Since the loli woke up right during our lunch hour, we’d all rushed over without finishing our meals. Naturally, we now had to head back to eat—and the loli came with us. After days of unconsciousness, she must’ve been starving.

And sure enough, her eyes lit up at the mention of food. When asked her favorite dish, she declared without hesitation: "Meat."

"More specifically? Or anything else?" I wasn’t surprised—a demon who preferred veggies would be stranger than a dragon afraid of heights.

"Any meat is fine!" She reaffirmed her carnivorous devotion, then added, "And sweet things!"

*Meat and sweets…* I glanced at Aefina. Two girls with identical tastes—this was getting intense. Aefina loved the same combo. Suddenly, sweet and sour pork ribs felt like the ultimate peace offering. *Maybe I’ll try cooking it someday.*

I relayed the loli’s preferences to Mi La, our resident chef. It wasn’t laziness—I’d offered to help, but Mi La insisted guests shouldn’t work. I’d relented. Still, I occasionally cooked myself since my recipe repertoire surpassed hers. Mi La would stand by, assisting and learning.

Except for pudding. No matter how I guided her step-by-step, Mi La’s version always turned out grainy. Even a single touch from her ruined its silky texture. She’d been heartbroken over it for days.

Lunch was freshly remade. Mi La was a perfectionist—"Serving half-cold food is my failure," she’d say. Honestly, it was Fire Season (Earth’s summer); dishes stayed warm for hours here.

【Mr. Luo Sa, if you’re free, could you join me in the training room?】Mi La’s paper strip fluttered as I set down my empty plate.

"Sure." Free time was all I had these days. I nodded.

The loli immediately dropped the bone she’d been gnawing, hopped off her chair, and grabbed my oil-slicked hand with her tiny, greasy fingers—clearly tagging along.

"Wipe your hands and mouth properly after eating." I grabbed a magic napkin (a frivolous point-shop item that erased grease like a charm) and cleaned her face, then our hands. *Only someone drowning in points would waste them on this… It’s basically a fancy rag.*

After tidying the loli, I instinctively looked toward Aefina. Just then, Nia spoke up: "Aefina, how about a stroll in the backyard? Staying cooped up all day is boring." By "backyard," she meant Rajeno Forest—a literal garden to her.

Aefina didn’t reply. She just looked at me, seeking permission.

"Go ahead. Be careful," I said. Keeping her indoors *was* dull. Besides, her scale-shedding phase made staying human-shaped uncomfortable.

Aefina accepted Nia’s invitation. She’d been itching to explore anyway.

So I headed to the training room with the loli and Mi La, while Aefina and Nia left the manor.

Once outside, Aefina shifted back to her true draconic form and glanced back at the manor with conflicted eyes.

"Don’t worry. It’s safe here," Nia assured her, morphing her slime body into a bat with a ripple. She fluttered upward. "Let’s go west. There’s a beautiful spot there."

"Mm…" Aefina followed quietly.

"Mi La, why’d you call me here?" I asked once we reached the training room. She’d been silent since we arrived.

【Miss Mo Mo mentioned your physique now surpasses many mid-tier adventurers. I’m to train your combat instincts—enough to survive alone.】She materialized a solid steel rod the width of a coin. 【Test your strength. Bend this.】

Shockingly, I bent it. Easily. It wasn’t even my limit.

【Exactly.】The rod dissolved into light particles as Mi La clapped. 【If you agree, I’ll be your instructor.】

"Huh? Training?" I’d given up on getting stronger after realizing I had no cheat skills. "You mean… I can actually fight?"

【Your body can handle basic combat. With proper instincts, you’ll be a capable warrior. I’ll help you maximize your potential—but true strength depends on you.】

While we talked, the loli and Yingxiong had bonded instantly. Yingxiong, still childlike herself, adored having someone even smaller to play with. Despite the language barrier, their giggles filled the room.

Just like a shonen manga’s weak protagonist, I began training under Mi La. This room—bought with points—could simulate any terrain, adjust gravity, weather, even temperature. Best of all, it offered pain-only death simulations.

Unlike manga heroes, I wasn’t beaten bloody on day one. Not because I was a genius—I was utterly clueless. Mi La spent the first days drilling basics into me.

Combat mastery took time. Days blurred into routines: mornings with Mi La, afternoons with Yingxiong when Mi La cooked. It was fulfilling. I didn’t mind.

Until the day Mi La demanded a real spar. I got wrecked. She never moved her feet. Fought one-handed. I couldn’t land a single hit. That afternoon, I questioned my entire existence.

The loli joined every session. She and Yingxiong were inseparable now. I’d also noticed something: she understood Oranda perfectly—our daily conversations, everything. Yet she still spoke only in Demon Realm dialect.

Her snow-white hair sometimes made me mistake her for Aefina during breaks. Silver versus white, both long-haired. Truth was, Aefina and I barely spoke anymore.

Mornings: a stiff "good morning." She’d sunbathe while I trained. She’d visited the training room once—just watched silently. Lunches were rushed. I’d vanish back to drills while she wandered the forest with Nia. I never asked why.

【Mr. Luo Sa? Something wrong?】Mi La halted mid-drill, her paper strip flashing.

"Huh? Wrong?" I panted, wiping sweat. Twenty-one days of training. I could now last dozens of rounds against one-handed, stationary Mi La.

The loli sprinted over with a towel. "Luo Sa. Here."

"Ae—Loli. Thanks." I almost called her Aefina. *What’s Aefina doing right now…?*

The loli snatched the towel back and scrubbed my face *hard*—like sandpaper on skin. My nose felt raw. The pain snapped me out of my daze.

"…" I stared blankly.

"…" She beamed innocently.

I scooped her up. She looped one arm around my neck, the other patting my head like I did to her.

【You seem restless. Troubled?】Mi La clapped, drawing my focus.

"No… nothing." I looked away.

【Your strikes lack focus. Calm your mind. Share your worries if you wish.】

"Let’s continue." I set the loli down and raised my fists. She skipped back to Yingxiong, waving at me.

*THUD!*

Five minutes later, Mi La’s uppercut slammed into my jaw. I flew six meters, crashing down like a sack of stones. My skull rang like a gong. Three tries. Couldn’t stand.

【Training ends here. You need rest.】Mi La bowed.

At dinner, I pushed food around my plate. Appetite gone. *Had something… changed?*

"Luo Sa? You look pale." Aefina’s voice beside me held concern.

"…" Her familiar worried expression hit my chest harder than Mi La’s fist. *Why does this ache?*

*What’s different?*

*Am I the one who changed?*

*No… right?*

*Just talk to her. Anything. There used to be endless things to say. Didn’t I swear to voice my worries?*

*Speak…*

*Just speak…*

***SPEAK ALREADY!!!***

*What am I hesitating for?!*

I felt as if I’d lost control of my own body—screaming desperately inside my head, yet no sound escaped my lips.

Truth was… I knew it all along. I was running away. Running from Aefina. Running from facing her. And Aefina… she must’ve felt the same, right? After all, how was I supposed to interact with a Great Dragon? She probably had no idea how to deal with humans either. Before meeting me, she wouldn’t even go near human cities. Staying with me must’ve been so hard for her…

So this distance between us now… this silence… it made perfect sense, didn’t it?

Doubt suddenly flooded me—not just about myself, but about everything between us these past days. This feeling I called "liking her"... was it all a lie? Could I still look myself in the eye and say I liked Aefina…?

…Liking her?

……

Yeah. It was fake, wasn’t it…?

Just as I drowned in confusion, Aefina’s voice cut through the silence.

"Um… Luo Sa," she began, her expression tangled with worry, confusion, and hesitation. "I talked with Nia today. Because of my Scale-Shedding Period… I won’t be staying here tonight. There’s a cave on the nearby mountain. It’ll be better if I move there…"

The moment her words landed, something inside me cracked.

"At last… it’s come," Mo Mo murmured to herself, too softly for anyone else to hear.