The next morning, Zack was woken by a knock—persistent and annoying.
Someone had been banging at his door for a while now. Zack, still sprawled across his futon like a corpse, groaned.
"Can't a guy just enjoy his one damn weekend in peace…"
Dragging himself to the door, half-asleep and hair a mess, he muttered bitter complaints. He wasn't exactly the popular type. If someone was visiting him, it could only be Rayleigh… or maybe Matt.
But the moment he opened the door, the sleep vanished from his eyes.
"Good morning, Zack Blake. Oversleeping on a weekend is no excuse to neglect discipline."
Standing confidently in the doorway was Roderika, elegant and radiant as ever. She wore her crisp uniform like it belonged to royalty—and behind her stood Matt, his expression sour, arms crossed and brows deeply furrowed.
"P-President…?!"
"Say my name," she replied smoothly, tilting her head, lips curled in amusement.
"Huh…?"
"'President' sounds too stiff. It doesn't suit me."
"Uh… Roderika?"
She smiled like she'd just won a bet.
"Much better. I came to see Ico."
"I… appreciate that you came all this way."
"It's no trouble. Now then, how is she?"
"She's still… sleeping."
But the moment Zack turned around to gesture toward the bed, his soul nearly left his body.
"Hwuaah…"
Ico, still groggy from sleep, sat up lazily. The blanket slid off her chest like morning mist retreating from mountaintops—exposing her pale, perky breasts in full.
Zack froze. Matt gasped.
"Wha—! No! That's not—!"
"You beast!" Matt grabbed Zack by the collar, practically foaming at the mouth. "You absolute beast! Do you even know what you've done!?"
Thankfully, Roderika stepped between them, eyes still sharp despite her composed demeanor.
"Matt. Calm down. There's a futon on the floor. They didn't sleep together."
"Y-Yeah! Of course not!"
"Then explain why she's naked!?" Matt's tone made even the floorboards wince.
"I-It's because she said dragons don't wear clothes! And I don't have any for her yet…"
"Hm. As I thought." Roderika sighed, then motioned to Matt. With visible reluctance, he handed over a bag.
"I brought some clothes for Ico. It's not acceptable for her to walk around like that—even if she's technically a dragon. Just think of it as a little present from the Student Council."
"T-Thank you… You're a lifesaver." Zack bowed deeply.
"But her daily necessities are your responsibility. Do you have enough money?"
"...It's a bit tight."
Zack had no noble lineage, no merchant blood. Just a simple boy from a border village.
"In that case, fill out this form and submit it to the dormitory management. It's for Par upkeep funding—technically meant for riding gear, but... Ico's a special case."
Zack accepted the form, nodding with gratitude—until Roderika's expression suddenly sharpened.
"One more thing. During today's staff meeting, it was decided that Ico will undergo a formal examination. The academy has requested Doctor Kornwell."
"Doctor Kornwell?! That Doctor Kornwell!?"
She was the top authority in dragon research, with her own private lab in Roshar. Zack had only read about her—never dreamed she'd get involved in his life.
"She's incredibly busy, so the date hasn't been fixed yet. But prepare Ico."
"I understand. I'll take care of her until then."
Roderika's strict expression softened, and a small smile curled on her lips.
"Good. Also, come to the Student Council office when you're free. I have some questions."
"Yes… understood."
"I'll be waiting." With that, she turned and walked away, Matt trailing behind her like a grumbling storm cloud.
.˳·˖✶𓆩𓁺𓆪✶˖·˳.༄
"Here. Put these on."
Zack avoided eye contact as he held out the bag. Ico stood bathed in the morning sun, completely nude, her skin glowing like freshly polished ivory.
"Hmph. Are you saying my body displeases you?" she said, strutting toward him slowly, hips swaying with dragon-like confidence.
"I-It's not like that! I just—humans wear clothes! Especially in public!"
"You're so uptight," she teased, leaning in close enough that her breath tickled his ear. "You act like you've never seen a female body before."
"I haven't! I mean—no, wait, that's not the point!"
Suddenly, a butterfly fluttered through the open window and landed gently on Ico's twitching nose.
"A… a… Achoo!"
A sneeze—small, yet impossibly powerful—blasted through the room like a miniature storm.
"UWAAH!" Zack was blown off his feet, slammed against the ceiling like a ragdoll. "Ow… That really is a dragon's sneeze…"
Groaning, he crawled across the floor and began picking up the scattered contents of the bag. He paused when he noticed Ico holding up one of the items—a cute beret—turning it over in her hands.
"...Cute," she murmured, eyes glittering with interest.
Zack blinked. It was the first time she didn't insult something made by humans.
.˳·˖✶𓆩𓁺𓆪✶˖·˳.༄
To Zack's relief—and minor disbelief—Ico had put on the outfit.
The dress was modeled after the academy's uniform, but modified with a girlish charm. Puff sleeves, a neat ribbon on the collar, and a skirt that danced just above the knees. The beret sat atop her head, cleverly hiding her horns. Her boots—sleek, form-fitting—tied the outfit together perfectly.
Zack found himself staring.
She looked… stunning.
"Hmph. Not a bad design for a dumb human."
He smiled. "I'm glad you like it."
Then, suddenly—
"By the way, this Roshar?" she asked, eyes still fixed on the mirror. "The academic city mentioned in the Dragweiss? There should be many shops on the streets of Roshar."
"Y-Yeah. That's right."
Zack was starting to admire the Dragweiss. It seemed that Ico inherited a huge amount of knowledge. It would be perfect if they didn't have any knowledge on those weird stuffs.
Ico nodded, her tone shifting to one that barely concealed excitement.
"...eets."Her voice trailed off.
"What was that?"
"I said…" Ico turned aside with her cheeks blushing. "I permit you to take me out for a walk. Around the city."
Zack gave a wry smile. It seemed that Ico wanted him to bring her for a walk in the town. Though the Dragweiss may be useful, it still didn't feel safe walking on the streets alone. The reason she didn't ask Zack directly had probably to do with her honour as a dragon.
"Alright then. Even a dragon needs fresh air, right?"
"Don't make it sound like you're walking a dog!"
WHAM!
Zack doubled over from a punch to the stomach.
"O-Ouch… You've got some serious strength for a girl in a sundress…"