Chapter 251: When the Cat is Out, the Mice come out to Play

As the popular saying goes... "When the cat is out, the mice come out to play," or whatever it is, it happens.

But in this context, the mice in particular are two crazy yet mature beings who share the same madman. These beings: one was a primordial S-Rank monster who, despite being weakened, could destroy the whole of City A when serious, all factors observed, while the other was an S-Rank orc woman with Jotun bloodline.

Echidna, the Mother of Monsters, and Gromda, the Orc Queen.

One would wonder... "What did Gromda and Echidna do when the more sane members of the Ashard Estate were away?"

Or, "What did Echidna and Gromda do when Silas, Chloe, Anna, and Alpha were away?"

And these questions were solid and actually reasonable. Only a few people knew of Alpha and Chloe’s families living in the estate, but even they were in another part of the estate.

The estate was huge and wide, with lots of buildings. Alpha’s family had taken residence in the northern part of the estate, while Chloe’s family was in the southern part. They only came to Silas’s section for something very important or when they were called.

Anyway, enough with them... Their time might come later.

Gromda was an addict to the gym, and with Silas’s ultra-modern gym, one could say it was the perfect place for her. Her own shrine and temple. Even Silas couldn’t prevent her from sleeping there if she really wanted to.

But when Echidna was factored into the equation, even Gromda’s gym addiction became nonexistent.

She was like the bad bean among them, and she played her role... with all the confidence and pride of a primordial monster.

***

Maybe it was through fate, or coincidence... Anna didn’t go to work on this day. And she got firsthand experience of what the two old, mature, yet immature women did when everyone was away.

She simply woke up, stared at the ceiling for several minutes, decided she did not want to deal with work, and went back to sleep.

It was perhaps the best decision she had made all week.

By noon, she was wandering through the estate in comfortable clothes, enjoying the unusual quiet. She passed through the corridors, checking rooms for the two calamities whom she couldn’t find anywhere.

She eventually reached Silas’s private section and stopped. Something was wrong. It was quiet, which should’ve been normal since its owner was probably trying to survive in some forest. But the problem was... it was too quiet...

’Where are those two?’

She already knew who she was talking about: Echidna and Gromda.

If those two were together and everyone else was away, there was only one possible explanation: Trouble.

Anna continued walking. Then she heard something.

"NO!"

A woman’s furious scream echoed through the corridor, causing her to freeze. Another voice immediately followed.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" A deep, delighted laugh.

Anna’s eyes widened.

"What?"

She slowly turned toward the sound, and it came from Silas’s private gaming room.

’No.’

Another scream came from inside.

"YOU CHEATED!"

"I DID NOT!"

"You clearly did!"

"I am an Orc Queen! I do not cheat!"

"THEN WHY DID YOUR CHARACTER TELEPORT?!"

"SKILL ISSUE!"

Anna covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

’No way.’

She quietly approached the door, and the voices became clearer.

"I told you! You cannot use that ability!"

"It’s not an ability! It’s a game mechanic!"

"YOU BUILT A WALL AROUND THE ENTIRE MAP!"

"Strategic planning."

"You trapped every player!"

"Strategic planning."

"You’ve been camping for twenty minutes!"

"Strategic planning."

A pause. Then Echidna’s voice.

"You are a disgrace to competitive gaming."

Gromda roared.

"YOU’RE JUST MAD BECAUSE I’M WINNING!"

Anna slowly opened the door, and she immediately regretted having functioning eyes.

Silas’s private gaming room looked like a battlefield. Two enormous monitors displayed a brightly colored Roblox-like game.

The room itself was equipped with several gaming chairs, consoles, keyboards, controllers, and an absurdly large screen mounted against the wall.

Gromda sat in one chair, and Echidna sat beside her, and both women were completely focused.

Gromda’s hands gripped the controller so tightly that the plastic was beginning to crack. Echidna had one hand on her keyboard and the other on her mouse.

Both were wearing gaming headsets.

On the massive screen was a colorful multiplayer game. Characters were running around an absurdly large map. A timer sat at the top. And beneath it was a scoreboard.

[GROMDA: 17]

[ECHIDNA: 16]

Anna stared at it in shock. When did these two understand gaming?! It didn’t make any sense whatsoever.

Then she noticed something else. On the table between them was a handwritten sheet of paper.

At the top, in large letters: BET.

Anna slowly walked closer.

"What... exactly... am I looking at?"

Neither woman responded. They were too focused, plus they had headsets on. Besides... compared to them, Anna was very short. They wouldn’t even see her.

Gromda suddenly shouted.

"YES!"

Her character eliminated another player, and the scoreboard changed.

[GROMDA: 18]

[ECHIDNA: 16]

Gromda stood up.

"I WIN!"

Echidna calmly reached over and pressed a button, and Gromda’s character immediately fell through the map.

"..." Gromda slowly sat down.

"You did not."

"I did."

"You cheated."

"I did not."

"You literally opened the developer menu!"

"I am the Mother of Monsters. I adapt."

"You are a primordial monster!"

"Exactly."

Anna stared at them, still shocked at the reality she was experiencing.

"Why are you two playing Roblox?"

Both women turned toward her, and silence engulfed the room. Gromda blinked. Echidna blinked. Anna pointed at the screen.

"Why?"

Echidna removed her headset.

"Entertainment."

Gromda nodded.

"Competition."

Anna looked at the scoreboard.

"You’re keeping score."

"Yes."

"There’s a bet."

"Yes."

"And you’ve apparently been doing this for hours."

"Correct."

Anna looked between them.

"What are you betting?"

The room became silent again. Echidna and Gromda exchanged a glance. Then Echidna smiled. It was not a reassuring smile.

Gromda smiled too, and Anna immediately became suspicious. Their smiles were anything but good.

"Winner gets Silas," Echidna said as she pointed toward the paper.

Anna froze. "What?"

Gromda nodded solemnly.

"For one week."

Anna stared.

"What do you mean by ’gets Silas’?"

"Monopolization."

Anna’s face went blank. Echidna explained calmly.

"The winner gets exclusive access to Silas for one week after he returns."

Gromda added.

"No interruptions, no stealing him, no dragging him away, and no Chloe."

Echidna nodded.

"No missions. No errands. No other women."

Anna’s mouth opened, closed, and opened again.

"You two are betting on Silas?"

"Yes."

"Like he’s a prize?"

Both women looked at each other- then at Anna- and nodded like two cute kids who were betting on chocolate cake.

"Yes."

Anna slowly rubbed her forehead.

"This estate is insane."

Echidna shrugged.

"Silas knew what he was getting into."

"Silas is not here, for fuck sake!"

"No... But I want him to fuck me."

"..."

Gromda leaned toward the table.

"Anna."

"What?"

"Would you like to participate?"

Anna stared at her, surprised once again that the somehow, no offense, but dumb Gromda, whose accent was like a broken tape, could speak this fluently.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I’m sane."

Echidna burst out laughing, while Gromda looked offended.

"That’s not a reason."

"It is absolutely a reason."

Echidna wiped a tear from her eye.

"She’s learning."

Anna ignored her. Instead, she looked at the scoreboard.

"How many rounds?"

"Fifty."

"Fifty?!"

"Best overall score."

"How many have you played?"

Gromda proudly pointed at the scoreboard.

"Thirty-four."

Anna’s eyes widened. "You’ve been doing this all day?"

"Since breakfast."

"You two could probably destroy this entire house if you got serious."

"Probably."

"And you’re sitting here fighting over a blocky video game."

Echidna nodded as though it was the most normal thing in the world. "Correct."

Anna stared at them for several seconds. Then she sighed.

"I don’t get paid enough for this."

Suddenly, the game announced:

[ROUND 35 STARTING!]

Both women immediately grabbed their controllers.

Gromda leaned forward.

"This one is mine."

Echidna smiled.

"We shall see."

Anna stepped backward.

"Actually, I’m leaving."

Neither heard her.