After a bit, when it was evening and close to nightfall, Hel and the others were planning to go home to eat.

Hel's fingers wrapped around Reinhard's wrist, and she tugged, pulling him forward. "You have to come to dinner! Please, please, please!"

Martha grabbed his other wrist, her grip just as insistent. "You're part of our team now. That means you have to celebrate with us!"

The other children joined the chorus, their voices overlapping.

"You have to come!"

"Mama always makes extra food anyway!"

"Papa's cooking is the best in the city!"

"We always have team dinners after water fights!"

Reinhard found himself being dragged forward, surrounded by ten children who talked over each other while still dripping water onto cobblestones. Their excitement and delight in having come was impossible to resist, even if he'd wanted to.

The house stood in a quieter district, it was three stories of stone and wood that was painted blue, and flower boxes beneath windows. The door burst open before they reached it, with the light inside illuminating the area around the steps.

A tall woman with the same violet-blue hair as Martha and Hel but streaked with silver at the temples appeared. Her light blue eyes swept across the group, widening slightly before her expression shifted into exasperation.

Hel tugged at Reinhard as she whispered. "That's our mom, Melissa."

"You're all soaked!" Melissa's voice carried both scolding and amusement. "I told you last time to bring extra clothing if you were going to do the water fights!"

"But Mama-" Hel started with a pout.

"No buts. Upstairs, all of you. Baths and showers before dinner." Melissa stepped aside, gesturing them in. "And I'm burning these wet clothes if they drip on my clean floors. Bryan watched them as they walked in."

Then a broad-shouldered man, with short black hair and warm brown eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled, appeared behind her. Bryan looked over the dripping children with obvious delight.

"Who won?" His question was directed at everyone with a grin.

"We destroyed them, Papa!" Hel bounced despite being soaked. "Reinhard was on our team and we coordinated perfectly!"

Bryan's gaze shifted to Reinhardm, taking in the unfamiliar face and the way the children clustered around him. His expression remained welcoming. "Well then, welcome to our chaos. You'll need a bath too, can't have you catching a cold."

The next hour passed in organized chaos.

Children scattered to different bathrooms as Melissa produced towels and spare clothes with the efficiency of someone long-practiced. Reinhard found himself in a simple bathroom with clean water and soap that smelled of lavender.

When he emerged dressed in borrowed clothes that were slightly too large, the smell of cooking food filled the house. It was rich and savory scents that made his stomach remind him he hadn't eaten in what felt like days. Or had he? Time in the fantasy felt strange, disconnected from reality.

Reinhard went downstairs and entered the back of the house, where he saw the patio stretched across the entire back of the house. Wooden tables had been pushed together to create one long surface, covered in mismatched tablecloths.

Gas lamps hung from poles, their light mixing with the last rays of the setting sun to create golden illumination that turned everything warm.

The children gathered around the table after they were clean, dry, and wearing fresh clothes.

The red-haired freckled boy, whom Reinhard heard someone call Thomas, claimed a spot near one end. The girl with black braids was called Sera sat beside him, already arguing about something. The boy with brown hair and a green shirt, named Marcus, took a chair across from them.

More names emerged through the chatter.

The golden-haired girl in the now-yellow dress was Lydia, while the blonde girl with short hair was Anna. A boy with dark skin and a bright smile was called Felix, while another girl with auburn curls was Iris. The remaining children, who were two boys and a girl, were called Peter, James, and Rosa.

Hel pulled Reinhard to a seat between herself and Martha, which was put in the center of their team.

Bryan emerged from the house carrying platters.

Roasted meat that glistened with herbs and oils, vegetables seasoned and grilled, fresh bread still steaming, and bowls of stew that smelled of spices.

The food kept coming, which was more than eleven children and three adults could possibly eat, but Bryan kept bringing plates with obvious pride.

Melissa followed with a glass of cool water and juice. She set them down, then paused to ruffle Martha's still-damp hair. "Did you actually dodge anything, or did you just let Reinhard and Hel do all the work?"

Martha's face flushed. "I dodged plenty!"

"She dodged everything!" Hel defended immediately. "Martha's the best at water fights!"

The table erupted in agreement and disagreement simultaneously before voices overlapped as everyone tried to contribute their perspective at once.

Bryan raised his hands for quiet, and once he had it, he chuckled. "Then let's hear about it. From the beginning. Who wants to start?"

Thomas's hand shot up. "I'll start! So we were all racing from the city gate-"

"You were losing," Sera interjected.

"I wasn't losing, I was pacing myself-"

"You were definitely losing."

Laughter echoed around the table as Thomas continued. He began describing the race with dramatic gestures that made his telling twice as long as necessary, and others jumped in with corrections and additions.

Food circulated as the story progressed.

Plates were filled, passed, and refilled with Reinhard finding himself with a piece of roasted meat that fell apart at the touch of his fork, vegetables that crunched perfectly, and bread so soft it melted on his tongue.

The story of the water fight emerged in fragments with multiple voices contributing.

"-and then Lydia came out of nowhere with a perfect throw-"

"I didn't come out of nowhere, you just weren't paying attention!"

"-Felix slipped on the wet ground and his bucket went flying-"

"It was a tactical fall! I meant to do that!"

"-Marcus somehow stayed dry the entire time-"

"It's simply me being patient and not rushing around like you fools."

"-You hid behind the fountain!"

"Strategic positioning!"

More laughter while more food disappears from their plates, and Bryan listens with his attention fully given. He would occasionally ask questions that prompted more detailed retellings.

Melissa smiled throughout, her eyes moving between the children with obvious affection.

When the story reached Reinhard blocking a throw with his bucket, everyone turned to look at him.

"It was like he knew exactly where it would be," Anna said, her eyes wide. "The water was already flying, and he just-" She mimicked the blocking motion with her hands.

"And then Martha and Hel threw immediately after," James added. "Perfect teamwork."

Bryan clapped Reinhard on the shoulder. "Sounds like you fit right into their chaos."

Reinhard smiled, taking another bite to avoid having to respond immediately.

The sun set completely, leaving only lantern light and the emerging stars above. Someone mentioned how the sky looked clearer than usual, and someone else pointed out constellations.

Eventually, Melissa asked the question that shifted the atmosphere.

"The new year is almost here." Her voice carried thoughtful warmth. "What are your wishes for it?"

Silence fell as the children looked at their plates, then at the sky, and finally at each other.

Then Thomas spoke first. "I want to become an Inquisitor. Someone who can protect people from Phantasm Beasts."

Sera nodded. "I want to be a teacher. Someone who can help kids learn, especially the ones who struggle like I used to."

Marcus stared at his plate, then up at Bryan and Melissa. "I want to become rich so I can pay back Miss Melissa and Mr. Bryan for everything they've done for us."

"Marcus-" Melissa started with a worried look.

"It's true," Marcus insisted. "You've helped all of us. It's only right."

Bryan laughed and said. "Then we will wait for that day. We believe you will accomplish that."

Reinhard inwardly smiled while Melissa sighed, but gave Marcus a fond smile.

Felix's wish came next. "I want to travel the world to see everything while experiencing different places and cultures."

Lydia followed. "I want to document all the Phantasm Beasts. Create a complete record so people can study them safely."

Anna leaned forward, light catching her blonde hair. "I want to be an investigator. Someone who stops evil acts before they can hurt people."

Iris spoke softly. "I want to be a researcher. Someone who helps find ways to heal people better, to preserve life."

The remaining three children, Peter, James, and Rosa added their wishes. Dreams of becoming a merchant who traded fairly, an architect who designed beautiful buildings, and a musician who brought joy through song.

Then it was Hel's turn, who sat up straighter, and she clenched her fist as she said. "I want to become the mayor so I can improve the city. Make it better for everyone who lives here."

Everyone nodded with grins, with some cheering while others said it would be awesome to have a friend as the mayor.

Martha looked down at her plate, then up at the stars. "I want to change the medical world." Her tone was filled with determination and conviction. "So no one else has to suffer from bad practices and treatment."

In the next moment, cheers erupted as everyone clapped their hands at her, making Martha slightly blush.

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