Lisa looked up at me, her wide eyes shimmering with disbelief. “You must be joking…” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Please, Charlie… don’t tease me like this…” She looked genuinely distraught.

“Uhmm…” Without thinking, I rushed to her side and wrapped her in a hug, which, thanks to the ridiculously low seating, resulted in her head landing squarely on my cleavage.

Suffer as I suffered!

I grinned.

Or… Wait… What am I doing?!!

I awkwardly patted her head, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. “I’m not joking, Lisa. That I can promise. But once you meet the mythic someone, it’s all on you. Deal?”

Lisa seemed to melt into the hug, her tension fading as she let out a soft, contented hum. Meanwhile, Katherine burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking as she pointed at us. “Charlie! Yar two… Same!” Her words barely made it through her laughter as she doubled over.

Lucas, for his part, was grinning from ear to ear.

Lisa, now thoroughly content, started humming a cheerful tune as I continued to pet her head absentmindedly. Her hair was soft, and for a moment, I allowed myself to bask in the sheer absurdity of it all.

If someone had told me a week ago, when I was drowning my sorrows in my favorite pub, that I’d be sitting here with Katherine and Lucas, mythic promises in the air, petting a mage like a cat, I’d have laughed them out of the bar.

But here we are.

Right then, the waitress returned. “Any other drinks?” she asked, her tone neutral but her gaze curious as it swept over our lively group.

Lucas immediately nodded, about to order something. I shot a quick glance at Adam, who was doing his best not to glare, but was definitely paying close attention. His stare didn’t feel hostile, more… protective, like a parent watching their kid try something risky.

I won’t let you down, Ady.

“I’ll have something non-alcoholic, like soda—” I said, but Katherine interrupted, her voice full of excitement.

“Beer!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet with enough energy to startle the poor waitress. “Czech tradition! Ya drink beer!”

I shook my head firmly. “Sorry, Kit, but…”

“No-alcohol beer!” she cut me off, practically vibrating with enthusiasm as she gestured dramatically toward the waitress. “No regret!”

The waitress, clearly used to dealing with impulsive con-goers, took a careful step back and nodded. “Yes, we have that… I’ll bring one right away.”

Lisa ordered some super fancy drink I never heard about and, to my surprise, they had it. I sat back in my seat and we all were observing Lena, who found a new best friend and they were locked in a fierce duel.

“Charlie… at the performance, you really hyped the crowd with that epic fight, yeah?” Lucas asked, leaning forward slightly. I nodded, catching the curious tilt of his head. “Well, what’s the plan for managing all that? I still have… y’know, other responsibilities. Certain things that need taking care of.”

Damn, I totally forgot about that.

I tapped my chin thoughtfully, then flashed him a mischievous grin. “Yeah, I can’t just hog all your time, huh? We’ll leave Pearl some bits and pieces to handle too. Balance, right?”

Lucas opened his mouth, probably ready to fire back some sarcastic retort, but he stopped mid-breath, his eyes narrowing as he eyed me.

Before I could ask what his deal was, I felt a shift in the air—Adam plopped down beside me, his usual guarded expression intact, while Lola hovered awkwardly near the edge of the table, clutching her ever-present tablet like it was a lifeline.

I raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s up, Lola? You look like you’re about to ask for permission to slay a dragon or something. Come on, sit down,” I said, patting the empty seat next to Lisa.

Lola hesitated for a heartbeat, then perched like she was bracing herself for an exam. She fidgeted slightly, chewing on her bottom lip before finally speaking. “Lady Charlie, I…” She bit her lip harder, then quickly added, “I overheard… but I wasn’t, like, eavesdropping! I swear! I just… heard you might need help.”

Her voice trailed off, and she stared at the table, visibly nervous.

I reached out and dabbed her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. “Calm down, Lola. It’s fine. What did you hear?”

“That you need help,” she repeated, quieter this time. Then, with a sudden burst of determination, she added, “I can help! I’m… I’m really good at organizing things. I can prove it!”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I blinked, surprised by her earnestness. Then I laughed—a light, genuine laugh that seemed to ease some of the tension in the air. Shaking my head, I said, “Lola, you already did. You’ve been incredible all day. Tell you what—do you want to be my steward?”

Her eyes widened. “Your… steward?”

“Yeah.” I grinned wider, leaning back in my seat. “Lucas here is my keeper, but I’ve been lacking a good steward. If you’re up for it, consider your role before the battle as a trial period. Do well, and we’ll make it official.” I winked playfully.

Lola blinked, then nodded furiously, her cheeks flushing with pride. “Yes, Lady Charlie! I won’t let you down!”

Adam shook his head slowly, the corner of his mouth quirking in disbelief. “You all act like this is real life,” he muttered, leaning back with his arms crossed, his eyes flicking between us.

Maybe it is.

Maybe was Riker right, and Rimelion was real. With all the consequences of that thought.

As I contemplated, Lucas shrugged, offering a half-smile as he leaned on the table, fingers interwoven together. “It feels real, Adam. That’s the point.” He paused, glancing at Katherine.

Katherine nodded and shifted in her seat like she was mid-battle. “Thrill! Stream! Blood! Smashin’!” she added her… opinion.

Lucas seemed to agree, so he continued, “For a few hours, it’s like you’re someone else, somewhere else. No stress, no debt, no obligations… just being free. You get to be part of a world that’s bigger than you, and if you’re lucky, you leave a mark on it.”

I observed Adam, curious about how he’d react. His expression didn’t change, but he didn’t interrupt, which was a good sign.

“Why do you think people keep coming back? It’s not just the game mechanics or the loot, or… money.” I could see a glint in his eyes. “It’s because, for a little while, you can forget about real-world crap and just… exist in something epic.”

Adam snorted, unimpressed. “Yeah, but it’s fake. None of it actually matters when you log off.”

“Maybe not to you,” Lisa piped up, twirling a lock of her fiery red hair around her finger, her voice animated. “But to me? It’s everything.”

“There must be a story!” I grinned.

Lisa nodded. “I’ve got a routine back home. Wake up, school, homework, maybe hang out with friends if I’m lucky. And it’s all… boring. Normal. But there?” She spread her hands, mimicking the roar of fire. “There, I can be a fire mage. I can burn things, make flames dance, and fight mythical creatures.” She shot me a grin. “It’s exciting! It’s freeing.”

Adam raised an eyebrow at her. “So, you’re saying it’s an escape?”

“Exactly!” Lisa grinned. “But not in a bad way. It’s like… I get to do something that I can’t do anywhere else. I get to be someone who can literally change the world. Back home, I’m just Lisa. Here, I’m Lisa the Flame… Uhmm… Whisperer.”

She struck a dramatic pose, which earned a chuckle from everyone, even Adam.

I chipped in, not wanting to miss the chance to tease Adam. “Come on, Ady. Don’t pretend you don’t get it. Remember when we played that pirate game? You had a blast being Captain Ady, terror of the seas. You were telling everyone in school you sank six ships solo.”

“That was different,” he said defensively, though his lips twitched. “That was… okay, maybe not completely different.”

“Exactly!” I grinned, pointing at him. “It’s all about the experience. The fun. The feeling that, just for a little while, you’re part of something bigger than life.”

Maybe part of the real reality.

Adam sighed, shaking his head but smiling. “Fine, fine. I get it. But don’t expect me to cosplay as some epic mage soon.”

Lisa gasped dramatically. “You could totally be a fire knight! I can see it now—Adam, wielding a flaming sword, battling sovereigns with me!”

“Hard pass,” Adam said flatly, though his amusement was clear.

Then we all turned to Lola, who had been sitting quietly, her hands fidgeting nervously with the edge of her tablet. She noticed the attention, her eyes widening slightly before she glanced away, as if the holo-lights reflecting off the tabletop suddenly became fascinating.

“Well…” she started, “I… I have nothing, you know, cool like that. No flames, no pirate ships, no magical swords.” She hesitated, her fingers gripping the tablet tighter as she tried to collect her thoughts. “But I like… finishing tasks.”

There was a beat of silence, broken only by the faint hum of the bar. Lucas blinked, confused, while Lisa tilted her head, her fiery hair catching the soft pink glow.

Even Adam looked intrigued.

I raised an eyebrow. “Finishing tasks? Like… errands?”

Lola nodded, still avoiding eye contact. “Yeah. It’s just… satisfying, you know? Starting something, working through it, and then seeing it done. I like when everything’s neat, organized, and… complete.”

Then we all got our drinks, and Katherine rose, her expression as intense as ever. “Okay! Everyone!” she announced, her voice carrying enough authority to make us all pause mid-conversation.

“Cling glasses! Look into eyes!” She nodded as if this were some ancient ritual passed down through generations. “The glass smash table, and then drink! Important!”

She was adamant, her serious tone contrasting with the instruction.

Still, none of us dared question it. We obediently clinked our glasses together, locking eyes with one another. Then, following her lead, I smashed my beer glass onto the table—just hard enough to make a satisfying thunk—before taking a sip.

It was bitter.

Duh, Charlie, it’s beer.

I fought the urge to grimace, glancing at Lisa, who was eagerly gulping down her super-duper fancy drink like it was ambrosia. Katherine grinned in satisfaction, clearly pleased that we had followed her peculiar tradition. “Good!” she declared proudly, raising her glass again. “Czech style!”

We all laughed, and soon the conversation resumed, flowing freely like the drinks.

We swapped stories, joked around, and laughter filled the alcove. Lena climbed onto Lucas’s lap at some point, insisting on being entertained with his “hacker feats.” Lisa debated heatedly with Katherine about who would win in a duel—an elemental mage or a berserker—while I leaned back, happy with friends.

I’ve never felt like this.

Time seemed to blur. It felt like only minutes had passed, but it must have been longer because, eventually, Lola’s tablet beeped with an urgent tone. She quickly skimmed the message, her expression turning apologetic.

“Uhm, lady, I’m sorry, but we have to move to the event,” she said, glancing at me nervously.

I frowned, pulled out of the cozy feelings we’d created. “Didn’t we have, like… time?” I asked, my tone full of confusion.

Lola blinked, looking down at her tablet again as if it might offer a different answer. “We… already spent it?” she said, her voice uncertain, as if she couldn’t quite believe it either.

I was confused.

She was confused.

We were confused together, staring at each other in mutual bewilderment.

“Well, it was fun while it lasted,” Lucas quipped, draining the last of his drink with a grin.

I nodded, still a bit confused, standing up and adjusting my tiara—which Lena had returned earlier with a solemn thank you, Auntie Charlie.

“Then… Let’s go be the Sword Queen.”