The Next Day...
Morning light spilled through the window as birds chirped outside.
Haru turned his head and looked beside him.
Luna was curled up next to him, sleeping peacefully, her fluffy tail tucked close to her body.
He shifted slightly before turning toward the window. Trees swayed gently outside in the morning breeze.
Haru raised his right hand to cover his mouth as a yawn escaped him. He then stretched both arms upward, arching his back as his body slowly woke up.
Beside him— Luna's tail twitched.
Her ears slowly straightened.
"...Uh—s-sorry. Did I wake you u—"
Haru waved both hands awkwardly, but the small movement had already disturbed her.
Luna lifted her head and blinked sleepily at him.
"G-good morning... Master."
Her voice came out soft and drowsy. She rubbed her left eye with the back of her hand before yawning, her fluffy tail swaying slowly behind her.
"..."
Haru stared at her for a moment.
A small bead of awkward sweat rolled down the side of his face. "...Good morning."
The moment she heard her master's reply, Luna slipped off the bed and wandered toward the couch by the window.
She sat down with her back facing away from him, still rubbing her right eye.
Then she leaned forward and stretched.
Her back arched, her arms extending forward, her tail lifting slightly behind her. Just like a cat.
A soft, sleepy sound escaped her lips as she stretched.
Haru froze for a moment.
A faint pink flush crept across his cheeks.
He immediately looked away. a thought came up.
"Why does she act so much like an actual cat...?"
Knock—Knock—Knock—
A soft knock came from the door.
"I'm... coming in."
A woman's voice came from outside.
The door opened gently, and a nurse stepped inside before quietly closing it behind her.
Luna immediately sat upright on the couch.
The nurse glanced toward Haru.
"It hasn't been long since you were brought here."
"...Were you the nurse from last time?" Haru asked.
"Yes. I was the one assigned to check on you when you were unconscious for so long." She moved toward the medical equipment beside the bed and began checking his condition.
"The last time you were brought here was after the Rift incident—the attack from inside the dungeon that left that massive mark across the land outside."
Haru's eyes lingered on her for a moment.
He didn't answer. The memory of that day still felt strangely distant.
Luna yawned.
She slowly stood from the couch and headed toward the door. "I'll be back with some fruits, Master."
"Take care." Haru replied to Luna.
Luna gave a small nod before leaving.
The nurse continued checking the equipment.
"Oh... that was when I was asleep for three weeks, right?"
"Yes." The nurse nodded as she wrote something down on her clipboard.
"But surprisingly, your recovery has been extremely fast. I'm done checking your condition. Please wait for the announcement regarding your discharge."
She finished writing before extending her hand toward him.
"Lin Ya."
Haru looked at her hand before taking it.
"That's my name, Mr. Haru. Miss Yumi assigned me as your personal nurse whenever you're admitted to the hospital."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Lin Ya."
They shook hands.
Lin Ya smiled before releasing his hand and heading toward the door. As she passed Luna in the hallway, she gave her a slight bow.
Luna returned the gesture while carrying a basket filled with fruit.
Creak—
The door opened again.
Luna stepped inside and gently closed it behind her.
"Oh, you're back, Luna. What did you get?"
Haru smiled at her. Luna stopped. Her ears twitched. For a moment, her eyes went still.
Then—
A memory flashed through her mind.
"Oh, you're back, Luna. What did you get?"
The voice of her old Master.
"Just a basket of vegetables!"
Luna's younger voice answered happily.
The memory vanished.
"Hey, Luna?"
Haru's voice pulled her back. "What's wrong?"
Luna's eyes shimmered.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She immediately lowered the basket onto the bedside table and rushed toward him.
Thump—
She wrapped both arms around Haru and buried her face against him.
"I've missed you so much, Master!"
Her voice broke as she cried against him like a child.
Haru remained silent for a moment.
Then his hand slowly settled against her back.
His other hand gently rested on her head.
"Don't worry..."
His fingers moved softly through her hair.
"I'm here." A pause. "I won't leave you again."
The words left his mouth naturally.
Almost subconsciously. Haru's hand stopped.
His eyes widened slightly. "Again...?"
For a moment, he wondered why he'd said that.
"Why did those words feel so natural?"
And why did the voice in his head sound as though it belonged to someone else... yet somehow still belonged to him?
But Luna's quiet sobs against his chest pulled him back. Haru lowered his gaze. He said nothing more. His hand simply continued to rest gently against her back.
..Time stretched between them..
They stayed like that for several quiet minutes, until Luna's sobs gradually faded into soft, uneven breaths.
She finally released him on her own and sat upright on her knees beside him. Her ears drooped, and her fluffy tail rested across her thighs. She was still sniffling, occasionally wiping beneath her eyes.
"Are you okay now...?" Haru asked softly.
Luna nodded.
Haru hesitated for a moment before reaching out. His fingers gently brushed the tears from her cheeks. Luna's ears twitched.
Knock—Knock—Knock—
"Mr. Haru, I'm coming in."
Lin Ya's voice came from the other side of the door.
The door opened, and she stepped inside, closing it quietly behind her.
"You're good to go now. Your discharge has been approved!" She bowed slightly with a smile before leaving them to get ready.
"...Oh." Haru's expression brightened.
"Let's get ready then, Luna."
"Yes, Master!"
Luna's ears immediately perked up, her tail swishing happily behind her.
They began packing their things.
There wasn't much to pack—only the necessities.
After a short while, Luna picked up Haru's patient outfit and held it in one hand.
Haru glanced at her. "What is it?"
"Please wear this." Click—
Luna pressed a small relic embedded with what looked like a button.
Whoom—
A soft magical hum filled the room.
A small portal-like opening appeared in the air, resembling a pocket of space used for storage.
Luna reached inside and pulled something out.
She carefully placed a neatly folded set of clothing and several accessories onto the bed.
The portal disappeared with another soft hum.
Luna looked at Haru with an expectant smile, her tail swaying behind her.
Haru stared at the clothes for a moment before picking them up. A small smile crossed his face.
"Okay. Wait here for a moment."
He headed into the bathroom.
Luna nodded enthusiastically and sat on the bed, waiting.
It didn't take long. The bathroom door opened.
Haru stepped out.
Luna's eyes widened.
A faint pink flush immediately spread across her face. Her ears stood straight up, and her tail began swishing rapidly behind her.
Haru adjusted the wrist accessory around his arm. It covered nearly half of his forearm, fitting perfectly against his skin. He wore a fitted, dark long-sleeved shirt that covered his neck. His dark pants followed the shape of his body without restricting his movements, revealing his lean, defined physique. Over it, he wore a dark, slightly fitted coat resembling a long trench coat, reaching almost to his knees. There were no sleeves, leaving his arms completely free.
Haru tugged lightly at the front of the coat before extending both arms outward.
"So, uh..." He glanced down at himself. "How is it?"
Luna stared. Her eyes practically sparkled.
Her ears remained perked up, while her tail swayed so enthusiastically that it nearly brushed against the bed.
"It's perfect!" She hopped up slightly on her knees.
"It has magic imbued within it, so it can repair itself if damaged! It can also adapt to the temperature outside, so it'll keep you cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold!"
Her hands moved excitedly as she explained.
"And it's incredibly flexible! None of its parts will ever hinder you during combat!"
Haru looked down at his outfit again, amusement slowly spreading across his face.
"...That's pretty impressive." the word slips his lips.
Luna's tail wagged even faster.
Haru extended his arm toward her, but stopped halfway. For a moment, he hesitated.
Luna's ears slowly lowered. Then she leaned forward, gently resting her head against his hand.
He froze.
"..."
His eyes widened slightly before a small smile found its way onto his face.
His fingers moved through her hair, giving her a gentle pat. "...Thank you for this suit, Luna."
His voice carried a warmth that made Luna's ears twitch. "Let's go now."
Luna nodded happily and hopped off the bed.
Together, they made their way out of the building.
. . .
Outside, the morning air greeted them.
Haru and Luna walked side by side along the sidewalk, chatting as they made their way through town. Luna occasionally giggled at something Haru said, her tail swaying lazily behind her.
After a while, a thought crossed Haru's mind.
"...Oh, Luna. There's something we need to do first before everything else."
Luna leaned slightly toward him. "What is it?"
"We need to go to the registration office for your Aberrant ID." Haru reached into his bag and pulled out his own card. "This... something like this."
He held up his black Aberrant ID.
Luna glanced at the card. Her eyes closed as a small smile appeared. "I'm fine with it, Master. We had something similar back in my old world."
Haru looked at her for a moment, curiosity flickering across his face. But he eventually slipped his ID back into his pocket.
"Oh, by the way..." He glanced at her clothes.
"Are your clothes also the same type as the ones you gave me?"
There was a hint of concern in his voice.
Luna turned toward him. "Nyah!"
Her tail immediately began wagging faster.
Haru's shoulders relaxed. A question of curiosity came to his mind. "was that supposed to be.. a yes?" then he spoke.
"I see... that's good." He exhaled in relief.
"Let's go straight to the registration office, then we'll eat! My treat."
His expression brightened with excitement.
It was his way of thanking her for the clothes.
Luna's ears perked up.
Her tail practically danced behind her.
. . .
Two hours later—
The streets were filled with chatter.
Citizens and Aberrants moved through the busy town, passing one another beneath the morning light.
Haru and Luna stood before the registration building. "Here we are."
Haru rested both hands on his waist before looking toward the entrance. "Let's go."
Luna followed closely beside him as they walked inside.
The moment they entered, several heads turned.
People stared. Most of the attention was directed toward Luna. Whispers quickly spread through the building.
"Look at that beauty." —random man.
"She's so hot... but who's that weak-looking man?"
the man next to him added.
"She's so beautiful. I'm jealous." —random girl
"Tch. You forgot who's more beautiful?" the older woman questioned her out of annoyance.
"S-sorry..." the girl replied.
Another man looking at Luna's body with clear look of lust in his eyes—so does some more of them.
Other's completely curious of her as they look at her ears and tail.
The whispers continued around them—some filled with admiration, others with envy, and some with unmistakable lust.
Luna's ears twitched repeatedly. Her tail stiffened.
Her expression gradually hardened. She was clearly irritated.
Haru, meanwhile, seemed completely oblivious to most of it as they continued toward the registration room but he's actually irritated as well.
A few moments later, they arrived.
Fortunately, the room was empty except for the man behind the counter.
Haru walked straight toward him.
"Hello. Uh... my friend wants to register for an Aberrant ID."
The man looked at Haru, then at Luna.
"Then let's start immediately. Ma'am, please place your palm on the orb."
Luna didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and placed her hand against the orb.
The crystal began glowing. Beside it, the computer activated and began assessing her Quinacity level.
Then—
Crack—
Luna immediately pulled her hand away.
The orb shattered. Pieces of crystal scattered across the counter and floor before the assessment could even finish.
The man's eyes widened.
Haru stared at the shattered orb. Luna stared at it too. Neither of them seemed to understand what had just happened.
The man, however, quickly regained his composure. He immediately began preparing Luna's Aberrant ID manually, asking her a few additional questions to complete the registration.
A few moments later, he handed the finished card to Luna.
She looked down. The card was dark red.
Name: Luna
Rank: SS-rank
Class: Archbrid
Guild: None
Luna's eyes widened slightly. A smile slowly spread across her face. She held the card carefully in both hands. After thanking the man, she and Haru left the registration room.
Once outside, Luna continued staring at her new ID, her expression bright and almost childlike.
Soon, they stepped out of the building.
Luna suddenly hopped in front of Haru and leaned slightly toward him, smiling warmly.
"Thank you, Master."
Haru smiled back. His hand reached out and gently patted her head.
Luna's ears perked up immediately.
Her tail began swaying even faster.
"Alright! Time to eat, then. Let's go!"
Haru wore a proud smile as he turned toward the street.
Luna nodded and happily followed beside him.
Then—
After only a few steps—
A group of men stepped forward. They blocked their path. Their eyes wandered over Luna from head to toe.
"Well, well, well…"
A muscular man stepped directly in front of Haru and Luna, while several of his men spread out behind him, blocking their path.
"Looks like we hit the jackpot here," he added, his eyes roaming shamelessly over Luna.
Luna's ears twitched. Her tail slowed.
Beside her, Haru's expression tightened.
The men continued staring at her with undisguised lust, and Haru's jaw clenched. He instinctively extended an arm in front of Luna, shielding her from them.
"A loser like you doesn't deserve a beauty like her."
The man grinned. His companions laughed.
"That's right!"
Luna's eyes narrowed.
The muscular man stepped closer and placed a hand on Haru's shoulder.
"Give the girl to us," he said, his voice carrying a quiet threat. "And we'll let you go with a bag of money." His men smirked behind him.
Luna lowered her head slightly. One of her fingers twitched.
Haru calmly swept the man's hand off his shoulder.
"Leave us alone, you disgusting pig."
The laughter stopped.
Haru's eyes hardened.
"She's not a thing you can just buy."
The man's smile disappeared.
Around them, the crowd began to notice the confrontation. Conversations died down one by one as people turned to watch.
"Do you want to die?" The man's voice dropped.
His companions shifted their stances, preparing themselves.
Haru didn't move. He simply met the man's eyes.
"I gave you a chance." His expression remained cold. "And this is your answer?"
The man's face twisted with anger.
"Take the woman."
At the same moment, he lunged forward and threw a punch at Haru. Haru reacted instantly, raising his arm to block. Behind him, the man's subordinates rushed toward Luna. Several people in the crowd stepped forward, seemingly preparing to intervene.
Time felt slow.
Then—
Luna's fingers curled. Her nails lengthened.
Sharp.
In a blink—
The men rushing toward her continued forward for another step before collapsing to the ground.
The entire crowd froze. Even those who had stepped forward to help stopped in place.
Haru's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't even seen her move.
The muscular man suddenly found himself unable to move.
Luna stood with one foot planted firmly against his broad shoulder. Her left hand gripped his hair, forcing his head upward, while the sharpened nails of her right hand rested against his throat.
The man froze. "What—what the hell happened?"
Luna leaned closer. Her expression was utterly devoid of warmth. "One wrong move."
Her nails pressed just slightly against his skin.
The man's entire body stiffened.
Haru slowly lowered his arm and exhaled.
"I told you…" He rested one hand against his waist.
"Leave us alone."
Luna's grip tightened. "I have pledged my entire life to my Master." Her voice remained cold.
"I will never submit to anyone else."
The man swallowed hard. "I—I'm sorry!"
Sweat ran down his face. "Please… let me go. I'll never bother you two again."
Luna didn't move. She simply stared at him.
No one in the crowd dared approach.
They were still trying to understand what had happened.
Only a few higher-ranked Aberrants—those above B-rank—seemed to grasp what they had witnessed. Some sighed, and quietly walked away while some stayed to watch.
Haru finally spoke. "Let him go, Luna."
Her expression immediately softened.
She looked toward him. "As you wish, Master."
Luna released the man and hopped down from his shoulder, landing lightly beside Haru.
She still looked irritated. Haru raised his hand and gently patted her head. The change was immediate. Luna's ears perked up.
Her tail began wagging. A bright smile spread across her face as she leaned into his hand like a contented cat.
The muscular man stared at them in disbelief.
The same woman who had just terrified him now looked completely harmless beside Haru.
He opened his mouth to say something—
But Haru spoke first.
"Let's go eat now." He smiled at Luna.
Her eyes immediately lit up. "Okay~!"
They began walking. As they passed the unconscious men scattered across the ground, Luna glanced back one last time.
Her playful expression vanished. A single deadly stare pierced straight through the muscular man.
He swallowed hard.
Then Luna turned back toward Haru.
Her ears perked up again, her tail swaying happily as she followed beside him.
Slowly, the crowd began moving again.
Whispers returned. Mostly about what happened and about Haru and Luna.
This time, none of them dared get in their way.