Yv was singing happily while laying in my tails while petting Nilah.

  They had a short chat and Nilah told her that if Yv ever hurt me, she will get baked in foxfire and Nilah will feast on her.

  Why is Nilah such a bitch… she seems to get along with Yv now, but I'm not sure if she's pretending. Maybe she sees my partners as an extra meat shield. It's something I could expect from her, judging by her remarks.

  Hey Yv?

  “Yes sweetie?”

  An unexpected blow, and my heart was being a wimp. Come on bro, don't go skipping beats at every occasion…

  Ugh, my heart is an idiot.

  Yv seemed amused.

  What is your connection to spirits?

  “Hmm…I don't know. Mind helping me find out?” She said as she came closer.

  Something is wrong with this race, she seems like a different person. Not that I'm unfamiliar with this as Raishin's elven ex-girlfriends did this too but… it takes time to get used to.

  “You're a spirit, right? Mind helping me out?”

  I nodded, and just waited until she did something. All she did was cycling through auras while holding an ear to my chest.

  “This is difficult…”

  Maybe if I use spirit magic?

  It was sloppy, but I produced some spirit energy.

  “Oh that helped!” Her aura changed completely, and even her pupils changed.

  “Ohh I'm unfamiliar with this aura…”

  Any chance that you're a spirit mage now?

  “I don't know, this aura doesn't feel intuitive.”

  Can you see this spirit energy now?

  It was clear that she could see it, as she got the expression of a curious child.

  I suck at spirit energy so this is the best I can do, besides foxfire.

  So there is indeed a connection between spirits and nature. Both elves and 4t are similar in this.

  Yv left her ‘spirit' aura and kept cycling.

  Hey…Yv, what is your story?

  “My story…I…I have always been shy and I hated it. I could never express myself freely like Noelle and Giana could. It got in my way of making connections with others.”

  Yv settled on a confident aura.

  “Luckily for me, I can change that easily, as [Aura Shift] is one of our survival techniques. Communication is important for us as we need it to talk to plants and animals but also other individuals. It also helps us in combat, to not get paralyzed with fear or make bad decisions.”

  So that means that you weren't worried about the test I would give you?

  “I was…I didn't know what the criteria for passing was and… I was worried about what terrible experience you would put me through…I was already interested in you when you revealed that you would test us.”

  Yv closed her eyes.

  “Giana and I were afraid of the test because we knew that it would be something you've been through yourself. This might be the only deception about your persona that you pull off well.”

  Her eyes opened and she stared into my eyes.

  “You don't show your terrible experiences in your behavior, nor do you complain about them. The only time I felt that I saw the other side of you was in the Nightmare dungeon and those tests.”

  Complaining about them won't do anyone any good, and I've kinda done that before…complaining about my problems, and it greatly affected him… he is a human, but he doesn't feel like he is one as he has rejected it. Same with another human who has unfortunately passed away. Me saying that I’m not ok has bad effects on people, so I stopped doing that.

  “But what about you?”

  What about me? I'm not going to ruin others lives just so I can feel good. That's why I don't like to talk about what I'm up to because it's better if others don't know… anyway we were talking about you. You hated your shyness, and?

  “... I think it's important to have an outlet. I will ask more about this later. As for my shyness…it was an obstacle in every part of my life. Even more as an idol. I…felt as if I was holding Noelle and Giana back as we were struggling because of my shyness…I…”

  Yv seemed to be stuck in an inside struggle so I handed over some more ice cream.

  “I always felt like I was holding others back…even now. The one thing I truly wanted slipped through my fingers, and I can't help but blame myself. I…first tried to not fall for you after my attraction for Gregory dropped. But… how you treated Giana and me…you hardly knew me but you treated me like a long time friend, and for a bit I felt as if I truly belonged. That time I spent in your house in Mishaspire was invaluable to me.”

  I wasn't sure if it worked, but we might have done too good of a job on cheering Yv up in Mishaspire. She did seem reluctant to leave, if I remember correctly.

  “I have been shy and indecisive my whole life, but I've never been so sure about something as I am right now. I want to fit in, and I want you to make me fit in. Please help me fit in your life.”

  Yv, come here.

  I pulled her in and embraced her.

  I am not perfect. I will do my best to make you fit in, but you will get hurt. I just don't want to make empty promises as…I don't know how to make you fit in.

  “You're doing a good job. I feel wanted. I know I will get hurt. Giana's test was heartbreaking… but…I would rather go through something like that than be lonely and feel out of place.” Yv looked up. “Also, I don't think you're capable of actively hurting us.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Pff, think I can't hurt you? Just wait till I'm hungry and am craving for some rabbit!

  “I will accept any cravings you have for me!”

  Right…that could've easily been interpreted differently…

  “Don't worry, I will cook my tails off to save myself. I am in no danger.”

  Brave rabbit or stupid rabbit, time will tell which one it is.

  “Oh, I'm certainly a foolish rabbit, but I chose to follow my heart and will stick to it.”

  So… what were you planning to do in these 4 days?

  “Get to know you better!”

  I'm fairly simple, you don't need 4 days for that…

  “You might believe that, but I disagree!”

  Yv separated from me and got up.

  “I believe that the skills someone uses is a reflection of their personality! We have practically a limitless pool of skills we can use, only hindered by element affinity and mana control!”

  Yv switched to some lecture mode.

  “You mister! We're super annoying in that Nightmare dungeon!” she said as she pointed at me.

  I was actually wondering when the complaints about that would roll in.

  “You had 4 phases, so I feel that there are at least 4 sides to you!”

  Uhh, ok… I disagree but go on.

  “You mainly used weapons in your first phase. You were fast and precise but…minimalistic. I think that it reflects that you realize that you're a mythical beast and could easily kill. This is the side of you that wants low effort but high rewards without overkilling, and precision is needed for that!”

  What are you? A fortune-teller?

  Her aura changed a bit. “Your first phase ended disturbing, but your second phase painted a different side. I think it's your side that reflects your flexibility and nature as a natural disaster. Magic didn't work well against Dragonvein, just like it's not very helpful against a natural disaster. It's a contrast to phase 1 where you avoid being a natural disaster as you embrace it in phase 2. Phase 3…”

  Yv shivered. I should pick up the recording crystals from the dungeon, as I'm starting to wonder how their battle went.

  “Phase 3 was probably the phase that showed the most complexity. You were a menace, but Giana revealed that your [Hattrick] is linked to your ability to pick up and master strange and difficult skills. You made it look easy, and we were completely at your mercy but…Mishaspire revealed how difficult it really was. It also showed your prankster side with [Transform] and impersonation. It was also the first phase we were truly controlled. Nobody could do anything to you, besides Giana.”

  Honestly, you're reading too much into it…I just wanted to make a cool bossfight…

  “That might be right, but… why yourself as the last boss? To me…the whole dungeon feels to me like a complaint to your life. You don't express it to people, so it manifested like that.”

  I…I think you're reading too much in it…it's easier for me to make illusions of things I've experienced I could have made a different dungeon, but I went for what's easy.

  “Tss silly Agnis.” Yv wagged her finger. “Wouldn't that also be a personality trait? None of Giana's illusions are related to things she has experienced. There is only phase 4 left, but I feel that's not all. It took 4 phases for you to reveal yourself as a 9t. This one seemed the most simple. The love for the powerful and flashy skills. But…what I miss is the side you showed when you sealed Greg, for example.”

  Yv stared at me and it felt like she was staring into my soul.

  “It's fine if you believe that you're simple, but just know that while you might deceive yourself… I will not be deceived. Auras are my thing, after all. I will be looking forward to discovering different sides of you.”

  Ugh…maybe you're right. I have discovered that my self evaluation needs some work. I'm not a nobody broke brat anymore…

  Am I complex? I don't want to be. It's easier being simple. My skill set isn't simple. Is that why? I wouldn't be able to put my capabilities in 1 sentence. I'm not omnipotent, but also not incompetent.

  “And I have a question…I realized that I have been talking about what I want but …Agnis, what can I give to you?”

  Eh? What do you mean?

  “You will make me fit in, that's what you're giving me, what do you want in return?”

  What do I want in return? How do I answer this question? Do I even know the answer? There are many answers that could work, but they're all cheesy or not truthful. What do I want? Nothing I want can be given to me, I will have to work for it. So what do I ask in return? Asking for nothing will upset her.

  Yv…I don't know…sorry.

  “That is fine. I did spring this on you. So let's talk!”

  More talking?! We've been talking the whole time.

  I had forgotten about Yv's chatterbox mode…

  “So what do you like?”

  Uhm not talking?

  “Hmm. Getting your message without you having to use too many words?!”

  Huh what? How did you!?

  “So I was right!” Yv got excited and gave off a floral fragrance.

  “What else?!”

  Uhh food?

  “A good cook, eh? Lucky me! I just have to study some meat dishes. What else?”

  Hey how…

  Yv placed her finger on my lips. “Communication is my thing, remember?”

  Is that why you hated being shy?

  Yv nodded.

  I can see how that could be a pain in the ass…

  “Hmm, you want things to be easier to deal with. I think I understand what I have to give you in return. It might take a while before I can get good at it though…please be patient with me.” Yv gave a mysterious smile.

  Uhh what?

  “I will do my best to make your life easier as a reward for you making me fit in.”

  How did you get to that…I didn't say anything…

  “I'm also a mythical beast. You know that when a mythical beast gets serious, impossible things happen.”

  Yv gave of a dangerous yet alluring vibe. I don't know what's going on in her head, but one thing is clear. She is serious and it’s unlikely that I can cheat my way out of this.

  ?

  ?