Chapter 13 : Food

  Suddenly, the footage zoomed in on Starday and the members of Bright Resonance. The confident demeanor of the guild began to waver as the monster unleashed a powerful attack, sending shockwaves through their formation.

  "What’s happening?" Mimi asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

  “This is where the news is all about.” Aron answered with a smirk.

  The camera captured Starday shouting commands, desperately trying to regroup his players. But despite their efforts, the monster seemed to have found a new power, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

  Mimi’s eyes widened. "They were doing so well before! I think they somehow made a mistake in their coordination just now…"

  Aron didn’t respond immediately. The tension on the screen made it clear that the battle was taking a turn for the worse.

  As the footage played on, one attack after another from the monster struck Bright Resonance with devastating force. The guild, once so organized and confident, now struggled to maintain their formation. Players were being knocked down in rapid succession, unable to defend themselves against the monster's relentless onslaught.

  Mimi gasped as she watched the scene unfold. "They’re being overwhelmed! How is this happening?"

  The camera captured Starday’s frantic attempts to rally his guild, but their efforts were futile. With each strike, more players fell, and the situation seemed to get worse for each second.

  “Did the monster just enter a new phase or something? You know… a berserk state? Is that the correct term?” Mimi asked Aron, her eyes glued to the chaotic scene unfolding on the screen.

  Aron nodded slowly, his eyes seemed to be nonchalant. “Possibly. Monsters like this can have multiple phases, and when they enter a berserk state, they become even more aggressive and powerful. It’s like they’re fueled by a powerful elixir.”

  Mimi frowned, her thinking deepening. “So they weren’t prepared for this? I can see that the guild was daring and they should have the guarantee for it, they should have thought that they had it under control, right?”

  “Exactly,” Aron replied, shaking his head in pity for the players. “It’s hard to predict when a monster, like this irregular one, will change its tactics. They were probably caught off guard. Or not. Oh, on a second note, they might be, because of an unforeseen accident.”

  Mimi could not understand what Aron just explained, but she guessed that Aron was just guessing that there was an accident that the spectators were not aware of.

  One by one, the core parts of Bright Resonance were decimated, their formation crumbling under the relentless onslaught of the monster. The camera zoomed in on Starday’s face, which now bore a look of desperation as his once-unshakable confidence faltered.

  Aron shook his head. "They’re losing their key players. It’s all falling apart now."

  Mimi, still watching with wide eyes, clutched the arm of Aron. "They were holding out for so long… How can it all go wrong so fast?"

  Aron glanced at her for a moment with a small smile as he answered, “It do be like that sometimes, what can I say.”

  On screen, Starday frantically tried to regroup what remained of his forces, but the monster’s attacks were too powerful, cutting through the remaining players like paper. The once-proud guild was now on the verge of total annihilation.

  The view now had the chance to zoom in on him, capturing the desperation in his eyes as the once mighty Bright Resonance guild was torn apart around him.

  On the screen, Starday could be seen laughing—a wild, unhinged spectacle that made Mimi crept out. His face was twisted with a mix of disbelief and madness as if he had completely lost his grip on the situation.

  "Is he... laughing?" Mimi whispered, her voice filled with shock.

  Aron laughed. "So that’s how you ended up huh. I mean, looks like the pressure broke him. When everything you've planned falls apart like this, some people lose it. He probably didn’t expect things to go so wrong, so fast."

  Mimi sighed as she watched Starday’s despairing appearance on the screen. “I guess the destruction and failure made that commander crazy.”

  Aron only smiled hearing what his wife said. He was sure that the reason Starday went mad was not only because of the failure, but also because he lost that medallion, which was in Aron’s hand at the moment after stealing it covertly.

  Mimi glanced at Aron, her voice softer. “You think you would’ve done anything differently if you were there?”

  Aron smiled faintly. “Aye, even being surrounded by the guilds, the monster was still able to eliminate them like that. I wasn't there for a reason, remember? Sometimes knowing when not to fight is the best move.”

  Mimi only nodded her head after listening to Aron’s answer.

  “Alright Baby, now I’m kinda hungry, what should we eat today?” Aron put his hand over Mimi’s waist.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Mimi smiled, leaning into Aron’s touch. "Hmm, let’s see… How about we make something simple but delicious? Maybe pasta or stir-fry?"

  Aron chuckled. "I’m down for pasta, alright."

  "Alright then, pasta it is," Mimi said, standing up and stretching.

  Aron grinned, "I’ll help I guess, but I reserve the right to taste-test everything first."

  Aron emphasized the word 'everything' as he stood up from his spot too.

  Mimi smirked, "Oh, everything, huh? Jeez, just don’t eat it all before it’s ready!" she teased, swatting Aron playfully as he joined her in the kitchen.

  Aron laughed, wrapping his arms around her from behind for a brief moment. "Can’t make any promises, but I’ll try."

  “Just don’t do anything excessively…”Mimi shook her head, smiling.

  "For the most beautiful woman in the world, I can’t help it," Aron replied, his voice playful as he grabbed a peach, to help with the prep somehow.

  “Sheesh…” Mimi smiled widely with a tinge of red on her cheeks as she started to cook too.

  ...

  "Haaa… All praise to God Almighty…" Aron sighed in contentment as he stretched his body lightly, on the bed. The comfortable weight of relaxation settled over his body.

  Mimi, lying beside him, glanced over with a soft smile. "Feeling good after that meal?" Now it was Mimi who emphasized the word ‘meal’.

  "More than good," Aron replied, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Food was perfect, and now I can finally just… relax."

  Mimi chuckled. "Glad you enjoyed it. You’ve been pretty busy today, huh?"

  "Yeah, just needed this," Aron murmured, closing his eyes as he rested his head back.

  Mimi, resting beside him, looked at his face and smiled softly. "Something on your mind?"

  "Just thinking," Aron replied with a smirk. "It’s not even that deep in the night yet, and we’ve already... Sigh..."

  Mimi laughed lightly, turning her body to face him. "What can I say? We’ve had a productive day." She teased, her eyes gleaming with affection.

  Aron chuckled, pulling her closer. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

  The day slipped away unnoticed as Aron and Mimi drifted off into a peaceful sleep, the warmth of the moon gently shining outside their window. By the time they stirred again, the sky had become darker, and the soft glow of evening had settled over the room.

  …

  Mimi stirred beside him, slowly waking up as well. "Morning already?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

  "Guess we really knocked out…" Aron blinked awake.

  Mimi yawned, still half-asleep beside him. "Mmm... didn’t even realize how tired I was."

  They lay there for a moment, the peaceful quiet of the chilling morning settling in, both of them savoring the calm.

  Soon, both of them began their usual morning routines, moving through the familiar motions of the day. Aron got ready for work, preparing for another day as the breadwinner, while Mimi handled her tasks around the house as a housewife.

  Their roles were clear, Aron heading out to provide for the household, and Mimi ensuring everything was taken care of at home. In this kind of routine, there was a quiet comfort in the way they supported each other, each contributing to their shared life in their own way.

  Before leaving, Aron gave Mimi a quick kiss. "See you later, Baby."

  "Take care," she replied with a warm smile, watching him head out the door as she intended to do her own duties.

  Before leaving, Aron leaned down to kiss his little baby in Mimi's arms. "Goodbye, little one," he said softly, a smile on his face.

  Mimi smiled as she held their child close. "We’ll be here when you get back," she said warmly.

  Aron gave them both one last look before stepping out, his heart full as he left for the day.

  Step Step Step…

  Though funnily enough, instead of heading out, Aron walked into another room inside their house.

  To be fair, it was his office, a space specifically designed for him to work. The room was simple yet efficient, with a desk, shelves, and a comfortable chair. This was his corner of the world where he handled his responsibilities as the breadwinner.

  Yes, even though Aron was just heading to his home office, their funny looking farewell had become something of a tradition. Mimi, holding their baby in her arms, grinned at the exaggerated goodbye they exchanged. It was a small thing, but in the rhythm of their day-to-day life, these moments of lightheartedness looked like it kept their bond strong. Aron chuckled softly to himself as he closed the door, knowing that Mimi was likely giggling too.

  He set his things down and took a deep breath, mentally preparing for the tasks ahead. Though still at home, it was time to switch into work mode.

  It turned out that Aron was working from home that day, something he did quite often. Settling into his office, he quickly got into his work routine, balancing the comfort of being at home with the focus his tasks required.

  Mimi quietly passed by the office now and then, tending to their child and the household, while Aron worked away in his dedicated space. Despite being home, he remained fully in the zone, handling his responsibilities.

  “Alright… First things first, the reports…”

  Inside his office room which was carefully arranged for productivity, Aron sank into his chair and took over a document. His work-from-home setup was nothing new, and despite being just a few steps away from his family, there was a clear boundary between work and home life. This was where he switched gears, diving into updates, messages, or whatever task lay ahead, while just beyond the door, Mimi carried on with her day, tending to their child and managing the house.

  Every now and then, Aron would hear faint sounds from the other side of the door—Mimi laughing or the soft coos of their baby. It was a comforting background to his work, a gentle reminder of the life that awaited him when he clocked out. They didn’t need to be physically apart to maintain the illusion of distance during work hours. It was their way of balancing the seriousness of his role as a provider with the closeness they cherished as a family.

  Sometimes, Aron might emerge for a quick coffee break, exchanging knowing glances with Mimi, who might teasingly ask, "Back already?" And they’d share a quiet laugh before he returned to his desk.

  …

  “Haaa…”

  After several hours of focused work, Aron stretched his body, feeling the tension release from his shoulders. He glanced at the clock on the wall, surprised at how quickly the time had passed. The hands indicated it was nearly lunchtime, and he felt a mix of relief and hunger.

  He stood up and walked to the door, eager to take a break and see what Mimi was up to. The prospect of sharing a meal with her and their little one sounded appealing, especially after being cooped up in his office for so long. As he stepped out, he could already hear the soft sounds of Mimi preparing lunch in the kitchen, accompanied by the gentle coos of their baby.

  "Hmmm… I guess I will log in after this.” Aron muttered lowly under his breath.