Holding the Rail Rifle, Emi reviewed the results with her lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. She turned to look at her senpai, who gave an approving nod, her tiny arms crossed as if she were a master craftsman proud of her apprentice's success. Emi's confident demeanor softened for a moment as she messaged Ace through the status screen, [Master, the crafting process is complete. The Rail Rifle is ready.]
Ace replied almost immediately, [The toybox updated me already—Well done, Emi! That was quicker than I expected but just in time. My mom just texted me to return. Testing the Rail Rifle will have to wait. I will recall you guys for now.]
Emi's chest swelled slightly with pride at her master's praise. She turned back to Dame Wasp, her tone now filled with determination. "Senpai, we did it. It's not perfect, but it's a start."
Dame Wasp gave her a rare, approving smile. "Yes, this is only the beginning. The Rail Rifle may be incomplete without me acting as its energy source, but we can refine it further in future. You've done well, Emi."
The faint hum of the Toybox dissipated as it retreated back to its master. Emi stretched her arms, recovering the talismans she had placed, and stored the Rail Rifle in its case before sealing it into her storage talisman. Soon, they vanished from the room, retreating back into their toy space, leaving the room quiet except for the subtle, almost electric energy lingering from their combined efforts.
Arriving in front of his home, Ace noticed his uncle's Navigator and Mandy's Stingray parked in the driveway. He checked his phone and saw there was still an hour left before the charity dinner event. Wondering if their visit was related to his uncle buying him a gun, he hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before walking into the house.
Following the sound of their voices, he found them gathered in the main living hall. They were mid-conversation. He heard Mandy's voice saying, "It's possible, this place will be perfect for it but we'll need professional help to pull this off. Also, we'll have to consider renovating too."
"Ace is here," Danny was the first to notice his cousin. He straightened his posture, giving Ace a once-over. Danny himself was dressed in traditional Southern formal attire, his expression strained as he tugged at the stiff collar. He was clearly uncomfortable in the outfit, but Ace couldn't deny that it suited him—Pam must have picked up a thing or two during her short stint as a model.
Pam, who usually let her son dress as he pleased, looked satisfied as her eyes flicked between her son and Ace. Tonight, however, she had insisted on proper attire. The charity event was important; it would greatly impact their social standing in the town. With her husband and younger sister already making enemies left and right, Pam didn't want their family to become isolated or labeled as the "weird" ones in the community.
Danny reached into his vest pocket, his movements deliberate, and retrieved the Doctor Druid action figure. He held it out to Ace with a stern expression.
"Here. Remember to return it to me tomorrow when I pick you up," Danny said, his tone firm.
Ace nodded in acknowledgment, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. At this, Danny's brows relaxed, and he leaned slightly forward.
"I heard my father bought you an 1874 Sharps Rifle replica. Where is it? I want to hold it," Danny said, his curiosity evident.
"Replica?" Ace muttered in confusion, tilting his head slightly. Just then, a loud cough broke through his thoughts, and he turned his gaze toward his father and uncle. They were exchanging glances and subtly gesturing for him to play along.
Ace caught on quickly. When his uncle had said, 'Al, I will talk to Mary,' he had actually meant, 'Al, I will lie to Mary.'
Suppressing a smirk, Ace decided he didn't care about his uncle's methods as long as he got to keep the rifle. He nodded to Danny and replied, "It's in my room. Follow me."
"Ace, hold up," Pam called out, raising her hand slightly to stop him in his tracks.
Ace paused and turned to face her. Pam crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one foot, her gaze steady as she continued, " We need your opinion on something."
"I'm all ears, Auntie. What is it?" Ace asked, stepping further into the main hall, his brow slightly raised in curiosity.
Pam exchanged a quick glance with Mary, who nodded, before turning back to Ace. "Your mother and I got to talking and decided to start our own agritourism business…"
Ace smiled encouragingly, the lines of his face softening. He thought it was great that his mother and aunt wanted to start a business together. He had already resolved to support them to the best of his ability, his mind briefly drifting to ideas of how he could help.
Encouraged by her son's reaction, Mary clasped her hands together and added with a hopeful tone, "Son, this is too much house for our small family. We'll need a couple of people just to maintain it and don't get me started on the flower garden."
Pam and Mary exchanged excited glances before announcing in unison, "We are planning to turn this house into an orchard bed and breakfast. What do you think?"
Ace's smile froze, his jaw tightening. He felt as though his mother and aunt had just hammered a nail into his head. His throat felt dry as he barely managed to squeeze out the words, "Are you guys sure about this? Where are we going to live?"
"Yes, Mandy and Lyra think it's a great idea, and your father and uncle agree too," Mary said hesitantly, her brows furrowing slightly as she noticed the sudden shift in her son's expression.
"Your family is moving in with us. With you guys back, the house will be lively again," Pam chimed in cheerfully, oblivious to the dark cloud settling over Ace's demeanor. Mary, however, gave him a concerned glance.