A few minutes shy of late evening, a golf cart barreled past the pine forest at an alarming speed, its wheels kicking up a cloud of dust. Mad Mandy, nearing the lakehouse, yanked the steering wheel sharply, bringing the cart to an abrupt halt just inches from the front porch. She parked it haphazardly, its back end jutting out into the driveway.
Visibly fuming, Mandy emerged from the golf cart, her face flushed and her breathing rapid. She dashed toward the front door, her movements hurried and determined. Seeing the door slightly ajar, she kicked it open, shouting, "Ace, you jerk!"
Inside, Danny, passed out on the couch, lay covered in butter and hot sauce, surrounded by empty soda cups, lobster shells, and dirty plates. Startled awake by the slamming door and Mandy's shout, he bolted upright in terror, yelling, "It wasn't me! It was Ace! Ace did it!"
When he turned and saw no one but Mandy glaring at him with disgust, he sheepishly lay back down, retreating into his filth.
"Junior, where's Ace?" Mandy demanded, her tone sharp. Danny didn't respond verbally; he simply lifted a sluggish hand and pointed toward the room by the dining area.
Taking the hint, Mandy added dryly, "Remind me never to trust you as a fake witness—or for anything, for that matter." Danny gave a half-nod and immediately drifted back to sleep. Mandy, rolling her eyes, muttered as she stomped toward Ace's room, "At least get to your room before passing out. I'll get someone to clean this mess."
Half-asleep but obedient, Danny trudged upstairs to his bedroom.
When Mandy reached Ace's room, she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, finding it unlocked. She stormed in, only to be met with an empty bed and room.
Frowning, Mandy paused, thinking Ace might have gone out for dinner alone, given that Danny was already passed out. Before leaving, she decided to check the washroom. Seeing the door locked, she knocked sharply. "Ace, are you in there?"
Silence.
Knocking again, she raised her voice, "Ace, are you in there?" Still no reply.
Her frustration boiled over as her imagination ran wild. Assuming the worst, she began pounding on the door, shouting, "Ace! Are you hiding from me in there, you coward? Face me like a man! Get out here this instant, or I'm calling the resort staff!"
"Come out, you big jerk!"
"How dare you ditch me? Come out!!!"
Just then, the door swung open, and Mandy, caught off guard, stumbled forward. Before she could hit the ground, a pair of sturdy arms caught her, wrapping her in a warm embrace.
Brushing the hair from her face, she blinked up at the owner of those arms. Her eyes met a bright, familiar gaze, and for a moment, she felt herself falling into their depths until he spoke, his voice calm but bemused. "What's the big idea, Mandy?"
…
[ — Status screen —
Dame Wasp: Master, it's 8:55 PM. Mandy has come looking for you. She seems furious that you ditched her and is threatening to call the resort staff if you don't open the door and meet her.]
Ace, in his apex form, was deeply immersed in practicing the Curse Concealment Art, completely oblivious to his surroundings. Mandy's screams and furious banging on the door didn't faze him in the slightest. Every fiber of his being, all his senses, were attuned solely to the practice of the curse art, unraveling its intricacies and observing his body's response to it.
At that moment, Ace's presence was diminished to near nonexistence. If Mandy were to open the door, she wouldn't see him sitting in a lotus position on the toilet seat, his entire focus devoted to the circulation of curse energy as described in the Curse Concealment Art. She would likely assume the washroom was empty unless she physically touched him, which would immediately reveal his presence.
It was only thanks to Dame Wasp's reminder through the status screen that Ace realized Mandy was calling for him and threatening to involve the resort staff. Reluctantly, he acknowledged that he needed to break the momentum he had painstakingly built over ten continuous hours of rigorous practice.
He didn't hold it against Mandy, though. After all, he had instructed Dame Wasp to remind him at 9 PM, and cutting his session short by five minutes wouldn't significantly impact his progress.
[ — Status Screen —
- Curse Concealment Art learned.
i) +29% proficiency
ii) +16 Spiritual Stats
Note:
i) Continued practice will increase proficiency.
ii) Rigorous practice will enhance related stats.]
Awakening from his deep practice, Ace stood up and stretched his arms and legs while checking his progress through the status screen. As he deactivated his apex form, he dressed quickly. Moments later, he opened the door, only to have Mandy fall straight into his arms.
Gazing into her eyes, he grumbled, "What's the big idea, Mandy?"
Feeling the weight of his blame, Mandy quickly pushed herself out of his embrace and grabbed him by the collar, pulling his face close to hers. She could feel his warm breath on her face as their eyes locked. Fighting the hypnotic pull of his gaze, she narrowed her eyes and snapped in a firm tone, "Would it have killed you to answer me? Or were you too busy snickering in there, listening to me make a fool of myself?"
Instead of replying, Ace held her gaze, his expression indifferent. Then, without warning, he placed his hands on her slender waist. Before she could react, he effortlessly lifted her off the ground. Shocked, Mandy let go of his collar and stammered, "Ace, w-what are you doing?"
Setting her aside gently, Ace stepped out of the washroom and closed the door behind him. Ignoring Mandy, who stood frozen, still feeling the lingering sensation of his touch, he began walking out of the room. Pausing at the doorway, he turned to ask, "I'm heading to the complimentary buffet for dinner. Will you join me and Danny, or have you already eaten?"
Snapped out of her thoughts, Mandy rushed after him. Clenching her fists, she pounded them lightly on his back, yelling, "Ace, how dare you? Did you forget I'm still your aunt?"
Ace didn't flinch; her punches lacked both intent and strength. Calmly, he turned to grab her wrists, gently spreading them apart. Lowering his head to meet her gaze, he stared closely into her eyes and murmured, "So, Auntie, what do you want from me?"