From her seat, Astraea watched the exchange quietly before letting out a soft, resigned sigh.
She gently said, "If that's the case, then go. But no matter the result, you must report back to me immediately."
The three nodded in unison.
Later, after they stepped outside, the trio found themselves the center of attention. Surrounded by curious stares, they decided to share their updated stats openly.
Although many were puzzled about why their attitudes had suddenly shifted right after discussing their stat updates, no one pressed for answers. Instead, everyone simply praised them for their remarkable progress, especially Lyra, whose improvement drew the most admiration.
And so, the night went on. One by one, members of the Astraea Familia received their updates.
By the time the final update ended, Stardust Garden had fallen into peaceful stillness. Lamps dimmed, the silver glow of the moon spilling across the courtyard, and one by one, the residents drifted into slumber but not everyone slept.
Kaguya lay in her bed, eyes wide open, tossing and turning restlessly. Her mind refused to settle. She kept replaying in her head how she would greet Akira, how she would stand, what she would say, what kind of expression would make her look both charming and alluring without seeming desperate.
Her imagination painted scene after scene, until finally, she could no longer hold herself back. Sliding quietly out of bed, she draped a thin gauze coat over her nightwear, the sheer fabric catching the moonlight.
Without making a sound, she stepped into the corridor, her silhouette stretching out under the silver glow, like a lone night wanderer, wrapped in mystery and determination.
Meanwhile, in another room, Lyra lay on her back staring at the ceiling. Sleep eluded her entirely.
She knew Kaguya's personality well, once that woman decided on something, it was nearly impossible to sway her. And yet, the uncomfortable, prickling feeling in her chest refused to go away.
Why? Why was she feeling this way?
She turned over irritably, burying herself under the quilt in an attempt to shut out the world. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts betrayed her, showing her vivid images of what might happen when Kaguya met Akira alone.
The scenes played over and over, each one sharpening the strange knot of jealousy and unease building in her heart.
Her frustration grew. Every time she shut her eyes, she imagined Kaguya and Akira together in a quiet room, close, talking, maybe even touching. And each time, the emotions surged like a rising tide she couldn't suppress.
Then, footsteps sounded. Light, careful footsteps, just outside her door.
Lyra's eyes snapped open. Throwing off the quilt, she immediately sat up, her body tense, gaze fixed on the door.
A moment later, the door creaked open and a figure slipped inside, moving on tiptoe.
Lyra squinted in the dim light, and her brows lifted.
"…Ryuu?"
Ryuu froze mid-step, clearly startled to see Lyra sitting upright. Her mouth parted slightly, as if to explain, but no words came out.
Before Ryuu could make a sound, Lyra reached over and flicked on the magic stone lamp. With a soft click, the warm light spilled across the room, revealing every detail.
"I couldn't sleep." Lyra said, eyeing her visitor. "Kept thinking about what happened earlier. What about you? What brings you here?"
Ryuu glanced away, her gaze flicking to the floor, the wall, anywhere but Lyra's eyes. A faint pink dusted her cheeks.
"L-Lyra, you're still awake?" She murmured, her voice carrying an uncharacteristic nervousness that was almost endearing in the quiet of night.
Lyra's lips curled into a knowing smirk as she teased, leaning lazily against the headboard, "Oh? And what's got our prim and proper elf-san acting so shy? If you have something to say, just say it."
Ryuu inhaled deeply, as though bracing herself, before blurting out, "Lyra, I… I just wanted to ask, is it true? That after… you know… what happened with Akira, your stats actually increased? Like you said?"
The question came out haltingly, every word sounding as though it had been wrestled out from deep inside her.
This was Ryuu, after all, an elf with the most old-fashioned and stubbornly pure view on love imaginable. The kind of person who would rather pledge her heart under the moon in a deserted forest than so much as hold hands before an engagement ceremony.
Even Alicia, another elf, had once called her "a fossil" in matters of romance.
For her to even ask such a question, it was almost as absurd as Ganesha suddenly shouting "I am not Ganesha," Loki giving up alcohol, or Freya losing interest in charming men altogether.
Lyra arched a brow, amusement dancing in her eyes. "What's this? Are you interested too?"
Ryuu's face went scarlet, steam practically rising from her head as she waved her hands frantically.
"N-No! I'm not interested! I just… I'm just so shocked. I can't understand how something like that could really raise one's stats…" Her voice trailed off into a whisper, head lowering.
Lyra chuckled. "Hehe… looks like this little incident's shaken you more than I thought."
Ryuu's lips pressed into a thin line, and after a pause, she muttered, "It's your fault. And now Kaguya's actually going to Akira to test it herself."
She looked up suddenly, her expression serious. "Lyra, how about we follow and see?"
Lyra hesitated for a moment. Then she swung her legs out of bed.
"…Alright. Let's go."
The two quickly dressed, moving as silently as possible before slipping into the corridor and heading toward Akira's residence.
Meanwhile—
Kaguya had already arrived at Akira's door. Standing before it, she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Her heartbeat quickened, but she forced herself to calm down.
Then, lifting her hand, she knocked softly.
After a short wait, the door slowly creaked open.
Akira blinked in surprise as he asked, "Kaguya? What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Kaguya lightly tapped his chest with one slender finger, her voice carrying a hint of playful charm.
Though confused, Akira stepped aside. "Ah… sure."
Once she entered, he quietly closed the door behind her. "It's already late. What exactly do you want to talk about?"
Kaguya didn't answer immediately. Instead, she began pacing slowly around the room, her gaze moving up and down his figure in a way that made Akira's back straighten unconsciously.
There was an inexplicable heat in her eyes, yet also a certain calculating calmness. It was then that Akira noticed her attire.
A thin silk nightgown clung to her form, faintly outlining her curves beneath the semi-transparent fabric. Under the dim lamplight, the pale color of the garment seemed to blur into her skin, as if a layer of soft mist wrapped around her body.
The nightgown was short enough that her long, smooth thighs were left fully exposed. Under the gentle glow of the lamp, her fair skin gave off a faint, almost seductive shimmer.
Akira knew Kaguya didn't usually wear undergarments, and with the gown this sheer, every subtle outline beneath was… noticeable.
Her every step caused that delicate silhouette to sway slightly, the movement acting like an invisible hook tugging at his eyes.
Although Akira was not inexperienced when it came to intimacy, the scene still made his heartbeat quicken.
Finally, Kaguya stopped pacing. She sat down gracefully on the edge of his bed and, with a faint smile, beckoned him closer.
"Come here, Akira. I want to talk to you about…increasing my stats."
"Eh? Stat increase?"
Akira's brows furrowed. This was the first he'd heard of any method to raise stats without combat or training. What exactly did she mean?
Kaguya, seeing the puzzlement written all over his face, decided to skip the pretense.
"Akira, Lyra told me her stats rose significantly after… close contact with you. I want to see if it's true."