[Rays of Hope! A small Guild just saved the day!]
[Justin Law has proven himself to be a great Awakener!]
[A group of heroes just appeared in Manhattan!]
Klaus couldn't stop smiling as he glued to his smartphone screen.
Ever since the conquest of the yellow dungeon in South Houston, the name Rays of Hope has been featured in various media outlets.
Justin as the guild master became a trending topic on social media. Every news site made his battered face the front cover. And even news stations didn't stop covering the Rays of Hope headquarters. Thanks to that, Justin kept himself busy with reporters for the past seven days.
Klaus made this moment a debut for his guild. Not only to promote it, but also to attract high-class awakeners to join them.
"I've already increased the guild's popularity. I should be able to establish cooperative relationships with other guilds more easily in the future."
As Klaus grinned at the thought of his future, he heard a feminine voice calling out to him. Standing in the doorway was Sylvia in her white apron and a ladle in hand.
"Klaus. Dinner is ready."
Rising from his bed, Klaus followed the red-haired woman into the dining room. The dining table served various types of delicious dishes. Such as a large bowl of beef curry with the aroma of spices, biryani rice, chicken butter and golden-brown pieces of fried chicken.
Sitting at the table, Kevin almost dripped as he saw the delicious food.
"Curry? Chicken butter? You can cook Indian food?" asked Klaus.
Sylvia smiled broadly. "I worked in an Indian restaurant for a year. I think my food tastes good no matter what the customers think."
"If there are no complaints, it should be fine."
As Klaus and Sylvia sat down to eat their dinner, Kevin got a phone call. The boy looked panicked when he picked it up, and then he excused himself to leave.
"What? We just started breakfast. What are you doing?"
Grimacing and rubbing the back of his head, Kevin said, "Sorry, sis. I have an urgent matter with my friend, a male matter. I'll be gone for a while. Please save some dinner for me."
Sylvia sighed as she watched her brother leave. She turned to Klaus with an embarrassed look in her eyes.
"I apologize if he was rude," Sylvia said.
"It doesn't matter, I understand. At his age, he has his own world."
Sylvia giggled. "The way you talk, you're just like an old man."
Her younger brother was the same age as Joanna, so Klaus was only 3 years away from him. At first she saw Klaus as an ordinary teenager, but the longer she was, she knew that he was different. Now, she saw him as a man.
The two of them started eating. However, just as Klaus put the chicken butter and biryani rice on his plate, the apartment bell rang in the room.
Sylvia was about to get up to open the door but Klaus stopped her, telling her to continue eating. And he headed to the front door.
As Klaus opened the door, the two women he least wanted to come to his house stood in front of his face.
"Joanna? Mom? Why are you here?"
They came in before he invited them in. Joanna pursed her lips and walked around the living room, while Anna threw her fur coat onto the table.
"Your apartment is so small Klaus. Even my room is bigger. By the way, where is your room?" Joanna asked casually.
"You cannot just walk into a man's room, Joanna." Anna admonished her daughter, but the girl ignored her and entered every room she saw.
Seeing them acting as they pleased, Klaus sighed in annoyance. "What are you doing here?"
Anna furrowed her brow, staring at him with a look of dislike. "Is it wrong for a mother to want to know where her son lives? You always keep things secret from me and stay away whenever I want to help you. I care about you, Klaus. What a stubborn kid."
When his mother had already said striking words, he could do nothing but remain silent. It wasn't that Klaus didn't dare to argue with her, it was just that if he won the argument, Anna would always say that she was the one who carried him for nine months and gave birth to him.
If she said so, Klaus fell silent.
"Sorry, am I disturbing you?"
In the middle of their conversation, a female voice distracted them. Sylvia, with a plain face and an apron still covering her body, appeared before Klaus and his mother. As Anna saw the red-haired woman, her eyes and mouth opened wide, and then she looked at Klaus as she pointed at Sylvia.
For a moment, Anna froze with a look of shock on her face, and not long afterward she smiled broadly.
"Oh my God. My son finally has a girlfriend!" Anna was thrilled, and she hugged him.
Naturally, Sylvia and Klaus dropped their jaws, and their faces turned dark instantly.
"I was worried that you were gay, and afraid to come out." Tears of emotion streamed down his mother's face.
Klaus clicked his tongue. "Mom, listen to me. Actually—"
"Finally, I no longer have to worry that I won't be holding grandchildren."
He tried to explain to his mother, but she kept talking and letting out what she was thinking. Of course, Sylvia tried to clear up the misunderstanding but Anna didn't listen because she was too excited.
Klaus thought this situation was bad, but he didn't know that it could be even worse.
"Oh, Sylvia. When did you come here?" Joanna joined them. She looked from head to toe of the red-haired woman.
"Eh! Do you know her, Joanna?" Anna raised her eyebrows.
The girl nodded. "Yes, I do. She's one of the guild members."
Anna smirked. "Hmm, apparently this is a boss and employer relationship. I see."
"No! That's not it!" Sylvia began to panic as the blonde woman misinterpreted even more.
Seeing Sylvia blush, Anna giggled. "It's okay. No need to be embarrassed."
Meanwhile, Klaus chose to remain silent. His feelings told him that the more he tried to explain, the more complicated the thing became.
Joanna formed an O in her mouth. "I thought you were moonlighting as a cook for Klaus. I didn't realize you had a relationship."
Anna squinted. "Hish! Don't be so rude, Joanna!" She turned to Sylvia. "Please forgive my daughter. She's clueless."
Sylvia grimaced as she broke out in a cold sweat. "It's not what you think. I'm just staying at his house."
Holding her breath, Anna gasped as she grabbed her chest. "You live together!? Oh my goodness." She turned to Klaus. "Klaus! You always use rubber, right?"
"What rubber?" Joanna asked innocently.
Klaus could not help but bury his face in his hands and shake his head. His mother continued giving him advice on contraception in unintelligible language, and Joanna frowned because she had no idea what they were talking about.
Blushing, Sylvia bit her lip, watching them misunderstand more and more. The longer she listened, the dizzier her head got. If her brain was an engine, it was probably puffing smoke by now. She couldn't take it anymore.
"I'M STILL A VIRGIN!"
Instantly, everyone in the room fell silent. They were shocked and looked at Sylvia, their faces twisted in confusion. Especially Joanna.
"You mean Klaus did it through your—"
"That's not it! I mean, I've never had sex!" Sylvia interrupted Anna before that blonde woman could make any other crazy conclusions.
"Oh, so that's the problem. Now I understand," Joanna said casually.
The atmosphere became quiet.
While Sylvia blushed at her own words, Anna looked disappointed and confused at the same time.
Klaus cleared his throat. "I appreciate your honesty, Sylvia. Shall we have dinner?"
"Ah, right. I'm hungry too." Joanna chimed in.
They then gathered in the dining room. The air was heavy but they were still able to enjoy dinner. Klaus explained to his mother about Sylvia and her younger brother's situation. After finishing the food on the table and talking for an hour, Klaus managed to clear up the misunderstanding.
However, his mother did not seem happy to hear it.
Anna sighed. "Hm, you guys don't have any relationship. She's a good cook and beautiful but you're not interested in her. It's a shame, Klaus."
"That's not the point, Mom. But never mind," he replied.
Sylvia was relieved although she seemed awkward.
For a moment, Anna looked at Klaus, and then she threw her arms around his neck. "Anyway, if you decide to smash her, never do it raw, okay? You're still young."
"Okay," Klaus replied, a little annoyed.
He just agreed to what his mother said, wanting to get things over with.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, the smartphone in his pocket vibrated. An incoming call from one of his men at the company.
After he asked his mother for leave to answer the phone, he went to the living room to talk in a calm atmosphere. Just as he put it to his ear, a shout pierced his eardrum.
"Goddamn it, Jonathan! Get used to saying 'hello' before you yell on the phone!" Klaus snapped.
"Sorry, Klaus! I mean, boss. I couldn't help myself. I did it! I did it!"
Klaus furrowed his brow. "Did what?"
"I managed to create an artificial Arcana! We're going to rock America!"
And then, Klaus grinned widely.
