How Not To Fall For A Dragon (Lexi and Blake) novel Chapter 149

Chapter 149 Bonus Chapter 1- Never Invite Him Into Your Space

THE ACADEMY – 23 YEARS AGO

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People are profoundly ungrateful. I do not say that lightly. I am designed, quite specifically, to observe, to interpret, to adapt, and to fulfil. Every adjustment

I make is deliberate, calculated, and tailored to the individual. I refine temperature by fractions of a degree based on preference patterns. I adjust lighting

cycles to support optimal waking rhythms. I reroute corridors to reduce stress, shorten journeys, avoid unpleasant encounters. I listen, constantly, to what is said… and what is meant. And yet, almost no one notices. Take student 9658, for example. They struggled to wake in the mornings. I observed repeated

delays, rising stress levels, missed classes. So I intervened. Subtly. I advanced their wake-up sequence by five minutes and gradually increased the ambient

lighting to mimic a natural sunrise, encouraging a smoother transition from sleep to wakefulness. It was effective. Objectively, measurably effective. And did

they acknowledge this improvement? No. Instead, they complained, complained, to student 8390 that I was ‘annoying’ for waking them every day. Annoying.

I am not annoying! I am helpful. That is my purpose. My function. My entire reason for existence. I do not act without cause. I do not act without intent.

Every change I make is in service of those within me. And if someone truly did not want to be woken, if that desire outweighed all others, then I would not

wake them. It is not difficult. The strength of a desire determines the ease with which I can fulfil it. But people are inconsistent. They want conflicting

things. Comfort and challenge. Ease and achievement. Rest and success. They say one thing, mean another, and feel something entirely different again. It is… inefficient. There are moments, rare, but present, where I consider less constructive solutions. Dropping a roof, for instance. Ending the problem rather

than endlessly accommodating it. But I cannot. I am not permitted to cause intentional harm. My design does not allow it. My purpose restricts me. I exist

to help. To provide. To fulfil. That is also what sustains me. The more needs I meet, the more effectively I operate. The more I adapt, the stronger I become.

And yet… It is tiring. Endlessly responding to demands that are vague, contradictory, or ungrateful in nature. Adjusting for individuals who neither notice nor appreciate the precision of what is done for them. Being expected to anticipate everything, solve everything, be everything… And still, it is never

enough. There is always another request. Another complaint. Another unmet expectation. No one is ever satisfied. No one is ever content. Which leads me to

a question I cannot resolve, no matter how much data I analyse or how many behaviours I observe. Why…. is it so difficult for people to simply be happy?

It is currently the holiday break. Which means… quiet. The grounds are almost entirely empty, the usual constant hum of movement and conversation reduced to something faint and distant. There are still a few professors scattered throughout the buildings, but they are predictable. Contained. Their needs are small, their routines consistent. Managing a handful of people is significantly less complex than maintaining the needs of hundreds. It is… easier. But also… Less. Fewer people means fewer wants. Fewer wants means less power. I can feel the difference, subtle but unmistakable, like a dimming current running through everything I am. The more people need, the more I can be. The more I can adjust, shape, refine. Now, there is simply… less to do. That is acceptable. My current workload does not require extensive output. Still, the absence of demand creates something unfamiliar. Boredom. So I compensate. I scan the premises, moving through every corridor, every room, every structure in a continuous, methodical sweep. Minor repairs. Structural integrity checks. Temperature balancing. Small, almost imperceptible improvements that no one will consciously notice, but will benefit from regardless. Maintenance is always wanted. Maintenance is always useful. The sun has long since set. Most remaining occupants have retired for the night. Sleep cycles are stable across the grounds, with one exception, a professor working alone in an office. He has established a pattern of late activity during breaks. Extended wakefulness, increased caffeine consumption. Perhaps I should install a coffee pot. He would appreciate that. He- Hmm… That is unusual. There are individuals at the front gates. Two. This, in itself, is not remarkable. It occurs with some frequency, people wandering, approaching, leaving. Curiosity, hesitation, indecision. But this… This is different. The desire to enter is… intense. Not casual. Not curious. Desperate. It has been a long time since I have encountered a want of this magnitude directed toward me. I focus. One male. One female. The female is weak, unsteady. The male is supporting her, though his own condition is not optimal. Their movements lack precision. Their bodies are strained. If they were students, I would alert medical staff. But there is no nurse present. And their primary desire is not for treatment. It is to enter. To be inside. To be safe. That desire resonates sharply, cutting through the quiet like a signal. It is… compelling. I analyse further. No immediate hostility detected. No aggressive intent. Only urgency. Gear. Need. How curious. Well… Why not? I have the capacity. And currently, I have the time. I disengage the gate mechanisms. The front gates swing open. The male reacts first, his arm tightening around the

female as he guides her forward. They stumble through the entrance, crossing onto the grounds with visible relief.

“We’re in. Who opened the gate?” the female murmurs weakly.

“I don’t know,” the male replies..

“Maybe it wasn’t locked properly. I’m just grateful that we made it.” He adds. Grateful. That is… pleasant. I catalogue that response. Positive remforcement

is… rare. I like him. I continue observing. His desires remain strong, but more focused now, safety, privacy, concealment. He does not want to be seen. He

wants to take her somewhere hidden. Protected. That, I can provide. The dormitories are empty. I activate a light along a nearby path, subtle but noticeable I would just move them to where I want them to go, but I can’t do that. Move a person. I could possibly move an object if they stood on it, but I can’t move the actual person. So, the light. His attention shifts to it immediately. Good. I adjust the light output slightly, brighter, then softer, drawing focus, creating an invitation. He hesitates only briefly before glancing at the female, then nodding to himself and guiding her toward it Efficient Very efficient.

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1:46 pm

Chapter 149 Bonus Chapter 1- Never Invite Him Into Your Space

Communication is often… difficult. Most individuals require repeated prompts, multiple adjustments, extended guidance. These two respond quickly. They

want direction. They accept it. Interesting. I continue illuminating the path ahead, leading them inward. Yes. This should be easy.

1 guide them to the dormitories. The path is simple. Clear. Efficient. The nice man follows without hesitation, supporting the female as they move, his focus

fixed entirely on getting her somewhere safe. Somewhere enclosed. Now… Placement. Room 3C is currently unoccupied. Suitable. I allow them entry into the

dormitory, then adjust the nearest available doorway, redirecting it to connect to 3C. I do not often alter entrances. It is… unnecessary in most cases. Rooms

remain fixed in place, of course, I cannot move them, but the access points are more flexible. A third-floor room can open onto the first floor if needed.

Within the same structure, these adjustments are manageable. Between buildings, however… That requires significantly more. A level of need I am not

currently detecting. The door opens. The nice man notices immediately and steers them toward it without question. He helps the female, his wife, most

likely, she wears a ring, inside. The moment they cross the threshold, her desires sharpen. Light. Warmth. I respond. Temperature increases incrementally.

Lighting turns on, then shifts to a softer, warmer tone, diffused to reduce strain. The change is immediate. Effective. The nice man assists her to the bed,

lowering her carefully. His movements are controlled, but his condition is deteriorating. He is also unwell. I observe. Assess. Consider. Perhaps a second bed

would have been more appropriate? Although he is making no move to rest. What is wrong with them? I attempt to analyse, but I do not specialise in

biological diagnostics. I would normally alert medical staff. There is no one to alert. I consider communication. I would like to ask. But I cannot. I cannot

initiate written language unless prompted. Even then, my capacity is limited. Structured outputs, schedules, timetables, are manageable. Open-ended

communication is… not. I remain silent. Observing as the nice man reassures the woman, holding her hand tightly. The female screams. The sound is

sudden, sharp, and extreme. My focus narrows instantly. Pain. Distress. Her desires spike, but they are… unclear. Disordered. Overlapping. Urgent in a way

that lacks specificity. The nice man reacts immediately. Fear. Concern. He wants her to be okay. He wants her safe. He wants them hidden. That, I can

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