The Daily Life of the Demon King

After Alex fell asleep, a peaceful silence settled in the rest area. No one wanted to disturb him, understanding how exhausted he was. It was likely because he still hadn't fully adjusted to using his clones, which had a significant impact on his condition.

Meanwhile, Göndul took advantage of the situation. She gently placed Alex's head on her lap and began stroking his hair. Her movements were tender and caring, as if she didn't want to disturb him even in his sleep.

Rebecca, noticing this, merely huffed and returned to her work. She was sitting at Alex's desk, focused on carving runes onto bullets. But her irritation didn't leave her. Working by hand, without a rune-printing machine, was exhausting. If she had known in advance that this situation would arise, she would have asked Alex to get the necessary equipment. But not wanting to wake him, she resigned herself to continue working the old-fashioned way.

Brunhilde watched Alex sleeping, then shifted her gaze to Göndul, who had quickly adapted to the situation. She couldn't help but notice how the Valkyrie tenderly cared for Alex. It made her think: Göndul seemed to know more about him than anyone else in the room. And although she didn't flaunt it, her confidence was evident.

Brunhilde realized that she had missed the moment and decided to find something to do. Buddha had once again fallen into a sweet slumber, continuing to enjoy his treats. The group of Valkyries resumed watching their show, while Göll entertained herself by playing video games with the younger group. Scanning the room, Brunhilde realized that her options were limited, and she made her way over to Rebecca.

Rebecca was so engrossed in her work that it seemed nothing could distract her. Brunhilde stepped closer and, peering over her shoulder, saw how Rebecca carefully carved intricate rune combinations into the bullet. The Valkyrie knew these runes were meant to kill gods, and the thought made her shudder. She realized the chaos that could ensue if such a weapon fell into the wrong hands.

«Alex mentioned you used to be part of a mercenary group,» Brunhilde began cautiously, keeping an eye on Rebecca's actions.

The sharp question almost made Rebecca falter. Her hand shook, but she stopped in time to avoid ruining the rune. Putting down her tool, she turned and met Brunhilde's gaze.

«Well, kind of. We didn't really have much choice about the work. But the pay was good,» she replied with a shrug.

With that, Rebecca returned to carving the runes, as if the conversation couldn't distract her from her work.

Brunhilde remembered that every member of the mercenary team Alex had once been part of had their own story.

«So, what did you do? If it's not a secret, of course,» the Valkyrie continued, sitting down on a chair next to the desk.

«Mostly various things,» Rebecca replied indifferently, not looking up from her work. «Killings, kidnappings, corporate thefts... The more they paid, the more dangerous the job.»

Brunhilde nodded silently, watching Rebecca methodically carve intricate patterns. Her thoughts wandered between the fear of what such runes could mean and admiration for the focused way Rebecca approached her work.

Brunhilde observed Rebecca closely, who spoke of her mercenary work with such ease, as though it were the most ordinary profession. Yet, Brunhilde understood that behind this nonchalance was something more.

Rebecca hadn't mentioned how, once, she nearly lost her brother Pilar due to one of those dangerous missions. If it hadn't been for Alex's intervention, some cyberpsychopath would have surely blown Pilar's brains out.

Brunhilde decided not to press Rebecca for details about her past. Instead, she chose to change the subject, aiming to learn more about Alex and his interests. Rebecca, not breaking her focus on carving the runes, answered the questions.

The Valkyrie found out that when Alex wasn't working, he most often spent time with his family, tinkering in his workshop, or, like an ordinary person, just lazily lying on the couch.

However, Rebecca carefully avoided any questions related to their past life in Night City. She skillfully sidestepped discussions that might reveal too much. Brunhilde noticed that Rebecca was clearly hiding something but didn't dig deeper. She was interested in hearing how Rebecca described Alex from her own perspective.

An hour passed unnoticed as Brunhilde continued chatting with Rebecca while the arena was undergoing repairs. Meanwhile, Alex was deep in sleep, leaving behind all his worries and thoughts about the madmen in this world who had become entangled with the power of the Outer Gods.

Suddenly, Brunhilde's tablet emitted a sound, signaling a new message. The Valkyrie quickly checked it and frowned. The gods had already chosen their candidate for the arena, but no one had been appointed from humanity's side yet.

Rebecca noticed how Brunhilde fell silent, staring intently at her tablet. Setting aside her tools, she stretched, loosening her stiff hands, and asked,

«What's going on?»

Brunhilde looked up and replied,

«The gods have already chosen their contender. As for humanity, no one has been chosen yet. And since Alex is sleeping right now, I have no idea who he planned to send.»

«And who's the unlucky one the gods picked?» Rebecca asked, her voice dripping with indifference as she stretched.

«It's Apollo,» Brunhilde replied, ignoring Rebecca's mocking tone.

Rebecca shrugged, barely hiding her indifference.

«Don't know who that is. That's Alex's area. He's the one who knows all the stories and nonsense.»

For Rebecca, gods were just annoying beings. The only thing that interested her was whether they could be killed if they decided to cause trouble. Their names, titles, and mythology meant nothing to her.

Brunhilde looked thoughtfully at Rebecca. She was beginning to understand that Rebecca was a person who valued only her family. Everyone else didn't make it into her circle of trust, and she preferred to ignore those who didn't matter to her. Alex had once described Rebecca as an eccentric personality, and now Brunhilde saw that it was true.

«But he's asleep,» Brunhilde calmly remarked, returning to the issue of choosing a contender. «And knowing Alex, he'll probably want to choose the fighter himself.»

Rebecca glanced at Brunhilde and nodded, agreeing with her words. But waking Alex was a whole ritual, and it had to be done with great caution.

«Alright, watch how it's done. But I warn you: don't be scared of his eye. It always looks like that when he just wakes up,» Rebecca warned the Valkyrie.

Brunhilde frowned, not understanding what she meant, but decided to see for herself. Rebecca set aside the runic bullets she had just finished and stood up from the table. She approached the couch where Alex was peacefully sleeping.

Alex had settled on Göndul's lap, looking completely serene, as if he had no cares in the world. Göndul had stopped stroking his hair and looked up at Rebecca, then at Brunhilde. When the Valkyrie showed her the tablet with Apollo's name, Göndul realized that the contender from the gods had already been chosen.

Göndul didn't want to wake Alex, knowing how much he valued these rare moments of peaceful sleep. But she also understood that Alex would never trust a random person to choose the fighter. Sighing, Rebecca crouched down next to the couch and gently poked Alex in the nose, trying to wake him up.

«What are you doing? Why are you hesitating?» Brunhilde asked, already losing patience.

«Shh, don't interrupt,» Rebecca hissed at her, continuing to carefully nudge Alex as if he were a grenade with the pin pulled out.

Göndul and Brunhilde watched in surprise, not understanding why Rebecca was being so careful to wake Alex.

Still half asleep, Alex felt the light pokes to his nose but deliberately ignored them, preferring to stay lost in sleep. However, Rebecca's persistence won. Alex's eyelids fluttered, and he reluctantly opened his eyes.

As Alex's gaze fully focused, Brunhilde immediately understood what Rebecca had meant. His eyes looked as though he was ready to kill. They were cold, piercing, as if warning anyone who dared to disturb him.

«Who here is having trouble breathing, that you decided to wake me up?» Alex mumbled, sleepily rubbing his eyes and surveying the room.

Trying to gather himself, he took a deep breath, slowly massaging his face. His gaze stopped on Rebecca, demanding an explanation.

Rebecca, not wasting a second, pointed at the stunned Brunhilde, shifting the responsibility onto her.

Brunhilde still couldn't get used to the grim expression on Alex's face after waking up. However, it seemed that Göndul didn't pay any attention to it. She began straightening his disheveled clothes and hair, as if it were her usual task.

Alex shifted his gaze to Brunhilde, and she involuntarily flinched.

«Well? What's so important that you decided to wake me up?» he asked, rubbing his temples and looking tiredly at the Valkyrie.

Rebecca glanced at Brunhilde and noticed that she was still silent, as if unsure whether to speak. Sighing, she approached Alex to «loosen» his grim face—sometimes this helped others collect their thoughts and start talking.

«Come on, relax, our little grump,» Rebecca muttered, placing her hands on Alex's face and carefully starting to massage it.

Feeling Rebecca's touch, Alex lazily opened his eyes and let her do what she wanted. This gremlin never missed an opportunity to take advantage of the moment, and for now, he didn't see the point in resisting. Meanwhile, he patiently waited for Brunhilde to finally speak.

Alex didn't like being woken up after only an hour of sleep. It left him feeling more tired than before resting. But when Rebecca finished her «ritual» massage, his face took on a more neutral expression, and seeing Alex's usual calm gaze, Brunhilde finally spoke:

«The contender from the gods has been decided,» she informed him.

Alex raised an eyebrow and automatically reached for his pocket, pulling out a cigarette. He had an idea of who it might be, but decided to clarify:

«And who?» he asked, clamping the cigarette between his teeth.

«It's Apollo,» Brunhilde answered quickly, trying to hide her nervousness.

Alex nodded, lighting the cigarette, and thought for a moment. Memories of Apollo from the Danmachi world surfaced in his mind. That guy was an annoying fool, and it seemed like the local Apollo was no different. The only thing that set this Apollo apart was his extreme narcissism. He considered himself the most beautiful of the gods, which made Alex roll his eyes involuntarily.

«Well, of course, another narcissist...» Alex muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples as if trying to ease a headache.

Brunhilde watched him in surprise. Clearly, even Alex found this god extremely unpleasant, which piqued her genuine interest.

«Do you know him?» she asked cautiously, but with intrigue in her tone.

Alex snorted, removing his hand from his face and lazily looking at her.

«This narcissistic idiot doesn't interest me at all,» he replied, taking a drag from his cigarette. «I'm more interested in his sister, Artemis.»

This sentence only deepened Brunhilde's curiosity, but Alex seemed to have completely lost interest in the conversation, continuing to think about who to send against this arrogant god.

Rebecca snickered and slapped Alex on the head.

«Don't be so rude, Alex!» she smirked.

Göndul and Brunhilde exchanged looks, clearly not expecting such unusual behavior from either Rebecca or Alex. However, Brunhilde's interest in Alex's words only grew: why was he more concerned about Artemis, his sister, than about Apollo, the one who would actually fight?

Alex, in turn, appeared completely indifferent to the girls' surprise. His thoughts were elsewhere: he couldn't get the idea out of his head—what would happen if he threw Apollo into the core of the Sun? Would he die? Or would his divine connection to the Sun make him stronger, like Superman?

«What's this sudden interest in Artemis instead of Apollo?» Brunhilde couldn't hold back, tilting her head slightly. «It's Apollo who will be fighting, not her.»

Alex lazily took the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled the smoke before answering:

«Legends say Artemis is a man-hater. She turns men into beasts and then hunts them down. I wonder if that's true,» he said, releasing another puff of smoke. «As for Apollo… The only thing that interests me about him is finding out if he'll die if I throw him into the core of the Sun. That's it.»

Brunhilde's eye twitched noticeably. Göndul, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, suddenly chuckled softly, amused by Alex's strange thoughts. Even Rebecca, holding back a smile, secretly wondered if the god could indeed die if faced with such a fate.

«Are you serious about this?» Brunhilde barely managed to conceal her irritation.

«Why not?» Alex shrugged, as though discussing the most mundane thing.

Rebecca, smirking, even suggested:

«Maybe we should catch an ordinary god first? To have something to compare it to?»

«Enough!» Brunhilde finally snapped. «Can we talk about Ragnarok, instead of this nonsense?»

Alex simply shrugged, agreeing to change the subject.

«Alright,» he said, putting away the cigarette and looking directly at Brunhilde.

She felt relief seeing that Alex had finally stopped thinking about throwing gods into the core of the Sun. However, she was still concerned: did he have anyone who could handle Apollo?

«I hope you have a candidate for this fight?» she asked tiredly, rubbing her temples.

Alex smiled thoughtfully, as if considering something, but didn't respond just yet.

He nodded, although in reality, he hadn't yet decided which fighter his clone should choose. Going through the options, he suddenly settled on an idea. Since Apollo symbolized the Sun, his opponent should be the complete opposite—the embodiment of the night.

In legends, there was only one person who perfectly fit this role. But immediately, a warning bell rang in Alex's mind: if the original of this person truly existed in this world, things could go awry. He could be anywhere—even in the Colosseum or, worse, imprisoned in Helheim.

Quickly praying, Alex asked his clone to take on the appearance of that infamous, brutal figure whose name struck fear into others.

«There's one,» Alex said, trying to remain calm, though his face involuntarily reflected his nervousness. «I hope he won't mind fighting a god of the Sun.»

Brunhilde sensed the change in his expression. She could tell that Alex was tense, and that sparked her curiosity. What could be troubling him so much?

It was all about the risk. If this person truly ended up in the Colosseum, Alex's mask, the carefully constructed cover, would collapse in an instant. It would jeopardize his entire Ragnarok plan and force him to act harshly, without preparation, to catch the real instigator of the chaos.

«Who is this person?» Göndul asked with interest, noticing his hesitation.

Göndul knew that Alex always chose fighters based on the situation, so it surprised her that he was hesitating now. She understood that this wasn't just improvisation—there was something personal about this choice.

«Well…» Alex sighed, nervously rubbing his forehead, before finally answering, «He was the ruler of Wallachia.»

A look of genuine bewilderment flickered across Brunhilde's face.

She asked herself several times in her head, «Could he be referring to that ruler of Wallachia?!»

To make sure it wasn't an auditory hallucination, she even touched her ears, as if checking their functionality. But the nervous expression on Alex's face confirmed that she hadn't misheard.

«You mean you're going to summon that ruler of Wallachia?» Brunhilde asked again, wanting to be sure her assumption was correct.

She stared intently at Alex, awaiting his response, but she couldn't shake the feeling that his choice was too risky.

Rebecca watched the conversation between Alex and Brunhilde, still trying to figure out which ruler they were talking about and why Brunhilde was so surprised. The confusion, barely concealed on her face, only deepened when she noticed the other Valkyries turning to eavesdrop on the conversation. Even Göndul, raising an eyebrow, looked at Alex with interest and a hint of skepticism, clearly not understanding why he had made such a choice for his clone.

«Well, the one called Dracula,» Alex finally clarified, shrugging slightly.

«Oh gods…» Brunhilde muttered, pressing her hand to her forehead.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as though she were trying to process Alex's words. She couldn't believe he'd chosen this fighter. Her own choices for previous battles, as brutal as they were, didn't even compare to this legend. Yes, she had summoned Jack the Ripper, but compared to Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula, it seemed like a lesser evil.

«How did you even manage to cross paths with him?» she asked, removing her hand from her face and giving him an incredulous look. «He was cursed. His soul was supposed to dissipate forever.»

Alex shrugged in response, putting on a deliberately innocent expression as he calmly replied:

«Maybe I accidentally saved him… or maybe I did it on purpose. Who knows? I can't even remember what I was thinking back then.»

The Valkyries looked at him with clear irritation. His attempt to act innocent was so unconvincing that it made them struggle to hide their disdainful looks. This was a game that could fool only a complete fool.

But Alex, deep inside, remained calm. He knew that the real Dracula was completely dead in this world. This meant there would be no issues with his clone, who would take on the appearance of the legendary Vlad the Impaler.

He silently thanked his luck for once again being on his side. Alex even thought that if he ever met the physical embodiment of luck, he would kiss that person for everything they had done for him.

«You're joking, right?» Brunhilde stared at Alex, as if trying to determine whether he was serious.

But her doubts disappeared when she noticed that his expression remained innocent.

«I see you're not joking…» she sighed tiredly, closing her eyes for a moment, as though trying to process what she had heard.

Alex kept his role intact but was inwardly rejoicing: everything was going according to plan.

Brunhilde let out a heavy sigh, trying to suppress her discontent. However, she quickly concluded that Alex's choice might indeed work. Sometimes cruelty was the weapon needed to deal with someone like Apollo.

Alex, for his part, hoped his clone would appear soon. That would help him avoid any unnecessary questions, for which he hadn't yet come up with answers. At the same time, he was contemplating his next steps: should he visit Zeus to discuss the future, or wait until Ragnarok was over to propose a new world governance system?

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sharp sound of a door opening. Everyone simultaneously turned their heads. In the doorway stood a girl with a stern expression on her face.

«How much longer do I have to look for you? The gods have already chosen their fighter, and you're all just lounging around!» she said coldly, giving the room a strict glance.

«Geirölul, you've arrived too early. Your partner hasn't arrived yet,» Brunhilde calmly replied, turning to the girl.

Alex glanced at the newly arrived Valkyrie and immediately remembered her. Geirölul was the fifth of the thirteen sisters. Her long hair, adorned with two wing-shaped hairpins, was styled into elegant side ponytails that reached her waist. In front, her hair was curled into tight locks, complementing the image of a kokoshnik with three circles at the top.

Her outfit was impressive in its complexity and sophistication. A high collar with a diamond-shaped clasp, a black bodysuit under a flowing robe with long sleeves that completely hid her arms, white patterns, and a multilayered lower part of the robe reminded one of a blend between European clothing and a kimono. A black bow on her chest added elegance, completing the Valkyrie's unique appearance.

Geirölul surveyed the room with displeasure, not hiding her irritation. Her gaze shifted over the sisters, who, ignoring what was happening, were enjoying some strange show. All the Valkyries were wearing headphones, trying not to be distracted by any external noise.

Then her attention turned to Buddha, who, following Alex's example, was peacefully dozing in an armchair, with earplugs in his ears. Geirölul then noticed Göll, who was happily playing in some children's group.

Finally, her gaze stopped on Brunhilde, standing in front of the couch, Göndul, who was holding Alex's hand, and Alex himself, sitting on the couch with an indifferent expression. Rebecca, sitting behind Alex, remained out of Geirölul's sight due to her small stature.

«I see you're having fun here. Instead of preparing for Ragnarok, you've all decided to take a break,» Geirölul remarked sarcastically, ignoring Brunhilde's words.

Alex tried to recall the details of Geirölul's character. He knew she was proud, hated being spoken to condescendingly, and had a quick temper. This combination made him shudder at the thought of hearing her loud screams in the near future.

For a moment, his thoughts shifted in another direction: to refuse Geirölul's help and instead just pull out some artifact from his inventory to deal with Apollo on his own.

«Your partner will arrive soon, so you can sit down for now,» Brunhilde calmly suggested, ignoring her sister's irritation.

Geirölul nodded and sat in an empty armchair, occasionally glancing at Alex. Her interest was genuine: this man had managed to capture the attention of two of her sisters, which seemed almost impossible to her. She had seen the broadcasts of the battles and knew that Alex and Brunhilde were close, but she was especially surprised that Göndul had also shown interest in him.

Geirölul was aware that Göndul had a passion for science, which meant that Alex really knew that field well enough to even earn respect from her sister, who was known for her strictness in choosing conversational partners.

Alex, for his part, was also watching Geirölul closely. His thoughts once again returned to the idea of refusing her help. However, before he could dwell on it, the door to the lounge opened once again.

A tall man appeared in the doorway. His appearance immediately drew attention. A black Victorian-style suit, a long coat carelessly draped over his shoulders and hanging loosely behind him. Thick black hair, light stubble, and neatly groomed mustache gave him the appearance of a strict but majestic aristocrat. The man was the same height as Alex—190 cm.

Alex recognized the figure. His clone had taken the form of Vlad the Impaler, the famous ruler of Wallachia, later known as Dracula. This appearance reminded Alex of a time when Vlad had not yet become the legendary monster Alucard, whom people would fear and respect.

Brunhilde silently examined the man who had entered, evaluating every detail. She had never met the infamous Dracula in person, but now standing before her was his exact replica. Göndul, on the other hand, was intrigued by Alex's choice. Her gaze kept darting between him and his clone, trying to understand why he had chosen this particular form.

Alex jumped off the couch, preparing for the next act. Geirölul also studied the newcomer closely, realizing that he was her partner for the upcoming battle. Her gaze slid over his posture, the way he carried himself, his gestures. Everything about this man screamed greatness, pride, and an unyielding character. She nodded in approval, recognizing that joining forces with such a person was a wise choice.

«Vlad, my old friend. It's been a long time since we last met,» Alex said with a smile, beginning the improvisation.

«Alexander, my long-time companion, indeed, it has been quite a while,» Vlad replied, easily playing along.

They embraced, pretending to be old friends. However, for Alex, it was another strange and uncomfortable moment—the feeling of hugging himself, even through a clone, caused a slight unease.

Brunhilde watched this scene with interest. She wondered how Alex and Vlad Dracula could have met. According to her information, Vlad should have been long dead due to the curse that had struck his soul. But Alex claimed to have saved Dracula, and Brunhilde wanted to know how and when this had happened.

She had heard the legends about Vlad Dracula, who sold his soul to protect his people from the Ottomans. After the contract ended, Dracula's soul was supposed to be cursed and destroyed. But now, before her stood a man who, against all myths, had preserved his essence.

«You've probably heard of him already, but allow me to properly introduce him. This is Vlad III Dracula, better known as Vlad the Impaler,» Alex said, smiling lightly as he introduced his clone to the others.

When Alex's words were spoken, the young valkyrie Göll turned her head and saw the infamous Vlad the Impaler. Even she, despite her youth, knew the legends about Dracula—terrifying stories that had been used to scare children for centuries. Göll involuntarily shuddered, realizing she was in the same room as such a being. However, she quickly pulled herself together, deciding that if this man was a friend of her older brother, there was no reason to worry.

Still, the fear didn't quite leave her. Trying to find a place where she could feel safe, Göll sat next to G.I.R. and MIMI—two beings she trusted unconditionally.

«I thought your soul was supposed to be destroyed by the curse,» Brunhilde said, carefully studying Vlad.

«That was supposed to happen,» Vlad replied calmly, meeting her gaze. «But my friend Alexander found a way to solve this problem. Now I only wish to repay him.»

Brunhilde nodded, but her curiosity continued to grow. How had Alex managed to save Dracula from a curse that seemed inevitable? She glanced at Alex, as if expecting him to speak, but Alex remained silent, smiling slightly as he observed the reactions of those around him.

Meanwhile, Geirölul, hearing the name of her partner, became even more intrigued. She also knew the legends about Dracula. According to her information, Vlad sold his soul to protect his people and was supposed to die once his mission was completed. For Geirölul, Vlad was the embodiment of a proud ruler who did not bow before invaders and was willing to sacrifice himself for his people. This earned her respect.

Geirölul rose from the chair and approached Vlad. She looked him straight in the eyes, her gaze full of determination.

«In this battle, I will be your partner. I hope we'll work well together,» she said with a wide smile.

Alex internally sighed, realizing the storm of indignation that would fall upon him once Geirölul learned the truth. He could already imagine her furious shouts in his mind and even considered temporarily severing the connection to avoid it.

Göndul, observing Alex's emotions, couldn't help but let out a slight smile. She found it amusing to see someone who always acted systematically and was prepared for any surprise, now getting nervous over what seemed like trivial matters.

«He's becoming more like an ordinary person,» thought Göndul. Recalling the images and memories she had seen in his mind, she couldn't remember a single moment where Alex behaved like the true Demon King he claimed to be.

Vlad and Geirölul's hands touched, and in that moment, the Valkyrie's body began to glow, becoming increasingly transparent until it vanished completely. Alex mentally counted to three, and as expected, Geirölul's scream echoed in his mind. The sharp cry, full of rage and fury, resonated as a painful headache, as she was ready to shout that she had been deceived. However, Göndul intervened, calmly explaining all of Alex's plans to Geirölul.

Alex looked at Göndul with gratitude, barely restraining the urge to hug the Valkyrie tightly. He wanted to thank her for helping calm the proud and enraged Geirölul. Temporarily severing the mental link with the Valkyries to avoid hearing their screams in his head, Alex looked at the new clone and felt a little disoriented.

Now his clone was clad in black and red plate armor and a tattered cloak, which slightly confused Alex. He had expected Geirölul to take the form of a shield, not armor and a sword. However, Alex soon realized that this might be related to the ambiguity of Geirölul's name. He quickly dismissed the unnecessary thoughts and focused on the appearance of his clone.

«I'm counting on you, my friend,» Alex said, extending his hand for a handshake.

«Don't worry, my friend. I won't let you down. It's just one god,» replied Vlad, shaking Alex's hand.

Alex and Vlad exchanged nods, and Vlad made his way toward the stone gates leading to the arena. After Vlad left, Alex suggested the others head to the observation balcony to watch the battle. Brunhilde nodded and approached Alex, taking his arm.

Göll, hearing Alex's suggestion, quickly finished her game with the group of intruders and, grabbing the robo-dog, walked over to Alex, ready to accompany him. Alex also suggested Göndul come along, but she shook her head, deciding to stay. Alex narrowed his eyes suspiciously but merely shrugged. He thought that perhaps Göndul simply wanted to hear more details from Rebecca or something like that.

Alex cast a final glance at the room and noticed Buddha snoring loudly and missing something again. Before leaving, he caught the mocking gazes of the Valkyries he was connected with and realized he had missed something important after severing the mental connection with Geirölul.

Lost in thought, Alex wondered whether he should re-establish the connection and listen to the Valkyrie's reproaches about how he had deceived her. But in the end, he decided to put it off for later, until he reached the observation balcony. He decided to leave everything in the hands of his clone.

To be continued...