Princess Dog slept for about fourteen or fifteen hours straight, and when she finally woke up, the first thing she felt was a lightness and ease in her body. Every bone and limb seemed to have been reawakened, each muscle loose and relaxed, no longer plagued by the previous soreness and fatigue.
She couldn't help but stretch with a great, luxurious yawn, feeling in an excellent mood. Then she saw sunlight filtering through the paper windows, casting dappled patterns on the floor. She stared blankly at the shifting light for a moment, her mind finally sharpening. Suddenly she let out a gasp—by the look of it, it was nearly noon, and she hadn't yet paid her respects to Mistress Tsuchida. She'd likely be severely punished later.
"Princess, you're awake?"
