"Good morning, Kisaragi!"
The voice was way too cheerful for how heavy Rin's eyelids felt. She groaned softly, rolling to one side—only to nearly fall off the bed. Her eyes snapped open.
Selene was standing right beside her bed, leaning forward with a mischievous grin as if she'd been waiting for Rin to wake up all morning.
"…What are you doing here?" Rin muttered, rubbing her temples. Then her eyes widened as another thought hit her. "Wait. How did I even get back to my room? The last thing I remember was—"
"Well, you fell asleep on my shoulder." Selene's voice was casual, as if she were commenting on the weather. "I couldn't just leave you there, so I carried you home myself."
Rin sat bolt upright. "You what?"
Her head spun as flashes of memory returned—Sayuri's betrayal, the black ants, the hostages, the golden queen. She clutched her head as the fragments pieced together. "Wait—the hostages, the ants—what happened after?!"
Selene's smile softened, losing its usual edge of teasing. "Relax, Kisaragi. You saved the day."
"…I did?" Rin asked skeptically, staring at her.
"You trapped the golden ant and freed the hostages," Selene said. "By now, Rei and her father will have returned the people to safety and given them shelter. And as for Sayuri…" Selene's eyes gleamed just faintly. "She's being punished by the clan lord."
Rin slowly lowered her hands, staring. "…So it's over?"
"It's over because of you."
Rin squinted suspiciously at Selene. "I've told you so many times—stop smiling at me like that." She jabbed a finger at her.
"I won't." Selene's voice was calm, steady, as if the answer were absolute. "You're my reason to smile, Kisaragi. Just seeing you… makes my whole day."
Rin's cheeks warmed instantly. "You—you can't just say stuff like that first thing in the morning!" she sputtered.
Selene tilted her head innocently, though her eyes betrayed amusement. Then, without warning, she stepped closer.
Rin immediately scrambled back on the bed, holding up her hands like a shield. "Don't come closer! Don't you dare come closer!"
"Fine then." Selene's smirk returned. "I won't."
But of course, she cheated.
A faint ripple of invisible force stirred the air, and in the next instant Rin was yanked forward by an unseen pull—straight into Selene's arms.
"Wha—hey! That's not fair!" Rin yelped, struggling as Selene's embrace tightened.
"Well, looks like you're the one who's close now." Selene teased softly, her lips brushing against Rin's ear as she spoke.
Rin froze, face burning red. "Let me go! This is harassment!"
Instead of letting go, Selene leaned in and pressed her lips lightly against Rin's. Just a brief touch—gentle, yet enough to leave Rin's mind completely blank.
Her eyes widened in shock, her whole body stiff.
Selene held her close, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Today was supposed to be our second date. But since you had such a rough night… I'll postpone it until tomorrow, Kisaragi."
For a fleeting moment, Rin felt her warmth, her steadiness, her care—and she almost melted into it. Almost.
Reality struck her like a hammer. She shoved Selene back, face glowing crimson. "Too much hugging," she muttered quickly, eyes darting anywhere but Selene's face.
Selene only grinned like she'd won a prize. "See you tomorrow, Kisaragi. Love you."
"Love you—" Rin muttered automatically before her brain caught up with her mouth. She froze mid-syllable, clapping her hands over her lips as her heart pounded furiously.
Selene slipped out of the room, her laugh echoing down the hallway.
Left alone, Rin dropped onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow. "Stop beating so fast, you dumb heart!" she groaned loudly.
Then—she noticed.
Her clothes. Changed. Into nightwear.
Rin sat bolt upright, staring at her sleeves in horror. "…Oh no. She changed me again."
Her face turned bright red as she threw both arms across her chest. "That pervert!"
….
"Good morning, everyone," Rin greeted stiffly, sliding into her seat at the long breakfast table.
"Good morning, niece," Master Hoshino said calmly, sipping tea as if nothing in the world could disturb him.
The morning light spilled across the hall, reflecting off the polished floor and the silver dishes filled with steaming rice, miso soup, and fresh fish. Ayato was already halfway through his food, while Minato was sulking over an empty spot beside him.
"The Clan Lord has requested your presence today," Master Hoshino continued smoothly. "You, Ayato, Minato… and Akari."
Rin blinked. "Eh? Why?"
Akari, who was sitting beside her with perfect posture, turned and smiled. "It's because you rescued those people last night, cousin Rin."
"Oh…" Rin's shoulders relaxed slightly. Selene had completely taken over her morning thoughts; she'd nearly forgotten about the rescue.
Still, suspicion lingered. "So… is the clan lord going to thank us, Master? Why does he want us exactly?"
Master Hoshino chuckled, setting down his cup. "When you arrive at the center, you'll know. I won't ruin the surprise."
….
"Don't worry, brother—you'll get a good, strong new fan soon," Ayato said, trying to console Minato, who had been brooding since the fight with the ants.
"My fan was perfect. Perfect!" Minato lamented dramatically, cradling the broken pieces like a funeral relic.
Rin rolled her eyes. "You're acting like someone killed your first love."
"It was my first love," Minato declared gravely.
Ayato groaned. "He's hopeless."
Meanwhile, Rin and Akari climbed into the palanquin, its polished frame glowing faintly with enchanted symbols. Four water horses, their bodies translucent like flowing rivers, rose into the air effortlessly, carrying them skyward.
The view unfolded beneath them. Rolling green fields, glittering streams, distant mountains cutting against the horizon.
"Wow…" Rin's eyes sparkled as she leaned out to see. "The clan lord's land is beautiful—it's so huge and wide!"
"Yes," Akari said proudly, sitting with grace. "That's why he's the clan lord. His land is greater than every other clan's."
"I heard his lands cover half of Kaida," Minato chimed in.
"Yes, but the Ice Queen's island is still bigger," Ayato countered, never missing an opportunity to challenge a statement.
"No wonder she's called queen…" Rin muttered under her breath.
Akari glanced at her. "Do you know the story of the Ice Queen?"
Rin tilted her head. "What story?"
"No one in Kaida is allowed to tell the story," Akari said seriously. "I thought you already knew, cousin Rin."
"No one is allowed to say it," Ayato repeated slowly, drawing out every word.
Rin stared between the two of them. "…Okay then."
And just like that, she shrugged it off, turning her gaze back to the horizon, where the sunlight shimmered on the endless lands stretching below them.