Bery held her hand above the river, and water flowed from her palm. A tiny stream dribbled into the water, until she felt her stomach twisting. She stopped as nausea attacked her head. The kitten had no idea if she'd ever get used to this feeling. She also wondered how water mages hadn't flooded the world yet with each drop of water into a lake or river.

"Well done, Administrator. I am coming to an understanding of this mana from observing your progress."

The kitten fell onto the grass beneath her. She laid in the greenery and stared at the beautiful blue sky. A slight chill blew on the breeze, the early signs of autumn, but it wasn't too cold. I feel like I am not making much progress at all. It's already been a week.

"You are comparing yourself to others. Y.U.R.I recommends not doing that. It lowers humanoids' sense of self worth."

Hmm, at this rate, it will take me a year to learn anything useful.

"Maybe it would be more helpful if I had my own body and could learn alongside you?"

Bery sat up quick. Your own body?

The kitten remembered what Valerie said before about getting something like that for Yuri. And just as she was thinking about the dragon, Valerie appeared in front of her with a basket of sandwiches.

"Good afternoon, my most precious kitten."

Bery accepted an offered kraken sandwich and took a bite, savoring the flavor. This one ended up even better than the last one she had, and she couldn't help grinning. While Bery was struggling with magic, it seemed that Valerie was struggling with seasonings.

The kitten sat in Valerie's lap. "Good morning, my wonderful dragon. How are the other two doing? Are they settling in?"

"It's like normal. They've not stopped arguing with each other. I threatened to throw them off of the castle, but they continued anyway."

Bery giggled. "I think they are getting along nicely. I've seen some people that are like this. They bicker all of the time, but they get along when worse comes to worse."

Valerie nodded and placed her chin on the kitten's head. "You are quite right, kitten." She kissed Bery's ear and continued. "I saw you practicing from the window. Your earnestness has won my heart even more."

Bery felt her face flush, and she turned around to kiss her dragon. She savored the taste of those soft cherry lips. When she finally pulled away, she remembered what her little passenger said and decided to approach the topic.

"Valerie, didn't you say you had a surprise for Yuri?"

"Quite so...I think it will be something that needs that elf girl though."

Bery tilted her head, her fluffy ears wiggling. "Why is that?"

"She is talented in nature magic. In order to put the pieces together, she will need to be there."

"Let's go find that elf!"

The dragoness nodded, feeding her kitten more sandwiches. She filled Bery's belly before picking her up like a princess.

"Hey," Bery said, "if you keep carrying me like this all the time, my legs will really become useless, you know."

"That will never happen, kitten. If that were to happen, I would pull you into my embrace and never let you go."

"Hey! I like having my legs!"

The dragoness laughed and kissed Bery on the nose. Valerie walked with Bery in her arms towards the castle, and when they entered, they immediately heard bickering.

"I am telling you that I didn't take it. You have to believe me."

"As if I'd believe you!" Emary chastised the vampire. "How many times have I found you trying to take something from my room?"

The vampire pouted and crossed her arms. She leaned against the wall and looked away. "Well, I always return it, don't I?"

"That's not the point! And I keep having to remind you about personal space!" The elf pressed her finger against Elanore's cheek. "How does it feel to have someone poking your face? Hmm?"

The vampire's face reddened, and she finally turned towards the two who intruded on their conversation. Elanore rushed up to the both of them. "You have to listen to me, you two. She keeps blaming me unfairly for stealing her stuff."

Valerie raised an eyebrow. "Did you steal it?"

"Well...That's beside the point. It could have been anybody, but this time it happened to be me! And I already gave it back."

Bery wiggled her finger as Valerie set her down. "You need to be more conscious of your actions. How would you feel if people took your stuff?"

Elanore looked down to the ground, touching her pointer fingers together, and frowning. "I am only doing this to get her attention. She doesn't even pay attention to me otherwise."

Emary groaned and walked over. "I don't pay attention to you because you keep trying to do bad things. You should take more after Bery. Look at her, she would never steal anything. I don't know why you're acting like a child anyway. We are close to each other in age."

Elanore pushed her finger into Emary's face. "It's exactly because we are the same age!" She pouted again and started walking away to her room. "Whatever, I will be asleep if you need me…"

Emary almost started rushing after her, but Valerie grabbed onto her arm.

"Leave her be for now. Both of you are just so clueless, and none of that matters right now."

"I'm clueless? She is the one that keeps taking stuff from my room!"

Valerie sighed. "Instead of worrying about that, you should come with us. I have a task for you. It's finally time to pay rent."

"Rent?" The elf's eyes widened.

"That's right. People who don't pay rent, can't eat. Or do you think those fruits I gathered for you were for free?"

Emary shook her head and bowed. "I apologize, I should have known."

Bery clicked her tongue and bit her dragon's shoulder.

Valerie chuckled. "Like I said, kitten teeth still need a lot more sharpening. Perhaps I should take you hunting later?" The dragoness turned her attention back to the flabbergasted elf. "I was talking about something you can do with your nature magic anyway. Are you skilled in golem creation?"

Emary looked between Bery and Valerie confused. "I might have some skill in that area, but I fail to see why you would need a golem? Also, I cannot create a golem from nothing. There are certain rules."

"Perfect," Valerie said, clapping her hands. "Let's consider this the perfect treat for you. Since you kept my kitten safe for such a long time, I will allow it just this once. You will be able to take a peak into a dragon's hoard, aren't you so lucky?"

At that, a door slammed open, and a certain kleptomaniac entered the hallway again with shining eyes. "What about me!? Can I see a dragon's hoard!?"

Valerie laughed. "Huh? And what makes you think I would let you into my hoard? You would just steal the first thing that your eyes gazed upon."

"I promise, I won't!" The vampire got to her knees and adopted a pleading posture. "Please, can I see your hoard? I promise that I won't steal anything! You can trust me! Please? Please?"

Bery looked pitifully at the vampire. "Don't you think it will be okay? Even if she tries to take anything, you could just stop her, right?"

Valerie pulled the kitten close to her and stared at Bery's face. "There is a difference between kindness and being a doormat, kitten. However, you are right. I'd be able to stop her with a snap of my fingers. Besides, I find this quite amusing."

The vampire leapt to her feet. "Yay!"

Emary frowned at the dragoness. "I can't believe this at all."

Bery looked at Elanore. "You cannot steal anything. If you take something, even I won't defend you. Whatever happens at that point would be on you."

Elanore clutched her arms against her chest. "Oh, Bery, so cruel! You'd leave me to get eaten by a dragon?"

"I would never let her eat you. She can only do that to me…"

Bery realized what she said, and her face reddened. She grabbed onto Valerie's arm and started pulling her down the hallway towards the lower rooms. Nobody said anything about the kitten and followed behind her.

They reached the rounded staircase, and it made Bery remember her time down here. In the hallway, there was still that rounded metal piece with a door stuck to it. A cool underground draft made her arms shiver a little with goosebumps, and then they reached it.

A huge treasure pile that piled into higher hills than many castles. Pieces of jewelry covered the mountain of gold and strange objects were interlaced throughout it.

Elanore's eyes glittered and she ran forwards, leaping high into the air and landing hard on pieces of gold. "Amazing! You've been holding out on me! This is more fantastical than I could have ever thought!"

Emary's reaction was different. She was surprised, but she didn't rush towards the pile. "There is more wealth in here than many kingdoms have combined. How in the world…"

Valerie shrugged. "When you are a dragon that lives as long as I have, this is only natural. Believe it or not, but this was me holding back on collecting."

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