Ears?
Lynette reflexively covered her ears.
She didn't dislike her cat ears as much anymore, but she still felt uneasy about letting others touch them.
"Why?" she whispered.
"Because I want to. So I will."
"Ugh..." Lynette thought. That's such a simple and irrefutable reason.
Sensing her reluctance, Luna added, "It's okay. I know you've been through so much because of your ears. I was just asking."
Luna's smile was polite and gentle, causing Lynette to lower her gaze.
Even though I have nowhere to return to, I can take you back to your family. The warmth of those words still lingered in Lynette's heart.
Arlecchino had said that the children here were her family.
But it felt utterly unreal.
Every face was unfamiliar, their eyes brimming with the same curiosity Lynette had seen in others before.
She could sense their urge to touch her cat ears, to see if they were real.
But she wouldn't allow it. If anyone dared reach out, she would bite them.
Luna was different...
"You can try reaching out," Lynette whispered.
"Reach out?"
"Yeah. If you touch them, it means you can. If you don't, it means you can't," Lynette said, stealing glances at Luna.
Luna looked bewildered. "Logically, that makes sense, but it sounds like complete nonsense."
"...Anyway, that's how it works."
Whether someone could touch her ears depended on her body and heart.
Cats never let people they dislike get close, let alone touch them.
Conversely, tolerating someone's touch meant she trusted and liked them.
"I heard that when you're choosing a partner, if you first consider whether you can tolerate their touch, the answer will come to you naturally."
Of course, Luna wasn't choosing a partner, but the principle still applied.
A sudden realization struck her. Luna nodded. "Oh, I see. Then... I'll try it."
She extended her hand from under the covers, slowly reaching toward Lynette's cat ears under Lynette's slightly tense gaze.
Then, she gently touched them.
For a moment, Lynette forgot to breathe. It wasn't from disgust or aversion, but from a sudden electric sensation that spread through her entire body, seeping into every inch of her flesh and skin.
She immediately buried her face completely in the pillow, curling up slightly.
"What's wrong?" Luna hastily withdrew her hand in a panic.
When Lynette didn't respond, Luna leaned closer anxiously. "Does it hurt? Are you injured?"
"No... it doesn't hurt."
A relieved smile spread across Luna's face, only to quickly turn to confusion. "Then what is it?" she asked.
"It's a little ticklish," Lynette's voice was muffled by the pillow. "But you can keep touching them. I... I don't seem to mind."
"'Seems'? Does that mean Lynette's body and mind are disconnected?" Luna asked.
"How could that be possible?"
Even though she possessed extraordinary organs unlike those of ordinary humans, she was still human.
Luna watched Lynette for a long moment before gently raising her hand again and placing it on Lynette's head. Her fingertips traced the slightly trembling cat ears, slowly searching for the perfect spot.
A warm, ticklish sensation spread from the tips of Lynette's ears down to their bases.
Lynette: "..."
Luna heard no complaint, saw no sign of displeasure. Yet Lynette hugged her pillow tightly, a muffled sound escaping her lips.
"Lynette? Are you really okay?"
"Y-yes..."
"But you're acting strangely. Let me see your face." Luna gently tugged at a strand of Lynette's hair.
Lynette lifted her face slightly from the pillow, darted a quick glance at Luna, then buried it again. Her cat tail swayed slowly beneath the covers, swishing back and forth. Perhaps a few stray hairs had come loose inside.
"I told you I'm fine. You can keep going."
"Hmm? Alright then."
The pillow was saturated with Lynette's warm breath as Luna's fingertips returned, kneading the ticklish, comforting base of her ears.
It felt wonderful.
But Lynette remained silent, fighting the urge that lingered in her mind—the impulse to bite Luna's fingers.
The more Luna stroked her cat ears, the stronger the urge became.
I need to change the subject, Lynette thought.
"Luna... how did you end up there?" She immediately regretted asking.
Even though the danger and hardship were long gone, Lynette still felt uneasy and disgusted by that mansion. Perhaps Luna felt the same way.
"Didn't I tell you? The others at the orphanage sent me there."
"...Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked," Lynette murmured.
"It's fine. I don't mind."
Luna's calm tone made Lynette look up and meet her gaze again.
"Would you like to hear about my life before I came here? I can tell you if you want," Luna whispered.
After a brief hesitation, Lynette nodded.
And so, Luna recounted her entire life story to Lynette, from birth until now.
The strange orphanage was actually a shop that specialized in selling children. She had been abandoned by her parents... It wasn't exactly a pleasant topic, but Luna's face showed no anger or pain.
"If you hadn't come, Lynette, I might have returned to the moon."
"Returned to the moon?" Lynette asked, puzzled.
Luna nodded. "My name means 'moon,' so I thought my true home might be there. But then you came, Lynette."
"Even though you didn't mean it that way, after learning about Lynette's wish, I thought to myself, 'There's still something I can do.'"
"I have nowhere to return to, but I can help Lynette go back to her brother."
"In the end, Lynette gave me a reason to keep living."
Lynette's eyes widened as she grasped Luna's meaning. She immediately grabbed Luna's hand and whispered, "W-what about now?"
"Right now, I'm just sleeping with Lynette."
"I mean, what are you thinking?"
Luna patted the back of Lynette's hand, signaling her to relax. "I don't think that way anymore."
Because Arlecchino had given her a place to belong, making a promise that would never waver. From that day forward, she would be Arlecchino's child.
Arlecchino's daughter.
"I don't know what the future holds, but this is enough for now," Luna said softly.
Lynette finally released Luna's hand, feeling reassured.
This is wonderful.
Though it was only their first night meeting, they had already shared the most pivotal turning point in their lives. Luna had shown her the direction of hope and saved her.
Lynette couldn't bear the thought of Luna disappearing from this world.
"Luna, does that mean we're family now?" Lynette suddenly asked.
"Now that we're both part of this family, I guess that makes us sisters, right? Should I call you 'Sister'? I think I'm a bit older," Luna said with a chuckle.
Sister Luna? Lynette shook her head, not particularly fond of the title.
"No, don't."
"I figured as much."
Even though they were family, there was no need to rigidly define who was the older sister and who was the younger.
Luna reached out and gently stroked Lynette's cat ears.
Lynette quietly accepted the petting, lowering her eyes as she murmured, "After Mom and Dad died, we had to wander the streets..."
She began to share her story with Luna: living on the streets, secretly learning magic to earn a living as a street performer, being adopted by a noble, and then sold to Lefèvre. As she spoke, Lynette curled up into a tighter ball.
"...I feel a little cold," Lynette whispered.
There were no extra blankets in the wardrobe.
Luna didn't actually feel cold, but since Lynette did, she thought for a moment and then pulled the blanket over both of them, covering them completely, including their heads.
Darkness enveloped them, leaving only the warmth of their shared breath and the fragrance of their hair intensely vivid.
"Let's sleep like this," Luna said.
"Won't it get too stuffy?" Lynette asked.
"Your body will move on its own when it feels too stuffy! You have to trust your body," Luna replied with a smile.
The human body is truly wondrous.
Even in the darkness, Lynette could clearly see Luna's smile.
"Mmm," she replied, a smile spreading across her own face.
But the blanket was only meant for one person, and staying too far apart would leave her back cold. Lynette shifted closer to Luna, closing the gap between them.
Still a bit too far. I should move closer.
"Does Adventures in the Night Kingdom, the story you told me, have a sequel?" Lynette asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Yes, it does!" Luna confirmed.
"Can you tell me more?" Lynette whispered.
"Of course! Oh, I wanted to ask—" Luna leaned forward eagerly, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Can I touch your tail?"
It must feel so soft...
Lynette instantly shielded her tail with both hands, whispering, "No... not yet."
She couldn't shake the feeling that touching it would somehow lead to trouble.
"...Not right now."
Luna wasn't disappointed. She knew that cats' tails were generally off-limits, unless the relationship was exceptionally close. She and Lynette hadn't known each other long, so it was perfectly understandable.
"What about your ears? Can I keep petting them?" Luna persisted.
"...Mmm."
Lynette added, "But don't touch the fur inside."
"So many restrictions," Luna murmured, a hint of complaint in her voice.
"I know, right? Even taking care of myself feels like a hassle," Lynette whispered back, a touch of frustration in her voice.
The next moment, Luna's still-childlike hand returned to Lynette's earlobe, gently scratching it. Lynette involuntarily parted her lips slightly, letting out a warm breath.
Fortunately, in the dim confines beneath the covers, only Luna could see Lynette's face.
"The Night Kingdom Princess, in search of the third Musketeer's firearm, decided to board the Pinocchio Galactic Express and journey to the Void to rescue Alice and Miss Mad Hatter, who had been swept away."
"Pinocchio's nose, capable of piercing the heavens, faced countless bees and roared, 'My nose can pierce the heavens! Begone, insignificant insects!'"
"But instead, his nose ended up covered in bee stings..."
"'Wait! Stop stinging me! I don't want to crash, you brats! This isn't funny!' Pinocchio wailed."
Luna's soft, melodious voice echoed within the blankets, her warm breath enveloping Lynette completely.
In this cozy little world, Lynette needed not worry about anything. She didn't have to gaze into the future or dwell on the bitter past.
Luna's voice filled her ears, her fingertips touched only soft skin, and all she could see was Luna's beautiful smile.
No matter what the past held or what tomorrow might bring, at least within this warm little world, Lynette felt a blissful drowsiness wash over her.
"Going to sleep?" Luna asked.
"Mmm..." Lynette murmured.
"Then I'll sleep too. We can talk more later. If we're family, we'll always have time." Luna withdrew her hand and yawned.
Suddenly, she sneezed.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Lynette asked.
"It feels like something tickled my nose," Luna replied.
The next morning, Luna woke to find her clothes covered in cat tail fur.
"I'm sorry," Lynette said, lowering her head.
Lynette's consciousness gradually returned.
She let out a long, drawn-out groan. "Mmm..."
"You're awake."
Who's there?!
Lynette immediately tensed, sitting up and locking eyes with the petite figure standing beside her bed.
"Miss Sigewinne?"
The Head Nurse of the Fortress of Meropide, Sigewinne, smiled warmly at her, her sky-blue hair styled into two adorable pigtails.
"Yes, it's me. But there's no time for pleasantries. Your family member, Monsieur Freminet, has been affected by the Primordial Sea."
"He's from Fontaine, and his condition is deteriorating rapidly."
Sigewinne packed the necessary medications and instruments into a medical kit and picked it up.
"Come with me. The others are this way."
Sigewinne hurried out of the room. Lynette, still groggy, pressed a hand to her throbbing head, swung her legs off the bed, and followed.
Although the Fortress of Meropide maintained a constant temperature, Lynette couldn't help but shiver as she recalled the dream she had just had—a vision woven from long-lost memories.
A little cold...