By the time he handed everything over, he looked exhausted but satisfied. When he handed them to her, Evelise's face brightened instantly.

"You made all this for me?"

She asked, visibly surprised.

"Don't get used to it. It's just so you won't turn into zombie toast."

Evelise smiled, tugging on the hood.

"Hmph. Whatever you say, human."

Her tone was teasing, but her eyes sparkled with genuine excitement.

As they stepped outside, Sid stayed close, his body tense, ready to pull her back at the first sign of sunlight hitting her skin. But Evelise moved confidently under her new gear, her cloak shimmering faintly against the rays. She stepped forward fearlessly, her hood casting a faint shadow across her green skin.

Sid's hands hovered in the air, tense.

"You sure you're okay?"

Evelise twirled once in the grass, the edges of her cloak brushing the ground.

"I'm fine, Human. Look—"

She hopped lightly, landing on her toes like a rabbit.

"See? Still alive."

When she saw the overgrown grass and sprouting flowers, she gasped like a child seeing the world for the first time.

"It's beautiful…"

She whispered, crouching to touch the green leaves.

"This place used to be the Nexus Green— one of the biggest parks in the city. Humans used to come here all the time, even before the collapse."

Sid couldn't help but smile as he watched her hopping from plant to plant, collecting herbs with an almost childlike joy.

Evelise couldn't stop humming as they walked back. Her pouch was stuffed with herbs, the faint smell of crushed leaves and earth following her every step. Sid walked beside her, amused and worried she might start dancing in the middle of the path. The sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, glinting softly off the cloth hood and sleeves he'd made for her. It worked— she hadn't burned once.

"Not to sound weird, but… I like how you look right now. Happy."

Evelise turned to him with a grin brighter than the forest around them.

"Well, that's because I finally got my herbs! You have no idea how long I've wanted to see plants like this again. Nobody stopping me. No rules. Just me and the green world."

"Yeah, you're really enjoying the end of humanity, huh?"

Without thinking, Evelise hopped toward him, grabbed his arm, and gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you."

Sid froze, caught completely off guard. But after a second, he smiled and wrapped his arms around her too.

"You're welcome."

When she realized what she'd done, Evelise quickly pushed him away, her face bright red.

"Don't get used to it!"

Before Sid could tease her, the familiar blue light of the system shimmered in front of them:

[Task Completed: The Herbalist's Call]

[+20 Bond Points gained]

[Something special has been triggered…]

[Bond Points Doubled!]

[+40 Bond Points gained]

[Current BP: 100/100]

[Heart Status: Black]

"Wait—what? Double again?! All I did was make her a sun hat and a bag. What, is this game rewarding me for being nice now?"

He chuckled under his breath, glancing toward Evelise. She was still clutching her bundle of herbs with both hands, eyes glowing like a kid who'd just found treasure. Seeing her like that made him smile without even realizing.

The system didn't stop there.

[Congratulations, you have finished her side mission: Evelise's Request – "A Place to Call Home."]

Sid let out a long sigh of relief.

"Finally. Took forever to make her happy."

But deep down, he felt strangely proud. Evelise was beaming, carefully sorting her herbs on the table, humming as she worked. The cabin smelled faintly of crushed leaves and wildflowers. For once, the place felt alive.

Then the air around them rippled again.

[Heart Status Reached Maximum Capacity!]

[Processing… 20%... 40%... 80%…]

Poof!

[100% — Awakening Complete!]

[Heart Evolution Achieved!]

[Stage Advanced: Black Heart → Violet Heart]

[State: Traces of warmth detected. Lips, hair, and skin begin showing faint undertones of life.]

Sid stumbled back.

"W–What the hell—"

The black heart that lingered faintly around her chest pulsed once, twice, then began to shimmer— soft waves of light weaving through the air. The color deepened from ink black to a faint violet glow. Her ruby eyes, once dull and hollow, caught the light and flickered with a subtle life like dying embers reigniting after a long, cold night.

Her lips shifted from pale to a faint rosier tone, and her skin, once a lifeless green, now carried a fading hue— still tinted with undeath, but warmer. Evelise gasped, touching her own face.

"I… I can feel it,"

She whispered, her voice trembling.

"It… it's a bit warm."

Sid took a cautious step forward, still staring in disbelief.

"You're— wait. Hold still."

He reached out instinctively and clasped her hand between his. His eyes widened.

"You're warm… not fully, but— yeah, this isn't icy cold anymore."

Evelise blinked, her face quickly flushing with embarrassment.

"Y-you! What do you think you're doing?!"

He snapped out of it and quickly pulled his hands back.

"Oh— sorry! I just— uh, was checking your, uh, temperature. For science."

She glared, crossing her arms.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. If not, I'd make sure to torture you with a thumbscrew until all your fingers break!"

"Uhhh, here you go again with your torture fantasies."

"Hmph! You think I'm joking? I used to actually torture humans who did dirty work— those who made me feel like I didn't belong in this disgusting world!"

"Wait— are you serious right now?"

Before either of them could say another word, a chime echoed in Sid's ears, and a glowing message appeared before his eyes:

[SIDE MISSION ACQUIRED!]

[Evelise's Request – "A Place to Belong"]

[Objective: Build a bond with Evelise as you and her begin living together in your home. Discover what "home" means to her.]

Sid laughed lightly.

"A place to belong, huh? Guess we're really making this cabin our base then."

For the first time, the missions didn't feel like chores. He looked at Evelise— actually smiling, touching her hair, marveling at her reflection in the window and felt a spark of real joy in his chest.

"If this keeps up, I'll turn you back into a human someday. Just watch me."

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