A few days had passed since Alex and Rebecca had left Valeri in Mama Welles' care. During that time, Alex had been swamped with work. One of the significant events was that he finally found some free time to upgrade the katana that Sawada had gifted him as thanks for helping resolve a conflict.
In addition, Alex grew closer to both Rebecca and Lucy. Whenever he had a job to do with Lucy, he often invited Rebecca to join them. However, Rebecca, being a true "gremlin" in the body of a cute girl, sometimes provoked clients, and Alex either had to resolve the conflict peacefully or, if words failed, resort to more active methods.
Alex also made sure to take Valeri with him to work from time to time, so she could get acquainted with his job, just in case she decided to pursue a similar line of work in the future.
During one of his meetings, Alex asked Lucy if she could get him an empty AI with self-learning capabilities. She got curious as to why he needed it, and Alex shared his plan — to create a defense drone for Gloria.
Hearing this, Lucy happily agreed to help, and soon she acquired the AI he needed. Before he knew it, Alex found himself at her apartment, where they spent the evening working on the AI for the GIR project. Of course, nothing inappropriate happened that night — it was just a pleasant evening of project work.
Rebecca also contributed: one day, she showed up at his apartment door with a bag full of various weapons she wanted to integrate into the small robot.
Alex barely had time to catch his breath: delivery jobs, gathering information about the cyber implants that interested him, and studying how Sandevistan helped speed up movements and thought processes.
He found out that the substance injected into the spine during system activation resembled adrenaline but was more potent and aggressive, which could lead to brain damage if used too often.
One evening, Alex grew even closer to Gloria. It all happened rather spontaneously — they were watching a show together, and Gloria fell asleep on him. Now, their relationship had become something more than just friendship, though it hadn't reached the level of a romantic one yet.
One day, Gloria was woken up by a phone call. She had fallen asleep on Alex again, as she had the day off, and instinctively reached for the phone that was disturbing her sleep.
"Alex, it's your phone, turn it off," she mumbled, giving him a slight nudge.
Alex, now awake, reluctantly opened his eyes. He didn't want to get up — the last few days had been so hectic that he had barely slept. He'd either been fulfilling orders, conducting research, or building his small robot, which had once left his apartment in complete chaos.
Gloria had even given him a scolding when she came back from a night shift and saw that weapon parts and robot components were scattered all over the place. Alex explained that he was trying to build a defense drone for her, which softened her anger a bit, but he still had to clean up the mess himself.
"Who's not letting me sleep?" Alex grumbled sleepily as he answered the call.
"I see you're not happy to hear from me, darling," a seductive voice responded from the other end.
The moment Alex heard that voice, his drowsiness vanished. He pulled the phone away from his ear to check if he was imagining it.
As expected, there was no number on the screen, only the name of the world from which the call came. Once sure he wasn't mistaken, Alex brought the phone back to his ear.
"Freya? Happy to hear from you, it's just that mornings aren't my thing," he said with a slight smile.
Freya's soft laughter echoed from the phone. She knew all too well about Alex's morning state — one that wasn't exactly suited for early conversations.
"Oh, I remember your deadly glare in the mornings when someone interrupts your coffee time," Freya laughed.
"Well, it's not that bad. I just don't like waking up early," Alex muttered, pouting a little.
"How have you been, darling?" Freya asked with gentle interest.
"The usual: enjoying a peaceful life," Alex replied lazily, stroking Gloria's head.
"So, as always, you're working and inventing dangerous things," Freya added with a smirk, and Alex could almost feel her rolling her eyes on the other end.
Gloria, who had woken up from the noise, was almost asleep again, enjoying Alex's touch. But when she heard a voice over the phone, something about it made her uneasy. Though she couldn't make out the details of the conversation, the voice sounded very beautiful to her. Getting up from the couch, Gloria offered Alex some coffee. He nodded gratefully, smiling at her.
"That must be Gloria, the one helping you," Freya commented sarcastically. "I see you two have grown closer."
Alex blushed slightly and glanced at Gloria, who also heard Freya mention her name.
"You know how it goes," he said with a slight smile, not denying the obvious.
"Of course, I know. Your kindness attracts girls," Freya giggled as if it were the most natural thing.
Alex continued talking with Freya, telling her about his activities in this world. Meanwhile, Gloria, as she brewed the coffee, kept watching him out of the corner of her eye, seeing how he smiled while chatting on the phone.
A small flicker of jealousy ignited in her chest — Alex was so effortlessly smiling while talking to one of the girls from his 'family.' But she quickly brushed those thoughts aside. Yes, they had grown much closer over the past few days, but they hadn't reached the point where they could be called lovers just yet.
Besides, she knew Alex spent a lot of time with Rebecca and Lucy, which only slightly bothered her. Gloria was just happy that he always came home and spent time with her.
"I wonder what his family is like..." Gloria murmured to herself, still watching Alex.
Meanwhile, Alex enthusiastically shared his recent adventures with Freya — from simple deliveries to a shootout where his only weapon was a brick. Freya let out a heavy sigh at this. She was certain that if Alex were left unsupervised, he'd immediately find trouble.
"Darling, you're at it again? Isn't it enough that they kept sending punitive squads after you when you were causing chaos with the girls?" Freya grumbled.
"I haven't done anything like that! I just showed a couple of people that doing bad things is bad," Alex muttered, slightly pouting at her remarks.
Freya, of course, didn't believe a word he said. "Nothing like that," sure! Breaking down a debtor's door, beating up some guys harassing girls, and then getting into a shootout with a brick in hand — classic Alex.
But she didn't care about those guys; she only cared that Alex was safe.
"I'm not against you bringing order, Alex, but remember, if you have too much fun, they'll send a punitive squad after you again," she said sternly, reminding him of the potential consequences of his recklessness.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Alex sighed, looking a little downcast. "Besides, these last few days, I've been so busy I haven't had time to properly rest."
"That's your own fault. We've always told you to take more breaks. But now that you're far from home, I guess you've forgotten our advice," Freya said coldly, and even from a distance, Alex couldn't help but feel uneasy from her tone.
He understood that he was taking on too much at once, which led to exhaustion, but he wasn't planning to change his nature. As they say, the faster you finish work, the more time you have to rest. That was the principle he lived by.
Gloria brought him a cup of coffee and sat next to him, trying to discreetly eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Alright," Freya softened, "I won't push. I'm more interested in Gloria, who, as I understand, has been helping you. It seems you've gotten closer?"
Gloria flinched when she heard her name from Freya and looked at Alex in surprise. He scratched the back of his head with slight embarrassment and, smiling, asked,
"You know how it goes, right?"
"Of course, I do," Freya chuckled.
Alex glanced at Gloria, wondering if she should meet his family. He wasn't opposed to it, but he was afraid Gloria might be shocked when she found out who she'd be talking to.
"Alright, I'll ask her," Alex said, watching her reaction.
"Good, I'll call the others," Freya's voice came from the phone, and then the line went quiet as he heard her footsteps fading away.
Alex looked at Gloria, who was noticeably nervous, sensing the impending meeting with his family. The very thought of who she would be talking to seemed to frighten her. Understanding her unease, Alex sighed and decided to approach the topic delicately.
"Listen, Gloria, first of all, just relax," he said gently, putting the phone down and softly squeezing her hand.
Gloria took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She was anxious about what she could possibly talk about with these girls — Alex had never told her much about them. She only knew what they did but had no idea what they were like.
Alex saw that she had calmed down a bit and decided to carefully explain who she was about to meet.
"If you don't want to, I can tell them you're busy," he offered, giving her a chance to opt out.
Gloria hesitated for a moment, but then resolutely nodded.
"No, I want to meet them. It's... interesting," she said, trying to hide her nervousness, though her trembling hands gave her away.
Alex smiled, seeing her determination, and decided it was time to gently tell the truth.
"Well... I think you should know who exactly you're about to talk to," he said, giving her a slightly crooked smile as he looked into her eyes.
Gloria raised her eyebrows in surprise, not understanding why he was smiling so strangely, as if preparing her for a shock.
"So...," Alex began, carefully choosing his words so as not to scare her too much, "the girls you're about to meet... how should I put this..."
Gloria began to worry that the girls might not accept her or be hostile. However, all her speculations crumbled when Alex finally revealed who she was going to meet.
"Well... they're goddesses," Alex awkwardly said, avoiding her gaze as if trying to dodge Gloria's reaction.
Gloria froze, processing what she had just heard, and at first thought she had misheard. But seeing Alex nervously look away, she realized it wasn't just a joke. It was as if her mind short-circuited, and the weight of realization hit her like a wave.
"Sorry, who?" she asked, as if not trusting her own ears.
"Actual goddesses," Alex confirmed, meeting her stunned gaze.
Reality suddenly crashed down on Gloria. She was about to meet real goddesses — not just metaphorical ones, but actual beings, who, according to Alex, were part of his family. Gloria pressed her hand to her forehead, as if trying to wake up from a strange dream. Her mind was caught between panic and disbelief.
"Wait... Real goddesses, the ones that live in the heavens?" she finally managed to ask, struggling to process what she had just heard.
"Well, not exactly the heavens, but in the realm of gods," Alex said, trying to keep the situation under control and watching Gloria closely, worried she might faint.
"Oh my god..." Gloria muttered, covering her face with her hands. The realization that this wasn't a hallucination or the result of a long shift hit her with renewed force.
Alex gently rubbed her back, helping her calm down. Gloria finally lowered her hands from her face and met his gaze. She took a deep breath, realizing she had no choice—since she had agreed to meet them, it was time to face reality. The only consolation was that the goddesses were in another world, and the conversation would take place over a screen.
Just as Alex was about to ask how she felt, a familiar voice came from the phone:
"Darling, I've gathered everyone," said Freya.
"Everyone?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"No, just Hestia, Loki, and Hephaestus. The others got busy once they found out you were fine," Freya explained.
Alex sighed, understanding that his friends had decided to relax and become homebodies glued to their shows. Hearing Freya's voice this time made Gloria feel a slight sense of nervousness. The voice was so pleasant that it wasn't surprising why the goddess had such a tone.
"Turn on the video so we can see Gloria," Freya added with a light smile.
Gloria tensed noticeably, realizing she would have to meet the goddesses face to face, even if virtually. Alex activated the projection on his phone, and as soon as the image appeared, Gloria was stunned.
The goddesses were incredibly beautiful, and her gaze was particularly drawn to a silver-haired woman with violet eyes—the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.
"Gloria, are you okay?" Alex asked gently, lightly touching her hand.
"Yes, it's just... they're so beautiful," she managed to say, looking at Alex.
Freya, observing Gloria, seemed pleased. Over the years, she had learned to read people well and could immediately tell that Gloria was a kind and sincere girl.
Loki, on the other hand, was having fun watching Gloria's reaction, as it had been a long time since anyone had been so amazed at the sight of gods. Hestia simply nodded, sharing Freya's thoughts, while Hephaestus was already pondering whether Gloria could keep Alex from his next impulsive actions.
"Let me introduce you," Alex began, sensing that Gloria was a bit overwhelmed. "This girl next to me is Gloria. She helped me in this world and gave me a place to stay. Now we live together."
He moved Gloria closer so the goddesses could get a better look at her. Gloria, finding herself in Alex's arms, blushed slightly, but she tried to stay composed.
Freya watched the scene with a smile, while Loki, squinting mischievously, was already thinking about how to further fluster Gloria. Hestia chuckled at Alex's behavior, and Hephaestus sighed calmly.
"Gloria, let me introduce the goddesses," Alex continued. "The one with silver hair is Freya."
Gloria looked at Freya and was once again struck by her beauty.
"And the shorter one with the black pigtails is Hestia," Alex pointed to the goddess, who cheerfully waved in greeting.
Gloria frowned slightly, noticing a strange resemblance between Hestia and Rebecca. They looked like twins, except Hestia radiated kindness and care, while Rebecca seemed more rebellious and ready to cause trouble at any moment.
"Alex, why does Hestia look so much like Rebecca?" Gloria whispered, amazed by the resemblance.
"I was surprised too when I first saw Rebecca," Alex replied with a slight smirk, understanding her confusion.
At that moment, Freya cleared her throat, reminding them that the introductions weren't over yet.
Alex looked at the goddesses with an apologetic expression and was about to continue the introductions.
"That one with the red hair and the sly face is the goddess Loki," he said, pointing at Loki, who was smiling cheerfully—until he said "sly."
"What do you mean 'sly face'?" Loki protested, but Hestia quickly covered her mouth to keep her from making a scene.
A familiar squabble erupted between Loki and Hestia once again. Gloria watched in surprise, as she had always thought that goddesses were supposed to be dignified and elegant, like Freya, who had seemed that way to her. Gloria wanted to ask if it was normal for Loki and Hestia to constantly bicker, but Alex spoke first:
"It happens often. Everyone's used to it and doesn't pay much attention anymore."
"And finally, the goddess with red hair and eyes is Hephaestus," Alex added, introducing Hephaestus, who nodded in greeting.
Alex had just finished introducing everyone when his communicator rang. He had made the device specifically for answering calls while driving. Apologizing, he got up to answer it.
Gloria grabbed his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes, as if she didn't want to be left alone. Alex reassured her:
"The goddesses are kind. They won't embarrass you or ask awkward questions."
Gloria let go of his hand, though she wasn't entirely sure everything would go smoothly. Alex stepped out onto the landing and lit a cigarette. A familiar voice came through on the other end of the line:
"Hey, choom. Am I interrupting?" came Maine's voice.
"No, it's fine. I'm just sitting here drinking coffee," Alex replied, exhaling smoke with a slight smile.
"Great. A job's come up, and I need your skills," Maine said, getting straight to the point.
Alex raised an eyebrow, considering the offer. He didn't mind taking a job as long as it paid well.
"What kind of job?" he asked.
"Heh, you'll find out when you get here, choom. Swing by the garage, and I'll fill you in," Maine avoided giving details.
"Alright, I'll be there soon. Just grabbing my gear, just in case," Alex replied, shrugging.
"Good. Everyone's here, we're just waiting on you," Maine added with a chuckle.
Alex said goodbye and went back into the apartment. Gloria seemed more relaxed, chatting with the goddesses, though she was still cautious with her words. When she saw Alex return, the goddesses also turned their attention to him, curious about who had called.
"Was that Maine?" Gloria asked, watching Alex as he started changing clothes.
"Yeah, he said there's a job where they need me," Alex answered, fastening his gun holsters.
The goddesses became intrigued by who Maine was and what Alex was up to, but Gloria served as a good intermediary to find out more.
"What kind of job?" she asked, stepping closer to help tighten his straps.
"He didn't say. Just mentioned that everyone's gathered and I'm the last one missing," Alex explained.
Gloria nodded, understanding it was the kind of job you didn't discuss over the phone. She pulled out his coat and helped him put it on. Freya, watching how tenderly Gloria helped Alex, mentally noted her as an even more valuable companion. Her interest in what Alex was involved in only grew.
Alex once again looked at the goddesses with an apologetic expression.
"Sorry we can't continue the conversation. This job came up unexpectedly," he said, with a slightly regretful tone.
"It's alright, darling. Go on, Gloria will stay with us," Freya said with a soft smile, and the other goddesses nodded in agreement. They were eager to learn more about Gloria.
Alex glanced at his pillow, where a green dog—his latest creation, built with the help of Lucy and Rebecca—was sleeping. However, neither of them had yet seen the final version of the robot.
"Gir, wake up, we've got work," he said to the sleeping dog.
The robot woke up and immediately started darting around the apartment as if searching for something important.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked in surprise.
"I'm getting ready," Gir replied calmly.
Alex rubbed his forehead tiredly. The first version of the security robot was far from perfect, especially after Rebecca seemed to have made some changes to its settings while they were working together. That explained the odd behavior.
"You're already all set. Stop running around, or your mom will get mad," Alex said sternly, referencing Gloria.
Gir instantly stopped and looked at Gloria, who was watching him intently. Alex still didn't understand why the robot considered her his "mom" and obeyed her more than him. However, it all became clear when he had to take away the treats Gir used as "fuel."
Gir saluted, demonstrating his readiness for work. The goddesses, not understanding who he was referring to, asked to see this "creature."
When they saw the little green dog, Hephaestus, who had spent the most time with Alex in the workshop, immediately realized that this was yet another one of his crazy and dangerous creations.
"Alright, let's go; you can meet your other moms," Alex sighed, keeping an eye on his strange robot.
Alex watched with a tired smile as Gir, upon hearing that he would meet his "other moms," began dancing oddly. Another heavy sigh escaped Alex's lips.
He already regretted ever giving this robot internet access. Instead of self-learning, Gir spent all his time watching funny videos and other pop culture nonsense on social media.
Gloria, used to Gir's antics, simply sighed wearily upon seeing his latest improvisation and glanced at Alex, whose expression was completely blank. She had said from the start that giving him internet access was a bad idea, and now this strange dancing "dog" was proof of that.
"Okay, Gir, get in the backpack," Alex said, stopping the robot mid-dance.
"No!" Gir declared firmly, shaking his head and crossing his arms in refusal.
Alex sighed again, briefly considering dismantling the robot but decided he was more useful when fully assembled. Besides, Gir was a walking arsenal, packed with weapons. He needed to approach the situation more cleverly.
"Don't you want to surprise your moms?" Alex asked with a squint.
GIr paused, tapping his fingers to his temples as if seriously considering Alex's suggestion.
"Alright!" the robot nodded and jumped into the backpack.
Alex sighed in relief and zipped it up. Yes, Gir was exactly as he had been created, and in many ways, Alex was to blame. He slung the backpack over his shoulder and turned to Gloria.
"Well, I guess I should get going," Alex said with a tired smile. The day had just begun, yet he already felt exhausted.
Gloria stepped up to him, standing directly in front of him, and something stirred inside her when he introduced her to his family. She took Alex's hands and gently kissed him on the cheek.
"Be careful. And please don't leave Gir alone. Who knows what he might get up to," she warned.
"Yeah, I know. What scares me most is that he'll pick up Rebecca's personality and get even crazier," Alex replied with a light sigh.
Gloria understood what Alex meant. He often told her how his workdays ended up when Rebecca was involved, and how she would lash out at some poor soul who dared to provoke her.
Alex looked at the goddesses, who were smiling at him at that moment. He said goodbye and was about to leave when he suddenly turned sharply, as if remembering something important.
"And Loki, don't even think about causing trouble for Gloria. If anything happens, I'll find a way to fix Yamato quickly and come back to spank you," he threatened.
Loki nodded immediately, realizing that joking with Alex was dangerous. She vividly remembered the time she hadn't taken his words seriously and ended up unable to sit for several days. She definitely didn't want to go through that again.
Seeing her frightened reaction, Alex waved goodbye and headed for the exit.
"Alex, wait! What about your phone?" Gloria called out, pointing to the phone displaying the images of the goddesses.
"It's fine. I've got my communicator, so I can reach out if needed," Alex said, giving a thumbs-up, indicating that everything was under control.
He knew he was running late and quickly walked to the elevator to head down to the parking garage. Once on his motorcycle, Alex lit a cigarette and exhaled heavily.
He started the engine and rode out of the garage, heading to meet the group with Main. He was about to find out what the job was and check Gear's firepower in action.
To be continued...