Snow drifted lazily through the air as Rei and Nari walked along the narrow road that led from the lake toward the nearby settlement. The path was packed down by boots and sled tracks, lanterns hanging from wooden posts casting warm orange light over the white ground.
Hacenförn was small, but lively.
Wooden stalls lined the street. A man sold roasted fish over a fire pit. A group of kids ran through the snow throwing icy clumps at each other. Someone nearby hammered metal in a tiny forge, sparks flying into the cold air.
Nari walked ahead happily, hands behind his head.
"See? Not so bad, right?" he said. "People think Hacenförn is just ice and ghosts, but it's actually pretty cozy."
Rei glanced around quietly.
"…It's peaceful."
"Exactly!" Nari said proudly. "We've got food, warm houses, a market, and
Then it happened.
From somewhere above the rooftops came a sharp, elegant laugh.
"Fufufufufu~"
It cut through the street like a blade.
The laughter wasn't friendly. It wasn't joyful.
It was mocking.
The townspeople immediately froze.
One of the merchants muttered under his breath.
"…Oh no."
Rei slowly looked upward.
Standing on the wooden railing of a second-floor balcony was a petite figure.
Purple hair fluttered in the cold wind like a dark flame. Two cat ears poked through the strands, twitching slightly. Her cloak was jagged and spiked along the edges, hanging dramatically over her shoulders like something out of a villain's storybook.
Her outfit underneath was… questionably practical for winter. Slightly revealing, stylish, clearly chosen more for intimidation than warmth.
And yet she looked completely comfortable in the snow.
She rested one foot on the railing, balancing effortlessly as if gravity itself didn't matter.
Her golden eyes glowed with amusement as she looked down at the street.
"Honestly," she sighed loudly, voice dripping with arrogance, "this place gets more boring every year."
She hopped off the railing.
But instead of falling
She landed lightly on a stack of wooden crates, then kicked off them, flipping once in the air before landing right in the middle of the street.
Snow puffed around her boots.
Her cloak snapped dramatically behind her.
She straightened slowly… brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve.
Then she smirked.
"Ahhh… there we go. An audience."
Several villagers backed away nervously.
Rei noticed something immediately.
They were scared of her.
The purple-haired neko stretched her arms lazily, tail flicking behind her like a bored predator.
Then her eyes landed on Nari.
"Oh?" she said, tilting her head.
"Well well well."
She placed a hand on her hip.
"If it isn't the lake's little babysitter."
Nari sighed.
"…Morning to you too."
She grinned wide, showing a slightly sharp canine tooth.
"Morning? Sweetie, I've been awake since dawn causing problems."
Then her gaze slid over to Rei.
She looked him up and down slowly.
Her grin widened.
"Well now…" she purred.
"That's a new face."
She stepped closer, circling Rei once like a curious cat inspecting prey.
"So this is the mysterious popsicle you dragged out of my lake?"
Nari groaned.
"It's not your lake."
"Everything interesting in this boring town belongs to me," she said proudly.
Then she suddenly leaned forward toward Rei's face.
Way too close.
Her golden eyes glittered mischievously.
"And you…"
She smiled slowly.
"…look like someone who attracts trouble."
Rei stared back at her calmly.
"…And you look like the trouble."
For a moment
Silence.
Then the purple-haired neko burst into loud laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
She spun around dramatically, cloak flaring.
"Oh I like him already!"
She turned back and gave a theatrical bow.
"Allow me to introduce myself, little snow survivor."
She snapped her fingers.
A small burst of purple sparks flickered in the air around her.
"My name is Virexa Clawthorne."
She placed a hand on her chest with exaggerated elegance.
"The most entertaining problem this town has."
Then she winked at Rei.
"And probably your future headache."
Nari rubbed his forehead.
"…Great. She's interested now."
Virexa tilted her head.
"Oh relax, lake boy."
She smirked.
"I'm not here to ruin your day."
She looked at Rei again, eyes gleaming.
"…Yet."
Then with a sudden burst of speed
She jumped back onto a roof.
Snow scattered beneath her boots.
She walked along the rooftop edge like a cat on a fence.
"Enjoy your tour, mystery boy!" she called down.
"Try not to fall into any more cursed lakes!"
And with one final villainous laugh
"Fufufufufu~!"
She disappeared across the rooftops.
The town slowly began moving again.
Rei looked up at the roof she vanished from.
"…What was that."
Nari sighed deeply.
"That…"
He pointed up toward the rooftops.
"…was Virexa."
Pause.
"…And she's going to be a problem."
The town slowly returned to life after Virexa vanished across the rooftops.
Merchants continued selling their goods, though a few still glanced nervously upward. Children resumed their snow fights. The blacksmith's hammer rang out again against hot metal.
But Rei didn't move.
He was still looking at the rooftop where she had disappeared.
Nari noticed and waved a hand in front of his face.
"Hellooo? Earth to mysterious snow survivor."
Rei blinked and looked down.
"…She's strange."
Nari snorted. "That's the nicest way anyone has ever described her."
Rei shook his head slowly.
"No… not just strange."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the rooftops again.
"Something's off."
Nari raised an eyebrow. "Off?"
Rei folded his arms.
"When she moved… her steps were light."
"Well yeah," Nari said. "She's a cat. That's kinda their thing."
Rei shook his head again.
"No. Not like that."
He paused, thinking carefully.
"When she jumped from the balcony… she didn't check her landing once."
Nari blinked.
"And when she landed… she didn't brace."
Another pause.
"…And when she stood in the street," Rei continued quietly, "everyone backed away before she even said anything."
Nari scratched his cheek.
"Well… yeah. People don't exactly enjoy her visits."
Rei's expression remained serious.
"But they weren't annoyed."
"They were afraid."
The wind blew through the street, carrying loose snow across the ground.
Rei glanced up at the rooftops one more time.
"…And she wanted us to notice her."
Nari tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"She made a loud entrance," Rei said. "The laugh. The dramatic landing. The sparks."
He looked back at Nari.
"If she wanted to cause trouble, she could've just attacked someone."
"But she didn't."
Nari slowly crossed his arms now.
"…So?"
Rei's eyes sharpened.
"She wanted attention."
"Specifically ours."
For a moment Nari didn't say anything.
Then he sighed.
"Yeah… that sounds like her."
But Rei still felt it.
That heavy instinct deep in his stomach.
The same instinct he felt before a fight.
Before danger.
Before death.
He looked toward the snowy rooftops again.
"…There's more to her than she showed us."
High above the town…
On the ridge of a roof.
Virexa crouched low, her purple hair blowing gently in the wind.
Her golden eyes watched Rei from afar.
She tapped a claw lightly against the tile.
"…Interesting," she murmured to herself.
Her tail swayed slowly behind her.
"He noticed."
Her grin widened slightly.
"Most people don't."
She leaned forward on the rooftop edge, resting her chin in her palm.
"…You might actually make this place fun for a while, snow boy."
Then she stood up and stretched lazily.
"Well… let's see how long you survive Hacenförn."
With that, she leaped away across the rooftops again, disappearing into the falling snow.