1.3

The world was trembling, this very reality, but only Raum could feel it. It was a new agent of the new god's experimental systems, the best out of all of them.

But nothing could possibly be more honorable to receive than the Mother's Eye. They're watching Raum. They're expecting its growth and progress.

Raum didn't really care how Furan would experience this reality (debatable). As long as the host doesn't OOC too abruptly, Raum can collect its data smoothly. It also pledged in its core to give Furan Shi the best host experience and guide him with its best.

It was an impeccable chart it had constructed for the road ahead. Make sure Furan grows decent; experience the best out of the stories; collect the most (and the best) data for Mother; learn how to be the greatest system agent…

It shouldn't care what happens. It shouldn't.

But the ripple effect seemed too great that Raum only noticed when it had stepped back to review its translated data.

Anyways, somewhere back in the world where Raum hasn't yet placed its corvid avatar for the day, Snow had woken up first at some point and decided to let the bunnyboy continue sleeping alone. However, no one knew what had suddenly gotten into the spotted catboy when the first thing he did was hold a tray of his cooked breakfast and proceed upstairs. Some maids had trailed quietly behind him, and were thoroughly surprised when he skipped the door to his shared room with Jinx. 

The snow leopard proceeded to the one room at the end of that wing, knocked, and stepped back, his tail swishing slowly behind him. Although the swinging looked unnatural, it still gave an impression that the small man was excited. Trying to.

The door opened, revealing a disgruntled Aleister. But as soon as he saw it was Snow who had unwittingly disturbed his morning rest after pulling an all-nighter of his piled up workload and guilt and lots more of regret, his tired eyes beamed up.

They would've twinkled more after seeing the tray in Snow's hands, which was obviously for him, but remembered not to let it show. After all, expectations are the most painful when they aren't met. What if Snow was only here to eat in his room?

Snow, unaware of his master's unreasonable worry, forced his tail to move more merrily, especially after seeing that usual cold face got even colder. It was a sharp — very sharp — contrast to what Aleister was wearing. Instead of what most people think he's wearing when he sleeps, which could be him either topless or in thin clothes, he was all but clad in a silly yellow pajama with brown paw prints. Choosing to ignore the attire that doesn't really fit with a dangerous-looking man's aesthetic, Snow acted cutely even without the confidence that he was really adorable.

This is for Jinx and himself!

"Master…" he beamed, lifting up the tray. "G-good morning..!"

Yes, the stutter was deliberate, too, because Snow knew that Aleister liked it when he acted shy. "I.. I made breakfast for you…!"

Ugh he's already eighteen! It wasn't really like him to pretend to be cute..!

Thankfully, his efforts to be a bit more shameless were paying off. "Good morning, kitty," came Aleister's deep morning voice — he can't force it to his usual forced baritone bullshit because.. morning. He almost took it back and cleared his throat when he noticed the stiff tail of the snow leopard shivered briefly as it straightened up before calming back down. Heh, cute.

Wait, was that even a positive thing? Aleister wasn't the best with social cues, always doubting what he saw, so he settled for gestures, and only spoke if the situation can't help it.

After receiving his morning head pat, Snow was invited into Aleister's bed room, where he served the man breakfast personally. Of course, he received more petting inside. The watching maids soon saw Snow coming out with an emptied tray and a soft blush across his shyly smiling expression.

The story had truly changed now that Snow was starting to act more actively so early in the timeline. It only had been what, a week? Plus a half? Well, people who have a concept of past and future couldn't really say that was a big change.

After charming his master, he could be seen checking on Jinx. The latter was still sleeping then, when Snow decided to head to Anton's office next. He didn't stay for long, but he somehow got a book in hand when he got out and some photocopied pages of it at the side.

"Everything To Know About These Winter Kitties" by Yama Yama

When he got back to their shared room, Jinx was already awake, rubbing the sleep off his eyes with a small yawn. He looked at Snow with strange eyes, especially after seeing what's in his clutches, but didn't question.

Until he saw the photocopied pages Snow started pinning on the small bulletin board there above the desk at the side.

「 First page: illustration of late patriarch of The Great Northwestern Snow Leopard Clan, Ganbold. Both human form and beast form. 」

「 Second page: illustration of modern snow leopard model, "Winter", surnamed Yadav. Both human form and beast form. 」

「 Third page: illustration of a great snow leopard general from the 80s, Tyoma Bolshakov. Both human form and beast form. 」

Snow happily turned to the confused bunnyboy, proud of his own work as he planted his hands firmly on his hips and pumped his chest up.

"Master Aleister is not to your taste anymore..?" -Jinx asked before he could even explain, making his tail jump in surprise.

"N-no..!"

Snow was back to his timid, embarrassed self, his face flushed and his hands waving frantically to dismiss such thoughts from his innocent bunnyboy brother. "M-master is still hot..! I-I mean.."

His stutters weren't deliberate this time.

"I mean… these- t-these pictures are for my development..!"

He slapped the bulletin board. "Snow leopards are supposed to look this great..!" He slapped it again. "Look." Slap. "At." Slap. "Them!!"

Jinx tilted his head slowly. Snow's ears were perked up, hinting his determination. The photocopied illustrations all have but two similarities — aside from the people in it being snow leopards, they all have this strong, lean physique. Such… such beefy men, with broad shoulders packed with toned muscles down to their narrower waists.

And then it clicked. "Big brother Snow wants to look like them..?" Furan Shi was suddenly bewildered. He couldn't imagine this character to look.. well.. to shed off his twink physique..!

No! No way..!

「 Using Skill [Pouting lvl 6] 」

「 Debuff [Superstitions] does not apply to NPC Snow 」

"But Master already loves big brother like this..?" Furan Shi tried his best to sound pouty, and innocently so. His question worsened the blush on Snow's face; nonetheless he braved through.

"Bu- but I want to look like this..!"

Truth be told, Snow only wanted to do this for Jinx. The 'getting-closer-to-Master-Aleister' act to secure funds, and then this bodybuilding act to be stronger, so he could be able to protect the bunnyboy himself.

In the orphanage, he had been neglected already for being mistakened for a common feline. If not for him pushing through and insisting his presence in the orphanage, befriending the staffs and looking out for his younger peers like a big brother, maybe he would've grown up smaller than how he looks now.

He was kicked out for being too old to stay in there when no one wanted to adopt him, and then sold to a rich man who mysteriously paid ten times the original price set for him. He's already eighteen, sure, but following Anton's advice, he may still have a chance to follow the footsteps of his new snow leopard idols!

Furan Shi didn't have the heart to discourage the shining protagonist, so he relented and smiled for him, even boosting his confidence by cheering. Maybe he should train his mind to get used to the idea of a beefed up Snow sitting on Aleister's lap and meowing meekly to the then smaller man.

The bedroom was full of cheers from both Jinx and Snow, then dragged to the dining area below where they both had breakfast, Snow's portion bigger than he usually eats, and when the snow leopard parted from him to head to who-knows-where, maybe to strengthen stamina, but definitely not on his master's lap, Furan Shi deflated.

As he was watching the snow leopard disappear, a certain black-feathered bird materialized beside him. "Are you really sure about visiting that [dumb corn snake]?"

Furan Shi, having used to Raum suddenly popping into existence whenever convenient, nodded decisively. "He's a big bully, sure.. but I feel bad for his new stab wound."

"Something that's a hundred percent not your fault," Raum promptly argued. "Don't forget he harassed you twice. One, he crawled under your sweater. Two, he squeezed your sensitive tail! Ah, and don't forget the quesadilla! Wait, I have a third one: he dragged you into the knife battle!"

The system agent got a point. However, Furan Shi already made up his mind. "And said knife battle left me unscathed only for him to get stabbed..!"

Which, fair. It was Cornylius' fault alone.

Raum, however, wasn't able to have Furan Shi reconsider when the bunnyboy was already walking towards the wing opposite of his shared bedroom. And when Furan Shi knocked on a certain door before Raum could get a word in. The person's voice from inside was muffled on top of being weak, but Furan Shi was thankful for Jinx being a bunny with big lop ears.

So he entered with the invisible corvid system. It was only this time when Raum realized Furan Shi had actually brought with him two bacon puff pastries, tucked in his hand that was on the opposite side of where Raum was. "Host, what-"

"Jinx?" Camilius' husky voice easily overpowered the crow's voice in the bunnyboy's ears. It wasn't as deep as Aleister's, but enough to twist Jinx's guts in a pleasurable knot. Thank goodness Camilius wasn't a man over the age of 40.

Furan Shi sucked it in. He's here to scheme. To plan how he could defeat this guy and punt him once and for all. All for being too annoying. He couldn't get over the python's saliva on his cheek. Ugh. Camilius is a bitch. Camilius is a bitch.

[dumb corn snake] is a b-i-t-c-h.

Who happened to have a stab wound and looked pathetic now with not a shirt on and his torso bandaged up. Furan invited himself in and sat right on his bed. A power move, he thought, to claim someone else's bed. At least, in his original world, it was rude to suddenly intrude in someone else's room and plop down on their bed if they're not intimately related.

All that time, as he was still slightly disoriented by the fact that the bunnyboy initiated a visit, Camilius only dumbly looked on as Jinx casually claimed a spot on his bed. He shook his head in disbelief and closed the door before following the smaller boy.

"Mister—"

"Why do you always call me mister when I'm only seventeen???" Camilius was quick to cut him off. Furan smirked inwardly.

It was also another power move of his, to imply the other looked older, perhaps also soggier, than his age, especially when he was concerned with his image. It could at least compensate for Furan's lingering disappointment about a beefed up Snow giggling like a school girl with his deepened voice.

Jinx only muttered a small, "I'm sorry.." with his feigned meek tone.

Contrary to his expectations, however, Camilius only nodded it off. "Alright."

And then his eyes darted down to the pastries in Jinx's hand, and he grew more confused.

"Aren't rabbits.."

"It's for you.."

"..huh-?"

Furan thrusted forward the two pastries. "It's for you.."

「 Using Skill [Blushing lvl 4] 」

「 Debuff [Superstitions] does not apply to NPC [dumb corn snake] 」

And sure enough, as he willed it, his round cheeks were tinted a soft, faint hue of pink. Just enough to betray his embarrassment, perhaps even imply he was "shy for showing a soft side to his enemy". But Camilius didn't take the bait. He wasn't taking any bait casted by the cutesy Jinx.

Oh, but he did take the bacon puff pastries with a quiet thank you, which threw Furan Shi off-track.

And then it was just awkward quiet between them, Jinx seated on the plush, messy bed and Camilius lanky as he stood before him with the pastries.

It seemed as though Camilius wasn't acting like Cornylius at all.

"How are you feeling?" They chorused, furthering up the awkward tension. They both held each other's unsure gazes.

Raum quietly exited the scene, seeing no problem about to ensue at this rate.

Furan Shi was about to look around when Camilius cleared his throat, making him attentively turn back.

"Sorry about.. pinning you down." The python started, sounding nothing like the usual arrogant young master of the Fontaines that had definitely guaranteed him a stab to the side thrice this year. Ah, right. One of them was to block one for his cousin. Alright then.

The fact that he's apologizing was astonishing to Furan Shi, nevermind the way it sounded strained. Camilius' tail was still, but the tip was twitching every time he noticed a muscle twitch on the bunnyboy's cute little face.

"And sorry for touching your tail."

Furan Shi was mindblown. He almost felt he could fly away and crash agaisnt the farthest wall.

What's happening? Wasn't he this cocky bastard yesterday that- eh?? Is this the extent of his "unpredictable nature"? This is too unpredictable it goes beyond Furan's expectations of his what-ifs!

Raum wasn't there, and it wasn't interested in responding when Furan Shi quietly inquired about the strange development.

Meanwhile, Camilius was only thinking of the half-burnt quesadilla. He had researched the Angel's Foundation For Special Children, the orphanage five hours away from them by car, out of boredom. He was under house arrest, anyways, and had nothing else to do.

Initially, he only wanted at least a little context about Jinx's background, why he was being sold along with other young demihumans, or why he can do calculus even if he's supposed to be a bunny rabbit.

On the internet, the orphanage, despite being barely present as much as it was unpopular, has a decent reputation. But Fontaine wasn't ordinary, and it didn't take long before Camilius had dug up more information about them.

He could only grit his teeth at what he found. Sure, this bunnyboy had been rude to him so far by provoking him, kissing him without warning, and then provoking him again.. but that quesadilla he gave him with great reluctance now meant something else to the white python. Jinx was being nice even if he himself was starving! Maybe… maybe he was being bullied in the orphanage for his food and he'd learned to share to a scary-looking white snake! Rabbits can't even eat that kind of quesadilla even if they've evolved!

No wonder why Jinx isn't as plump as Camilius' bunny classmates.

"Don't worry, bunbun," he said with great determination, further confusing the already befuddled rabbit. "I am a Fontaine! From now on, I am your pet until you feel better!"

Furan Shi didn't know whether to stop the other boy, but all decision-making was thrown out the window when Camilius suddenly kneeled before him, the bacon pastries squished in his fists. His red eyes now held the dedication of a knight, further emphasized by his firm kneeling position.

But a pet?

"Pet..?" Jinx mumbled under his breath.

"You asked me if I wanted to be your pet, right..?" Camilius unhelpfully asked back, nuzzling himself closer to the bunnyboy's legs. "You want a white snake for a pet, don't you?"

"That was-"

Camilius can't morph into his beast form due to his injuries, so instead he let his head rest on the other's lap, chin planted on Jinx's thighs as he gazed up at the bunnyboy like an obedient pet.

「 Completed mission: "Have [dumb corn snake] admit defeat"! 」

And just like that, Furan Shi completed his third mission without lifting a finger.

「 Reward: Temporary white snake pet 」

「 Reward: Access to NPC [dumb corn snake]'s room 」

「 Reward: Special bond with NPC [dumb corn snake] increased! 」

At first, Furan Shi was partly amused, and partly devastated, too. Having a pet meant he'd tend to it 24/7 like a parent would to their child! Petting him, taking him on walks, helping him with his bandaged wound..!

But the day after the declaration, he found himself with a clingy Cornylius. The python was grounded anyway so Jinx couldn't take him out on a walk, and cleaning his wound and applying what Anton advised him to use on it became voluntary, too, after seeing him struggle.

Camilius wasn't used to acting submissive to anyone. Well, perhaps there was Aleister, but no, he was never this submissive. He could only grit his teeth in shame for stooping to this low status, but everytime he looks at Jinx, this poor bunnyboy, his teeth ungrits and his tail relaxes.

And he'd cling tighter to the bunnyboy, as if any looser and he'd disintegrate. Ah, poor baby. Poor, poor baby boy.

The shared bedroom of the snow leopard and the bunny soon became empty during nights. While Snow was back to sleeping in the same bed as his Master Aleister, Jinx, perhaps in awe of the poor Camilius, decided to sleep in his pet's room, too. He was also… partly obligated as a pet owner.

Raum, meanwhile, didn't know whether or not to laugh at the bizarre story development. As a system agent, the development was natural, nothing to flinch at as it had computed this possibility. But at the same time, it's Furan Shi we're talking about. He is affected by the changes as much as he had caused these changes in the first place!

But it soon settled down, knowing full well Jinx wouldn't be in danger anymore while in Camilius' presence. The moniker [dumb corn snake] was simplified then to just [corn snake] that night.

——————————

It was the first time Anton found himself dining with the complete household members of the main house. There was Aleister seated at the head of the table, beside him Snow, on the opposite end Camilius with Jinx right beside him. And then there was him, the lone runt wolf with his chicken salad.

Snow being spoon-fed by Aleister was a common sight on the table, but today the catboy seemed to like it when usually he looked like he'd rather not eat. But it wasn't over yet.

Anton couldn't really help but gawk as Camilius was spoon-feeding the bunnyboy, whom he knew the python dislikes.

That term seemed obsolete now, apparently.

The runt wolf was whiplashed! Twice!

「 "Raum, are you sure I'm not going OOC at this point?" 」Furan Shi was the one to ask the same question his system had been asking some days ago this time.

「 "Does it look like my work was being disrupted?" 」

Furan Shi subtly looked around him. Nothing strange was happening.

「 "I… suppose it wasn't..?" 」

「 "Thought so." 」

Furan Shi couldn't help but think he'd had this conversation before, only he was on the smug side. But yes, looking at the table, it does seem strange.

Why is Snow feeding Aleister back when he was only supposed to receive all the way? And then it registered. Maybe.. maybe Snow was really training to be a top! Not just a bara bottom, but a switch, too! Furan Shi felt—

Oh, maybe that would really be something. Somehow, he wasn't as repulsed to the idea anymore.

"Master, say ahh.." Camilius whispered with a spoon in hand.

Yep. Not anymore.

Jinx absentmindedly received the spoon into his small mouth and continued eating, unaware of how the whole table had stopped to gawk at him and his new.. well, pet. He chewed as if Snow wasn't nodding his head slowly everytime his jaws bobbed, and swallowed as if Anton wasn't following how the apple of his throat rose before dipping back into place, like he was the weirdest feast out of all of them on the table.

Finally, when he was drinking his juice, Aleister broke the silence to ask the one question the other two had wanted to ask, but didn't continue out of doubt. "Camilius… is your brain actually located on the side of your torso?"

Furan Shi almost spat out his broccoli juice.

As much as Snow and Anton appreciated his stepping up, no one really got his logic at first. Aleister is the weirdest out of all the remaining Selvans, spouting weird shit left and right so no one really bothered to entertain him intensively. But the morning was good, and the food was also good, and given a few minutes they finally understood his seemingly irrelevant statement.

Camilius was stabbed on the side of his torso. Aleister asked if his brain was in it. Oh. Now the joke's dead — not that it was actually funny in the first place — but Anton still snorted at his brother-turned-uncle's absurdity.

"Yeah," he quipped, adding to his brother's statement, "tell me if you actually bumped your head that day ah? I am the doctor in this compound, after all..~"

Snow, meanwhile, looked on over his full breakfast in concern and squeaked out his turn in the conversation. "Jiji… b-blink twice if you need help..!"

Aleister laughed, partly from finally getting his joke snorted at, but mostly at the face of his nephew Camilius, which was redder than a dragonfruit.

"Do you want a collar and leash with that?"

At his sudden quip, the rest of the table choked on whatever they're eating. Furan Shi almost spat out his broccoli juice for the second time. Camilius shouldn't have anything to say for himself given his proud character, but yes, he was also unpredictable.

He grabbed Jinx's hand and raised it, showing everyone how his fingers were intertwined with the other's. "I-I am aiming to be a better person by learning from this rabbit..!"

Who knew Camilius could be so thick-skinned? Or just that his priorities were odd? Truly, no one in the main house was normal. We've got a patriarch who was insisting on being called an uncle or a proper matriarch on top of spouting more bs; his brother with a social switch, who was really… actually pretty normal if we won't consider his pharmaceutical inventions; Snow who woke up one day and suddenly chose to swerve away from god's intended path for him to become a snow leopard bara switch; Camilius with his oddly placed priorities; and then the very normal Jinx.

Jinx was the only normal person around the table.

Oh, yeah. But Camilius would really look good with a leash, huh?

Anyways, they were eyeing their intertwined hands with interest. The world subtly trembled at the development as well, either because it was just for the story changing again, or just the world being a fujoshi.

All Furan Shi could do was blush…

「 Using skill [Blushing lvl4] 」

…and hope there was an opposite skill to [Look at Me!].

「 New! Mission: Say something… 」

「 "Raum… what is this bs now..?" 」

Raum popped in right beside his plate, his familiar dumb crow face tilted at an angle. "I told you I'm a translator."

「 "Translator of what again..?" 」

"World.. rrr.. d-ata..-? Mi-.. hhh.. mission-s?"

「 New! Mission: Pls claim the corn snake! Paying handsome rewards after kukuku… this sister is rich~ 」

Furan Shi felt his back turn rigid. 「 "Raum that's a weird translation.." 」

"Get.. rrr… us-ed t-to it..rr-"

The crow avatar vanished.

「 Ding! Reward proposition: skill upgrade? 10k C points? Ooh~ how about we level up [Arrogance], eh? That's one powerful skill! 」

At the mention of 10k, Furan Shi submitted himself to the world mission like he would when Jinx was originally sent to the brothel in the story. Foul, but no truer words could be spoken at the moment.

Begrudgingly, but fully trusting the reward in the end.

Jinx raised his blushing face — thank goodness this wasn't a passive skill — and finally used the next dreadful ability.

「 Using skill [Look at Me! lvl 1] 」

"T-that's… what happened.." he "timidly" replied. Timidly because of the great hesitation for admitting something so embarrassing. But to the audience around the table, it only sounded like a shy little rabbit boy who didn't want to sound too happy about his new toy.

Aleister smirked in amusement, and turning to Camilius, he asked, "no more matriarch role for you, then? Should've known you wanted to be a cutesy little snake baby all this time..~"

Camilius was ready to retort, maybe yell at his uncle like usual, but he felt Jinx subconsciously clenching his hand. It made him realize by a far stretch that yes, he is doing all this to be a better person. After this, the snatching of his mother's stolen throne would be way easier! Mwahahaha!

So with his thickened, serious face, as if it wasn't thick enough in the first place, he answered. "Yes, for the meantime, I am Master Jiji's little baby snake."

The table erupted into unmanly cackles, Snow not being able to hold it back as well.

「 "Raummmm… are you sure nothing's out of place? No one's OOC???" 」

「 "How can an NPC go OOC?" 」

「 New! Mission: That's it? Jinx, have more balls like Snow! -sorry host, that's what I can translate but I can stop these weird strings of texts and replace it with mine? 」

Furan Shi decided to ignore the system now, too. Things suddenly took a weird turn in this world, and now even the translations are getting a bit weird, too. Nothing else he could trust but the 10k.

10k.

「 Using skill [Look at Me! lvl 1] 」

The laughter around him died down, all awaiting the bunnyboy's words when they saw his posture seeming to imply he wanted to say something. Camilius, too, lowered their connected hands on his lap and even squeezed it for the unnecessary encouragement.

Wow. Thanks a lot Cornylius. But hey, maybe the name Cornylius fits him more now than when he was a big, scary white snake.

"C-can we leave first..?" he asked, eyes darting onto each face he saw around before stopping at his de facto master, Aleister. "I… I have more things to discuss with my… m-my pet here.."

Camilius grinned at the term. Not that he was seriously enjoying being a weaker boy's pet, but hearing Jinx play along did sound entertaining, even if said entertainment was at the expense of his image. As long as it's to better him as a Fontaine, well.

With a light, equally amused nod from Aleister, Camilius let himself get dragged away by a fidgety bunnyboy. He didn't forget to quickly swipe at some smoked bacon, snatching them with his free hand along the way. It was also what he was munching on as he speedwalked beside his bunny master, impatiently so that he'd finished the last one even before they could go halfway through.

"Master…" Snow, one of the people left behind, opened after watching the two disappear, "...I'm not doubting master's words, but… is Camilius really a good match to Jiji..?"

Aleister clicked his tongue in thought. "I only said Jinx would be a good match to Camilius.. but I didn't say Camilius could be the same to Jinx.. hehe."

Bad joke. He only took it back when he realized he didn't really make the snow leopard feel any better.

——————————

Furan Shi actually didn't know where to go, but the reward notifications were ringing loud and clear in his head at the moment. 10k. Easy, easy 10k C points. How rich is this world to easily give him that for a simple "I am your new master" move? Ah.. maybe..

「 "Raum, should I be moving Camilius back to my Santa list?" 」

「 "Again, you haven't told me what that is." 」

「 "Ah, but even if he isn't daddy material anymore considering our ages and his weird, blasted personality, maybe he can still be my Santa daddy and give me what I want indirectly, you know? Like.. giving this world a good show..?" 」

Raum still couldn't fully understand what a Santa list is, nor was it fully interested in knowing about it, but from what its host was babbling about, it's just his list of sugar daddies..? Er.. potential sugar daddies? Raum used its right to remain silent and instead watched as Furan Shi took another turn at a corner.

The reward notifications were still echoing in his ears even as they'd long faded. He can feel his virtual wallet a little heavier, if that's even possible, and his mind automatically started counting his eggs before they could even be hatched.

10k for master-pet.. what else can he do for more C points? Of course, something just as family-friendly. Oddly enough, even if Furan Shi was younger both as himself and as Jinx than Camilius Fontaine, he can't help but feel as though he's a lot older than everyone, even if everyone could scare him out of his wits. As if it was something that naturally came with the knowledge of being only in a story. Even if Raum had stated twice it was a reality. It never felt real for him.

These people — NPCs — are more predictable like children. Adding that to his knowledge of the future, even if some things had changed, he was pretty confident he can still read them like the characters they are.

「 Passive skill leveled up! [Arrogance lvl 3] leveled up to [Arrogance lvl 4]! 」

Somehow that felt so wrong. Why is it even called Arrogance and just what does it do?

「 "It's your hubris, obviously." 」Raum unhelpfully supplied. Furan Shi unfortunately couldn't flip it off with Raum not being physically here. 「 "Mother would be proud." 」

「 "Who the fuck is your mother?" 」

「 Passive skill leveled up! [Arrogance lvl 4] leveled up to [Arrogance lvl 5]! 」

Enough. Furan Shi couldn't help but feel like he, too, had devolved into a character of this story at some point and there was an author god above turning his first transmigration here into a shit show. No way that's happening.

With his indecisiveness and his brain melting from both positive and skeptical stimulants, though, his feet ultimately led him and his pet to the latter's room. Somehow, Camilius wasn't fazed at all and instead invited his fluffball master inside.

The bed was still as messy as how Camilius had left it, and he didn't seem to be embarrassed about it. Nothing seemed to embarrass this young man today. Jinx, inwardly wincing, carefully sat himself down on the bed and gestured for Camilius to sit beside him.

"Why are you doing this, really?" Jinx started, his small face as serious as a bunny can be when facing off against a larger python. To be honest, Furan Shi would gladly take Camilius as a pet all day, but then again, it was Camilius, the same guy that was weirdly onto him since he first came here.

Maybe Camilius had an ulterior motive? Didn't the story state he was scheming against Aleister all the time..?

But at that moment, Camilius only reciprocated his solemn air, maybe even more so, and leaning on his determined side, too, that frightened Furan Shi a bit.

"But it's true," he answered, "my only ulterior notive here is that I get to be a better person after this."

And before Jinx could reply to that, Camilius continued, "also learn calculus from you if that's alright."

Dude, didn't you have, like, a strong prejudice against bunny rabbits?

It was all just too strange to take it all in even if some days had already passed since they became master and pet.

"But I was only doing trigonometry.."

"And? After trigonometry, you can do basic calculus, too, no?"

"Eh.."

Furan Shi paused, and thought to stall time by letting his eyes wander to Camilius' tail. It was thick, long, and placed on the empty bedside behind him shaped like a croissant. It was covered in shiny scales, and he was pretty sure it could kill him if swung with enough power his way.

He looked back at the python and tried his best to hide his triumphant grin by forcing the bubbling feeling down his throat.

"Then, I have a few requests for us, is that alright?"