The moment Vic opened the hotel room door, he was met with a warm hug and a melodious voice.
"Vic, you're back~"
"Enid?"
Vic stumbled back slightly from Enid's pounce, then smiled as he steadied himself, wrapping his arms around her naturally.
"What are you doing here?"
"I missed you~"
Enid lifted her head from his chest, her blonde hair brushing his cheek, her smile radiant.
"And Wednesday too, so we came to find you. Thanks to little Winnie's nose."
Vic's heart felt as sweet as if he'd just chugged a jar of honey. He tilted his head to look into the room.
Wednesday was sitting properly on the bed by the window.
Dressed in her iconic black gothic dress, she held her trophy—the Book of Shadows—as if immersed in ancient knowledge, indifferent to the commotion at the door.
"Do not misunderstand," Wednesday said without looking up, her cool voice chiming in perfectly, as if she had prepared her speech long ago. "I was dragged here by Enid."
Her slender fingers gently turned a yellowed page, making a soft rustling sound.
"I did not miss you much. However, occasionally, under specific circumstances..."
She paused deliberately here, finally lifting those deep, pool-like eyes to look at Vic.
When she met Vic's sparkling eyes—eyes that seemed to hold the entire galaxy and were staring unblinkingly at her—she took a deep breath, as if conceding defeat.
Turning her face slightly, a very faint blush appeared on her ears, and she added quickly in a barely audible volume:
"Fine. I did miss you a little."
"YEAH! I KNEW IT!"
Vic immediately cheered in victory, his smile bright enough to blind.
Satisfied, he pulled the giggling Enid with one hand, walked to the bed, and unceremoniously hugged his two little girlfriends, one on each side, sitting down carelessly.
"Looks like my luck is exploding today!"
Vic announced proudly, rubbing his chin affectionately against Enid's blonde hair, then tilting his head to press his cheek against Wednesday's cool, smooth black hair.
"Not only did I get some good treasures, but my two little darlings came to keep me company. It's simply perfect!"
"Eww~" Wednesday shuddered involuntarily, rubbing her arm with a look of disgust.
"Please, cease being so mushy. I feel goosebumps rising."
Enid, on the other hand, enjoyed it very much, happily hugging Vic's waist and burying her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
Her gaze was soon drawn to the Super Moose plushie wearing a blue superhero suit and a red cape.
"Whoa! Does the good treasure you mentioned include this?"
Enid let go of Vic, picking up the fuzzy toy with surprise, stroking it fondly.
"This is the super limited edition! I looked for it for so long and couldn't buy it! Vic, did you buy this specially for me?"
Her blue eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Vic looked at Enid's happy face and grinned like a cat that got the cream. He blinked, his tone carrying a hint of mysterious smugness:
"This... was given to me by a certain 'kind-hearted' little girl."
Definitely snatched from some unlucky kid, probably made them cry too.
Seeing the undisguised smirk on Vic's face, Wednesday rolled her eyes silently in her heart.
She knew this guy's virtues too well. The so-called "gift" definitely didn't come from a pleasant process.
Just then, as if remembering something, Vic mysteriously pulled out the four smooth talismans from his pocket—
Sheep, Monkey, Rat, and the newly acquired Rabbit Talisman.
Under the soft hotel lighting, they flowed with a mysterious luster.
"Here, the real good treasures are these." Vic placed them in his palm, presenting them to the two girls.
"What are these?"
Enid curiously picked up the talisman with the rabbit pattern. It was cool to the touch, and she could faintly feel the strange energy contained within.
Even Wednesday's gaze was drawn. She put down the Book of Shadows and picked up the Sheep Talisman.
Her fingertips gently traced the ancient patterns on it, a light of investigation flashing in her dark eyes.
"Very unique energy fluctuations... containing power on the soul level."
Her instincts as a psychic made her particularly sensitive to the Sheep Talisman.
"Hehe, more than just unique."
Vic smugly picked up the Rabbit Talisman, like a child with a new toy.
"Every talisman should have a special ability. Like this one... I guess it works like this?"
He tentatively focused a thread of thought on the talisman.
Hummm—
The pattern carved on the Rabbit Talisman instantly glowed faintly. A wondrous, light energy instantly filled Vic's body, as if every cell had been injected with the speed of wind.
"Oh, this is interesting!"
Vic's eyes brightened as he felt this unprecedented state.
Wednesday subconsciously looked down, finding herself inexplicably holding a steaming cup of black coffee, its rich aroma rising in curls.
On the other side, Enid was surprised to find a colorful rainbow milkshake in her hand.
Condensation beaded on the cold cup, and a delicate little paper umbrella was stuck in the top.
"Whoa!" Enid gasped in surprise.
"Obviously—" Vic shook the Rabbit Talisman, its glow fading, wearing a mischievous grin of a successful prank.
"Agile rabbit. Running fast means doing whatever you want."
Enid blinked, suddenly feeling something wet on her cheek.
She touched it, her fingertip coming away with a bit of water. She realized immediately, her azure eyes looking at Vic with mock anger.
"Vic~!"
Wednesday also expressionlessly raised her hand, wiping away the wet mark left on her cheek by someone's super-speed "sneak attack," and commented coldly: "Childish."
"Eh~"
A slightly teasing, elegant female voice came from the corner of the room.
"Every time I see you interact, I feel it's sickeningly sweet."
Goody Addams' spirit had appeared on an armchair at some point.
Wearing her iconic holy white dress, she crossed her legs elegantly, looking at the three clingy people with an "I can't bear to watch" expression.
"Tell me about it."
On Vic's shoulder, Venom poked out his black head, rolling his large white eyes in agreement:
"Seriously affects my chocolate digestion."
"Oh, my God!"
Vic jumped like a cat whose tail was stepped on, shrinking entirely behind Enid and Wednesday.
He exaggeratedly hugged the two girls' shoulders, poking only half his head out to stare vigilantly at Goody.
Goody rolled her eyes in the exact same manner as Wednesday, with a hint of helplessness:
"Why do you act so startled every time you see me?"
Vic finally relaxed, stepping out from behind his girlfriends. Patting his chest, he said with lingering fear:
"Goody? It's you... I thought after Crackstone died, you'd gone to Heaven or Hell and fully retired."
Goody's spirit let out a light chuckle, carrying a bit of self-mockery and worldly detachment:
"Unfortunately, Heaven won't accept a 'wicked' witch like me. As for Hell?"
She paused, her tone taking on a peculiar meaning:
"According to some ancient Eastern records I've read, Hell seems to have been remodeled by some of their powerful deities long ago. Now it's more like a super prison specifically for detaining ancient demons. In your modern terms..."
Goody spread her hands, her lips curving into a subtle arc:
"A 'small fry' like me, with only a few lives on my hands and some petty curses, probably doesn't even qualify to be locked up there. So, I can only continue to wander the mortal world, and incidentally watch my silly girl's love life progress."
Wednesday expressionlessly sipped the suddenly appeared black coffee, long immune to her ancestor's teasing.
Enid burst into laughter at the grounded term "small fry."
Vic scratched his head, looking at the talisman in his hand, then at the family before him, and grinned:
"It doesn't matter, Ancestor Goody. The mortal world welcomes you! It's lively enough here anyway, one more spectator won't hurt!"
The atmosphere in the room became relaxed and weird again, filled with gothic family warmth and the absurdity of supernatural daily life.
And the power of the talismans had only just revealed the tip of the iceberg.