Chapter 921: Mercedes is tired.
Vex still hadn’t fully processed everything she’d seen since arriving in Asgard.
In fact, the more time she spent in that city, the more she began to suspect that it might be impossible to process it all at once. Every corridor seemed to lead somewhere new. Every window revealed a different view. Every person she passed seemed busy performing some important task. Even the mansion where Strax lived seemed larger on the inside than on the outside, something she was absolutely certain shouldn’t be possible.
Therefore, at that moment, she had simply given up trying to understand everything.
She sat comfortably in an armchair near the enormous window of Strax’s office, holding a bowl of vanilla ice cream mixed with small pieces of banana. The dessert had been presented to her a few minutes earlier by one of the mansion’s maids, and Vex still hadn’t decided if it was magic, alchemy, or an invention created specifically to make her happy.
Regardless of the answer, she had decided she liked it very much.
Perhaps too much.
Meanwhile, across the room, Strax sat behind a large, dark wooden desk covered in stacks of documents. The dragon wore a resigned expression as he signed papers, reviewed reports, and occasionally made small notes in the margins of some documents before piling them into another equally large pile.
The sheer amount of paper scattered across the desk was so absurd that Vex concluded that some monster was probably producing it in some hidden basement of the city.
She watched silently for several minutes.
She took another spoonful of ice cream.
She watched again.
Another signature.
Another sheet.
Another stack.
Another signature.
Finally, curiosity won out.
She slowly lowered her spoon and looked at her father.
"How can this exist?"
Strax looked up from the documents.
"Which part?"
Vex made a sweeping gesture with her free hand, pointing to practically everything at once.
"The city." She paused before continuing.
"The streets, the factories, the trains, the construction sites, the people working everywhere. Everything seems to function non-stop. It’s too big."
Strax partially rested his pen on the table before leaning back in his chair.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You’re seeing the result of a lot of hard work."
Vex looked out the window again.
Even from that distance, it was possible to see part of the city moving outside.
"Did you build this?"
The question made Strax chuckle softly.
"No."
He shook his head.
"I helped."
"But you founded the city."
"Yes."
"Then it was you."
"Not exactly."
Vex tilted his head.
Strax pointed to one of the sheets on the table.
"Do you remember Monica?"
The girl’s eyes immediately lit up.
"Of course."
She seemed genuinely impressed by the woman from the moment she met her.
"She’s terrifying."
Strax agreed immediately.
"Very."
"She scared me more than you."
"That’s normal."
Vex seemed surprised by the answer.
"Normal?"
"Completely."
His smile widened.
"Monica is a little extreme when it comes to competence."
"A little?"
"Okay. Very extreme."
Vex looked out the window again.
Then he slowly began to understand.
"It was her."
"Almost everything."
Strax nodded.
"I protected the city."
He paused before continuing.
"Monica built most of it."
Vex remained silent for a few moments.
She remembered the way Monica walked.
The way she spoke.
The absolute confidence that seemed to radiate naturally.
The more she thought about it, the more she could imagine it happening.
Strangely, it made sense.
A lot of sense.
"Now I understand."
Strax smiled.
"I figured you would."
The girl took another bite of her ice cream while observing the landscape through the window again.
For the first time, she began to see the city differently.
Not just as a huge place.
But as something built by people.
People who worked.
Planned.
Created.
It was a curious perspective.
And quite impressive.
The comfortable silence returned to fill the office.
Vex continued savoring her ice cream.
Strax continued signing documents.
For a few minutes, only the occasional sound of pages being turned interrupted the tranquility of the environment.
Then the door opened.
Without knocking.
Without warning.
It just opened.
Vex turned her head automatically.
And found a woman she definitely hadn’t seen before.
Kali entered the office carrying some papers under her arm. Her dark hair fell down her back as she walked unceremoniously into the room.
Then she noticed the girl’s presence.
She stopped immediately.
Vex too.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds.
Silently.
Kali observing the young woman with blue hair sitting with a bowl of ice cream.
Vex observed the tall, tanned woman who had just entered.
Then Kali slowly turned her head to Strax.
"Is that the little dragon you left with Mercedes?"
Strax nodded as he finished signing another document.
"Yes."
Kali observed Vex again.
For a few more seconds.
Then she smiled.
A huge smile.
Dangerously huge.
Strax noticed immediately.
And he also noticed the danger.
"Vex."
The girl looked up.
"Hm?"
"Introduce yourself."
She immediately placed the bowl on the small table beside the armchair.
She stood up.
She adjusted her clothes.
And then she performed a small, extremely polite bow.
Not exaggerated.
Not theatrical.
Just respectful.
"My name is Vex."
She raised her head again. "Only Vex."
Then she discreetly pointed at Strax.
"And I’m my father’s daughter."
The office fell silent for about two seconds.
Kali blinked.
Then she blinked again.
Then she brought one hand to her face.
Clearly suffering some kind of emotional distress.
"Oh no."
Vex tilted her head.
Confused.
"What?"
Kali pointed at her.
"This shouldn’t be allowed."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No."
She brought both hands to her face.
"On the contrary."
Strax was already starting to laugh.
Because he knew that reaction.
He knew it very well.
Vex still didn’t understand.
Which only made the situation worse.
Because the girl’s genuinely confused expression made everything even more endearing.
Kali took a deep breath.
She tried to regain control.
She failed completely.
The next instant, she crossed the office in a few steps.
Vex didn’t even have time to react.
When she realized it, she had already been grabbed.
"CUTE!"
The hug was strong enough to lift her feet off the ground.
Vex let out a sound of surprise.
"Kya-!"
Then she disappeared.
Literally disappeared.
Or at least that was the impression.
Because her face was completely buried against the woman’s chest.
Kali’s enormous tanned curves instantly transformed into an inescapable prison.
"Hmmmmm!"
The protest came out completely muffled.
The girl’s arms thrashed uselessly.
Her legs too.
Without success.
Kali kept squeezing.
"You’re so cute!"
"HMMMM!" "Look at that hair!"
"HMMMMM!"
"Look at that face!"
"HMMMMMMM!"
Strax watched everything from the table.
Completely calm.
As if it were a perfectly normal event.
Because, to be honest, it was.
Vex finally managed to free one of his hands.
Then he began to lightly tap Kali’s shoulder.
Asking for help.
Or oxygen.
Maybe both.
Kali finally realized.
"Oops."
She loosened her grip.
Immediately.
Vex took a huge breath.
Like someone who had just survived a shipwreck.
Then he rested both hands on his knees.
Breathing deeply.
Kali seemed genuinely sorry.
For approximately three seconds.
Then she smiled again.
"Sorry."
Vex raised her head.
Still catching her breath.
"You’re very strong."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"I’ll take it as one."
Strax chuckled.
Vex turned to him immediately.
With an indignant expression.
"You saw it happen."
"I did."
"And you did nothing."
"It looked like you two were getting along."
"I was dying."
"Details."
Vex crossed her arms.
Still trying to regain her dignity.
Meanwhile, Kali simply pulled up a nearby chair and sat down beside her.
Smiling like someone who had just found a rare pup.
And, observing the way the woman looked at Vex, the little dragon had a very specific feeling.
The certainty that this would definitely not be the last time she would be crushed in an embrace.
...
Mercedes had finally recovered something she hadn’t possessed for several months.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Glorious silence.
Sacred silence.
She carefully closed the door to her chambers behind her and remained motionless for a few seconds, simply appreciating the complete absence of questions. No childish voices asking why the snow fell. No curiosity about mountains. No philosophical investigations about fish, clouds, castles, or rabbits.
Nothing.
Just peace.
The Ice Monarch stood still in the center of the room, observing the familiar surroundings. The light stone walls reflected the soft light of the magic lamps scattered throughout the room. The large window facing the mountains remained partially covered by the accumulated snow outside, while a fireplace burned silently in one of the corners.
Normally, this was where Mercedes organized her thoughts.
She planned campaigns.
She analyzed reports.
She managed her kingdom.
She solved problems.
At that moment, however, she didn’t want to manage anything at all.
Not kingdoms.
Not armies.
Not politics.
Not dragons.
Especially not dragons.
Mercedes walked slowly to the bed.
Her movements possessed a strange lack of energy that didn’t suit someone of her position. Anyone who knew her only as the Ice Monarch would probably be shocked to see her in that state.
Because the woman who terrified generals and froze entire armies seemed to have been defeated by something far more dangerous.
A curious child.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
Then she let out a long sigh.
Deep.
Extremely tired.
Her shoulders relaxed immediately.
The tension accumulated over the past few months seemed to partially leave her body.
Only partially. Because she suspected that some of that tiredness was now permanent.
Mercedes brought both hands to her face.
She remained like that for a few seconds.
Then she let her arms fall.
"I’m so tired..."
Her own voice sounded strange in the silent room.
She rested her head back.
Looking at the ceiling.
Thoughtful.
Honestly, when she had agreed to help Strax in that situation, she had imagined many difficulties.
She expected problems.
She expected challenges.
She expected dangerous situations.
After all, she was helping to raise a young dragon.
Naturally, that would be complicated.
The problem was that she had imagined the wrong kind of complicated.
No one had prepared her for the questions.
The endless questions.
The interminable questions.
The questions about questions.
The questions that arose after the answers.
And the questions that arose because she had answered the previous questions.
Mercedes closed her eyes.
A recent memory immediately surfaced.
"Mom, why is ice cold?"
She felt her eyelid twitch.
Another memory.
"Mom, why do dragons fly?"
Yet another.
"Mom, why do people need to sleep?"
Another.
"Mom, why are there mountains?"
Another one.
"Mom, why is there a sky?"
Mercedes covered her face again.
"Please..."
The room remained silent.
She took a deep breath.
Trying to push away the memories.
Completely failing.
Because now she could even hear Vex’s voice inside her own head.
The girl possessed an absurd amount of energy.
A practically inexhaustible energy.
It was almost offensive.
Mercedes was absolutely certain that the young dragon woke up every morning determined to discover all the information in the world before dinner.
And if possible, before lunch.
The woman turned slowly and fell back onto the mattress.
Without elegance.
Without posture.
Without any concern.
She just collapsed.
The mattress sank gently under her weight.
And, for the first time in weeks, she felt she could simply remain there. Without doing anything.
Without answering anything.
Without explaining anything.
Without teaching anything.
Just existing.
Mercedes stared at the ceiling for a few more moments.
Then she brought one hand to her eyes.
A small, tired smile appeared on her face.
Despite everything...
Despite the tiredness.
Despite the headaches.
Despite the questions.
Despite the complete destruction of her peace of mind.
She missed the girl.
Already.
The thought made her sigh again.
"This is ridiculous."
She knew it was.
Vex had left only a few hours before.
Just a few.
And yet the entire fortress seemed strangely empty.
Too quiet.
Too organized.
Too calm.
Mercedes never imagined she would miss someone running through the corridors asking impossible questions.
But apparently she did.
Because that small, hyperactive creature had achieved something few living beings have accomplished.
Becoming part of her routine.
And now the absence was noticeable.
Very noticeable.
Mercedes turned to her side.
Adjusting the pillow under her head.
Her eyes began to feel heavier.
Finally.
For the first time in a long time, she would have a peaceful night.
Without interruptions.
Without existential questions about snow.
Without questions about dragons.
Without requests to hear stories before bed.
Just rest.
Pure rest.
The woman slowly closed her eyes.
A small smile appeared again.
This time softer.
More sincere.
"Strax..."
She murmured softly.
Thinking of the dragon.
Thinking of Vex.
Thinking of the fact that, for the first time in months, someone was sharing that responsibility with her again.
The sensation was strangely comforting.
Mercedes sank even further into the mattress.
Her body finally began to relax completely.
"You really should have shown up sooner..."
Her voice became almost a whisper.
But there was no genuine irritation in the words.
Just tiredness.
And perhaps a little relief.
She let out one last sigh.
Long.
Deep.
Then she settled more comfortably under the covers.
"I’ll sleep until she gets back."
The statement seemed firm.
Decided.
Absolute.
Like an official order from the Ice Monarch herself.
An unquestionable decision.
Unfortunately, if there was one thing Mercedes should have learned after so many months...
It was that making plans involving Vex almost always ended in disaster.
But that problem belonged to future Mercedes.
Present Mercedes was already almost asleep.
And at that moment, she intended to savor every second of that precious peace before a small, draconian hurricane returned to destroy any hope of tranquility once more.
