22 Familiar

"Is brother still sleeping in the capsule? It's already noon," Neela said with a pout.

The girl was eager to visit her new school because Arlan said yesterday that she would study here from now on.

*Tring…Bring!*

Hearing the doorbell sound, Neela jumped like a spring. "I'll open it."

She looked at the peephole first and saw that it was the big sister of yesterday and opened the door. "Sister Nina! Are you here for brother Arlan?"

"That's right. What is he doing?" Nina asked as she entered inside.

"He is still sleeping in the capsule."

"So long?" Nina frowned. 'Eidos Sync shouldn't take this much time.'

"I'll go and see."

Seeing Nina, Tami smiled and said, "Hello, dear. Did you eat? If not, I have just finished preparing lunch for everyone."

"Thank you, Aunty. But I've already had lunch," Nina nodded with a smile.

"Haha, our Arlan sure is lucky. His boss comes to pick him up," Bayur said, enthusiastic as he loudly laughed.

"He is really a handful," Nina nodded with a smile before entering Arlan's room. 'Really handful.'

However, the moment she entered the room, she saw Arlan's capsule opening as Arlan opened his eyes and got up.

'Wonderful,' Arlan thought in delight as his soul completely recovered from the wounds, and it was only a matter of time until he recovered his previous soul power.

"Oh, you are here? What's the matter?" Arlan asked as he turned to Nina and got out of the capsule.

"Sigh, were you actually sleeping inside the capsule? But why for so long?"

"There's good news," Arlan smiled. "But I'll tell you later. For now, I am going to shower; want to join?"

Nina rolled her eyes before turning around. "I am waiting in the hall. We have places to go today."

…

'Did he become more handsome and manly or what?' Nina wondered as she left Arlan's room.

"Sister Nina. My Brother told me that I would attend a new school. Do you know about it?"

"Don't trouble Miss Nina about that," Bayur sternly said before he wryly smiled at Nina. "Don't worry about her. She is just excited."

Neela pouted.

"It's fine," Nina chuckled and said, "I was the one who told Arlan about that school, and I was going to handle the paperwork."

"Oh?"

Tami and Bayur were surprised, while Neela was excited with stars appearing in her eyes.

"Neela will be entering a new academy that will open tomorrow. It will be the best and most important academy in the world," Nina said with a mysterious smile. "Look forward to the news tomorrow."

"Is something big going to happen?" Tami curiously asked.

"Yep. Also, three more gaming capsules will arrive here in the evening, so be sure to enter the game," Nina said with a smile.

"Brother Arlan talked about the capsules yesterday, but are they really coming today?" Neela asked excitedly.

"Yep."

As the four of them talked for a while, Arlan soon came out wearing black pants, a grey t-shirt, and a black jacket over it.

"Hmm? When did you dye your hair, brother? You also look a bit different, like more manly and dashing!"

"It's not surprising," Nina interjected with a smile. "You will know the reason tomorrow."

"Eh? Is it related to the big news you talked about?" Neela asked.

"Yep."

Arlan knew about it since Nina had informed him that the supernatural world and more information about the game, like Eidos Sync and how one could gain powers in reality through the game, was going to be announced tomorrow all over the world.

…

Nina didn't want to eat at first, but since Arlan and the others sat down and they also invited her again, she decided to eat with them.

"Arlan and I have some matters to attend to, so I called a car and a driver here. He will show you around and make you familiar with the area. After all, it would be too boring just staying cooped up here with no one familiar," Nina said as she smiled. "The food is delicious, Aunt Tami."

"Thank you, dear." Tami smiled and turned to Arlan, "Don't trouble Miss Nina too much, okay?"

'More like the opposite,' Arlan internally thought but nodded outside with an awkward smile. "Yes, mom."

…

Before leaving, Arlan went into his room and summoned one of his familiars since he had recovered his soul power a bit.

From a black magic circle, a chaotic mass of darkness emerged before shaping into a black cat with pale grey and black mix fur. Its odd eyes were dark blue and green, making it creepy but mysterious.

'Master! Are you fine? All of us were worried but also relieved since we could sense our connection with you, albeit very faintly.'

The cat flew up before Arlan and started rubbing its head on his face. 'We were really worried.'

Arlan mirthfully smiled and nodded. 'I am fine, haha. Glad to you have back, Meily. I'll also summon others later.'

'Nyaa! I am excited. Master, any orders for me?' Meily said as she happily floated around Arlan.

'Yep. Look after my family that's in the hall. Merge in one of their shadows and stay hidden so I can see their situation occasionally through your eyes.'

'Roger!'

…

"What were you doing in your room?" Nina asked after they left the apartment and entered the elevator.

"Summoned a cat called Meily to look after my family. I'll introduce you to her later."

"Wait, don't tell me that cat can take human form?" Nina asked with narrowed eyes. "And you do ecchi stuff to her?"

Arlan sighed and replied, "Of course not. Meily is not strong enough to take on a humanoid form. And even if she could, I wouldn't do anything to her."

Thinking of something, Arlan continued with a thoughtful expression. "She is purely a loyal being to me and loves me wholeheartedly such that if I told her to die, she would die. So, if she asked me to do it after taking a humanoid form, I would grant her wish."

"What?! So you would do it if she asked? Jeez, that's…." Nina cringed.

Arlan turned to Nina, a dangerous glint producing in his eyes as he unhurriedly said, "All my familiars are dearest to me. Aside from dying, I can do anything for them as long as I don't feel an aversion to it."

"So simple sex is nothing if it makes her happy."

Nina gulped and turned her head to the front. "W-Without love?"

Arlan suddenly pushed Nina to the wall in the elevator, grabbed her left breast tightly, and approached her face, his nose almost touching Nina's as he coldly said, "Love has many synonyms, and one of them is dearest. When you spend thousands of years with the same beings who care for you, help you, and go through thick and thin with you in every situation, that's love for me. It's not something shallow that you speak of."

*Ding!*

The elevator made a stopping sound as Arlan exited.

Nina's breathing was ragged, and her expression was dazed. Those eyes she looked into spoke so many emotions in that short burst that she felt a different person was talking to her.

'Thousands of years? Just what exactly did he experience?'