Neville woke up the next day, and the world outside his window was completely transformed. Everything beyond his bedroom window had turned breathtakingly white.

He sat up in bed, the covers pooling around his waist as he stared at the blob of snow drifting lazily past the glass. Each one spiraling down in its own unhurried dance before joining the growing blanket below.

The windows caught the pale morning light. The cityscape of Xylos had softened overnight into something almost dreamlike.

"Snow," he whispered, pressing his palm against the cold window. His breath fogged the glass.

In all his time on Planet Xylos, he had never seen snow here. Spring reigned eternal on this planet, broken only by the occasional gentle rain that coaxed the strange alien flora to bloom.

[Surprised, host? (◕‿◕✿)] 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Shelly appeared just above his head, amusedly looking at the forming snowscape.

[Xylos only allows two seasons to cycle through—winter and spring. It’s how the planet maintains its fertility. The ecosystem here is delicate; any deviation would spell disaster for the life forms that call this place home.]

Neville pulled his hand back from the glass, watching the moisture from his palm slowly evaporate.

"So this is... normal?"

[Perfectly normal! Though I should mention—when winter comes to Xylos, it doesn’t leave for an entire year. (≧◡≦)]

"An entire year?"

[An entire year! The snow piles up quite spectacularly. But don’t worry too much. The infrastructure here is more than equipped to handle it. Anti-grav systems keep the main roads clear, and most buildings have integrated heating.]

Neville stared at the accumulating snow on his windowsill with renewed eyes.

A year? No wonder the shopping centers still carried thick winter coats even when the weather had been mild enough for shirtsleeves.

His light brain suddenly chimed with an incoming message, snapping him back to reality.

[Good morning, Neville! The hovercar is ready and waiting outside your building. Don’t forget to bundle up—it’s quite cold out here! ♡ - GloryMe]

Neville glanced at the time stamp and swore under his breath. He had been so captivated by the snow that he had lost track of time. His morning routine was supposed to be finished half an hour ago.

He threw off the covers and scrambled into action.

The previous night had stretched well past midnight.

His conversation with Gloria had run through topics ranging from her favorite restaurants on the Imperial Star to the embarrassing childhood stories about Grayson, which he had shamelessly memorized for future leverage.

By the time they had finally said goodnight, his eyes had been burning with exhaustion.

Getting Gloria’s contact information had required some creative maneuvering. He could have simply asked Shelly to get it at a certain point value, but that would have left no traceable record.

Instead, he had gone through Bryan, saying that he forgot to ask her.

Bryan had stalled for quite a while, but he still handed over the contact information without asking why. He had a suspicion that the other was making fun of him.

Whatever. Let the fox think what he wanted.

Now, rushing through his bathroom routine, Neville tried to recall everything Gloria had mentioned about their plans.

She said she wanted to go shopping.

When he suggested Medea’s Garden—the private cultivation facility he’d visited with Grayson—and Xylos’s Shopping Center—where he had gone with Liam—she had immediately brightened at the second option.

[Perfect choice!] Gloria exclaimed. [I haven’t been to Xylos’s Shopping Center since its renovation!]

The enthusiasm in her voice had left no room for other options.

Neville splashed water on his face and caught his reflection in the mirror. Ocean-blue eyes stared back at him, slightly bloodshot from lack of sleep. His hazel-brown hair was a disaster.

He looked terrible.

"Shelly," he muttered while aggressively brushing his teeth, "what should I wear?"

[Given that the target’s mother specifically chose a shopping trip over sightseeing or restaurant-hopping, she’s likely planning to purchase winter clothing. (◠‿◠)]

Neville paused mid-brush. "Seriously?"

[Well, as a rich woman, she probably wanted what’s the latest even though they already have a few in their own closet.]

Neville nodded in understanding. He spat into the sink and rinsed his mouth, already recalling his wardrobe in his head.

The results were not good. He owned a collection of thin tops and barely-thick pants, and... a few coats.

The coats he still hadn’t returned to Grayson.

He walked to his closet and stared at the clothes in question. They hung there with an intimidating presence. After all, the fact that it’s much bigger than his own clothes made it obvious that it was not his.

[Just wear them,] Shelly advised. [It was not like you had any more thick clothes.]

Neville sighed and reached for the long tailcoat that Grayson left to him when they went to Medea’s Garden.

It was warm, at least. And he really didn’t have any other options.

He finished dressing quickly. The coat over a simple white shirt, his usual black jeans, and boots that he bought from the System Mall. He hoped those were waterproof enough for the snow.

His light black sling bag was already packed with essentials. At the last moment, he grabbed the plastic bundle of homemade cookies from his kitchen counter and tucked it into the bag.

Just in case.

Gloria moved in circles that had food that probably cost more than his monthly salary. If she dragged him into some ridiculously expensive establishment, he could at least have his cookies as backup sustenance.

The elevator ride down felt longer than usual. Neville watched the floor numbers tick by, practicing his pleasant expression in the reflective doors.

He was about to spend an entire afternoon with his fake boyfriend’s mother. Without said fake boyfriend present.

This was totally not fine, but what could he do?

The lobby doors slid open, and Neville stepped out into a world of white.

The cold hit him sharp and clean. Snowflakes caught in his eyelashes and melted against his cheeks. The sound of the city seemed muffled under winter’s blanket.

The hover cars whispered past instead of humming, and even the distant construction drones operated with unusual quiet.

A sleek black hovercar waited at the curb, its hull gleaming despite the snow. It was longer than a standard model, with tinted windows that obscured the interior.

The door slid open as he approached, revealing—

"Neville! Perfect timing!"

Gloria beamed at him from inside what could only be described as a mobile living room.

The hovercar’s interior was spacious enough to host a small gathering of five or seven, with plush seating arranged in a gentle curve and subtle lighting that shifted to match the outdoor conditions.

A small AI pet robot sat in the pilot’s position.

The metallic creature resembled a chibi miniature black dragon, complete with articulated wings and glowing eyes.

This family really likes black dragons, huh. Even Grayson’s mecha was named Black Dragon.

"Good morning, Mrs. Maxwell." Neville climbed in, acutely aware of how his boots tracked snow onto the immaculate floor.

"Auntie," she corrected automatically, patting the seat beside her. "Or if you’re okay with it, how about calling me mom?"

Neville paused, and his eyes went wide. He secretly thought, Mom? Even Grayson calls you mother, how could I dare call you otherwise?

Then Gloria continued to pat down the seat and said, "Relax. You’re family now."

The word ’family’ landed somewhere in Neville’s chest and felt a little uncomfortable. He settled into the patted seat as the door closed behind him. The cold was immediately dissipated by the car’s climate control.

"Warm enough?" Gloria looked at him with sharp eyes that missed nothing. Then she stopped at something and said, "That coat looks familiar."

Neville kept his expression neutral, even if he was internally screaming. "It’s very warm, thank you."

"Mm~" Gloria’s gaze lingered on the coat’s collar—specifically, on the subtle embroidery that marked it as one of her gifts. "I’m glad Eason is sharing. Though I do wish he had been more thoughtful about buying you new clothes instead."

Before Neville could say anything, the hovercar lifted smoothly off the ground.

The AI dragon at the helm made a soft chirping sound. The vehicle smoothly glided into the flow of aerial traffic.

Through the window, Neville saw Xylos dyed in shades of white and gray.

The city’s towers thrust up through the snow like dormant behemoths, their surfaces dotted with the warm glow of countless windows. Anti-grav lifts carved clean lines through the snow, and pedestrians below moved in colorful clusters, bundled against the cold.

"First snow of the season," Gloria observed, following his gaze. "It always comes so suddenly."

Her expression changed when she panned her head to Neville and saw his clothes again. She commented, "Oh, Neville. You only have summer clothes under that coat, don’t you?"

Damn, so observant.

"I have some thicker jeans," Neville answered rather weakly.

Gloria’s lips pressed together in a thin line. "And that workaholic son of mine hasn’t noticed?"

"We haven’t been together very long—"

"That’s not an excuse." Gloria waved her hand dismissively.