Chapter 188: Calm Down! You’re Shaking The World!
Nadia’s smile faded as swiftly as it had appeared, her expression returning to its usual composed neutrality. The sudden shift almost broke Yelena’s heart.
She wanted to grab a camera, to capture that fleeting miracle, to prove to the world that the legendary Celestial Maiden had smiled. But before she could even think of it, Nadia was already back in full "business mode."
Nadia straightened in her chair, the authority in her voice returning. "Now, about the final matter I wanted to talk about, I was originally planning to call both of you separately." She began. "But since you’re together, it’s better I explain it now."
That alone made both Mika and Yelena blink. "Call us...separately?" Yelena echoed, wary.
"Yes. This is a matter that concerns both of you." Nadia nodded.
She clasped her hands before her, her calm tone steady as ever.
"Recently, a new major realm has opened up, ’Alcapetia.’ They’ve officially reached out, expressing a willingness to establish trade with us."
"This specific realm is rich in resources, rare minerals, metals, and particularly, unique medicinal herbs with potent healing properties. According to Fauna, these herbs are capable of synthesizing new forms of curatives that could revolutionize our medical systems. She’s personally requested that I secure them at all costs."
Yelena’s eyes widened slightly at Fauna’s name. Mika tilted his head, thoughtful.
"This makes trade with Alcapetia crucial for humanity." Nadia continued. "These negotiations are not just about diplomacy, they’re about the future of our health infrastructure."
Mika nodded slowly, his mind already piecing things together.
Ever since the Great War had ended, peace had changed everything. No longer were the realms opening portals to wage battles or launch invasions.
Instead, those same gateways had become conduits of exchange.
Trade routes now stretched between worlds. Major realms that were once enemies became partners. The Will of the World itself acted as a moderator, ensuring balance and peace between the sides.
In the years that followed, humanity had flourished.
Once nearly destroyed, they had risen higher than ever, building their modern civilization on the resources, inventions, and cultural exchanges from the other worlds. The realms, in turn, had prospered through the technology and knowledge from humanity.
Of course, not every world chose peace.
Wild realms still existed, places considered too dangerous, treated as dungeons by adventurers and Blessed who sought treasures within. Smaller realms, fragile and unprotected, were kept sealed by the Will of the World to prevent their destruction.
But the great realms, those with stable societies and strong warriors, had all become vital trade allies.
Yelena nodded thoughtfully.
"I understand all that, but..." She frowned. "Why do you need us for this? Especially me?...Mika, sure, he’s free all the time, doesn’t even have a job, just wanders around doing whatever. He’d probably beg you to send him."
"Hey." Mika muttered, glaring at her.
"But me..." Yelena continued, smirking faintly. "I’ve retired from all that chaos. Sending me over to another realm is overkill. That’s like...dropping a nuclear bomb on a village just to light a fire."
Mika snorted. "You really love flattering yourself, huh?"
She shot him a glare. "I’m not flattering, I’m being honest."
The worst part was that she wasn’t wrong. If Yelena ever chose to, she could subjugate an entire realm single-handedly. Her power was legendary, few beings—those very beings being her own sisters, could even stand against her at full strength. Which only made her more confused.
"So, really." She asked again. "Why me? Why him?"
Nadia gave a small nod, unbothered by the banter.
"Because there’s no fighting involved. I’m sending you for something else entirely."
Both Yelena and Mika blinked in surprise, as Nadia elaborated.
"The thing is our side and Alcapetia have already finalized most of the negotiation terms. Only one final step remains, the initiation process."
"And apparently, in their culture, whenever a guest visits another’s home, it is customary for the guest to enter the kitchen, prepare a meal, and serve it to the host. It’s considered the highest form of respect."
Mika tilted his head. "Wait. So...instead of them feeding us, we’re supposed to cook for them?"
"Exactly." Nadia replied. "The tastier the dish, the greater the respect they show the guest. The royal family of Alcapetia wants to uphold this tradition and has requested that humanity send its finest chefs to their court."
At that, both Mika’s and Yelena’s eyes brightened simultaneously.
"They want us to cook?" Mika asked, almost grinning.
"Yes." Nadia said, a small trace of amusement flickering across her eyes. "You two were the first who came to mind. You both make the most exquisite dishes I’ve ever tasted."
"You still remember all the dinners I made?" Yelena’s cheeks tinted faintly
"Of course...How could I ever forget when you basically fed the family for years?" Nadia said simply. "The Federation will also be sending other professional chefs as well, but I specifically recommended the two of you. Your combined culinary skill is unmatched. And...perhaps it will be good for both of you to have a change of scenery."
Then, as if sensing their hesitation, she added calmly. "That said, I’m not forcing either of you. If you’d rather not go, you may stay. It’s entirely your choice."
Both Mika and Yelena instantly lit up like kids hearing about a festival trip.
"No, no, we’ll go!" They shouted in unison, leaning toward the screen like overeager students. Their excitement was almost identical, wide grins, sparkling eyes, and barely contained glee.
"There’s no way I’m missing something like this." Mika said, grinning. "A whole new realm? That place’s gotta be crawling with ingredients I’ve never even seen before! I have to check it out myself, bring some back, experiment, maybe make a few new dishes..."
He was already daydreaming, tapping his chin with enthusiasm.
"Exactly!" Yelena nodded furiously. "Even Charlotte’s been whining lately that my dishes are getting boring." She crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks. "Can you believe that? Me! Boring! After all the work I put into my recipes."
Then her tone softened with ambition.
"New ingredients from another realm sound like the perfect way to shake things up. Maybe I can even add new dishes to my restaurant menu."
Her eyes gleamed at the thought, as she owned a small but renowned restaurant chain, elegant, warm, and celebrated for her homestyle meets legendary cooking.
"If I can get my hands on their ingredients in bulk, learn how they use them...oh, this could be revolutionary."
Mika smirked.
"Not to mention..." He added. "...the competition."
That one word set Yelena ablaze.
"Competition?" She repeated, narrowing her eyes with the same predatory look she wore during her days as a warrior. "It’s a matter of pride! No way I’m backing down from that."
Nadia blinked, startled as Yelena leaned closer to the screen, fire in her eyes.
"You know, you should’ve just said it was a cooking competition from the start, Nadia!" She declared. "Do you have any idea how long Mika’s been going on about being the ’better cook’? I’ve waited years for a proper rematch!"
"Rematch?" Mika laughed, crossing his arms smugly. "You mean another chance for you to lose again, right?"
Her eye twitched. "Keep talking, mister. You won’t be smirking after this. I’m going to crush you, no mercy."
The air grew heavy with the energy of an impending culinary war as they glared at each other, both smiling too confidently for their own good.
"Enough." Nadia said sharply, her calm voice cutting through the tension. Her crimson eyes focused between them. "Before you two burn the kitchen down through sheer ego, let me clarify."
They both froze.
"This isn’t a solo competition." She continued firmly. "It’s a team event."
"...What?" they said in perfect unison.
Nadia nodded, unbothered. "The Federation’s format requires two representatives: one lead cook, and one partner who handles logistics, resource gathering, and security. You’ll be going together."
"Nooo!" Yelena’s expression twisted in visible dismay.
"You’re kidding me..." Mika groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"There’s no way around it." Nadia said firmly. "If you want to participate, it has to be as a pair. Otherwise, neither of you is going."
The two glared at each other for a few seconds in mutual defeat before letting out identical, reluctant sighs.
"Fine." Yelena muttered. "If that’s how it is, I’ll manage."
"Sure." Mika added with exaggerated casualness, shrugging. "If I went alone, I’d obviously win...but since you’re tagging along, I’ll just have to work twice as hard to drag your cooking up to my level."
Her face turned scarlet. "Say that again, and I’ll drag you into the stew!"
"Perfect." Nadia said calmly, ignoring their childish exchange. "I’ll send you both the briefing and departure date soon. That will be all for today."
She leaned back slightly, preparing to end the call.
Mika was also about to bid farewell when a thought crossed his mind, a mischievous, lingering thought.
He didn’t know when he’d see Nadia again, and he didn’t want to leave it at a simple goodbye. He wanted to leave her thinking about him, the same way he’d been thinking about her.
"Hold on, Nadia." He said suddenly. "Before you go, there’s something I want to give you."
"Something to give me?" Nadia blinked, her composure unbroken.
"Yeah. Come a bit closer to the camera. Right up close where I can see your cheeks."
Both she and Yelena looked confused, but Nadia, ever composed, leaned forward obediently until her flawless pale cheek filled the screen.
"Like this, Mika?" She asked calmly.
"Perfect." Mika said with a sly grin, leaning toward his own screen.
Yelena blinked. "Mika, what are you—"
Before anyone could react—Mika leaned toward his side of the screen and pressed a firm, exaggerated kiss right against the camera.
Kiss!
The faint smack of it echoed in the call.
And in response, Nadia froze. Completely.
Her eyes widened, pupils dilating just slightly as if her brain had short-circuited, while eyes went wide.
"What the hell, Mika?!"
"That’s my proof, Nadia." He said lightly. "Proof that I’m really back...You remember, right? Back when you used to sneak me out to explore other realms at night? Everyone told you it was too dangerous, but you’d still take me, and afterward, you’d always ask for one thing in return." His grin softened into something almost nostalgic. "A kiss on the cheek. So...there it is. To show you I’m still me."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"Unless you think that’s too childish now."
But Nadia didn’t reply. She just stood there, dazed, her eyes faintly glazed as she touched her cheek like she could feel the warmth of his lips.
Seconds passed. Then—
Then, the floor rumbled.
Brrrrrr! Brrrrrr!
At first, it was faint, like distant thunder rolling beneath their feet. The sound grew, low and burly, until the tremors spread through the floorboards.
The lights overhead flickered once, twice, before swaying gently as the ceiling fixtures groaned. A few framed photos on the wall swung side to side
Both Mika and Yelena looked around in alarm. Their phones blared in unison, their screens flashing a bright red warning:
[Seismic activity detected! Earthquake alert! Seek shelter immediately!]
Yelena froze, her face draining of color as the realization hit. "Oh no..."
They both turned sharply toward the screen.
"Nadia!" Yelena shouted. "Calm down! Your blessing—it’s activating again!"
Mika staggered a step as the ground vibrated beneath him, gripping the side of the table for balance.
"Nadia! You’re literally shaking the world over a kiss! I know you’re happy, but calm down before you flatten a few cities!"
But the tremors only deepened for another moment. Books toppled from shelves, the windowpanes rattled, and the chandelier above their heads trembled like it might crash down.
Across the world, the chaos echoed.
In Westport City, traffic screeched to a halt as car alarms began blaring. Pedestrians stumbled, clutching one another while looking up at the skyscrapers swaying ever so slightly. In the city’s central square, pigeons burst into the air all at once, scattering like a gray cloud in panic.
In the desert realm of Kharven, miners froze as the sands beneath their boots rippled like the surface of a disturbed lake. "What the hell is happening..." One of them whispered, watching their equipment tremble even though they were miles from any fault line.
In the Floating Markets of Nereya, merchants clutched the ropes of their swaying bridges while jars of glowing fish oil clattered and rolled into the water below. A child cried as his mother knelt and covered him, muttering prayers to the Will of the World to make it stop.
And then, just as suddenly as it began, it ended.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Not a single vibration lingered in the air.
All across the world, people blinked, confused. The quake had lasted barely half a minute, far too brief and uneven to be natural.
News feeds immediately flooded with reports:
"Strange Global Tremor Baffles Experts"
"No Epicenter Detected"
"Was It a Weapon Test?"
But only three people in the entire world knew the truth.
Back in Yelena’s home, the room had gone still again. Nadia stood frozen on the screen, her hand pressed to her cheek, her expression dazed and unfocused. Mika slowly straightened, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt, and sighed.
"Well..." He said dryly. "I didn’t mean to cause a global event."
"You...You almost caused a devastating disaster, Mika. Over a kiss." Yelena’s voice was a mix of horror and disbelief.
Mika looked sheepish. "To be fair, I didn’t think she’d react that strongly."
On the other side of the call, Nadia finally blinked and exhaled, her composure slowly returning. The faint glow that had flared around her, the halo of her divine energy, dimmed back into stillness.
Her voice was soft but steady when she finally spoke.
"...Apologies. I must have lost control for a moment."
"A moment?" Yelena facepalmed. "Millions of people just thought the end times were starting!"
But Nadia didn’t respond, she only glanced back at Mika, her eyes still glowing faintly, a small, unshakable smile ghosting across her lips, as she touched her cheeks as if she could feel the kiss even through the screen.
And though the world returned to calm, deep within its tectonic plates, faint traces of divine energy still shimmered—like the heartbeat of someone who had, for the first time in years, felt the kiss of her beloved son...