really does suit me.

  “Lena was so excited, and when she saw your performance… I couldn’t hold her back,” Adam ughed. “Never in my life did I imagine a day like this… but here we are. So gratutions,” he said, pullio a tight embrace. His voice softened, full of emotion. “My… sister.”

  And just like that, I lost it.

  Tears welled up, spilling over before I could even think about stopping them. I cried, burying my fa his shoulder, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions I hadn’t even realized I was holding back.

  “Thank you…” I whispered, my voice trembling with gratitude. We stood there for a moment, just holding onto each other, the noise of the bar fading into the background.

  Then, a delicate cough shattered the moment.

  Lo.

  I pulled away quickly, wiping at my tears with the bay hand, trying to yself. “Yes, Lo?” I said, my voice still a little unsteady, but back to its usual edge as I turo face her.

  Lo stood a few steps away, looking ridiculously pleased with herself, her tablet clutched in her hands like a trophy. “Lady, I found the other ranker you asked me to track down. Katherine,” she said with a proud grin. “She is—”

  “Cute princess!” a familiar voice squealed as a blur of red and yellow shot toward me.

  Before I could react, Lisa zoomed in and crashed into me, nearly knog me off my feet. Even in real life, she was taller than me, her long fiery red hair flowing behind her like a fme.

  Her cospy was awesome—vivid red robes with golden trim, ruitched along the sleeves, and a staff strapped across her back that reflected the light faintly. She looked every bit the part of a high-level fire mage, plete with tiny fme-like patterns on her cheek.

  Super cute.

  Lisa wasted no time pullio a bear hug, her arms ing arouightly as I found myself face-first against her chest.

  Oh great. Suffocated by the fire mage. What a way to go.

  She patted my head affeately, like I was some kind of pet. “You were amazing!” she said, her voice brimming with excitement. “I saw the whole fight, and you were so cool! And now I finally get to see you in person! Look at you, all tiny and adorable!”

  I tried to pull back, but her grip was relentless. o self: Lisa is just as intense IRL as she is in the game. I finally freed myself enough to speak, albeit a little muffled. “Lisa, I… ’t breathe…”

  “Oh! Sorry!” She released me with a foolish grin, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she adjusted her cospy. “I got carried away, but you bme me? You were incredible out there!”

  I straightened up, brushing myself off and trying tain what little dignity I had left. “Yeah, thanks… but ime, maybe don’t go full mage tackle on me?” Lisa just ughed, as if she hadn’t nearly fttened me moments ago. Adam chuckled quietly behind me, clearly eained by the entire se.

  “What?” I spun toward Adam, shooting him a gre as he grinned smugly. “You’re a natural,” he said, clearly enjoying my flustered rea.

  “I agree!” Lisa chipped ihusiastically, her voice as intense as her fiery cospy.

  Then, finally, Katherine caught up with us, a little breathless but beaming. Lisa must’ve sprinted pretty far ahead. “Charlie,” she said, her smile wide. “Very good!” I blinked.

  Wait… They know each other?

  “Kit! Thank you…” My words faltered as I took in her outfit, my eyes widening in disbelief. “The berserker!” I said, pointing at her like a kid spotting their favorite superhero in real life.

  A bd crimsoher with pauldrons that were oversized and spiked, and the chest piece had intricate rune-like red engravings. A massive two-handed sword was strapped across her back, its hilt ed iher strips.

  Even her boots had metal-like pting, g softly as she approached. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a high-level raid and was ready to smash anything in her path.

  “Ya know it?” Katherine asked, surprised by my outburst.

  “Of course. It’s—” I started, then caught myself mid-sentence.

  Crap.

  That cospy was legendary… years ter iure.

  Oopsie.

  “I saw it in the repository…” I blurted, trying to sound casual. I g Lo, hoping she’d help me out of this one.

  Lo blihen, without missing a beat, pulled up her trusty tablet and began tapping away. Moments ter, she turned on a holo-s, dispying the berserker outfit in all its digital glory. “Yes, there it is,” Lo firmed with a nod.

  The model wearing it looked stiff and lifeless pared to Katherine.

  Ha! Kit looks way better in it—like leagues better.

  I grinned and waved everyooward a nearby table, practically boung with excitement. “Let’s sit, guys!” I chirped, practically dang my way over. Lucas was still eaining Lena, who seemed utterly fasated by whatever story he was telling her.

  “This is Lisa and Katherine—my dear friends!” I announced proudly, gesturing toward them. “And this old man over here…” I poi Lucas, smirking. “…is Lucas, my personal hacker.”

  Lucas gave me an unimpressed look, but didn’t bother tue. Instead, he waved at the newers, a polite smile.

  “And this young princess…” I tinued, unfastening my tiara and pg it gently on Lena’s head. “…is Her Royal Highness, Lena!”

  Lena squealed in delight, her tiny hands clutg the tiara as if it were a priceless . I scooped her up effortlessly and plopped her onto my p; her giggles eg in the alcove. “Behold! The future ruler of this realm!” I decred dramatically, making her ugh even harder.

  Lisa leaned iing her elbows oable, eyes sparkling with amusement. “You know, Charlie, I didn’t expect you to be so… well, you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I shot back pyfully.

  “I mean,” Lisa said with a grin, “you’re not quite as in person as you are in the game.”

  Katherine chuckled softly as she sat. “Game? Yar always strategy. Thinkin’.”

  I glimpsed Adam speaking quietly with Lo in the background. Probably talking logistics or something b. Whatever.

  I had bigger things to handle, so I waved my hand dismissively. “There’s a time to think,” I said, my voice rising dramatically as I leaned forward, “and there’s a time to do things! So, Lisa, do you want to be my court mage?” I gri her with all the flourish of a noble.

  Lisa sighed, the light in her eyes dimming a little. “I was so excited when I was so close to being a fire tamer. But then Dmitry swooped in and…” Her shoulders slumped as she trailed off.

  “Sorry…” Katheritered, looking genuinely guilty. She nudged Lisa gently, clearly feeling bad about whatever had happened.

  Why?

  “Lisa!” I poi her with exaggerated theatrical fir, still feeling like I erf. “Do not despair! There are still ways…” I grinned sneakily, the kind that made people questioher I lotting something brilliant or ridiculous.

  It’s usually both.

  “But first… How do you two know each other?”

  Seriously.

  Katherine knew Lisa? Since when did that happen? This was o me, not even future helping.

  “We go to the same school,” Lisa said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, with Katherine nodding in agreement with her.

  “Van Der Lys Academy,” Katherine added in that casual, slightly bored tone she always used.

  “That school for rich people?!” Lucas blurted out before I could react, his voice filling up with surprise. “Super hard to get into, only the best teachers, and crazy tuition costs!”

  “Yas. Tat.” Katherine nodded again, this time with a yawn that could’ve rivaled a cat’s in ziness. “Borin’.”

  Lucas snorted, clearly amused by her utter ck of enthusiasm for something that… he? He would kill to be a part of. Meanwhile, Lisa locked eyes with me, her expression focused.

  “You have ways, cute Charlie?” she asked with a hint of hope.

  I tilted my head, letting a mischievous smirk spread ay face. “Always. Have you all seen the video of me battling the statues?”

  The collective response was a resounding yes, each of them chiming in with varying degrees of excitement. But the most hyped was Lena, who practically unched herself off my p and started engaging in an epic battle with invisible enemies, plete with sound effects and exaggerated swings.

  I couldn’t help but smile at her antics. “That fight? It was in front of the sn. You saw her in the background, right?” I g Lisa, who nodded. “The sns are on par with gods. They grant power on the same level as them.” I grinned widely, enjoying the way everyone leaned in. “Mythical tier!”

  Lucas furrowed his brow. “Wait. Not actual god-tier? Aren’t gods they supposed to be, well, the gods?”

  “Nope.” I shook my head with a smug smile. “There are some god-tier gods, but… These so-called gods are ridiculously powerful, sure. But they’re basically just super-high-level people with crazy abilities.”

  And yes, you fight them, I thought, not adding that st bit aloud. I always lost, though.

  Every. Siime.

  Lisa’s expression darkened slightly, her earlier excitement dimming as she likely thought baitry swooping in and stealing her moment.

  I wasn’t having that. “So don’t despair, Lisa!” I smiled brightly at her, leaning forward like I was about to share the greatest secret in the world. “I have a ring that bring you before someone who’s… fiery.” I hesitated slightly. “But fair warning, it’s ly a barbecue.”

  My puns are the best.

  Lisa’s eyes lit up immediately, and before she could speak, Katherine cpped her on the back, grinning. “Fire Sn? Tat’s perfect Lisa!”

  “Not quite.” I shook my head, keeping my tone light. “Someone just as strong as a sn, but not him.”

  Lisa blinked, her excitement now softened with curiosity. “Then who?”

  I leaned back, fingers drumming oable. “Let’s just say… if you like fire, you’ll love the challenge.” I gave her a wink. “But I’m not spoiling the surprise.”