That's how Sero ended up having a late breakfast with two beautiful women in a lavish restaurant. The food was exquisite, but he couldn't really focus on the meal as he tried his best not to gawk at them. Cassandra and Gwyndolyn seemed to sense this but didn't mind, much like how Kit had been when Sero first met her. In fact, it seemed like they were enjoying teasing him, which made the whole situation even more surreal.

"Isn't he adorable?" Cassandra asked Gwyndolyn breathily. "He's so bashful."

"Yeah, when you told me about him, I was surprised that a man like that caught your attention," Gwyndolyn replied with a smile, giving Sero a curious look. "And you said he's single?"

"For now," the Glass Queen replied before Sero could speak. "It seems as though Kit has her eyes on him already."

"N-no, she's more of a sister to me," Sero stammered, blushing. He picked at the avocado and salmon toast in front of him. "I mean, we're friends, but that's it."

The Serenade leaned forward, raising an eyebrow as she studied him. "Is that so?"

"Uh, yeah," Sero avoided Gwyndolyn's gaze. "There's no one else." He paused, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "I'm not really looking for anything serious right now. I mean, with everything that's going on..."

"Oh, right. Cass told me about your encounter with something called a Catastrophe candidate," Gwyndolyn nodded sympathetically. "You doing all right?"

"Yeah," Sero instinctively clutched at his abdomen. "It was just a near-death experience, but I'm still here."

Gwyndolyn chuckled. "That's the spirit. You know, you should talk to someone about it if you ever need to. It's not healthy to keep it all bottled up. Take it from me. An S-rank who's also a musical artist who's also in the Janitors."

"You know what Sero should do?" Cassandra asked with an unfocused smile. "He should come with us to the party tonight. It's going to be a blast. Gwyn's invited us, and I'm sure you'd have a great time."

Sero blinked in surprise. "What kind of party? You guys are having a party right after the city got attacked?"

"Well, it's not like we can party all the time," Cassandra shrugged nonchalantly. "And honestly, it's a good way to blow off some steam. And you'd be surprised how much people like to party after something like this."

Sero hesitated for a moment, feeling torn. On one hand, the thought of letting loose and having fun did sound appealing. On the other, he was still reeling from the attack and the near-death experience. "I don't know... I'm not really in the mood for partying right now."

"Hey, don't sweat it," the Serenade reassured, bumping Cassandra pointedly. "Invitation's there if you want to take it."

"But you should really come," Cassandra insisted dreamily, unbothered by Gwyndolyn's nudging. "Have you got anything to do tonight?"

"I'm- No, not really," Sero admitted with a sigh. "I guess I could use some distraction." He took a deep breath and looked between the two women. "Okay, I'll come. Thanks for the invitation."

"Delightful!" Cassandra smiled, clapping her hands together. "We'll see you there, then. The party starts at eight, so be sure to show up early." She leaned back in her chair, seeming to be lost in thought for a moment before turning to Gwyndolyn. "Hey, Gwyn? Since Sero's coming, I bet he'd be interested in hearing about the new songs you've been working on. Why don't you play him one later, huh?"

"Well, the party is for the release of my upcoming album,'" Gwyndolyn explained with a soft smile. "I've been working on it for a while now, and I think it's my best work yet. It's got a mix of ballads and upbeat dance tracks. Something for everyone." She paused, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'd be more than happy to play Sero one of the songs once we get to the party."

As the rest of brunch passed in idle chatter, Sero found himself looking forward to the party. Despite his reservations, the thought of spending time with Cassandra and Gwyndolyn was oddly comforting. Maybe this would help him forget about his troubles for the moment.

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After finishing up, Sero took his leave, exchanging contact numbers with the two of them before heading back to his penthouse. Along the way, he stopped by to pick up some cases of beer for Luna, using his Cat Paradox to teleport in front of his door.

Almost as if she sensed him, which she probably did, the door was yanked open, revealing the succubus who promptly grabbed the cases from him and scuttled to the fridge without a word. Casey bounded up to Sero, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Do you have anything to do today, Mr. Sero?" Casey asked, a hopeful glint in his eye. "Because I was thinking that maybe we could continue where we left off from, and keep training?"

"Ah, sure, we can," Sero couldn't help but smile. "I could use a good workout. But, let's not do it in my apartment, please." He walked in, noticing that Nala was intently focused on the tv, a game controller in her hands as she sucked on a lollipop.

"Um, where did you get that?" Sero stared at the Shadereaper, who paused her game and gave him a blank expression.

"The candy? Luna got some delivered. Do you want some?"

"No, the gaming system- How much has Luna ordered through my deal with the association?"

"Oh, this one?" Nala held up the controller. "It's a rental. The association was like, 'You should totally get this!'" She shrugged, taking a bite out of her lollipop. "It's got this game called 'Dying to Level Up!' that I've been meaning to try for a while. You want to play?"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Sero shook his head. "I'm going to train Casey for a while." He hesitated, thinking for a moment. "I can't really take him to the Ascendants Association training rooms since he's not old enough yet. Do you have any other places in mind?"

"Your Sponsor's personal space?" Nala replied absentmindedly, returning to her game.

"I would, but it's kinda small. Actually, it's pretty much a bedroom," Sero made a face. "I'd ask Amaya or Enzo, but they're busy with stuff right now."

Nala paused her game, setting down the controller as she slightly raised an eyebrow at him. "Want to use my Sponsor's personal space?"

Sero blinked, taken aback for a moment. "You mean it? Who's your Sponsor?"

"Nyx," Nala replied casually.

"The goddess of the night?" Sero tried recalling what little he knew of Greek mythology.

"Yep."

Sero glanced at Casey, the young boy's eyes bright with hope. He wondered if this training was just a way for him to cope with his grandmother's death on top of everything that had happened. "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind staying with us for an hour or two, that'd be great, Nala."

"Sure. I didn't have anything planned today. After that S-rank outbreak, mercenary branches are scrambling to gobble up any job they can, so there's nothing for me to do," the Shadereaper shrugged. "It's a little messed up, but people are willing to make money no matter what."

"Oh, ok, then," Sero glanced over at Luna in the kitchen, who was already three cans deep into the case. "Hey Luna, we'll be back in an hour or two."

The succubus burped and gave him a salute, pulling out a tablet from one of the drawers and tapping out what Sero assumed was a food order. He stared at her for a moment, wondering where Luna got the tablet from.

"Ready?" Nala asked, her violet eyes glowing with mana. Sero and Casey nodded, the latter barely able to contain his excitement. A purple aura washed over the three of them, and Sero's world blurred for a moment as he felt a tugging sensation on his body.

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As the world came back into focus, the three of them found themselves in Nyx's personal space. It was a dimly lit forest, with trees covered in glowing moss that illuminated the paths between them. A small, cozy cabin stood in the distance, its windows glowing warmly. Above, the night sky was filled with stars, and the moon cast a soft, silver light over everything. The air smelled of pine and earth, and the sounds of crickets and owls filled the air.

"Whoa," Casey breathed, his eyes wide with wonder. "This is so cool!" He looked up at Sero, then at Nala, waiting for them to say something.

"It is kinda cool," Sero admitted. "Then again, I've only been in three other personal spaces."

"The cabin is where Nyx's Ascendants usually go to talk with the goddess," Nala explained, leading the way toward the building. "I can come here anytime I want and just...talk to her. Or, you know, meditate or whatever." She shrugged. "She's pretty cool, for a goddess."

"So... she's here right now?" Sero asked, feeling both nervous and eager.

"There's a good chance she is," Nala replied emotionlessly. "While she is a major goddess, she tends to be hands-on with her Ascendants." She paused for a moment, then shrugged again. "But you don't have to worry about that. Just focus on your training."

"Are we meeting her out of respect for using her personal space?" Sero asked again, noting a stark contrast compared to Amaya's and Enzo's respective Sponsors.

"Something like that," Nala made a rare face. "You'll see in a bit."

They approached the cabin, its front door open to reveal a cozy interior lit by candles. A small fire crackled in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows on the walls. A soft, plush carpet covered the floor, and a few comfortable-looking chairs and a couch were arranged around a low table. A bookshelf was crammed full of leather-bound books, and various trinkets and ornaments decorated the walls and surfaces.

Sitting near the kitchen area was a woman with long, flowing black hair that shimmered with silver specks of light. She was dressed in a simple, flowing white gown that seemed to glow with a soft inner light. Her face was serene and beautiful, her eyes the color of the stars above. As the three of them entered, she glanced up from the book she'd been reading and smiled warmly at them. "Ah, my champion," Nyx nodded to Nala, her voice like a warm and gentle breeze. "And who are these two?"

"This is Sero," Nala introduced him. "He's a good friend of mine and this boy is Casey. He's just starting out on his path as a Mage."

"Nice to meet you," Sero bowed his head before blurting out, "You're very beautiful."

Nyx chuckled softly, unbothered by his boldness. "Thank you. I take it you're here to train with my champion?" She glanced at the Shadereaper, who nodded.

"Yes," Casey piped up, excitement clearly evident in his voice. "I want to be just like Mr. Sero and Miss Nala, only better!"

"And you've come to the right place," Nyx assured him, her smile growing wider. "My champion is an excellent mentor, and with her guidance and your own determination, I have no doubt that you will achieve great things. But first, I want you to understand the importance of balance. Magic is a powerful tool, and as such, it can be dangerous if not used responsibly."

She gestured for them to sit down on the plush carpet in front of the fireplace. Nala took a seat as well, while Casey perched on the edge of a chair, eager to listen. "Magic is a part of the natural order of our world," Nyx began, her voice soft and hypnotic. "It flows through everything, binding us all together in ways we can't even begin to comprehend. When we tap into that power, when we harness it for our own purposes, we become something more than we were before."

Sero's eyes began to glaze over as the goddess continued her explanation of mana and magic, something he understood already. He knew that it was rude to zone out, especially if a goddess was lecturing them, but at least Nyx was pleasing to look at.

Casey, on the other hand, hung on Nyx's every word, his eyes shining with excitement and determination. Finally, Sero jerked back to attention as the goddess stood up, finished with her lecture.

"So, hopefully you've learned a little bit about magic and mana. I'll leave you three to your training," Nyx said, her expression turning serious for a moment. "But remember, Casey: magic can consume you if you aren't careful. Use your abilities wisely, and always strive for balance. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." She rose gracefully to her feet and glided over to the bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines. "Do feel free to come to me if you ever have any questions or concerns."

"Thank you," Nala bowed her head, Casey following suit.

"My pleasure, champion. Good luck."

As they exited the cabin, Nala glanced at Sero and Casey with a slightly wry look. "Nyx is a bit... mother-like. She usually has her Ascendants come greet her first before doing anything here, like we're her children."

"You don't mind, do you?" Casey asked, looking concerned.

The Shadereaper shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. "It's comforting, since I lost my own mother when I was around your age."

Sero felt a pang of sympathy for Nala at her words. Although she still had Gregor, Sero had almost forgotten that she, like him and Amaya, lost a mother. It was a difficult thing to go through, and it was good that Nyx could be a source of comfort for her.

The trio reached an open clearing in the forest, the moonlight streaming through the trees overhead. Sero remembered how bright Ma'at's personal space was, shivering at the memories of his training there.

"This place should be good enough, right?" Nala asked the two, who nodded in agreement.

"All right, Casey," Sero turned to the boy. "Let's see what you can really do."