Vaelira stopped just short of the doorway to Kaiden's private wing.

For a moment, she simply stood there, chest rising and falling, mana rolling off her in heated waves that made the corridor lights flicker. The polished runes in the walls hummed in discomfort, reacting to the sheer agitation pouring out of her. Her fingers curled, nails biting into her palms as she stared at the door; it had personally offended her existence.

Then she snapped.

Her fist slammed into the reinforced panel with a thunderous bang.

"Kaiden Grey!" she barked, knocking again, harder this time, the sound echoing down the corridor. "Open the damn door! All of you, out here! Now!"

Another knock followed. Then another.

Violent. Impatient. Each impact rattled the wards woven into the frame, forcing them to flare and settle again. Vaelira paced a half-step, then struck the door once more, jaw clenched so tightly it looked like she might crack a tooth.

Seconds passed.

Then more.

Dozens of them.

The silence stretched just long enough for her irritation to ferment into something sharper, something dangerous.

Finally, the door unlocked with a soft click.

It opened just enough for a young woman to peek out.

She was blonde, blue-eyed, and dressed head to toe in demon-themed maid attire. It was a getup sporting dark fabric trimmed with crimson accents and small ornamental horns perched atop her headband, finished with a neatly pressed apron that was tied at her waist. Her hands were folded politely in front of her, shoulders slightly hunched, eyes wide and timid.

"Um…" she said softly. "Can I help you with something?"

Vaelira stared at her.

Actually stared.

"…Who the hell are you?" Vaelira demanded. "And why are you dressed like that?"

The maid stiffened, then immediately curtsied with practiced grace, movements precise and respectful. "My name is Alexandra," she said gently. "I am the maid of Kaiden Grey and the group known as Valhalla's Sinners."

Vaelira's eye twitched.

"They even have a private maid?!" she snarled, disbelief bleeding straight into fury. "Giving them a private wing wasn't enough?!"

Alexandra straightened from her curtsy, unfazed, her voice calm despite the pressure rolling off the woman in front of her. "I was not assigned to them by the guild," she replied politely. "I have been with them since before the competition began. I'm here to ensure they have a warm room to return to after a hard day's work."

Vaelira scoffed loudly, waving a dismissive hand as if Alexandra's words were nothing more than smoke. "Whatever. Hard work, you say? What hard work?" Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. "Where are your masters, girl? It's already noon. The clock is ticking, we're falling further and further behind the New Dawn fuckers, and half the group is nowhere to be seen!"

Alexandra hesitated.

Just for a breath.

Then she answered.

"The members of Valhalla's Sinners," she said carefully, "have been forced to take an undetermined time off."

Vaelira froze.

Her eyes widened with raw, incredulous disbelief.

"… They've been what?"

The air around her spiked violently, mana flaring hot and unstable as outrage surged up fast and fierce, her expression twisting into a truly ugly visage.

Alexandra swallowed, then dipped into another respectful bow, fingers clutching her demonic skirt's frills with more strength than was required. "The guild leadership should have received formal notice regarding their temporary leave," she said, voice steady despite the tension pressing down the hall. "All relevant parties were informed through official channels."

Vaelira's eyes widened, with the anger stalling for half a second as realization caught up.

Tessa.

Her leader's words replayed in her mind with sudden clarity. 'Focus on your own assignments today. Do your best. That is all.'

At the time, Vaelira had taken it as standard delegation, a reminder to stay in her lane. She and Tessa had similar talks all the time, especially when Kaiden was in the proximity. Tessa worked extra hard to ensure the two didn't argue and that Kaiden didn't drive her guild's golden goose away - or so Vaelira reasoned.

In reality, Tessa cared infinitely more to ensure Kaiden remained amicable toward Nova Circuit.

Now, with the new information she gathered from the maid, it all fit together far too cleanly. Tessa had never mentioned Kaiden. Never hinted at his team's status. She had redirected Vaelira's attention with careful intent and sent her on her way.

And Vaelira, as big a vindictive bitch as ever, had ignored it.

When she'd checked the rankings during her lunch break and seen Valhalla's Sinners' contribution sitting at zero for hours on end, irritation had turned into certainty. Slacking. Special treatment. Wasted opportunity. She had marched straight back to the guild hall, as furious as ever.

Her jaw tightened as she snapped back to the present. "They must be inside," she said sharply, stepping closer to the doorway. "Tell them to come here. Right now."

Alexandra bowed again, deeper this time. "I apologize, Miss Vaelira. I am unable to do that."

Vaelira leaned forward, eyes flashing. "Wait," she hissed. "They're sleeping, aren't they?"

"My lord and ladies are working very hard to help the group secure victory," Alexandra replied, lifting her head. Her voice carried more firmness now, the tremor smoothed out by resolve. "They have gone out of their way, taking on great risks to ensure success for the whole group. I would appreciate it if you refrained from speaking poorly of your allies, Miss Vaelira."

Vaelira stared at her. Shock was written all over her face.

A maid.

A hired attendant dressed in comical demon frills had just corrected her.

Disbelief flared first, then something sharper and colder slid in behind it. Vaelira straightened to her full height, mana surging outward in a heavy wave that pressed against the corridor like a physical force. The runes along the walls flickered again, reacting to the sudden spike.

Alexandra flinched, taking a step back on instinct, and closed the door.

Or tried to.

Vaelira stepped forward immediately and planted her boot against the doorframe. When Alexandra reached to close the door, the reinforced panel met unyielding resistance.

Slowly, Vaelira leaned down, narrowing her gaze as she looked directly at the maid.

Her expression hardened, all heat refined into something pointed and dangerous, as the space between them filled with quiet, suffocating intent.

Vaelira's eyes narrowed further as she studied the maid's face, really looked at her this time, instead of seeing just another irrelevant commoner. The fear was still there, but it was layered over something older, something hardened by public scrutiny and private resolve. Then the pieces slid together.

Her breath hitched, then she laughed, sharp and humorless.

"…You're her, aren't you?"

Alexandra didn't respond.

"The crying woman from the video," Vaelira continued, satisfaction bleeding into her tone as she pressed on. "The one who stood in front of the cameras when the whole world wanted Valhalla's Sinners burned at the stake. You took the heat for them. You redirected it to ChronosX, accusing that fat pig Maximilian of manipulation, rape, cover-ups, and more. You dragged his name through the mud so the Sinners could breathe."

Vaelira's lips curled upward into a grin that held nothing kind in it. "It's safe to say that you ruined your own life, your own image for the rest of time, just for their sake. And this is how they repay you?" she shook her head amusedly. "A ridiculous clown outfit and the privilege of serving them. Is this one of Kaiden's kinks? A demonic wench with big boobs serving him breakfast? I knew they were greedy, shameless nobodies, but this?" She scoffed. "This is a new low."

Hearing that, something in Alexandra finally cracked.

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