Feeling a suffocating smell in the room, I panic and look around.

 

Both the Window and the door to the Balcony is open. Heat… Ah! It must be past Noon!

 

Thinking

 

Thinking

 

It’s past Noon?!

- Miyu! Asuka! | Asuka rolls towards Miyu and continues to sleep. Miyu is slowly waking up, rubbing her eyes out of sleep.

 

Miyu - Drago…? What’s… yawn… this heat~...?

- We’ve left the Window and the Balcony Door open!

Miyu - Eh?! | The young Lady rushes to close them. She opens the Room’s Door, a loud mechanical sound is heard.

 

Asuka - Nii-sama… Where did you hide the… Snacks~... | What Snacks? I never hid any Snacks from her.
Miyu - I’ll check on my Parents, please wake her up.
- Will do.

 

Now… Should I just poke her?

 

Poke - Poke. Nothing. Poke - Poke.

 

Asuka rolls towards me, my feet have become her Body Pillow.
- Eh… Asuka, my dear Sister. Please wake up. | No! Don’t twist them!

- A-Aha-Asuka~! Stop!
She won’t stop! That’s the opposite way they should bend! Agh~!

 

Miyu - Guys, we got fresh ai---Eh?!

- Fleas…. H-Help… M-M-My… Legs… | Finally, Aid to my calls. 

Miyu - Asuka! Wake up! Your breaking his knees!

Asuka - Nii-sama~...! Don’t shove me around like that…
- Asuka! Please wake up!

 

Miyu desperately tries to break me free of my Sister’s grip. Thankfully, I can slip out of it. 

- Thank you, Miyu. I can’t feel them… right now.
Miyu - That’s fine. The feeling will return. Hopefully…. | Heh…?

 

My Sister wags her Tail. My eyes quickly fall on her new born looks. While my eyes get the urge to shed tears in favour of our Childhood, my Heart melts slowly.

Asuka - Nii-sama… I want to eat… | N-No… D-D-Don’t give me those Eyes!

- Mi-Mi-Mi… Miyu, please.
Miyu - Asuka, let’s go eat, okay?
Asuka - Yay! Food! | There they go. Leaving me in thought, depression and anxiety.

 

Asuka - Wait, Miyu. My Nii-sama needs to join us. Hey, Nii-sama?

- Yeah…?

Asuka - What’s with the long Face? Come eat! | Guess… this is self-harm then, ay?

- On the way. 

 

In the Kitchen, Akano and Haru await us to sit down.
Akano - You two, what do you need for comfortable living? | Oh! This is about the new Home!

- Not much, a way to stretch out Muscles would be sufficient.

 

Haru - Then that House is enough. It has a Backyard, a Pool! A hecking Pool!

 

Akano - I know… But… sigh… Actually there are no buts here.
Miyu - Mama, Papa, what about my Room?

 

Akano - It’s quite larger than your current one. For all three of you. | Excellent.
Haru - Drago, what… about safety?

- Pardon? 

Haru - W-When I brought Home that… thing…
Akano - Haru, you still didn’t forgive yourself?

Haru - How could I?! How can I forgive myself for pure ignorance and not paying attention?

 

Ah… I see now. He worries about bringing Home more of them.

 

- Don’t worry. Me and my Sister will work on it. First, we need to see the Home itself, I’m afraid.

Akano - Then… We’ll buy it, right? | Akano stares at Haru.
Haru - I don’t want to rush it. We’ll look at it tonight for the last time before making our Choice. Okay?
Akano - Fine. | There’s this… anxiety-inducing feeling for me. One that I witnessed far too many Times… 

 

I hope it goes well. Perhaps… I’ll ask Akano about the location of the new Home, for some information on its Location and Surroundings.

 

With the Mood stabilized, each of us digs into his Food. Mine, disappears as fast as Asuka can munch.
- Hehe… My little Sister must’ve been hungry.
Asuka - Iw fas!
- You were? Eat up then. I’ll wait for a late-Lunch.

 

Following the Food being consumed and the heat roaring about, nobody wants to move a Finger. Except me, I think.

 

Hoping to have a talk with Akano in the Kitchen, I head there.

 

There she is!
- Akano. May I have a moment with you?
Akano - Sure~, let me just put this away. | Was that… Chicken?!

 

The Mother sits down at the Table, my backside smoothly rests. Now, I look like a obedient Dog, not a Majestic Dragon of the Japan.

 

Akano - It’s about the House, right?

- Correct. Can you tell me its location?

Akano - I don’t know much myself but… It’s in the Mountain nearby and there’s a Shrine present.
- Towards who?
Akano - When I searched for information on it… The only one I found was about People disappearing from it. 

 

Non-believers.

- It’s a Spirit Shrine then. | Her stares not only scares her, but also me.

Akano - How…? People disappeared, Drago.
- Those are those who tried to harm the Shrine.
Akano - How are you certain about it?
- Akano, I’ve learned every bit of Magic we Dragons posses, every bit of Info I can get. Everything I just said is the truth.

 

Akano - I can’t deny that… nor can I dismiss it. 

- Your fears haven’t vanished yet.
Akano - What if…
- Nobody will disappear here. That Shrine has a Guardian protecting it. Unlike Spirits, these beings don’t hold back.

Akano - That means… | Horror strikes Akano.

 

- They’re not dead. Nor did they vanish for eternity.
Akano - There’s Photos of Items laying on the Floor for not reason. Near the Shrine…
- What kind of Items?

 

Akano - Lighters, Cigarettes and the sorts.
- The lack of discipline… Goodness…
Akano - You… You might be right. All these Items can harm the Shrine.

 

- One more thing. It’s a large one, yes?
Akano - It’s massive even. Though… It has very little Maids caring for it.
- The Guardian there must watch over them as well. Interesting…

Akano - What do you mean…?
- Usually, those Maids are warned not to approach the Shrine, by the Guardian himself.
Akano - That’s… terrifying…
- Thankfully not. Now that they care for it. The Guardian has them under his or her Protection.

She’s still not certain of Reality.

 

- With a Shrine nearby, Apparitions will hardly approach our Home.
Akano - That’s good… But are you extremely sure that nothing will happen?

 

- Absolutely not. Especially when the Guardian senses me or Asuka. It won’t move a Finger.
Akano - W-W-We can visit the House this week, even buy it.
- Excellent. The sooner we establish our Home. The more safer we are. 

Akano - From… w-wh-what…?

 

- It’s true that Apparitions will hardly come near our Home. But that’s not a guarantee.
Akano - Explain… please…

 

- Apparitions suffer immense Pain when approaching ground containing a Shrine, of any size. Some of them die, others push through and somehow make it.

Akano - Anything we can do to prevent that?

 

- I’ll have to make a few trips to my World, we’ll probably need very specific Items to secure the new Home.
Akano - Please take care while doing that. Don’t forget to mind your health.

- I won’t forget. Thank you. 

 

Akano - Drago?
- Yes, Ma’am?
Akano - Thank you, very much. 

- No need for it.

 

Leaving to Miyu’s Room. I catch my little Sister cuddling with Miyu. I think… they’re… asleep…?

 

Indeed. I’ll lay beside them, careful not to limit their space. 

 

A grand Challenge lies ahead. One that I can perhaps master on my own. Support, won’t be dismissed though.
Especially not… their~ Support.