I stood there like a dummy.
It was a good thing my hair was long enough to cover some of my private parts, as my mind had suddenly gone blank.
Meanwhile, Lion and Ghost, who had shifted back into his regular self, turned bright red.
They hurriedly ducked behind a large boulder. The cloak suddenly appeared, floating near me.
I thanked them sarcastically, muttering about how I actually needed it.
Lion cleared his throat and yelled out an apology. I could hear Ghost scolding him, saying something about how he had tried to warn him, but Lion wouldn't listen.
Lion just kept shouting apologies.
I sighed and wrapped the cloak around my body. As long as they didn't touch me, I wouldn't get mad.
I'm at an age where I don't mind the small things, provided no one tries to take advantage of me.
Since my clothes were still wet, I silently collected them and headed back to the campsite. I put my sandals on, though as I didn't want to get my feet dirty.
I walked past Lion and Ghost, ignoring them completely. When I arrived at the campsite, I sat down on the large cloud pillow that served as my bed.
I have to admit... I was furious.
I draped my clothes over a tree branch and sat back down, frowning as I tried to finger-comb my hair. I desperately wanted a comb, though I had no idea if such a thing even existed in this world.
Lion tried to approach me with an embarrassed look, his face a deep shade of crimson.
Meanwhile, Ghost hurried over, grabbed my wet clothes, and told me he'd find a better place to dry them. Then, he bolted.
I told Lion to stop apologizing.
Of course, I was still fuming, but a small part of me knew I wasn't entirely blameless.
I really should have warned them before just stripping down. But still, a little warning from their end wouldn't have hurt either.
Lion's ears perked up and his expression shifted to something almost cheerful. He told me he had something for me as an object shimmered into existence on his palm.
Curious, I asked him what it was.
It was a comb, a beautiful thing with intricate decorations carved into the handle.
Ohh..
He asked hesitantly if he could comb my hair.
I felt a rush of heat to my face and nodded.
He smiled and began to comb through the strands with incredible gentleness. I blushed even harder as his fingers brushed against my scalp while he worked through the tangles.
It felt unexpectedly intimate.
Why is he being so sweet? It is getting harder to stay annoyed when he's looking at me like that.
A warm breeze began to flow around me, drying my damp hair. Lion was clearly using magic.
He continued to comb, softly singing a song in a language I didn't understand, though the melody was beautiful.
The way his hands moved through my hair made me feel truly special, almost cherished.
He asked for permission to braid my hair, and I agreed. He wove it into a fishtail braid and somehow decorated the strands with what looked like fresh flowers.
Where did he even get these?!
After a few minutes, he whispered that he was finished.
He sat down beside me and draped his trench coat over my shoulders.
We didn't speak for a long time, the silence between us heavy but no longer tense.
....
Lion asked me if I felt cold. I shake my head and told him I'm alright.
We feel silent again.
It felt awkward.
I thanked him for fixing my hair.
Lion shyly nodded as he tried to take a peek at me.
Oh for goodness' sake.
I asked him in an annoyed voice, why he's feeling shy.
Lion's face became red again. He shyly admitted, while averting his eyes, that he likes looking at me.
Now it's my face who turned red this time.
....
Ghost finally returned after a while, triumphantly carrying my dry clothes. He told me he'd found a prime spot where the sunlight was strongest.
He handed over the clothes and tried to pull Lion away, but paused for a moment. He looked at my face and told me I looked pretty before quickly turning around, the tips of his ears flushed red.
Great, now I'm feeling like a giddy teenager.
I told Lion and Ghost not to leave but to simply turn their backs to me.
They both nodded, clearing their throats simultaneously in a synced moment of awkwardness.
I chuckled as I shed the cloak and Lion's trench coat. I dressed slowly, my mind drifting.
I really need some fresh underwear. Aside from what I was wearing when I was transported here, I have nothing. I mentally added underwear to the growing list of things I planned to have made as soon as we return.
I told them I was done as I pulled on my trench coat.
They both turned around and sighed. I handed Lion his trench coat and cloak while Ghost yawned.
Ghost mumbled that it was time to return as he handed Lion a scroll. He took my hand while Lion activated it.
Yeah... it was time to go back.
....
Pinky squealed with a high-pitched sound when he saw us emerge from the portal.
I hugged him as he continued to squeal, his leaves falling around us like confetti. He had grown taller while we were away.
Lion complained that Pinky was making a mess, while Ghost roared with laughter.
Ghost told Lion to ease up, still breathless from laughing.
Finally, Pinky calmed down and moved to a corner.
Now, it's time for us to get to work.
....
Lion, Ghost, and I went to one of Lion's workrooms and sat on chairs that magically appeared.
I explained how an ice cream machine works.
Lion managed to understand me, even though my explanation sounded confusing even to myself. He thought for a while, then tried to create one using his magic.
Finally, we had an ice cream machine.
It only produced one flavor, but I didn't mind.
I didn't want the creatures here to get overwhelmed and I knew I could have Lion improve it in the far future.
I asked Ghost if there were fruits that tasted like milk and cream, though I had difficulty describing them. Somehow, Ghost understood immediately and hurried to the garden to gather the fruits we needed.
After a short while, everything was ready. I tasted each fruit to determine which ones to put into the machine. I managed to toss a few in before realizing I had forgotten the ice.
As the machine began mixing, I felt a surge of dread, expecting it to fail.
Then I remembered. This machine was made of magic. I had forgotten that reality is different here and I had underestimated just how capable Lion is with his magic.
After a few minutes, the machine stopped and...voila! A small cup of ice cream emerged.
It was just like a vending machine.
I half-expected it to get stuck or give me a handful of mush, but there it was.. a perfect, frosty miracle.
I took it out and tasted it.
Oh my gosh! The taste was incredible!
It was so creamy, sweet, and cold. I nearly cried with joy.
I had almost forgotten what "cold" felt like on my tongue in this world. It tasted like home, but better.
Lion and Ghost looked intrigued and both got their own ice cream. When Lion tasted his, he closed his eyes and slowly licked his lips.
He looked... erotic.
Oops.
That was shameless of me.
I quickly looked away, my face heating up.
Focus! It's just ice cream.
High-quality, magical ice cream... but still!
Ghost hurriedly finished his ice cream and went back for more.
I have a feeling this is going to be another successful business.