Chương 76: Alexander Reid

"Damn wench, always causing strife for others. You need to get your staff in order, Max, or I'll have your head for this!" Mochi roared as he woke, cranky as hell.

"Might as well feed me now. Damn you all. You owe me my beauty sleep!" He continued as he descended the cat tree and ran down the hallway, now faster than ever. Maximus rubbed his eyes, put on his shifting sneakers, and rushed out of bed, following Mochi, while Sprout sensed no danger and relaxed further, quite enjoying the soft pillow he had made his bed for the night.

Down the stairs in the middle of the hallway, turned towards the living room, stood a tall, toned, raven-haired woman. She wore a flowing yellow summer dress littered with daisies that barely fit her athletic body. Despite her height, which towered over most men, and her carefully trained muscles, she looked feminine as well, her face a mix of cute and pretty that didn't quite match her form.

Around her, two bags of premium litter and three full bags of cat food lay in disarray as she continued screaming at the sight of Vesper and Jade relaxing in the living room. Vesper exhaled and shouted, "Boss, you better come down here!" just as Jade rose into the air and buzzed, intrigued by the new individual shouting. The first to arrive was Bambi, followed by Mochi shortly after. The two cats started nudging the shaking woman's legs, twisting around them.

"Calm down, Christina. They are friends!" Bambi meowed.

"Shut it, you poor excuse of a maid! My ears are going to commit suicide!" Mochi roared until he finally lost patience and bit into the woman's leg.

"Mochi, what are you attacking me for?! There are monsters here. Are you two both blind?!" The woman finally stopped screaming and started arguing with the cats as she hurried to pick them up, ready to flee.

"Christina! Calm down. I can explain everything!" Suddenly, a voice she had not heard in months shook her to her core, as tears welled in her green eyes.

"M-M-Max?!" She turned slowly, her hands shaking as she let go of the complaining Mochi and lunged at Maximus, ignoring the monsters, the bags on the floor, and everything else. She hugged him tightly and lifted him off the last step into a bear hug.

"You are alive! Where were you, Max? I've looked everywhere... There were no signs of you, your corpse, or your existence on the First Plane." She stepped back to take a good look at him, and she gasped.

"Why is your hair so long? And your ears!" She gasped.

"You even look younger than ever!" Then she leaned in.

"Did you go to Seoul to get your face and ears done to look like those characters from your games?" She whispered.

"Though what was with all the blood then? Did you fight a monster? I had it checked; it was yours…" She furrowed her brow. Then, before Maximus could say anything, a loud growl came from the kitchen as a large white head peeked from the hallway.

"Who the fuck is making a racket so early in the morning? Max, you not-so-smelly bastard. Did you go hunt us some breakfast?"

"Oh, don't get me started, ugly one. They have been ignoring my growling stomach for eternity now!" Mochi roared as he joined Silex's complaints.

"Aaaaah, a dinosaur!" Christina screamed and lost consciousness. Maximus caught her and sighed.

"Well, that was quite an eventful wake-up call."

"I told you that she was useless!" Mochi shouted, feeling that this was his moment to gloat.

"Oh, shut it, fool!" Bambi slapped him over the head as she walked up to Maximus.

"Max, she is a silly woman, but a useful one. Let's move her to the sofa." Bambi advised.

"Do not worry. I am not a savage. A lady needs to be treated with respect!" Maximus spoke as he took Christina into his arms and carried her into the living room.

Maximus laid Christina down on the sofa and covered her with a blanket that was lying around. Then he opened the doors to the backyard, letting Vesper and Jade out while he cleaned up the mess she had made.

"Where do you keep the food?" Maximus asked as he noticed meat wrapped in transparent bags.

"In the fridge." Bambi ran to the large double-door refrigerator. Maximus nodded and followed. As he opened the doors, his eyes widened. The air is cold within! Is this some sort of cold-attuned permanent enhancement? Would they mind if I took it apart? Just for a little while? He mused inwardly.

"I don't like that look in your eyes. Do not break my fridge, Max! This keeps my food fresh!" Bambi meowed loudly.

"Relax." He shook his head and stored the meat inside.

"Hey, what about breakfast?" Silex suddenly roared.

"I'll buy something with tokens for now. We have more than enough. Later, I will try to find a market here and buy everything that we need for our time here!" Maximus reassured Silex. Then, led by Bambi, he opened two bags of cat food for her and Mochi each, each picking their favorite flavors.

"It says that you should only get one bag for each meal!" Maximus noticed the instructions on the packaging as he had already prepared their servings.

"It's just a recommendation. Don't sweat it!" Bambi purred.

"Aye, Max, those are pure lies. Trust your King Mochi. Would I ever lie to you?" Mochi spoke through a full mouth as he slurped the sauce. Seeing this, Sprout squealed in a high-pitched, almost amused sound, as if laughing.

"What? You think they are tricking me? You might be right, my old friend." Maximus chuckled and let the cats eat. Then he spent 300 tokens buying some supplies. He got some chicken for Vesper and Silex, some mana-rich water for Sprout, and some fruits for Jade, which he arranged on a plate alongside a few large berries, of which he still had many, along with centipede meat. He then served it all outside, knowing how messy Silex could be when he ate. For himself, he didn't buy anything.

Instead, he opened the fridge and took out an assortment of food, wanting to try a few oddities. First, he tried a fruit yogurt. Oh my! This is so sweet, yet refreshing! He smiled, his eyes glistening as he finished the cup and then opened a pack of sliced smoked ham, which he paired with some cheese. He finished both packages, moaning the whole time, then obliterated two large Milka chocolates with caramel filling.

"And the peasants say that I am a pig!" Mochi laughed as he jumped onto the counter where Maximus was sitting, eyeing the pile of empty food packages. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I've never had such tasty food before. The last black bars were especially delicious! But now I do not feel well at all. Maybe it was spoiled? I do not think that this food is good for a body!" He said.

"Well, not if you eat it all in one sitting." Bambi jumped onto the counter as well, her chin still brown from the food.

"Not like you two are the ones to talk." Maximus chuckled as he wiped Bambi's chin.

"Now then. Let us go wake Christina. I have many questions!" Maximus said and cleaned up the mess into an empty bag before moving into the living room.

Christina opened her eyes slowly as she heard a familiar voice calling for her.

"I'm coming, Max!" She suddenly shouted and sat upright, only to see Maximus's enhanced form staring down at her.

"Max! You need to run; there are monsters in the house! I don't know how. The dungeon nearby has not opened yet either!" She shouted hurriedly.

"Christina! First, take a deep breath and relax!" Maximus spoke calmly. A dungeon nearby? That would be worth a visit! Christina paused for a moment. Somehow, Maximus seemed different, even more so than his current body would indicate. She inhaled deeply and exhaled, doing so three times before she finally spoke.

"Max, can you please tell me what happened to you? You don't seem like yourself. Your eyes, your tone... Just what happened?" She pressed. Bambi and Mochi jumped onto the sofa. Bambi sat next to Max as he took a seat as well, while Mochi jumped into Christina's lap and meowed loudly.

"Pet me, wench! Now!" She started petting him, and he purred in satisfaction.

"If only we could understand them, huh?" She chuckled as she waited for Maximus to speak.

"Listen, what I am about to say might be hard for you to accept, but please know that it is the truth!" Maximus spoke seriously, making her take another deep breath.

"Just before I disappeared, I was attacked by someone from behind. I was stabbed and struck over the head with something, which made me fall into the pond." He paused for a brief moment as he noticed her eyes widen and her hands start to tremble.

"Luckily, the Astrae had chosen me moments before all this happened, and before I could bleed out in the pond, I was taken to the Trials, where I was healed and somehow survived." As he spoke, her expression grew more complicated.

"In the Trials, I met some good people who helped me, and together we managed to grow stronger. Strong enough to pass the trial before the time was up. My reward for my deeds was being allowed to go back home for a month. And the so-called monsters you saw are my companions. My class is a Druid." He explained as simply as he could. Before she could say anything, Sprout walked in on all fours and jumped onto Maximus's shoulder, staring at Christina with interest.

"But why are you so different?" She continued, staring into a plant deer being.

"I lost my memory from the attack and learned what I could from my relative Toby Reid, whom I unfortunately met there. My body changed due to some rewards and my class." He explained simply.

"How do you know who I am then?" She tilted her head.

"The cats told me," Maximus replied simply, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"The what now?" She gasped.

"The cats. I can speak with beasts and small animals due to my skills. Don't worry about it!" He waved it off.

"This is all insane, Max..." She stared at him before moving Mochi aside and hugging him.

"But at least you are alive and back!" She whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"Indeed..." He sighed.

"It is smart to keep the truth hidden. She wouldn't be able to handle it!" Bambi agreed.

"We should also be careful! The enemy could be around!" Mochi added. Christina let go just as Sprout jumped onto her shoulder, patting her head with a vine.

"Thank you, little one." She smiled. Yes, you are right. I also sense no malice from the woman.

"About all this. Do you have any idea who could've attacked me?" Maximus asked.

"Well, you should know some things first." She started while Sprout kept patting her like a good child, which made Mochi roar with laughter.

"Look who is getting petted now! Plant, you should pet me like that instead!"

"I am working for the ADA, the Association of Defender Affairs. Three years ago, you approached us with information on the Crimson Claw in return for protection and assistance. Since then, we have managed to shut down dozens of their branches across Europe, but some remain, the better hidden ones. Their HQ we have been unable to do anything about as well, due to the existence of your father." She admitted.

"My father? How strong is he?" Maximus questioned.

"Alexander Reid is an S-rank threat, and that is as far as we are aware. He might as well be an SS-rank, since data about him comes only from when he finished the Trials eighteen years ago. We know that he mostly used some sort of beastly form to fight, but that was in the early days, so most of the information has been lost." She explained.

"It doesn't help that he has made his headquarters in the northern part of Denmark, where, due to dungeon breaks within the North Sea, the entire northern region of the country has become inhospitable. Only monsters like him can live there carelessly." She sighed.

"You mentioned Defenders. Who are those?"

"It's how people have named those who have finished the Trials and are now protecting Earth against monsters and other threats. They usually create Guilds, which they lead, and take over parts of the world they choose to protect."

"And you manage them?" Maximus asked.

"We try to keep them in check. Well, as much as you can control monstrous beings. Luckily, our leader, Director Briggs, is enough of a deterrent to let us have influence over them. And frankly, most of them, if they get enough monsters to hunt and levels to gain, are easy to deal with." She chuckled.

"Wasn't it hard to level outside?"

"Oh, it is terribly so. For some reason, experience is very hard to get by. And in safer areas like this one, there are barely any dungeons where you can hunt something. That's why using the Trials as much as you can to take whatever you can is important, but not everyone can do it. It is a harsh reality after all." She nodded. Talking with her like this, she does seem a bit more capable.

"Are you a Defender as well?" He asked.

"Oh, no, no." She said sadly.

"I was not chosen yet, but I do as much as I can as a member of the Association." She admitted.

"Mhm. At least you keep your body in better condition than Max did!" Maximus chuckled, making her blush and crack a soft smile.

"I think that you looked great before, regardless." She admitted.

"Hah, what do looks have to do with survival? Why didn't you push him... me, to forge his body alongside you? Give you a sword and a bit of mana, and you should be on the level of Novice Knights, no problem!" Maximus spoke, quite irritated at the old Max. Seeing the woman before him, and how steadfast and hardworking she was in preparing herself, he just couldn't understand why Max would simply lie around.

"You are being too harsh on your old self. He may not have looked like it in recent years, but Maximus Reid was once a great fighter. Though resentment towards his father pushed him away from it all." She admitted.

"Ruining your own body because you resent someone? Tossing away your strength because you hate someone? It's ridiculous! Those are the times when you must be strong, when you need to grow even more!" Maximus raised his voice before exhaling in annoyance.

"Tone it down, Max. You are too different when you speak like that!" Bambi hissed.

"You big oaf!" Mochi shook his head.

"The Planes were not easy for you, huh? You have changed, Max, even if we ignore the head trauma and amnesia. You are much different. Like you've grown older." She spoke naively.

"Christina, the Planes are not a playground. On my first day there, we were hunted by my father's men. On my fifth, I watched half of the participants get burned alive. On the next day, we encountered a village of zombies taken over by Necromancers who wiped out the whole place to raise the dead. The Planes are a place of survival, where the strong only get stronger, and the weak perish... quickly." He lowered his voice. Christina gulped.

"I understand that much, Max. I've read the reports." She nodded.

"Good. Keep learning and training. That's the best you can do right now!" He nodded.

"Now then. How about you take me to the markets? I have many things to acquire!" He smiled, and Sprout eagerly clapped with his vines. ‎