Minutes passed after Asahi and Ddraig traded blows. Asahi's instincts warned him each time her 'penetrate' ability targeted him. His strength likewise blew her gargantuan body away, but she was safe underneath those resilient dragon scales. It was a replay of their last fight. Sure he could create a spear that could shatter anything and break her defenses. That wasn't what he wanted. He had to shatter her pride with his own strength, only then will he feel the satisfaction of making her submit.

"You… are resilient," Ddraig spat, her tone more respectful than ever. "You are stronger than last time."

Ddraig couldn't but acknowledge his growth. The last time he was here, he barely dodged her attacks. Something was different in this battle. She tried everything in her power to attack him. She really did. But Asahi slipped away each time. He evaded an attack before she acted on her intent as though he had foresight. Even her long rival Albion couldn't predict her this well.

She was frustrated. Rather, the word frustration couldn't describe her current state.

"Of course, I am," Asahi said and flew down. A stone platform surfaced on the river from a conscious thought alone.

Sparring with her unarmed didn't increase his strength. Swinging his fists without holding back relieved his stress nonetheless. It gave him a better sense of his full strength. Aside from his spar with Biblical God, he never went all out. Even with God, he unconsciously held back in fear of hurting the old man.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching him lay down. "Sleeping?"

"Wanna sleep together?"

She tilted her dragon head, looking puzzled. "I'm too big to sleep with you."

'Zeus wouldn't mind a woman of her size.'

Asahi smiled and appeared on her back. The scales on her back had little to no protrusion. Something a well-placed mattress wouldn't fix. With a thought, he created a soft pillow and mattress.

Ddraig stared at him as he laid down on her back. She was more confused than angry at this point.

"What is the point of this?"

"I don't know. It makes us closer?"

"Closer? Why would you want to be closer?"

"Again. I don't know."

He couldn't really say he pitied her for having no friends. She would explode and start another battle, which would end in yet another draw.

Ddraig, who didn't know she earned Asahi's pity, scratched her head.

'Humans are weird.'

***

Asahi returned home and headed straight to his room. Grayfia opened the door with a neutral look.

"My Lord, you're late."

"I know. I know," he said and pecked her pink lips. "Are you mad?"

It was already past twelve at this point. He ended up talking to the arrogant dragon more than he intended.

"How can I be mad?" Grayfia muttered.

"Come on. Let him in, Grayfia-san," Rika yelled. "Don't keep kissing out there alone."

Asahi entered the room to find the girls waiting on the bed. Ray was also sitting on the couch, letting Shiori comb her wings.

Rika stood up and crossed her arms, a sharp look on her face. "Were you mingling with your angel mistress?"

"Yes." He nodded, playing along with her antics. "What else could I do in the face of her innocent seductions?"

"Bad husband needs to be punished. Don't you agree, Nao?"

Nao, who was focused on a book, nodded. She took off her glasses and gave a soft smile. "No. I shall protect Asahi-kun from you."

"Tch. You're no fun," Rika grumbled and took his hand. "I'll punish you alone then. Come with me."

"Let him eat first," Grayfia said as she left the room to cook something.

"You heard my maid. Dinner first."

"No. It's better to consume energy first then replenish it with food." Rika licked her lips. "I haven't swallowed a load recently. It was all taken by Aimi there."

"Huh?" Aimi turned to Rika with half-opened eyes. "You said something?"

'What is that cute creature!'

He had never seen her like this before. She was always hyperaware of everything, even if she slept for two hours. Current Aimi was like a lazy kitten.

(This,) Klyscha said and explained Aimi's condition.

Training the girls all day was exhausting. She had to look out for threats from every direction, and there was no chance of failure. She didn't need to do it as the adventurers were trained. But she couldn't take the risk. If anything happened, all the blame would go to her and her alone. Keeping her reinforcement skill active all day consumed her mana again and again. Something that never happened before.

'She is taking after me. Going an extra mile to confirm their safety.'

Asahi sat beside Aimi and brushed her hair. Her droopy eyes opened wide for a second and regarded him with an affectionate look.

"Asahi-sama…"

She lazily crawled onto his lap and hugged him like a koala. She didn't go any further as she lacked the energy to feel any arousal.

Asahi found her current state far too adorable. He hugged her tight to his chest and rubbed her head.

"My load…" Rika muttered, getting a look of pity from Saeko. The swordswoman patted Rika's back once before she joined her sister in spoiling the Siren. Chika also flew toward her head and patted her.

"Chika, you're so cute."

Rika cheered up instantly and joined Asahi in teasing the kitten Aimi.

***

Asahi arrived at Astraea's room and laid on her bed. Astraea fixed her dress a little and sat near him. Even without touching, she could feel the excelia had far reached its limit.

"You did all the work alone again."

"It makes me stronger, so yeah."

"Why do you want to become stronger?"

She couldn't understand his drive. Gods had reached the pinnacle of the world once. Then they grew stale and their strength deteriorated with time.

"To protect you all. Besides, my goal is beyond everything you have seen," he said and nodded. "A bit far from my reach for now."

He was going to achieve it one day. The strength to meet Klyscha's real body.

Astraea's eyes were drawn to him. She never saw him this passionate unless he was talking about his women or monsters. It made her painfully aware of how little she knew about her lover.

She balled her fists and hyped her spirit with a fist pump.

'I shall talk to him more!'

"Astraea?"

"Hmm…" she assumed her gentle smile and fetched her tools.

She updated his status first. The numbers on his back turned her stiff. The status aside, the new development abilities left her in a perpetual state of shock and confusion.