The moonlight poured softly through the rectangular dorm window, casting long silver streaks across the floor. The buzz of the academy had faded hours earlier, replaced by the steady rhythm of rain tapping against the glass. Gwen's dorm room was quite peculiar and far cleaner than what he was used to in his own world. The woodwork was much finer than the rough carpentry of his lair, and there was even something called a bathroom, a concept entirely new to him.

He wasn't sure how it worked, but somehow they used magic to produce water and used it to wash themselves, something the humanoids in the city he had lived in never did. The level of cleanliness was far higher here, and he had not yet come across any animal droppings, which were a common sight in Ferndale.

When the day came to an end, Gwen and her friend finally retired to a small palace. Humanoid creatures required sleep, but he did not. His summoner stayed awake longer than usual, mumbling to herself as if she did not want the day to end. It seemed she feared he might vanish the moment she closed her eyes. Fortunately, even after she had drifted away to sleep, he was still there, left to ponder his next move.

His current form was smaller than usual. Magical restrictions covered almost everything, leaving only a few areas, such as the courtyard and the dueling platforms, where he could assume his true shape.

"I cannot leave her side. This is quite troubling."

After a long day, Gwen and her friend had returned to rest. Astrella had left earlier, leaving Gwen alone with her summon. He stood quietly near the window, watching as his summoner finally fell asleep. She had lingered awake for some time, turning on her bed and mumbling softly, unwilling to let go of the day. Now she lay still, one arm draped across her pillow, her breathing steady and calm.

He stood on her desk, gazing through the window at the academy grounds. Lanterns glowed across the area, and he could see both people and creatures patrolling. Even if he tried to slip away, he would not get far in his current form.

Rusty tilted his head slightly as he looked at his sleeping summoner. She was completely defenseless, and while the place was well guarded, there were still points of entry, the window being one of them. Summoned creatures had many restrictions, but the ones patrolling outside appeared unaffected. It was also possible that people with other abilities might sneak in to attack his current partner, something he could never allow.

"Will she not get cold like that?"

As he considered ways to protect her, he noticed she had kicked away her comforter, a new thing he had learned about today. In the place he came from, people used only blankets or simple rags for warmth. The orphans who had lived with him once huddled together to stay warm, but eventually, he had been forced to get them a proper blanket and crude mattress because Alexander kept complaining.

Rusty hopped down from the desk with a soft clink, his small armored frame landing neatly on the wooden floor. The rain outside pattered gently, filling the room with a soothing rhythm. He walked toward the bed and stood before the edge. Gwen was turned slightly to her side, and her breathing was steady. Part of the comforter had slipped to the floor, right where he was standing.

'Humanoids are strange…"

His metal body moved forward as he climbed the hanging comforter. In his current form, it was a difficult task, but somehow he managed to pull himself onto the bed. Only now did he realize how weak this minimized frame was, and trying to move the soft cloth was quite tedious.

"Why is this blanket so heavy…"

It was not just the weight. His small hands could not get a good grip, and his fingers could barely form a fist. He waddled forward, lifting one end and struggling to drag it up the side of the bed. The comforter bunched awkwardly, but after several determined tugs, he managed to pull it over her shoulder.

"There… that should be fine."

He stepped back and looked at his work with a sense of satisfaction. Then, as he was about to return to his post by the window, a soft sound reached him.

"…Rusty…"

Her voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper, but it made him stop. He turned his head just in time to see her hand slip out from beneath the blanket. Her fingers brushed against his frame, and before he could react, she caught him.

"W-wait!"

He tried to protest, but she rolled slightly and pulled him closer, hugging him against her chest like a plush toy. His helmet bumped gently against her chin as she settled back into sleep.

"I can't move… Gwen, wake up!"

No matter how he struggled, pushing or pulling did nothing. He knew his summoner was weak, but in this form, he was even weaker. For several minutes, he kept wriggling, yet the only result was her holding him tighter.

"I can't move. I suppose I'll have to wait until she wakes up…"

His body was made of metal, and soon her warmth spread through his small frame. Rusty stopped struggling as he listened to Gwen's heartbeat, slow and steady. After a moment, he shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, and finally relaxed.

"Very well. I can keep watch from here."

He was still thinking about his mission. Even though the summoned creatures were restricted, smaller ones could always slip through. The humanoids were vulnerable to poison, and perhaps a rat or a snake could sneak in to harm his summoner. Yet as the hours passed, nothing came, and he was left alone with his thoughts.

'This mission is turning out to be extremely boring…'

"Rusty… don't leave…"

As he pondered how to complete his mission quickly, Gwen began to mumble in her sleep. He didn't truly understand her struggles, but their connection made him share her emotions. When she was angry, his own temper rose. When she was sad, he felt the same heaviness. He couldn't fully explain it, but when she called out to him, he reached out and gently grasped one of her fingers.

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"I wasn't planning to, at least until the quest is over."

When he said that, a smile appeared on her face. Their time together had not been long, as he had only helped her twice before. In truth, this was the longest they had ever stayed together. The girl was weak and clingy, yet for some reason, he didn't mind. Instead, he felt a growing desire to protect her.

Outside, the rain clouds drifted away, and the night sky revealed itself once more. The lanterns around the academy flickered brighter, and time continued to pass. The night had passed uneventfully for the most part, but eventually he found himself fighting for his life as Gwen tossed and turned in her sleep. Only then did he realize how big a mistake he had made, for she kept rolling around while clutching him tightly against her chest.

Eventually, sunlight began to stream through the window, and a strange clock near the bedframe started ringing. It had a wooden crow at the top and the bird was giving out a chirping noise. Gwen twisted and turned for a few seconds before reaching out to silence it. Some kind of effect took place as she touched the bird with her finger. The sound faded and the girl finally opened her eyes.

"Huh?"

Her hair was a mess, covering half of her face. Rusty watched her glance down while still holding him with her right hand. It took her a few moments to understand what she was doing, and when she did, her face turned bright red.

"R-Rusty? W-what are you doing here?"

"Can you let me go now?"

"Of course!"

Gwen let out a strange high-pitched squeak and instantly released him, sending Rusty tumbling off the edge of the bed with a clank. He landed squarely on his back but felt no pain. His form was quite small, yet it still possessed a fair amount of durability. Once he was on the floor, he began wobbling and trying to stand, but with most of his weight centered in his large head, it proved difficult.

"I'll help you!"

Gwen rushed to his side and lifted him up, placing him back on her desk near the window. Once there, Rusty stretched his limbs a little and looked at his summoner, who seemed embarrassed by the whole scene.

"Are you okay? W-what happened?"

"Nothing, I just tried to pull the big blanket over you, and then you started clinging to me, and I couldn't get free."

Rusty did not attempt to hide anything, as shame or subtlety were beyond him. The young girl blushed even more for reasons he could not comprehend.

"I'm not sure what to say…"

"I don't really mind, but maybe you should tie the blanket to your wrists if you keep pushing it down like that."

He still did not understand the purpose of a comforter if it was not wrapped around the body. For some reason, she always pushed it away so that only half of her body remained covered.

"Please, don't mention this to Astrella!"

"Do you want it to be a secret?"

Rusty was unsure what she meant, but her pleading expression was easy to read. Humans had many odd habits, and it seemed she felt embarrassed about the situation. He recalled that they sometimes mocked each other for small things, so he decided to agree. Allowing his summoner to be made fun of would also be an insult to him as her summon.

"Yes, please!"

"Fine with me. So, what are you doing today? Is it the thing Astrella mentioned yesterday?"

As soon as she was fully awake, Rusty asked about her schedule. He had learned a few things about the school and discovered that today was a special day. Gwen and her friend were now third years and had begun taking on more responsibilities. Today, they were scheduled to visit a place connected to the void gates he had heard about the day before. Within those gates, he would be able to assume his true form, and nothing excited him more than the thought of going there.

With sleep finally out of the way, Gwen hopped out of bed to get ready. Rusty still had to wait another hour for both of the girls to finish. He was not sure what they were doing in the bathroom, but it took more than half an hour. Eventually, they both put on their uniforms and headed out, with Rusty perched on Gwen's shoulder again.

Rusty noticed something peculiar about this place. There was a strange diminishment of other races besides humans. Astrella was part elf and fairy, but she was in the minority. The dorm housed a few people, and he could see more students wandering through the courtyard. Most of them lacked the different shapes, sizes, or long ears he had seen in the place he came from. Still, he was more focused on the task ahead to care much about it.

The B-Class had its own courtyard, and today their group was gathering outside. Dozens of students in dark blue uniforms stood in formation. The student he had defeated before was among them, standing behind a girl with a spider creature resting on her shoulder. Just like the other day, she kept sneaking glances at him for some odd reason. For a moment, it seemed she was about to call out to them, but Astrella stepped in and blocked her view.

"Finally, some action! Isn't this great?"

The young girl with green hair said cheerfully.

"I'm not sure… I think we should have a few more theoretical lessons first."

Gwen replied, clearly uneasy about the situation. Today, they were going to explore one of the Void Gates for the first time without any direct teacher assistance. While they would be supervised, the spells that could save them from death would not be active within the tears. If something happened, the teachers would need time to reach them, making this a dangerous task.

"You're worrying for nothing. With me as support and you as the main attacker, we will get the best grades!"

"I'm not so sure about that…"

Gwen replied, but before she could continue, a stern voice resounded through the air.

"Quiet down, everyone."

The teacher with the monocle was also there, the same instructor who had overseen their duels the day before. The chatter stopped instantly as his cold gaze swept across the B-Class students.

"You've all been summoned here for a reason."

Once everyone was quiet and paying attention, he continued speaking.

"From today onward, your training will take on a more practical form. Each team will participate in supervised Void Gate expeditions. These missions will serve as both your assessment and preparation for the upcoming inter-class competition."

Some of the students, like Gwen, had concerned expressions, but most seemed eager to prove themselves. Rusty leaned forward on Gwen's shoulder, itching to return to his regular form and see some action.

"The competition between the B-Classes will begin in two weeks. The event will test your adaptability, and you will not be informed about its structure until the final day. Therefore, use this mission to learn as much as you can. It may be crucial later."

Astrella smirked and whispered.

"Sounds fun, right?"

"Fun isn't the word I'd use."

As Gwen whispered back, their teacher raised his hand to silence them once more.

"This is a group exercise. You will divide yourselves into groups of three and then enter the gates. If you do not decide on your own, I will choose the members for you. Now form up."

The teacher's command sent the students into motion as they began forming groups. Aranea and her two henchmen quickly joined together, though she looked displeased with the arrangement. Gwen and Astrella, however, faced a problem. They were new to the class, and before they could even ask anyone to join them, all the other students had already formed their trios.

"Excuse me, would you like…"

"Ah… I already have a group, sorry…"

Astrella frowned as she returned to Gwen without managing to convince anyone to join their group. Gwen was still a bit shy when it came to approaching new people, and soon the number of available partners grew smaller. Only one unclaimed student remained. He was leaning against a large stone pillar without making any effort to move, and it seemed that everyone was avoiding him for some reason.