Asahi and Ray flew out alone this time since Rini was busy with her usual maid work. Ray barreled through the sky while giggling. Asahi copied her moves and followed her without any difficulty. He could easily surpass her, but he chose not to. She was clearly having fun right now.

  Ray swooped down and sprawled on top of a grassy hill. She squinted from the sunlight pouring on her face, a wide grin on her face.??

  Asahi also joined the Siren and bathed in the sunlight. It was pleasant to just chill out here without any goal.

  "Asahi, can I become your maid?"

  The abrupt request surprised him a little. Ray was grateful—everyone in the Stardust Garden knew about it. Though the adventurers didn't talk to her, nobody felt disgusted to be near her. Alise even asked her to sing during the day. What's more, he couldn't deny that Ray would look fluffy in a maid dress.

  'Perfect hug pillow.'

  He shook off the perverted thoughts. "If you're trying to repay me for bringing you out of the dungeon, then don't."

  He wasn't going to bind her for such a trivial thing.

  Ray turned over and caressed his face with her wing, which only tickled him. She frowned as though revealing the heavy determination behind her decision.

  "I want to serve you. Become a part of your pack."

  She pressed down her weight on him and wrapped her wings around him. The faint image of two people crossing blades with monsters popped up in her head. A dwarf man embracing an elf woman, and a Siren slashing his back. Blood poured out of the long slashes on his back, yet he kept the girl protected. Despite knowing the approaching death, the girl revealed a radiant smile.

  The image grew clearer in her mind, so did the Siren's beautiful face and her golden hair with blue tips. The Siren howled and flew over the couple.

  Ray felt tears coming out of her eyes as her past memories surfaced.

  'I spared them?'

  Feeling Asahi's arms around her back, she sniffed back the tears.

  'I know why the woman was smiling… it feels so nice and cozy…'

  Asahi was baffled. He knew Ray harbored some kind of feelings toward him due to his unawakened Monster Tamer race. Seeing her suddenly cry only raised his confusion. He silently patted her head, waiting for her to stop crying.

  "I want to be tamed by you……"

  Ray hugged him even tighter as she finished her confession. She had been troubled these past few days, and it was Rini who helped her with her hour-long 'Onii-san loves maids more than anything' lesson. Despite having passionate feelings to be held by Asahi, Ray didn't hope for more than being his servant.

  Asahi lightly stroked her wings. Her wings had a different quality than Gabriel's angel wings. He hadn't touched Gabriel's wings enough as she mostly kept them hidden. He felt like Ray's wings had a firm feeling to them while Gabriel's angel wings were fluffy to the extreme.

  Before he accepted Ray, he had to ask the most important question.

  "Are you sure about serving a human?"

  "I don't care…… I don't want to be away from Master and others……"

  Her heart shook at the thought of leaving the home.

  Asahi clenched her shoulders and pushed himself up. He wiped the tears from her eyes and gave a mischievous grin. "I don't let my maids go even if they want to. They'll be eternally tied to me."

  Contrary to his prediction, her smile only became brighter as she wrapped him in her wings. "It's not without…" She looked up and tilted her head. "What do you say when people have a meany goal?"

  "Ulterior motive?"

  She nodded as a bright smile blossomed on her face while her ears flapped crazily.

  "I want Master's protection in return."

  As a monster, her natural instincts were to seek protection from the strong.

  Asahi leaned down and stole her lips. Ray's mind exploded with white. Her eyes stared vacantly into Asahi's eyes while he sucked on her lips for one more time.

  "I blame you for acting cute."

  Ray's cheeks became bright red. "C-Cute?"

  It felt like it was the first time someone called her cute. Her fellow Xenos had complimented her beauty on numerous occasions, but nobody called her cute.

  Feeling more confident, Ray silently placed her cheeks against his chest.

  'Was she always this spoiled? Or she learned this from the girls?'

  [Ray: Affection +39]

  ['Ray' relationship changed to 'Her Mate']

  'Mate…'

  Asahi looked at the girl in his arms. Despite having the face and figure of a young woman, she barely looked like someone who knew about sex. It seemed she had instinctively imprinted on him.

  Well, if she wanted, he was more than ready to lewd her and show her the happiness of being a woman. It was his expertise as an eromancer.

  "Master… Can we go to the village?"

  She wanted to meet others and tell them about Asahi. That she found a new home.

  "Right now?"

  "Hmm… some more minutes… is that too much?" she asked, her ears twitching nervously.

  He bit on her droopy ears. A current ran through Ray, causing her to shut her eyes.

  "Nnn~."

  Asahi squeezed Ray in his arms and fell back. "Nope. It's your punishment for being unbearably cute."