Free Web NovelChapter 45: _You Didn’t Call It That Last Night
"Daddy?! Why is the door locked?!"
Colour drained from Devon’s face the second he heard that question. He tried moving off the bed but forgot about Ambrose lying on his chest for a second.
The result was hilarious.
"Whoa!"
They both rolled over to the ground with a heavy thud, Devon breaking the brunt of Ambrose’s fall. Their naked bodies sprawled on the floor like a tangled mess as the Esper rubbed the back of his neck.
"Daddy?" Orion called out, sounding worried this time. "What was that sound? Are you guys okay in there?"
Ambrose managed to get on his knees first, puffing out a breath to blow back stray strands of his hair. "Yes, little guy! Just step away from the door for a second. We’ll be out soon, okay?"
"But why?"
The Guide’s eyebrows twitched with frustration. "Orion—do it or I won’t get you any ice-cream sundaes today."
That seemed to have worked as nothing but silence answered for several seconds.
Ambrose sighed, back resting on the edge of the bed as Devon stood up. The Esper stretched a hand to his back.
"What a way to start the morning." He yawned with a half-laugh. "Someone at the main door. You heard him say that too right?"
A sarcastic smile played on Ambrose’s lips. "Well, duh."
"Who do you think it might be?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
With a heavy inhale, Ambrose mentally pinged Aura. ’Can you scan for whoever is outside my suite door right now?’
A few seconds passed before a screen appeared in front of his face.
[Target scan complete: S-Rank Esper signature. Female.]
A female S-Rank?
As far as he knew there was only one in the Guild...
’Alisha?’ he rubbed a hand down his face. ’Could she be searching for Devon or something?’
[There’s only one way to find out, sweetheart.]
"Come on," Devon beckoned to him, oblivious of his conversation with the system. "Let’s go have that bath before Orion disregards your ice-cream bribery."
Ambrose was instinctively about to take his hand. But then he halted, fingers curling back. "No funny business in there."
His face reddened when he said that but he had to make it known.
It was way too early and he could barely believe they’d fallen down that slope.
"Funny business?" Devon echoed, arching a brow. "That’s odd. You didn’t call it that when you were moaning my name—"
He grabbed the Esper’s hand and pulled him back with a violent tug. Surprisingly he managed to move him, making him crash on his body with a yelp.
Devon laughed while Ambrose struggled to shove him off his body.
’God, what have I gotten myself into?’
★★★★★
By the time they were done with bathing and Ambrose stepped out from the bedroom, the system flickered a couple of holographic screens in front of his face.
Showing the long-awaited update on his stats.
[Name: Ambrose Hale.
Age: 22
Category: C-Rank Guide (Infinite Esper Bond-linking.)
Occupation: Guide at Phoenix Flight Guild.
Strength: 10
Speed: 11
Durability: 10
Healing factor: 10
Reflexes: 13
Senses: 10
Intelligence: 6
Powers: Infinite Guide-Link. Death Sense. (Passive) Aether Protection Field. (Passive) Fire resistance. (Passive) Fire manipulation (D-Rank)
Current linked Espers: 1 (S-Rank)
HP: 500
EP: 1200
Total Evaluation: Comparable to a D-Rank monster.
Probability of getting slimed by a monster: Lower.]
Ambrose looked over the numbers again incase he was seeing things wrong. Then his eyes settled on his ’category’.
’How the fuck am I still a C-Rank Guide?’ he tried hard not to say that out loud. ’I got a ×2 boost to all my physical stats and three points added to my reflexes, right?"’
[Affirmative.]
’So?’
[...]
His brows creased so hard that Orion noticed from the sofa he was sitting on. The little boy’s eyes flicked between his dad in front and his papa behind him.
"Daddy?" He said with the tiniest voice. "You don’t seem happy."
At that same moment, Devon brushed past him, adjusting the T-shirt he borrowed. "You’re pretty small by the way." He whispered just enough for Ambrose to hear.
The Guide flushed. "Hush." Then he turned fully to Orion. "Daddy isn’t upset, little one. I’m just... still a little tired."
To his utter horror, Devon discreetly grabbed his ass from behind, leaning to his ear:
"Of course, you’ll be tired."
Before Ambrose could conjure a response to that, Orion hopped off the sofa.
"I heard the lady at the door saying she’ll come back in a minute."
Ambrose and Devon paused, the latter placing his hands on his waist. "Lady?"
As if summoned, a knock sounded on the living room door just then. Ambrose knew instantly who it was and wasn’t about to let another person know of Orion’s existence.
"Bedroom. Now." He gestured at the boy who fortunately obeyed without question.
[You do realise he can’t stay in this suite forever, right?] Aura asked.
’Yeah, let me worry about that.’ he smoothened his long-sleeved shirt before striding to the door.
When he opened it, as expected he saw Alisha’s face. However, her expression was grim, eyes scouring Ambrose from head to toes.
"Is Devon here?" She was already waltzing into the suite before Ambrose gave a response, eyes pinning on the other man. "There you are. I had a feeling you’d be here."
She glanced over her shoulder, giving Ambrose a knowing look. Then she cleared her throat, pointing at the television.
"Have you guys checked the news this morning?"
Devon gave Ambrose a look before answering with snark. "We just woke up, Mary Sue."
"Sure, Casanova." Alisha shot back, already finding and grabbing the remote. Once she turned on the TV, she went on. "It’s about the Norfolk dungeon break. I knew it was going to be bad after Vice President Hilary’s announcement last night... but this..."
The TV tuned instantly to international news. The main headline? The Norfolk dungeon break.
"In case you’re just joining us," the reporter began with a solemn tone, "the black Rift hovering above Norfolk Virginia has officially been classified by the United States Hunters Federation as a Cataclysm Level Anomaly."
Ambrose’s pulse stuttered. Devon’s smile sank alongside his heart.
The reporter wasn’t finished. "Although evacuation is in place, a reported two thousand two hundred and six people have died. And triple that number are either injured or missing."
"It’s already being ranked as one of the country’s biggest catastrophes since the Emergence. And also the seventh official Cataclysm level Rift Anomaly."
"Military forces and top guilds are currently attempting to contain the creature that emerged from the Rift."
The screen suddenly changed to helicopter footage.
Ambrose froze.
Because the monster on the screen...
...was much bigger than he could’ve imagined.
