Morning light streamed gently over the Ahn estate. Dew clung to the leaves of the trimmed hedges, and the garden stirred with soft birdsong. For once, the household was quiet.
In the courtyard, Ione moved silently among the shrubs, a small pair of pruning scissors in hand. She worked with meticulous precision—snipping a leaf here, trimming a branch there. Her movements were graceful, deliberate, almost like a ritual of devotion.
Beside her, Haide also tended to the shrubs. He glanced at her handiwork and smiled. "You're good at this," he remarked, clipping a stray twig.
"Oh, thank you, sir. I got used to it back at the de Clein manor," Ione replied with a small smile, continuing until the last of her section was finished.
She straightened and brushed her hands together. "I'm finished with my work. Is there anything else I should do now?"
"Already?" Haide raised a brow, then nodded. "Since Beatrice is out, call the young master down. Wood should be done with breakfast."
Ione froze. "Th-The young master? Me? Can't you do it?" Her voice wavered; she had avoided him ever since arriving at the Ahn estate, ducking away whenever their paths crossed.
Haide checked the sun's position before replying. "I can't. The Lady asked me to deliver some wines this morning. Come on, quickly. He shouldn't be kept waiting when the food's ready."
"B-But…"
Haide didn't budge, already turning to leave. "No excuses. Go."
Her heart sank. She didn't know how to speak to her new young master—what if she offended him, the way she had her previous master?
The memory clawed back: the day she had gone to wake Alister with tea, only for him to throw the scalding cup over her. She had not been allowed to eat for the rest of the day for "ruining his morning."
Her steps grew heavy as she headed toward Ji Hoon's room, her thoughts spiraling. She didn't even realize she was still holding the pruning scissors tightly in her hand.
* * *
Meanwhile...
Ji Hoon stepped off his bed, stretching until his shoulders popped. According to the letter he'd received from the Ministry of Food, the next round of the ICC would begin tomorrow. That meant today—just for today—he had the whole day free.
He slid open the balcony doors and stepped into the morning light, letting the breeze wash over him. This had become his small routine these past days: soak in the early sunshine and savor a few minutes of peace.
He lifted his long hair. It had been hard for him to cook these days—the hair getting in the way of his eyes and forcing him to tie it in knots continuously every time he worked, which made him wonder.
'Is there, like, a medieval barber or something here?'
Sighing, he decided to get back to his scenery.
Yet even as he breathed it in, a pang hit him. Back in his old life, he used to stop by a coffee shop every morning for a quick latte before work. Here, that small ritual was missing.
The house was silent. His mother had mentioned the night before that she would be away on business this morning, and Beatrice—normally the one to barge in and wake him—was nowhere to be seen. Likely she'd gone to fetch groceries.
A rare moment alone.
Ji Hoon's gaze flicked to his hand, and a thought surfaced.
'Maybe… I could sneak one now.'
He had been experimenting lately with storing not just ingredients but pre-made things as well. After seeing how efficient it was to keep agar ready, he'd begun filling the void with other items each time the cooldown reset.
One of them: his favorite lattes.
A smile tugged at his lips. If there was ever a perfect morning to enjoy one, it was now. He raised his hand and whispered, "Retrieve."
The air spiraled around his fingers, particles gathering, weaving, and solidifying. Light shimmered faintly before condensing into a glass, frothy latte resting neatly in his palm.
The magic faded. Ji Hoon exhaled in relief. "Perfect."
For anyone who saw the scene, it would have been shocking—magic pulling matter from nothing, a drink materializing out of thin air. And when Ji Hoon lifted his head, someone was indeed stunned.
He froze.
Ione stood in the doorway, scissors still in hand, her eyes wide and unblinking. She stared at the cup, then at him, frozen as though the world itself had paused.
Ji Hoon's chest tightened. He had guarded this secret carefully, choosing every moment with precision, making sure no one was ever around. Yet now, of all times, he had slipped. The secrecy he had kept intact until now cracked in an instant.
For a long moment, they only stared at one another, the silence pressing down heavier than stone.
At last, her voice broke through. "…Wh-What was that, Young Master?"
* * *
Ji Hoon sat on the sofa, hands cupping his latte as he spoke. Ione sat across from him, listening intently, her face lighting up with surprise at his explanation.
"…And that's it," Ji Hoon finished, setting his cup down.
For the first time since arriving, Ione looked up, meeting his gaze directly. His eyes traced over her features, and he couldn't help but notice the small details that made her look almost like a living mascot character—adorable and bright.
Her fox-like ears twitched ever so slightly, perked and alert, framing her expressive eyes. The soft curve of her multiple tails fanned out behind her, each one shifting subtly as if trying to mimic her emotions.
Even the way she sat—hands folded neatly in her lap, posture perfect yet delicate—made her seem like a carefully designed illustration brought to life.
Ji Hoon's lips curved into a faint smile. Cute, lively, and full of character—she really did look like something out of a storybook.
'I didn't notice it, back then when we met but she's an actual Beast girl! Wow! Somehow...she reminds me of my cat back in my world,'
"…So, Young Master has a spatial magic that stores and retrieves things for him?" she asked, her voice soft but curious, cutting through his inner monologue.
"Yes," he confirmed, glancing at her face. But her expression didn't seem to change much, which confused him. "…But you don't seem fazed by it."
"Ah, i-it's not that," she stammered. "I am surprised, it's just that… back at the de Clein manor, I heard from some servants that high merchants and certain imperial mages use boxes similar to yours.
They hold things for them—packages, safes mostly—but they cost around five platinum coins. They're very expensive, and they can only hold limited items. I heard that food especially can't stay longer than a week.
So… seeing your drink," she glanced at the cup in his hands, "I was surprised it appeared out of thin air. And from your explanation, it seems it doesn't go rotten. I… I was just amazed."
Ji Hoon's eyes lit up with interest. 'So, they have portable inventories here too… but it seems my skill is more versatile—and, well… free.'
He looked at her, noticing how her eyes drifted back to her hands. A small smile tugged at his lips—until something beside her legs caught his attention. A pair of pruning scissors.
He blinked. He remembered seeing her bring something when she arrived, but he hadn't gotten the chance to ask earlier. Now, curiosity got the better of him.
"Umm… what is that?" Ji Hoon asked, pointing toward it.
Ione followed his finger, her gaze landing on the scissors. Her ears twitched in surprise.
"Oh, my—I didn't even notice it." She shot to her feet so quickly it startled him, bowing her head as she stammered, "S-Sorry, my lord! I'll take it away right now—"
Flustered, she scooped up the scissors and hurried toward the door.
Ji Hoon couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the usually shy and reserved vixen scrambling like a clumsy maid in a play. Then, a thought struck him.
"Wait," he called after her. "Are you the one who's been trimming the courtyard?"
She stopped, turning back to bow politely. "Yes."
"Oh," Ji Hoon said, a note of admiration in his voice. "I was wondering who made it look so beautiful. It seems you're pretty skilled with scissors."
Her tails swayed ever so slightly, betraying her happiness at the compliment. "I am honored that you like it, sir," she said, her voice brightening just a little.
Ji Hoon's hand drifted to his own long hair, a memory from earlier in the morning popping into his mind. He hesitated, then spoke up just as Ione was about to step out the door.
"Ione…"
She paused, glancing back at him. "Yes? Is there anything I can do for you, Young Master?"
"Well… have you ever trimmed hair before?"
Her ears perked up in confusion. "Pardon?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Ji Hoon gave her a sheepish grin. "I want you to cut my hair."