“Huek~” A weird, awkward noise escaped my mouth as I ope in a failed attempt to speak. My stomach ed unfortably from the sudden flight, leaving me dizzy and disoriehe m sky stretched endlessly above me, calm and serene, a stark trast to my chaotic emotions.I blinked, finally able to take in my surroundings. My heart, still rag, slowed slightly as I realized where we were. Below us was a breathtaking view of a pristine beach, the kind that would’ve been perfect for a postcard. The golden sand stretched out to meet the turquoise waves, and the soft sounds of the tide gently pping against the shore filled the air. The se struck a chord of familiarity. It reminded me of the beach I’d seen the first time I arrived in this strange world.“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sophia’s voice broke through my thoughts. I turo look at her. Her red hair swayed gently in the wind, and her horns and wings shimmered faintly in the sunlight. She was smiling, her expression radiant and carefree, as though this was just another ordinary day for her.I swallowed hard, still feeling a little off from the ued flight. “Y-Yeah,” I mao stammer, my voice hoarse and shaky. “It’s beautiful…” My words trailed off as I looked back at the sery. Despite my initial panic, I couldn’t deny that the view was breathtaking. The colors of the sky blended seamlessly with the horizon, and the gentle breeze carried the salty st of the o.Sophia nded gracefully, her wings folding behind her as her boots touched the soft sand. She set me down carefully, and my legs wobbled as they adjusted to solid ground again. “You really o loosen up,” she said with a chuckle, patting me on the shoulder. “Flying Isn't that bad once you get used to it.”I gave her a weak gre, brushing sand off my clothes. “You could’ve at least warned me before taking off like that,” I grumbled, still feeling the ghost of vertigo lingering in my head. “I thought I was going to fall!”“But you didn’t, did you?” she replied, smirking. “Besides, now you’re here.” She winked mischievously before turning to face the o.I sighed, realizing there was no point in arguing. My initial frustration started to fade as I looked out at the tranquil beach again. The m light made the water sparkle like it was dotted with tiny diamonds, and the soft crash of waves against the shore had a calming rhythm to it.“Why did y me here?” I asked, curiosity slipping into my voice. I didn’t uand Sophia’s iions, but she seemed to have a reason for everything she did — even if it wasn’t immediately obvious.“Why… huh?” Sophia tilted her head, her crimson hair swaying slightly with the motion. Her goldeudied me, a glimmer of mischief hidden behind her gaze. “Because… you’re cute? And I’m lonely?” She said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, her tone light and teasing. Then, with a shrug, she added, “Is there even a need for an expnation?”Her bluntness hit me like a spsh of cold water. My face immediately heated up, and I took a step back, uo form a coherent response. “W-What kind of reason is that?!” I stammered, feeling my ears twitvoluntarily. “You ’t just—just kidnap someone because you think they’re cute!”Sophia grinned, clearly enjoying my flustered state. “Oh, but I , ’t I? After all, here we are,” she said, spreading her arms as if to present the idyllic beach around us. “Besides, it’s not kidnapping if you’re having fun, right?”I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at her. “That’s not how it works, and you know it,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help but feel the tension in my chest loosen slightly at her pyful demeanor.“Fine…” Sophia sighed, her eic demeanor softening as she stared out at the waves. Her crimson eyes seemed to glimmer with something deeper, something more thoughtful. “Hey, Mashiro, do you know why monsters spawn?”I tilted my head and shrugged. “Not really. Is there some kind of magical expnation for it?”She nodded, folding her arms as her scaly tail swayed zily behind her. “Well… monsters are like a mirror,” she began, her voiusually calm. “They’re a refle of living beings, born from the culmination of mana. You see, every living being—whether it’s an animal, a pnt, or even us—gives off mana naturally. It’s like an invisible energy that surrounds everything.”I frowrying to my head around the cept.“Does that mean the skeleton I saw also appeared because of mana?” I asked, my brows furrowing as I tried to ect the dots.Sophia shook her head, her red hair swayily with the movement. “No, no,” she corrected, her tone a mix of patiend seriousness. “A skeleton is an undead, not a mohere’s a key differeweewo.”I tilted my head, puzzled. “What’s the differehen?”Sophia sighed, crossing her arms as her wings twitched slightly. “Undead don’t form from mana in the same way monsters do. They’re born from something much darker—scious emotion. Hatred, longing, regret, despair… stroions that linger in the soul after death. They’re tied to what remains of a person’s spirit, ging to this world instead of moving on.”A shiver ran down my spine as her words sank in. “So… you’re saying that skeleton was… someone who couldn’t let go?”Sophia nodded solemnly. “Exactly. It wasn’t created by the natural flow of mana like monsters are. Instead, it’s a maion of unresolved emotions—a trapped soul, in a way. That’s why dealing with undead is… different. You’re not just fighting a creature. You’re fag the echoes of someone’s pain or sorrow.”I swallowed hard, the memory of the skeleton fshing in my mind. It had seemed so… cute? but now I wondered what kind of life—or death—had led it to that state. “That’s… kind of sad,” I murmured.Sophia smiled faintly, her usual carefree demeanor repced by a quiet uanding. “Yeah. It is. But it’s also why people like Catherine or me step ihings like that appear. Someone’s got to make sure those souls find peace—or at least stop them from hurting others.”“I... see,” I said slowly, tilting my head as Sophia’s words sank in. “But why are you tellihis?”Sophia’s lips curved into a knowing smile, as if she’d been waiting for me to ask that exact question. Her golden eyes glinted with mischief and just a hint of something deeper.“You see,” she begauring vaguely to the distant horizon, “we’re in one of the most isoted regions on the eastern side of the ti. There’s almost no mana that naturally culminates here, aside from the drago up in the mountain. It’s practically a dead zone fic.”I frowned, puzzled. “So, what does that have to do with anything?”She held up a finger, signaling for patience. “As a dragonborn,” she tinued, her voice taking on a proud yet casual tone, “I possess an absurdly high amount of mana—so much that it overflows needlessly. It’s both a blessing and a curse.”Before I could respond, a bright red aura began to radiate from her body, shimmering like embers in the sunlight. The energy was intense, pulsating with raw power. My fox ears twitched instinctively, sensing the overwhelming magi the air.“Remember when I told you that monsters are mirrors of living beings?” she asked, her smile widening. “Well, here’s the fun part. If I use my skill to transfer some of my excess mana into you, it’ll act as a catalyst. The mana will radiate from you and i with the enviro. And do you know what that means?”I shook my head, a mix of curiosity and unease bubbling withi means,” she said, her voice dropping into an almost pyful whisper, “we make monsters ‘spawn.’ And because the mana inates from you, the monsters will reflect your current level and abilities. In other words, we tailor-make challenges for you to face.”My eyes widened in shock. “You’re saying you create monsters just by p mana into me?”Sophia nodded, her aura still glowing around her like a fiery halo. “Exactly. It’s a great way to train—or at least, it is for someone like me who has more mana than I know what to do with. And sihis area is so devoid of natural mana, it’s the perfect pce for something like this. No outside interference.”I swallowed hard, torweeement and dread. “And… you want to do this because…?”“Because,” Sophia said with a wink, “I think it’s time you start figuring out what you’re capable of. And besides…” She tilted her head, her smile turning a little softer. “It’ll be fun. Don’t you think?”“Huh…” I mumbled, my brain struggling to keep up with the situation. “How do we do that?”Sophia’s mischievous smile widened, her goldewinkling with amusement. “Like this,” she said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.Before I could react, she threw herself at me, ing her arms tightly around me. My entire body stiffened as the sudden warmth of her embraveloped me. Her soft chest pressed against mihe fabric of her maid uniform ging slightly to my dress. My fox ears twitched in utter fusion, and my tail puffed up instinctively.“Wha—!?” I mao squeak, my face flushing bright red.Before I could untangle myself or demand an expnation, Sophia leaned in closer and, without hesitation, kissed me on the cheek. The sensation was warm and soft, sending aric jolt down my spine.“W-What are you doing?!” I stammered, trying to back away, but Sophia held me firmly in pce.She giggled, clearly enjoying my rea. “Rex, Mashiro. This is just how I transfer mana. It’s effit and… fun, don’t you think?”“Fun?!” I sputtered, my mind rag. “You call this fun?!”“Well,” she said pyfully, her voice dripping with amusement, “you didn’t ask for the specifics, so I thought I’d show you instead. sider it a hands-on lesson. Or rather…” She smirked, tilting her head. “A full-body lesson.”