A hush fell over the crowd at Aurelia’s words before whispers filled the air.

  “An… Idler?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Who cares? Look at her.”

  “You’re right. If she was truly lazy…”

  The murmurs said everything.

  There was doubt about her revelation. But the fact that neither Taurus nor the other AZCs had openly denounced Aurelia’s words — only the Astra-boon wielders had — was enough to give people pause.

  “I do not care what you have shown, Aurelia Meteora,” the one bearing the Leo pin spat. “Your announcement — your very existence — is a stain on the pride of the Twelve Houses of Tokyo.”

  He growled low in his throat.

  “We will not allow someone like you to hold proper work in this city. Even after you’ve admitted your wrongdoing and repented for lying. Enjoy the gates.”

  He turned sharply and left.

  The other Astra-boon holders followed him.

  Only the Taurus holder remained, quietly returning to her seat. Her gaze held respect — for Taurus’s decision, and for Aurelia’s declaration.

  Seris clicked his tongue.

  “Tsk. Fuck ’em, Ves. You’ve still got us.” He grinned before pulling Aurelia into a tight hug, Elowen stepping in to sandwich her between them. A small squeak escaped from the smallest of the trio.

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  “H-hey!” Aurelia protested, though she didn’t pull away. She wouldn’t admit it — but she had missed this. “L-let’s at least get off the stage, you idiot,” she added half-heartedly.

  Taurus chuckled at the scene before nodding to her fellow AZCs. She patted Tori on the head once more before the divine figures dissipated, returning to Atlantis where their physical forms resided.

  “So. Onee-san, was it?” Aurelia asked after being released, her words making Tori stiffen — still faintly red from the head pats.

  “U-uhm… yeah…” Tori replied awkwardly.

  Aurelia nodded, recognizing the boundary.

  “Well, I believe the ceremony’s over. Wanna head back to my lab? I should pack before I get chased out,” she quipped to the twins as she started walking away, offering a lazy wave to those watching her go — and a silent invitation to Tori, Sonny, and Merida.

  Once they were far enough away, Seris and Elowen stopped her abruptly and began inspecting her with alarming seriousness.

  “Seriously?” Aurelia asked flatly.

  “What? Do not ‘seriously’ us,” Elowen replied. “You barely remembered to eat unless we reminded you. Human Sloth.” Her tone was sharp, but her eyes sparkled with warmth.

  At the same time, Seris lifted the hem of Aurelia’s shirt to check her stomach for signs of malnutrition.

  Aurelia immediately turned crimson as her toned midriff was exposed — and Seris very audibly drooled at the sight of her defined six-pack.

  “Seris!” she squealed, smacking him upside the head.

  Elowen’s cheeks flushed faintly as she turned away as well.

  “You two are incorrigible!” Aurelia wailed — mortified, not angry — before marching ahead.

  “Oh, come on, Ves! Don’t be upset!” Seris called after her as he and Elowen hurried to catch up.

  “Even Elly was worried—”

  BAM.

  Aurelia flinched at the impact.

  She didn’t need to turn to know what had happened.

  A glance over her shoulder confirmed it — Seris was face-first in the ground, a shallow crater marking the spot where Elowen’s fist had introduced him to gravity.

  “I’m not sure if Seris having such a hard head is a blessing or a curse…” Aurelia muttered.

  Elowen’s lips twitched.

  On the far side of the field, the eleven heirs of the Twelve Houses huddled together, voices lowered as one of them held a phone between them.

  Every so often, their eyes shifted toward the corner where Aurelia had vanished — calculating.