"Hmm...Strange. There used to be many animals lingering around this area. Did they change their habitat already?"

Xiao commented while he was gathering some herbs.

It was another ordinary where Xiao goes around the jungle and resupplies anything that runs low.

Xiao was already familiar with the terrains and the gathering points. He swiftly collects what he needs and was surprised to notice that almost no living creature wanders around the area.

("What's with this big footprint?")

Xiao notices something and crouches down to examine it.

It was a giant footprint on the ground, which sunk deep into the soil. This tells Xiao that whoever went through here must be something pretty heavy.

Xiao assumed that what went through here must have something to do with the disappearance of many animals in this area. Still, he was not interested in identifying the creature.

After finishing gathering what he needed, Xiao went straight home without making any detour.

For the past few days, Xiao will cheerfully hum a song while walking back home, which he usually will not do. The reason being that someone will always be waiting for him at home.

"I'm home!" Xiao happily announces his return.

"Welcome back," Iva greets him back while she sweeps the floor with a broom.

"I see you're cleaning for today as well. Thanks!" Xiao praises her while he puts away his baggage.

"Um," Iva nodded her head as she gave out a faint verbal reply. She then resumes her task on hand.

After Xiao changes to his house wear and finishes sorting out the material he has gathered, he sits at a rocking chair to take a breather.

Iva continued to clean the house as she was mopping the floor.

("She sure is diligent.")

Xiao thought to himself as he watched Iva mop the floor with all her might.

Two weeks have passed since Xiao saved her from the Goblin's hideout.

Initially, she gave Xiao the impression of an emotionless non-talkative girl. She replies to almost everything with just a nod or a small body gesture.

As days pass and Xiao persists in talking to her, Iva gradually opens up to him. Although still a girl with only a few words, she expresses herself more and better with words.

It also didn't take Iva long to stay active for a whole day without feeling tired or sick. Her fever was no more, and her Mana Expansion condition has stabilized by dipping her finger into the dark particles bottle every night before sleep.

Feeling in debt towards Xiao, Iva offers to do all the house chores while Xiao was away hunting and gathering materials during the daytime.

Although Xiao told her that she doesn't need to feel in debt and take more rest instead, Iva insists on helping out, saying that she has nothing to do otherwise.

"And it's quite dusty here. You're bad at cleaning."

That was what Iva said that completely shuts Xiao up regarding her doing the house chores. Although Xiao did create brooms, duster and other cleaning tools to keep his home clean, he spent most of his time making stuff or sometimes just plain slacking off.

The fact that Iva brought it out to him really took him by surprise. So Xiao had no choice but to obey her demand.

("Still, how the hell can she spit out cold facts like that with that emotionless face of hers? That's scary. Normally she didn't speak a lot, but she speaks, it's all harsh truth, like the time when I pick my nose out of habit, she straight up called me disgusting with a cold gaze of hers.")

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Xiao thought to himself as he observed Iva working with a complicated feeling, thinking back how they have been interacting so far.

Xiao then notices Iva faintly humming a song as she was cleaning with a duster. Although she has her usual blank face, Xiao could tell that she was having fun.

("Well, at least she is enjoying herself. I guess it's OK to let her move around her body.")

After spending two weeks with her and closely observing her, Xiao could kind of guess her current mood, even if there wasn't much change in her expression.

Feeling recovered, Xiao stood up and stretched his body before moving to his workshop to continue working on his project.

There were currently two projects Xiao was working on. The first one was a new form for his weapon-The Hundred Form Switch Knife, Chameleons.

After he gets his hand on the Hobgoblin's materials, it allows him to create a retractable hook claw with its reflexible claw. Xiao named this new form the fourth form - Owl Claw.

The first project was completed a few days ago. It just left a few more adjustments and field experiments to conclude it as done.

What Xiao is currently working on was the second project, the project name was Cold Princess.

Despite the absurd project name that Xiao gave it to, it was actually just making new clothes for Iva.

Iva was still staying with Xiao even after fully recovered because he plans to give her a set of new clothing before sending her back home.

Of course, Iva didn't know about Xiao's plan because he wishes to surprise her.

Strangely, Iva didn't question Xiao about when he was going to take her back home. Even after Xiao asked about the location of her hometown, she didn't continue on and constantly shifted to other topics instead.

Based on how she always avoids talking about her hometown, Xiao deduced that Iva must have faced a certain level of discrimination because of her body condition. That was why she was not so keen on the idea of returning back home.

But now that there was a solution for her problem, she will no longer be in constant fear of aching up suddenly and causing others problems. If Xiao explains the solution to her hometown people, they will treat her kindly. At least that was what Xiao thinks.

Maybe because of staying up late at night to finish the project, Xiao begins to feel drowsy as he continues stitching buttons to the cloth.

After finishing stitching all the buttons, unable to resist the drowsiness anymore, he convinced himself to get some shut-eye before resuming his work.

As Xiao took a nap, he slept past the time he planned to wake up.

"...mister, wake up, mister."

Xiao felt someone was shaking his body and calling him.

Xiao opens his blurry eyes. He saw a gold-colored thingy beside him. Xiao then lets out a yawn, brushes off the eye boogers on his eyes, and looks again.

The golden thingy was Iva, and for some reason, she was wearing the apron Xiao wears when he was cooking.

"Oh, Hey Ivan, what's up?" Xiao asks, still feeling sleepy.

"Dinner's ready," says Iva with her usual blank expression.

After hearing the word dinner, Xiao immediately felt awake. He never thought he would be asleep until nighttime.

What shocked him more was that Iva had prepared dinner for today, which never happened before as Xiao was always the one in charge of cooking.

"Dinner? You mean you cook it?!" Xiao asked in surprise.

Iva nods her head.

"Whoa! Thanks!" says Xiao. The fact that a little girl did something good for him has suddenly triggered his "brother instinct" to let her know she did a good job, which causes him to pet her head.

"... I'm not a child..." says Iva with a pouting face.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Xiao replies casually.

The dinner has already been placed on the dining table as Xiao walks out of the workshop. Iva has cooked for them a plate of steamed bread and grilled fish.

("I never thought it feels so great when someone cooks for you. Almost brings tears to my eyes.")

Xiao thought to himself while staring at the food in front of him. Although Iva picked up her spoon, she hasn't started eating yet. She was staring intensely at Xiao as if she was anticipating Xiao to taste her cooking.

With the feeling of gratitude overflowing within him, Xiao happily slices a piece of fish meat and puts it in his mouth.

Initially, Xiao was still wearing a happy smile. Still, as he continues chewing the food, his smile disappears as it changes to an awkward, painful smile.

"How was it?" Iva asked curiously. Her eyes glittering gazes tells Xiao that she was expecting praises, making him even more painful to say anything.

"It's...o-oka..."

Xiao tries his best to say something good, but the taste in his mouth, the weird, mysterious taste that swims in his mouth. As if the flavor has a life of its own as it violates Xiao taste bud. The impact was so strong that it rendered Xiao retarded for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry. The taste is too outrageous," given up on trying, Xiao lets out the truth.

After hearing Xiao's feedback, Iva immediately took a bite of the food. It doesn't take her long to experience the same fate as Xiao did. Her eyes nearly rolled up upon chewing a few times on the food.

"Next time. Let me do the cooking," said Xiao while hand covering his mouth to prevent vomiting.