In the capital city of Yakubu Province, Dovaliir…
"Hilman, we're getting a new neighbor next door. I heard they're moving here so their child can attend Cyril Advanced Star-Armor Academy! If nothing changes, he'll likely be your classmate."
"Mm!" The young girl nodded, a hint of curiosity showing on her face. "Cyril Academy doesn't care about family background; they only admit junior high students with extremely high astral compatibility. I wonder what compatibility my new neighbor has?"
"No matter what it is, it must be over 30%, or he wouldn't have been accepted to the academy!" her father said, glancing at her. "As long as he's past that threshold, his future status will be substantial. Even if his compatibility is lower than yours, you should still be friendly and show no disrespect."
"I know, but a compatibility rate of 31% barely meets the standard, while 60% also meets it, but there's a huge difference between the two!"
"Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to get along. Who knows—he might even be more gifted than you."
"Tch, other than those people in the capital with compatibility rates above 80%, who else could have a higher rate than mine?" Hilman, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, scoffed, a touch of pride on her face.
If it weren't for the fact that her father's friend, the head of Cyril Academy, had personally asked her to enroll, she would have chosen to study in the Federation's capital, where resources and opportunities far exceeded those available here.
"Don't get too cocky. Your talent isn't the strongest in the Federation. The theoretical maximum compatibility is 100%, and you're only at 75.63%. There are plenty of geniuses out there who surpass you."
"I know!" Hilman rolled her eyes, scarfed down the rest of her meal, and hurried upstairs, tired of her father's lectures.
Late that night, a half-asleep Hilman was woken by an urgent need for the bathroom. As she got up, she noticed a bright light outside her window and faint, muffled voices.
Curious, Hilman looked out and saw several massive moving trucks with a logo she recognized as one of the city's prominent moving companies.
"My new neighbors have moved in!" she yawned, crawled back into bed, hugged her oversized teddy bear, and drifted back to sleep.
The next morning, she awoke to chirping birds. She groggily got ready, put on her workout clothes, and went out for her usual morning jog. Glancing curiously at the neighboring property, she noted its new residents but didn't stray from her established jogging route.
On her way back, she passed by the new neighbors' front gate. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she took a quick glance inside.
She spotted a teenage boy doing an intense workout. His body was covered in sweat, his soaked clothing clinging to his lean, well-defined frame.
"So this is my new neighbor? Not bad… kind of handsome!" The thought of her neighbor being an attractive boy instantly improved her mood, and she couldn't help but steal a few more glances.
But then she froze. After initially being captivated, she noticed some disturbing shapes surrounding the boy.
And so…
"Aaaah!" Her scream of pure terror echoed through Dovaliir's prestigious neighborhood, instantly alerting the security guards.
Eight Star-Armor-clad guards descended swiftly, locating a young girl passed out on the sidewalk and a boy kneeling beside her, apparently reaching out.
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to stop what you're doing and cooperate with us!" The guards regarded the scene with wary expressions.
The residents of this area were all wealthy or influential, people they couldn't afford to offend. Yet they couldn't ignore the seemingly problematic situation unfolding before them.
"Don't misunderstand. I have no interest in girls who aren't fully grown," Muria said, standing up. He looked at the guards, who had restraining devices aimed at him, and gestured to the gate behind him. "I live here, and this young lady fainted at my doorstep. I came out when I heard her scream to check on her."
"I see." The guards exchanged glances, then lowered their weapons and forced polite smiles. "Our apologies for the misunderstanding."
"Do you know what happened to her?" one guard asked cautiously.
"She fainted from fright. She'll be fine in a bit. Just check her information and contact her family to take her home," Muria said casually.
"Excuse me, sir, but what exactly frightened her?" a young guard asked, catching onto a hint in Muria's words. "She fainted at your door, so she must have seen something in your yard that terrified her, correct?"
"Exactly." Muria nodded with a slight sigh. "I'm guessing she saw one of my pets and got scared."
"Your… pets?" The guards exchanged astonished glances. What kind of pet could terrify an experienced young lady into fainting?
"Sir, would it be possible for us to see your pets?"
"Well, I do have quite a few, so I'm not sure which one scared her," Muria said, clearing his throat.
"In that case, could we see all of them?"
"Alright, but prepare yourselves," Muria warned.
"No problem, sir. We're trained professionals. Whatever the situation, we'll stay calm." One guard, confident in his training, appeared almost dismissive.
"Come out!" Muria called toward his yard. The tranquil garden suddenly transformed into a scene straight out of a primeval wilderness.
A massive black-scaled serpent, as thick as a barrel, slithered down from a tree with dense foliage.
The seemingly peaceful pond rippled as a gigantic armored crocodile emerged, lumbering out slowly.
A plump, round brown bear ambled out from a dense bush, looking both lazy and imposing. Its size alone erased any notion of it being cute or harmless.
"This…" The guards reflexively took a step back, activating their half-armored Star Armor and summoning additional weaponry.
"Calm down; these are just my pets. They're all well-behaved and won't harm you," Muria assured them, smiling as he watched their expressions change.
"These… are your pets?" One guard lowered his visor, looking at Muria as if his entire understanding of "pet" had been shattered.
Do you even know what a pet is? Small, fluffy, and cute—that's a pet. What are these?!
"Yes, these are my pets. Don't worry; I've filed everything with the city, and they've been approved. So you don't need to worry about my pets."
The guards exchanged uncomfortable glances. Approval wasn't the issue—this was a matter of neighborhood safety.
"For now, let's notify this young lady's family," one of the guards said, glancing sympathetically at Hilman, unconscious on the ground. No wonder she fainted; anyone would after seeing creatures like these.
"Sir, we'll need you to come with us to discuss these pets. The situation needs further negotiation," the guards said, apologetically relaying a command they had just received from the estate's property management.
"I figured." Muria shook his head at their change in attitude. "If they want to talk, they can come to me directly. Oh, by the way, my name is Jeros Douglas."
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