The Jansgard dining hall was a large room near the center of the main building. It was designed to be welcoming to entire families coming to visit, with the table alone capable of seating 40. A large fireplace roared in the back, a mounted head of a Hydra above it. Many other monster heads and ornamental weapons surrounded the room, a few paintings hung here and there. 

The duke and duchess sat side by side at the head of the large table, sipping from the wine glasses. Sitting on either side of the table were their children. The eldest sat on the right side of the table near her mother, Janice. She was the spitting image of her mother, with her long black hair and red eyes. Or a slightly older, human Primavella. 

Next to her was the 3rd oldest child, Quarz. She had inherited her father’s ash gray hair and brown eyes. It surprised people at first to learn that it was naturally like that. Most assumed it was due to age. 

On the other side of the table was Cayna Jansgard, the only adopted child of the family. Her parents were a distant cousin of the Duke that unfortunately perished in an accident when she was an infant. The duke and duchess agreed to take her in and raise her as their own daughter. 

She was rather meek in nature, and always spoke in an overly polite tone to her adoptive family. No one ever said it…but there’s no way she was actually accepted as a true daughter of this family. 

After all, there was only one person in this entire family that spends any time with her. 

The door to the dining hall swung open as Frue walked in with her hands cupped in front of her.

“My lords and ladies” she greeted, bowing politely as she got closer to the table. She walked to the seat next to Cayna and placed Primavella down. 

Cayna gave a soft smile down to her little sibling, feeling a sense of comfort from her presence. The only one that would come and visit her willingly was Prima. She was slightly cold like all the other members of the ducal household…but her actions showed that she genuinely cared. 

Though…something seemed different about her today. Normally, she had the same cold eyes and stern expression as the others. But she seemed…nervous? Her eyes were darting around at everyone’s faces like she couldn’t recognize them. Or…maybe she was looking for someone that wasn’t here? 

“Pri-” Cayna started. 

“Family” the duchess said, cutting her off. “I have an important announcement to make. Earlier today, Primavella was injured due to the carelessness of my sister’s maid. Thus, Priscilla is confined to her quarters for the time being. Mostly due to the accident resulting in Primavella to lose most of her memories” she explained. 

The eyes of her three siblings all shot down towards Primavella, who made a high pitched squeak at the sudden attention. She squirmed awkwardly under their gaze. 

“I-it is as she says. I…do not remember you all. I-I apologize for such a discourtesy…” she said, bowing her head politely. 

“I am your mother, Calliope, and this is your father, Hugh. These are your older sisters, Janice, Cayna, and Quarz” she said, motioning to everyone as she introduced them. 

“N-nice to…well, not quite meet…but um…see you?” she said awkwardly to everyone at the table. Janice and Quarz remained silent, simply observing Primavella. 

“C-cute…” Cayna mumbled quietly. 

What is this? Primavella Jansgard was the Sacred One of the Nation of Norn. A mythical being with powers that could wipe countries off the map. A daughter of the stoic Jansgards, whose cold stare could stop a charging elephant. 

But what on earth is this adorable creature?! 

For the first time, rather than respect and admiration, Cayna viewed Primavella as a cute little creature. So small and dainty and meek. It was hard to suppress the urge to scoop her up and cuddle her!!! 

Katie looked down as she tried to ignore the predatory gazes all around her. A cold sweat was washing over her as she tried not to run away from this entire situation. Honestly, this family was way too scary! 

She had already met the duke and duchess earlier today, so they weren’t scary anymore. She recognized Cayna from the game, and wasn’t too worried about her. After all, her character started off loving her sister very dearly. 

But the two people across from her were scary! 

The person sitting across from Cayna was clearly Janice, the eldest daughter. She looked exactly like the duchess, if a bit younger. But the person sitting next to her was a bit of a mystery. She had grey hair, so she thought that person might be her aunt Priscilla at first. But she looked way too young for that to be the case. 

When the duchess confirmed that Priscilla wasn’t here, it was confirmed. This person…might be the 3rd sibling, Quarz. She wasn’t a character in the game, despite being a student in the academy. 

But she looked so different…maybe a cousin? 

“Dinner is served” a servant announced at the door. Katie was pulled away from her thoughts as she watched half a dozen servants carrying platters into the room. She couldn’t help but stare in wonder as mountains of food was placed on the table in front of her. 

A roasted pig with an apple in its mouth, roasted vegetables, roasted chicken…

It looked amazing, but aren’t there a few too many roasted dishes here? Maybe it was someone’s preference. Then again, there might not be many cooking techniques in this country. 

As the plates were set in front of everyone, a maid brought over a separate set up for Katie. A miniature dining table, complete was mini plates and silverware. Even as she sat in the chair, it was a little surprising how comfortable it was. She half expected doll type furniture to be rough, but the cushion on this was excellent. 

Once everything was set, servants cut off pieces of the meal for everyone and had them plated. They used an expert hand at carefully making a neat plate for Katie, though it felt a little too big for her to eat alone. 

The food was excellent, if a little salty. As expected of a high ranking noble family! Maybe she could pretend to have an interest in cooking and slip the chef a few recipes… 

“Prima” the duchess suddenly called out. “Tomorrow is an important day, so remember to rest well” she warned. 

“T-tomorrow?” she asked, tilting her head. “Your Grace, what is happening tomorrow?” 

The duchess ignored her question, continuing to eat.

“Y-your grace?”
“...”
“M…mom?”
“...”
“M…m…m-mommy?” Katie forced out, her face becoming beet red.
“Yes, my sweet daughter?” the duchess replied with a happy grin. Katie tried her best not to notice the siblings all staring at her…

“What is happening tomorrow?” she asked once more.
“Oh, your fiance is coming to visit. The crown princess of this nation, Gremoria Norn. She’s quite beautiful, so don’t be too surprised when you see her, ok?” she said cheerfully. 

Katie froze up when she heard that statement. Gremoria…is coming to the castle to see her? The person that kills Primavella in each and every playthrough? No…that can’t be right! 

She forced herself to remain calm and analyze the situation. 

Gremoria kills Primavella after being deceived by Felicia. They haven’t even entered the academy yet, so there’s no chance that they’d be hostile to each other. At the start of the game, they established that Primavella and Gremoria were madly in love with each other. 

So it’s not like she was coming here to kill her. They aren’t enemies yet. And as much as Katie personally hates that scumbag of a princess…she hasn’t done anything wrong yet. 

It was only fair to give her a chance before making her own judgements. This is reality, not just a game. But…maybe she should test the waters a little bit. 

“A…fiance? As in, someone I’m supposed to marry?” she asked in an innocent voice. 

“That’s right, dear. Your lovely blushing bride for the future” the duchess responded with a playful smile. 

“How did we become engaged?” she asked. 

“How? Well, when I gave birth to you we received a request from the royal family for marriage. They always want Sacred Ones to be welcomed into their bloodline” she explained. Katie tightened a fist under her table. So it was a political marriage after all… 

“Well, we held off on answering for a while. After you met Gremoria for the first time, you told me you wanted to marry her. So, we agreed to it.” 

What?! It wasn’t strictly political?! Then… 

“Um…do I…have to get married?” she asked nervously. 

Everyone at the table stopped eating and looked to Katie.
“Wh-what are you saying?!” Janice yelled. 

“Prima, do you mean…?!” Cayna exclaimed. 

“Are you serious, Primavella!?” Quarz shouted. 

“Silence!” the duke shouted to his children. They quickly became quiet as the duchess looked down at Katie. 

“Do you not wish to get married to the princess, Primavella? You were the one to ask for this marriage, you know? I understand you’ve lost your memories, but once you regain them I’m sure your feelings towards her will return as well” she asked with a concerned tone. 

“I-I mean…” Katie stammered, nervously wringing her hands together. “If I get married…I won’t be able to live with everyone anymore, right? I’d have to leave her for the royal palace…” 

A heavy silence filled the air. Janice’s jaw outright hung open as she heard her sister’s response. Katie mentally scolded herself, thinking that might not have been the right move. 

“I…I can’t take it anymore!” Cayna suddenly shouted. Katie looked over in time to see a large hand hurtling towards her. She squealed as she found herself held firmly in her sister’s fist.

“L-let go!” Katie cried out, squirming futily. She tried to gather some magic power to teleport away or something, but there was no response. Primavella can’t use magic if her wings are bound! The pressure from being in her grip counted! 

She was helpless to stop Cayna as she pulled her close and…pressed her against her chest. Katie’s face lit up as she found herself pressed up against a vaguely familiar softness. 

“Prima! You’re so cute!” she explained, hugging her tightly against her chest. She spun around in her seat slightly, giggling heavily. “You should hurry up and call off that proposal and marry me instead!” 

The air was forced from her lungs as Katie was squeezed between two large, soft orbs. Her only slightly saving grace was that there was a layer of cloth between her and the breasts from Cayna’s purple dress. Otherwise she’d quickly be encased in her cleavage. 

“Let…go…” Katie forced out. This hug didn’t hurt her thanks to the spell, but it was hard to breathe like this. Maybe that’s the next spell she should work on… 

“Oh!” Cayna said as she finally realized what she was doing. She released her hug, simply holding Katie in her fist. “My apologies, I got carried away” she said with an apologetic smile. 

“Wh-what…are you even talking about!” Katie shouted in shock as she regained her breath. “W-we’re sisters, aren’t we? There’s no way we could get married!” 

“Oh, is that all?” Cayna replied, seeming weirdly relieved. “We don’t have any blood relation. So it’s fine!” 

“No no no, there’s no way it’s fine! I mean, mother and father have raised us as siblings! We’re sisters! It would be the same as trying to marry Janice!” she argued back. 

“Eh?!” Janice suddenly exclaimed, a slight blush coming across her face. “Wh-what are you talking about! There’s no way you’d want to marry me…” she said, trailing off at the end. 

WHY THE HELL WAS SHE REACTING LIKE THAT!?!?!

“Prima” Calliope suddenly spoke up. “I know you can’t remember, so I’ll explain it once more. You’re a Sacred One, a unique being in this world. When I was pregnant, the spirits overwrote all traces of me and your father. You are a completely different species. I may have been the one to birth you, but you actually have no blood connection to anyone in this world” she explained. “We raise you as our daughter, but you are a fairy and we are human. There would be no complications if you had children with Janice.” 

“W-wha-!” Katie blurted out in shock. There was no reference to anything like that in the game! Sure, they mentioned that she was a different species. But there was never any openly incestful things in it! 

“I…I respectfully decline…” Janice suddenly said, keeping her blushing face turned away. 

“N-no, I wasn’t seriously asking…” Katie said, feeling incredibly awkward. That’s when she realized something else. 

Janice and Quarz sat together, while Cayna and Primavella sat together. In other words, one side of the table held the blood related siblings. The other held the adopted child and the mutant pretending to be a daughter of Jansgard. 

Their silence, their harsh looks…this might have been what made Primavella so cold. Janice and Quarz must hate her for pretending to be a member of this family. It made perfect sense for prideful nobles, who put so much emphasis on bloodlines. 

“I…apologize…” Katie suddenly said towards Janice. “You must have really hated to hear something like that from someone that isn’t even your real sister…” 

Janice spun around and looked flustered.
“Th-that isn’t-”
“No, I understand. I may have lost my memories, but I can understand. I-I’ll do my best not to upset you and your precious blood sibling in the future…” Katie said. She knew something like this shouldn’t get to her…but a tear did drop from her face onto Cayna’s hand. The fact that Primavella had to be so hated despite being such a good person was heartbreaking…

“Ah! Big sis made Prima cry!” Quarz shouted, standing up from her seat.
“W-wait, that’s not what I-!” she stammered.
“There there, Prima, please don’t cry” Cayna said, gently patting Katie’s head and hugging her once more. Quarz ran around to the otherside of the table, crouching down by Cayna and stroked her back with a finger. 

“It’s ok, Prima. If big sis ever tries to bully you, I’ll protect you!” she said comfortingly. 

“Jeez, I don’t hate her!” Janice suddenly shouted. “It was just too sudden for a marriage proposal! Where did you even get such an idea?!” she asked, standing up from her seat. 

“I…I mean…” Katie stammered, wiping her eyes. “The ‘real’ sisters sit together while the ‘fake’ ones sit together…right?” 

“N-not all all! We alternate based off age! Me, then Cayna, then Quarz, then you! Not to mentino, Cayna always wants to sit by you! It’s not like we don’t want to sit next to you too!” 

“But…you were both glaring at me…” 

“We weren’t glaring! This is just how we look! Just yesterday you looked like this too!” she argued. 

Katie looked up, meeting Janice’s eyes. She was clearly embarrassed, but was certainly telling the truth. Then…this was all just her own misunderstanding? She hung her head low, trying to hide her own embarrassment. 

“Pfft!” the duchess cracked. She broke out in a small fit of giggles after desperately holding it back during that entire interaction. “Sweetheart, we are your family. We made not be connected by blood, but you are a child of the Jansgard family nonetheless. The same for Cayna. No one in this family could possibly hate you” she said earnestly. 

“...I’m sorry” Katie replied. 

“It’s fine, dear. I know you’re confused without your memories, so I won’t blame you. Janice, you too. Please be patient for now.”
“I-I understand that much…” she mumbled, sliding back into her seat. 

“And Primavella?” 

“Yes?”
“Meet with Gremoria tomorrow. See for yourself what kind of person she is. If you still want to break off the engagement after that, I’ll allow it. But try and give her a chance first” she said in a gentle tone. 

“...I understand.” 

The rest of dinner was spent a lot more peacefully. With the misunderstandings out of the way, Katie had a better understanding of this family. On the outside, they seem cold and strict. But the fact is, they were so stoic that they didn’t show how they felt inside. 

Just like how Primavella could be seen as a villainess despite being the heroine, the Jansgard family could be seen as cruel despite being so loving. 

Katie was passed around a bit among her siblings as they took turns comforting her or talking about themselves. She made sure to memorize all the information she didn’t already know from the game. 

Janice had recently graduated from the academy, so she was 4 years older than Prima. She specialized in magical formulae theory and was working on a thesis. Cayna and Quarz were both one year older, and already entered the academy. Surprisingly, Quarz was in the knights department rather than the magic department. Which explains why she wasn’t in the game at all… 

When the meal was done, Frue carried her away. She was brought to a magnificent bathroom, but had to bathe in a small bowl rather than the enormous bath. Apparently, Primavella couldn’t swim so it was too dangerous to let her into the main bath. 

It was a shock for Katie as Frue bathed her naked body. Such treatment was normal for noblewomen…but for an average person like her, it was incredibly embarrassing. 

It took longer than she expected due to the various skin and hair treatments she received. But by the end of it, she was slightly hypnotized by her reflection in the mirror. Primavella was already so gorgeous, but seeing her silky smooth hair and ‘fresh out of the bath’ look was breathtaking. 

Once she was fully dried, Frue took to her back to her room. Dressed in a soft nightgown, she drifted off to sleep on a plush bed. 

It’s been quite the hectic day after being reincarnated…but it wasn’t so bad… 

When the morning came, Frue helped Katie with getting dressed. It seems about 90% of Primavella’s wardrobe were different black dresses. Apparently it’s her preferene in color. But Katie chose a rather cute white dress instead. 

After finishing breakfast with the family, she was brought to a meeting room in the eastern wing of the castle. It was well furnished and displayed expensive art pieces across the walls. This was probably the room for meeting with high status guests. 

Katie was sitting in a special made seat in the center of a table between two couches. She was completely alone for once, with Frue waiting outside the door. Apparently it was standard for Primavella to send away all the servants when Gremoria came to visit. 

Honestly speaking, she was anxious. Gremoria was the character she hated the most out of the entire cast. A selfish princess that murdered her fiance to try and marry a mistress. The person most responsible for the destruction of Norn once Primavella died. Someone that could have saved the country if she didn’t fall for the seduction of a fraud. 

But that was just her character in the game. Reality might be something different, there could have been other factors leading up to this moment. The very least she could do is see what Gremoria was truly like to Primavella. 

“Announcing the arrival of her Royal Majesty, Crown Princess Gremoria Norn” Frue said politely as she opened the door. Katie couldn’t help but gasp as she walked in through the door. Gremoria…was truly beautiful… 

That long, silky blonde hair.

Perfect skin, as if it was crafted from the finest porcelain. 

The manner she held herself in. 

And the oddly warm look in those icy blue eyes… 

Who? 

The woman walking in looks way too different from Gremoria in the game! 

“Lady Primavella, it’s such a pleasure to meet with you once more” she said in a friendly tone, giving a polite curtsy. Just hearing that soft voice made her skin shiver… 

Katie sucked in a deep breath and gathered up magical energy. She forced it to pump through herself to replace everything currently there. 

Cleanse. 

Upon her command, foreign magical effects vanished from her body. The hearthrob princess vanished, replaced by the Gremoria she remembered. While still a very lovely woman, the sour expression on her face revealed her true thoughts. She hated being here. 

“So, I heard you lost your memories? How the hell does a Sacred One get injured so easily?” she asked spitefully. Though once it was said, Katie heard that soft voice following it up. 

“I was devastated by the news of your injury. Losing your memories…do you not recall the times we’ve shared?” 

Charm magic! 

Primavella had been infected with charm magic! Everytime she saw Gremoria, she saw that false vision of her instead. Heard those sickly sweet words that masked her true feelings. She knew that Gremoria was a piece of shit, but going this far… 

Wait…Gremoria can’t cast charm magic. It was never in her spellbook during the game. Someone else had to cast it…was she even aware of it? Maybe she should play along for now. 

“Thank you for your concern, your highness” she replied politely. “It was quite a shock. While my memories have not returned, I am hopeful for a full recovery.”
“Is that so? Good. I can’t be known as the princess that failed to protect her fiance from the threat of bread” she said with a sigh.
“I’m relieved to hear that. I would be crushed if you were permanently changed when I wasn’t around to protect you” the sweet voice said. 

“So…what brings your highness here today? Surely the crown princess must be incredibly busy?” she asked curiously. 

“What? Obviously I’m here to check on you, idiot. As the Sacred One in this country, keeping you happy is a part of my job. No idea why you even like seeing me though…” she grumbled. 

“I couldn’t bare to not see your face for so long. You are the most important person in the world to me, you see” the sweet voice chimed. 

Ok…it seems like not even Gremoria knew about the charm magic. It could be a plot from the Royal Family. The King would certainly take steps to ensure he acquired the favor of the Sacred One…

“Your Majesty, I am curious. Why do you wish to marry me? I heard that the request was made when we were very young” she asked innocently. 

“I don’t. I’ve told you that constantly, but I don’t really have a choice” she answered honestly, a scowl impressed on her face. 

“Of course, it was love at first sight! Your lovely visage moved my heart, and I knew you were the only one for me!” the sweet voice replied. 

“Honestly, even seeing you regularly like this is annoying. I keep telling father it would be better for me to just absorb your power” she scoffed. 

“Being able to visit you regularly uplifts my spirit! I don’t know what I’d do without you!” the voice said.

“In my opinion, the only thing a bug like you would be good for is a snack” she said, licking her lips as she eyed Katie up. “According to my thesis, I can take your mana for myself if I digest you. Though, I’m pretty sure a pervert like you would enjoy that too.”
“You’re such a wonderful person…if only we were already married. I desperately wish to kiss you…” the voice followed. 

“ENOUGH!” Katie shouted angrily. She had heard MORE than enough of this! Gremoria jerked in her seat at the sudden shout. Clearly Prima had never spoken up against her before. 

A light filled the space as Primavella formed a formulae in the air.
“W-wait a second!” Gremoria shouted in fear, holding her hands in front of her. For all her talk earlier, she clearly knew how powerful Primavella’s magic could be. 

But it was too late. 

The light flashed brightly for a moment before dissipating. Gremoria stayed still for several seconds before peaking from behind her hands. Nothing seems to have changed…

“Wh-what the hell did you do?” she asked, taking a breath of relief. 

“I dispelled the magic cast on you, and myself” she replied frankly. “You were enchanted with charm magic. You looked like a goddess, and every time you spoke a different voice spoke loving words. Now…I see you for the crass princess you are” she said angrily. 

The door was thrown open as Frue ran inside.
“M-milady! I saw a flash of light! Are you alright?!” she asked. Katie signaled for Frue to pick her up, to which she quickly complied. 

“Gremoria Norn, you need not worry. I shall speak to my mother and have our engagement annulled. We shall not need to meet regularly, and you may live your life apart from as you wished” she said harshly.
“W-wait, annulled? Th-that’s a little hasty, isn’t it?” Gremoria asked nervously. 

“You said it yourself, there’s no reason for us be together when neither of us wants to be married.”
“B-but it’s standard for a Sacred One to marry the future monarch!”
“What are you saying? I am the only Sacred One in the world. There’s no reason for me to be tied to someone who can be replaced with one of her siblings” she said spitefully. Signaling to Frue, the maid began to carry her out the door.
“H-hold it! That’s-!” Gremoria shouted after them. 

Katie refused to listen and slammed the door behind them with wind magic. As they walked towards the Duchess’s office, Frue spoke up. 

“Was that…truly Princess Gremoria?” she asked aloud.
“Hm? Of course it was her. Why?”
“She looked so different from normal. Even from when I let her into the room. Like, she was still very lovely but…something about her has changed…” she commented, failing to find the right words. 

Did the charm magic work on everyone? This felt different than the normal spell, especially since Gremoria wasn’t the one casting it. There was nothing in the lore about a spell like this either. Maybe…a secret formulae known only to the royal family? 

It wouldn’t be absurd for there to be hidden magics in the world. Something so powerful or complicated that it could be troublesome if others learned it as well. 

“That’s because I dispelled the magic cast on her. I think someone in the royal family wanted this marriage badly enough to force two kids together that wouldn’t get along otherwise” she said sadly. 

Frue continued onward in shocked silence. She always believed that her lady was truly in love with the princess. But the first time that they met since she lost her memories, she wanted it annulled. To think that the royal family was casting magic on her precious lady for so long…

It was frustrating. 

Once the situation was explained to the duchess, an official announcement of the annulment was sent to the Royal Palace. Gremoria boarded her carriage and left that very same day. She requested to meet with Primavella again, but was denied. 

Katie watched the carriage leave from her window. The princess had a conflicted expression on her face as she rode away, one that Katie couldn’t read. Was she relieved from the annulment? Nervous of how her family would respond? Maybe she was even sorry for how she’s acted this entire time without knowing that Prima never truely heard a word she said? 

Nah, that last one was probably too far… 

Once the day was settled, Katie didn’t have much else to do for the day. She practiced a bit more with her magic in the study room. 

Mostly, she tried to cast more enchantments on herself. It was easier this time thanks to her previous practice, but it certainly took a lot of mana to pull off. 

Her physical damage enchantment was still going strong. It didn’t even need to be refilled, so it would likely last for at least a few days. It would need to be monitored. 

After what happened today, she tried a few more experimental spells. 

Trying to apply dispelling magic to her eyes failed. It would have been helpful to see through charms or illusions in the future, but it didn’t hold. Perhaps dispel was too complicated to permanently engrain onto her. Or it didn’t have good compatibility with her other enchantment. 

The next experiment was a success. She enchanted her lungs to process mana instead of air, so she wouldn’t suffocate as long as she had magical power. Katie held her breath for over 10 minutes without any complications. 

She didn’t get lightheaded, and her chest didn’t hurt. But it certainly felt unnatural to not breathe. This was more a backup than anything else. 

There was another spell she wanted to imprint on herself right away. An enchantment that would make her resistant to acids. After what Gremoria said today, she couldn’t help but think about how Primavella dies. 

Swallowed alive and torn apart by digestive acids. Given Gremoria’s comment earlier, she must have been planning it the entire time they were at the academy together. To avoid such a cruel fate, she would need to ensure she could survive even if she was swallowed whole. 

But she had already spent a good amount of mana today. The previous two spells took a lot out of her, and she may pass out before finishing the third. If she ran out of mana, this room would vanish and need to be re-enchanted. Gremoria already left, so she might as well wait until tomorrow. 

Dinner, a bath, and back to bed. 

Katie was getting used to such glamorous treatment bit by bit. With a slight feeling of accomplishment, she drifted off to sleep. 

Katie yawned and stretched her arms out as she sat up in bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked all over the room. It was still completely dark in here, meaning that it was still late at night or very early in the morning. 

Her throat was dry and scratchy, she definitely needed some water. She looked over to the far corner of the room where a maid was stationed to handle any night time needs. Katie was about to shout to her when a loud snore cut through the air. 

“She’s asleep…” she mumbled to herself. A small fairy like her wouldn’t be able to make enough noise to wake her up easily. “Well…it’s fine. I’m not normally a noblewoman anyways. I can get my own water” she thought aloud as she climbed out of bed. 

Katie walked out of the room, using her magic to open the door and close it behind her. The closest place to get water should be the attendant room several doors down. It was almost a mile to Prima’s small body…but it was fine. 

“This castle sure is dark at night…” she commented to herself as she walked across the cold stone. The warmth in her feet was quickly sucked away, making her huddle her arms together. 

She really needed to practice flying in earnest… 

A small breeze came from behind her, sending a slight chill. Was the castle drafty too? 

BAM! 

Katie gasped as she felt a heavy impact slam into her back. Her enchantment kept her from harm, but she could have died without it. What on earth… 

“Ara~ What’s this? A little bug wandering the halls?” a familiar voice sounded out from above. Katie turned her head as she felt long fingers curl around her torso and pick her up off the ground. 

As Kaya raised her higher, she tried her best to give a stern glare. But the maid had an excited look in her eyes and slightly drooling. The look didn’t affect her in the slightest. 

“And as a proud maid of this household…it’s only right that I handle any little bugs I find~” she announced with a chipper voice.