Gacha Kingdom Building

Despite a few time shenanigans, I've spent nearly three years with the girls of the Kingdom.

That should be enough time to understand them well, and I'm honestly a little proud of how much they've come to trust me.

Yet, somehow, they always find a way to surprise me.

Mia was no different.

At first, she was a little distant.

Almost reluctant to open up to me, or anyone else, she was focused only on what mattered, with little care for the small, nonsensical things of everyday life.

Given her circumstances, I couldn't really blame her, but…

Thankfully, I had a few tricks to draw out a more sincere side of her.

Although it usually involved her getting mad at me for it, I was always happy to do it.

I didn't mean to substitute anyone.

I only wanted to interact with her more and take away that serious, longing look on her face.

And I was happy to see that it worked.

Before I knew it, she trusted me more than anyone else.

She'd stand tall and confident, but always close to me.

She even cried for me when she thought I was in danger.

Of course, she would then deny it and pretend it never happened.

Just like she'd dismiss the growing warmth in her expression, or the soft smiles that would slip out when we teased each other.

It was charming how she did her best to hide this open secret, pretending that no one, even herself, was aware of it, when in fact, there was hardly anyone who hadn't noticed.

Her shyness made me think that our first time together would resemble the first night I shared with Ellie, and I was right in a few ways, but...

The idea that she'd resemble Cassandra and Beatrice more had never once crossed my mind.

I'd drawn out so much of her hidden side, I began to think it was her true self.

It was as wrong of me as it was arrogant.

What lay on the surface and what hid underneath...

They were both her.

And she made sure to remind me of that.

Being subjected to her intensity and raw desire after becoming so used to her lovely tsundere ways...

It was like I had met Mia for the first time again.

Except that now, I had seen the full picture of her. And it was much bigger than what I could have ever predicted.

A girl with so much emotion, her body would often react before her mind could...

I wasn't prepared for what that meant when she let loose her restraints and surrendered to desire.

Her bottomless energy, the motor skills she cultivated so well through training, and her sharp instincts that made up for her inexperience and allowed her to grow and learn incredibly fast...

Once we were too exhausted to move an inch, I kept thinking about how talented she was.

Although I doubt she'd like such a compliment, and I wasn't interested in risking death either, so I kept quiet about it.

Mia: "Nngh... Mmnh..."

Still dizzy, her eyes were only half-open, and only after raising her arms and stretching her body did she notice my presence at the bedside.

She stopped for a second, staring blankly at me, but then, ignoring me completely, she raised the other arm and continued.

It was rare to see her guard so low, or her movements so sluggish, so I made sure to pay close attention. That way, I'd be able to revisit the memory whenever I wanted.

Mia: "Hah... I'm feeling numb... And I got the strongest headache I've ever had... Did I oversleep?"

Miwen: "You could say that."

I pointed to the balcony's windows.

We fell asleep right as the first sunlight warmed us, but when Mia woke up, only the moonlight touched her.

Mia: "...A few hours then? I guess that's not so bad every once in a while..."

Miwen: "Three days."

Mia: "Hmm?"

Miwen: "You've been asleep for three days. Almost four now."

Adorably, she tilted her head slightly, giving me a confused smile as if expecting a follow-up joke.

I had a smile of my own from watching her, but otherwise, I was serious, which only made her more confused.

Mia: "That's... No way..."

Miwen: "Well... If it makes you feel better, you've asked for water every now and then while half-asleep."

She noticed the water jar by the bedside and a half-empty cup beside it.

While she didn't seem to remember it, at the very least, she was aware that it wasn't there before.

Looking down, she also realized that she was dressed again, though in different clothes.

Mia: "...Did you do this?"

Miwen: "No, it was Agatha."

Mia: "Eh? You let her in?"

I had to.

The first day, I also overslept a little, so I didn't think much of it and left Mia to rest while I dealt with some business I had with Isa.

I thought it was strange I hadn't seen her at all, but figured she might have been a bit embarrassed and trying to avoid me because of that.

It wouldn't even be that hard for her, considering how much sharper her senses are compared to mine.

Nonetheless, before heading to sleep again, I decided to check on her, just in case.

When I saw she was still in bed, only a little more unruly than before, I called on Agatha.

Mia: "...Huh. You're more of a beast than I thought..."

Miwen: "Cute, but no."

As much as I'd like to take credit, this didn't happen because of what we did.

It turns out that both human and beastmen bodies have a cool function called 'resting'.

And apparently, it's quite important.

So, if someone were to, say, overexert themselves and neglect their rest for too long, they'd be bound to collapse, especially if they just so happened to relax for the first time in their lives.

I tried to explain this to her, but she was a bit too stubborn to listen and seemed to have other concerns.

Mia: "Did Agatha see what I did to you...? Or like, do you think she knows what we did...?"

Miwen: "...Obviously?"

Before leaving the room, I did a little tidying up and even cast healing magic in the parts of my body that were hurting or a little too apparent, but Agatha was thorough when checking us both.

She quickly noticed the bite marks and scratches I had neglected, and from there, it was impossible to hide anything.

Mia: "Ugh... That's the worst. Tell me it was only her..."

Miwen: "Well... Didn't you ask the girls for help, too? I'm pretty sure-"

Mia: "Ah, I got that covered. I said it was Isabella who wanted to know."

Pfft.

Since the girls also helped with her hair and whatnot without question, they probably knew right away.

But if they are considerate enough to pretend to fall for the "asking for a friend", then I might as well do the same.

Miwen: "Then we're good. I'll ask Agatha not to tell anyone about it."

Mia: "You better..."

She briefly hid her face behind a pillow, but after I reassured her that absolutely no one knew, she seemed to be in high spirits again.

So much so that she began to remove the blankets covering her body, attempting to leave the bed. My Virtual Library Empire (M-VLEMPYR)

Thankfully, for better or for worse, she still hadn't fully recovered, so I caught her before she managed to take a step out.

Mia: "You're not going to ask me to stay in bed, right?"

Miwen: "You're right. I'm not asking."

Mia: "Ugh... I've been here for days already!"

Miwen: "Oh, that hurts. I was looking forward to spending some time with you."

Mia: "You are the worst..."

She faced away from me, but returned to the bed obediently.

I didn't have to explain the problem to her. She already knew this hadn't happened because of the fight against her mother, or the effort she had put in these past few months.

It was purely the result of an entire life of relentless pursuit.

Which is also why it was so hard for her to stop.

Miwen: "I'm adding two hours of rest to your routine, by the way."

Mia: "...Sure."

Miwen: "Supervised."

Mia: "Hmm~?"

Miwen: "By Claire."

Mia: "Ughh... Why her!?"

From reluctant to excited to incredibly depressed, her mood changed a lot in just a few seconds.

She also seemed a little expectant when I used magic to close the balcony's curtains, letting darkness fill the room.

The mood was a little hard to resist, but I did my best since it would be counterproductive to her rest.

I was also feeling a little tired, and so, I settled for just a few caresses here and there.

As for the answer to her question...

Well, Claire is the queen of slacking off, and she'd never refuse a chance of ordering Mia around.

She was the perfect candidate.

Mia: "You... Did you stay in the room the entire time I was sleeping?"

Miwen: "Of course. Agatha said I should ensure you were comfortable, and you called my name a few times. I was also too worried to-"

Mia: "Stop, stop! I get it already..."

It wasn't like she was angry, but she made sure to block my mouth with her hands to prevent me from speaking.

So, we stayed in bed, just silently enjoying each other's company.

Mia: "Ah, that's right... I wanted to tell you a little about my battle and the things I've come to realize. About me and... Well, everything. It's fine if you're too tired, though..."

Miwen: "I'm all ears."

I had heard a lot from the girls, but I was interested in hearing it from her.

And sure enough, there was a lot to unpack.

Her resolve and her feelings towards me and the Kingdom were incredibly heartfelt, and I couldn't be happier to hear her talk about them.

I was also impressed by the powers she discovered and how her Gift evolved. She was already insanely strong, so now I couldn't even imagine her limits.

Mia: "There was also something... Important? My heart screams I should warn you, but no matter how much I try, I can't remember, so... Just be careful..."

It was a little ominous to hear that, but...

I reassured her it would be fine.

Although I wasn't sure about it myself, I had a theory I felt strongly about.

Besides, she was so enthusiastic that she forgot to block my mouth, so I finally got to tell her something important myself.

Miwen: "Angie didn't know what to do with it, so she handed it to me. It might be in poor taste, but... I think you should be the one to decide."

I took a small orb from my pocket.

If it was just a skill or a stat boost like Angie usually gets, it wouldn't matter too much, but...

Either due to sheer good or bad luck, she got Melissa's Gift.

And that was a little too personal to treat casually.

Mia: "Ah..."

Her surprise was a little heartbreaking, and I felt her hands tremble slightly when I handed her the sphere.

Still, after hearing her talk about how strong she had become, I felt like there was no point in waiting or hiding this from her.

It would be too inconsiderate.

Mia: "It's a strong Gift, you know?"

Miwen: "Uh-huh."

Mia: "Don't the other girls want it?"

Miwen: "No way."

No one said a word about it.

Even Elizabeth and Cassandra were sensible enough and didn't seem to consider, even for a second, the idea of having it for themselves or strengthening someone else through it. In fact, one said it would be too inhumane, and the other thought it was in poor taste.

The other girls were even more opposed to it.

Mia: "What about you? You're not too far from level 100, right? When that time comes, having three Gifts would make you-"

Miwen: "No."

Mia: "...Figures."

There wasn't much advice I could give her.

It was a tough decision, in too many ways, so all I could do was respect and support whatever she decided.

Mia: "I don't want to throw it away. And it would be too much of a waste not to use it, right?"

Miwen: "Right..."

Mia: "In that case... I'll think of it as her protecting me with her power. And if I get to meet her again... Then I can ask what she thinks about it."

Miwen: "I see. That's a nice thought."

It's strange.

I was glad she still needed me, but it also made me happy to see how much she had grown.

Since she lost the keepsake I earned as a reward from her event, I thought she was going to use the orb to replace it, but...

I kept underestimating her, even now.

Mia was strong.

Miwen: "Hnnh... You're hugging me... A bit too tight..."

Mia: "You can handle it~"

And she was only going to keep getting stronger.