Thud!

I groaned as I opened my eyes.

The first thing that greeted me was the cold and hard floor.

"...Nyang..."

Translation: Why am I down here?

I blinked a few times, trying to process what just happened.

’How did I even fall—’

I slowly looked up.

...Ah.

There was a tail, dangling off the edge of my bed like it owned the place.

My eye twitched.

I jumped back onto the bed and peeked over.

A snoring massive snake, sprawled across my bed like some kind of oversized, entitled blanket. Half his body was hanging off the edge. The other half had clearly pushed me off just now.

I stared at him for a full second. I strongly considered kicking him as revenge but instead, I chose peace.

For now.

I quietly moved to the other side of the bed, away from the oversized nuisance, and checked the time.

7:00 A.M.

Too early but also perfect.

I opened my OmniSync and checked my shop.

My eyes immediately lit up. "...Oh."

Everything was sold out again.

My tail started wagging uncontrollably.

Ahhh...

Nothing beats the feeling of waking up and seeing money.

Even better than breakfast, even better than sleep, and even better than kicking Gawain off the bed.

I opened another tab to check the messages.

I quickly opened another tab to check the messages.

Requests.

More orders.

Custom inquiries.

More four-legged variants.

I was so absorbed in reading and replying that I didn’t notice the massive snake behind me slowly shifting.

Moving, inching closer, closer, and closer until something heavy wrapped around me.

I tried to move my paw but I couldn’t.

My ears flattened as I slowly turned my head.

Gawain—still in his snake form—had somehow inched across the bed in his sleep and was now curled comfortably around me like I was a personal pillow.

His head rested near mine, snoring softly.

"...grrr...snrk..."

I stared at him expressionless as I tried to pull my paw again.

Nothing.

"...Nyang."

Translation: Are you serious.

My tail twitched. "...Nyang nya nyang nyang."

Translation: You have five seconds to wake up before I commit a crime.

Nothing.

Not even a flinch.

The oversized rope of danger continued to snore softly while suffocating me.

I inhaled slowly then chose violence.

I raised my paw and started slapping him repeatedly. "NYANG! NYANG! NYANYANG NYA!!!"

Translation: WAKE UP YOU DAMN SNAKE!!!

Slap.

Slap.

Slapslapslap—

His scales made a faint thwack thwack sound with every hit.

Finally, his eyes lazily opened. "...Mm."

He blinked at me then at my paw mid-slap, then back at me.

"...My Lady," he muttered sleepily.

Another pause.

"...Why are you attacking me this early in the morning?"

My eye twitched as I furiously typed on my OmniSync. "Release me now or I’ll paw slap you again until you pass out."

I shoved the screen right in front of his face.

Gawain squinted at it then laughed. "I thought you were a pillow."

"..."

My expression went completely blank.

"YOU’RE LITERALLY SUFFOCATING ME TO DEATH! UNWRAP YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!"

But instead of moving away, he tightened slightly like I was a heated blanket.

Okay that’s it.

I lifted my paw again, this time with intent to kill.

I was just about to hit him—

When he spoke.

"...Remember, My Lady... I used to coil around you like this when we sleep..."

My paw froze mid-air.

"...the mansion we lived in back then wasn’t maintained... rain kept leaking everywhere... no insulator... no heater..."

A soft, sleepy chuckle escaped him.

"...you were always cold... hahaha..."

I slowly looked at him, thinking that he was awake but his eyes were closed, still asleep.

’...He was sleep talking.’

My paw lowered.

The irritation in my chest softened—just a little—as fragments of those memories surfaced again.

Cold nights, a leaking ceiling, a smaller version of him awkwardly trying to keep a tiny leopard warm by wrapping around her like a living blanket.

"...Tch."

I turned away.

"Fine," I muttered. "Nyang nyanyang nya."

Translation: I’ll let you off just this once.

Just this once.

I grabbed my OmniSync again and refocused.

Business first.

Among the flood of messages, only one had fully accepted my conditions.

I opened it.

————————————

From: Sykelion Vulpes

My boss accepts all of your conditions. However, please be advised that your work will need to be carried out within our residence.

Kindly inform us in advance of your planned visit so that we can make the necessary arrangements and accommodate you in the best possible manner.

We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to your visit.

————————————

If this client wanted me to work inside their residence, then there was only one logical conclusion.

They’re rich.

Filthy rich.

My tail swayed slowly as the plan formed in my head.

They provide the energy stone. I bring my tools. I show up in disguise. I carve. I leave.

BAM!

Instant money!

...Except for one problem.

"Soren..."

I dragged both paws down my face in frustration.

He will definitely get suspicious.

There was no way I could suddenly say, "Hey, I’m going out to secretly carve high-level energy stones for a mysterious rich client, don’t mind me."

Yeah, no.

That man would interrogate me like I was planning a crime.

"...Tch."

Think.

Think.

Think—

Wait.

A thought clicked, my ears perking up.

"...School."

Start of school was just around the corner.

A slow, sly grin spread across my face.

If I timed it right, I could slip out after school, handle the commission, and return before anyone questioned it.

"...I’m such a genius."

Then another thought followed immediately.

Gawain.

I glanced at the still half-asleep idiot on my bed. "I can also come up with a ’coincidental meeting’ story for Gawain and Soren won’t get suspicious..."

A chance meeting.

Yes. totally not suspicious at all.

Absolutely believable.

My thoughts started spiraling into ten different plans at once.

Cover stories.

Escape routes.

Alibis.

Excuses.

Backup excuses.

Backup for backup excuses—

SMACK!

I slapped myself. "Focus Blanca."

One step at a time.

Reply first.

I quickly typed on my OmniSync.

————————————

To: Sykelion Vulpes

Apologies for the delayed response. Regarding my visit, I am unable to provide an exact date at this moment. However, I will be sure to give you an update within this week as soon as I have more information.

Additionally, could you please let me know who your boss is? I would like to be properly informed who my client will be.

————————————

Sent.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

A reply came almost immediately.

————————————

From: Sykelion Vulpes

Your client will be Vesphyr Renardon, Duke of the South.

————————————

"..."

My brain paused, restarted, then paused again.

"...A duke?"

Before I could spiral any further into rich-beastmen-problems-I-didn’t-sign-up-for™, a knock interrupted me.

"My Lady, it’s me, Agatha. Can I come in?"

"Nyang!"

Translation: Come in!

The door opened.

Agatha stepped inside only to froze.

I blinked. ’Why? Is there something she’s seeing other than—’

In a blink, she moved.

WHOOSH.

The bed dipped violently as she appeared beside me like an assassin who just spotted her target.

Then—

YEET.

Gawain—still in his snake form, still dreaming about chicken—was unceremoniously launched off the bed.

"—huh?!"

THUD!

A very undignified thud echoed from the floor.

I stared at Agatha who stood in front of me like a bodyguard who just prevented an assassination attempt.

"My Lady," she said coldly, already pulling out her dagger, "why is this uncivilized idiot wrapped around your body like he’s about to suffocate you?"

From the floor, Gawain groaned. "...five more minutes..."

I reached under my pillow, fingers brushing against my energy stone, ready to explain—

—but before I could, Gawain stood up, already in his human form. "I was cold..."

Agatha’s smile turned terrifying. "Would you like me to permanently fix that problem?"

"Why are you so grumpy in the morning..." Gawain mumbled, scratching his head, eyes still half-closed like he had zero survival instincts.

Agatha pointed her dagger at him without hesitation. "Explain. Now."

He didn’t even pause. "I’m her emotional support blanket."

"..."

It was the kind of silence where someone was about to die.

"Agatha, it’s fine," I said calmly, forcing a smile. "Besides, I would have kicked him away if he ever annoyed me."

Agatha slowly hid her daggers. "where do you want to eat breakfast My Lady?"

A beat.

Two beats.

Agatha slowly lowered her dagger... then hid it like nothing happened.

"...Understood, My Lady."

Gawain yawned again, completely unaware he had just narrowly escaped becoming breakfast.

Honestly impressive.

"Where do you want to eat breakfast, My Lady?" Agatha asked, back to her usual composed self—as if she hadn’t just considered murder five seconds ago.

I stretched, rolling my shoulders. "To the workshop."

A grin spread across my face. "We’ve got work to do."

My eyes gleamed. "All my works are sold out again."

"That’s great, My Lady," Agatha said smoothly. "Should I also transfer the packaging materials to the workshop?"

I nodded—vigorously.

"Yes. Everything," I said, already mentally counting profits. "Boxes, ribbons, labels—if it exists, I want it there."

Then I paused, slowly turning my head toward Gawain. "And if you touch my bed again without permission," I added sweetly, "I’ll sell you as a limited-edition snake sculpture."

"...That’s terrifyingly specific," he muttered.

Agatha nodded in approval. "I can assist with the packaging."

"...I regret waking up," he whispered to himself, like a man reflecting on every bad life decision that led him here.

"Go through the balcony," Agatha ordered, already back in full command mode when she saw him following us. "You can’t walk in the hallways right now."

Gawain groaned dramatically. "Fiiine... but make sure to get me breakfast!"

Agatha inhaled but before she could unleash it—

WHOOSH.

He was gone.

Agatha stared at the still-swaying curtains by the balcony. "...Coward."

She then turned to me, already back to her perfectly composed self like she hadn’t just almost committed homicide five seconds ago.

"Your energy stone, My Lady?"

Ah. Right.

I handed it to her without hesitation as she held the stone carefully.

"Shall we?"

"Nyang," I lifted both my paws at her.

Translation: Carry me.

She was startled at first but without another word, she lifted me with ease, cradling me like royalty as we exited the room.