Selene approached and scooped me gently into her arms, her touch radiating such tenderness that my tense body finally relaxed.
How long had it been since I last felt this warmth? I couldn't even remember my previous mother's embrace.
She looked me over carefully, her voice trembling with relief. "I'm so glad you're alright… I was so scared."
I couldn't hold it back—soft giggles bubbled from my lips. To me, it was just a laugh. But to Selene, those giggles were heaven itself, melting away the remnants of her fury.
Sensing the atmosphere, the knights and maids quietly excused themselves, leaving only the two of us in the quiet room.
Selene's expression softened even more as she adjusted me in her arms and stood, holding me close against her chest. Slowly, she began humming again, the same lullaby as before—gentle, soothing, wrapping me in a cocoon of warmth and safety.
Just then, a familiar chime echoed in my head.
Ding!
[ Quest Complete ]
I dismissed the notification without a second thought. For once, I didn't care about quests, rewards, or systems.
I just wanted to stay in this moment. To savor the tender warmth I hadn't felt in so long.
My eyelids grew heavy, the lullaby pulling me under like a warm tide.
[ …Pffft. Really, host? A grown man, knocked out by a lullaby? ] Nyxara's dry voice echoed in my head.
I twitched weakly. "S-shut up… it's… comforting…"
[ Mhmm~ keep telling yourself that. Next thing I know, you'll be asking mommy for warm milk and a bedtime story. ]
I ignored her, sinking deeper into drowsiness.
[ Hah! Unbelievable. The mighty 'host'—reduced to a giggling panda who can't resist a lullaby. ]
Her laughter rang faintly in the back of my mind, but I no longer had the energy to argue. Warmth, safety, comfort… they wrapped around me like a blanket.
And just like that, I drifted into sleep, nestled against my mother's heartbeat.
————————————•
The next day, as I opened my eyes, I immediately noticed the difference. The ceiling was unfamiliar, painted in soft shades of green. My gaze drifted across the room—elegant furnishings, delicate curtains, and an aura of refinement that screamed feminine touch.
Hmm… it seems I'm in my mother's room. After all, she is an elf.
[ Oh~ look at that, my host is finally using his brain cells. ]
Nyxara's playful chime echoed in my mind.
I groaned. "It hasn't even been a full day since I survived an assassination attempt, and you're already making fun of me? Does it not cross your mind that I might be traumatized?"
She giggled softly.
[ If my host was really that weak, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You'd have ceased to exist long ago. ]
I fell silent. There was a weight hidden in her words, one I didn't dare pry into. She must have noticed my quiet because her tone shifted back to her usual mischief almost instantly.
[ So then… how does it feel to be in a lady's room, dear puppy~? ]
"Of course it feels rather odd. I can't say I don't like it… but it's still weird."
Wait—what did she just call me? P-puppy?
I glanced down at myself, only to freeze in horror. My clothes had been changed again. It wasn't something I was used to yet, but it was inevitable. I couldn't exactly get up like a youth and dress myself, after all.
But this… this was something else.
A black dog costume. With floppy puppy ears perched on my head and a ridiculous little tail at the back.
"Why are they so obsessed with making me wear animal costumes? What do they expect me to do next—a damn ramp walk?!"
Nyxara's laughter bubbled up instantly.
[ Oh, but you look adorable. ]
"Shut up."
As if to add insult to injury, the door opened.
There she stood—my mother. Her eyes immediately softened the moment she noticed I was awake. She swept across the room and cradled me tenderly against her chest, humming with relief.
And behind her… the culprit.
The same maid who had clearly been responsible for my humiliating wardrobe. My gaze narrowed into invisible, glowing daggers, silently cursing her existence. But instead of showing remorse, the maid only laughed. To her, my scowl in this ridiculous puppy outfit was the height of comedy.
Selene cooed, completely oblivious to my suffering. "Ohhh, my little puppy looks so precious! Who's my adorable puppy?"
I nearly died inside. "Mother… please no."
The maid giggled harder. Nyxara giggled too.
[ Hahahaha! This is gold. The Mighty Host: Reincarnated as Puppy Extraordinaire! ]
"…This is hell."
But then… silence.
For once, Nyxara didn't follow up with her usual endless teasing. The quiet stretched unnaturally, making me uneasy.
I frowned. "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"
The air shimmered faintly before a small system panel appeared before my eyes.
[ Well, I was just thinking… it might not be that bad. After all, you do look adorable. And just imagine— ]
"Stop!" I cut her off immediately. "I don't want to imagine. Your imagination is too weird."
Nyxara's giggle returned, lighter this time.
[ Hehehe~ fair enough, host. But you really do make a convincing puppy. ]
I groaned, burying my face in Selene's arms, while my mother happily patted my head as though I really was her precious little puppy.
————————————•
It was afternoon and I was left alone in my room. My mother and her maid had already gone, seemingly preparing for my father's return.
I sighed. I don't know how he'll treat me… but hopefully, he'll at least be a decent man. In novels, fathers are usually stern, right?
While I was lost in thought, a sudden realization hit me like a brick.
"Wait a minute… Nyxara. Aren't I supposed to receive rewards from that quest? After all, I literally survived an assassination before I could even learn to speak."
Nyxara's laugh rang out in my head.
[ Huh~ so you actually remembered! I thought you had completely forgotten, considering how you were clinging to your mother's thighs last night like a scared little pup. ]
I scowled. "…Tch."
I couldn't even refute her. Because yes, I had forgotten. Worse, I really had been melting in my mother's arms like a spoiled brat.
Nyxara, smug as ever, continued.
[ Well, since you asked so sweetly—it's time for the grand reveal of spoils from the Battle of the Great Panda Siege! ]
"…The what?"
Before I could question further, the room dimmed, and a glowing screen expanded before my eyes.
Ding~!
[ Quest Complete! ]
Title: Survive the First Assassination Attempt
Codename: The Battle of Panda vs. Skewer Squad
Cutscene rolled before me like some epic historical chronicle.
The assassins appeared as little chibi stick figures in black, knives wobbling in their tiny hands. Meanwhile, a chubby little panda (…wait, was that supposed to be me?!) stood in the middle, rocking side to side.
Then came her. A dazzling figure, glowing like an angel descending. Selene—my mother—appeared as an overpowered sprite that karate-chopped the assassins so hard they flew off the screen like bowling pins.
At one point, a knife flew dramatically in slow motion toward chibi-panda-me. It stabbed right through my panda ear, making the whole cutscene pause with a giant flashing subtitle:
[ Panda Skewer Denied! ]
Nyxara's laughter nearly broke my eardrum.
[ Pfft—HAHAHAHA! Host, you've been immortalized as the first panda in history to officially tank a skewer with fashion! ]
"Why… why is this my legacy…" I muttered, covering my face.
The cutscene ended in a burst of golden light.