"Scold her," Rachel demanded, her voice muffled as she pressed herself firmly against my side, her arms locking me in place with surprising strength.
"Rach," I sighed, glancing down at her with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. Her sapphire eyes sparkled with righteous indignation as she glared up at me, her lips forming a dramatic pout that bordered on comical.
"She beat me," she declared, her tone dripping with betrayal. "Scold her."
I rubbed my temple, already regretting my decision to let them all into my room. "Rach, it was a fair fight. Seraphina won. There's nothing to scold her for."
"Fair?" Rachel huffed, turning her glare to Seraphina, who sat calmly across the room. "She pulled out everything she had! She didn't hold back even a little."
"Of course I didn't," Seraphina replied evenly, her ice-blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Would you have preferred I insult you by going easy?"
"Yes!" Rachel shot back, her cheeks puffing in indignation. "It's called teamwork!"
I sighed again, but before I could respond, Cecilia's laughter rang out, light and musical, cutting through the tension like a cleansing breeze.
"Honestly, you two are hopeless," she teased, leaning casually against the armrest of the sofa. Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked between them. "Rachel, stop teasing Seraphina and Arthur. And Seraphina, maybe don't sound so smug when you win. It's not helping."
Seraphina's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "I wasn't smug. I was factual."
"Exactly!" Rachel said, her tone triumphant. "She's smug and annoying."
"You're the one acting like a child," Seraphina replied smoothly, her expression unbothered.
Cecilia grinned as Rachel's huff turned into a muttered tirade, her arms crossing tightly. "Anyway," Cecilia continued, turning to me, "we all know why we're this strong, and it's not just our talent."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Of course," she said, her smile softening. "It's you, Arthur. You're the reason we're here."
Seraphina nodded, her calm demeanor unshaken. "She's right. Without you, none of this would have been possible. The mind metamorphosis you guided us through changed everything."
Rachel finally lifted her head, her pout still firmly in place. "She's got a point. As annoying as you are, I wouldn't be half as good without what you did. Anchoring our souls to yours, forcing us through that process... it was hell, but it worked."
I exhaled, leaning back slightly. "You give me too much credit. You're all talented in your own right. The metamorphosis just helped unlock what was already there."
"That's downplaying it," Cecilia said, her voice firm but warm. "You didn't just give us a boost, Arthur. You gave us a foundation none of us could have built alone. The clarity of thought, the ability to process mana at that level—it's not something we'd ever have reached without you."
"She's right," Seraphina added. "The process was excruciating, but it forced us to confront parts of ourselves we'd been avoiding. You didn't just strengthen us physically—you made us unshakable mentally."
Rachel's pout turned into a small smile, though she tried to hide it by looking away. "Fine, I'll admit it. You're the reason I'm this strong. Happy?"
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "I don't need gratitude. I did what I had to do."
"But that's exactly it," Cecilia said, leaning forward slightly. "You always do what you have to, even when it's for us. And you never ask for anything in return."
I glanced at her, then at Seraphina and Rachel. They all wore different expressions, but the undercurrent was the same—gratitude, unspoken but palpable.
"You're my team," I said simply. "My family. Helping you isn't something I need to be thanked for. It's just what I do."
For a moment, the room fell into a comfortable silence, the weight of the conversation settling over us. Rachel eventually broke it with a dramatic sigh, flopping back onto the couch. "Fine. You're off the hook. But I'm still annoyed."
Seraphina smirked faintly, and Cecilia laughed, her crimson eyes sparkling with warmth.
"Thank you, Arthur," Cecilia said softly, her voice carrying a sincerity that needed no further words.
"So, Arthur, what exactly are you doing with the moon?" Rachel asked, tilting her head. Her sapphire eyes sparkled with curiosity, and the faintest hint of suspicion, as though she thought I might reveal some outlandish scheme.
I leaned back, my lips curving into a small, knowing smile. The three of them—Rachel, Cecilia, and Seraphina—watched me intently, each with their own flavor of curiosity. Rachel leaned forward, ever the inquisitive one, Cecilia sat poised and analytical, and Seraphina had her usual stoic calm, though her icy gaze betrayed intrigue.
"It all begins with aetherite," I began, letting the word hang in the air for a moment before continuing.
Their reactions were immediate. Cecilia's crimson eyes widened, her expression a mix of fascination and realization. Seraphina tilted her head slightly, thoughtful as ever, while Rachel pursed her lips, her brows knitting together.
"Incredible," Cecilia breathed, her fingers tapping lightly against the arm of her chair as she processed what I'd said. "If this aetherite is as revolutionary as you claim, you could genuinely reshape the balance of power across the world. Noctalis could surpass every guild in existence."
"That's the plan," I said with a nod. "Aetherite's properties make it the cornerstone of a new era—mana-tech that's not only more efficient but opens up possibilities that current methods can't even approach. Better potions, superior artifacts, faster spatial pathways. It's the kind of innovation that changes everything."
"And you just happened to stumble upon it?" Seraphina asked, her ice-blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Or is there more to this story?"
I hesitated for the briefest of moments before replying smoothly, "Luna. She told me about it, said the moon held something extraordinary. As for how she knew..." I shrugged, letting the mystery linger. "She's a qilin. Some things are beyond even my understanding."
The explanation seemed to satisfy them. Rachel leaned back, her arms crossed, though the thoughtful look on her face told me she wasn't entirely convinced. Cecilia, on the other hand, was already deep in thought, her analytical mind likely running through the implications. Seraphina remained silent, her gaze steady and unreadable.
"But still," Rachel said after a moment, breaking the silence. "Why? Why go to such lengths? I mean, you're already ridiculously strong. You're building a guild that's set to take on the Twelve Great Guilds. Why chase after this much power? What's the endgame, Arthur?"
The question hung in the air, heavier than I expected. Rachel's sapphire gaze was unwavering, and I could feel the weight of her curiosity—and perhaps a hint of concern—behind her words. Even Cecilia and Seraphina leaned in slightly, waiting for my answer.
I exhaled slowly, choosing my words with care. "It's for something important," I said quietly, my voice steady but tinged with a seriousness that caught their attention. "Something that's not quite ready to be shared. Not yet. But when the time comes, I'll tell you everything."
Rachel raised an eyebrow, clearly unsatisfied with such a vague answer, but Cecilia nodded, her expression softening. "We trust you," she said simply, her crimson gaze locking onto mine. "When you're ready, we'll be here."
Seraphina didn't say anything, but the faintest nod of her head and the subtle relaxation in her posture were enough to tell me she felt the same.
Rachel huffed, crossing her arms again. "Fine. But don't think you can keep us in the dark forever. We're a team, Arthur. Whatever you're planning, it'll affect us too."
I smiled faintly. "I know. And when the time comes, you'll be the first to know."
For a moment, the room was quiet, the four of us caught in a rare moment of stillness. Then Cecilia broke the silence with a sly grin. "You know," she said, her tone light and teasing, "if you wanted to impress us, you could've just brought back some moon rocks. No need to start a revolution."
The tension eased as the three of them laughed, and I couldn't help but chuckle along. It was moments like these that reminded me why I was doing all of this—why I pushed so hard, fought so relentlessly. Because they were worth it. Because the world I wanted to create was one where they could thrive.
And because, in the end, I would need every ounce of power I could muster for what was to come.