Shortly after the capture of Emeralda, everything went back to normal in Brent City.

In Alisa’s case, one of her maids saw Emeralda taking her away, thus, ending up as Emeralda as the criminal. The household of Hertuclaire somehow calmed down when Alisa tried to explain the circumstances, however, to no avail, she wasn’t able to clear Emeralda’s name.

After all, Hertuclaire is one of the four major families in Brent City. The sudden disappearance of once in a lifetime prodigy in Inscription would cause an uproar and Emeralda’s crime spread like a wildfire.

However, since Emeralda has an equal fame to the household or even altogether, the four major families, she’ll most likely be free in a matter of days.

Surprisingly, this isn’t Emeralda’s first crime.

But the problem doesn’t lie within the household of Hertuclaire where Alisa is valued like a treasure, the real problem now arises at the household of Chelle.

“Uh…how do I explain this…?” Reed muttered to himself inside the police car as they drove them to his house with Nio sitting quietly beside him.

His despair only heightens when the police car stopped in front of his house. His face further loses its vigor, turning paler as he saw both of his parents standing in front of their doorstep.

“What should I do? What should I say?” Reed’s mind panics and his thought process sped up in a speed of light.

POOF

An Angel Reed and a Devil Reed appeared side by side.

“Think of something that will be beneficial for both you and Nio while not lying to your parents. Choose your words carefully. Why not just introduce her, like, as someone you found along the way?” The Angel Reed said.

“Tell them she’s your illegitimate child. That way, they’ll accept her unconditionally. C’mon, look at Nio, isn’t she adorbs?! I bet your parents have soft spot for someone as cute as her!” The Devil Reed said.

“I think both of your opinions are not going to help.” Reed bluntly said to the two of them.

“Don’t call us in the first place.” “Dumb, why did you even asked us?” The angel and devil simultaneously said as they disappear in anger.

Returning his thought process to reality, Reed noticed that a policeman already opened the door of the car to let him out.

“Please come, your parents are extremely worried.” The policeman said in a gentle voice.

Having no other options, Reed timidly exits the police car with Nio clinging to him. He walked ever slowly towards his parents who sprouted not worried or relieved faces but a flabbergasted one as they stare at Nio.

“Mom…Dad…I…” Reed tried to mince his words, however, all he has to do is to say something so they won’t suspect anything.

“I…I made a mistake.” Reed said in a panic.

He’s doomed.

As such, the Chelle family held a family meeting as they sat their problems on the table. Reed’s Mom and Dad are sitting side by side while Nio sits beside Reed.

The tense atmosphere made Reed gulp as his father stares at him dead in the eyes.

“Reed, you’re a grown man now so you are aware of your decisions leading to consequences, right? However, at your age, there are boundaries that you shouldn’t set your foot yet when it’s not the right time, yet, by the looks of it, it seems you have done something even at an earlier age.” Reed’s father said as he stares at Nio who reflexively moved closer to Reed.

“Who’s the mother?! Reed, were you abused when you were five or something?!” Reed’s mother asked in a panic.

“It’s not like that, dad, mom! This girl’s name is Nio as she isn’t my child or anything! What are you two talking about?!” Reed explained in a panic to clear up the confusion.

“Oh…so it isn’t like that…” Reed’s father muttered in disappointment.

“But Reed, you said you made a mistake. Does it mean that…you…and that small girl…are…?!” Reed’s mother once again jumped to a conclusion.

“Son, I didn’t know you were that desperate enough to even touch a child.” Reed’s father joined the bandwagon.

“Eh?! What?! What kind of conclusion did that two of you reach again?” Reed asked in utter confusion as he looks alternately at his father and mother.

“Nio, dear, what are you to our son?” Reed’s mother asked in a gentle voice as she hurdles a question at Nio this time.

Nio, upon hearing the question, contemplated a little and tried to reach out to her recent memories. Like a light bulb beaming, an idea pops into her mind.

“Take home.” Nio said happily that made Reed further sunk into despair.

“I knew it. That’s why I cannot find any truest erotic magazine in your room. It because your fantasy lies towards little girls.” Reed’s mother said knowingly as she nodded several times.

“Ero Magazines?” Nio repeated the words as she looks at Reed.

“No more…” Reed said as he covered his face with his hand in utter embarrassment.

“Well, you see son, we’re just messing with you. Headmaster Meld Valker already called you know. He told us to take care of a child that you’ll bring along for the time being. The matter is confidential but he’ll see to it that the child, Nio, will be getting her necessities paid by him.” Reed’s father revealed the truth with a grin.

“Ahhhh!” Reed shouted as he stood up and run upstairs with Nio clinging to his waists.

“Ahahaha! What a precious boy. Well, this is what he gets for lying to us. I hope he stops all of his reckless stunts.” Reed’s mother said with a smirk while eyes tinged with worries.

“Well, at least we know that he is not completely numb with women. Hoping for a grandkid isn’t a pipe dream.” Said by Reed’s father.

“Say, someone in your mind?” Reed’s mother asked.

For who they want for Reed will be for another time to discuss. As for now, Reed who averted a harsh scolding but took a huge mental blow, is now burying his face in his pillow.

“They are really doing this on purpose!” Reed shouted with his pillow as the cushion for his voice.

“Savior, sleep?” Nio asked who lay down beside Reed.

“Yeah…I’m so tired…I just want to sleep…” Reed muttered as he slowly fell into dreamland.

“I see, I’ll sleep too.” Nio said as she snuggles closer.

“……”

“..…?”

“Wait, don’t sleep here! Wait, just sleep there, I’ll move out! Just sleep on my bed, I’ll just find somewhere else to sleep on!” Reed suddenly jolted from the bed.

“Why?” Nio peeks with one eye as her mind has already drifted in a half-asleep state.

“This is really troubling…” Reed voices inside his mind as to not further wake Nio who started sinking down to sleep again.

For the rest of the day until night, Reed did his best to adjust living with Nio in haste and turned his room upside down to make space to sleep on while preventing any direct contact with each other.

Because his sensitivity with girls has awakened recently, Reed felt a little conscious of their presences, especially to those who are close to him. Nio just now proven to be somewhat relevant to Reed as he shows consideration for her.

And Reed is aware that it all started with Alisa.

Though a little different from Alisa, Reed holds no ill intent towards Nio but for him, it’s better to be safe than sorry or he’ll be going after Emeralda who is currently behind the bars.

The next day, Reed once again dons his Estelle Academy Uniform and heads out in reluctance. Heading to the usual place where he meets with Alisa, Reed steeled himself.

“Savior?” Nio called out to Reed while following faithfully behind him.

“Um…can you do something about how you call me? Wait…why are you here?!” Reed’s eyes almost fell off as he saw Nio tailing him like a dog.

However, he was too late to realize it. Despite surviving the harshness of the Sacred Mountain and developing a strong perception of the surrounding, Reed didn’t notice Nio because he is deep in his own thoughts. Not to mention, slicing off the details, Nio is far stronger than Reed.

“Reed…why did you brought Nio along?” Alisa voice suddenly rang out that caught Reed and Nio’s attention.

“No, she just followed me on her own.” Reed replied as he turns around to face Alisa, however, his countenance suddenly froze.

“Yeah…I know…” Alisa said as she put a palm on her face from the shame.

Behind Alisa stands Eight maids, graceful, elegant, true to the bone maids. Their presences are nothing to disregard as each of their magical energy are comparable to a Tier Three. All of them wears a matching maid uniform with their skirt at ankle length and frilly aprons and headband that are usually seen on one.

CLANG

An iron sword suddenly fell out of nowhere near the maids.

“Oh my, how clumsy of me to drop one of these.” One of the maids said as she picked up the sword and magically returned it inside her skirt.

“Well, you see, they are my loyal maids since I was a child. About their background before becoming my maids, I can’t guarantee you’ll love to hear it.” Alisa said with a perplexed countenance.

“No, no, no, the first thing I’d like to ask is how did she even managed to hide the sword inside her skirt?!” Reed’s retort came unheard.

“Anyway, aren’t you going to take Nio back home?” Alisa asked as she points at Nio who is gazing closely at the maids lined up together.

“If I do that, I’ll be late. Ah…I just thought of something!” Reed smiled brightly as an idea sparked inside his head.

Having found a solution, Reed, Alisa, Nio, and the group of maids made their way towards the Academy. Since Alisa won’t be shaking off the maids anytime, she just gave up and just casually walks without minding them.

On the other hand, Reed is getting all the painful look for being the odd one out of the group as the only male. Though some are glares of jealousy, it is something he doesn’t have any control with.

The maids faithfully played with Nio with a smile on their lips.

Of course, the whole academy feasted their eyes on Reed and Alisa who were reported missing a few days ago, however, with the atmosphere the maids carried, they couldn’t approach to ask any questions.

And so they arrived at their classroom, however, the next thing they saw made their jaw drop.

“That, that, Valker, you should do this equation.”

“Everything is still not in place…”

“Valker, for the part of the Exturbo and how much magical energy it needed, this goes here.”

“Ah, the magical theory is a little off here.”

A lot of their classmates has already gathered around Sigrun and they are tutoring him. The person in question has despair written all over his face as he knits his brows trying to absorb all the information.

Seeing their friend in distress, Alisa and Reed approached him.

“Yo, Sig…this is…” Reed asked.

“Eh? Ah? Reed! Uh…well…I am studying right now! We have mock exams on Friday!” Sigrun explained to Reed with dilated eyes.

“Ah, we already knew that. I’m fairly confident to pass it without many difficulties. The same goes for Reed.” Alisa said as she sprouted a smirk.

“Kuh! Then the two of you have a lot of time, right? Help me study later too! Or else, if I bunked this one, dearest father will cut my allowance! He said it will serve as a lesson for me!” Sigrun, painted with desperation, pleaded them.

Meanwhile, as Sigrun struggles to cram a lot of lessons inside his head, Meld, in his office, heaves out a heavy sigh.

“Hey…hey…can I sleep here?” Nio asked as she pulled a chair and lay down on Meld’s lap while he is doing his paper works.

“Is there any argument for me here to lay down!? More like, you are already sleeping!” Meld exclaimed with twitching cheeks.

“Those two! My office is not a daycare center!” Meld shouted in a soft voice as to not disturb the sleeping Nio.