Seeing Aoif off I could feel the sinking loneliness that came with no longer being able to feel her presence. It was painful but I knew how much Aoif wanted to do this, I would not deny her this chance.

I went back into the house where Tama was waiting for me, lunch in hand.

She placed the food down on the table and it was then that I remembered something. I could evolve the house, previously I had waited to evolve it because I was not the right tier but now that I was tier 5 I could evolve it to that level.

Looking at the house it was already luxurious, the tree that housed it bursting with vitality and the insides being furnished with the most comfortable furniture. The bed was the best part though, it was the most refreshing thing about it. Whenever I slept on it I would always feel refreshed.

"Hmm" I hummed out loud, now that I thought about it, it might not be that the bed was comfortable but more that I was the most at peace when I slept with Aoif.

I shook those reminiscent thoughts out of my mind as I focused on the house again.

[Crowns house]

[Tier/Level: 6/1(can be evolved)]

[A nature aligned territory house that wards off hostiles with its great presence.]

The last time I had evolved my territory I had only evolved it to tier 6 despite being tier 5 and being able to evolve it to that level.

I don't know why I didn't evolve it to that level, it may have been because of the impending invasion, or the preparations but either way I had not evolved it to the tier that I could have.

Focusing on my talent I evolve the house. A green flash of light consumed the tree and grew until I could not see the top of the light any longer.

Eventually after a couple of minutes the light receded and what I saw was majestic.

The tree had grown to cover the whole forest that we had claimed. I could feel the power in the tree too, it felt like a wrong movement could spell my end. That feeling soon disappeared as the house recognized me as its master, but the sheer power that the tree emanated was still great.

Looking at the leaves of the tree I could see golden leaves begin to form. They were not completely gold but I could see the growth all the same.

In another evolution or two would the tree grow gold.

[Crown's House]

[Tier/Level: 5/1]

[A nature aligned tree that grew closer to its roots. The power hidden in its bloodline breeding true. The power that once only warded off hostile beings has evolved to actively hunt the invaders for sustenance. The house that once inhabited the insides of the tree now has been transported to a separate dimension hidden within the tree.]

Walking up to the tree I found no door to allow me into the house.

My eyes opened in surprise as soon as I thought 'into the house' the bark turned incorporeal and my hand fell through.

I lost my balance and my whole body fell into the tree.

When I opened my eyes again I saw a grand living room. Complete with fancy furniture and fixtures that I didn't even know the names of.

I sat down on one of them and groaned at how comfortable it was.

It was soft but not too soft that I sank into it. It had enough firmness and softness combined into some heavenly couch.

An eager smile appeared on my face as I imagined how comfortable the bed would be if the couch was this comfortable.

I could just...

..

My eyes that were comfortably closed opened as I realized I didn't know the way out. The sleepiness was washed away as I got up and started to look around for a door, exit, anything.

My first thought was to go back to where I entered but when I looked there all I saw was a highly decorated wall.

Walking up to it and touching it I remembered how I entered and thought 'exit'

Just as how I entered the wall became incorporeal and my body fell through it back to the outside of the tree.

I wanted to go back in and sleep but I had other things I needed to do.

..

'Summon'

I commanded the summoning pool.

With a green flash of light only one figure appeared out of the summoning pool.

'Weird' I thought, the summoning pool guaranteed that I would summon 6 summons more than just the one I had summoned.

Soon enough the green light dissipated finally letting me get a view of what I had summoned.

A woman with green hair turning golden at the tips, with cat ears and a tail. An impassive look on her face.

"Are you my summoner?" A voice devoid of emotion spoke to me.

"Yes, I am Darwin and you are?" I questioned, although I could have just identified her with the system, I felt that it would have been rude.

"Darwin, is it, a fine name, I am called Astraea" With that Astraea did a small bow, clearly she had felt there was no need to be fully subservient to me.

"Follow me" With a wave of my hand I brought Astraea around the territory.

Though while Astrea was following me I could hear her quietly muttering to herself.

historical

"The nature here is vibrant.." I knew there was some subtext there that I was missing, however I ignored it for now in favor of introducing Astraea to the territory.

When we got to my house I reached out my hand to Astraea. Picking up on my meaning she offered her hand to which I took it and touched the tree.

'Open' I commanded and within the moment both Astraea and I were in the house.

~purr~

An unconscious sound echoed from Astraea's mouth as she entered the house. Her eyes went wide as her ears and tail both relaxed. Her tail flickered behind her softly while her ears flattened as if in immense enjoyment.

Concerned, I reached out to her to try and get Astraea out of the state she was in. My hand was instead grasped in an inescapable grip as she brought it to her face and made me pet her.

I was drawn further in as she dragged me to a nearby couch and pushed us both onto it.

~purr~

Astraea's eyes were closed as she lay on my stomach, her tail wrapped around my leg shifting this way and that.

'She fell asleep'

It seems like whatever had happened to Astraea put her in some form of drugged state and then put her to sleep.

I tried to get up but it was futile, everytime I tried Astraea would grip my body and not allow me to leave.

Eventually I just gave up and gave in to the sleepiness that I felt.