Klaus looked at the ladies gathered in the room, all smiling brightly. He couldn't help but feel a burning rage toward the Dark Order. They had nearly taken his life, and that would have cost him this moment—to be surrounded by such heaven-defying beauties.
"Sister Lucy, why are you hiding behind Klaus?" Anna suddenly said, her playful tone making Lucy want to strangle her sister.
"Yes, Sister Lucy, why don't you come outside with us?" Nadia chimed in, having arrived just a few hours ago. She had been dealing with her own struggles since Klaus's sudden death, so She hadn't been around when he woke up. But as soon as she got Hanna's message that Klaus was alive, she dropped everything and rushed over.
'You should probably go with them,' Klaus said to Lucy telepathically. 'I doubt your sister will pass up this chance to tease you. Better to get it over with.'
Realizing there was no escape, Lucy stepped out from behind Klaus. Her gaze fixed on the floor, she walked toward her sister, who gently took her hand and whisked her out of the room.
The others—Nia, Asha, Nadia, Lily, Ohema, and even the distant and emotionless War Goddess—followed, leaving Klaus, his mother, and his newly found big sister, Hanna, alone in the room.
Klaus turned to his mother with a grin. "My dear mother, why don't you give your son, who just escaped death, a hug?" He spread his arms wide as he walked toward her. His eyes briefly flicked to the impressive 'melons' now adorning her chest, a change he hadn't expected in her mother.
But before he could get close, his mother turned and pulled Hanna into her embrace instead.
"Mother!" Klaus called out, feigning hurt as he stopped in his tracks.
"What, not satisfied with what you got from your Moonlit Princess, and now you want more?" Klaus's mother teased, a mocking smile playing on her lips. It was clear she had overheard everything between him and Lucy.
"Mom, you know it's bad to eavesdrop," Klaus replied, though his satisfied grin showed he wasn't really bothered. They exchanged a glance and both burst into a loud, shared laugh that left Hanna feeling a bit lost. Not that she was complaining—being hugged by those 'melons' was comforting enough that she wouldn't ask for more.
Klaus and his mother glanced at the ladies gathered under the small pavilion, now surrounding Lucy. "She's in for trouble," his mother said with a chuckle.
"Her sister's a devil. Why would she do that to her?" Klaus asked, eyeing Anna, who was grinning wickedly at Lucy's predicament.
"It's a coping mechanism," his mother replied.
"Huh?" Klaus frowned, clearly confused.
"Hey, Mom, you don't happen to have any food lying around, do you?" Klaus asked, his stomach growling loudly. Despite being a cultivator who could survive for months without food, to him, eating was still one of the most important parts of his day.
He couldn't help but remember a certain monk who was always stuffing his face with food.
'That bastard probably had all the best meals in the world,' Klaus cursed inwardly, shaking his head.
'Wait... I'm insulting myself now. That's both weird and, well... very weird,' Klaus sighed. His mother noticed his strange expression but simply smiled and headed off to the kitchen.
As soon as she left, Klaus stood up and turned to Hanna. "You okay?" he asked.
"I am," Hanna replied softly.
"You know you can be yourself around me, right?" Klaus said, his tone gentle. Having experienced his past life and now his current one, he still saw something in Hanna that hadn't changed. Even though she didn't have memories of her past self like he did, he knew her heart remained the same.
Hanna shuddered slightly, then nodded. "I know. And I'm grateful you accepted me into your family," she said, her voice full of sincerity.
"You're my sister now. You don't need to keep thanking me for everything," Klaus smiled warmly at her. Then, before she could react, he shifted positions, and his head was suddenly resting on her lap.
"You..." Hanna started, staring down at him in surprise.
"What? Aren't we family? It's only natural for a little brother to rest his head on his big sister's lap," Klaus said with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying himself.
Hanna sighed but didn't push him away. She gazed down at Klaus, her thoughts swirling. After a moment, she asked softly, "Little brother, what are you going to do now that you're alive?"
Klaus didn't hesitate. "Well, first, I'm going to spend some time with Mom. Once she's calmed down, I'll make sure the Dark Order doesn't exist anymore."
His voice turned cold, sending a chill down Hanna's spine. "I'll kill every last one of them if I have to," he said, his eyes darkening with a quiet resolve.
Hanna shuddered at his words, feeling the weight of his determination. She knew he wasn't bluffing—he meant every word.