The dismissal bell rang, and the building emptied within minutes. Takeshi walked beside Aoi toward the main exit without saying much. The day had been long, and the lunch conversation was still on his mind, along with Aoi’s stats he had checked afterward, which hadn’t improved since then.

When they reached the main entrance, Merwyn was standing beside one of the columns at the entrance. She wore the student council uniform and held her phone in her hand, which she put away as soon as she saw them.

"Fujimoto."

She said.

"I need a moment."

Takeshi stopped along with Aoi.

Merwyn looked at both of them and then focused her attention on Takeshi.

"Sylion already knows Nyx has protection, so I need you to do something."

She paused.

"I need you to spend the night at Nyx’s house. If someone is going to try anything, it’s more likely to happen when she isn’t expecting it."

Takeshi looked at her.

"How much longer is this going to last?"

"Until the situation is resolved or until the vote happens. There isn’t an exact date yet."

Takeshi processed that and thought his daily life was already complicated enough without adding nights away from home.

"Are there other options?"

Takeshi asked.

"Like moving Nyx somewhere easier to protect?"

"That would work if Nyx weren’t the target."

Merwyn replied.

"The Solynmar family can buy anyone to do their dirty work, which means if we move her somewhere else, she could end up in even more danger than before."

"Then have someone else stay. You don’t specifically need me."

"You’re one of the few people Nyx has spoken to in recent months and the only one she has established trust with."

Merwyn looked at him steadily.

"This isn’t an arbitrary request."

Takeshi was about to respond when Aoi spoke first.

"No."

Merwyn turned her gaze toward her.

"I’m not going to stay at home waiting while Takeshi spends the night with another girl."

Aoi’s tone was calm, but it left no room for different interpretations.

"If he goes, I go."

Merwyn looked at her for a moment.

"Alright."

Merwyn finally said.

"Both of you are going."

Takeshi looked at Aoi. Aoi was staring at Merwyn with an expression that didn’t change when Merwyn agreed.

Merwyn was already typing something on her phone.

"I’ve already informed Nyx. The vehicle will take you there."

Takeshi interrupted her.

"I need to get extra clothes."

Merwyn replied.

"That won’t be necessary... I already had everything you need for tonight collected and sent directly to Nyx’s house."

"I see... Wait, what?!"

Merwyn said her goodbye to them.

"I hope you don’t cause Nyx any trouble... see you."

Takeshi and Aoi could only lower their heads and get into the car.

Once at Nyx’s house, she welcomed them at the entrance with the door already open and let them in without saying much.

Inside, the house was small and had very few belongings. The living room had a sofa, a low table, and a bookshelf filled with neatly arranged books. The kitchen was basic. The hallway leading to the back had three doors: Nyx opened the first one, which was a bathroom, and pointed at the other two.

"That used to be the master bedroom."

She said, pointing to the middle door.

"There’s moisture in the walls and part of the floor is damaged, so I don’t use it."

She pointed to the last door. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"This one is mine, and it’s the only one in usable condition."

Takeshi looked from the hallway.

"How much space is there?"

"Enough for one person."

Nyx answered precisely.

"For three, it’s going to be tight."

Aoi was already walking toward the door to take a look. She opened it and looked inside without stepping in yet.

The room had a futon against the left wall, a desk with neatly organized books and papers, a chair, and a narrow space between the futon and the desk that was basically all the available room. The window was above the desk, with the curtains drawn.

"There are two extra futons in the drawer under the desk."

Nyx informed them.

"They’re thinner than mine, but they’ll work."

Takeshi stepped in and checked the space. If the three futons were placed in a row, the one belonging to Nyx against the left wall and the other two toward the center and right, they would fit exactly. There wouldn’t be any space left to move around, but they would fit.

The chat appeared.

[today he becomes a man]

[Will today be the day?]

[I’m liking where this is going]

The three of them left the room, and Nyx prepared something simple in the kitchen for dinner. They ate at the living room table with little conversation.

When they finished, Nyx gathered the dishes, and Takeshi checked the stats of the people present while Aoi wasn’t looking at him.

He checked Aoi’s first. They were the same as before, with no improvement since noon. Then he checked Nyx’s.

The numbers appeared in his field of vision:

[SOLYNMAR NYX]

[Life: 100%]

[Sanity: 100%]

[Trust: 100%]

Takeshi looked at the trust number.

’So that conversation really did work in the end...’

That meant that, according to the system, his bond with Nyx was now complete.

Takeshi thought about what that implied. He could now summon Nyx’s weapon and obtain a fraction of her attributes, but Nyx hadn’t shown any weapon so far. He didn’t know what kind of magic she used or whether she had a named weapon like Aoi had Eclipse.

He would need to figure that out as soon as possible. He kept looking at the panel, trying to organize his questions, when he heard Aoi’s voice.

"Why are you staring at Nyx so much?"

Takeshi looked up. Aoi was standing near the kitchen entrance, her eyes fixed on him.

"I was thinking about something."

Takeshi answered nervously.

"About what?"

"Nothing important."

Aoi looked at him for a moment longer without saying anything and then walked into the kitchen.

Takeshi closed the stats panel.

Nyx returned from the kitchen shortly after, and the three of them went into the room. Nyx sat on her futon and opened a book. Aoi arranged her blanket and sat with her back resting against the desk. Takeshi settled onto the futon in the middle with his backpack against the wall.

The desk lamp was the only light on, providing just enough illumination for the cramped space.

Takeshi looked at the ceiling.

To his left, less than half a meter away, was Nyx’s futon. To his right, if he turned his head, he could see Aoi’s futon and the edges of the desk above her. The space between the three of them was minimal in every direction.

He closed his eyes.

’Wait a second! Why am I in the middle?!’