The bright ray of light from the sun pours down with a serene beauty accompanied by the chirping of the birds. The scent of lightly crisp wood wafts in the fresh air that just risen in temperature from a chilly one to a comfortable toasty glee.

It was an ideal time to wake up and it’s the time of the day Reed Chelle usually wakes up. He slowly opens his quivering eyelids as he tries to recognize the place he has slept at.

“Ah, yeah…this is in an inn.” He lightly muttered

He tried to reach out to his phone by the side of the futon to check the time but he suddenly felt a slight pressure on his stomach with the slightest movement.

Before he unfurls the futon laying atop of his body, he already thought of Nio sleeping peacefully which gave a slight smirk to his lips.

“Hey, Nio, it’s morning! Wake up.” Reed said while lifting the futon away.

However, he was taken by surprise on what he found out.

“N-Nio…!” Uttered by Reed as he stares at the spectacle called Nio laying on his torso.

“Hnngh…what’s wrong, Reed?” Nio lightly grumbles with a yawn as she stares back at stupefied Reed.

“On your back, I mean, there’s also in your head and in your arms…” Reed pointed with a stiff smile.

“Uweeh…? Ah, that…” Nio initially showed quizical countenance, however, it grew relieved as she herself felt what was Reed is pointing at.

Nio then flaps her scaly raven wings that flung the futon away and created a gentle gust inside the room. Atop of her head is a strong and robust dragon horn in a hue of her hair color that gleams in a shaded beauty. In place of her frail and unblemished fingers are thorny and hardened scale hand that partly resembles a dragon but carved for a human.

However, something in her eyes that sucks Reed’s attention, a gleaming ruby iris with a slit. Yesterday, it is dyed blood red, however, it was dull compared to what her eyes have right now.

“It seems that my sleep was so comfortable that I partially transformed some of my body parts. Don’t worry, I can revert back in mere seconds.” Nio said as she started retracting the magic around her body that overflows.

“Wait, Nio! Please, stay like that for a little longer.” Reed hurriedly stops her that made Nio flinch back a little.

“Y-Yes! If that’s what you want.” Nio, with a flabbergasted countenance seething with redness, said.

Reed starts brushing Nio’s bangs sideways to further peer into her eyes. He cocks his head forward that their face almost touches, however, Reed gave no regards to it and continues to be tantalized by Nio’s bright eyes.

“Um…” Nio tried to raise a protest, however, Reed is still enticed by her eyes.

“Reed…!” Nio once again tried to get his attention, however, it fell in deaf ears.

“Your breath stinks!!” Nio shouted as she pushes him away.

Stupefied by Nio’s reaction, Reed blinks twice in astonishment. He let her push him away knowing that Nio said something bad about him.

“Ah, sorry, Nio. I was just too absorbed with how beautiful your eyes are. I just kind of got carried away.” Reed said as he covers his mouth.

“Is it so…? Then, whenever you feel like it, you can just ask me, okay? For now, your breath stinks…” Nio said as she retracted all of her dragonic aspects and shyly twirls her hair.

“Nio, let’s go now. After we refresh ourselves, let’s head out.” Reed said as he stretches his body like performing a calesthenics.

“Yeah! Then let’s buy that point cards on whatever money we will be left with!” Nio exclaimed as she also performs calesthenics together with Reed.

They ate breakfast in the inn served by Nui, Kone, and Kon-kon after in which, they left the inn after paying in full, however, before Reed left together with Nio, he was glared at with sharp glares.

After that, they stop by the church to bid goodbye to Sen-sen and Mei-mei. They really don’t want to disturb Lucius but they met with him anyway for formality’s sake. Juggs and his merrymen are absent in that moment due to a communal work.

Hearing that the train service is available again, Reed and Nio left the orphanage, albeit Mei-mei and Sen-sen tried to stop Nio.

In the end, Nio promised the two that she will visit next week.

While on the train.

“Nio, about next week.” Reed brought up the subject that caught Nio’s attention, however, she returned a heartfelt smile.

“It’s okay, I’ll go by myself. I memorized the way here so I can handle myself. I can’t keep bothering and relying on you. You have to spend time with other people too, right? Like Miss Alisa and the Great One.” Nio said that left Reed with a gaping mouth.

“To be honest, Nio, I also had fun. It’s fun being with you and I feel like we’ve developed a stronger bond than before. I hope we can develop what we have now into something better in the future.” Reed said while staring out of the window to look at the landscape of the suburban slowly changing into buildings and establishments.

“I want to go beyond as a little sister…” Nio said in a low voice, almost a whisper.

“Hmm? What was that?” Reed was able to catch the whisper but didn’t understand what it is.

“Eh? Nothing!” Nio panics a little as she waves her hands left and right in denial.

“Ahaha, silly.” Reed teases.

After that, Reed and Nio went to a kiosk for the point card that they have been thinking of since yesterday and was able to buy evenly for each of them.

Finally, noon, the two are now heading back to their house.

“Say, Reed, when do you think I can go to this school? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? I can’t wait to learn more so I can actually hold a better conversation with everyone.” Nio asked as she walks backward while looking at Reed.

“It will all depend on Headmaster Meld. Maybe you can even start tomorrow.” Reed jokingly said as he looks out for Nio who is quite occupied with her phone as she turns around once again.

“Let’s do our draw later, okay? Together in your room!” Nio asked Reed as showed how many point she has now to Reed.

“Yeah, I hope I’ll get lucky enough to get what I want. Actually, our house is just…around…the…corner…eh?” Reed came to a stop as he saw something unusual. Not just your every unusual but something that can only be explained by a work of something that dominates the life of today, money.

“Umm…what happened?” Nio asked in utter confusion as she stares at what Reed is also staring at.

What in front of them is Reed’s, the Chelle’s Residence, however, it was a little bit massive from what they remember.

The empty plot beside them has become it’s new extension as the vacated land becomes part of a bigger house called the Chelle’s residence now. Also, the two-storey house grew another floor and it became more of a small mansion rather than a house.

“This is…bizzarre.” Nio muttered with a quizical expression.

“For now, let’s go inside.” Reed said with a tired expression as she took Nio’s hand.

“Are you sure it’s not a bug in your life?” Nio playfully asked.

“I hope it is. Also, there’s no such thing as a real life program bug, okay?” Reed replied nonchalantly.

Without any further ado, Reed and Nio entered their house. At the entrace comes the sight of their usual entranceway with racks for shoes and slippers. They proceed further inside to investigate the cause and fair enough, they already saw who is the one behind the house expansion.

“Nice going, Reed Chelle. I didn’t know you have this dangerous taste for younger girls.” Meld said as he stood in the guest room devoid of anyone but him.

“Eh…?! No, wait, where is this coming from suddenly?! And you must be the one behind this massive rennovation of our house, right?!” Reed pointed at Meld with a countenance of panic.

“I’m actually quite in a good mood. Well, maybe too good but hey, I’m happy right now. Also, you happen to met a man named Lucius, right?” Meld said with a smirk.

“So that’s how it is but that doesn’t really make sense about your allegations towards me.” Reed defended himself.

“You brought your supposed little sister in a mixed bath? Isn’t that bad enough?” Meld immediately countered.

“I’m not into that!” Reed explained himself with a half-closed eyes.

Upon Reed’s declaration, Nio snaps her head to his direction with widened eyes seemingly deep in despair and agony. She wants to tell something to Reed but before she could open her lips…

“Also, don’t speak like that in front of Nio. I don’t want you planting weird ideas into her head! Leave her innocence alone!” Reed shouted at Meld in slight indignation.

Nio once again jerks her body in utter shock. Her pleading gaze turned into a stiff smile of resignation.

“Oh, I see. You are a fine gentleman yourself, Reed Chelle. Letting you take care of that girl was the right call after all. I’m sorry, I’m going to be a little refined around her.” Meld apologizes sincerely as he took a glance at Nio.

“Thank you, headmaster. As for this house that you renovated, was it for Nio?” Reed asked Meld as he looks around.

“Yes, I figured that I need to extend a hand to you since we are dealing with someone who came from the sacred mountain. I heard that she also hold an extraordinary power and magical energy so, regarding that, Reed Chelle, I’m counting on you to take care of her so she won’t carelessly do something.” Meld said as he patted Reed’s shoulder.

“Yes! I will dearly treat Nio as if she is my own sister.” Reed said as he looks at Nio with determined eyes.

After that, Meld left with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, Reed got down on his knee and look at Nio with gentle eyes.

“I’ll spoil you as much as I can so Nio, don’t hold back, okay?” Reed said.

“Y-Yes…” Nio half-heartedly responded.

“This is bad. I am totally treated as a little sister! If I can’t get out of this, I’ll slowly fade from being a love interest at this rate.” Nio’s mind becomes in shambles as a new dilemma struck her.

“It seems my adventure for the pursuit of my dearest savior is still a long way to go…” Nio can only mumble inwardly.

Meanwhile, at Meld’s office…

“Say, Meld, are you really okay with that?” Quarts asked with a frigid smile seemingly disapproving of Meld’s joyousness.

“Isn’t it fine? Sigrun passed all of his tests, though all of it is average, it’s quite a feat for someone who just started mixing with the society again.” Quarts hums as he stares at Sigrun’s test papers in glee.

“So, you want me to install a PC for him and meanwhile, you are going to give him his most awaited phone? Kind of reward, huh?” Quarts asked lightly while walking towards the sofa.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! He did his best and there’s no indication or even slightest stain that he cheated, right? I heard that Seigen Lloyd earnestly tutored him so I’ll extend my regard to him tomorrow.” Meld stated while taking a glance at the boxed present addressed for Sigrun.

“May I be frank, a reminder that Sigrun is not an actual child of yours, okay? Though I’ll admit, he has certain childishness that makes up for his quite…record of age.” Quarts conveyed a reminder, almost a warning.

“Hmph, you can’t ruin my mood today.” Meld replied.