Chapter 80: Small Win


    As Luke and Leo stepped into their new apartment, they were immediately captivated by its unexpectedly spacious interior!


    The entryway unfolded into a narrow corridor, nked on the left by two distinct doors, each leading to separate bedrooms.


    At the corridor’s terminus, a modestly sizedmon area opened up, boasting a decent sized lounge for furniture and a door that introduced an in-housevatory.


    ” Finally we can shit in peace….. no moremunalvatory!” Leo eximed in joy as Luke firmly ced a hand over his shoulder and disyed his support for Leo’s sentiment.


    By Earth’s housing standards, their 1BHK abode wouldn’t be considered particrly expansive, yet, such housing was extremelymon if seen from the context of a bustling metropolis like New York, as it represented the pinnacle of what an average individual could aspire to secure.


    For Luke and Leo who had slowly gotten ustomed to a previous living space where taking ten steps in any direction was practically impossible, this new environment felt HUGE! with its distinct rooms and actual walls offering a semnce ofpartmentalization and privacy which were godly features for them at this point.


    “Hey guys, I’m Amanda… Please, take good care of me,” announced Amanda with a joyous tone, emerging from the first room on the left to startle Luke and Leo with her sudden appearance.


    “Holy mother of Jesus—” Leo eximed, clutching his chest, as Amanda heartilyughed observing his reaction. “I’ve snagged the first room for myself. I hope you guys don’t mind. I know we’re down to two single beds and someone will have to make do with the couch, but I really need my own space,” she exined, as Luke and Leo exchanged looks of mutual understanding and silently agreed.


    While they were amenable to Amanda iming a room for herself, they couldn’t help but think that it would have been better if Amanda had discussed this with them before iming the room, as democracy was key to living peacefully together.


    “So, which one of you is Luke and which one is Leo?” inquired Amanda, as the brother’s immediately felt perplexed as to how she knew their names?


    For a moment, Leo assumed that she knew it because she must have read the housing allotment list, however, her next statement proved his hypothesis wrong.


    “I’m Luke” Luke said, extending his hand, as Amanda shook it and said “Oh, so you’re my future guildmate! You can call me Kitty,” leaving Luke puzzled by her answer.


    “Pardon?”


    “Oh, right, you’re not aware… I’m also joining the guild Cervantez is organizing. In fact, just before the first evaluation, I shared my concerns about my level0 status and the potential for demotion with him and requested him to solve this issue if he could.


    While the guildmaster could not stop me from being demoted, he did his best to make my demotion housing safe as he spent some MP to ensure that, should I be demoted, my housing would be arranged with you guys and that I’d be safe-


    He speaks very highly of both of you… Though, to be honest, I think he has a soft spot for you, Luke. He mentioned ‘the little one bites’,” Amanda recounted, prompting an immediate frown from Leo, who retorted, “Well, tell him the feeling is mutual. I’m not exactly fond of him either.”


    “Ahem—” Luke interjected, swiftly steering the conversation back to pleasantries with Amanda before they all began to settle in


    Amanda being a future guild mate of Luke was definitely a wee surprise, as with them havingmon ground to talk about it would be easier to live together.


    As for the internal housing status, Luke imed the room adjacent to Amanda’s as his own, while Leo, somewhat reluctantly, took to the couch.


    With minimal luggage between them, it took mere minutes to unpack and arrange their belongings as all three of them were pretty much done setting up their private spaces within fifteen minutes after which Luke and Leo invited Amanda to join them in themon area, where they uncorked the bottle of champagne gifted by Cervantez in celebration.


    Lacking proper sses, they passed the bottle around, each taking a sip in turn, as they toasted to better times ahead and peace within the household.


    Before long, the trio had finished the bottle, with Amanda expressing her heartfelt gratitude for being included in their moment of celebration.


    Just by studying the behavior of the brothers for a while she could determine just how proud they were for having been promoted and how much this bottle of champagne meant to them.


    Unlike herself who had been demoted, Luke and Leo had fought their way to sector D and they were damn proud of themselves for it.


    The rich taste of expensive alcohol only served to increase their joy as although the apartment was small and cramped in her opinion, it felt like a big deal to the brothers who seemed to cherish every square inch of it.


    ‘Leo look, we can all fit on the couch’


    ‘Brother look, I can take twenty steps in themon hall. It’s huge!’


    These were the kind of statements they shared amongst each other as it was clear to Amanda that the brothers were people who had very humble origins.


    They barely had any luggage to themselves and the bottle of alcohol was by far their most prized possession, yet when it was time to pop it open and celebrate, instead of doing it alone they chose to share with Amanda whom they had met just today, which went to show how pure hearted and kind they were.


    ‘Hmm, you were right guildmaster, I’ll be safe with them around’ Amanda thought as she smiled to herself, while Luke and Leo vowed to each other that sector D was not the end, that in the future they would work hard and reach higher sectors and bring their mother to this ship to enjoy a life of respect and luxury.


    That this was but a small win, while the real struggle started now!