Meanwhile, in a clean and orderly bedroom, Hiro slowly opened his eyes.
The ceiling above him was unfamiliar — wooden panels arranged in neat symmetry. He turned his head slightly, taking in the surroundings. The room had a distinctly traditional Japanese aesthetic: sliding paper doors, polished wooden flooring, and minimal yet elegant decorations.
A dull ache throbbed inside his skull.
"Crap… my head hurts like hell. What the hell happ—"
The memory hit him.
Soft lips crashing against his.
For a split second, his brain froze.
Then—
A wide, slightly perverted grin spread across his face.
Right, I kissed a girl.
And not just any girl — an Imperial soldier… a princess, no less!
"Jackpot…" he muttered to himself.
Another memory surfaced — blurry, violent.
Himself exchanging blows with a giant spider-like Abyssal. Buildings collapsing. Screams. Blood. A city on the brink of annihilation.
Right… I agreed to be her slave.
He stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment.
"…But saving a city and kissing a princess isn't exactly a bad trade-off."
Hope I made her proud
Slowly, he pushed himself upright. A soreness ran through his body — deep in the muscles, like he had just completed the most brutal workout of his life.
"Guess transforming into a beast does affect my body…"
He glanced down. The thin, hospital-style shirt he was wearing was slightly translucent under the light. Faint red lines pulsed beneath his skin like veins of glowing energy, tracing across his torso before fading.
"…Yeah. Definitely affects it."
Hiro looked around more carefully.
"But where am I?"
The room was too refined to be a regular hospital ward. The decorations were clean, precise — almost militaristic.
Am I in some kind of military hospital?
His thoughts sharpened instantly.
"Wait… where's Yurei? What happened to the city?"
He swung his legs toward the edge of the bed.
Crap. I need to find out what's going on.
Just as his feet were about to touch the floor—
The door slid open.
A beautiful blonde girl with striking green eyes stepped inside.
"Ah! You're awake," she said, clearly surprised.
She had probably expected him to be unconscious for several more hours.
Hiro blinked.
She was wearing the same uniform as that Elira girl — black blazer, crimson tie, short skirt, and long black stockings.
That Elira chick almost killed me…
But this girl was different. She had a small frame, almost mascot-like in stature, but her proportions told a completely different story. Her chest was anything but small, a whooping C cup.
She radiated an aura of innocence that would make any adult instinctively protective at first glance.
Her emerald eyes sparkled under the room's lighting. Her limbs were toned and compact, her features sharp yet delicate.
The legendary busty loli… so the myths are true.
She walked over and stopped beside his bed. Hands on her hips, she leaned in far too close for comfort, completely disregarding personal space.
"So you're the pansy Captain chose? You look average as hell."
"…The hell?"
Hiro blinked in disbelief.
How can such foul words come out of someone who looks that innocent?
"Excuse me?" he asked cautiously.
"Dear Lord, you've got hearing problems too?" she sighed dramatically. "Captain sure knows how to pick them."
"Wait—who are you? And where's Yurei?" Hiro quickly asked before she could insult him again.
"The name's Daisy Horntho. You're in Central City's Imperial Base," she replied with an arrogant little grin.
"And Big S— the Captain has gone to HQ to officially register you as her pair."
Hiro instinctively reached for his neck.
Though invisible, he could almost feel the presence of a chain wrapped around it. A chain lock tattoo took its place.
I keep forgetting that am her beast slave now.
"Here. Clothes," Daisy said bluntly, tossing a folded uniform at his face.
"Get ready in five minutes. Captain told me to introduce you to the other girls."
"Wait—do you have a phone?" Hiro suddenly asked.
"Why?"
"I need to call my aunt."
She stared at him like he had just said something profoundly stupid.
"Are you blind? There's a landline right beside you, idiot."
Hiro slowly turned his head. On a small wooden bedside stand sat a perfectly visible landline phone.
"…Oh."
"Thanks," he muttered awkwardly.
"Where did Captain find this idiot…" Daisy grumbled as she turned and left the room.
The door slid shut.
Silence returned.
Hiro looked down at the uniform. It was similar to the girls' attire but modified for him — black trousers, a grey short-sleeved shirt with subtle red lining along the seams.
Then he noticed the tag stitched inside the collar.
Hiro Yukishima
Beast Slave
Mistress – Yurei Skyfall
(Unofficial Badge)
The words stung.
But regret was pointless now.
This was his reality.
"As an Awakened, I can't just go back to school… The URC regulations won't allow it," he muttered quietly.
"Damn… I won't be able to see my friends for a while."
He reached for the landline and dialed his aunt's number.
After a few rings, she answered.
"Auntie, it's me."
There was a pause on the other end.
"Yeah… I'm fine. I'm not injured or anything."
He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly
.
"No, I didn't get arrested."
Another pause.
"…It's kind of complicated."
He took a breath.
"I awakened during the attack. The military's keeping me at Central City's Imperial Base for registration and evaluation."
Silence.
"…Yeah. That means I won't be coming home for a while."
His expression softened slightly.
"I'll be safe. I promise."
Another pause — longer this time.
"…Thank you."
He smiled faintly.
"I'll call when I can."
He gently placed the receiver back down.
For a moment, he just stood there. Then he changed into his uniform.
Standing in front of the mirror, he saw himself clearly for the first time since everything had changed.
The uniform fit perfectly.
His physique looked sharper. His eyes carried a new intensity.
His fingers traced the tattoo at his neck — a black marking resembling a chained lock.
"This is me now," Hiro murmured.
He inhaled deeply.
Then exhaled.
After taking a few steadying breaths, he walked toward the door. His hand gripped the handle.
With a slow motion, he slid it open — ready to face whatever absurdity awaited him next.