Theria
Location: Building 1: Ground floor, Reception
Interactions:
Theria smiled as she marked the first gremlin caught. Apparently, one of the gremlins had been seen terrorizing a group of cleaner slimes, and one of the residents—an ogre—had intervened just in time to hear the announcement.
“Thank you, sir. Your capture has been recorded. Just leave him on the desk here. They are bound to not leave this place once they are caught. Happy hunting,” said Theria, watching as the ogre skipped back toward the entrance.
Meanwhile, both Layla and Xena were watching the gremlin carefully, just waiting for any sudden movement, though Theria knew that, during the game, all rules had to be followed.
Theria looked at the gremlin as it paced on top of the desk.
“Zylphorik, I presume?” she asked, mentioning a name written within the Mischief Accords.
The gremlin turned sharply, his oversized ears twitching as he scrutinized her.
“Yes, that’s me. But… who are you?” he asked, his tone skeptical.
“Where’s the manager?”Theria crossed her arms, keeping her tone steady.
“The manager is currently on vacation. I’m Theria, the assistant manager. I’m handling things in her absence.”Zylphorik’s eyes widened briefly before he burst into a sharp laugh.
“The manager left? During this? Oh, this is too good. She left the assistant manager in charge of one of the most chaotic nights of the decade. Perfect!”Theria’s brow furrowed, though she refused to rise to his taunts.
“I wasn’t informed about this event until it started happening. I found out about the Mischief Accords just earlier tonight.”Zylphorik grinned mischievously, adjusting his tattered coat as he took a seat on the edge of the desk.
“Ah, that explains the frazzled look. Don’t feel too bad... Most assistant managers are clueless about the accords until the fun starts. Anyway, I always make it easy to catch me. It’s tradition. I’m the first gremlin to be caught. Every. Single. Time.”Theria nodded, her expression neutral.
“That much I gathered from the document. It’s all part of the agreement.”Zylphorik gave an exaggerated bow, his grin widening.
“Exactly! A game’s no fun without rules, after all. My job is to set the tone and watch for any rulebreakers. But don’t think for a second that my capture means the fun is over. The others out there... they’re craftier than me. And I assure you, the real mischief is just beginning.”Theria nodded again, refusing to let his dramatics rattle her.
“Good. A little challenge keeps the residents entertained. Now, as per the rules, you’ll stay here at the desk. Once captured, gremlins can’t leave until the game is over.”The gremlin flopped onto the desk dramatically, sprawling as though it were a throne.
“Yes, yes. I know. But don't worry about me getting bored... Watching you try to manage all this will be entertainment enough.”Theria turned back to the entrance as more residents with captured gremlins burst trough the main door. The sound of excited chatter echoed from the hallways as residents eagerly embraced the hunt.
Though she remained focused on keeping things running smoothly, the night’s surprises continued to weigh on her. The fact that she hadn’t been briefed on the Mischief Accords left her uneasy, and she couldn’t help but wonder what other ancient agreements were buried in the building’s history.
Still, Theria was determined to adapt. Whatever chaos the gremlins had planned, she’d face it head-on and ensure the residents had a night to remember.
Borkus gave the pot of curry rice a final stir, the rich aroma filling the kitchen. He tasted a spoonful and nodded in approval.
"Perfect. Gurnak! Get this out to the ladies in the dining room—tell ’em I made it fresh for ’em, and I’m sorry again for the mess tonight. Gotta make it right tomorrow."Gurnak wiped his hands on his apron and carefully lifted the tray with two steaming bowls of curry rice.
"Got it, boss. I’ll make sure they get it. Smells like ya nailed it."Borkus waved him off, already turning to another bubbling pot.
"Just make sure it gets there safe, eh? Can’t afford any more disasters tonight."Gurnak made his way to the oriental ladies’ table, balancing the tray with practiced precision. He opened his mouth to greet them.
"Evenin’, ladies. Boss sends his—"Before the sentence left his mouth, a screech pierced the air as a gremlin burst through the ceiling tiles above, flailing wildly. With a loud thud, it landed directly on the tray. Gurnak froze, his eyes wide as his body went rigid.
"What in the...?!" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
The sudden impact sent the tray flying from his hands. The bowls flipped dramatically through the air before crashing to the ground. One of them exploding in a messy heap directly at the feet of Miyuki. Gurnak stood frozen, his mouth agape as he stared at the scene. The gremlin, cackling maniacally, scrambled off the mess and darted under a nearby table, leaving chaos in its wake.
"I... I..." Gurnak stammered, his hands still hovering in midair as if the tray were still there.
"I don’t even... what just...?"