Chapter 2

**Inside a certain Steamstrider**

Xain let out a yawn, steering with one hand while resting his head on the other. *Still tired?* Ercale's voice echoed in his mind.

"Mm, yesterday's... well, everything isn't going to go away with just a single night's sleep," Xain replied, his voice somewhat groggy. "Plus, I ended up cooking breakfast for the entire village this morning, so I'm a bit tired from that as well." He pulled out his chronoscope, flipping it open to check the time. "And it's only 7:30 in the morning," he said with a long, weary sigh.

*Why are you sighing like you have a lot to do today?* Ercale asked, and Xain could swear he heard the sound of sipping.

"Because ever since you woke up inside me, every single day has been filled with chaos and grand adventures," Xain replied. He then added curiously, "Also, are you drinking something in there?" It made sense to him that Ercale could eat and drink inside his head, given the fact that there seemed to be an entire house inside his mind for some reason.

*Yeah, some green tea I made,* Ercale replied nonchalantly.

"Can you somehow give me some?" Xain asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

Ercale sighed. *Sure, we can switch if you want.*

Xain's eyes widened in shock and awe. "You... you mean it?" he asked.

*Do you want to or not, ape?* Ercale snapped, irritation clear in his tone.

Xain quickly nodded before realizing the flaw in his plan. "Wait, I shouldn't close my eyes while driving," he muttered.

*You're driving on an empty road, dumbass. Just get this over with already!* Ercale yelled.

Xain flinched from the sudden outburst but then took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

After a moment, Xain opened his eyes and found himself inside the strange room once again, sitting on the comfy couch surrounded by the eclectic array of furniture. He looked up at the peculiar window that displayed what Ercale was seeing. "No matter how many times this happens, I'll never get used to it," he muttered, shaking his head.

*The tea's on the table in front of you,* Ercale's voice echoed in his mind.

Xain glanced down at the low glass table to see a fancy-looking teacup with steam gently rising from it. He picked up the cup, pausing before taking a sip. "Wait, is this the cup you just drank out of?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

*Yeah, what of it? Don't tell me you're one of those who gets all embarrassed thinking it's an indirect kiss or something?* Ercale's voice was laced with both irritation and amusement.

Xain felt a blush creeping up his cheeks. "That's not it!" he quickly denied. "It's just weird drinking tea out of the same cup as Demon Lord Ercale, you know?"

*You mortals and your hang-ups,* Ercale muttered.

Xain rolled his eyes and took a sip of the tea. It was exquisite, refined to the highest quality. He let out a satisfied sigh. "This is nice," he admitted, looking around the room. "Say, Erkie..."

*Yeah?* Ercale responded.

"What is all this stuff, anyway? And what is this place exactly? I know you said it's my mind, but I don't recognize most of it," Xain asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

Surprisingly, Ercale answered. *That place is a house reconstructed using my memories. Most of the stuff there is from my own world, which is more advanced than Aetheria in certain ways and less in others. The window you can look at to see what I'm seeing is called a TV, which you can think of like a visual radio. The big black box in the kitchen is a fridge to keep non-preserved food fresh. Inside the cupboards of said kitchen are a multitude of preserved food items like cereal, canned meats, sweets, and more. The long white box on the ceiling is an AC unit, which controls the temperature of the room. There's a lot more, all meant to make life more comfortable.*

Xain nodded along, pretending to understand fully. Honestly, he grasped the basics but couldn't wrap his head around how any of it worked. "Man, your world sounds fun," he said.

*It isn't, trust me,* Ercale scoffed, leaving it at that.

Xain leaned back into the plush cushions of the couch, trying to get as comfortable as possible. "Erkie, do you miss your old world?" he asked, genuinely curious about the demon lord's perspective on his current situation.

*If I didn't, I wouldn't have made where you are right now the way it is,* Ercale replied with a monotone voice.

Xain tilted his head slightly. "What's up with you today?" he probed, noticing a subtle shift in Ercale's demeanor.

*What are you talking about, ape?* Ercale shot back defensively.

Putting down the tea on the table, Xain observed, "Well, you're being... nice today, I guess. Usually, you just tell me 'explain later' or to shut up, or just straight up not answer. But today, you're actually answering everything I ask. Though I guess you did that a few times before."

Ercale let out a sigh. *It's just that there are so many things that are either pissing me off or making me depressed all at the same time that they're somehow canceling each other out. And besides,* Ercale grinned to himself, *I got out a lot of pent-up frustrations by beating that fraud yesterday. So, ask away, I guess.*

Xain smirked to himself, an idea popping into his head. "Okay then, what are your three sizes?" he teased mischievously.

*I'll kill you,* Ercale responded immediately.

Meanwhile, in the cabin of the Steamstrider, "Say, Larkin, do you suddenly feel a bit left out?" Zee asked, glancing over at Larkin.

Larkin rubbed his chin thoughtfully before replying, "Nah, it's probably nothing."