Klaus quickly grew bored.
He thought he'd have fun with these guys but hell nah! They were idiots. Fools! Who comes to a club just to talk about philosophy?
Drink! Do drugs! Gamble! Get high! That's what fun means!
Not this pathetic, brooding nonsense. Ugh.
And so, Klaus and Hecate sat side by side, watching the others talk with matching yawns on their faces.
The only fun thing that happened?
Well, he and Tatiana, along with Effie and Hecate, hit the dance floor. Even Kai joined them and finally loosened up!
So naturally, the group split.
Team Yappers vs. Team Dancers.
Guess who was winning?
Still… This is boring, dawg, Klaus thought bitterly, chewing his gum with a loud pop.
Effie, meanwhile, was looking around with a curious gleam in her eyes. Her gaze sparkled with something close to wonder—excitement dancing in every blink. After all, she had been crippled before becoming a Master. Life back then had been limits and pain.
But now? Now she could go wild.
"…This is strange, though," she murmured, almost to herself. "I never imagined living like this. I mean… my goal was always to become a Master. But now that I've done it, everything feels a little surreal."
The archer smiled wistfully.
If Kai was being honest, this whole situation still felt surreal. He was surrounded by some of the most dangerous and talented people on Earth.
Who would've thought?
"Yes… life is full of surprises, isn't it?" he said softly. "Before the Forgotten Shore, I had a clear picture of what my future would look like. Then, for years, I tried not to think about the future at all."
He paused, eyes distant.
"And now that I've finally reached it… it's nothing like what I imagined. Not even a little."
Cassie chuckled, gently taking the glass of whiskey from Hecate's hand—earning a pout from the girl. She swirled the amber liquor in the glass, then took a slow sip before handing it to Klaus, who downed it in one gulp without hesitation.
Cassie smiled awkwardly and shook her head.
"Me too," she said quietly. "When I look back at my younger self… and think about what she expected from the future, I—"
She hesitated, her voice tinged with quiet disbelief.
"I can't believe how naïve and shortsighted she was. She feels like… a stranger, honestly.
And I never imagined I'd end up living like this…"
Klaus glanced at her, his face blank and eyes half-lidded, the glow of amethyst barely visible. It was obvious—he was drunk as hell.
"Why?" he muttered. "What do you mean by that?"
Cassie leaned back, fingers absentmindedly running through his white hair as she let out a quiet sigh.
"It's just…"
She hesitated.
"I don't even know how to explain it. The moment you kidnapped me back then… everything changed."
She chuckled bitterly.
"I started drinking—not even to forget, just to dull things. Or maybe just for the hell of it. Me, of all people. Who would've guessed that Song of the Fallen would end up an alcoholic?"
She fell quiet for a second, then glanced at him with a tired smile.
"All sorts of crazy things happened, Nik. And I don't think you really realize the kind of influence you have on people. When you're around… it's like the whole world goes mad."
Klaus grinned, smug and relaxed, clearly enjoying himself.
"Well, thanks for the compliments… Wait—kidnapped? I just took you out on a date! Romantic as hell, if I remember right. But hey, whatever. You gotta admit—I was smooth as fuck."
Cassie laughed, reaching over to pinch his scarred cheek.
"Yes, yes. I'll give you that. The first two dates? Sure, you were a gentleman."
She raised an eyebrow, smiling slyly.
"But then we got comfortable with each other—and you revealed your real self. And turned into… this."
Klaus blinked, eyes widening in mock outrage.
"What?! That's not true!"
He leaned in closer, pointing at himself with exaggerated offense.
"You clearly don't comprehend just how incredibly charming I am!"
Belial looked at them curiously, his expression a mix of confusion and mild concern.
"Klaus… didn't you tell me that when you talk to girls, you should just be a normal person? Like… be nice, don't act weird, and just be yourself. But then you also said, 'If you are a weird guy… definitely don't be yourself.'"
Klaus froze mid-laugh, slowly turning his head to stare at him in horror.
"Traitor…" he hissed. "How dare you expose the sacred bro code?! Huh?! How could you!?"
Belial just shrugged and lit a cigarette—only for Tatiana to snatch it from his mouth with a flick of her fingers, then promptly smack his forehead with two fingers.
"Stop mimicking my brother's stupid habits."
Sunny remained silent for a moment, but under the pressure of everyone's expectant gazes, he finally relented with a sigh.
"What? This is exactly how I imagined my life would go, actually. After I came back from the First Nightmare, I thought I'd soon be a full citizen, super rich, and have unlimited access to tasty food. So I don't know what you're all talking about. For me, everything went according to plan."
Klaus raised his glass with a wide grin.
"That's my boy!"
He stood up abruptly and laughed, then shouted:
"Sure, he's an edgy kid who thinks he's Batman… but hey! At least he's honest! Hell yeah! Cheers!"
Everyone chuckled, and glasses clinked.
Sunny should have felt better… but for some reason, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth, and it wasn't from the drink.
Effie rolled her eyes, then glanced at Nephis.
"What about you, princess?"
Changing Star lingered for a moment, then shrugged.
"I'm exactly where I expected to be, too. Of course, the details are different… but the result is the same. Legacies don't really get a choice in these matters."
Klaus gave her a dark look, his eyes narrowing.
"Bullshit."
Nephis blinked, staring at him blankly.
"Not everyone is as cheerful and casual about life as you, Klaus. Some of us have duties—responsibilities. You might not care and just live for the sake of chaos, but… I can't. And don't assume your opinion is always the right one, either."
Klaus grimaced, his expression darkening.
"First of all, my opinion is the truth. Whoever dares oppose it… dies.
Second, fuck duties and responsibilities—if you didn't choose them. The mere thought of living that way just because of my predecessors is insane and disgusting."
Nephis's aloof demeanor wavered, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes.
"Then what are your thoughts? Enlighten us."
Klaus fell silent for a moment. Hecate and Belial watched him curiously. Cassie looked interested, while Tatiana just sighed, unimpressed.
Klaus cringed at his own thoughts. Meh, who cares about that old man… he's dead, and I killed him.
He looked up, his voice low and thoughtful.
"I don't know." Klaus's voice dropped low, heavy with weariness. "I can feel everyone's desires… and their sins, too. But I can't seem to grasp my own. No, that's not it. It's more like—I want too much. No matter how many goals I achieve, how much power, wealth, or influence I accumulate… I still want more. It's like an endless, bottomless stomach. No matter how much you throw in, it's still hungry."
He glanced down, inhaling smoke with bitterness pooling in his eyes.
"But so what? I don't think there's any meaning in life or some grand purpose. It's meaningless. Just pure chance that gods were born from the void and somehow led to our creation."
He paused, voice quieter, almost questioning himself.
"But still… is my blood really what determines me? Is my will not my own? Don't I shape my own identity? Then why do you insist on defining me by something I had no choice in?"
Nephis frowned, watching his drunken ramblings. But was it really just drunkenness? Or maybe, because he was drunk, he was finally being honest with himself. Nephis had spent weeks with him, but between work and training, this was the first time she had seen her strange teacher like this.
"I don't… I don't define you by that…" she said quietly.
Klaus laughed softly, shaking his head with a hint of amusement. Then he stood up, glancing down at the crowd dancing below with a casual shrug, his expression lazy and indifferent.
"Fools… All of you are fools. So pathetic that I don't even pity you anymore. People with no identity of their own, just mimicking those who came before them… meaningless, worthless echoes of the past."
Klaus's words were harsh and hurtful. Not because the people in the room were soft—far from it. They were cold-blooded killers, every one of them. But what made his words sting was the truth buried in them. Deep down, they all knew it.
Klaus sighed, scratching the back of his head.
Why did I say that? Bloody hell… I'm killing the mood.
But Nephis didn't seem angry. And if she was, she hid it well.
"So, you think everything's meaningless and that we're all worthless…" she said calmly. "Still, I believe there are values we should hold in life."
Klaus snorted in disgust, but Nephis didn't stop.
"Value," she said, "is the empathetic making of one's own self."
Klaus blinked… then burst into laughter.
"What? Seriously? Hahaha… Ha…
Value... Value is a hypocritical construct of society. So what you said is inherently flawed. Well, if that's what you want, then go on. Keep being a puppet of your clan's legacy. Keep letting the world use you like trash. Keep being nothing more than the manifestation of a goal rooted in pathetic revenge."
He sneered with open disdain. He knew his words would hurt his sister, but he didn't care. He was disappointed in her.
What was wrong with her? Why was she talking like some kind of savior, someone ready to sacrifice herself for a stupid cause? It disgusted him. Klaus didn't like it at all.
It was dangerous. It was the wrong mindset. One that led only to death.
And no brother wants to watch his sister die.
Nephis didn't back down. She stepped forward, her voice sharp and defiant.
"So what if my motivation is revenge? So what? Even if my goals seem impossible, it doesn't matter. It never did—because if that's my will… then who dares stand in my way? You? Then you'll turn to ashes just like the rest."
Klaus blinked… then laughed mockingly.
"Hatred and revenge are fleeting. They burn bright, sure—like any flame—but eventually they consume their fuel and die out. So yes, you've done all this… but what happens when the object of your revenge disappears? When your hatred ends? You have no vision beyond destruction. And you'll crumble with it."
His voice turned colder, more disdainful.
"You speak as if strength is a tool of service. As if power exists to shield the weak… to fight nightmares, to fulfill some noble duty. Pathetic. Power exists for domination, Nephis. That's its only truth."
For once, Nephis didn't know what to say.
Because somewhere, deep down… she knew he wasn't entirely wrong.
She had forced her ideals onto others. Pushed them to fight, to sacrifice, to march into the darkness with nothing but hope and resolve. She led them to their deaths… all while wearing the mask of a hero.
Klaus had killed more people than most could count. But the difference was… he never lied about who he was. He didn't pretend to be a savior. He never dressed his sins in noble ideals. Even when he put on the face of a hero, deep down he stayed true to himself.
He knew he was a hypocrite. Knew he was wicked. But he never needed to convince himself otherwise.
Klaus clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He would never bow to ideals that clashed with his own. That simply wasn't in his nature. Pride ran too deep in him—rooted in every thought, every breath.
What was a mere flame compared to the everlasting, ever-changing void?
What was the sun in the presence of the vast, indifferent cosmos?
He looked at her, his amethyst eyes cold and distant.
"…That's it. You don't have an answer."
A smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Well, figures. So go on—acknowledge my existence. It's a luxury even gods can't afford."