Everyone was having the time of their lives.
The hotel lobby had transformed completely from its usual quiet atmosphere into absolute chaos—in the best possible way.
Pizza boxes and trays covered nearly every table.
Music played loudly from Angel's speakers.
People laughed, shouted, argued, and competed over toppings while Bee somehow kept finding room for more food.
Max stood in the kitchen, continuously pulling pizzas from the oven one after another.
"How are you still hungry?!" he shouted toward Bee.
Bee looked up from her fourth slice.
"Sin of Gluttony!"
Then she pointed dramatically at herself.
"Kind of my thing!"
Max groaned while immediately starting another pizza.
Even using magic to speed things up, he could barely keep pace.
"Eleven pizzas an hour…"
He flipped dough into the air dramatically.
"And somehow that still isn't enough."
Bee gave him a thumbs up while stealing slices off multiple plates at once with all four arms.
Eventually, though, the cooking finally slowed down.
Mostly because everyone was at least slightly drunk by then.
Especially thanks to the Beelzejuice Bee brought.
Even Charlie and Vaggie had accidentally gotten into it.
Or…
"Accidentally," Max thought suspiciously while looking at Bee.
Bee avoided eye contact immediately.
"Totally not my fault."
Charlie was giggling into Vaggie's shoulder while holding a cup she clearly thought was soda.
Vaggie wasn't doing much better.
"You know…" Loona said from the couch while slightly slurring her words, "I honestly didn't expect being with Max to be this fun."
She pointed toward him dramatically.
"I thought this whole thing was gonna last like… a week."
"Maybe two."
Then she grinned.
"But he's the BEST."
Max nearly dropped a pizza hearing that.
Millie immediately pointed at Loona.
"Awwww, she admitted feelings!"
"Shut up."
Meanwhile, the party around them had split into smaller groups.
Loona and Millie were aggressively fighting each other in a video game.
Bee and Angel Dust had somehow started arm wrestling.
Which quickly turned unfair because they both had four arms.
Poppi and Verosika were deep into some dangerous drinking game neither of them intended to lose.
And Charlie—
Charlie suddenly stood up dramatically while still clinging to Vaggie.
"Max!"
Max blinked.
"…Yeah?"
Vaggie pointed at him.
"Let's play a game."
Max slowly set down the pizza cutter.
"…That tone worries me."
"If I win," Vaggie declared, "you make me the greatest food you can possibly make."
Max nodded slowly.
"And if I win?" he asked carefully.
Vaggie crossed her arms.
"I sign your harem contract."
That got the attention of the entire room.
Even Angel paused mid-arm wrestle.
"…Damn," he muttered.
Max stared at Vaggie for a moment.
Charlie was hanging onto her shoulder, clearly too drunk to fully process what was happening.
Max finally smiled slightly.
"…Alright."
"What game?"
Vaggie immediately pulled out a deck of cards.
"War."
Max blinked.
"…Seriously?"
"It's simple," she explained proudly. "We split the deck. Highest card wins the hand."
She pointed dramatically.
"Winner takes all."
Max chuckled softly.
"Alright."
He shuffled the cards carefully.
And despite everything—
He intentionally avoided using any abilities.
No luck manipulation.
No probability shifts.
Nothing.
If he won, he wanted it fair.
And honestly?
If he did win…
He probably wasn't even going to force the reward anyway.
Around them, the party continued getting louder.
Angel and Bee were now wrestling across an entire couch.
Loona and Millie were screaming at each other over the game.
Poppi was trying to convince Verosika to help her commit crimes later.
And Charlie kept cheering randomly for both Max and Vaggie at the same time.
About an hour later—
The game finally ended.
Max won.
Mostly because Vaggie was way too drunk to focus anymore.
Though honestly, the hardest part had been stopping random girls from suddenly hugging him and scattering cards everywhere.
Vaggie stared at the final card dramatically.
"…Rigged."
Charlie immediately hugged her.
"You did great anyway!"
Then, almost instantly—
Vaggie passed out against her shoulder.
Charlie tried to stand up heroically.
"I shall carry my girlfriend to safety!"
She nearly fell over immediately.
Max quickly moved over and caught both of them.
"Easy there."
Charlie pointed at him accusingly.
"You're very stable."
"Thank you?"
Max carefully helped both of them upstairs to their room.
Once inside, he laid them down gently onto the bed.
The two immediately curled up against each other half-asleep.
Charlie mumbled something incoherent while Vaggie pulled her closer protectively.
Max smiled softly.
Then immediately decided to leave once they started getting a little too affectionate while drunk.
"…Yep."
"Time to go."
Back downstairs, the party continued for another couple of hours.
More food.
More drinks.
More games.
Eventually, though, everyone started crashing one by one.
Angel passed out dramatically across a chair.
Bee somehow fell asleep still holding pizza.
Poppi and Verosika were barely conscious.
Loona and Millie were curled up together on the couch despite arguing half the night.
Max helped Angel to his room first.
Then carefully gathered the girls and settled them all into his massive bed upstairs.
It was crowded.
Very crowded.
But nobody seemed to mind.
Once everyone was finally asleep—
Max quietly cleaned the entire hotel.
He picked up trash.
Washed dishes.
Cleaned the kitchen.
Locked the doors.
And finally stood alone in the quiet lobby.
The party decorations still scattered around him.
Max smiled tiredly.
"…That was really fun."
And honestly?
He meant it.
For once, things felt peaceful.
Normal.
Happy.
He looked toward the upper floors where everyone slept.
"…Glad they enjoyed it."
Then his expression softened further.
"And I'm getting close."
"So close."
Everything was finally starting to come together.