Chapter 306: _There Goes The Rest Of My Year

The next morning Ambrose was the first to wake up for once. He stretched with a yawn as he got out of bed, scratching the back of his neck.

[Good morning, sweetheart.]

Ambrose paused.

His eyes drifted to Devon and Viktor, who slept soundly on the king-sized bed—both shirtless. The sight made him feel tempted enough to wake them.

But he didn’t.

[Good on you for beating those horny thoughts.]

’Shut up.’ Ambrose squinted. ’I remember you saying something about an... update last night. Was too tired to ask for more details—’

[No, it’s fine. I thought you deserved the sleep so I muted the notification a bit.]

That made Ambrose’s cheeks redden with genuine appreciation. ’That’s so sweet of you, Aura.’

[... Yeah, I don’t think you’ll be thanking me much once you see what the notification is.]

’Pfft. What monster am I slaying this time?’ Although he said that, he was still anxious and pulled up the system screen.

And when he did... his face paled at what he read.

[MAIN/EMERGENCY MISSION UPDATED!]

[Subject, Orion Hale Ferguson’s suppression has begun to weaken.]

[CurrentSealIntegrity: 97%.]

[Deadline: Unknown.]

[PENALTY: Still possible erasure from every universe and timeline.]

He blinked multiple times. ’Seal integrity? What the fuck is that?’

[You know how we’ve always known Orion has powers, but we were never able to tell his exact Rank or the nature of said powers?]

’Yeah...?’

[And you know how he’s linked to this system due to the Emergency mission I assigned you when you transmigrated.]

’Just get to the point, Aura.’

[I’ve located a seal, placed on Orion to keep his powers hidden. Probably by the future Ambrose...]

[... And the seal is fading away.]

Time froze.

The implication of Aura’s words slowly settled over Ambrose like a net entrapping prey.

’H-Hold up.’ The laugh that left him was low and dry. ’You’re telling me that all this time you didn’t know about this damn... seal?’

[I’m telling you Orion has always been an even bigger anomaly than you, darling. Also, instead of trying to argue with me, why don’t you take a look out of your window?]

Ambrose’s forehead creased as he hurried to the bedroom’s window. He peered out—only to rub his eyes twice in case he was seeing things.

Chills swept through the compound and down his spine, his grip on the curtains faltering.

Just then, Devon stirred on the bed, chewing on his gum a bit before his eyes opened. He stared at the ceiling. Then at Viktor’s snoring form beside him.

Then finally at the window where Ambrose stood petrified, gazing out with what seemed like pure horror from this angle.

Devon’s impulse to tease his ass vanished instantly. "Dear God." He sat up, hopping off the bed. "What is it? Please don’t tell me there’s another—what in the fuck?!"

The alarmed yell snapped Viktor out of his dream about being a little boy. He turned on the bed, frowning at Devon and Ambrose.

"What’s gotten your feathers rustled so early?" He grumbled, flinging the bed sheet draped over his legs aside.

However, he too had to do a double-take when he was faced with what lay beyond the walls of the house.

What did they see?

Well... ice-cream.

Yes, yes, that probably doesn’t sound nearly as terrifying enough to startle three S-Ranks.

Until you realise that the ice-cream covered the entirety of the compound and beyond, stretching into the surrounding neighbourhood.

Mounds of ice cream in a plethora of flavours rained onto the trees, ground and basically made the place look like a colourful winter.

Except instead of snow you’ve got fucking ICE CREAM.

"H-How the fuck is this possible?" Viktor placed a hand on his head. "This... this doesn’t feel like frost or cold—"

"Is this a prank?" Devon added. "Because we’re already past April Fool’s and it doesn’t look funny."

"How the heck are we going to clean up all that ice cream?"

Ambrose stood silently through their bickering. Because he knew exactly who was responsible for this... and didn’t even know how to break the news to them.

Suddenly he remembered something childish and adorable Orion had said last night before they all went to bed.

A desert of ice-cream.

[Took you long enough to make the connection...]

Ambrose pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, defeated sigh. "We need to check on Orion."

Neither Devon nor Viktor questioned the urgency in his voice.

The three of them hurried out of the bedroom almost in unison, Ambrose taking the lead down the hallway.

They hadn’t even made it halfway there when another bedroom door slid open.

Loki stepped out, still wrapped in an oversized hoodie, lazily rubbing one eye while yawning.

"Oh, good." They blinked at the trio. "You’re all awake."

Ambrose barely slowed down. "Loki, where’s Orion?"

"Hm?" They frowned. "No idea. I was actually looking for one of you because..." They gestured vaguely toward the staircase. "...do you guys know there’s an ice-cream storm outside?"

"We’re on it!" Ambrose called over his shoulder.

He reached Orion’s bedroom first, throwing the door open with far more force than intended. "Orion?!"

Silence.

The neatly made bed sat empty. The toys scattered around the room remained untouched.

A strange knot twisted inside Ambrose’s stomach.

Then—

"Hehehe!" The unmistakable sound of childish laughter drifted in through the open window.

All four adults froze.

"Outside," Devon breathed.

They practically sprinted downstairs, Gabriel and Valentine emerging from the guest rooms at the commotion and joining them without asking questions.

"What happened?" Gabriel asked, still looking half asleep.

Ambrose didn’t answer, shoving the front door open once they got there.

Every single one of them stopped dead.

The front lawn had transformed into the world’s strangest playground.

Orion happily skipped through ankle-deep strawberry ice cream, scooping up handfuls of vanilla from nearby bushes while chocolate syrup drizzled gently from the branches overhead like rain. Tiny gummy bears bounced across the colourful landscape, and enormous scoops rolled lazily down what used to be the driveway.

The little boy spun around the moment he noticed them, his face lighting up.

"Daddy!" He waved enthusiastically. "Look!"

He spread both arms toward the impossible world surrounding him.

"It’s just like in my dreams!"

An uncomfortable silence settled over the adults.

Very slowly, every single head turned toward Ambrose.

He stood there with the expression of a man whose soul had quietly left his body, looking at Orion.

Then at the endless sea of ice cream swallowing half the neighbourhood. Then back at everyone staring at him.

"...So much for a peaceful rest of my year."