When Shichen gently opened his eyes, he saw the unusual figure that had raided his room in the night.
With a pair of horns on her head and a large tail behind her, he didn't even need to see her face to know who it was.
To be night-raided on the very first night, what would happen in the future?
He wasn't a saint; he might not be able to hold out after a few times, but he wanted to establish an emotional foundation with them first.
He liked them so much, and he wasn't approaching them for that kind of thing.
Shichen sat up, just about to scold Tohru, but was interrupted by the panicked expression on her face. He hurriedly asked, "Tohru? What's wrong?"
"Lord Shichen…" Tohru immediately pounced onto Shichen's bed, burying herself in his embrace, her body trembling.
Shichen held her shoulders, feeling their smoothness, and only then realized she wasn't wearing anything. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
"Don't worry, I'm right here." Shichen slowly stroked her soft, long hair, comforting her gently.
He pondered the possibilities of Tohru being like this. Lying to him was unlikely, and it was also impossible that she had encountered something that could bully her.
That left only one possibility.
"Lord Shichen, can I sleep with you?" Tohru lifted her head, looking at him weakly, and asked cautiously.
"Why are you acting like an un-grown child?" Shichen chuckled softly, then nodded.
"You can, but don't do anything, okay?"
"Thank you, Lord Shichen!"
Tohru's pale face instantly brightened. She leaped onto the bed and then lay down right beside Shichen.
She truly didn't put up any guard against him at all. Lying like that, wouldn't everything be seen?
Although it was night and the room lights weren't on, Shichen's eyesight was clear enough to see everything.
He wondered if dragons simply didn't care about such things.
Shichen pulled back the quilt and covered her with it: "Transform into a set of pajamas."
"Eh? But I don't like wearing clothes to sleep."
"Is that so? If you don't wear clothes, I won't let you sleep here."
"How can you be like this…?"
"Be obedient."
"I understand."
Tohru pouted, but still obediently transformed into a set of pajamas similar in style to Shichen's—a top and long pants, in pink.
Shichen's were blue; it was almost a red-and-blue pair.
Shichen painstakingly averted his gaze from Tohru's magnificent chest, then lay down.
He wondered if he would be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.
"Lord Shichen…" Just then, Tohru hugged his arm again, holding on tightly.
Feeling the softness transmitted through his arm, Shichen turned over and stroked Tohru's cheek.
Traces of lingering fear still remained on her face.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
"How did Lord Shichen know?" Tohru's eyes widened, her golden vertical pupils exceptionally bright.
"What else could scare you besides that?"
"As expected of Lord Shichen."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"Mmm… I just dreamt of those gods…"
"Gods, huh," Shichen murmured to himself.
He knew that Tohru had been harmed by the gods, and because she couldn't defeat them, she had fled to another world.
The gods of Tohru's world weren't conceptual beings; they were more like a race, or rather, higher-level beings who wielded power.
He wondered if the God he was to become was of this kind.
"Lord Shichen doesn't need to worry." Seeing Shichen silent, Tohru quickly explained: "Those gods won't come to this world. Even if they did, I wouldn't implicate Lord Shichen."
"What foolishness are you saying?" Shichen flicked her forehead impatiently.
"Eh?" Tohru covered her forehead, tilting her head in confusion.
"I wasn't worried about that just now. I was just thinking if I had the ability to teach those gods a lesson."
"Eh?" Tohru froze.
"Hehe~ Didn't those gods hurt you? How dare they harm my Tohru! I will definitely settle the score with them!"
"Lord Shichen…" Tohru looked at Shichen, touched, and her eyes began to well up with tears.
"Why are you crying?" Shichen wiped away the wetness from the corners of her eyes.
"I-I'm so happy! To have met Lord Shichen!"
"You just believed that? What if I was lying?"
"I believe Lord Shichen!" Tohru's small face was serious.
"Then do you believe that I will have the ability to avenge you in the future?"
"Mm!" Tohru nodded vigorously.
[Successfully gained the trust of the target, who is now dependent on you. After one month of interaction, you can collect a fragment of divinity.]
The mechanical voice appeared regardless of the occasion. Shichen couldn't be bothered with it; he hadn't said those words for the sake of a mission.
He genuinely wanted to avenge Tohru.
Tohru was so kind, so adorable; those gods dared to harm her like that, even almost killing her. If he didn't avenge her, he wouldn't be worthy of liking her.
But for revenge, just saying nice words wasn't enough; he needed corresponding strength.
He was completely unqualified now, so he could only rely on traveling to other worlds to gain special abilities.
If it was truly crossing into a two-dimensional world, then he would definitely find possibilities to make himself stronger.
Therefore, an indifferent attitude was no longer an option.
"Can you sleep well now?" Shichen asked with a smile, looking at Tohru, who was no longer afraid.
It was quite amazing; Tohru was much stronger than him, yet she had come to rely on him instead.
They hadn't even known each other for more than a day.
Tohru was indeed still a child.
"With Lord Shichen by my side, I'll sleep very soundly." Tohru pressed her face against his shoulder, her smile sweet.
"Only for tonight, though," Shichen reminded.
"How can you be like that?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to resist."
"That would be even better!"
"That won't do. You're still a child."
"I'm five thousand years old."
"...I meant mentally."
"Lord Shichen, you don't dislike me, do you?"
"I like Tohru very much."
"Then why aren't you willing to take me?"
"What kind of girl is as forward as you?"
"Because I like Lord Shichen too~"
"...Can we at least spend more time together?"
"How long?"
"At least… a month?"
"Then it's settled! In one month, Lord Shichen will take me!"
Shichen: "…"
"Lord Shichen? Lord Shichen, you can't pretend to be asleep!"
"We still have to get up early tomorrow to open the shop."
"Then do the words Lord Shichen just said count?"
"…"
"I'll take that as Lord Shichen's unspoken agreement!"
"…"
The next morning, when Shichen opened his eyes, he felt that he was still being held, but there was no discomfort.
This was probably the difference between being held and being used as a pillow.
"Lord Shichen, good morning!" Tohru's energetic voice rang out.
Shichen turned his head to look at her, finding her staring at him with wide eyes, her golden vertical pupils unblinking.
"You've been awake for a while?"
"Mm! I've been awake for about an hour."
Shichen twitched the corner of his mouth: "What time is it now?"
"It should be 8:30."
"Then it's about time to get up." Shichen made to get up, but he couldn't pull his arm free at all; in fact, the sensation grew stronger.
It was a miracle he hadn't had any dreams while being held all night.
"Please let me go."
"Oh." Tohru reluctantly released Shichen's arm and sat up with him.
"Go quickly and wash up. We'll tidy up the shop together later."
"Okay~ By the way, Lord Shichen, do you need my help changing clothes?" Tohru asked expectantly.
"No need." Shichen was expressionless.
"Eh?" Tohru's small face fell.
"Eh what eh? Get up quickly."
"Then can I help Lord Shichen prepare breakfast?"
"You know how to cook now?"
"I learned a bit last night, it's absolutely no problem."
"Then I'll look forward to it."
"Leave it to me!"
Tohru patted her ample chest, then jumped directly off the bed. On the way down, her pajamas began to glow, and by the time she landed, they had transformed into a maid outfit.
No revealing flashes whatsoever.
"Lord Shichen, please wait a moment." Tohru said, then left his room and went downstairs to the kitchen.
So energetic first thing in the morning, Shichen couldn't help but shake his head, lamenting that she was indeed still a little girl.
But with such youth and vitality, who wouldn't like her?
Shichen then got out of bed, went to the bathroom for a quick wash, and returned to change into his shop manager uniform.
He didn't actually need to wash up; he was unblemished and spotless. Perhaps no being was cleaner than him.
But getting up in the morning, the routine of washing up was a must.
While changing clothes, Shichen felt as if he had forgotten something, for some reason—something important yet unimportant.
Unable to recall it for the moment, Shichen could only give up. He then changed into his clothes and went downstairs to see how Tohru's breakfast was coming along.
Coincidentally, Tohru had just finished breakfast and was coming out of the kitchen with a plate. When Shichen saw what was on the plate, his eyebrows twitched wildly.
He understood what he had forgotten.