After Alex returned from Yharnam, the next day came quickly. Alex was sleeping in Integra's room, completely ignoring the fact that morning had already arrived and that he had a lot of work to do that day. Integra, sleeping in Alex's arms, slowly opened her eyes and looked at his face, which was quite close.
Stopping her gaze on Alex's face, Integra began to free herself from his strong embrace to head to the bathroom. Once free from his arms, Integra's first action was to turn off the alarm clock, which was about to ring. Getting out of bed and putting on her slippers, she calmly walked around her bed and approached the side where Alex was sleeping. With a habitual gesture, Integra pulled Alex toward herself, tipping him onto the floor.
Waking up once again from being thrown off the bed while asleep, Alex looked tiredly at Integra. Integra looked at him with a calm gaze, making it clear that it was time to wake up. Sighing, Alex watched as Integra walked into the bathroom with calm steps.
"Morning as always doesn't start with coffee," Alex muttered, rubbing his face and trying to wake up.
Rubbing his face to shake off the remnants of sleepiness, Alex got up from the floor and entered the bathroom. Once inside, he stood behind Integra and began washing his face before going to prepare breakfast. While washing, Alex leaned slightly on Integra, who immediately pushed him away and gave him a blank look. After washing his face, Alex quickly changed clothes. And while Integra was changing, he decided to wake up the others to invite them to breakfast.
Walking down the corridor of the mansion to the room where Doll was sleeping, Alex carefully opened the door. Entering Doll's room, he saw that she was not sleeping in the bed but was sitting on a chair with her head lowered and eyes closed. Seeing how Doll was sleeping, Alex sighed and approached her, gently touching her shoulder. Doll immediately opened her eyes, sensing Alex's touch, and slowly raised her gaze.
"Oh… Hello, Dear Hunter. Is there anything I can help you with?" Doll asked with a gentle smile on her face.
"It's already morning. I came to wake you up for breakfast. And perhaps you'd like to see the sunrise with your own eyes," Alex said with a kind smile on his face, extending his hand to Doll.
Hearing the word "sunrise," Doll's eyes widened for a moment, and she extended her hand forward, placing it on top of Alex's palm. Alex helped Doll stand up from the chair and walked over to the window. He parted the curtains so Doll could see the light of the rising sun. When the sunlight fell on Doll's face, her expression at that moment showed only pure shock. She felt the warmth of the sun's rays falling on her skin.
Doll had not expected the sunlight to be so soft, gentle, and pleasant. Doll squeezed Alex's hand tighter, not taking her eyes off the sun, whose light reflected in her gray eyes. She extended her hand forward, as if wanting to touch the warmth that the sun was giving her. Doll felt something warm roll down her cheek.
She did not understand what this feeling was that she was experiencing while looking at the sun. But this feeling was very pleasant. Alex watched Doll, observing her reaction. Noticing a tear roll down Doll's cheek, he raised his hand and gently ran his finger along her cheek, wiping away the tear.
"Dear Hunter… What… Is this the sun? It's so warm and pleasant… I've never felt anything like this before… Now I understand why all the Hunters so longed to see the sunrise again… It really is very beautiful and warm…" Doll said in a captivated tone, not taking her eyes off the sun.
"You're seeing the sun for the first time. And how do you feel right now?" Alex asked, standing behind Doll and resting his chin on her head.
"I think… I think this is joy. I'm sure this feeling is called joy… I never even thought that I would ever see the sun. But now it's before my eyes, and it's so mesmerizing," Doll said, leaning her back against Alex's chest.
Hearing Doll's words, Alex sighed and hugged her tighter around the waist. He perfectly understood the reason for her reaction and therefore wanted to show her more new things that would help her become more alive. Alex wanted to fulfill all of Doll's wishes, and to make sure she wouldn't regret it, he was going to do so. Doll, meanwhile, continued to watch the sun with a gentle smile on her face.
A small thought flashed through her head that she liked not just looking at the sun, but looking at it next to someone dear to her. And in her eyes, the dearest person to her was Alex, and everything connected with him. Stopping admiring the sun, Doll turned to Alex with a gentle smile on her face and placed her palms on his cheeks.
"Dear Hunter… I'm glad I met you in the Dream. Thanks to you, my dream has ended, and I was able to see my first sunrise…" Doll said in a tender tone, stroking Alex's cheeks.
"Soon you'll see it so often that it will start to bore you," Alex said with a cheerful laugh, poking Doll's nose with his finger.
"I don't know if it will be like that. I still have so much to learn and feel… But I'm glad I'll be able to share these moments with you, dear Hunter," Doll said, leaning toward Alex to kiss him.
Responding to Doll's kiss, Alex pressed his forehead to hers, smiling tenderly. Doll responded with her usual gentle smile and squeezed Alex's palm in her doll-like hands. After standing a little longer, Alex squeezed Doll's palm and led her out of the room.
Walking a little further down the corridor with Doll, they reached Maria's room. Without knocking, Alex opened the door and caught Maria putting on her underwear. Maria turned her head and looked at Alex with a blank gaze and a slight blush on her cheeks.
"You could wait outside the door, I'm almost done changing," Maria said, looking at Alex with slight embarrassment.
"No rush… I thought you were still sleeping after everything that happened," Alex said, slowly closing the door.
"If you want to watch, you don't have to close the door so slowly… We can discuss this in the evening," Maria said, exhaling through her nose and placing her hands on her hips.
Alex slightly pursed his lips and closed the door from the other side. Maria looked at the closed door and chuckled softly. Shaking her head, Maria shifted her gaze to the underwear she had put on. Maria still felt that this underwear was too revealing and quite bold.
But she couldn't deny that it was quite comfortable to move in such underwear, and it didn't restrict her movements. Shaking her head, Maria shifted her gaze to the rest of the clothes lying on her bed. Taking the trousers in her hands, Maria began to dress gradually.
Soon Maria was dressed in tight dark trousers, a cream-colored shirt with a high collar and small lace elements, a tight dark corset around her waist, and high black boots with a small heel on her feet. Once dressed, Maria looked at herself in the mirror, adjusted the cravat on her neck, and shifted her gaze to the silver Badge in the shape of a beast's fang that Herman had worn.
After looking at this Badge for a couple of moments, Maria put it on her neck. She understood why Alex had given her this item and was grateful to him for it. This Badge was the last thing that served as a reminder of the person she considered her father.
Touching the Badge hanging on her neck, Maria approached the door and opened it. Stepping into the corridor, Maria found Alex and Doll standing in the corridor waiting for her. When Maria exited the room, Alex nodded with a smile, appreciating her outfit. Alex liked this kind of modern aristocratic style that Maria was wearing.
"It suits you very well. No one would think that you're from another world. You'd more likely be taken for a modern aristocrat," Alex said, nodding with a smile.
"Thank you for the compliment, my Hunter. But I still think that this so-called modern underwear is quite provocative and revealing," Maria said with a slight smile on her face.
"The main thing is that it's comfortable. There are many types of women's underwear. But… Ahem… I'm a bad advisor on this. You should ask Seras," Alex said, clearing his throat slightly and looking away.
Maria looked at Alex and nodded thoughtfully, trying to remember who Seras was. After a short conversation, Alex, Maria, and Doll headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Reaching the kitchen, Alex saw Integra sitting at the table, holding a newspaper in her hands. Integra only glanced up for a moment and turned her wrist to look at her watch.
Looking at the time, Integra shifted her gaze to Alex, letting him know it was time to prepare breakfast. Alex said nothing and approached the stove to start cooking. Maria and Doll calmly took the free seats.
While Alex was busy cooking, silence reigned in the kitchen, broken only by the sound of turning newspaper pages and the clatter of a knife on the board as Alex chopped ingredients for breakfast. Alex looked up at this awkward silence and just shook his head. Hearing the kettle boil, Alex brewed tea for everyone and poured it into cups.
"Is the coffee ready yet?" came Seras's sleepy voice from the kitchen doorway.
Everyone turned their heads toward the voice and saw Seras herself entering the kitchen with her eyes closed, holding Alessa by the hand. In this situation, it was not Seras leading Alessa, but Alessa leading one of her mothers, who had not slept the entire night.
Entering the kitchen, Alessa, like a little adult, seated her mother Seras on a chair and sat down next to her, looking with interest at Maria and Doll, who looked back with equal interest. Seras herself had not yet noticed that Maria and Doll were present in the kitchen. Seras laid her head on the table, trying to wake up.
"Here's your coffee… Did you not sleep all night?" Alex asked, placing the coffee next to Seras's head.
"I was thinking about it… But I couldn't. I wanted to win…" Seras said in a sleepy voice, trying to feel for the coffee cup with her hand.
"Who did you want to beat? The monster that lives under your bed?" Alex asked, chuckling slightly at Seras's state.
"I sleep in a coffin… There are no monsters there except me… I wanted to beat Lady Maria… Her blood attacks are so annoying… And why is she so fast, it's not fair. How can a human move like that," Seras spoke slowly, not lifting her head.
When Seras's words sounded, silence fell over the kitchen again. Maria, who was drinking tea while sitting at the table, slightly raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze to Seras. She could not understand what Seras's words meant and why she wanted to beat her. Alex, holding plates with breakfast in his hands, nearly dropped them because he was barely holding back laughter.
Even Integra slightly lowered her newspaper to look at Seras. Alessa, sitting next to Seras, just shook her head at her mother's words, taking a cup of bitter coffee in her hands. Seras, lying face down on the table, quickly noticed that the kitchen had become unusually quiet.
Raising her gaze, Seras met Maria's gray eyes, who was looking at her with an interested gaze. Seras blinked slowly and shifted her gaze to Doll, who was sitting next to Maria. And at that moment, Seras remembered what she had forgotten. Because Seras had spent the entire night playing games, she had completely forgotten that Alex had returned from another world and brought Maria and Doll with him.
"I, uh… Well… Good morning, Lady Maria," Seras began speaking in an awkward tone, trying to choose the right words.
"And good morning to you, Seras Victoria… May I ask what your last words meant? Why did you want to beat me?" Maria asked with a calm smile on her face, bringing the teacup to her lips.
"Well… It's… Like… Just… Well…" Seras faltered, not knowing how to explain everything when the game character she had wanted to beat was sitting in front of her with a teacup in her hands.
Trying to find the right justification for her words, Seras's gaze wandered in all directions in search of help. Seras tried to avoid looking at Maria and shifted her gaze to the side, looking at Alessa. Alessa looked at her mother with a calm gaze and immediately looked away, starting to eat her breakfast.
Seeing that she wouldn't get help from her daughter, Seras looked at Alex, who at that moment was arranging plates with breakfast while trying not to laugh. Noticing Alex's shoulders twitching, Seras clenched her teeth in anger. The last person Seras could rely on was Integra. Integra calmly turned a page of the newspaper and lowered the edge to look at Seras.
"Seras, stop mumbling. Say it as it is. Don't look for excuses for your words," Integra said calmly, setting the newspaper aside when Alex placed a plate of breakfast in front of her.
Seras looked at Integra and swallowed. Shifting her gaze to Maria, Seras understood that she needed to speak. But choosing the words was still difficult. After all, she didn't know how to explain to Maria that there was a game in which she was a character that needed to be defeated. Maria had been patiently waiting all this time for Seras to explain. Maria cut a piece of omelette and put it in her mouth, raising her gaze to Seras.
"Lady Maria… In general…" Seras began, having chosen the right words for her explanation.
"I know. Let some things still be difficult for me to understand. But I received my Hunter's memories. And there was a mention of a video game… Perhaps it's hard to understand that for someone I was nothing more than a fictional character. But I was given quite useful advice," Maria said in a calm tone, setting aside the cutlery and wiping her lips with a napkin.
"What advice?" Alessa asked, raising her gaze to Maria.
"The one your sisters gave, Alessa. I need to accept everything connected with your father as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world," Maria said in a calm tone, taking the teacup in her hand.
A slight smile appeared on Alessa's face after she heard Maria's answer. Nodding, Alessa continued eating her breakfast. Integra, looking at Maria, also allowed herself a slight smile. Seras, however, was in complete stupor, hearing that Maria already knew that in this world she was considered a game character.
Everything else Maria said passed by Seras. At that moment, Seras was trying to understand why she had been looking for excuses if Maria already knew everything. Looking at Seras's glazed-over gaze, Alex smiled and shook his head, continuing to eat his breakfast. Only Doll had been quietly eating her breakfast the entire time, not even trying to intervene in the conversation.
"Doll, how do you like the taste of the food?" Alex asked, taking a sip of coffee.
"The taste is very rich and soft. Compared to when I tried something for the first time. Now I feel the taste of food and drinks much better," Doll said, setting aside the cutlery.
Looking at Doll, Alex calmly nodded, thinking that he should let Doll try more varied food so she could find what she liked. After finishing breakfast, Alex was going to head to London to buy clothes for Maria and Doll and at the same time show them the city.
Seeing that Alex was about to leave, Seras's home clothes turned into mist, changing into casual clothes for a walk. Alessa's body was also covered in shadow, and a moment later she was already in her usual black dress with two neatly tied braids. Noticing how quickly Seras and Alessa had changed, Maria could only sigh, considering it very convenient.
"I don't have any trips planned today. So you can use the Hellsing car for the trip," Integra said, getting up from the table after finishing her tea.
"Mmm… I think I won't refuse," Alex said, kissing Integra on the cheek.
"Don't thank me… And don't forget to come back for dinner," Integra said before leaving the kitchen.
Alex waved his hand, showing that he understood. After finishing clearing the table, Alex led the girls outside to head to London. Exiting the mansion, Alex raised his hand with a smile on his face, greeting Hugo, who was to drive them around the city.
Opening the car doors, Alex helped Doll and Maria get inside. Once inside the car, Maria looked around. After all, it was her first time riding in a car. Doll sat calmly by the window, placing her hands on her knees and looking out the window. When the car started moving, Maria felt how smoothly it moved, unlike the carriages she had already ridden in.
"How convenient. And it doesn't even shake. This is much more comfortable than riding in a carriage. Even the best carriages of Cainhurst can't compare to such comfort," Maria said, leaning her back against the seatback.
"And how big is the difference, Lady Maria?" Seras asked with interest, holding Alessa on her lap.
"A very big difference. I don't even feel us moving. Even on the roads of Yharnam, you could clearly feel how the carriage was moving. And after long carriage rides, even experienced Hunters would start having minor problems," Maria said, trying to convey her comparison.
"And you haven't even flown on an airplane yet. That's a completely different feeling," Alex said with a slight smile, propping his cheek on his fist.
"Can't you teleport, or whatever it's called? Why would you fly on an airplane?" Maria asked, shifting her gaze to Alex.
"I can. But sometimes the simplest things are much more interesting," Alex said, shrugging slightly.
"If you say so, my Hunter. But isn't flying on an airplane so high in the sky dangerous for people?" Maria said, thinking that airplanes were an unsafe mode of transport.
Alex calmly extended his hand, not letting Alessa deliver her usual Wednesday tirade about the unsafety of airplane flight. Maria blinked in surprise, looking at Alex, not understanding why he was covering her daughter's mouth. Alessa looked at her father with her dark eyes and calmly blinked, showing that she could explain normally.
Alex looked at his daughter, not believing that Alessa, who had adopted her mother Wednesday's character, could explain everything normally. Father and daughter looked at each other with blank gazes, unwilling to back down. Seras, on whose lap Alessa was sitting, smiled tensely, understanding what was happening.
And as soon as Alex removed his hand from Alessa's mouth, she immediately delivered the usual Wednesday tirade about airplane flights. Maria blinked, staring at Alessa, who was listing everything possible related to the unsafety of airplane flight.
Alex massaged his forehead, listening to his daughter's voice, and raised his gaze to Doll. Doll, with a slight smile on her face, was looking out the window, admiring the flashing landscapes. Everything Doll saw aroused strong interest in her. Especially the blooming green trees or green grass.
All of this was new to her and so captivating that she could not look away. Alex extended his hand and touched Doll's palm to attract her attention. Doll shifted her gaze to Alex and slightly tilted her head to the side. Alex smiled and asked what she thought about what she saw. Hearing Alex's question, Doll began explaining everything with a smile, sharing her impressions of what she had seen.
Hearing Doll's voice, Maria shifted her gaze to her and also began to listen. Listening to how Doll described the landscapes, Maria also realized that she was now in another world, and this was no longer Yharnam. Sighing, Maria looked out the window and saw the approaching stone buildings.
Arriving in London, Alex asked Hugo to park the car so they could walk around the city. When the car stopped, Alex helped Doll and Maria get out, deciding to start with a simple walk. Without thinking long, Alex chose a place from which they could view the city.
Taking Alessa in his arms, Alex led Maria, Seras, and Doll to Big Ben to enjoy the views. Seeing where they were going, Seras hummed softly under her breath, perfectly aware of how they would get to Big Ben. Walking along the streets of London, Maria could not help but notice some familiar similarities in London's architecture. Approaching Big Ben, Maria raised her gaze to the large clock tower and shifted it to Alex.
"I didn't expect there to be a Clock Tower in this place as well," Maria said in a surprised tone.
"This clock tower is called Big Ben. It was built almost two hundred years ago. And it offers a wonderful view of London. Especially in the evening when the sun sets," Seras said with a wide smile on her face.
"Does every person who wishes really get to enter such a building?" Maria could not help but ask, turning her head toward Seras.
"Well, not really. They only let in groups of tourists who came for a tour. And they don't let anyone to the top," Seras said in an embarrassed tone, turning away.
"If entry is prohibited, then we probably shouldn't go up," Doll said, walking next to Alex and holding his arm.
"Don't worry about that, Mom Doll. Dad can go wherever he wants, and no one can stop him," Alessa said in a calm tone, sitting on Alex's shoulders and resting her hands on his head.
"Yeah. You just need a little magic, and we'll calmly end up at the top," Alex said, nodding with a satisfied smile on his face.
"Then, I think… We can enter the Clock Tower," Doll said, slightly tilting her head to the side, thinking that Alex's words sounded normal.
Continuing to walk toward Big Ben, Alex watched Seras and Maria, who were walking ahead and talking. There was a slight smile on Maria's face as she listened to Seras telling her about London and her favorite places worth visiting. Reaching Big Ben, Alex waved his hand in front of the guards' eyes and continued on without any problems.
Maria, who entered last, looked at the guards' glazed-over eyes and just shook her head. Climbing the stairs, Alex came out onto the roof first and helped Doll step over the threshold so she wouldn't catch her dress. Once at the top, Doll approached the railing and began looking around. Maria also did not stand aside and examined London with interest.
"It really is a beautiful view. And you can see a lot from here," Maria said, nodding and leaning on the stone railing.
"I told you, Maria. The view here is really beautiful. And the main thing is you don't have to stand in a long line to admire the views," Seras said, sitting on the stone railing and dangling her legs down.
"Tower Bridge also offers a good view of the Thames. But we'll go there closer to evening. First we need to visit several places. And then everything else," Alex said, strolling along the stone railing.
"What places do you want to visit?" Maria asked, removing her hands from the railing so Alex wouldn't step on them.
Alex just smiled without revealing the plans for the day. Jumping down from the railing, Alex lit a cigarette and leaned his back against the railing, giving the girls time to enjoy the views and chat. Doll stood next to Alex, leaning against his shoulder, admiring the landscapes and flying birds.
After spending some time at Big Ben, Alex led the girls further, continuing their walk. While their group was walking along the streets of London, Doll attracted attention with her outfit, which made passersby notice her. But Doll herself did not even notice such glances and continued walking on.
Alex led the girls to the embankment to continue the walk, which no one refused. Walking along the embankment, Alex also had to chase away several persistent guys who thought Doll was a cosplayer and wanted to take photos with her.
Restraining the desire to throw the persistent guys into the Thames, Alex managed to drive them away by saying a couple of parting words. Once they were left alone, Alex sighed heavily and sat down on a bench, rubbing his face. Maria looked at the guys who had run away, not understanding what had just happened. She could not understand why strangers had suddenly approached them wanting to take photos.
"What was that just now? And what is cosplay?" Maria asked, shifting her gaze to Alex, who was tiredly rubbing his face.
"Cosplay is when a person dresses up as a fictional character. As for why they thought you were cosplayers, you understand yourself, Maria," Alex said, reaching for a cigarette.
"So those guys thought we dressed up as ourselves?" Maria asked, pointing at herself with her finger to clarify if she had understood Alex's words correctly.
"Well, something like that. Only they don't know that you are you. And I understand that feeling very well too. I've encountered this before, more than once. In Japan," Alex said, lighting a cigarette.
"Hahaha. I remember there's a whole manga about you, Alex. But I didn't think people would pester you because of it," Seras laughed, hearing Alex's words.
Alex looked tiredly at Seras, who continued laughing at him. Maria shifted her gaze from Alex to Seras and asked what they were talking about. Seras smiled widely and took out her phone to show Maria what the conversation was about. When Seras opened the manga page, Maria smiled slightly and looked at Alex, comparing the character's appearance on the manga pages with Alex himself.
Shaking his head, Alex shifted his gaze to Doll, on whose lap Alessa was sitting with a serene expression on her face. Doll gently ran her fingers through Alessa's hair, which she certainly did not refuse and fully enjoyed. Stroking Alessa's hair, Doll looked at the Thames and the people passing by. Everything around her seemed so alive, and she really liked it.
"Shall we go for dessert?" Seras suddenly asked, poking Alex's cheek to attract his attention.
"Of course. I was just about to suggest it. Let's go to our favorite place," Alex said with a smile, getting up from the bench.
"I was thinking the same. They have very tasty desserts there. Maria, you don't mind, do you?" Seras said, nodding quickly and shifting her gaze to Maria.
"I see no reason to refuse something like that," Maria said, nodding with a smile.
Alex looked at Doll, and she nodded, extending her hand to Alex to stand up. Taking Doll by the hand, Alex helped her rise. Walking toward the confectionery, Seras asked Maria about desserts and sweets. When Maria answered Seras's question, Seras herself was surprised that desserts and other confectionery products were not available to everyone.
Alex patted Seras on the head, reminding her of the era Maria had lived in. Realizing her foolishness, Seras slapped her forehead, forgetting such an obvious thing. Reaching the confectionery, Alex entered first and immediately met the smiling face of the waiter, which instantly faded. Maria could not help but notice how the waiter's smile changed when they entered the confectionery.
Approaching the table, Alex helped the girls sit down and placed a quick order. The waiter serving Alex and the girls' table continued to smile tensely. And after taking the order, he immediately left with quick steps. Looking at the practically fleeing waiter, Seras covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh.
"Did you offend or scare this waiter somehow?" Maria asked, watching the quickly departing waiter.
"Oh, no, of course not… It's just, how to put it…" Alex said, stroking his chin.
"It's just that Father and Mom Seras come here every time and eat a lot of desserts. And the waiter has to serve them and then clean everything up," Alessa said in a calm tone, making it clear what was really happening.
"And I still leave him enough tips for his work," Alex said, raising a finger and showing that everything was fine.
"And how much do you usually eat?" Maria asked, resting her cheek on her palm and looking at Alex and Seras.
Alex and Seras froze at Maria's question. Exchanging glances, Alex and Seras shrugged, showing that they usually didn't count how many desserts they ate. Seeing such an ambiguous answer, Maria smiled, deciding that they really ate a lot.
And now she was curious whether they really served such tasty desserts in this place if Alex and Seras ate such a large quantity of them. Alex decided to discuss some everyday topics to pass the time while their order was being prepared.
To be continued...
(I was supposed to show a completely ordinary day and all that. Now we can get back to the important things and move on with the plot. I'll have to remember what I wanted to write there. Luckily, I had some notes to help me remember a few things. And now I'll ask your opinion again. Do you want to see a mix of the plots of Outlast and The Cabin in the Woods? Because I had some notes on how to combine them. Of course, I understand that I won't be able to pull the monsters out of my ass. But there are many ways to combine these two plots. So I'm waiting for your opinion. Well, this is just for show. Because I'm going to do it anyway, hehehe. I'm going to go eat. Peace, love, and pam-pam-pam.)
Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter