After returning to his room, Arlo sank down onto the blanket, his eyes slowly drifting shut as exhaustion began to overtake him.

'I've been feeling really tired lately... it must be because I exhausted almost all of my magic power with the explosion spell,' Arlo mused, shaking his head in an attempt to stave off the impending slumber.

As he battled with his desire to sleep, the sound of the shower running and Vielle's happy humming drifted through the walls, filling the room with a sense of tranquility.

Time seemed to stretch and warp, the minutes ticking by with agonizing slowness. Just as Arlo was about to succumb to the pull of sleep, the door to his room burst open, and Vielle rushed inside, her face alight with joy.

"Arlo! This shampoo is amazing! Look at how smooth and silky my hair looks!" she exclaimed, her fingers running through her glistening silver hair.

Arlo, a faint blush coloring his cheeks, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it looks good... but um, where are your clothes?" he asked, his eyes widening slightly as he took in her appearance.

Vielle stood before him, wrapped in nothing but a towel that clung to her curves, covering just enough to maintain a sense of decency. She glanced down at herself, then looked up at Arlo, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Hmm~ don't tell me you're getting shy just from seeing me in a towel," she teased.

Arlo, determined not to let her get the better of him, furrowed his brows, meeting her gaze head-on.

"Shy? Me? I live in a household where I'm the only guy. I'm used to seeing girls walk around in towels. As if that's enough to get me shy," he retorted.

"You say that, but you're still blushing," Vielle pointed out, her grin widening.

"...I'm not," Arlo responded, narrowing his eyes.

Vielle giggled at his reaction before turning on her heel and heading back to the bathroom, casting one final glance over her shoulder at him, a smile playing on her lips.

As he stared at the open doorway, the hallway stretching out before him, Arlo felt as if all the sleep had been drained from his body.

"If that's how she wants to play it…"

A few minutes later, Vielle returned, now dressed in a fresh set of clothes.

She was wearing a red, furry pajama set that appeared to be carefully knitted and of high quality. Her signature hat was absent, allowing her long ears to peek out from beneath her damp hair.

The fabric hugged her form, accentuating her natural grace and beauty. She almost seemed to glow, her skin still flushed from the warmth of the shower.

As she moved to sit on the bed beside him, her scent wafted over him, a heady mix of shampoo and something uniquely Vielle. It was an alluring scent.

Noticing the lingering moisture in her hair, Arlo quickly retrieved a hair dryer from beneath his desk and handed it to her, explaining how to use the unfamiliar device.

"I'll be heading to the shower. If you need anything, let me know. If not, you can go to sleep," he said.

"Alright," Vielle nodded, her eyes already exploring the hair dryer with curious fascination.

As Arlo left the room, Vielle settled onto his bed, her cheeks flushing slightly as she examined the hair dryer more closely.

She shook her head, pressing her palms against her warm cheeks, her skin reddening further at the contact.

'What's going on with me...' she thought to herself, a smile tugging at her lips. 'I'm enjoying myself way too much—'

Her musings were interrupted as she accidentally flipped the switch on the hair dryer, a blast of warm air hitting her face.

'That's hot!' she thought, her ears twitching as she aimed the device at her hair.

Despite the availability of her magic, which could have easily dried her hair with a simple spell, Vielle found herself captivated by the novelty of the hair dryer. She played with the settings, experimenting with the different temperatures and speeds.

By the time Arlo returned from his shower, Vielle was lying on the bed, her hair now completely dry and fanning out around her like a silver halo.

"Oh, you're back..." her voice trailed off as she sat up, her eyes widening as she took in the sight before her.

Arlo stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, his torso, legs, and shoulders on full display. Vielle couldn't help but stare, her gaze tracing the defined lines of his muscles.

His previously skinny and weak frame had changed, his muscles now well-defined and sculpted. Without him even realizing it, Arlo had developed a visible six-pack.

Vielle remained silent, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she drank in the sight of him.

Arlo, noticing her reaction, glanced down at his torso before meeting her gaze, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Don't tell me you're getting shy just from seeing me in a towel," he teased, echoing her earlier words with a playful glint in his eye.

Vielle's blush deepened, but she refused to look away, her crimson eyes locked on his, a silent challenge sparking between them.

He sauntered over to his wardrobe, retrieved a fresh set of clothes, and headed back out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Moments later, Arlo returned, dressed in his own pajamas—a simple white set adorned with yellow stripes. He turned off the lights and made his way over to the blanket he had laid out on the floor, nestling his head on the pillow as he pulled the covers up to his chin.

Vielle, on the other hand, was already tucked nicely in her bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as she tried to drift off to sleep. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft rustle of sheets.

"...Hey, Arlo. Are you awake?" she asked softly, turning her head to look at him, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Yeah, I'm awake," he responded, his gaze fixed on the window, the stars twinkling in the night sky beyond.

"You never really said it, but you're originally from this world, aren't you?"

"Yeah, not like I was trying to hide it or anything."

"I know. You often refer to this place as 'my world,' after all. And you barely knew anything about the world that I'm from, so it only made sense," Vielle mused.

"Yeah..."

"So if you're from this world, how did you end up with that Grimoire? It's obviously not something from this world."

Arlo was silent for a moment, his mind drifting back to that fateful day. "...Oh, right... It fell from the sky, and I ended up finding it by chance... After that, it made me its owner," he explained, his voice distant, as if lost in the memory.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Vielle's brow furrowed, her expression one of disbelief. "What? Just like that? That's strange. It just fell out of nowhere and somehow made its way to you, someone from another world... I wonder who its previous owner was."

"...The Cosmic Sage. I believe he's the one who made this Grimoire. It says so on the first page."

At the mention of the Cosmic Sage, Vielle sat up abruptly.

"Did you say the Cosmic Sage?!" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of shock and awe.

"Yeah. Is he some sort of big figure in your world?"

"He's... he's more than just a big figure, Arlo. He's the greatest mage to ever grace the Central Continent. A commoner adventurer who became a high-ranked noble due to his contributions to the Kingdom. There's not a single person in the Kingdom of Jarha who hasn't heard of him," Vielle explained, her voice filled with reverence and awe.

Arlo's gaze drifted to the Grimoire, which he had placed beside his pillow.

"So it was made by someone that impressive..." Arlo mused, his fingers itching to trace the worn leather cover.

"That explains so much... so it was something made by him..." Vielle muttered, her words trailing off as she sank back onto the bed.

Arlo turned to her, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Do you know him personally?"

Vielle shook her head, a flicker of sadness passing over her features. "No, I've never met him. But I heard that he was good friends with my father," she responded, her tone somber.

Arlo's eyebrows rose. "Your father was close with him? He must be someone influential too."

"...He is," Vielle confirmed, her words clipped, almost reluctant. With a sigh, she turned over on the bed, her back to Arlo, her silver hair fanning out across the pillow like a shimmering curtain. "I'm feeling a bit tired, so I'll head to sleep. Take good care of that Grimoire, Arlo. Make sure that you never lose it."

A heavy silence settled over the room as Arlo stared in Vielle's direction. He couldn't help but notice the way her mood had shifted the moment her father was brought into the conversation. Though questions burned on the tip of his tongue, Arlo decided not to pry.

-

The following morning, Arlo woke not to the blaring of his alarm, but to a gentle knocking at his door. He sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before glancing towards his bed. Vielle was already sitting upright, her staff clutched tightly in her hands, ready to cast a spell at a moment's notice. It was clear she had been awake long before him.

"Should I cast the concealment spell?" she whispered.

Arlo nodded, and as he made his way to the bedroom door, a shimmering gray magic circle manifested behind him. With a flash of light, all traces of Vielle vanished, hidden from view by the power of her magic.

He opened the door to find Serena standing in the hallway, her expression etched with worry.

"What's wrong? Has Sylvia not woken up?"

"No, she's awake, it's just... she's not doing too well," Serena responded, her voice heavy with apprehension.

Eager to understand the situation, Arlo quickly made his way to Sylvia's room. Inside, he found Sylvia sitting on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, her head bowed low.

On the bed in front of her was her phone, the screen displaying an article detailing the horrific events that had unfolded the previous day.

"Sylvia...?"

Slowly, Sylvia raised her head, her eyes meeting Arlo's. They were red-rimmed and filled with tears.

"Arlo..." she choked out, her voice breaking with emotion.

Seeing her tears, Arlo rushed to her side, his hands gentle as he checked her for any injuries he might have overlooked. But as he drew closer, he realized that it was not physical pain that caused her to tremble, but rather fear.

"What's wrong…?"

"They're dead, Arlo… my colleagues... they all died… and while they were dying, I couldn't do anything... I hid and tried to save myself... I'm such a horrible person..." Sylvia sobbed, her words tumbling out in a rush of anguish.

As he listened to her confession, Arlo felt his heart ache with a pain that was all too familiar. Sylvia's guilt, her shame, her sense of helplessness - it was like looking into a mirror of his own past, a reflection of the emotions he had struggled with after abandoning his party.

Instinctively, Arlo moved forward, his arms wrapping tightly around Sylvia as he pulled her close, offering what comfort he could.

"You're not horrible at all. It wasn't your fault... there was nothing you could do, so please don't say that..."

At that moment, he wasn't sure what to say to Sylvia, so he had simply told her the words he would have wanted to hear when he had been in the same place as her.

Sylvia clung to him, her tears soaking into his shirt as she squeezed him tightly, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. Serena watched silently as the two held each other.

Finally, as Sylvia's tears began to subside, she pulled back, sniffling as she wiped at her eyes.

"Sorry... Arlo... I got snot all over your shirt..."

Arlo shook his head, a small, gentle smile tugging at his lips. "It's fine, I can just wash it... Besides, it's not every day that I get to see you cry. I'd say it was worth it," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Sylvia let out a small, watery giggle at his words, but as she looked up at him, her eyes were still swollen and red, her smile forced and strained. Despite her laughter, it was clear that she was still struggling.

As Arlo tried to think of a way to cheer her up, Sylvia suddenly called out to him. "...Arlo... thank you for saving me... if it wasn't for you, I'd..."

"Don't thank me," Arlo interjected, his brow furrowing with a frown. "We're family. I'd save you as many times as it took."

Sylvia's eyes widened in surprise at his words, and slowly, she reached out, her hand coming to rest on top of his head. With a gentle, affectionate touch, she began to rub his hair, a small, nostalgic smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"What's that for?" Arlo asked, his voice slightly muffled by her hand.

"Nothing, just... doing this always used to comfort me when you were younger. And I was just thinking about how much you've grown since then," Sylvia murmured.

Arlo ducked his head, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "...Well, of course I have..."

The moment was interrupted by Serena, who cleared her throat loudly, drawing their attention. "I'm also here..."

Sylvia's smile widened, and she extended her other hand towards Serena, gesturing for her to come closer. As Serena approached, Sylvia began to rub her head as well, her touch just as gentle and affectionate as it had been with Arlo.

The three of them sat there for a moment, basking in the warmth and comfort of each other's presence.

—

After Sylvia had calmed down, everyone got ready for the day, brushing their teeth and heading downstairs for breakfast. Serena offered to prepare the meal, but Sylvia insisted on helping, saying that she enjoyed the process of cooking their breakfast.

As the two women worked together in the kitchen, Arlo watched them silently, admiring Sylvia's strength and resilience. Despite the trauma she had endured, she was here, moving forward.

'After going through my experience, I shut myself in my room and holed myself away from everybody, as if trying to run from reality... Sylvia is nothing like me, she's really strong,' he mused silently, admiration and respect welling up in his heart.

The meal was ready in no time, a classic English breakfast composed of toast, beans, eggs, and fried sausages, with a side of rice and fries for those who wanted it.

Arlo quickly set out an extra plate and took it upstairs, leaving it with Vielle before rushing back down and taking his seat at the table. No one questioned his actions, so he didn't feel the need to make an excuse and explain.

As they ate, Sylvia suddenly broke the comfortable silence. "Arlo... did you finally awaken an ability?"

"Yeah, something like that," Arlo responded casually, taking a bite of his toast.

Sylvia's face lit up with relief. "That's wonderful. You were able to take out that monster so easily, so it must be a powerful one... I won't have to worry so much about you now." She paused for a moment, her expression turning more serious. "About what I said last time, I shouldn't have..."

"Don't worry about that. You said that because you were worried, right? I understand."

Sylvia's eyes widened slightly as she stared at him, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

"You really have grown, ever since you stopped holing yourself up in your room... what happened?"

"Maybe it has something to do with that silver-haired girl from the video?" Serena chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Silver-haired girl? Did Arlo get a girlfriend?" Sylvia asked, her smile turning delighted. "Why haven't you introduced her to us yet?"

Arlo shook his head, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "I haven't gotten a girlfriend, and the silver-haired girl doesn't exist."

"But in the video—" Serena began, but Arlo cut her off with a pointed glance.

"Forget the video. More importantly, I have something to tell you two."

"Something to tell us?" Sylvia and Serena said in unison.

Arlo nodded, casting an uneasy glance at Sylvia before continuing. "Yeah, I'm going to be heading away for a while, so you won't be able to see me as much. It could be a day, or it could even be as long as a week. I'm not exactly sure."