Ress's Exit from the Council
The grand arbiter, seated at the head of the Dominion Council table, gave Ress a dismissive wave. "That concludes today's meeting. You're dismissed, Solari. And yes, you may leave as well."
Ress, standing with his usual carefree posture, saluted playfully. "Finally! I thought I'd turn to stone in here."
The grand arbiter's stern expression didn't change, but the faintest hint of amusement flickered in their eyes. "Behave yourself, Solari. Remember, your responsibilities extend beyond cracking jokes."
"Don't worry, Arbiter. I'll behave... mostly," Ress replied with a grin as he turned and exited the chamber.
Back to the Office
Walking through the hallways of the Dominion,Ress approached his office like house and immediately noticed something... off. A large crack ran through the wall, and there was even a hole in the floor that looked like someone had thrown a cannonball. His eyebrow twitched, but instead of reacting with anger, he sighed, already guessing what had happened.
Peeking inside, he saw Liesel and Arem standing side by side with their heads lowered, like guilty children awaiting judgment. Beside them stood Vanessa, her arms crossed and her face stern as she scolded them.
"What is wrong with you two?! Always fighting! And this poor house has to suffer for it!" Vanessa's voice echoed.
Liesel, visibly pouting, pointed at Arem. "It's his fault! He stole my last bun from the fridge!"
Arem quickly turned to defend himself. "It wasn't in the fridge! It was on the table, and I thought no one wanted it!" His shifty eyes said otherwise.
"You're lying again!" Liesel snapped, her face turning red as she lunged toward Arem.
But before their fight could escalate, Vanessa delivered a swift smack to the back of both their heads.
"Enough!" she said, glaring at them. "You're both standing there until you learn your lesson. No more talking. No more fighting. Just stand and reflect!"
Both Liesel and Arem froze, grumbling under their breath but daring not to move.
Fren's Surprise
At that moment, Fren walked in behind Ress, his eyes widening at the chaotic scene.
"Ress!" Fren called out, relieved. "Where have you been?!"
Vanessa noticed Ress for the first time and sighed in relief. "Oh, Ress, you're here. These two caused a mess again. They cracked the wall and destroyed half the room!"
Ress gave a lazy shrug, clearly unfazed. "It's fine. We've got Dave for that."
He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Hey, Dave! Can you fix the house again?"
Enter Dave
From the adjacent room, a sluggish voice replied, "...Ugh, Ress, it's too early for this…"
The door creaked open, and Dave stumbled out, still in his pajamas, his hair a mess. He yawned loudly, scratching his stomach as he shuffled into the room.
"What is it now?" Dave muttered, rubbing his eyes.
Ress pointed casually at the hole in the floor and the crack in the wall. "Could you fix that? You know, like you always do."
Dave yawned again, waving a hand lazily. "Sure, sure…"
Without breaking a sweat, Dave waved his hand, and the damage to the room began to magically repair itself. The crack sealed up as if it had never existed, and the dirt and debris on the floor disappeared entirely. Within seconds, the room looked brand new.
"Thanks, Dave," Ress said with a grin. "Are you coming to lunch with us?"
Dave scratched his head, already turning back toward his room. "Nah, just leave my lunch by the door. I'll grab it later." He shut the door behind him, and the sound of him flopping back onto his bed could be heard faintly.
A Chaotic Lunch
Fren's jaw dropped. "What—what did I just see?!"
"Magic," Ress said with a smirk. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, I'm starving."
"Me too!" Kai chimed in enthusiastically.
Liesel, still in her punishment position, pouted. "Can we eat now? I'm hungry! And it's his fault!" She glared at Arem, her voice taking on a babyish tone.
Vanessa sighed, her tough demeanor softening. "Fine. You can eat now, but this isn't over!"
"Yes!" Liesel cheered, practically skipping toward the table. Arem followed sheepishly, muttering under his breath.
The group gathered at the dining table, the chaotic energy still lingering but slowly shifting into something more relaxed.
To be continue..