Vio’s room was surprisingly modest for someone who carried herself with such arrogance. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves, stuffed to the brim with dusty tomes and old parchment, their spines worn from years of use. A faint, flickering light from a single enchanted ntern cast long shadows across the room, the soft glow illuminating the wooden floor and the cauldron resting in the corner, its contents long since cooled, leaving behind only the faint scent of herbs and lingering magic.

  The centerpiece of the room was a rge canopy bed, draped in deep violet curtains embroidered with silver thread in the shape of arcane runes. Vio y sprawled across it, her dark cloak partially covering the sheets as she closed her eyes. Catherine, in contrast, had neatly tucked herself in on the opposite side, her ever-present witch hat still perched atop her head, somehow refusing to budge even as she shifted slightly.

  “So anyway, goodnight,” Vio muttered, her voice zy as she turned onto her side, sinking further into the plush bedding. The deep violet canopy above her swayed slightly from the movement, the embroidered silver runes catching the dim ntern light, making them shimmer faintly like distant stars. She let out a slow, drawn-out sigh, her exhaustion evident as she buried her face into a pillow, clearly expecting the conversation to end there.

  Catherine let out a soft hum of agreement, her crimson eyes slipping shut. “Goodnight too.”

  I sighed, rubbing my temples before pushing the bnket off me. The room was strangely warm despite its eerie, dim-lit atmosphere, and the heavy scent of old books mixed with alchemical residue made it feel almost suffocating. Ignoring the comfort of the bed, I got up and walked over to where Yuzu was, standing as she watched.

  “And NOT goodnight to you two!” I grumbled, crossing my arms as I shot a pointed look at them. The lingering warmth of the bed still clung to my skin, but the stifling atmosphere of the room, thick with old parchment and alchemical residue, made it impossible to rex. I gnced at Yuzu, who was still standing near the corner, her tail flicking idly, clearly as restless as I was.

  Vio cracked one eye open, her violet gaze flickering in the dim light, a zy frown settling on her face. "You're not going to sleep? What’s wrong with you?" she asked, her voice groggy yet tinged with mild curiosity, as if the mere thought of someone staying awake at this hour was utterly baffling to her. She shifted slightly on her bed, the silver-threaded runes on the canopy casting faint, shifting shadows across her face.

  Catherine, without missing a beat and still with her eyes closed, answered for me. “Fox girls don’t sleep at night, sis.”

  Vio zily waved a hand in the air, still sprawled on her bed. "Oh right. There’s a garden outside the mansion if you two feel like stargazing or doing whatever fox girls do at night." Her voice carried the usual indifferent tone, but there was a faint smirk pying at her lips, as if she was enjoying the idea of pushing her unexpected guests outside. "Plenty of space, fresh air, and no witches to compin about noise."

  At the mention of her name, Yuzu’s bck fox ears twitched. She stood near the corner of the room, her tail swishing slightly as her dark eyes narrowed. Without a word, she summoned a tiny glowing flower, barely the size of her palm and casually flicked it toward Vio’s forehead.

  Bonk.

  "Ow! What’s the big idea?!" Vio sat up abruptly, rubbing the spot where the harmless flower had hit. She scowled at Yuzu, who was now pouting with crossed arms.

  "Purple witch bery NOT call Yuzu, Yuzu!" she huffed, puffing out her cheeks as her tail bristled in indignation. Her jet bck eyes gleamed with childish stubbornness, and she even stomped one foot lightly against the wooden floor for extra emphasis. The flickering ntern light made the pout on her face all the more dramatic, as if she had just suffered the gravest injustice in the world.

  I let out a sigh, already used to this. "Yuzu... she just called you by your name."

  Yuzu flicked her tail, her expression serious. "That not point! Point is, Yuzu bery decide when Yuzu is Yuzu!"

  Vio stared at her bnkly for a moment, her violet eyes reflecting the dim ntern light as she tried to process what had just been said. She slowly turned to me, rubbing her forehead with an exaggerated sigh. "Is she always like this? Or is this some kind of fox-kin brain malfunction?"

  I awkwardly stared, momentarily at a loss for words as I gnced between Vio and Yuzu. Before I could even attempt to respond, Catherine, still perfectly nestled in bed with her eyes closed, let out a sleepy sigh and answered on my behalf. "Yes, she is. Don't mind her," she murmured, her voice ced with the kind of resigned acceptance that only came from long-term exposure to Yuzu’s antics.

  ? ? ?

  Yuzu and I left the room, stepping into a dimly lit hallway. The soft glow of enchanted nterns flickered along the walls, casting long, wavering shadows. The air carried a faint scent of aged parchment and distant incense. Our footsteps echoed softly against the polished wooden floor as we moved forward, the silence of the night pressing around us.

  "Ah, could it be Miss... Mashiro?" An adorable girl dressed in a neatly pressed maid uniform tilted her head curiously towards me, her emerald-green hair swaying slightly with the motion. She was small, barely reaching the height of a typical elementary schooler, yet her bright golden eyes sparkled with a keen intelligence. She studied me with an inquisitive gaze before shifting her attention to Yuzu, who stood beside me. "No, maybe this is Miss Mashiro?" she mused, her delicate voice ced with pyful curiosity.

  "Wa! Adorable bery little girl!" Yuzu squealed, her bck fox ears perking up with excitement as she immediately wrapped the tiny maid in a tight embrace, lifting her slightly off the ground. She nuzzled against the girl's soft emerald-green hair, her tail swishing wildly behind her. "Nnai, what dis little girl do at bery te at night? Not lost, right?"

  I noticed that the little girl's ears were long and pointy, peeking out from beneath her neatly styled emerald-green hair. They twitched slightly, as if reacting to the sounds around her.

  "Are you... an elf, little dy?" I asked, tilting my head slightly as I took in her delicate features. Her pointed ears twitched slightly, betraying a hint of amusement, while her golden eyes sparkled mischievously under the ntern’s glow. Her emerald-green hair, silky and well-kept, framed her face perfectly, giving her an almost doll-like appearance. "Did... Vio kidnap you?"

  The tiny maid giggled, pressing a hand to her lips as if amused by the thought. "Kidnap? Oh no, no!" she replied with a pyful lilt, swaying slightly as she rocked on her heels. "I'm here of my own will, though I suppose if you’d rather believe something dramatic, I wouldn’t stop you."

  "Nnai, Yuzu will protecc!" Yuzu decred, puffing out her chest with pride as she gently patted the little girl’s head. Her tail swished with determination as she turned back toward Vio's room. "Bery notto worry, Yuzu will beat up the bery bad witch!"

  Just as she took a step forward, a small yet firm hand tched onto her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "Wait, no!" the little girl cried, her golden eyes wide with urgency. "Miss Vio is not a bad witch!" Her grip tightened as she looked up at Yuzu with pleading eyes, her expression a mix of concern and frustration, as if truly worried Yuzu might charge in recklessly.

  "B-but, little girl bery here because that bad witch bery scawy, right?" Yuzu asked, tilting her head with a concerned pout, her ears twitching slightly.

  The little girl shook her head, her golden eyes gleaming with an unreadable expression. "No, I'm only here because she grabbed me when I was asleep," she said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

  Yuzu and I exchanged gnces, momentarily speechless. My brow furrowed as I tried to process what she had just said, while Yuzu’s tail bristled in disbelief. The flickering ntern light cast long shadows over the hallway, making the absurdity of the moment feel almost eerie.

  "Um... that is kidnapping," I muttered, my brow twitching as I shot the little maid a skeptical look.

  Yuzu's jet bck eyes gleamed ominously, her ears fttening as her tail bristled with growing fury. The flickering ntern light cast dramatic shadows across her face, making her scowl look all the more intimidating.

  The little girl immediately waved her hands in a panic, shaking her head vigorously. "Wait, no! I didn't mean it like that!" she blurted out, her voice rising an octave. "She took me in during the great elf forest fire! I was unconscious when she found me! That's all!"