"Where's Vera?"

Albel got dressed and walked downstairs. He scanned the empty living room but didn’t spot his sister Verdandi.

"She’s probably off playing somewhere. I haven’t seen her since morning," Alicia said as she came down the stairs. "Let’s eat breakfast first. Isharis even made a portion for you."

"What do you mean ‘even made a portion for me’? Shouldn’t she make one for me anyway?" Albel shot Alicia a look. Why did it feel like this girl’s IQ had skyrocketed since her awakening? She was even teasing him now.

"Come on, I can’t wait for Isharis’s breakfast. Hurry down!" Lucia pushed Albel with both hands. Isharis’s cooking was the best—and rare. For a foodie like Lucia, it was pure temptation.

"I helped too!" Hecate raised her hand from behind, like a kid eager to show off to her parents.

"It really has been ages. Why cook today?" Albel’s face turned nostalgic. The last time he’d tasted Isharis’s homemade food felt like a lifetime ago.

"You forgot. Today’s special." Isharis placed a bowl of millet porridge before him.

"Because of Christmas?" Albel pondered. Christmas wasn’t that big a deal—but Isharis’s porridge? He’d take it any day.

"Seems you’re forgetful. In that world, on Christmas, you took my first time—"

"Pfft!" Albel spat out his porridge. Hecate moved fast, freezing the flying grains and teleporting them to the trash.

"Uh… bad timing for that," Albel muttered, wiping his mouth while glancing awkwardly at Alicia and Lucia.

"Stop it! No PDA! No PDA!" Alicia slammed the table. Seriously, they were all Albel’s girlfriends now, but Isharis kept flaunting past-world moments—things they could never relive. It was so sneaky.

"Come on, Alicia. Let’s make new memories this Christmas," Lucia soothed the fuming girl. She was like a firecracker lately—ready to explode.

"No way! Tonight’s mine. I paused time at the Pantheon Seat to sneak out. Albel’s all mine tonight!"

"Pfft!" Hecate’s protest made everyone—including Isharis and the others—spit out their porridge. Albel, sitting opposite them, got showered in millet.

"You paused time at the Pantheon Seat?!" Isharis demanded. Did this girl even grasp what she’d done?

"It’s over! The world’s ending! Let’s split assets and run!" Alicia was freaking out.

"Calm down. Hecate’s joking, right?" Lucia asked nervously. This couldn’t be real.

"No. I never lie." Hecate tore down Lucia’s offered escape route. Had Alicia’s chaos infected her IQ?

"Then why aren’t you hurrying back?!" ×3

"Uh… you’re here. Let’s just eat." Albel stepped in. A day’s delay at the Pantheon Seat? Fixable if the world tilted.

"Al, control her. She’s getting outrageous."

"Yeah, you spoil Hecate too much." Isharis sighed. All Albel’s fault.

"Mmm…" Hecate gave Albel a pitiful look, begging silently for forgiveness.

"A day’s pause is fine. Isharis, finished at the Sacred Heaven? You came early." Albel covered for Hecate but paused. Wasn’t her realm just as vital?

"Uh… well…" Isharis froze, then turned away, scratching her cheek. Words failed her.

"You sneaked out too, didn’t you?" Albel narrowed his eyes. Ninety percent sure.

"Let’s eat! I’m cooking lunch—get excited!" Isharis dodged.

"And you scold Hecate?!" Alicia and Lucia called out together.

"I can’t stay by Xiu’s side all day like you two. I miss him! I’m desperate!" Isharis threw up her hands.

"Proposal! Swap duties. Isharis and I stay; Alicia and Lucia work!" Hecate shouted, thrilled to stir chaos.

"Uh… pausing both realms won’t matter much," Alicia chuckled nervously.

"Right! You two worked hard. Here, more porridge." Lucia became overly attentive.

"You’re so naughty." Albel covered his face, sighing as the girls bickered. He’d just be a porridge-eating bystander.

Breakfast ended smoothly. The girls held mutual blackmail, creating a balance Albel happily observed.

"Christmas means a tree. I’ll chop it. Someone buy ribbons in town." Albel leaned back, full and grinning. The girls looked eager—first Christmas and all.

"Mhm. The tree’s all yours." The four grinned mischievously, speaking in unison.

"Hey! You can’t want me to chop the World Tree—it’s still a kid!"