As per Rose's wish, the two stayed in each other's embrace. Elsa listening to Rose's calming breaths. And the homunculus hearing her companion's rushing heart. After all, with senses like hers, that wasn't something that could escape her at this close a distance.

"Why's your heart beating so fast?" She asked.

". . ." Elsa's figure jumped, "Uh. . .umm . . .it's a natural reaction?"

Rose narrowed her eyes but nodded. Though she couldn't verify her friend's words due to having a heart that was incapable of beating—pulsing with mana instead from an embedded core—it seemed to make sense to her. That or she didn't feel the need to look deeper into it.

Elsa on the other hand merely glanced away. She coughed.

"Are you satisfied now?" She asked.

Rose peeled away from her. "I am, thank you."

"That's good, I didn't want to interrupt you two and make things awkward," A voice called out to the both of them. "A natural reaction? That's awfully cute."

They blinked their eyes in the realization that the dragonian was right there, staring at them.

"??" Rose tilted her head.

"Why you-!" Elsa's face turned red as she leapt up.

Then the sound of their doorbell rang.

Lilias waved the girl away before walking to the door. The two stared in wonder as she opened it and accepted two plastic bags from a drone. A second of tapping on her pad later and she closed the door and turned back to face them, one hefty bag held by her tail and the other in her right grasp.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"While you two were lost in each other's embrace," Lilias replied with a smile as she raised the thing, "I happened to use the time to order us some food. I don't know what either of you like so I hope you don't mind fried rice, fried turkey, and fried onions? Also added soda."

Elsa glared at her. "Why thank you."

"It's not an issue."

The three sat in a semi circle as the dragonian opened the bag. They were three plastic plates and spoons of the same make. Then there was a white box that actually held the fried rice. As she opened the thing, Elsa's stomach grumbled and she gulped.

The meal was shared, tediously with the small spoons, and the soda was poured into plastic cups as they began eating.

While Rose did not need to eat, she too ate, because she had gotten used to eating Elsa's cooking while they shortly lived together within the slums.

Lilias paused from her meal, swallowing.

"Tomorrow," She said, "We are going to the Dungeon Association to register, I assume?"

"Huh? Well yeah, after we order some dang furniture first. A couch and a table will be nice. Hell, a bed too. Sleeping here tonight will be hell. . ." Elsa murmured.

"That shouldn't take too long," The dragonian replied as she brought up her pad, "I'll order two inflatable ones right now, for the meantime, and also get the apartment set up with running water and electricity."

As the only one among them that had actually lived within a city before, Lilias Aunbren was rather adept at the workings of these things, even if her former home was less technologically advanced than Alos.

Rose swallowed a spoon of fried rice, silently praising it in her mind before speaking, "And then?"

Elsa grinned.

Lilias stared at her for a moment.

"If we didn't have someone with us that wields a Gear, we would enter one of the lesser dungeons for now or look into joining a team with one. However, seeing as you are here, this will be smooth sailing into Alos's Great Dungeon."

Rose tilted her head. "Why does it matter that I have a Gear?"

"Oh right you don't know!" Elsa cut in, "The portals into Great Dungeons can only be activated by a person with a Gear, and they can bring a maximum of 5 people with them. Why the heck do you think Geared are usually so filthy rich?"

"And respected. . .you shouldn't need to undergo any assessments aside from your profile. You are an automatic benefit to Alos's economy." Lilias added. "Be prepared to have Guilds rushing to recruit you."

Rose didn't like the sound of that. She had just finished a slum war where she was passed around, after all. She wasn't in mind to now be fought over within Alos.

"I won't be joining any organizations," She affirmed.

"Then it's simply the three of us as a team," The dragonian replied.

Rose narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you part of the team?"

Lilias Aunbren smiled, crimson eyes their usual chilliness.

"I let myself in as you did this apartment I mostly paid for."

Rose could not counter that and she realized she didn't need to. It wasn't as if she couldn't tolerate having the girl be a part of their team, she simply couldn't find comfort with her. Yet, remembering their last fight, she had to admit that she respected the dragonian's strength. An asset was an asset and it seemed that their goals aligned for now.

"Alright," She said, "We have our plans then."

Elsa released a breath of relief as their glares ended. Within the living room with no furniture, the three girls finished their meal while the sky slowly darkened outside. Looking at a future uncertain, it was silent and calm, for now.

LotsChrono

And that's the end of Volume 2 Arc 1. Somehow, I reached the same chapter as the last volume's first arc ended. Surprising. Anyhow, this was mostly an introduction and setup, just like V1A1 was, so hold on tight for future chapters. Also, I'll probably do some very-light editing and/or rearrangement of the chapters before the next arc officially starts.

Finally, thanks for reading, and feel free to join my discord (a server for writers, editors, and readers of any stories) if you wish! And send fanart if you do make them!

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