With that settled, I come to terms with the fact that I’ll be stuck here in the Guild’s secret chamber for the next four hours. The reason? My illegal ID registration process can’t begin until the Guild’s business hours officially end and the chambers are empty.

  “I’ll return to my office now. If you need anything, just let Karven know,” Karlogen says, adjusting the cuffs of his suit.

  “Alright, see you later, Karl,” Eris replies casually.

  “Thank you, Guildmaster Karl,” I add, bowing slightly.

  Karlogen gives a warm smile, nods in acknowledgment, and then gracefully exits the room. As the heavy door clicks shut behind him, a noticeable silence settles over the chamber. Now, it’s just me and Eris.

  “Well, four hours is a long wait,” Eris sighs, stretching her arms lazily. Then, as if on cue, she lets out a deep yawn. “Felicia, let’s take a nap!”

  The moment she yawns, I do too. My catgirl instincts must be kicking in because my eyelids suddenly feel unbearably heavy. Whether it’s from all the food I devoured earlier or some weird feline genetics, exhaustion washes over me like a wave.

  “Yeaaaaahhh…” I mumble, rubbing my eyes. “I’m gonna move to another couch.”

  I attempt to sit up, but before I can even set my foot down, Eris swiftly grabs my wrist.

  “No, stay here,” she insists.

  “Eh? But there isn’t enough space for the two of us…”

  “But I need to hold your hand!” Eris exclaims as if that settles the matter entirely.

  Oh. Right. We did promise to always hold hands when we sleep.

  I glance at the narrow couch, then at Eris, then back at the couch again. With how little space we have, there’s no way we can both fit comfortably.

  Before I can voice my concern, Eris suddenly stands up, dusts off her hands, and confidently declares, “Leave it to me.”

  With effortless ease, she walks over to another couch, grips it firmly with one hand, and—

  Hup!

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  She lifts it like it weighs nothing.

  Bam!

  She sets it down beside ours, aligning them perfectly to create a makeshift bed.

  Jumping onto her handiwork with a triumphant grin, she pats the space beside her. “Hehe, now there’s enough space. Let’s nap!”

  I blink at her, utterly impressed. “That… was kind of amazing.”

  Eris just beams. “Come on, hurry up!”

  Giving in, I crawl onto the expanded couch bed and settle in beside her. We lay facing each other, hands naturally intertwining. The warmth of her palm is comforting, steady. Within seconds, Eris drifts off, her breathing slow and even.

  And soon enough, I follow, sinking into a peaceful slumber beside her.

  ————————

  And just like that, Eris and I drift off into a peaceful nap.

  In my dream, it’s my birthday, and Eris buys me an entire year’s supply of Schleimfisch.

  Let’s just say…

  It was a weird dream.

  But then, as I slowly awaken, my eyes fluttering open—

  Eh?

  BA-DUMP!

  Our faces are incredibly close—so close that I can feel the warmth of her breath gently brushing against my lips. My heart skips a beat, and in a flash, I flip onto my back, barely suppressing the urge to scream.

  Holy crap, that was dangerously close!

  At some point in our sleep, we must have shifted, inching closer without realizing it. We almost—almost ended up kissing!

  I take a solid minute to calm down, pressing a hand to my racing heart. Slowly, I sit up and glance at the clock on the wall. There are still two hours left until business hours end.

  But now that I’m fully awake, there’s no way I can fall back asleep!

  I sigh, leaning back against the couch. Guess I’ll just lay here and… watch Eris sleep?

  And so I do.

  Oh my…

  She’s beautiful. Even in sleep.

  Her midnight hair spills over the pillow in soft waves, her chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm. Her face is relaxed, serene, with her lips slightly parted. They look so soft… so delicate…

  Before I know it, I find myself leaning in, drawn by an invisible force. Just a small, gentle peck… she won’t notice… right?

  But just then—

  Eris’s eyelids flutter.

  BA-DUMP!

  I jolt back, heart pounding wildly. Damn it, Felicia! What are you doing?!

  She’s beautiful—no argument there—but I can’t just kiss her like that! Consent. You need consent!

  I shake my head furiously, trying to banish the dangerous thoughts. That was far too close. There’s no way I’m lying down anymore. I need something—anything—to distract myself before I go insane.

  Then, an idea strikes me.

  Wait… there’s a library here, right? Where there’s a library, there are books! Maybe I can ask Karven to lend me some. That should keep me busy and help me learn more about this world.

  Good thinking, me!

  With that plan in mind, I carefully slide off the couch bed, making sure not to disturb Eris. I tiptoe to the door and slip out, silently creeping up the stairs.

  Step by step, I make my way toward the entrance to the main floor.

  Karven had told me that if I needed anything, I could just knock on the door, and he would assist me. So, I take a deep breath and gently knock three times.

  To my surprise, the door opens immediately—

  And there stands Karven, his golden eyes calm, his expression as unreadable as ever.

  “Miss Felicia,” he greets smoothly. “Do you need anything?”

  “Ah, yes!” I reply, clasping my hands together. “I was wondering… could I borrow some books to read?”