After her long talk with Master Gilbert, Melina returned to her bedroom utterly exhausted both physically and mentally. Her mind was racing at the possibilities of what townspeople would do to her and Sienna, but her heart was pounding with excitement. In short, her emotions were completely all over the place.

Which reminded her that she urgently needed to visit the bathroom. It was a good thing that she had managed to go to the apothecary's before Sienna decided to attack the town. There was no way she would be able to buy any pads now.

Melina carefully lifted the sleeping wyrm off her shoulder, placing her gently on the bed, and hurried to the bathroom to take care of her business. It was an unpleasant matter and quite honestly, she would have rather preferred not to deal with this part of woman's physiology. But it wasn't like she could change her gender.

Once Melina was done, she returned to her room. Much to her dismay, Sienna was not where she had left her. Her heart raced as she searched for the little wyrm under the bed, inside the wardrobe, and even in her nightstand drawer.

Oh, no! Did she run away? Is she already somewhere in the town wreaking havoc and burning all the houses in sight? Dammit! I shouldn't have removed her from my shoulder, but I didn't want to wake her up. An ember wyrm surely wouldn't appreciate the bathroom—a place filled with water.

Suddenly she heard a chirp-like sound come from the ceiling. Melina looked up and saw that Sienna had somehow made its way up and was hanging upside down.

"Wow. Does gravity not affect you at all?" Melina asked the little creature who was curiously looking down on her.

Interesting. It's almost like a gecko. I wonder if ember wyrms have such a strong grip in their larger form as well. That would certainly explain why they prefer living in mountains and other hard-to-climb places. But that doesn't explain why she attacked the town. An ember wyrm certainly wouldn't have made its way into a region rich with forests on purpose.

"Sienna, tell me why were you attacking Sunglow?" Melina asked. The little wyrm made its way to the wall where Melina reached out to pick her up. Sienna looked guilty, her head and tail hanging low.

"Doesn't look like you wanted to attack. Were you just scared?" She asked again. Sienna lifted her head, peering into Melina's eyes. It felt like an affirmation.

Hmm… That certainly would make sense. Many monsters lash out simply because they are scared.

"But what could scare such a powerful monster as you?" Melina asked, and Sienna cocked her head curiously. "I suppose you couldn't tell me even if you wanted to."

Melina shook her head and then looked around her room. She needed to prepare a place for Sienna to sleep. The bed was out of the question. Wyrms didn't care much for soft places, not to mention that one unfortunate sneeze could set the bedsheets on fire. Any wooden furniture was also out of the question for the same reason.

"Say—where do you like to sleep?" Melina asked the wyrm. It once again cocked its head curiously and blinked her eyes, not understanding the question. Melina thought for a moment, then set Sienna back onto her shoulder.

I'll go and check if perhaps I can find something suitable in the shed.

They made their way down to the backyard where Melina stopped for a moment to check on the planted seeds. Unfortunately, they still hadn't sprouted so she went to the shed and began searching for something that could serve as Sienna's bed. Logistically, it'd probably be better to keep the wyrm outside in a special enclosure tailored to its needs.

In time, Melina could prepare something like that—the garden was not lacking in space after all. There was easily enough space to accommodate Sienna's large form if the townsfolk didn't throw them out of Sunglow, of course. But for the time being, it'd be better to keep a close eye on Sienna to make sure that she really wouldn't be a threat to anyone.

"How about this?" Melina asked, lifting up an old bucket. She doubted that the wyrm would like it, but decided that it was at least worth asking. As expected, Sienna showed no interest in the bucket. Melina kept looking.

There was an old metal bowl, some strange metallic box that shea suspected was once a part of some magitech machine, and a sturdy wooden box neither of which Sienna showed any interest in. Melina worried that she wouldn't be able to find anything suitable for the little monster when suddenly Sienna scurried down her body and made its way to the corner of the shed.

The little wyrm had found some sort of stone trough, covered in moss. She scurried up its edge and released a small burst of fire, burning some of the moss away.

"Hey, no fire in the shed! You could set all the firewood ablaze and then we'd have nothing to burn in the oven," Melina reprimanded the wyrm, who gave her a dissatisfied glare. "If you like it that much, I'll clean it up for you."

Sienna brightened at that, and Melina bent down to pick the trough up. Unfortunately, she couldn't lift it.

"Wow, this is really heavy!" She huffed, trying to move the trough out of its spot by pulling it. She looked helplessly at the wyrm who stared at her. Even if she couldn't speak, Sienna's gaze was clear—she wanted that trough.

Melina groaned and tried pushing and pulling the heavy thing out of its spot, but despite her best efforts, she only managed to pull just a few centimeters away from the wall. "I tried! I really did—it's too heavy for me to move."

The wyrm looked annoyed and for a moment Melina began to wonder where she'd leave that tartlet. Then Alistair's voice resounded from somewhere within the garden. "Miss Melina, are you here?"

"I am in the shed," she called out. A few seconds later, Alistair peeked inside the shed. There was sweat on his forehead, indicating that he probably must have run here.

"It seems that everything is alright," he let out a relieved breath and walked up to Melina. "I hope the monster has not caused any trouble."

Sienna growled at that and scurried back onto Melina's shoulder, glaring at the man.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"No, we were merely searching for a place for her to sleep. She seems to like this stone trough but I can't move it."

"Oh, I can move it for you. Just tell me where you would like to take it."

"Let's just move it out of the shed for now. I need to clean it up first," Melina instructed, and Alistair went to pick up the trough. Much to her surprise, its weight didn't seem to bother him at all. She knew that Alistair was strong, but it was still amazing to see somebody lift something she couldn't even budge.

I am definitely investing a few more points in <Strength>.

Once the trough was placed outside, Melina took an old brush she found in the shed and began scrubbing the moss off. Sienna seemed pleased by it, eagerly tapping her little feet on Melina's shoulder, making the girl smile at the unusual and ticklish feeling.

"It's amazing," Alistair suddenly said.

"What is?" Melina asked, looking up at him.

He scratched his hand awkwardly. "That you're able to adapt so easily. A few hours ago I was fighting the creature on your shoulder, each of us ready to kill the other. Yet now, you're preparing a place for it to sleep."

"Panicking over it isn't going to solve anything. I believe if Sienna is satisfied, she will not be a danger to anyone. However…"

"What?" Alistair tensed up.

"I worry about how the townsfolk will react. To be honest, I expect them to chase me away from the town," Melina admitted, then resumed scrubbing the trough. They both went silent.

"I won't let them," Alistair said after a while.

Melina stopped and looked up at him. "You shouldn't fight on my behalf. You have your own reputation to worry about."

"It isn't just me who feels this way. Once I returned to the Guild and wrote the report of what transpired today, the Guildmaster instantly sent me back here. Not just to protect you from her," Alistair said, pointing at the little wyrm who was nudging Melina to continue scrubbing. "But also to keep townsfolk at bay."

"What?" she asked dumbfounded and resumed scrubbing the trough, although she partially kept her gaze on Alistair.

"Miss Melina, you saved this town. You saved the lives of adventurers who fought against this monster today, including my own. I wouldn't have been able to defeat her."

You would have defeated Sienna, but at a cost.

Thinking about what would have happened if Melina hadn't interfered pained her. She didn't want to think about that glum scenario anymore so she just shook her head as she finished cleaning the trough.

"You don't know that and in either case—what's done is done. Now, I'd really appreciate it if you could take this trough upstairs to my room," she said and tossed the brush back into the shed.

"You're keeping it in your room?" Alistair narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. I don't think it's wise leaving Sienna somewhere outside," Melina said, looking at the little creature. Cute as it may be, she wouldn't trust it right away, even with the familiar pact binding them.

"I understand that, but letting it sleep alongside you is dangerous."

"Leaving her anywhere is dangerous. She might as well remain by my side where I can keep an eye on her."

"Miss Melina, I understand that you feel that you can control this monster, but remember that it is only due to your tarts that it calmed down. A creature as fickle as this has to be carefully monitored."

"I agree and I fully intend to do that."

"What if she becomes aggressive again?"

"I'll feed her tartlets."

"But it might not want them anymore. Better leave the monster with its trough in a place where I can keep an eye on it."

"I cannot leave Sienna alone with you. She clearly sees you as an enemy." Sienna hissed at Alistair when she said this as if to confirm it. "See!"

"What's with all the bickering?" Suddenly Master Gilbert peeked out from his bedroom window and glared down at Melina and Alistair. "What are you doing here, boy?"

Melina winced as she heard Gilbert address Alistair as "boy" and realized that she had been bickering with him like she had done when she was an [Archmage], utterly forgetting her place.

"I am here to guard Melina from the ember wyrm as ordered by Guildmaster Arianne," Alistair replied dutifully.

Gilbert audibly clicked his tongue and then grumbled. "Then guard her more quietly."

"My apologies, Master Gilbert," Alistair said, and Gilbert retreated into his room, not interested in hearing the details of their argument. Melina and Alistair glanced at each other stubbornly.

"Would you please carry the trough upstairs to my room?" She asked politely. There were clear signs of hesitation on his face. "I assure you that everything will be fine. I'm sure Sienna is just as tired from today's events as the rest of us."

Alistair glared at the ember wyrm who glared back at him. But when the wyrm backed away from the staring contest and hid underneath Melina's dress, he relented. "Very well, but I shall keep watch."

"As you wish," Melina replied. He seemed a bit surprised at her nonchalant answer but didn't say anything and instead picked up the trough.

"Lead the way."

She showed the way upstairs to her room and pointed towards an empty corner that had just enough space to fit the trough. As soon as it was set down, Sienna scurried down from Melina's shoulder and went inside it. She scorched the bottom of it with her fiery breath, curled up into a little ball, and closed her eyes.

Melina let out a sigh of relief and fell into her own bed, utterly exhausted. Only when she noticed Alistair looking around her room, did she find the strength to pull herself upwards.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you're hungry. Would you like something to eat?" Melina offered.

"Yes, if you would be so kind, I certainly wouldn't say no."

"I'll bring something upstairs," she said and hurried down to the kitchen.

What is wrong with this day? How did an ember wyrm and Alistair both end up in my bedroom? I was supposed to stay away from monsters and him but somehow I ended up miserably failing at both.

Melina's head began to hurt as her mind started to think of all the ways things could go horribly wrong. There was so little chance of things going peacefully. Part of her just wanted to grab Sienna and run away from Sunglow.

She wouldn't have to risk exposing herself as a System user to Alistair. Sienna wouldn't pose any danger to the Sunglow's inhabitants, and they in turn wouldn't come chasing after Melina with pitchforks. It would be so much easier, not having to deal with the fallout and just running from place to place unknown to anybody. The Church would have no chance of discovering her. She wouldn't have to explain her past to Master Gilbert.

But can I just leave Master Gilbert alone? And abandon the bakery? I don't want to abandon him. Not to mention that I still haven't even learned how to make even a single cake. I haven't even had the chance to grow anything in the garden or repaint the walls of this place. There's still so much to be done here.

Melina stared at the pot of beetroot soup which slowly began to bubble. If she just ran away, then she wouldn't be able to enjoy Master's cooking anymore. Despite the fact that she has been here for less than a month, she has grown really fond of the place.

No, I'll try to weather this storm. It might be difficult, but I can do it. As long as no more trouble happens, I should be able to appease the townsfolk somehow. Convince them that Sienna is not dangerous. Maybe I could somehow prove that she attacked out of fright rather than with the intention of harming anyone.

Melina took the warmed-up soup and carefully carried two bowls upstairs to her room. As she opened the door, she saw Alistair hunched over in pain, clutching at his head.

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