Chapter 375: How’s it going? We have a lot to discuss

Words : 1616 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

When Strax and his wives finally arrived home, what they found was a scene... not very pleasant. The large iron gate that usually provided access to the property was open, and the smell of dirt and chaos seemed to emanate from inside. Strangely, it looked as though a hurricane of mess had struck the place. Strax, who had been trying to keep his composure after a series of tense events, couldn't help but stop and look around with a confused expression. The main room was covered in papers, squashed cushions, and misplaced objects. The kitchen, usually spotless, was a complete disaster, with dirty dishes piled up to the ceiling and food scraps scattered across the floor. "I... can't believe this," Strax murmured, looking around. He shook his head, visibly frustrated, as the wives began to notice the pitiful state of the house. Beatrice, with her calm expression, didn't seem surprised, only somewhat amused. "Looks like someone had an unexpected visit." Monica, who was trying to maintain her posture, looked at the heap of objects and raised an eyebrow. "I think Rogue's been living here... or... more precisely, leaving her mark here." Cristine, who always had a sarcastic answer ready, couldn't help herself. "This looks more like a battlefield than a luxury home, Strax." Samira, who had accompanied the group there, looked around and, as if she already knew what she would find, showed no reaction other than a sigh. "Rogue... really... has no sense." "I told her not to destroy everything when she was here," Samira muttered, looking at what seemed to be a war between bowls and laundry baskets. "But she never listens." Then, as if it were a scene from a comedy, a figure appeared from the kitchen, wearing a dirty apron and her hair in a somewhat chaotic state. Rogue. She appeared at the door of the room with a look of fake surprise. "Hi! Who left the house so clean? Oh, wait... of course. It must have been you, Samira." Rogue looked at her friend with a mischievous grin, giving the impression that the chaos was entirely her fault, but her gleaming eyes revealed she was enjoying the situation. Samira, with a murderous look, immediately crossed her arms. "Me? You're the one who loves turning the house into a battlefield! How did you manage this? Steal the peace and still leave everything so... messy?" Rogue let out a muffled laugh, shrugging. "I was just... rearranging things. Thinking of a more... modern decor." Strax, who was finally beginning to understand the dynamic between the two, turned to them with a tired look. "Do you two really have something in mind when you enter a house, or is it just destroying everything and leaving?" "I just organized things my way, Strax," Rogue said with a smirk. "Samira, however, doesn't understand art." "Art? Is this art?" Samira replied, pointing to the pile of clothes that looked more like a mountain of trash than anything decorative. "Looks more like a panic attack mixed with a goblin invasion!" Rogue dramatically huffed. "You're really hard to please, you know? I brought some excitement to the place. It's been way too still around here." "I'll clean all of this up, just to make sure you don't take over the house again!" Samira responded, starting to pull some things off the floor. Meanwhile, Strax leaned against the wall, watching the unfolding interaction between the two with a subtle smile. He knew that, despite the sharp words, there was a certain affection between them. "Who would have thought two such troublesome people would be best friends, huh?" Tiamat and Ouroboros, by his side, just smiled and chuckled lightly. "Yes, this is definitely a... unique friendship." Rogue, with a mischievous look, turned to Samira. "Alright, alright. I'll help. Just don't come complaining later that I'm the one to blame for everything, okay?" Samira looked at her with suspicion, but in an unexpected gesture, accepted Rogue's help. "I'm the one to blame for everything, yes, for accepting to be your friend." With that, the two began to pick things up, still exchanging barbs, but also smiling during the more relaxed moments. Strax watched it all with an expression of someone who knew the chaos would never end but was somehow used to it. "I wish I wasn't a maid for the rest of my life... my obsession with tidying up is screaming... I need to clean this!" Monica said, transforming into a lightning bolt and vanishing from sight, only to reappear with a broom, a bucket of water, and several rags. Strax, already trying to deal with the chaos in his home, couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the scene around him. With his wives and the mess created by Rogue and Samira, he felt more lost than ever. The house was a true battlefield, but still, he knew his mission couldn't wait. He looked at his wives and the two friends – who, despite all the chaos, seemed to be having fun amid the mess. Strax, with a tired look, stepped forward, interrupting the back-and-forth between Rogue and Samira. "I... I'm going to see my father," he said, his voice deep and serious. "Although we don't get along, the Duchy needs me now. I can't just ignore the situation." He took a deep breath, already knowing what was to come. "He'll probably try to manipulate me, or treat me as just a pawn in his game, but I can't let the Duchy fall because of our differences." Beatrice and Monica exchanged looks, both already aware of how complicated Strax's relationship with Albert Vorah, his father, was. Beatrice was the first to speak. "I know you don't like him, but you know what needs to be done. Go. The Duchy can't wait any longer." Cristine, always direct, said with an ironic tone, "What if he tries to pull some dirty move? We don't want you getting involved in some political game, Strax." Samira, still organizing the mess around her, lifted her head and looked at him. "Go, but don't take too long. This house is going to get even messier if you leave Rogue and Monica in charge for too long." Strax, with a serious expression, gave them a slight smile. "I know, I'll be back as soon as possible." He paused and looked at Rogue, who was enjoying herself immensely with the situation. "And Rogue... try not to destroy the rest of the house, okay?" Rogue, with a mischievous grin, made an exaggerated bow. "Sure, sure. I'll be very careful... or not." She winked, and Strax just shook his head, knowing that chaos would never cease as long as she was around. ... "Albert, what's going on with you?" Diana asked, her expression filled with concern. She knew her husband better than anyone, and she could tell when he was hiding something. Albert didn't move immediately, his gaze still fixed on the landscape. The weight of his thoughts seemed to crush him, but eventually, he turned to Diana, his gray, piercing eyes meeting hers. "The times are changing, Diana. And I... I have to make a hard decision." His voice was grave, carrying a weight that she knew wasn't common for him. Diana moved closer, sitting beside him in the chair. She touched his hand in a comforting gesture. "What's happening, Albert? You can't face all of this alone." Albert sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. "I... I'm thinking about calling our children back. Veronica, Hinna, Noah, Liam, Strax, and Xenovia." He paused, feeling the weight of each name he spoke. "They're scattered out there, with their own lives, their own battles. But the times are dark. The Empire is about to go to war, and I can't wait any longer. I need their strength by my side." Diana remained silent for a moment, pondering his words. She knew that Albert had always had a distant relationship with his children, especially with Strax. But she also knew that, for the Duchy, there was no other choice but to unite them all. She squeezed his hand tighter. "Yes, I came to report this... Strax and Xenovia arrived in Vorah an hour ago," Diana said, her voice softening. "The guards... they saw him and two dragons... I don't think he came so easily." Albert looked at her, his face hardening for a moment. "I know. And I'm not foolish enough to think he'll come willingly. But the situation has changed. The Duchy is in danger, and he needs to understand that." He shook his head, as if trying to push away an unpleasant thought. "I can't let pride and distance between us prevent me from saving these people. If the Duchy goes bankrupt, none of this matters." Diana looked at him with a soft yet worried expression. "Just be careful," she asked before hearing a knock on the door. "Come in," Albert said, and one of the soldiers opened the door and quickly bowed. "The youngest wishes to see you," he said, but before he could continue, an invisible force held him up and lifted him. "Sorry, but I'm not waiting anymore," Strax said as he entered without permission after using gravity manipulation on the knight. He then pointed to the door, and the knight was thrown out of the room. "How's it going?" Strax said... "We have a lot to discuss."

Chapter 375: How’s it going? We have a lot to discuss

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