The hallway lights were dimmer now.
Hiro walked slowly, steps soft against the polished wooden floor as the events he had just heard replayed inside his head again and again.
Weakest Royal Unit. Spirit Chain. Aether siphoning.
Lovers Chain.
Affection-based binding.
First slave.
Ten times male Aether potency.
He sighed.
"…My life is getting more complicated by the second."
He stared at his right hand.
The faint chain tattoo beneath his collar seemed darker than before — not physically, but emotionally. Like it carried weight.
So I'm not just a soldier.
Not just a beast form user.
I'm… a walking power source?
The thought made him uncomfortable.
Back at school, he had always heard rumors about awakened males. Some said they were monsters waiting to lose control.
Others said they were tools used by the military.
But hearing it directly was different.
Hiro clenched his fingers slightly.
Those boys…
The ones wearing collars.
The ones being told to be grateful.
Hypocrites.
His jaw tightened for a moment.
But then he remembered Elira's eyes when she talked about the unit.
Not prideful.
Not cruel.
Just tired.
Maybe it's not that simple. Maybe the world is just… messy.
He continued walking. The corridor leading to the bedroom section was quiet. Soft lantern-style lights cast warm amber reflections across the wooden panels. Each step felt heavier as thoughts piled up.
Yurei-san…
He touched his lips unconsciously.
First slave.
He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
On one hand—
It sounded humiliating.
Slave,Beast slave.
It carried history he didn't fully understand.
On the other hand—
She had chosen him.
Not because he was strong.
Not because he was convenient.
But because he had potential.
He exhaled slowly.
I begged her for power.
He remembered it.
The desperation during the city attack.
The fear of dying uselessly. The anger then the kiss,His face heated slightly.
Focus.
He shook his head.
Lovers Chain. Affection. So that means the bond is maintained by how we feel about each other.
Does that mean if I start hating her…
His thoughts stopped.He didn't want to finish that idea.
Instead, another question surfaced.
Why me?
There were other awakened males.
Other potential candidates.
But she called him first even if it was an emergency.
"…Troublesome princess," he muttered quietly.
Yet he didn't sound angry.
He stopped in front of the spare room door.
Plain wooden surface.
Simple name tag.No decoration, it was just functional.
He placed his hand on the door handle but didn't open it immediately.
The 13th Royal Unit.
Weakest on paper.
No Spirit Chain.
No beast slave network.
Just five girls who refused the system that others used. And me.
He imagined Marian laughing.Daisy insulting him.Elira watching TV without caring.Bailey walking silently like a ghost of authority. And Yurei…
Kissing him suddenly like she was sealing a contract with her own rules.
His heart thumped once.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Something in between.He pushed the door open.The room was small but clean. A single bed, a desk by the corner with an night lamp on top and wardrobe.
Military simplicity.
Home was never supposed to be comfortable anyway.
He sat on the bed. The mattress was slightly firm — probably designed for soldiers.
Good. Less distraction.
He lay down slowly, staring at the ceiling.
Let's summarize.
I am an awakened male.
I transform into a beast form,a dope Nine tailed fox.
I am the only beast slave in a Royal Unit that cannot use
My mistress uses affection-based binding.
I am her first true slave.
Male Aether is stronger but unstable.
The unit is considered the weakest.
He closed his eyes.
Tomorrow is probably torture in the form of training.
Marian will tease me, Daisy will insult me, Elira will call me idiot, Bailey will stare silently like I'm an interesting specimen.
And Yurei…
He touched his neck where the chain tattoo was.
What do you want from me, Yurei-san?
Silence answered.
Eventually his breathing slowed. The tension in his shoulders loosened.
The base was quiet.
Far away, in the Capital's hospital wing, a small monitor emitted a faint irregular pulse.
And in the darkness of Hiro's half-sleeping consciousness. For a moment—
He felt as if someone was watching him.