“Alisa, my daughter, how’s school today?” A woman with youthful appearance donning a caramel brown in uniformity with her fox ears and tail asked Alisa with a gentle smile but worried and anxious eyes.

“Yeah, having a lot of maids following you sounds like a perfect school life.” Alisa answered in a monotonous voice as she calmly and elegantly eats her food, which is a steak with stirred-fried vegetables, on the plate. She currently wears a casual teal dress with her hair tied in a ponytail.

“Alisa, what’s with your attitude? Such sarcasm…” Eould Hertuclaire, Alisa’s father, lightly reprimanded with a raised eyebrow.

“Hmph, what else could my sarcasm even mean, I wonder? I have no need to explain myself to you, father.” Alisa answered back in a calm and composed manner.

“Are you…digging up that thing from five years ago…?” Alisa’s mother, Lisa Hertuclaire, worriedly asked as her countenance grew pale.

“I am not as…childish as to think of that matter from the past. I am done, I shall study for a bit so don’t call me.” Alisa said as she set down her knife and fork and graciously left her seat after elegantly wiping her lips with a napkin.

Leaving her parents in a dumbfounded mood, Alisa proceeds to head to her room followed by her attendants.

As soon as she arrives at her room, Alisa unwinds a little by stretching her arms and cracking her neck by twisting it lightly. She then proceeds to seat on her study table filled with books and decorated with plushies.

Her personal maid then approaches her.

“My lady, I believe with your intellectual level, you need not any study at all. I am fairly certain that you will be getting a flying mark befitting of your standing.” The maid said with a quizzical countenance as she watches Alisa takes out her techbook.

“I can never ever be complacent with my studies. Not that he is in the class now. I at least do my best to take the number one position from him when it comes to studying.” Alisa answered as she rebooted the techbook while taking out an earphone.

“Is it Reed Chelle? I have heard that he was able to afford the tuition in Estelle Harmonia Magic Academy through scholarship brought by his victory from last year’s state competition.” The maid said.

“Yeah, and now, I plan to take the first place from him through studies. If you would, please do not disturb me any further.” Alisa asked the maid as she inserted the earphones to her fox ears.

“That looks…painfully weird.” The maid thought, from a perspective of a human.

After that, the maid watches Alisa who diligently studies. For the first ten minutes, Alisa was silent while sprouting a serious countenance, however, she started tapping her feet.

After another ten minutes, Alisa started tapping her finger on the wooden study table, in accordance with the song she is listening to.

Then, after another ten minutes, she started humming the song.

Not long after, Alisa is now singing together with the song she is listening to, but, the maid who is listening closely to her fell into utter confusion and her face turning sour.

The reason being…

“Yo, yeah, yeah!~ Move your body to the beat! Feel the heat in the craze, move your body and your feet! Yo, check out this move, you can’t shake this groove!~” Alisa sang as she gleefully bobs her head.

“My lady is still listening to rap!! After how much we painstakingly gave her a lesson about classical music! And…that’s the latest hit, right?” Alisa’s maid exclaimed inside her head.

“M-My lady…!” The maid called out.

“Huh? What? Is there something you want to say?” Alisa asked as she takes off the earphones from her ears.

“You are still listening to rap?” The maid changes her tone to a calmer one while she puts on a poker face.

“Well, yeah I guess? I enjoy it. What?Do you have any complaints about it?” Alisa suspiciously glares at her maid with knitted brows.

“No, just, please keep up with your studies.” The maid answered with a perplexed tone.

“I know what you are thinking. Leave me alone with my taste in music.” Alisa said with a sneer.

The maid nodded lifelessly as Alisa told her off.

As Alisa delves into her studies together with her rap music, Reed Chelle also finds himself in an unsettling situation in his house.

“Savior…” Nio calls out to Reed who is studying with his techbook.

“Um…can’t you change the way you call me? I’ve been telling you this for the whole time.” Reed left his Techbook and sat beside Nio who is rummaging through the clothes they’ve bought earlier.

“What…this?” Nio asked as she shows a box wrapped as a present.

“Hmm? I think this is what mom gave us when we arrived. It’s a packaged sent by Headmaster Meld.” Reed said as he also curiously stares at the box.

“……” Nio also stares at the box with unfaltering default countenance.

“Anyway, let’s open it.” Reed decides and takes the box from Nio’s hands.

Per his words, Reed gently peeled the wrapping of the box and Nio watches him deftly move his hands. Not long after, what inside the box is revealed to be a case for the latest model for Mphone.

“Uwaah…such expensive gift. That’s the headmaster for you.” Reed said filled with awe as he stares at the flat phone.

“That…?” Nio pointed at the phone.

“It’s called a phone. It has a lot of efficient uses such as communication from a long distance or sends a message. Some are for fun like playing music and games.” Reed said in amazement as he gleams at the phone.

“Savior…wants? Nio…give.” Nio pushes the phone gently towards Reed.

Upon her sweet gesture, Reed couldn’t help but smile, at the same time, he pulled the phone back and pushes it to Nio and pats her head.

“It’s yours. I’ll teach you how to use it, so keep it for yourself. You may find how valuable it is one day.” Reed said.

“Teach.” Nio said as her eyes widen in excitement.

“Hmm, just a little bit, okay? I need to study.” Reed compromises as he took the phone and let Nio see how to boot it.

He started fiddling with the phone while explaining Nio some details and carefully tell her what are the applications for, however, in the midst of Reed’s explanation, Nio tells him a crucial thing.

“Savior, can’t read.” Nio said bluntly.

“Ah, is that so? Then, after our mock exams, I’ll teach you how to read, okay? For now, let’s install something here like a game.” Reed promised Nio.

“Okay!” Nio smiled brightly at the idea of learning.

Reed then installed a lot of games that Nio can easily understand, however, the gamer inside him also pushed him to install a game he’s been playing for a year now.

“Savior…this game?” Nio asked as Reed opens the game.

“Ah, don’t worry. It’s a trending game right now that I am also playing. Well, since it has a lot of writings, I don’t think you can play it anytime soon but I’d like to install it nonetheless.” Reed said with sweat dripping from his forehead.

“Name?” Nio asked curiously.

“Eh…Friendblue Fantasy.” Reed said. “I’ll register it under your name, okay? Maybe we can play together once you have a grasp over our letters.” Reed added as he started registering for Nio.

“Okay.” Nio answered while watching how Reed operates the phone.

And, as soon as Reed finishes, he then started giving Nio some of the mechanics for the game. Nio already got the gist of it, however, the reading part is where the trouble comes.

“Amazing! Savior, I study hard to play game!” Nio expresses her joy as knows that she will be sharing mutual interests with Reed.

Reed can only smile faintly at Nio’s enthusiasm. As he showed more of what the game is, he then introduces some major characters and then…

“Ah, the free ten gacha pulls for beginners. Since this is Nio’s account, that’s given. For this, I think I’ll just have her press the button.” Reed thought as he saw the gacha roll button.

“Nio, if you press this button here, new characters will appear. There are different kinds of characters with different kinds of ratings. The rarest is called SSR followed by SR and then the most are R. Let’s try your luck with the gacha.” Reed explained to Nio.

“Eh? Companions? Okay!” Nio said with a determination.

Getting her confirmation, Reed let Nio touches the button and the gacha roll animation starts. Nio watches the animation rather excitingly while Reed looks at the enthusiastic Nio with warm eyes.

And then, the gacha animation ended and the new characters appear.

“Yay, companions!” Nio shouted as the figures of the characters appear.

However, contrary to Nio’s joyful expression, Reed is petrified with a forced smile.

“Pulling four SSR at her first time! Not only that…the other two are exclusive only for the current event and can never ever be pulled until next year! Is this what they call beginner's luck?!” Reed shouted inside his mind as despair started encroaching his heart.

“Savior, look! Dragon!” Nio happily showed Reed a character with dragon claws, wings, horns, and tails.

“The Draconic Princess Rea! I have read on the net that only a few dozens of people are lucky enough to pull her and the event will only last until today!” Reed once again monologue inside his mind as he felt a bottomless pit of grievance.

“Savior! Look!” Nio smiled brightly as she showed more of the SSR characters that she pulled.

“I can’t…! Nio’s smile…I don’t want to spoil it with my saltiness! Ugh…” Reed picked himself up and places his hand on Nio’s head to pet her.

“Good job, Nio. Those are some nice characters.” Reed forces his words out as he tried to keep his lips smiling for Nio’s sake.

“Ehehe, teach me more!” Nio said as she showed the phone to Reed.

With that, Reed spends his time with Nio fiddling the phone while trying his best to keep up with his studies.

After that, Nio pulled three more SSR.

Meanwhile, back at the Riria Café.

Standing outside the café while watching Lecia gleefully greeting customers until dusk and Rita bashfully brewing coffee, Enheirt smiles.

“Oho, they are cute alright.” Enheirt said as he rubs his chin with his fingers.

“I see, certainly, they have merits to be observed. Enheirt, what did you got from your intel gathering?” The hooded man asked as he conveys his query from the shadow of the alley behind Enheirt.

“Lecia Flor is a dryad from the Alpsis race. She’s a cheerful and very talkative per se. I heard that she goes into a high school near the residential district two and comes here for a part-time work with her friend Rita.” Enheirt explained as he first eyed at Lecia.

“And then, Rita Cycla, a succubus from the Alpsis race too. From her childhood, she was a target of bullying because of her race alone when in reality, she doesn’t have any experience with men, less, even handholding will make her faint. For a succubus, she is weak because of her low sexual desire. She also goes to the same school as Lecia.” Enheirt then explained as he observes Rita.

“I see. Both are extremely rare. They are good as a bait, Enheirt. That’s why I want you to keep an eye on this place. Surely, the Hoarders won’t overlook these two. One way or another, they will make a move if they see a dryad and moreover, a succubus which is even rare nowadays.” The hooded man said.

“Oho, I don’t have any complaints if you want me to watch two beautiful girls!” Enheirt gleefully answered.

“This is work. If the Hoarders make their move, you are barred to rescue them. Instead, that will be…” The man’s word trailed off.

“I know, the perfect opportunity to trace their steps and locate their hideout in this city. It’s better to cut off the root rather than the branches, right?” Enheirt continued his words.

“Right. You understand it well…” The hooded man said.

“Yeah, anyway, leave this to me. It’s high time to contact them.” Enheirt said as he waves bye playfully at the man.

“Hmph.” The man only said before disappearing into the veil of darkness.