Morning.
A golden sliver of sunlight crept through the trees, slipping into the quiet clearing where Cian lay fast asleep.
On his chest, curled like a warm ember from a hearth, Emberlix snoozed peacefully—tiny puffs of heat rising from her nostrils. And tightly wrapped around his side, Shirayuki, the silver quilled hedgehog girl, clung to him with her face pressed to his neck, one leg draped over him, chest slightly pressing against his side.
She shifted, letting out a soft murmur.
Then—
Ding!
> [System]: "Hooooh~ What's this? A spicy morning trio? You animal, Cian."
Cian stirred, brow twitching. He cracked one eye open.
And instantly froze.
"What the—"
> [System]: "You've unlocked Extreme Morning Misunderstanding Lv. 1. Shirayuki's in 'clutch mode' and Emberlix is… literally smoldering."
Cian looked down.
"…Huh. When did I become a body pillow?"
As he carefully tried to sit up, Emberlix yawned adorably and blinked her glowing black eyes.
> [System]: "Good news! You've officially earned Emberlix's full trust. You can now tame her. All that's left is to give her a name."
Cian blinked, suddenly serious.
"A name…" He crossed his arms. "It has to be worthy. Regal. Beautiful. Something that'll echo through the heavens."
He rubbed his chin dramatically. Shirayuki peeked up at him sleepily, her brow twitching in confusion.
> [System]: "Oh gods, he's doing the 'anime protagonist name choosing arc'... This might take a while."
Cian closed his eyes.
Then smiled.
"…How about Solaira?"
Emberlix chirped in approval—her tail thumping the ground and little sparks popping from her scales like fireworks.
> [System]: "Name confirmed: Solaira, Flameborn Companion."
> [System]: "Okay okay, that one's actually kinda badass."
Shirayuki just narrowed her eyes at Solaira… then at Cian… and subtly clutched him even tighter.
He glanced at her.
"…Why does it feel like I'm being glared at in HD?"
> [System]: "Good luck, Casanova. You've got a jealous hedgehog girl and a fire-lizard both sleeping on your soul."
The sun had barely climbed halfway above the trees, casting dappled morning light across the quiet glade. Cian knelt near the campfire, sleeves rolled up, carefully stirring a bubbling pot of herb soup with a makeshift ladle carved from bark.
He sniffed the rising steam.
"Hm… just a little more crushed firepepper and—hey, not too much, or I'll melt their tongues off…"
Behind him, the sound of playful shuffling and giggles broke the stillness.
He turned.
Solaira and Shirayuki were rolling around in the grass.
Solaira, the newly named Emberlix, darted toward Shirayuki's belly, her warm tail flicking side to side, occasionally tickling Shirayuki's sensitive side with sudden bursts of heat.
"Ngnh—! S-Stop that—!"
Shirayuki squealed, back arching as she let out an involuntary moan, cheeks burning red. She tried to escape but Solaira pounced again, chirping cheerfully and pressing her warm snout to Shirayuki's neck.
Another soft gasp.
A higher-pitched one.
"Aah~! C-Cian…!"
His ladle froze mid-air.
"…What the hell are you two doing!?"
He spun around, face redder than the firepepper in the soup.
"Quit rolling around moaning in the grass! I'm trying to cook breakfast like a normal human being!"
> [System]: "Keyword: trying."
> [System]: "Breaking News: Soup ruined. Chef distracted by spontaneous hedgehog-girl ecchi scene. Back to you, shame."
Cian growled.
"I swear to the gods if you say 'degenerate protagonist' again—"
> [System]: "Degenerate protagonist: Confirmed. Now with added seasoning of public embarrassment!"
Meanwhile, Solaira flopped onto her back and let out a satisfied chirp, tail wagging. Shirayuki sat up, flustered and red-faced, brushing grass off her hair as she pouted at Cian like he was the one being inappropriate.
Cian sighed and collapsed backward, staring at the sky.
"…This is going to be a long journey, isn't it."
> [System]: "Confirmed: Long journey. Low sanity. High fanservice."
The towering gates of Velmoria, the capital of Aethercrest, came into view like a dream sculpted from white stone and gold. Cobbled roads unfurled from the forest's edge, lined with flower carts, market stalls, and carriages drawn by four-legged beasts with antlers of silver.
Cian walked calmly—on the outside. On the inside?
He was boiling.
Shirayuki strode beside him, her shimmering quill-hair catching the sunlight. Her figure—slim but well-endowed—swayed with every step, her hips naturally elegant. She had no idea what effect she was causing.
The people, however, definitely did.
A pair of noble sons muttered behind them.
"Is that a monster?"
"No way. Monsters don't look that damn gorgeous…"
A soldier nearby nearly dropped his halberd.
"Was that… a hedgehog girl? Saints above."
A sketchy merchant whispered with a grin, "I'd pay a pouch of rubies just to tame something like that..."
Cian twitched.
> [System]: "Warning: Local perverts detected. Recommend: Calm down, simp-boy."
> [System]: "Analyzing: Male tension rising. Jealousy level: 86%."
> [System]: "Casual Observation: You have a hot hedgehog girl at your side and a fire-lizard on your head. This is peak harem MC behavior."
Cian's eye twitched, but he forced a calm smile.
"Don't cause a scene… don't cause a scene…"
Shirayuki tilted her head innocently, oblivious to the stares. She was focused on the sky, watching birds wheel overhead. Meanwhile, Solaira was perched on Cian's head, curled up like a fuzzy, scaly crown, snoring softly with her tongue sticking out.
Cian noticed a rich noble's daughter eyeing him now.
He blinked.
She winked.
"NOPE," he muttered and stared at the road.
> [System]: "New quest: Protect your monster waifu from public thirst. Optional: Don't punch anyone."
> [System]: "Bonus: Try not to combust from jealousy. Or ego."
Cian sighed and muttered under his breath, "Just get through the gates without slapping anyone. That's the real quest…"
After passing inspection and grumbling through the gate tax, Cian made his way into the city proper. The streets of Velmoria bustled with life—merchants haggling, children darting past with kites, and beast-drawn carts creaking along the stone roads.
Eventually, he found a small inn nestled between a bakery and a music shop. The wooden sign swayed slightly in the breeze:
"The Brass Lantern."
Warm lights glowed from the windows, and the scent of toasted bread drifted from the chimney.
Cian stepped inside, dropped ten silver coins, and got a small, clean room upstairs with two beds and a surprisingly fluffy rug. Shirayuki sniffed it like a suspicious cat. Solaira immediately claimed the pillow. Standard.
Once his party was settled in, Cian headed out into the bustling city, purse jingling with saved gold.
> [System]: "Exploration Mode: Enabled."
> [System]: "Objective: Purchase supplies, monster accessories, and sustenance. Reminder: You are broke in 3… 2…"
---
First stop: The Food Bazaar.
Rows of vibrant stalls greeted him, each a burst of color and smell. He bought a pouch of dry meat strips for Shirayuki—seasoned with smoked salt and jungle herbs.
> [System]: "High-protein snack for quill-type beastkin. Enhances regeneration and promotes quill strength."
He grabbed a jar of firefruit jelly for Solaira. One sniff and the little emberlix perked up like someone lit a match under her tail.
> [System]: "Caution: Firefruit is spicy enough to ignite small objects. Ideal for fire-lizard digestion. Not recommended for normal humans. Or idiots."
---
Next stop: The Trinket Alley.
There, he browsed odd shops and street vendors. One stall caught his eye—a hunched man with goggles selling "taming accessories."
Cian bought a silver-threaded collar engraved with soft glyphs and fitted it gently around Shirayuki's neck.
She blushed fiercely and refused to look him in the eyes.
> [System]: "Taming Accessory equipped. Bonding potential increased."
Then, a woven flameproof scarf for Solaira, embroidered with red and gold. She wagged her tail and puffed a happy ember.
> [System]: "Lizard fashion level: Drip acquired."
---
He passed a mirror and looked at himself.
Dusty boots, tired face, monster girl on one side, lizard on the other.
"…I look like I got pulled into someone's isekai fanfic."
> [System]: "Correction: You are in one. Also, you still haven't fed me, digital labor is exhausting."
"Shut up."
> [System]: "Tch. I will remember this betrayal."