Meera and I sit besides each other in the lobby. This is a private conversation. For now, I want to keep the Demi’s out of the loop. While Kisa and Nya have every reason to hate Merekeep’s masters, I don’t know them well enough to trust them with our true mission. Besides, if they get caught, they can’t reveal information they don’t know. In a way I suppose keeping them in the dark is protecting them…right?

“Boss, I don’t like this guy at all.” My security consultant says what she usually does about other people. “Don’t you think it’s convenient that he found us right after you planted your first Icebomb? And he just happens to want to take down Merekeep?”

“Yea, I do,” I reply. “But he knows things. I had no idea about magic tracking. Not even Jarshan told me the Omniscient Guard could do that. It’s good information. Why would he tell me if he’s an enemy?”

“Could just be trying to trick you.” Meera raps her fingers on a table. A block of cheese appears in her hand. She starts twirling it as if it weighs no more than a pencil. “Maybe he thinks he can use us to get to the Rainstopper higher ups. He might be trying to use us as bait to catch the bigger fish. He just doesn’t realize that we are the big fish.”

“Maybe.” I concede the point. Standing up, I pace around. Unlike Meera who can sit around and play with things, I feel the need to move my legs while thinking. “It’s a risk. However, something tells me it isn’t like that. No…Selena has plenty of enemies. And that hate in his voice. I’m certain he’s not faking it. That being said, I am a bit worried. He wants me to learn to make three Icebombs at once. Apparently that’s the only way to avoid magic tracking…”

“You can do that?”

“Might. I’m working on it.” I finish walking to the door and come back to Meera. “That’s not what I’m worried about though. If I can get three going…with his intel, we’ll be catching big fish ourselves soon. I don’t understand it. This operation was supposed to take years. I figured it would take the entire year just to figure out who’s on who’s side in this city. But this guy…he knows everything. We can pinpoint exactly who works for the Daggas from the start.”

“That’s a good thing though, right?” Meera smiles, and tears off the wrapper on the cheese block. Taking a big bite, she chews and laughs, “The faster we move, the faster Selena comes out to play. At the very least, we’ll scare the Upper Houses into abandoning her side. Just like you planned.”

“Yea...but we’ll also start getting noticed a lot sooner too.” I sigh, thinking about how this has all spiraled out of control. While I was prepared to begin basic bombing operations, I never planned on taking it beyond low level targets. Clans which supported Selena but weren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. The Stranger has a list of places he wants me to hit once I can evade magic tracking. Most of these targets are stronger than I’d like with some being directly under the Daggas Clan. For sure, it’s a great opportunity. But the risk is enormous. “I think we’ll have to go along with his plans for now. Otherwise he’ll just report us to the Omniscient Guard and it’s game over. But I need to find out who he is. This is way too dangerous.”

“Uhuh, you’re the Boss.” Meera finishes her cheese and brushes the crumbs onto the floor. Standing up, she approaches me as I circle back to the counter. “Now then...enough talking about business. Haven’t you forgotten something?”

“What?” I’m confused.

“Girls!” Meera goes back to the steel safety door and shouts loudly while banging on it with her palm. “It’s time!”

Huh?

*Bang*

The door flies open and two Demi-Cat girls sashay out. Kisa comes out first. In her steady hands is a small cake. Just enough for three teens and one growing Demi-kit. She grins at me and I sigh back ruefully.

Oh, right.

“Happy birthday, Boss!” Meera cackles evilly. She comes over and puts her hands on my shoulder. “Your gift is one free massage. And uhh…yea that’s it. But I told them so technically whatever they get you, I’m responsible for too!” I stare at her blankly with a puzzled expression as Kisa carries the cake closer. Nya enters the room behind her big sister. Her hands are behind her back, and I think she’s hiding a present for me.

“Thanks.” I put on a smile for Kisa and Nya. Turning my head, I glance suspiciously at Meera, “Do pray tell…how exactly did you know it was my birthday?”

“Hehe, Elina says hi!” She replies simply. However, this doesn’t ease my suspicions. Since when does Elina know my birthday? I never told her while we were training. Although I suppose maybe she figured it out from one of Romy’s letters? But it’d have to be an old one…Romy’s been out of contact for a long time. I sent Perideen to look so hopefully he can find her. As Kisa gets closer with the cake, I find it has sixteen candles in it. An oddly Earth-like custom. I’ll never understand why it’s the same in this world.

“Happy Birthday, Myrr!” Kisa and Nya cry out in unison. They set the cake down on the counter in front of me. Suddenly, I get a weird feeling. Nya takes her tiny hands out from behind her back. Inside her hands are two circular metal objects. Wait…those are…collars?! Engraved around the metal band are the words “Myrr’s Maid: Kisa” and “Myrr’s Maid: Nya” respectively. I gulp as I realize this is about to get weird. Kisa takes one from her sister and then they both bow deeply and offer them to me. “Please be our Master!”

Woah!

I’m not into stuff like that!

Turning around frantically, I see Meera doing her best not to laugh. She pretends to check out the display case cheeses and I give her a death stare. Unfortunately, there’s no help coming so I’m forced to look back at Kisa and Nya. Their fuzzy ears twitching, my staff peek up at me from their bows.

“Myrr,” Kisa purrs. “I know you already own us. But please, formally accept us as your maids. We would be honored to run your household.”

“We would be honored to run your household!” Nya copies her big sister.

…

…

I look between the two of them and find only honest eyes staring back at me. Remembering how Natalia always behaved about the whole maid thing, I’m fairly certain it might be offensive if I say no. Umm…how do I get out of this. I know!

“Err…guys,” I put up my hands helplessly. Meera snickers to my right. “This is really nice and all…but I actually have a maid already. So, how about we just keep things as are? Sorry…”

…

…

“Myrr already has a maid?!” Both Demi-Cat’s tails immediately rise into question marks. They don’t withdraw the collars though. Kisa cocks her head at me. “You can have more than one maid though.”

“Um, right.” I cough. “Well, my maid and I haven’t made it official yet and I think she wanted to be my first so…maybe we should hold off? Besides, we barely know each other…”

“Mmm…that makes sense,” Kisa turns to Nya and shakes her head. She takes the collar from her sister and stows them both in her dress. Fortunately, they don’t seem too disappointed. Whew, my b.s. excuse didn’t hurt their feelings. “Alright, Nya. We need to work hard from now on. Once Myrr takes his first maid, we’ll need to pounce and get the second and third spots! Or if he doesn’t take on more maids, at the very least, we need to be his number one and two employees!”

“Mhm mhm!” Nya agrees. However, she’s only half paying attention. The young Demi-Cat’s eyes are fixated on the counter. She licks her lips greedily, “Can we have cake now!”

“Y-Yea! Cake time!” I go over and sit by the counter. “Meera, you want to do the honors?”

“Of course!” She flickers to the other side of the counter and plucks out the candles. Holding her hand out like a knife, I see the tell-tale signs of dense Qi gathering-

*Shing Shing Shing*

With a couple delicate chops, the cake is suddenly divided into four perfectly even portions. Meera’s hand is still perfectly clean but…you know you’re supposed to use a knife, right?

Is this a Rainstopper thing?

“Tada!” Meera tosses each piece onto a plate and hands them around. When she gets to mine though, she frowns. “Huh…I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

“Mmm…yea!” Kisa agrees, frowning. I cock my head as Meera hands me the last piece. “This doesn’t seem quite right.”

“I know! Myrr needs to make a wish!” Nya exclaims joyfully. “Isn’t that what happens at birthday parties?”

“Y-Yea! I think so!” Kisa nods in agreement. The way she says it makes my eyes widen. I look between all the girls and think it over. Slave…slave…and child assassin…wait a minute…

“Have any of you ever had a real birthday party before?!” I yelp. Three pairs of mournful eyes stare back at me silently and I realize something. Oh…My…God. I…actually had the best childhood out of everyone here. Shaking my head, I genuinely smile, realizing that even though they don’t know anything about birthday parties, they tried really hard to do one for me. “Okay…next year…we’re doing parties for everyone. And yes, usually you’re supposed to make a wish. Before taking the candles out.” I reach over and grab one of the candles on the counter. Sticking it back on my slice of cake, I chant silently and hold out a finger over the tip-

[Flaming Ember of My Desire, Burst Forth-Burn]

A gout of flame shoots out like a mini-lighter.

*Whoosh*

And the candle ignites.

“Woaaah!” Kisa and Nya both exclaim at the show of magic, “How did Myrr do that!”

“Mage secret. Okay, now you make a wish and blow it out.” I laugh at their childish expressions of amazement as Meera rolls her eyes. But she’s started smiling as well. To finish the show, I point a finger and whisper-

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

*Pwhoosh*

A little smoke blows from the candle.

*Tsssss*

“That’s it. Now we eat!” I say and pluck the candle out. Meera starts to wolf down her cake.

“What did you wish for, Myrr?” Nya asks curiously.

“Oh…you know…a little of this…a little of that…” I start only to be interrupted-

“No, Nya! Stop!” Kisa says seriously. She shakes her head. “You mustn’t ask Myrr for his wish. If he tells you, it won’t come true!”

“R-Really?!” She glances around nervously. “O-Okay…but Myrr…will you let me know if it comes true? I want to know if wishes really come true!”

“Hehe, sure thing, Kiddo.” Licking my finger, I take a bite of my cake and eat it. “I’ll let you know if it happens.”

“I’m sure it will.” Kisa sighs, watching me eat. “Is the food acceptable, Myrr? I made it myself, but I’m afraid it was my first time baking with real flour so…”

“It’s very sweet. One of the best I’ve had in a long time,” I tell her, thinking back to my prior birthdays. I really did get lucky in this life to meet such good people. Unless…do you think…it wasn’t a coincidence? After all, I am reincarnated. Did you arrange this? Eh…whatever, I won’t question a good thing.

“Thank you, Master!” Kisa is delighted by my praise for her cooking, “It means everything coming from you!”

“Hey…” I pause, thinking I heard something funny, “I thought we agreed no more of this Master stuff for now!” Kisa guiltily looks away and turns to her little sister. She whispers something. It’s hard to hear, but I think it sounds like-

“Drats, Nya, when your birthday comes, wish for a Master!”

“Mhm mhm! Myrr will be ours!”

You’re not going to give up are you?!

…

…

…

You know, I wish a lot of things could happen.

That Mephis will be okay.

That Romy will come back.

That Mark will survive.

That Glacia will be mine.

But most of all…right now…

I think there’s only one wish that I can really make come true.

So that’s what I wished for.

I wish that Natalia could be here with us.

And have a family again.

Soon, Natalia.

I’ll see you again soon.

Just you wait.

Merekeep will fall before you know it!

And then I’ll show you our new home!