Louis slowly opened his eyes to the familiar wooden ceiling of Red Tide City.
"...I'm back."
As his mind gradually cleared, the tension that had weighed on his chest throughout the journey finally began to ease.
He felt soft bodies beside him and heard faint breathing.
On either side, Sif and Emily clung to him like a pair of octopuses.
Silver-white and blue hair mingled beneath the covers. Their cheeks were faintly flushed, their breaths warm, their expressions relaxed, as though they were still basking in last night's reunion.
Absence really did make the heart grow fonder.
Louis gave a faint, wry smile, brushing his fingertips over the hair on Emily's shoulder before stroking the fine strands beside Sif's earlobe.
But this was no time to lose himself in their tender embrace.
He shifted ever so slightly, slipping his arms free as quietly as a fugitive sneaking away, without waking either of them.
He exhaled, slowly raised his hand, and swept it through the air.
"Activate the daily intelligence system."
With a low hum, a translucent blue-white interface emerged from thin air.
Information appeared like falling rain, gleaming with a cool light as it rapidly arranged itself:
[Daily intelligence update complete] [1: The Despair Witch has transformed into a "Doom Seed" and is currently dormant deep within the earth's crust. She is expected to awaken in 10 years.] [2: Titus Shuanglie has taken advantage of the Brood Hive's chaos to unite the remnants of the Cold Moon Tribe, proclaiming himself the "Lord of the Northern Frost." His expansionist ambitions are clear, and his goal may be to unite the Barbarian communities of the Northern Frontier.] [3: Magewood's follow-up investigation team of mages has departed for the Northern Frontier.]
The lingering drowsiness vanished from his face.
"She's still not