God of Tricksters

"Alea!"

"Ellen!"

The two women finally met again after a long separation. They were childhood friends, so it felt a bit more nostalgic.

They hugged each other as they truly missed each other so much.

Alea had tied her blond hair into a ponytail, making her look a bit gallant. Even though she acted like how she used to when they were still together, Ellen couldn't deny that Alea felt a bit more mature. It wasn't just her face or body, it was her aura that gave a feeling of a warrior.

Ellen also had changed. She looked gentle and caring previously, but she now had braided hair resting on her left chest. She even wore glasses due to her eyes deteriorating from becoming a bookworm in the institute.

Still, everyone who knew Ellen previously would agree that Ellen looked more mature and lovely like that of a mother.

"Mhm?" Ellen glanced to the side, finding another woman approaching them. As someone who had been talking with Alea the longest, she already knew her identity. "Hello, I'm Ellen. Thank you for taking care of Alea this whole time. I'm sure that she's bothered you a lot."

Ana chuckled and said, "Ahaha, it's fine. She has truly grown a lot. Even I am feeling gratified when seeing her growth."

That was right. She was Anastasia, the Empress' granddaughter. She was already like a sister to Alea since they both grew at the same pace, making them look like a real family.

"Can't you put nicer words?" Alea pouted.

"Well, I don't want to disturb your reunion, so I'll leav—" Ana stopped when he saw Phyrill coming toward them. "Hello."

"It's an honor to meet the Empress' granddaughter." Phyrill slightly bowed to show his respect.

"You don't have to be that polite. Alea's friends are my friends as well." Ana extended her hand.

Phyrill smiled and shook her hand. "Thanks."

"Alea has told me about it, but you two have truly gone to the World Martial Institute together." Ana looked at Phyrill and Ellen.

"I wasn't invited by them though. It was Phyrill who asked me to come together with him." Ellen smiled, answering Ana's doubt. She even positioned herself next to Phyrill as if she was backing him up.

"Huh?" Alea raised her eyebrows. Due to her exceptional vision, she could see something more in that action. She couldn't help but open her mouth in shock while pointing at them, "Are you two…"

"Hehe…" Ellen made a big smile and admitted it without hesitation. "That's right. We're in a relationship right now."

"Oh, oh?" Alea was stunned for a moment. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Seeing Ellen's smile made her happy, but she also had another feeling in her heart. She felt jealous. The display between Ellen and Phyrill couldn't help but remind her of Theo, the man who was said to have died.

To avoid making others worry, Alea shifted the topic. "Still, to think Phyrill's height hasn't increased since then."

"Wha—Alea, do you want a beating? I don't think I'm weaker than you now." Phyrill smirked while raising both hands as if he was raring to fight.

However, a pair of hands suddenly circled around his neck before pulling his head back. He suddenly bumped into a soft cushion, and his fighting spirit instantly disappeared.

Yes, Ellen just pulled him into her embrace, and due to Phyrill's height, his head perfectly fell on her breasts.

"Isn't it fine to be short? He's perfect for me." Ellen smiled, backing Phyrill up while showing the proof of their relationship.

"…" Alea was speechless while Ana said, "Congratulations, Phyrill. It seems that you've found your other half."

"Ehm, thank you?" Phyrill replied with an awkward tone because he felt a bit embarrassed about this. Not that he planned to push her away though.

"Still, he's not short. If you look at his back, he's like a giant tower, protecting you." Ellen smiled as if she remembered something from the institute.

"I think you should stop at that." Phyrill sighed.

"Right?" Ellen chuckled.

"Anyway, I need to arrange my people here, so I must leave. There is only our Empress' Palace and the World Martial Institute right now. We're still waiting for the main party to arrive… I'm curious about this Poison Princess. Though, I have heard that the Star Group doesn't send many people."

"Yeah, it was like 4-5 people?" Ellen nodded. "I wonder who they are…"

"Well, it seems that the one leading them is an S Rank Talent from the Star Group. Joker was supposed to participate, but he only sent three of his men." Ana sighed before waving her hand, leaving in a hurry after someone called her.

"Isn't Joker just a joke? People think he has the ability to fight against a Mythical Rank Expert, but no one has seen him fighting them." Suddenly, a young man walked toward them, participating in the discussion.

"Ragnar…" Phyrill frowned, glaring at him.

"Who is he?" Alea asked in a low tone. Ellen, who was next to her, whispered, "A troublesome man who is flaunting his power everywhere. He likes to bully the weak just to make them look strong. Though, we can't do anything right now because he has a lot of connections and his strength is already at Mythical Rank."

Ragnar suddenly came to Alea with a sly smile. "Well, if it isn't the famous Alea Eilric?"

"You know me?" Alea frowned, not having a good feeling when she was observing his expression.

"Of course, who doesn't know Alea Eilric? The Sword Maiden of the Empress' Palace." Ragnar smirked.

"Ragnar!" Phyrill raised his voice. "You should take back what you said earlier. I don't care if you like him or not, but your loose mouth will bring you big trouble sooner or later."

"What? Did I say it wrong? How about I fight Joker now? Well, we can't because he's too scared to even go on a mission like this. You can't spell Joker without Joke." Ragnar smirked.

"What a bold claim you have there." Another voice suddenly entered their ears as all of them turned around, seeing Theo and his group finally make their entrance.