Feeling satisfied at having saved a new life after so long, Merrien turned her head toward Ariel, who had been watching the entire process with disapproval.

He was contemplating how to deal with Agnes.

“Ariel. Since you said you know each other, you must know how to get the medicine too, right?”

“Yeah.”

Only after responding indifferently did he notice something strange.

His eyes that met Merrien’s seemed to ask ‘why?’

For the first time in a while, Merrien voluntarily looked up at the ceiling and secretly sighed.

[Healing Amount 8000/10000]

‘Even without medicine, I could heal them with my holy power…. but if the healing amount increases drastically, that would be trouble.’

She had thought about finding someone who goes against the original story’s flow to decrease the healing amount, but there was no way to know who that might be.

It was probably the villain Tower Master, but since she had only read up to chapter 3 of the original story, she couldn’t be certain.

What if she healed him and he wasn’t the one, causing the healing amount to increase? That too needed careful consideration.

…Even so, she ultimately concluded she would have to fill up the healing amount completely.

Merrien couldn’t answer the question she posed to herself: ‘Is Ariel’s illness something that can be completely cured?’

She had to fill up the healing amount to get the limited bonus feature to cure Ariel’s illness.

Her mind, which had wandered elsewhere for a moment, returned as she watched the dragon breathing steadily.

“Since we need to get medicine for him, let’s have him stay here this month. We gather in your room every time I heal you anyway, so we can heal you both together. You with holy power, Agnes with medicine. Right?”

“…What?”

“You said he’s the dance instructor’s sibling. Are you really going to send him away in this wind and rain? They say it’s the rainy season now. What if something bad happens to him alone outside?”

“…Peep!”

Agnes, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly called out urgently in a hoarse voice, while flapping their wings back and forth.

“See, Agnes is saying thank you too.”

“Peep?!”

But it seemed Merrien hadn’t properly understood the true meaning.

Agnes deflated, dropping his wings.

If he had been human, it would have looked like collapsing with all strength gone.

“…Right, fine. Just perfect.”

Ariel looked down at the trembling Agnes with a crooked smile.

‘I’ve lived too long. Yes, let’s just die.’

Agnes fainted on the spot, collapsing onto his back with eyes shut.

It wasn’t because he was in pain at all, he just couldn’t handle Ariel’s aura.

Merrien, who had been smiling in agreement, belatedly noticed Agnes’s state and stood up in surprise.

“Oh my, look at this. His condition is terrible!”

“It’s fine. He is just pretending to faint because he is too happy.”

“…Really?”

Merrien, who was about to quickly infuse holy power, sat back down with a dubious expression at Ariel’s intervention.

***

“I’m here. Ariel, Agnes….”

Merrien, who had energetically entered Ariel’s room at healing time, couldn’t finish her sentence.

It was remarkable that they had obtained Agnes’s medicine in just one day, as if to prevent her from expending any more holy power.

All she could do was cross her arms and sigh at the unbelievable scene before her.

“…Peep.”

Agnes sitting demurely on the chair in their small dragon form was expected, but.

“Arf.”

Right next to him was Whitey, sitting proudly.

“Good grief.”

She was dumbfounded. Merrien immediately went to Ariel, who had transformed into Whitey, and firmly pressed her finger on his head.

She had to force herself to keep a straight face, almost breaking into a smile at the soft, cotton-like texture she hadn’t felt in a while.

“Just what are you doing?”

“Arf!”

Even then, Ariel deliberately made dog sounds while tilting his head with an ‘I don’t know anything’ expression.

Haah-.

 Merrien hung her head. This sigh wasn’t about his silly behavior.

Small round body and white fluffy fur. Eyes as blue as a lake, exactly like Ariel himself.

It was a lament about herself, wanting to hug Whitey’s form that she hadn’t seen in so long because it was too cute.

The butler, who had approached without any sound or presence, whispered seriously beside her.

“Today he wishes to receive healing in Whitey’s form.”

“Oh, really.”

‘Why are you saying this so seriously, you too.’

Is this an animal shelter, you guys!

Despite being a Saint of the empire, how did she end up taking care of sick animals?

Of course, one of them wasn’t actually an animal.

‘…Well, come to think of it, is a dragon not considered an animal either?’

When she realized she was seriously contemplating such things, Merrien wanted to hit her head hard enough to faint.

***

Ariel, who had been cheerfully anticipating that she would find his form adorable, suddenly turned gloomy.

Throughout the healing time, Merrien maintained an expressionless face while healing Ariel and giving medicine to Agnes.

She acted as if she would leave as soon as she finished her tasks, and indeed, she stood up and headed for the door without hesitation.

“Whine.”

A disappointed sound involuntarily escaped from Ariel in his Whitey form. Even his cotton-like tiny ears drooped, making him look thoroughly dejected.

“…Haah.”

Perhaps that’s why. Merrien, who had already grabbed the doorknob, strode back.

She approached Ariel with the same expressionless face and extended her hand.

“Paw.”

It was a brief command. The low voice heard up close was firm, making Ariel’s ears perk up.

Looking up, he faced Merrien in his small form after a very long time.

Ah, he had been mistaken. That wasn’t an expressionless face.

She had been pretending to be stern.

Though she wanted to show how cute she found him, she was holding back, pressing her lips together. However, she couldn’t hide her reddening cheeks.

Satisfied, Ariel raised his tail high and wagged it gently as he placed his front paw on her hand.

“…So cute!”

Finally, upon feeling the small cotton-like jelly paw in her hand, Merrien couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into laughter.

***

Having gotten what he wanted, Ariel leaned languidly against the bed frame.

It was past six in the evening, and Merrien had returned to her room.

“The Tower Master transforms into a dog and offers his paw. He’s really become a proper dog.”

Agnes, who was still staying in Ariel’s room, muttered softly.

It was a rather crude language for someone in a child’s form.

He was sitting arrogantly on the sofa with an arm resting on the armrest and chin propped up, completely different from his demure, trembling posture from earlier in the day.

“Go to your room. Be grateful you were given one.”

Ariel growled like a predator, still caught up in his Whitey persona.

However, he seemed to forget that Whitey was just a tiny puppy.

“Friend, think about it. This is actually working out well. You get to transform into Whitey and receive affection, and I can help you be loved in various ways.”

That must have been his intention. Agnes showed a perfect wink while swinging his short legs that didn’t even reach the floor.

Of course, it might have been captivating in his original form, but right now he was just a chubby-cheeked child. It seemed inappropriate for his age and merely looked cheap.

But perhaps somewhat agreeing, Ariel kept his eyes closed without responding.

After contemplating for a while, he opened his mouth.

“Crawl out of here next month.”

“Yes, Tower Master.”

Agnes, who had been acting servile while mentioning friendship earlier, now praised Ariel by calling him Tower Master.

Yet their steps toward their room were more dignified than ever.

Creeak-.

 After Agnes closed the door without hesitation, Ariel finally shifted his gaze to the letter that had been left neglected at the bedhead for a long time.

[Seren]

It was a letter from the Tower’s assistant whom he hadn’t visited for quite some time while spending time with Merrien.

“What does he want to talk about now.”

It was obviously going to be the usual whining about coming to the Tower.

Ariel scratched around his ear as if he could already hear Assistant Seren’s voice ringing in it.

When he roughly tore open the envelope, the contents turned out to be more valuable than expected.