Marcus chuckled to himself. The whole thing had gone exactly as planned.

He hadn’t told anyone that Talia had returned to school, nor had he mentioned that she and Professor Tina had started playing Dominion. He’d kept it quiet specifically so he could surprise Amber, Lily, and the others. Looking around, he couldn’t help smiling. Aside from Crystal and Jade, who were meeting Talia and Professor Tina for the first time, everyone else already knew them quite well.

Anya and Chloe had known both women since childhood because of their families. In fact, Talia had once casually mentioned that when she was trying to convince Professor Tina to treat Marcus’s injured foot, Anya and Chloe had helped persuade her. Thanks to Anya’s family connections, Professor Tina had eventually agreed. Otherwise, she never would have made an exception for someone she barely knew.

Lily, Amber, and Willow had met Professor Tina later, after Marcus’s treatment. The women had clicked almost immediately. Whether it was mutual respect or simply compatible personalities, they had become close friends before long. Back then, Snow had been part of that circle as well.

Of all those relationships, however, Amber’s was the most special. From the day she met Professor Tina, she had practically idolized her. In Amber’s eyes, Tina was beautiful, talented, kind, and capable of things that seemed almost impossible. After Tina helped heal Marcus’s foot, Amber’s admiration only grew stronger. If Marcus occupied the number one spot in Amber’s heart, Professor Tina was undoubtedly right behind him.

The feeling went both ways. Professor Tina treated Amber like a younger sister, and sometimes it even seemed as though she spoiled Amber more than Marcus did. It wasn’t unusual for Amber to spend a day or two at Tina’s home, and Talia had joked more than once that her aunt seemed to care more about Amber than her own niece.

The bond between their families ran even deeper because of Marcus’s mother. During her illness, Professor Tina had visited countless times to help care for her and provide treatment. Everyone knew that without her efforts, Marcus’s mother probably wouldn’t have stayed with them as long as she had. Unfortunately, some wounds couldn’t be healed through medicine alone. In the end, it had been a burden of the heart, and even someone as skilled as Professor Tina couldn’t change that.

Because of those years, Marcus would always be grateful to her. Lily felt the same way, having witnessed everything firsthand, and Amber’s affection for Tina had only grown stronger because of it.

Now, watching Amber pout at him while clinging to Professor Tina’s arm, Marcus couldn’t help defending himself. "Hey, I told you friends were coming. You just didn’t guess who they were."

"Of course I didn’t!" Amber immediately turned on him. "You made it sound like ordinary friends."

"That’s because they are friends."

"No, they’re not!" Amber pointed dramatically at Professor Tina and Talia. "Sister Tina and Sister Talia aren’t just friends. They’re family."

Marcus nearly laughed. The logic made absolutely no sense, yet somehow, hearing Amber say it felt perfectly natural.

"Hmph." Amber turned her back on him and immediately switched to her sweet voice. "Sister Tina, Sister Talia, don’t pay attention to my heartless brother. He didn’t tell me anything. From now on, I’ll take care of leveling you two."

Neither Talia nor Professor Tina could help smiling. Amber had never cared much about family trees or complicated relationships. It didn’t matter that Tina was Talia’s aunt. If Amber liked someone, they became her sister. That simple. And somehow, nobody ever found it strange.

"Sounds like our Amber has gotten pretty confident." Talia looked her up and down with amusement. Professor Tina did the same. Amber was standing there in the magnificent Spirit of the Maple Leaf set, its purple glow making her look far more impressive than an ordinary player. Combined with her unique weapon, Your Hand in Mine, she looked every bit like an elite adventurer.

Amber immediately puffed out her chest. "Of course. I have a hidden class now."

"Oh?"

"Precision Archer." The pride in her voice couldn’t have been more obvious. Then she suddenly leaned closer to the two women and lowered her voice as though sharing a great secret. "But no matter how strong I am, nobody’s stronger than my big brother."

Professor Tina and Talia exchanged amused looks before turning toward Marcus. He stood a short distance away in his black armor, surrounded by traces of dark energy that gave him an imposing presence. The armor itself looked intimidating enough, but what truly drew attention was the confidence with which he carried himself. Whether in reality or in-game, Marcus always seemed to stand out. He wasn’t perfect; he could be reckless, stubborn, and far too fond of showing off. Yet there was something dependable about him that naturally drew people in.

"Is that what you’re all whispering about?" Marcus asked when he noticed them looking his way.

Amber immediately looked innocent. "Nothing."

Marcus laughed but didn’t press further. "Let’s move to the courtyard. Standing in the entrance hall isn’t exactly comfortable."

The group headed outside together. Along the way, Marcus introduced Professor Tina and Talia to Crystal and Jade. As expected, Crystal remained reserved. She greeted them politely with a nod before quietly stepping aside. Jade, meanwhile, bonded with them almost immediately. Much like Amber, she had a natural talent for getting close to people.

"Sister Tina."

"Sister Talia."

Within minutes, she was addressing them exactly the same way Amber did. The two women quickly warmed to her, and when they learned that Crystal and Jade were Snow’s cousins, their attitudes became even friendlier.

Still, Marcus noticed something beneath their smiles. Both sisters seemed distracted. Every so often, Crystal or Jade would glance in his direction before looking away again. It was obvious they wanted to say something but weren’t sure how to begin.

Marcus understood perfectly. More and more women had entered his life, while Snow remained absent. He still hadn’t spoken with her, still hadn’t cleared up the misunderstanding between them. As Snow’s cousins, how could they not worry?

"Crystal. Jade." Marcus quietly opened a private chat channel that included only the three of them. The two women immediately looked toward him. "Don’t worry." His voice was calm but firm. "I’m going to resolve everything with Snow soon."

Just saying her name stirred something inside him, a mixture of longing, regret, and anticipation.

"She’s coming back."

Jade’s eyes widened instantly. "Really, Marcus?" The concern she’d been hiding all this time disappeared from her face.

"Of course." Marcus didn’t hesitate.

Jade stared at him for a moment before a bright smile slowly appeared. "I knew it." Her eyes became slightly red. "Marcus... I believe you."

Even Crystal, who rarely showed much emotion, seemed relieved. For the first time that day, her expression softened noticeably. "I believe you too." Her voice was quiet, but the trust behind those words was unmistakable.

For Marcus, that trust only strengthened his resolve. No matter what it took, he was going to bring Snow back.