Rein fell asleep at the front of the carriage, everyone else falling asleep in the carriage itself as Clyde left him the night prior. Rein felt the sunshine peel open his eyelids as he put his hand in front of his eyes to block the overwhelming glow of the morning daylight.

"Man, my body feels heavier than usual… Coulda swore I took that anklet off," Rein remarked as he sat up, feeling something soft on his chest.

​​

He looked down as he sat up, seeing a black horn on blonde hair snuggling to his chest.

"This is starting to get repetitive… How many times is she gonna sleep-sneak attack me?" Rein thought as he put his hands on her shoulders to shake her slightly, with the intention of waking her up.

However, as he set his hands on her shoulders, he felt a slight quiver in her body. It wasn't from the cold, nor was it a sickness. He could see the turmoiled expression on her sleeping face.

"You… You looked really scared when I showed up… Scared of Luther. What'd that bastard do to you?" Rein thought as he gritted his teeth, eventually calming down and laying back down, putting his hand on her head as he caressed the sleeping girl, her expression easing up as his hand brushed through her smooth, silky hair.

The carriage had long since come to a stop in front of the secret Hasbin Gulf tunnel that connected the south shore of the continent with the north end of the gulf. Rein took the time to meditate lightly, not too hard as to not wake up Chloe. He felt he made decent progress until eventually, Chloe was roused awake by his gentle touch, suddenly sitting up as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Morning already..? Mmm," she stretched her body as she sat on top of Rein, which she hadn't noticed yet, Rein staying silent as to not interrupt her peaceful awakening.

"Hmm… Hey guys, wake up…" She weakly said as she reached in front of her, her eyes still half asleep her palm came in contact with Rein's face, suddenly realizing the position she was in.

"Good morning. I think that's the 3rd time I've watched you sleeping," Rein remarked as she swiftly hopped off of him in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I'm here… I don't remember falling asleep on top of you," she frantically explained, Rein once again laughing at her desperate apologies.

"It's fine, calm down. It's not like I didn't enjoy it," he teased, which made her face turn bright red, Rein entering the carriage to wake the rest up as if nothing happened.

"Just a little longer auntie…" Lillia, who was clinging onto Xenia, spoke in her sleep, her shuffling waking Xenia, Rein's voice waking up everyone else.

"Hey, Lillia… Could you loosen your hold on me? I'm having trouble breathing here," Xenia laughed as she tried pushing the sleeping girl off of her, her cling being too strong to rip off without injury.

"I've got this. I've grown adept at waking up sleeping idiots. Believe it or not, but the Econican emperor is a lazy sloth," Sho claimed as he approached the black-haired girl.

He snapped his fingers, causing a spark of flames to flicker on Lillia's arm, suddenly jolting her awake.

"Ow! What the heck was that?! Was it you stoner boy?" She yelled as she instantly came to.

"I'm not a stoner. And yes, it was me. Now let go of her and wake up," Sho ordered in a princely manner.

"You could've given me a scar! How could you burn a young woman such as myself?! All your good for is smoking wee—"

"How many times do I have to say it, I don't smoke. Besides, you already know that I was lying about the lighter," Sho disclosed as he grew a regretful expression on his face.

"Huh? You were lying? Then how'd you light that candle?" She asked, her question making Sho's mouth gape open in shock at her stupidity.

"You're kidding, right? You saw that wall of fire, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did! That was so cool! I was meaning to ask you guys, is the Econican prince here? I heard he was really dreamy! I need to thank him for saving me with that wall of fire," she excitedly asked.

"You're looking at him here. This yellow-haired loser is the prince. Hey, show her some fire," Core nudged him, his remarks angering him greatly, but he was able to keep his cool to live up to the rumors Lillia heard.

He opened his palm and produced a sparkling flame, as he did, he saw Lillia's face light up with amazement for a brief moment, then died down quickly.

"Oh… It was you… Darn, I was hoping it would be that handsome black-haired guy over there," Lillia remarked as she pointed at Clyde, Xenia blushing panickingly as she heard her remark.

"Hurry the hell up in there! We're going through the tunnel!" Rein called from the outside, interrupting the talk they were having inside the carriage, making them hurry outside as they followed Rein and Chloe into the tunnel.

Core stayed behind and got D8 to retrieve the carriage before following the group down. They walked through the dimly lit tunnel, Sho keeping the fire in his palm active to serve as an extra source of light.

"We're gonna need to find a place for Lillia to stay. If you want, you can stay in our dorm room. We've got more than enough space," Rein proposed.

"Hell no! I hate you, you stupid demon ape," she insulted Rein, who laughed at her unique affront.

"Haha… I guess that's to be expected…" Rein said in acceptance.

"Let me stay with him! He must have a huge house, right?" Lillia clung onto Clyde, Xenia freaking out again, Clyde not reacting to her advances.

"H-hey! Clyde already lives with someone already! Tell her Core!" Xenia overreacted.

"Yeah, I always feel Xenia giving me death stares of jealousy every morning I walk out of the dorm with Clyde. Unfortunately, our room won't fit someone else," Core joked, Xenia accepting, but getting angry at his response.

"Besides, you cannot stay in our dorm rooms if you were not registered in our party upon entrance to the academy," Clyde shrugged Lillia off, causing her to pout angrily.

"Fine, then let me live with her! He said you get jealous, so you don't live in a dorm, do you?" Lillia moved her sights to Xenia, who had just scolded her, somehow having grown an attachment to her when they slept together.

Lillia looked at Xenia with innocent eyes, her cute, puppy dog stare enough to melt anyone's heart into doing her bidding.

"What's with this girl? First, she goes after Clyde, and now I'm about to start pampering her? She's too dangerous…" Xenia thought as her face turned red towards the girl's puppy dog eyes, trying her hardest to resist giving in to her gaze.

"No, I don't live in a dorm, but it's not my house either. I can't make the woman who's letting me live with her take in another person. I'm sorry," she painfully rejected Lillia, who once again began pouting.

"Then where can I go?"

"Heh, I'm pretty sure our prince here lives in a pretty big house. Why not live with him for the time being?" Core suggested.

"No way," Lillia and Sho both replied at the same time, both of them seeming to harbor a grudge against the other.

"Come on Sho, you still owe me…" Rein stated again.

"You said that yesterday!" Sho reacted.

"Do you think that little gesture was enough to repay the debt you owe? Nope, it's still building interest. You'd better hurry up and start paying me back before you go bankrupt," Rein laughed, Sho's annoyed expression growing.

"Fine… My house has 3 floors. I only use the first floor, you can use the 2 above me. We don't need to interact at all, deal?" Sho proposed, to which Lillia thought long and hard.

"Hmm… On one condition. You have to pay for everything I ask for."

"What?! Why the hell would I do that?"

"Oh well, I guess I'll just starve to death. I don't have any money, so I can't buy any food. Thank you, oh magnanimous prince," Lillia guilt-tripped Sho.

" You don't even live in Econica, so I'm not even your prince… Ugh, fine, whatever, but you're cooking then," Sho bartered, to which Lillia outstretched a hand.

"Deal!" She said as the 2 shook hands, agreeing on their living conditions.

"That took longer than it should've. Anyways, we're here. Today's our day off, so let's go check our request in and then do whatever," Rein said as they exited the tunnel and emerged into the Hasbin gulf city, Lillia's eyes sparkling at the jaw-dropping scenery.

The group went to the guild and accepted their rewards, 75 points, and 75 000 rol.

Rein Xilris

Points: 200 (Rank 26 [D])

Rol: 183000

Rein spent his days off meditating most of the time, the rest of the time was spent with Chloe and the girls as they lived happily together in the dorm. Time passed, hours turned into days, which turned into weeks, which eventually turned to a month. Rein continued teaming up with Core and Xenia, his fellow class D classmates, to do weekly quests, alternating between the other teammates depending on whoever was available. Eventually, it came time for the monthly rank-up practical exams.

"Listen up! Today will be your first practical exam! It's been exactly a month since you've entered the academy, so you'd better be ready! By the end of the day, 3 of you will be expelled from Ranger academy."