Solaira hummed softly, rolling up the sleeves of the oversized cloak that draped over her like a makeshift robe. The humble house the old man had spoken of stood quietly at the edge of the forest, weather-worn and clinging to dignity. Cracks lined the walls, moss clung to the roof, and dust had claimed every inch of the inside.
She held out her hand, fingers glowing faintly crimson.
"Let's make this place sparkle~"
With a graceful sweep of her palm, a wave of recovery magic shimmered across the room, sweeping through like a warm breeze. The grime lifted from the wood, the cobwebs dissolved into dust motes, and the windows glistened. Outside, a radiant wave rippled over the roof, mending the cracked shingles and reforging broken boards with a low hum of magic.
She spun, sending sparks of cleansing energy swirling with every step.
"Auto-repair: girl edition," the system murmured sarcastically.
Meanwhile… deep in the woods…
Shirayuki crouched low in the tall grass, her small eyes narrowing like a predator. Twenty or more crystal wolves prowled through the clearing, their bodies glowing faintly in the fading sunlight, their teeth glinting like jagged diamonds.
She didn't blink.
Bushes rustled. A growl.
Shirayuki's arms slowly crossed over her chest. Then—a sharp flick.
CLACK—
Her quills snapped forward like drawn blades, razor-sharp and glowing with ethereal light.
She leapt out of the bush with a spin, and—
FWWWHIP!
Dozens of quills exploded into the air, trailing behind her like a comet of death.
The crystal wolves turned—too slow.
The storm rained down.
Each quill found its mark, shattering into the crystalline beasts like meteor shards. Shirayuki spun midair, a dazzling arc of silver and violet, and with a final twist, she hurled a second wave.
SHINK—SHINK—SHINK!
Wolves fell, disintegrating into shards of sparkling magic. The remaining few snarled and scattered, limping into the forest.
Shirayuki landed, her arms crossed once more, smoke rising from her back as fresh quills slid into place.
She gave a little "hmph" and vanished back into the shadows.
Inside the softly sunlit cabin…
Cian lay sound asleep, chest rising and falling gently. His shirt had ridden up, exposing the toned lines of his stomach. Solaira stood at the edge of the bed, a slow, sly grin on her lips.
She stepped closer. Her fingers hovered over his abs.
She tilted her head, cheeks flushed. "He looks so... warm…"
Her hand lowered—touching his chest lightly, then trailing down with quiet curiosity.
[SYSTEM]: Touch confirmed. That's it, girl. Let those instincts cook.
Solaira leaned closer, eyes sparkling with innocent mischief, then slowly began lifting the hem of his shirt—just a little.
[SYSTEM]: Little by little, my spicy dragon queen. The art of teasing is a sacred rite.
She gently brushed a speck of dust from his collarbone, then whispered, "So soft…"
[SYSTEM]: I have seen a thousand battles, one million skill trees… but this? This is peak gameplay. Carry on.
She blinked, sensing something... but shrugged and smiled, now sitting comfortably beside him—watching his sleeping face with a kind of quiet awe.
Meanwhile… deep within the nearby woods…
Shirayuki dashed through the underbrush like a blur — low, silent, and swift. Her small form zigzagged between trees, her ears twitching at every snap of a twig. Despite her speed, not a single leaf crunched beneath her bare feet.
She paused near a thick patch of branches. Her eyes narrowed. With a quick spin, she kicked upward — a bundle of dry wood flew into the air. Mid-spin, she snatched it with one arm while her other paw reached for another branch with flawless precision.
She landed in a crouch. Leaves drifted down slowly around her.
She stood upright, her puffed cheeks slightly red from exertion, and struck a tiny ninja pose — arms crossed, nose in the air like a proud little warrior.
A squirrel blinked at her from a tree branch.
Shirayuki locked eyes with it.
She pointed dramatically, as if saying: "Stay out of my territory."
The squirrel chattered and fled.
She tilted her head smugly… then tripped slightly on a root. But like a pro, she somersaulted, landed on one foot, and gave a silent thumbs-up to no one.
Arms now full of firewood, she began her hop-skip walk back to the cabin, humming a little tune — blades of grass parting as if bowing to her cuteness.
Back at the old man's cabin…
The golden glow of the afternoon softened into amber dusk as Solaira quietly watched over Cian. He lay motionless on the futon, breathing deeply, chest exposed, and one arm flopped lazily over the edge.
Solaira's red eyes sparkled mischievously. She crouched beside him, lips curving into a sly, unreadable smile.
"…Still out cold," she whispered, tilting her head. "You really shouldn't tempt a lady like this, you know~"
Her fingers danced across the blanket's edge, then slowly—very slowly—slid it down past his waist, disappearing from view.
A quiet, muffled flutter of fabric.
A low hum escaped her lips as she leaned down, her long hair cascading over his chest, shielding the two of them beneath a curtain of crimson silk. The shadows thickened. Her bare shoulders rose into view.
[SYSTEM: "Warning: This is rapidly turning into a memory you'll never be able to share in public."]
Solaira's lips hovered just above his skin. A teasing whisper brushed his ear—words lost to the soft rustle of cloth. Her hips shifted slightly. Her breath hitched. His body tensed instinctively in his sleep.
Another faint sound—a button perhaps? A sigh? The kind of silence that feels like something just happened.
[SYSTEM: "Note: Cian's temperature has increased by 4.2°C. Recommending immediate hydration… or not."]
When the blanket lifted again, only for a second, the faintest glimpse of entangled limbs and flushed cheeks could be seen… but then it fell back into place, hiding everything once more.
Solaira nestled beside him, cheeks flushed, tracing slow circles across his stomach with a single fingertip, smiling to herself.
"…Such a soft heartbeat," she murmured. "I'll pretend you didn't moan my name."
[SYSTEM: "Achievement unlocked: The Gentle Sin. You didn't see anything… but you felt everything."]
Outside, an owl hooted in the trees. The cabin remained quiet, save for the shared breaths of two figures tangled under one blanket—one fast asleep, the other wide awake and quietly victorious.
Then—
creak.
The door nudged open.
A pair of soft, pale feet stepped onto the wooden floor. Shirayuki's snowy-white hair swayed gently, and her violet eyes narrowed like a hawk.
Her ears twitched. Her gaze dropped to the scene on the futon.
There was silence.
Then her tiny fists clenched at her sides.
Solaira turned her head lazily, still hovering over Cian, and smiled with mock innocence. "Oh? Done gathering already?"
Shirayuki didn't speak. She simply stepped forward—
—her cloak slipping off, one shoulder exposed, her movements graceful and silent. Her expression never changed, but her cheeks flushed pink.
She climbed up beside Cian with the poise of a hunting predator.
Solaira's brow lifted. "Feeling territorial, are we?"
No answer. Just a sharp glare.
The blanket shifted.
[SYSTEM: "Error. System sensors overloaded. Suggesting user discretion from this point on."]
The cabin's window fogged slightly from the warmth inside.
Outside, the wind stirred the leaves.
Inside… readers will just have to imagine what came next.
KNOCK KNOCK!
"Boy? You alive in there?" came the old man's voice from outside, full of confusion. "The house… it looks like a shrine now! You cleaned it… in one night?!"
Inside, the once dusty, cluttered home now gleamed like new. Not a cobweb in sight. The air smelled faintly of herbs and… something warmer.
Cian groaned, slowly sitting up in the futon with his hair tousled and his body glistening with sweat. He looked like he had just sparred for hours with a hundred men. His eyes were tired, but wide with disbelief.
"W-What… happened to me…" he muttered. "It feels like I swung a sword a thousand times…"
His muscles ached in places he didn't know could ache. His breath came out in short puffs. Then he looked down.
There were faint red marks across his chest and shoulders. A few suspiciously shaped—like claw tips. Some… teeth?
[SYSTEM: "Correction: You didn't swing your sword, buddy. It pierced. Repeatedly."]
Cian stared at the system text. His expression darkened.
"…You're messing with me."
[SYSTEM: "Status: Soul drained. Sword unsheathed. Morale? Questionable."]
[SYSTEM: "Also, congrats. Bond Level with both companions has significantly… deepened."]
From under the blanket beside him, a sleepy giggle escaped Solaira's lips, followed by a soft moan and a stretch that nearly pulled the covers off. On the other side, Shirayuki nuzzled up to his arm, her ears twitching adorably, her cheeks rosy even in sleep.
The old man knocked again, now sounding mildly alarmed. "Boy!? Are you… alright in there?!"
Cian muttered under his breath, dragging the blanket up to cover his red-marked torso.
"…I don't even remember dreaming. So why does my back feel like I fell off a mountain?"
[SYSTEM: "Some falls are worth it, hero. Some mountains… bite back."]