Herta Space Station.
Storage Zone.
Inside a sealed chamber hidden deep within the station.
Kafka gently brushed a hand across Stelle’s cheek as the unconscious woman lay on the floor.
Then she slowly rose to her feet.
She did not appear ready to leave.
Instead, Kafka rested one hand against her hip and looked toward an apparently empty corner of the room with a knowing smile.
“You should come out now.”
“We will be leaving soon.”
Interesting.
Kafka knew Kai was there.
It appeared that Kai’s arrival had already altered Elio’s script.
Kai smiled and allowed herself to become visible.
She appeared harmless at first glance.
Her slender figure and charming expression made her seem completely incapable of threatening anyone.
Kafka did not lower her guard.
A faint smile remained on her lips as her rose-colored eyes carefully examined the unexpected visitor.
Silver Wolf was considerably less composed.
She planted one hand against her hip and pointed the other directly at Kai.
“You.”
“Give me back my accounts.”
Kai looked at her in silence.
A faint and deeply suspicious smile appeared on her face.
She had somehow managed to say nothing while communicating an extraordinary amount of mockery.
Silver Wolf stared back at her.
She knew Kai was laughing at her.
She simply lacked evidence.
The lack of evidence did nothing to prevent Silver Wolf’s face from turning red.
She prepared to attack.
Kafka calmly raised one hand and stopped her.
Kai had remained hidden near them for a considerable amount of time without being detected.
Whoever she was, she could not be underestimated.
After several gentle words from Kafka, Silver Wolf reluctantly abandoned her immediate plan to fight Kai.
Kai tilted her head.
“It seems Elio warned you about me.”
“That cat interrupted Kai’s entertainment.”
“If Kai ever catches him, she is shaving every last piece of fur from his body.”
Kai made an aggressive plucking motion with both hands.
Kafka’s expression did not change, but her thoughts moved quickly.
Kai knew that Elio was a cat.
She also knew the exact number of Silver Wolf’s gaming accounts.
This woman possessed an alarming amount of information about the Stellaron Hunters.
Who was she?
Why had she come looking for them?
Before Kafka could ask, Kai suddenly rushed toward them.
Kafka’s smile stiffened.
Both hands moved toward the weapons at her waist.
Elio had said the unknown variable would not harm them.
Even so, Kai’s movements looked exactly like the beginning of an attack.
There was no reason to take unnecessary risks.
Silver Wolf activated her aether editing and prepared to retaliate.
Kai stopped directly in front of Kafka.
She stared up at her for several seconds.
Then she placed both hands behind her back, tilted her head, and smiled with perfect sweetness.
“Mom.”
Silver Wolf froze.
Had she heard that correctly?
What had Kai just called Kafka?
Even Kafka paused.
Her hand remained halfway to her weapon.
Curiosity and amusement appeared within her rose-colored eyes.
“What did you call me?”
“Mom.”
Kai repeated the word with an even sweeter smile.
Then she stepped forward and threw her arms around Kafka.
Kafka looked down at the woman embracing her.
The playful edge in her expression softened into something warmer.
“What an adorable child.”
“If that is what you wish to call me, I suppose I can allow it for now.”
Kafka gently kissed Kai’s forehead before wrapping her arms around her.
She knew Kai was far more dangerous than she appeared.
However, Kafka could also sense that Kai held no genuine hostility toward them.
More strangely, Kai appeared to feel an instinctive affection toward her.
It resembled the happiness of someone reuniting with a beloved mother after a very long separation.
Such an emotion would have been difficult to imitate so convincingly.
That was why Kafka responded with genuine warmth.
Silver Wolf folded her arms.
Her expression darkened.
This shameless woman had called Kafka her mother just to receive a hug.
Silver Wolf refused to respect such underhanded tactics.
She turned her head and closed her eyes, pretending she did not care.
Kai relaxed completely within Kafka’s warm embrace.
She released a quiet, satisfied sound.
So this was what being hugged by Kafka felt like.
Warm.
Comforting.
Dangerously easy to become attached to.
Silver Wolf opened one eye and glanced toward them.
Kafka was holding an outsider with unmistakable tenderness.
Kai looked far too comfortable.
Jealousy immediately began building inside Silver Wolf.
Among the Stellaron Hunters, Kafka frequently occupied the role of the responsible and comforting member of their strange family.
Her warm embraces had traditionally been reserved for Silver Wolf, Firefly, and Stelle.
Now Kai had somehow gained access as well.
Silver Wolf felt as though someone had walked into her home and stolen her favorite seat.
This was unacceptable.
Kai was clearly a menace.
Kafka needed to recognize the deception.
Unfortunately, Kafka continued holding her.
Silver Wolf decided that intervention was necessary.
Kafka’s hugs had to be protected.
She checked the time and immediately found the perfect excuse.
“Kafka.”
“The Astral Express will arrive soon.”
“According to the script, we are not supposed to meet them here.”
“I know, Silver Wolf.”
Kafka glanced at her with visible amusement.
“Just a little longer.”
She had immediately recognized Silver Wolf’s jealousy.
How adorable.
Still, they genuinely needed to leave.
Kafka decided to let Kai rest for only another moment.
Once the Astral Express crew arrived, they could wake her.
…
Kafka slowly released Kai.
Kai finally escaped from the dangerously comfortable embrace.
Kafka gently patted her head.
Then she prepared to use the same Spirit Whisper she had previously used on Stelle.
Before Kafka could speak, a mischievous smile appeared on Kai’s face.
Kai spoke first.
“Listen to me.”
Kafka froze.
The light vanished from her eyes.
Her expression became blank and empty.
Silver Wolf stared in horror.
Someone had just used Kafka’s own command phrase against her.
This was a complete reversal of the natural order.
Silver Wolf expected Kafka to retaliate immediately.
Instead, Kafka remained motionless.
“What happened?”
Silver Wolf hurried to her side.
Kafka appeared to have lost consciousness while still standing.
Her face showed no emotion, and her unfocused eyes stared into the distance.
“Kafka.”
“What did you do to her?”
Silver Wolf turned toward Kai in fury.
“Kafka was kind to you.”
“You cannot treat her like this.”
She activated aether editing and launched an attack.
Kai effortlessly avoided it.
She looked back at Silver Wolf with a wicked smile.
“I suggest you remain calm.”
“You would not want those seventy-six gaming accounts to remain permanently banned.”
Silver Wolf clenched her teeth.
Those accounts represented years of progress.
Every character, achievement, event reward, and limited cosmetic had been earned through her own effort.
Losing them was painful.
Kafka was still more important.
Silver Wolf is prepared to attack again.
Kai’s voice reached her before she could move.
“Relax.”
“Elio already told you that Kai would not hurt anyone here.”
“Besides, Kafka is Kai’s mom.”
“What kind of daughter would hurt her own mother?”
“She will return safely before long.”
Kai made a small gesture.
Kafka immediately walked to her side.
Together, they began moving toward the exit.
Elio’s scripts had never failed them before.
Even so, watching a stranger take Kafka away filled Silver Wolf with unease.
She did not attack again.
Instead, she stepped in front of the doorway and blocked their path.
Kai linked one arm through Kafka’s.
Her voice remained gentle, but its meaning was unmistakably threatening.
“Kai’s patience is limited.”
“At the moment, Kafka is perfectly safe.”
“Continue interfering, and Kai may no longer be able to guarantee that.”
Silver Wolf glared at her.
“You are not leaving me here either.”
“The station is still filled with Voidrangers.”
“You were already planning to wait for Kafka.”
“Why not spend that time helping the researchers and cleaning up the Legion forces you brought here?”
“You redirected most of those monsters toward the station.”
“Why should I clean up your mess?”
“You are free to refuse.”
Kai’s smile widened.
“The consequences may become unpleasant.”
She moved closer and lowered her voice beside Silver Wolf’s ear.
“Silver Wolf.”
“You would not want anything unfortunate to happen to Kafka.”
Silver Wolf’s fists tightened.
She had no useful response.
She felt completely powerless as Kai prepared to walk away with Kafka.
After a long moment, Silver Wolf released a defeated sigh and moved aside.
Before leaving, Kai glanced back at her.
Silver Wolf was furious.
Given the opportunity, she would probably attempt to beat Kai into the floor.
That expression awakened Kai’s desire to cause just a little more trouble.
She tilted her head and looked back with an unbearably smug smile.
“Poor Silver Wolf.”
“She could not rescue Kafka, so now she is experiencing a complete emotional breakdown.”
“Crying, raging, and suffering.”
“How tragic.”
“Hehe.”
Silver Wolf’s shout echoed through the chamber.
“Kai.”
◉◉◉◉◉
Save to library!