Rian closed the holographic panel he had just opened, then turned his gaze back to Ophis — who was still staring at him without blinking.
"Sorry, but… I don't really like being branded," he said casually, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Even if it's from a cute girl like you, Ophis-chan."
Without losing that gentle smile, Rian raised his right hand and lightly patted the top of her head, his fingers brushing through her soft hair in slow, soothing strokes.
"I'd rather be invited out for food, sit in the park, or just take a quiet walk," he continued in a relaxed tone, giving a small shrug.
"Besides… we're not that close yet, are we? Using symbols and stuff—it feels a bit too fast. This handsome man doesn't like being claimed."
Ophis listened in silence. No change in her expression, no sign of protest or offense.
But in her eyes... something shifted. Something that observed him more deeply.
It had been a very long time since anyone had refused one of her gifts.
Most would fight for her power, flatter her for acknowledgment, or beg for her blessing. Though Ophis herself never cared. But Rian?
He refused. Not out of arrogance, but principle—because Rian knew who he was and what he truly wanted.
"...You're strange," Ophis finally said, her tone as flat as ever, yet there was a subtle change at the edge of her voice. "But... interesting."
"And handsome," Rian added with a faint smile, closing his eyes for a moment. "Don't forget that part. It's important."
He withdrew the hand that had been gently patting Ophis's head, then slowly raised it. His index finger moved lightly, as if playing with the air.
Stopping mid-motion, Rian gazed at the back of his hand—where the symbol resided—and pointed it toward Ophis.
"Could you… take this back?" he asked.
Ophis replied immediately, her voice calm and unshaken. "No."
Rian furrowed his brow slightly, though no irritation showed. "Why?"
"It isn't a seal," Ophis said softly, lowering her gaze. Her long hair fell forward, framing her cold face. "It's a… decision."
"A decision?" Rian repeated, his tone turning more serious now.
Ophis continued, "I have chosen. Something interesting… doesn't always have to be owned. But… it should be watched. Protected."
Rian's eyes narrowed, a faint blue light gleaming behind his sunglasses. "But I don't want to belong to anyone—much less be protected."
"You don't," Ophis replied without hesitation. "You don't need protection. But a part of you… has touched Infinity. And Infinity… touched back."
Rian tilted his head slightly, exhaling a long breath. "By all the night cream I haven't used yet… what kind of logic is that? You sound just like Aria—Ah…"
His words stopped mid-sentence.
A flash of memory crossed his mind. Rian lowered his head, one hand covering part of his face. His breath grew heavier—not from exhaustion, but from realization.
"Right… the promise with Aria…" he muttered quietly. "Ugh… because i broke a promise, my face won't survive tonight. Aria's probably going to haunt my skincare routine…"
Ophis remained standing before him, silently staring. She tilted her head slightly, mimicking Rian's earlier expression of confusion—almost as if she were imitating a human.
Silence.
Then, Rian finally lifted his head, pushing away the lingering image of Aria. He looked at Ophis again, his usual relaxed expression returning.
"Unusual, huh?" Rian murmured, rubbing his chin. "Alright… how about this: Ophis-chan, take back your fragment. In exchange… I'll take your tooth."
"…Tooth?" Ophis repeated, her voice as flat as ever.
"Yes!" Rian nodded quickly, a spark of exaggerated enthusiasm lighting up his face. "Your tooth, Ophis-chan. Just one is enough. You can enchant it or whatever you want. The point is—you take your fragment back."
He pointed at the symbol on the back of his hand.
"I'll carry that tooth with me wherever this handsome man goes. I could hang it on a necklace, or keep it in a jewelry box—who knows, maybe it'll become a lucky charm or… protect my skincare from Aria."
Ophis kept staring at him… before finally glancing away, toward the night sky.
"…Strange," she said again.
At last, without much expression, Ophis raised a hand toward her mouth and calmly pulled out one of her small fangs.
As soon as it came free, the fang didn't fall to the ground. Instead, it floated in midair, slowly spinning… and began to grow.
Within seconds, its size extended past 120 centimeters—now resembling a long sword, radiating a deep violet aura that swirled around it like a poisonous mist.
Rian stood frozen for a moment, his sunglasses slipping slightly down his nose.
"…Okay, that's definitely not child-sized…"
He stared at the fang in awe, then let out a small sigh. "...And I'm pretty sure that's not even your full size, right?"
Ophis didn't answer. With a flick of her hand, the fang shrank again—down to the size of a .45 caliber bullet.
From beneath her long hair, Ophis pulled a few strands of her jet-black hair, glimmering softly like threads of midnight silk, and tied them together to form a cord for a necklace.
Then, she raised her hand toward the back of Rian's right hand.
The fragment of her energy that had once existed there as an invisible mark began to peel away—drawn out as a swirl of violet light, rotating gently like a miniature vortex… before flowing into the small fang.
The necklace now radiated a distinct energy—silent, dark, and infinite. It was unmistakably Ophis.
Without hesitation, Ophis extended her hand toward Rian. "Wear it," she said simply. "It's for you."
Rian froze—not out of fear, but out of quiet astonishment.
"…You're surprisingly skilled at crafts," he murmured after a moment, eyeing the necklace. "I used to make handmade stuff as a kid, but mine always came out crooked."
He tilted his head slightly, smirking. "But a dragon fang infused with a divine fragment? That's on a whole other level…"
With a faint smile, Rian gently took the necklace and placed it around his neck, resting it over the slightly loosened collar of his Kuoh Academy uniform.
"Well… I've never worn jewelry like this before, but why not?"
"Fitting," Ophis whispered softly, taking a small step back with the faintest hint of a smile. Her gaze remained blank as ever… yet for a fleeting moment, something shimmered behind it—something like acknowledgment.
"…For the handsome man," she added quietly.
Rian grinned, winking with confident ease. "Naturally. This man's handsomeness is no joke. Even an infinite dragon god can see that."
Ophis's faint smile slowly faded, replaced by her usual blank expression. Yet her eyes… they remained fixed on Rian—not merely looking, but reading him, as if deciphering something unwritten.
It was as though Ophis was studying a truth even Infinity itself could not yet comprehend.
Then, without a sound, without even a whisper of wind, her small figure began to dissolve into the night air—melting seamlessly into the quiet darkness, as if she had never been there at all.
Only a soft whisper remained… not through sound, but directly within Rian's mind.
"We'll meet again."
Rian stood there, gazing at the empty sky with a faint smile, silently acknowledging the message though he gave no reply.
But before he could take a step forward—
Ding!
A digital chime echoed, and a translucent holographic panel appeared before him.
[Herald No. 90,000 has rejected the Infinity Fragment granted by the Dragon God of Infinity]
[The corresponding Skill has been removed from the Skill List]
[As compensation, Herald No. 90,000 has acquired the Title -Beloved by Infinity-]
___________________
Beloved by Infinity
Description:
STR: 20
VIT: 20
AGI: 20
INT: 40
Special Effect: While this Title is active, the user's body radiates the aura of the Dragon God of Infinity. Anyone who perceives this aura will believe the user is either the Dragon God of Infinity itself or someone with a special connection to it.
___________________
Rian stared at the holographic screen, his expression shifting from surprise to disbelief until he almost choked on air.
"Beloved by Infinity!?" he exclaimed, nearly coughing. "Why does this feel like I've been claimed again? This is like a predator marking its territory!"
In a single dramatic motion, Rian dropped to his knees, palms pressed to the ground in theatrical despair—like a man resigned to an inevitable fate.
"Setting aside the stat boost equal to a full Authority rank 5," he muttered halfheartedly, "just the name and effect alone are enough to make people think the wrong idea."
Rian sighed deeply. "To most people, this doesn't sound like a buff… it sounds like a relationship status."
He let out another long breath, then slowly stood up, brushing the dust off his pants with casual indifference—though inside, countless questions swirled through his mind.