A wave of concussive force ripped the air apart, instantly followed by the deafening roar of an explosion. The very air pressure changed, slamming into the body like a physical blow. Just outside the towering sea-gates of Azul Spira, a patch of land, less-submerged than the typical Spican shoals, erupted in a geyser of white steam, pulverized rock, and iridescent, turquoise water. The sound hit a moment later—a massive, earth-shattering BOOM that sent seabirds screeching from every nearby perch. The smell of ozone and superheated salt burned the air.

  At the epicenter of the blast, standing on the steaming, unstable stones that hissed as seawater washed over them, two figures held their ground.

  Across a new, churning gap of seawater, Zhu Lihua, the "War Empress," calmly raised a gauntleted hand and brushed a fleck of smoking debris from her crimson shoulder pauldron. Her poise was unshakable, a stark contrast to the chaos she had just helped unleash.

  "Not bad," Zhu Lihua’s voice cut across the ringing in her opponent's ears, sharp and clear. "I can't believe a human like you actually exists." Her praise was genuine, if severe.

  Mila drove the tip of her great sword into the ground, the heavy steel ringing like a bell against the stone as she used it to halt her momentum and steady herself against the aftershock. Sweat and seawater ran in rivulets down her face, and her chest heaved, but her eyes were alight with adrenaline. "You too," Mila shot back, her voice breathless but strong. "No wonder they call you 'War Empress.' That title is definitely not for nothing."

  A third voice, sharp and laced with playful annoyance, cut in from above. "I'm here too, you know!"

  Both warriors looked up. Yukari, her hair whipping in a self-made wind, landed on a jutting spire of rock that formed the third point of a triangle. She landed softly, a cascade of frost crackling from her boots. She slammed her palm onto the ground, her expression a mask of concentration.

  "Try this!"

  The seawater beneath Lihua and Mila’s feet instantly flash-froze. Massive, jagged pillars of ice erupted from the waves, thrusting upwards with the sound of cracking timber and shattering rock, intent on impaling and unbalancing.

  The two didn't hesitate. Lihua, with a grunt of exertion, used her raw strength to spring backward, her armored boots landing heavily on a more stable piece of the ground. Mila used her great sword as a vault, planting the flat of the blade and flipping nimbly through the air to land beside her. The ice spikes shattered where they had been standing seconds before.

  As the spray settled, the three women faced each other, their breath pluming in the sudden, localized winter.

  Far out of the immediate danger, clinging to the side of a small observation skiff, Lily's world lurched. The skiff pitched violently as the secondary shockwave hit it. A wall of ice-cold spray, blasted outwards by the flash-freeze, drenched her from head to toe. She sputtered, gasping for breath as she clung tighter to the railing, her knuckles white. She could taste the biting salt.

  "HOW?!" she shrieked at the distant, god-like battle, her voice raw with frustration and cold. "HOW THE HELL DID THIS START?! We were just supposed to get desserts!"

  Hours before....

  "Why in the world does everyone ended up living here!!!!"

  Lily's shriek was the first thing to echo through the grand, sun-drenched entrance hall of her mansion, scattering dust motes dancing in the shafts of morning light. It startled a trio of exotic sun-birds in a nearby atrium, their colorful feathers ruffling in alarm. Her voice was raw with sleep and indignation.

  Yukari, already seated at the massive dining table, didn't even look up. Her focus remained on the delicate ripples in her teacup, a perfect mask of calm. The scent of jasmine tea wafted from the cup. "First of all, good morning. Second of all, Miss Yinzi, Jack, and Mother didn't have a place to sleep. So why not accommodate them here? You have more than dozens of empty rooms anyway."

  "Even if I have more than dozens of empty rooms, that doesn't mean you can just shove them in here without my permission!" Lily protested. She marched over to the table, her silk pajamas swishing, and jabbed a finger toward the hallway where the guests were staying.

  Yukari finally met her gaze, raising an unbothered eyebrow. "Okay, then. Is it okay for them to live here for a few days?"

  "Yes, sure!" Lily snapped, exasperated by the flawless logic.

  "See?" Yukari said, taking another calm sip. "You were going to let them stay anyway. What's the big deal?"

  "The big deal is you didn't ask me first! Me! You know, the owner of this... this extraordinaire mansion!"

  "My my, you two. Don't fight this in the morning." A warm, comforting aroma of congee and ginger preceded Miss Yinzi. She emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray, her soft slippers whispering on the marble. "Here, some porridge for your hungry stomachs." She placed a steaming bowl in front of both Lily and Yukari.

  Across the vast room, Jack, sitting on a couch so plush he seemed to sink into it, physically recoiled at Lily's initial shout. He leaned over to Raito, who was calmly observing the scene. "Are those two always like this?" he whispered, his eyes wide.

  "Yeah," Raito whispered back with a small smile. "But it's alright. They are very good friends. Right, Serra?"

  Serra, who was meekly sweeping the marble floor near the staircase, jumped, nearly dropping the heavy wooden broom. Her knuckles were white on the handle. "Y-yes," she said softly, her voice barely a breath.

  "Uh, how was the job-hunting going?" Raito asked Serra, trying to change the subject.

  Serra sighed, the sound barely audible, and leaned her entire weight against the broom, her shoulders slumping. "Miss Lily just won't let me go. She said I'm better off being a maid."

  "Ahaha..." Raito just laughed awkwardly. "Hang in there," he said, empathizing with her.

  "This is good. Exquisite," Lily said, her tirade halting mid-breath. She had taken a spoonful of the porridge, and her anger evaporated, replaced by genuine admiration. She closed her eyes for a moment in bliss. "Do you perhaps want to work as my personal chef? You will be paid dearly."

  "Sorry, dear," Miss Yinzi said gently, patting Lily's head as if she were a child, thinking it was a joke. "But cooking is not a personal calling of mine, and Azul Spira is not my final destination."

  "Please, I insist!" Lily pleaded, leaning forward, her eyes wide. "With the critique of moi, Lily Pence, the 'Jewel of the Sea,' celebrity extraordinaire... you will make it in no time!"

  "No means no, young lady," Miss Yinzi said. This time her voice was booming, echoing with an authority that dwarfed Lily's. Jack flinched on the couch.

  "Sorry!" Lily jolted back, shrinking in her seat.

  "Miss Yinzi is still scary when angry," Raito commented quietly to Jack, who nodded in fervent agreement.

  "Now," Miss Yinzi said, her gentle demeanor returning as she turned her gaze to Yukari. "The biggest issue we have here."

  Yukari, who had been trying to eat her porridge without being noticed, froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. She gulped, the sound audible in the quiet hall.

  "Now, Miss Lin," Miss Yinzi began, her gaze suddenly serious and appraising. "I've heard things about your skills in the kitchen... dulling. As well as rumors about a 'Kitchen Devil.' Mind telling me more?"

  Yukari gulped once more. "That... that..." She shot up from her chair, knocking it over with a loud clatter on the marble, and ran to hide behind Raito on the couch. "Help me!"

  "Kun," Miss Yinzi said, her voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

  "Yes, Miss Yinzi!" Raito immediately grabbed Yukari's wrist. "Here she is." He dragged her from behind the couch and presented her to Miss Yinzi like a sacrifice.

  "Why?!" Yukari looked at him, utterly confused and betrayed. "What happened to protecting me?"

  "I can't go against Miss Yinzi," Raito said, already backing away with an apologetic shrug. "So... good luck!" He quickly turned and fled toward the exit.

  "Traitor!" Yukari shouted after him.

  "That's karma!" Lily started laughing, a truly ugly, mocking laugh from her seat.

  "You too," Miss Yinzi said, her hand shooting out to grab Lily by the collar.

  Soon, the group was split into two.

  One group was led by Miss Yinzi for an impromptu, mandatory cooking class. The grand kitchen, usually pristine, was already being prepped for chaos. This included Yukari, Lily, and Serra. Zhu Lihua, who had emerged from her room to investigate the noise, merely raised an eyebrow before being wordlessly drafted. Mila, who had just arrived with Bob after being discharged, tried to protest but was silenced by a single, stern look from the matriarch. It seemed even the strongest of the strong could not hold a candle to the veteran.

  Another group had already run away from the mansion. Bob, having arrived with Mila and witnessing her being dragged away, quickly and quietly escaped, grabbing Raito and Jack on his way out. What they wanted to do was still unknown, but their first priority was to get out of the mansion for their own safety.

  "Phew," Bob wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Almost, eh boys?" he said, turning to Raito and Jack.

  They were now in the bustling marketplace area on a lower level of Azul Spira. The air was thick with the competing smells of salt-cured fish, exotic spices, and damp canvas awnings. The sound was a constant hum of merchants shouting, buyers haggling, and sailors singing from a nearby tavern, all layered over the sloshing of water in the canals.

  "Good thinking, running out quickly like that, Bob," Raito said, giving him a thumbs-up as he dodged a porter carrying a net full of struggling, blue-shelled crabs.

  "Are you sure... it's alright for us to leave like that?" Jack asked meekly. He kept his shoulders hunched, his eyes darting to the armored city guards patrolling the thoroughfare. He flinched when a nearby merchant dropped a metal crate with a loud clang.

  "Boy, let me tell you, based on experience... yes," Bob said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "What a woman Miss Yinzi is, hohoho," he continued, his usual jovial laugh returning.

  "Bob, are you perhaps interested in Miss Yinzi?" Raito teased.

  "No, no, young Raito, I could never!" Bob boomed, waving his hands defensively. "My wife would kill me if I ever flirted with another woman, hohoho!"

  "Wife?" Raito's eyebrows shot up. "How come I've never heard you talk about your wife once, Bob? Why didn't she come to travel with you?"

  "She... she had to stay in Zarateph for... important reasons," Bob said, his boisterous energy dimming for just a second, his smile becoming strained. "But don't worry! Once we get there, I'll properly introduce you to her and my kids, hohoho!"

  "Oh... okay," Raito answered awkwardly, sensing it was best to drop the subject.

  "So, what now, Mister Bob?" Jack asked, eager to move on.

  "Hmm..." Bob put a finger to his chin, his eyes twinkling as he scanned the stalls, already rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Jack, my boy, want to learn about the art of haggling?"

  "Don't worry," Raito put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Bob is the master."

  "Uhh... sure, I guess," Jack answered, not sure what he was getting dragged into.

  Meanwhile... on the girls' side...

  The grand kitchen, which had been spotless an hour ago, was a chaotic mess. Flour dusted every surface like a fine snow, a puddle of spilled milk was spreading across the floor, and the acrid smell of burning sugar hung in the air from a smoking pan.

  "No, not like that! Firmer, but gentler! The pie must come out perfect!" Miss Yinzi barked, her voice cutting through the culinary chaos.

  "Madam Yinzi is correct! You maggots are useless, utterly useless! Let her remold you into a fine cook!" another voice—this one high-pitched and indignant—barked right next to her.

  It was Mr. Guido, the rat-chef extraordinaire, standing on a wooden stool to see over the counter. He had been visiting hoping to get blessed by the 'Cleaning Savior's' presence but got roped in. Surprisingly, he and Miss Yinzi were working together with terrifying efficiency.

  "Oh my, being called 'madam' at my age," Miss Yinzi said, fanning herself with a pot holder.

  "Non, non, Madam Yinzi! You are truly worthy of being called that!" Mr. Guido insisted, taking her hand and kissing it with a flourish. "If the boy you raised is the 'Cleaning Savior'—a saint—then you must be the one and only goddess!"

  "Blerggh," Lily responded involuntarily from her station, her face twisting in disgust as she mimed gagging.

  Miss Yinzi and Mr. Guido turned as one. A towering matriarch and a tiny, whiskered chef, they descended on Lily like twin falcons.

  "Oh no," Lily thought, her blood running cold.

  "What was that, Miss Lily, or whatever your name is?" Mr. Guido asked, his tiny whiskers twitching, his black eyes narrowed.

  "Nothing," Lily responded, trying desperately to look innocent.

  "Don't be like that, Mr. Guido," Miss Yinzi said, her voice turning syrupy-sweet as she leaned in, her smile not reaching her cold, appraising eyes. "I am sure young Lily here didn't mean that. Right?"

  It was a bad cop, good cop routine from a very unlikely pairing.

  On the other side of the kitchen, Yukari's shoulders hitched. She was sobbing quietly while mangling a lump of dough, which had become a gray, sticky paste glued to her hands and the marble. "Are you alright, Linlin?" Zhu Lihua, her own workstation surprisingly orderly, moved closer, her expression one of genuine concern.

  "I am not!" Yukari wailed quietly. She punched the dough, a tear splashing onto her flour-dusted fist. "Miss Yinzi, I understand. I don't mind. But why is he here?" She pointed an accusatory, flour-covered finger at Guido, the source of her kitchen-related trauma.

  "If I had known how bad you were at this, I should have asked Harrison to teach you how to cook," Zhu Lihua mentioned, sighing. She awkwardly patted Yukari on the back, her hand sticky against the marble counter.

  "Dad?" Yukari was intrigued, her sobbing pausing.

  "Yes, your father. He is the better cook amongst us three. You... you inherited your mom's uselessness in the kitchen," Zhu said bluntly.

  "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh?" Mila commented. She was grunting, trying to scrape her own lumpy dough off her hands.

  "You two aren't exactly in a much better spot than me, you know," Yukari commented back, noticing their struggles.

  Mila and Zhu Lihua shared a look, then had the decency to scratch their cheeks, turning their full attention to the lumpy, gray masses of dough in their own bowls. A mercenary and a military general were not really positions for kitchen savants.

  "Why is every woman or girl I am close with not good at cooking," Yukari sighed, "besides Miss Yinzi and maybe Mary? I've never met a proper kitchen role model."

  "Well, not everyone," Mila said, gesturing with her head.

  "I'm done, Miss Yinzi!" Serra's gleeful voice cut through the air. The scent of baked apples and butter wafted from her station. She proudly held up a baking tray, using a thick cloth. On it sat a pie, its crust a perfect, shining, golden-brown.

  "Oh, that looks perfect, Serra," Miss Yinzi said, her voice softening with genuine praise.

  Mr. Guido scrambled onto the counter, his nose twitching as he inspected the pie's crust. "It appears there is hope amongst you maggots!" he declared dramatically. "A prodigy!" He glared at the lumpy, grey, and in Yukari's case, tear-soaked dough at the other stations.

  "Shall we?" Miss Yinzi asked Mr. Guido, holding out a tasting spoon. He produced one of his own.

  A hush fell over the kitchen. Yukari's sobbing stopped. Mila's grunting ceased. All eyes were on the two chefs as they each took a small, careful bite. They chewed, paused, and looked at each other. The pie was normal. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exquisite either. The crust was flaky, the filling cooked through. It was, just like Serra, very normal.

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  But compared to the progress of the rest, it might as well have been a pie from the gods.

  "Acceptable," Mr. Guido finally announced. "Competent!"

  "Very well done, dear," Miss Yinzi said with a warm smile.

  Hearing those praises, Serra, who was usually so meek, stood up a little straighter. She looked past the chefs, her gaze landing directly on Lily. A small, sneering smirk—an expression of pure, unadulterated "I won"—spread across her face.

  It was too much for Lily. "I SWEAR," she shouted, her face turning crimson as she pointed a flour-caked finger at Serra. "Don't let me catch you alone!"

  Hearing that, the dam of tension broke. Mila let out a sudden, barking laugh, which set off Zhu Lihua's rare, deep chuckle. Soon, even Yukari stopped her sobbing to let out a watery, hiccuping giggle. The kitchen, moments ago a place of high-stakes culinary tension, was filled with happy, unrestrained laughter.

  Miss Yinzi watched them, her stern expression melting away into a look of quiet satisfaction. It was her plan all along, a way to get the girls, who she could feel were wound far too tight, to bond together.

  Seeing this, Miss Yinzi finally clapped her hands, a single, sharp sound that cut through the lingering giggles. "Alright, I think that is enough." The girls quieted down, wiping flour and stray tears of laughter from their faces. "Now, let's clean this... masterpiece... up, and I will prepare dinner for us all."

  Everyone nodded, Serra looking relieved, Lily and Yukari looking like they'd survived a war.

  "Miss Lin," Miss Yinzi turned to Yukari, her gaze softening. "Will you be a dear and grab some dessert for us? You too, Miss Lily."

  "Finally!" Lily shot to her feet, her kitchen trauma instantly forgotten as she punched the air. "Something I can actually get behind! I know the perfect patisserie on the upper level."

  Yukari nodded, already wiping the sticky, gray dough from her hands with a rag. She caught the eyes of Mila and Zhu Lihua, who were looking just as restless as she felt. A silent, mischievous spark passed between them. "Will you two come with us?" Yukari asked, her voice casual. "We can... get more dessert on the way."

  Mila's grin was slow and sharp. Zhu Lihua simply crossed her arms and gave a single, curt nod. "Sure," Mila said, her voice rumbling with anticipation. "Desserts." Both sharing an understanding of what Yukari meant.

  Miss Yinzi, overhearing the exchange, just sighed and shook her head, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. "Don't be too late," she called out as they headed for the door.

  "We won't!" Lily chirped, completely oblivious to the fact that everyone else in the room understood exactly what "dessert" meant.

  Now back in the present….

  "MISS YINZI SPECIFICALLY SAID DESSERT!" Lily shrieked from the skiff, her voice cracking as another wave of spray hit her. "WHAT PART OF THAT DON'T YOU THREE MEAT-HEADS UNDERSTAND?!"

  "SHE ALSO SAID 'DON'T BE TOO LATE'!" Mila's voice roared back from the center of the fray. She was electric with energy, her great sword a silver blur. "I'VE BEEN ITCHING TO SPAR AFTER WAITING TOO LONG IN THAT HOSPITAL!"

  She rushed forward, bringing her massive blade down in a crushing overhead arc aimed at Zhu Lihua. The "War Empress" didn't flinch. She met the blow head-on, her gauntleted fist catching the flat of the blade with a deafening CLANG that sent a shockwave rippling through the air.

  "I KNEW THE TWO OF YOU WEREN'T THE TYPE TO WAIT!" Yukari shouted, her voice echoing as she launched herself from an ice pillar. "SO I SUGGESTED A SHORT SPAR FOR YOU TO MOVE YOUR BODIES!" She raised her hands, and a veritable storm of glittering, razor-sharp ice spears formed in the air above her, raining down on the two combatants.

  "FINALLY!" Zhu Lihua roared, shoving Mila's sword back. She planted her feet and her crimson armor seemed to glow. "SOME DESSERTS I CAN GET BEHIND!" A wave of intense, visible heat radiated from her body, turning the air to steam. The ice spears vaporized into mist, hissing as they dissolved before they ever reached her.

  "DESSERT IS CAKE! SCONES! ICE CREAMS! WAFFLES!" Lily screamed, clutching the railing of the boat as if it were her last anchor to sanity. "NOT A THREE-WAY, LIFE-OR-DEATH BATTLE, YOU MEAT-HEADED FOOLS!"

  Soon, The sun, a bleeding smear of orange and purple, began to kiss the horizon, painting the churning, steam-filled water in hues of violet and gold. The three warriors stood amidst the steaming, shattered remnants of their battlefield, their chests heaving in a ragged, synchronized rhythm. Mila rested the flat of her massive blade on her shoulder, sweat plastering strands of dark hair to her face. Zhu Lihua’s crimson armor, usually immaculate, was slick with seawater and frost, her breath a series of short, sharp hisses. Even Yukari, perched on a newly-formed icy spire, had a faint, exhausted tremor in her hands, her own stamina pushed to its limit.

  "HEY!" Lily's voice, raw and utterly devoid of its usual theatrical flair, shrieked from the skiff, which was now dangerously close to the impact zone. "Art thou deaf as well as barbaric?! The patisserie! It closes at seven! If we don't leave now, I shall have no comfort for this trauma!"

  Yukari glanced at the sinking sun, a bleeding smear of orange on the horizon. She let out a final, shuddering breath, her Core's icy power receding into the ring on her finger. "She's right," Yukari called down, her voice tight with exertion.

  Zhu Lihua cracked her knuckles, a small, satisfied smirk touching her lips. "A fine warm-up. But I agree. It is time we conclude this."

  Mila just grunted, her eyes, still burning with an unspent battle-lust, giving a sharp, definitive nod. "Agreed."

  A silent, shared understanding passed between the three warriors. This would be the finale.

  Zhu Lihua planted her feet on the slick stone, her crimson armor glowing as she brought her gauntleted fists together at her hip, a sphere of pure, incandescent fire gathering between her palms. With a guttural roar, she thrust her hands forward. A torrent of roaring, white-hot flame, a beam of pure concussive heat, shot across the gap.

  At the exact same instant, Yukari slammed her palm onto her icy perch. The churning water below her two opponents exploded upwards, not in a splash, but in a forest of jagged, crystalline spears, each one as thick as a tree trunk, erupting from the waves in a brutal, ascending cage.

  Mila met their display with her own. She didn't move, her stance low and grounded. She simply drew her greatsword back and swung, a single, horizontal arc of impossible speed. A shimmering, invisible blade of pure, compressed wind, a silent, razor-thin crescent, shot from the steel, whistling as it raced to meet the other two attacks.

  The three forces of nature—fire, ice, and wind—collided in the exact center of the ruined shoal.

  There was no sound. Not at first. Just a single, blinding flash of white light as the elements tore each other apart.

  Then, the sound hit.

  A deafening, concussive BOOM that shook the very foundations of the sea-gate. A massive, swirling column of steam, pulverized ice, and ozone-laced smoke erupted upwards, obscuring the battlefield in a thick, impenetrable cloud, leaving only the sound of Lily's distant, terrified shriek echoing in its wake.

  The thick, acrid cloud of steam and pulverized rock hung heavy in the cooling twilight air, a momentary curtain drawn across the chaotic stage. The roar of the explosion faded, replaced by the sharp, hissing sound of superheated stone meeting the cold seawater.

  Then, from the heart of the dissipating smoke, three figures emerged.

  They weren't charging. They weren't attacking. They were a tableau of perfect, frozen, and intense stalemate.

  Zhu Lihua’s armored fist, still crackling with residual heat, was stopped a single, terrifying inch from Yukari’s and Mila’s face.

  Mila’s massive greatsword, its edge humming with the ghost of a wind blade, was held perfectly horizontal, the flat of the steel pressed gently but firmly against the torsos of both Yukari and Zhu Lihua, a silent promise of bisection.

  And Yukari, standing between the two powerhouses, had a dagger at each of their throats. Her blades were steady, the silver glinting in the twilight, her own breath pluming in the cold, charged air between them.

  A single, shared, and utterly profound silence stretched for a heartbeat.

  Then, as one, their tense, focused expressions dissolved. The fierce intent that had saturated the air vanished, replaced by something else entirely.

  Yukari’s smirk was the first to break. It was a sharp, breathless, and utterly triumphant thing. Mila let out a short, barking laugh, a sound of pure, adrenalized relief. Zhu Lihua’s own lips curved into a rare, wide, and genuinely satisfied grin.

  With a simultaneous, weary groan, the three of them lowered their weapons. The tension broke, and so did their stances. They collapsed backward in a single, uncoordinated, and glorious heap, their bodies hitting the shallow, steaming water with a loud, celebratory SPLASH.

  They lay there for a moment, three warriors sprawled in the wreckage of their own creation, staring up at the darkening sky as it began to bruise with the first hints of purple and indigo. The only sound was their own ragged, panting, and utterly joyous laughter.

  "That was fun," Yukari finally managed, her voice a breathless, happy gasp as she wiped a strand of wet, midnight-blue hair from her face.

  "Indeed, it was," Zhu Lihua agreed, her own voice a deep, rumbling chuckle that was a world away from the stern War Empress. She crossed her arms behind her head, her crimson armor looking strangely relaxed as she floated in the shallow water. "A fine stretch, I would say, Linlin."

  "It was nice," Mila grunted, her own massive frame buoyant in the saltwater. "Nice to finally get some proper exercise after being cooped up in that cramped hospital."

  Zhu Lihua grunted in agreement. She turned her head, her fiery hair fanning out in the water, and looked at her stepdaughter. "You've improved," she said, her voice quiet, the earlier teasing gone, replaced by a simple, profound sincerity. She reached out, her heavy gauntlet moving slowly through the water, and gently, almost awkwardly, patted Yukari on the head. "Thank you."

  Yukari froze, her laughter catching in her throat. The gesture, so simple and so unexpected, hit her with more force than any of Mila's greatsword swings. "Anytime... Mother," she whispered, her own voice suddenly thick, a faint, embarrassed blush rising on her cheeks.

  "However," Zhu Lihua's voice instantly hardened, the brief, tender moment evaporating as the stern drill instructor returned. "Your decision-making is still a few seconds too slow, Linlin."

  Before Yukari could even protest, Mila chimed in, propping herself up on one elbow, her gaze sharp and analytical. "She's right," the mercenary stated, her voice a flat, critical monotone. "You also have too much wasted movement when you dodge. Did you gain weight?"

  "Not this again!" Yukari groaned, her earlier joy deflating in a wave of pure, unadulterated exasperation as she slapped the water with her hand.

  "It seems we were not stern enough in the training," Zhu Lihua mused, turning her critical gaze to Mila, a new, shared, and deeply concerning understanding passing between the two older warriors.

  "It appears so," Mila agreed, a slow, predatory grin spreading across her face. "Maybe we need to give her some... extra motivation."

  "Please don't," Yukari begged, her voice a low, desperate, and utterly hopeless plea.

  "HEY, YOU THREE!"

  Lily's voice, a high-pitched, furious shriek, shattered their post-battle analysis. The small skiff was now right beside their rocky shoal, Lily herself leaning precariously over the railing, her face a mask of pure, unadulterated rage, her finger pointing at them like an accusing weapon.

  "If you three are finally done with your... your... whatever you call blowing up a random, slightly submerged piece of Spican land, then LET'S GO!" she screamed, her voice cracking with a desperate, sugar-deprived urgency. "My patience is running thin! I need my sugar! And I cannot handle all of you ruffians without it!" she grumbled, her voice a final, fading mutter of pure, unadulterated frustration.

  The three warriors in the water just looked at each other, and a shared, silent, and utterly unapologetic giggle passed between them.

  "You heard what she said," Zhu Lihua said, a rare, bright, and thoroughly mischievous smile on her face.

  Moments later, the sky was no longer a bruised purple, but a deep, velvety black, punctured by the sharp, silver light of a full moon. The grand, imposing doors of the mansion penthouse swung open with a weary groan, revealing the opulent, shadow-filled foyer.

  Lily stormed in first, a small, furious whirlwind of damp silk and frustration. She stomped across the marble floor, leaving small, wet footprints in her wake, her face a mask of profound, theatrical despair.

  "Empty-handed!" she wailed, her voice echoing in the vast, silent hall. "Defeated! My quest for confections, thwarted by... by... exercise!" She threw her arms up in a gesture of utter, tragic surrender. "Thanks to you three meatheads, the patisserie was closed! I am bereft of sugar, and thus, bereft of joy!"

  "Relax," Zhu Lihua's voice, a calm, dry counterpoint to Lily's hysteria, came from the doorway. She entered, shaking seawater from her crimson gauntlets onto Lily's pristine floor. "Not having dessert is not the end of the world. You are way too dramatic. Has anyone ever told you to tone it down?"

  "Easy for you to say!" Lily spun, her eyes blazing. "Miss 'I solve all my problems by punching them'!"

  "Welcome back, you four."

  A kind, gentle voice, accompanied by the warm, comforting aroma of roasted meat and savory spices, cut through the tension. Miss Yinzi emerged from the kitchen, a clean white apron tied around her waist, her face wreathed in a calm, welcoming smile.

  "We're back, Miss Yinzi," Yukari said, she and Mila entering last, their own hair still damp, their faces flushed with the lingering exhilaration of their spar.

  "How was... 'dessert'?" Miss Yinzi asked, her eyes twinkling with a knowing, maternal amusement.

  "It was fun," Yukari replied, a bright, genuine smile spreading across her face. "We got to stretch a lot."

  "Good," Miss Yinzi said, her smile widening as she gestured towards the grand dining room. "I'm sure you've all worked up an appetite. Dinner and desserts are all ready to eat."

  "Wait." Lily, who had been in the middle of a dramatic sulk, froze. Her head snapped up, her gaze zeroing in on Miss Yinzi with the intensity of a hawk. "Dessert? Didst thou say... dessert? Didn't you tell us to go get it?" Her voice was a mixture of confusion and a dawning, terrible suspicion.

  "Oh my, Miss Lily," Miss Yinzi said, her expression a perfect mask of innocent surprise. "Did you not go with them because you also wanted to... 'stretch'? That's why Miss Serra and I went out to get dessert on our own."

  "As if I, Lily Pence, celebrity extraordinaire, would want to be associated with these three gorillas!" Lily scoffed, though her eyes darted nervously towards the dining room, her sugar-deprived senses now on high alert.

  "There she goes again," Yukari giggled, shaking her head.

  A new voice, small and meek, piped up from the kitchen doorway. "Uh, Miss Yinzi... the bath is ready." Serra stood there, her frilly maid's outfit now slightly damp, her face flushed from the steam.

  "Great," Miss Yinzi said, clapping her hands together, her voice full of a warm, practical authority. "Now then, shall we have a clean bath before dinner?"

  A collective, weary, and utterly grateful "Yes" echoed from the group.

  They were now in a massive bathroom in Lily's mansion. The bathtub, a sunken pool of polished marble, was as large as a common swimming pool, its steaming, scented water a perfect, inviting turquoise. It was the perfect remedy for relieving the fatigue after their intense sparring session.

  On one side of the vast, steamy room, Yukari and Lily were already engaged in a fresh round of bickering, their voices echoing off the tiled walls as they splashed water at each other. Serra, stood nervously at the pool's edge, trying and failing to mediate. “Please, Miss Lily! Miss Yukari! Calm down!” Their argument stopped abruptly as Mila entered, her practical combat gear replaced by a simple bathing wrap. The three younger women just stared, their mouths slightly agape, at the mercenary’s impeccably sculpted, scar-covered figure. “What?” Mila asked, her voice flat as she caught their stares. “Nothing!” the three replied in perfect, guilty unison, quickly returning to their chaotic, splashing squabble.

  But on the other, quieter side of the pool, Miss Yinzi gently lowered herself into the warm, fragrant water. Zhu Lihua was already there, submerged up to her shoulders, her fiery red hair pinned up, her eyes closed in a rare moment of peace. “How is the water, General?” Miss Yinzi asked, her voice a soft, respectful murmur.

  Zhu Lihua opened her eyes, a small, genuine smile touching her lips. “The water’s perfect. I can feel the stress melting away.” She sighed, a sound of pure, unadulterated relief. “Also, please, Miss Yinzi. We are not in Ruhong. I also have already tossed away that title.”

  “Then what shall I call you?” Miss Yinzi asked, her own smile warm as she settled into the water beside her.

  “Whatever you want, Miss Yinzi. I wouldn’t mind,” Zhu replied.

  “Then Miss Lihua it is,” Miss Yinzi said with a gentle nod. A short, comfortable silence settled between them, broken only by the distant, high-pitched shrieks and splashes from the other side of the pool. It was Zhu Lihua who broke it, her voice low, hesitant, and full of a quiet, profound sincerity.

  “How did you do it?” she asked.

  “Do what, Miss Lihua?”

  “You were an orphanage director, right?” Zhu’s gaze was distant, lost in a past she couldn’t change. “How did you manage to raise and be around so many kids at once? I only had to raise Linlin, but even I feel like I failed at that.” Her voice cracked, a rare, vulnerable sound. “When Lei, Lin's mother, died, I thought what she wanted me to do was raise Lin as a warrior. But it only made her suffer. To this day, not being able to understand her is my greatest shame and failure.” She turned, her fiery eyes meeting Miss Yinzi’s, her gaze raw and pleading. “So I ask you again. How did you do it?”

  “Honestly? Even I don't know, Miss Lihua,” Miss Yinzi answered, her voice a soft, gentle truth. “Majority of the time, it was just me listening to them. And the rest… just trial and error. Every kid is different. You just need to be sharp and know what they like and dislike.” Her gaze drifted across the pool, landing on the chaotic, splashing, and undeniably happy figure of Yukari. “And respectfully, I think Miss Lin grew up just fine. Look at her,” Miss Yinzi gestured, her smile full of a warm, maternal fondness. “She is polite, smart, and all happy and beaming right now, isn’t she?”

  “But that is not my doing,” Zhu said, a deep, familiar regret clouding her face. “It was because she met him. The boy you raised. I didn't do anything. I just cursed her. I forced her to be something she is not. That boy saved her. I only dug her grave.”

  “Nobody’s perfect,” Miss Yinzi replied, her voice a quiet, unwavering anchor. “That is a mantra I instilled in myself. We are all bound to make mistakes along the way. Even myself.” Her own expression turned somber for a moment. “I didn’t even know Kun was living in poverty back in Jinlun. I didn’t know he was captured and beaten in a prison. And even I cannot heal him from his innate loneliness, a sense that he doesn't belong.”

  She turned her kind, steady gaze back to Zhu Lihua. “We are not perfect, Miss Lihua. Sure, you may have been blind before. But now… now you listen to her. You confront the real, more honest side of Miss Lin. I think that is all that Miss Lin ever wanted from you. That is already what sets you to be a good step-parent for her.”

  “Besides,” Miss Yinzi added, a small, knowing smile on her face as she looked at Yukari, “if Miss Lin truly hates you, why would she ever call you 'Mother'?” Her gaze softened. “Miss Lin is still young, by Half-Sacred standards. You still have a chance to close the distance between you two. So use it.”

  “I guess you are right,” Zhu Lihua said, a small, hesitant laugh escaping her.

  "Also," Miss Yinzi continued, her voice full of a quiet, profound pride, "it was not Kun who saved Miss Lin. It was both of them who saved each other. They found each other and became each other's savior."

  Zhu Lihua looked at the older woman, a new, deep admiration in her fiery eyes. "I really can't hold a candle compared to you," she admitted with another small laugh. She turned her gaze back to Yukari, who was now trying to dunk Lily underwater to a muffled, bubbling shriek. A complex, almost tender light softened her features. "They grow up so fast. Before I knew it, the small crybaby who was entrusted to me ended up becoming a fine young woman."

  "That is just how kids are," Miss Yinzi said, her own gaze full of a matching fondness as she watched the chaotic splashing. "My Kun was a small, lonely child, unable to find his place... I was worried sick that he would grow up not knowing what to do or know where he belong. But now, after only a year of not seeing him, he grew up to be a strong young man. Able to defend himself, making new friends, and making decisions I can't imagine the old him would make. I guess that is just how life are. All we can do as parental figures is be there and support them, Miss Lihua."

  "Can't say no to that," Zhu agreed. A slow, dangerous, and utterly mischievous smirk spread across her face. "But I still want to kill that boy for taking Linlin away from me," she joked.

  Miss Yinzi laughed, a warm, genuine sound that echoed off the tiles. "And I still want to drill some basic kitchen etiquette into that young lady of yours," she retorted, her eyes twinkling. "To each their own, I guess."

  The two women shared a hearty laugh, a new, easy camaraderie settling between them in the warm, scented steam.

  "Thank you, Miss Yinzi," Zhu said, her voice quiet again, full of a genuine, heartfelt gratitude.

  "You're very welcome, Miss Lihua," Miss Yinzi responded warmly.

  "We should have a toast together sometime," Zhu proposed, her gaze steady. "Between mother to mother."

  "That," Miss Yinzi said, her smile radiant, "sounds like a lovely plan."

  SPLOOOOOSH!

  A massive, lukewarm wave, born from a sudden, over-the-top cannonball-splash in the middle of Lily and Yukari's bickering, erupted from the other side of the pool. It crashed over the two mothers with the force of a small tsunami, dousing their quiet, profound moment in an instant.

  Sputtering, their hair now plastered to their faces, Miss Yinzi and Zhu Lihua turned in perfect, silent unison. Two pairs of eyes—one kind and suddenly very cold, the other fiery and now utterly glacial—fixed on the two younger women, who had frozen mid-splash, their faces masks of pure, dawning horror.

  "Anything," Zhu Lihua began, her voice a low, dangerous growl.

  "You two," Miss Yinzi finished, her voice a sweet, terrifying melody, "wanted to say?"

  "WE'RE SORRY!" Yukari and Lily shrieked, their voices a high-pitched, unified cry of pure, unadulterated terror as they immediately prostrated themselves in the water, foreheads touching the marble floor of the pool in a deep, desperate bow.

  The girls were now all out of the bathroom, fresh and clean, steam rising gently from their skin. They were clad in an assortment of luxurious, silk pajamas, each a different pastel color, each adorned with a different, and increasingly ridiculous, animal motif—all clearly provided by Lily. Yukari looked slightly mortified in a baby-blue penguin set, while Mila seemed utterly unfazed by the fluffy pink bunny ears on her hood.

  "Now that we are clean," Miss Yinzi announced, her voice full of a warm, satisfied authority as she tied the sash on her own surprisingly dignified lavender robe, "we can finally feast."

  The group moved from the steamy warmth of the bathroom into the grand, moonlit hallway, their bare feet silent on the cool marble. The tantalizing aroma of Miss Yinzi's cooking—roasted meats, savory spices, and the sweet, nostalgic scent of honey-apple pie—wafted from the dining room, pulling them forward. Serra and Lily, their earlier aquatic terror already forgotten, practically sprinted, eager for the promised dessert.

  "Finally!" Lily cheered, her voice a dramatic, joyous thing. "Sustenance!"

  Yukari followed at a more leisurely pace, her arm linked with her mother's, a quiet, easy peace settled between them. But as they were about to step into the brightly lit dining room, Yukari paused. The scent of food, the sound of her friends' cheerful chatter… it was all perfect. But a crucial, chaotic element was missing.

  "Wait," she said, her head tilting, a flicker of genuine confusion in her silver eyes. "Where are the boys?"