Knox took a tiny breath, fixed the most harmless smile he could muster, and opened the door again—properly this time.
"Well… since you two are already here," he said with a bright, almost sparkly grin, "why don't you come in?"
Nefthis' eyes lit up instantly, like a child being offered candy.
Jane, meanwhile, simply gave a curt nod—expression unreadable, aura composed—and followed her leader inside.
They settled into the living room. Nefthis bouncing lightly on the couch with curious eyes wandering everywhere, and Jane sitting primly, posture perfect, already looking like she was silently apologizing to the furniture on Nefthis' behalf.
"So," Knox clasped his hands cheerfully, "what would you two like to drink?"
"I want fruit juice!" Nefthis answered before he even finished, her tone bright and childish—almost singing the words.
Jane glanced sideways at her, eyes narrowing in disbelief, then sighed as if this was the five-hundredth time today.
"…Tea. Black tea, if you have it."
"Of course~" Knox chimed with a slight giggle in his voice, "coming right up!"
A few minutes later, Knox returned with two glasses on a tray.
For Nefthis—mixed berry juice, vibrant purple and topped with a cold shimmer of frost.
For Jane—perfectly steeped black tea, its aroma warm, rich, and calming.
The moment Knox set the drinks down:
Nefthis' eyes widened dramatically. "Waaah—! It's so pretty! And it smells amazing!"
She took a sip—then both her legs kicked up in pure delight.
"Mmh!! This is sooo good!! Knox, what is this?! Why is it this good?!"
Jane, maintaining her icy elegance, lifted her cup… took a sip…and froze.
Her eyes widened just a fraction—barely—but for Jane Olivia, that was the equivalent of a full gasp.
"This tea…" she murmured, "is remarkable. Fragrant, balanced… and it eases the mind."
Nefthis leaned forward, already halfway through her juice.
"Knox! Knox! Where did you buy this?! I want a barrel of it!"
Knox set a finger to his cheek and smiled, playful and innocent.
"Ehehe… you can't buy it anywhere. Because—" he tapped the tray lightly, "—both drinks were made by yours truly~"
Nefthis sparkled.
Jane stared.
And Knox?
He just kept smiling like he hadn't just casually blown apart their expectations.
After taking a sip, Knox leaned back with an easy smile, his tone light and teasing as he asked,
"So—mind telling me who you are, and why a cute girl and a cool, beautiful lady decided to visit little old me today?"
Hearing that, Jane and Nefthis exchanged a glance.
Then Nefthis narrowed her eyes slightly. "...You don't know us?"
Knox tilted his head, genuinely confused—or at least acting very convincingly.
"Um… sorry, but who are you?" he asked, voice soft and innocent.
Nefthis stared at him for a second, then leaned forward with a grin that said she was very amused.
"If you don't know us, then why did you close the door the moment you saw us?"
At that, Knox simply looked up at the ceiling, whistling.
"Wow, the weather's lovely today, isn't it?"
A vein popped on Nefthis's forehead.
"Lovely day your head! You clearly know us!"
Knox answered with a tiny, guilty laugh.
"Ehe~."
"'Ehe' your head!!" Nefthis snapped.
Watching the two "kids" bicker back and forth, Jane could only sit there in silence, completely speechless.
Knox cleared his throat lightly. "Ahem. Well then… why don't you two go first and introduce yourselves?"
Hearing that, Nefthis finally decided to end her little banter war with him. She straightened her posture, looked at him with her usual cool confidence, and introduced herself. Jane quietly followed after, giving her own polite introduction.
Once they were done, Knox nodded, resting his elbows casually on the table.
"Alright, my turn," he said, giving a small, friendly smile as he introduced himself. "And now that we've got that out of the way… mind telling me what brings both of you here?" He leaned in just a bit, curious. "You didn't come all the way here just to argue with me over 'eh hee,' right?"
Nefthis narrowed her eyes a little, studying his face.
"Before that," she said, leaning back slightly, "I won't ask how you know what we look like—let's just skip that part. What I will ask is this, why aren't you nervous meeting us? You're acting way too calm. Almost like…" She tilted her head. "Like you already knew this was going to happen."
Knox blinked once—slow, harmless, almost bored.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, though his eyes practically screamed I absolutely know what you're talking about.
Nefthis stared at him for a moment, then let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"...Alright, alright, I give up. Kids these days aren't cute at all." She flicked her wrist dismissively, finally cutting to the chase. "Knox Aznable—rather than staying tucked away in this little neutral zone, how about coming with us to the Dark Alliance instead?"
"Hoo, that's an interesting offer," Knox replied, tilting his head a little as a small smile tugged at his lips. "But why should I go to the Dark Alliance? I'm pretty satisfied with my life right now, you know."
For the first time, Jane—who had been quiet the whole time—finally spoke up.
"Because your abilities fit the Dark Alliance far better," she said calmly. "Not to mention your name is… well, let's say it spreads faster there. And considering your 'hunts' and the intel we gathered, you've clashed more with Holy Federation members than with anyone from our side."
She paused, then glanced at Nefthis, giving her a small nod—almost like asking permission to continue the real reason.
Nefthis caught that look immediately. With a sigh, she leaned forward, resting an elbow on her knee.
"And, more importantly… I can help with your current 'situation'." Her eyes sharpened, a faint grin forming. "Come on, kid. Did you really think I wouldn't notice the army you're hiding inside your shadow?"
The smile on Knox's face froze for half a second—then shifted, the edges relaxing as a quieter, colder aura slipped in.
"…As expected of the Witch of Death," he said, tone no longer playful. "Well, I figured I wouldn't be able to hide them from you anyway."
Knox exhaled softly, his eyes losing the playful glint from earlier.
"Igris, Beru… come out and greet our guests."
The room shifted the moment he spoke—shadows at his feet rippling like a quiet tide. From within that darkness, two figures slowly rose, their presence heavy and unmistakably hostile. Igris stepped forward first, silent and imposing, followed by Beru, whose sharp, insectoid frame radiated a quiet, suffocating pressure.
Seeing Igris and Beru emerge from Knox's shadow, both Nefthis and Jane stiffened in surprise.
Nefthis's eyes shimmered with clear interest as she spoke. "Hoo… I already sensed something unusual, but seeing them up close—your summons truly are unique."
Nefthis took a slow step forward, her eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and amusement as she studied the two figures beside Knox.
"You…" she murmured, tilting her head slightly. "Are you a Legion commander?"