They made a celebratory dinner that night. Luke cooked roasted chicken, fresh bread, vegetables from the storage dimension, and even a simple dessert. They ate together in the main hall, accompanied by the warmth of the fireplace.
"This is really good," Nyx said between bites.
"Thanks. Figured we earned it after all that work."
They ate in silence, but everything felt different this time. Warmer, more alive, as if this was what it was meant to be.
"Luke?" Nyx called softly.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for letting me stay, giving me a name. And for… everything."
Luke felt uncomfortable at her words. "You don't have to thank me," he said, pretending to focus on his chicken.
"Yes, I do. No one's ever been kind to me before," she continued.
He glanced at her, seeing her gaze fierce with gratitude. Finally, he nodded.
"You're part of this place now," he said, still pretending to be busy with his food.
Nyx smiled wide, her face glowing.
They finished dinner and cleaned up together. Luke showed her how to wash dishes properly, store leftovers, and wipe down surfaces.
She learned quickly, absorbing everything he taught.
After everything was clean, they sat by the fireplace. Nyx pulled her blanket around herself and stared into the flames.
"Luke?" she said after a long silence.
"Yeah?"
"What happens now?"
Luke thought for a moment, then answered gently. "Now we wait for guests to come. And when they do, we'll be ready."
"And if hunters come?"
"Then Arx will handle them. Right, Arx?"
Nyx giggled softly. "Okay. I trust you."
"Good."
Luke stood and stretched. "Alright, little girl. Time for bed. We've got a big day ahead tomorrow."
"Can I… can I sleep here? Just for tonight?" she hesitated.
He smiled. "Sure. I'll grab you an extra blanket," he said, bringing her a blanket and pillow.
She lay down on the sofa, her face peaceful.
Luke went to his own room, but before closing the door, he looked at her one more time.
'Arx, I have a feeling she'll be something special,' he thought.
He smiled and closed the door.
—
The next morning, Luke woke to the sound of something breaking in the kitchen. He bolted upright in shock. "What the hell~"
He scrambled out of bed and ran down the hallway. When he burst into the kitchen, he froze.
Nyx stood among broken dishes. Her wings spread wide, larger than yesterday, and her horns looked longer.
But it wasn't just those changes that stunned him.
She was taller. Not by much, but enough to notice. Her frame was less childlike, more adolescent.
"Nyx?" Luke said carefully. "What happened?"
She looked at him, panic written across her face. "I don't know! I woke up and everything felt… wrong! My wings hurt, my horns ache, and I knocked everything over!"
Luke raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Okay, okay. It's fine. Just… breathe, alright?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she said quickly, almost crying. "I didn't mean to~"
"Shhh. It's not your fault." Luke stepped over the broken dishes and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think you're growing."
"Growing?" She looked down at herself, then back at him. "But… it's only been a few days here."
"Urmm, well, you're a demon. Maybe you guys grow faster than humans," Luke said, scratching his head awkwardly. "To be honest, I have no idea how this works."
Arx explained in his mind.
"Seriously? So I'm right?" Luke asked the inn. "And she's gonna keep growing?"
"Days?" Luke stared at Nyx, who looked confused. "Damn, that's wild."
"What's wild?" Nyx asked.
"You're gonna keep growing. And it'll be really, really fast."
Her eyes widened. "How fast?"
"Uh… emmm… a few days, apparently."
Nyx looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers. "I… I don't know how to feel about that."
"Hahaha," Luke laughed weakly. "At least you won't be a kid forever."
But she didn't look reassured. It seemed she hadn't lived among other demons for a long time.
Luke began picking up the broken dishes, and she quickly helped. They worked silently, only the clinking of pottery filling the air.
"Luke…?" Nyx whispered.
"Hmmm?"
"What happens when I'm fully grown?"
Luke paused, holding a shard in his hand, eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"
"Will you still want me here?"
He looked at her, confused, then sighed. "Of course I will. Why would you think otherwise?"
She looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "I'll be a full demon… and I know humans don't like demons."
Luke stared at her, then set the shard on the table, crouching before her as she picked up more pieces.
"Listen to me. I already said you're part of this inn. I don't care what you are or what you become. That doesn't change just because you grow up. Got it?"
Nyx's eyes welled with tears, then she nodded.
"Good," Luke smiled. "Now stop worrying and help me finish cleaning."
—
By the end of the day, Nyx had grown another two inches. Her features were sharper now, less childlike.
She looked more confident, though still adjusting to her changing body. Her wings were stronger, her horns longer and perfect again. Even her voice had deepened slightly.
Luke watched her from across the room as she organized supplies. She was different now, not just physically, but emotionally. A quiet determination shone in her eyes.
"She's gonna be something else when she's fully grown," Luke muttered.
"But I heard succubi often seduce people for… you know, that…" Luke rubbed his face with one hand.
Arx laughed in his mind.
"Ahh… that's…" Luke stammered, blushing. "I don't know… you know… she's a demon…?"
Arx laughed again.
Luke didn't answer. He'd never imagined dating a succubus. Even on Earth, he'd only had one girlfriend back in university.
"What?" Luke asked quickly, relieved to change the subject.
"Staff bond? What's that?" Luke asked, confused.
"Wait. Wait, hold on. Benefits like what?"
Luke fell silent. He didn't mind most of the benefits, but one bothered him.
"Shared emotional stability sounds like invading privacy…" he muttered.
"Aha, okay then. And all of this… is safe?"
"Tch." Luke clicked his tongue, glancing at Nyx, who was wiping the counter. "Does she know about this?"
"Should I talk to her about it?"