Sleeping naked.
The thought flashed across Vieya’s mind for an instant. It was... interesting. But ever since she beca a sli girl, she rarely did that anymore. Obviously sleeping naked would feel more comfortable, but her heart simply refused.
She was still too cowardly—so cowardly that she didn’t even dare think about roaming around in front of her daughter with nothing on, breasts bouncing, streaking inside the room.
“Don’t overthink it.” Vieya said softly as she pressed the grabby Jasmine back under the blanket. She gently kissed her daughter on the forehead. “It’s fine. Sleep well.”
“I’m not wearing anything underneath because I thought you might already be asleep when I got back, so I took a shower in the public bath outside ahead of ti. But afterward I realized I didn’t bring a change of underwear, so I just skipped it.”
“Mommy...”
Jasmine curled obediently into the blankets, nestling against her mother. She listened to Mommy, stopped thinking too much, and slowly drifted into sleep.
It seed it hadn’t been easy for her to stay awake this late—just a little coaxing and she fell into a sweet dream.
Vieya absentmindedly held her daughter. She glanced at the clock on the wall, then at the black cat sprawled at the foot of the bed in a giant spread-eagle shape, snoring away.
She noticed that since she returned she hadn’t seen those two Demon Kings, but then rembered that Elizabeth had said she was going to get her own room—saying sothing about “even bats deserve human rights” or whatever.
She really couldn’t understand. Obviously a black cat like Helcat could just turn back into her true form and sleep anywhere, yet they insisted on sleeping in human form on a soft, luxurious bed. Fortunately, the sli girl was now a little rich woman; opening a couple extra rooms didn’t matter.
If it were the old days when she had no money, she would probably have stuffed that bat and the spider together into a jar for storage, right?
Vieya’s thoughts drifted. She used to love following strict plans, but after a certain day, she no longer cared about plans.
Now she had a daughter—so she would simply raise her well. Although that was technically still a “plan,” she stubbornly felt that this plan was different from the past ones: open, warm, carrying the hopes of most of her life.
No longer cold ink on paper.
She gently pulled the blanket up over her daughter, then, after one last look at the Jasmine sleeping right beside her, Vieya slowly entered sleep herself, her breathing evening out.
...
The next day.
At dawn, a [N O V E L I G H T] du du knocking sound woke the sli girl from her mud-like deep sleep.
“What ti is it... nine-thirty?! It’s that late?!”
Vieya instantly woke up, kicking the black cat still sleeping at the foot of the bed.
Thud!
“ow...”
The black cat, who had fallen to the floor, opened her drowsy eyes. She looked up at her mistress on the bed and gave a soft ow. Her blank expression seed to ask: Master, why did you kick ? Were you having a nightmare?
“Cat, soone’s knocking.”
Vieya, with ssy moon-white hair, rubbed her eyes and yawned, her voice sleepy. “Go open the door. I still want to sleep a little.”
“ow...”
The black cat reluctantly transford back into a catgirl. She walked toward the loudly pounding door and asked:
“Who is it, nya!”
“It’s , Elizabeth.”
Click!
As soon as the door opened, Elizabeth saw the white-haired sli girl still lying in bed, hugging her daughter as she slept.
At once, her expression shifted slightly. “Just what ti did she sneak back last night?”
“No idea, nya.”
The catgirl maid twitched her fluffy ears and said dryly, “I was almost asleep by one. So Master must’ve co back even later, nya?”
“I see... then I’ll have that stinky spider go buy breakfast later, so we can eat together when she wakes up.” Elizabeth sighed. “I originally had sothing to talk to her about, but seeing her like this... I’ll wait.”
“ow.”
“Alright, I’ll go first. Watch over them.”
“ow.”
The catgirl nodded and closed the door. After glancing at the mother and daughter sleeping together, she thought for a mont, then turned and went to the bathroom to wash up and groom her tail fur.
Ever since she started working under Vieya as a maid, she had been strictly ordered to keep hygienic—no licking fur or paws before eating, no bringing bloody food into the house, definitely no dragging dead fish, dead birds, or dead mice ho.
If she got caught, she’d be kicked out of the house.
“These are the rules, nya.”
Helcat held her tail and used a hair dryer to warm it, while pondering what she would eat this morning.
In the past, if breakfast was prepared by the white-haired mistress herself, nine out of ten als would be plain white porridge.
But after cooking it so many tis, Master got better and began improving the porridge—adding little dried fish Helcat liked, or slices of at and vegetables Jasmine needed to grow.
Strange, but surprisingly tasty.
Aside from the freshly-cooked porridge being very hot, the little cat approved.
She had originally wanted to help, but after that one ti when her tail fur got scorched by the fla, her Mistress banned her from entering the kitchen.
Knock knock knock~
Soone was knocking again.
Helcat’s ears twitched. She paused her grooming and looked toward the door in confusion.
The Demon Kings ca back with breakfast this fast?
Knock knock knock~
“Coming, nya, coming, nya.”
The catgirl maid hurriedly put the hair dryer aside, straightened her black-and-white maid uniform, checked herself, then ran to the door.
But this ti—
As soon as the door opened, she froze, instantly becoming alert.
Standing outside were three won she didn’t recognize—one yellow-haired, one blue-haired, and one red-haired.
They didn’t look very old, and their strength shouldn’t be high. But the black cat’s sharp instincts still sensed faint unease.
Helcat left only a small gap, blocking the doorway with her body. Her tail swayed uneasily.
She asked:
“Who are you? Did you knock on the wrong door, nya?”
“Ewww! The one opening the door is a filthy, evil beastman, and she even talks with—”
“Irena, mind your manners!”
The quiet-looking blue-haired girl snapped sharply. Her stern tone instantly shut Irena up.
And that blue-haired girl was none other than Allison—the little girl last night who had asked Vieya for an autograph.
“Sorry, don’t mind what Irena said.” Allison spoke softly, politely. “We’re here to see Miss Vieya. I’m very sorry for disturbing your rest so early.”
“What do you want with my Master, nya?”
The catgirl maid still blocked the gap in the doorway, preventing Irena from standing on tiptoe to peek inside with her nosy eyes.
“Just a few words of thanks.”
Allison smiled a flawless smile—but to the catgirl, it felt like a creepy doll’s mask.
Allison continued, “Of course, we also brought so gifts with us. Though we’re not sure about Miss Vieya’s tastes.”
“My Master is still asleep. When she wakes up, I’ll report that you ca to visit.”
The black cat began to close the door.
“...So, please co back later, nya!”
As soon as she said it, the catgirl tightened her grip, planning to shut the door on the red-blue-yellow trio!
Whatever business you have—wait until my Master wakes!
Suddenly—
A hand pressed down on Helcat’s shoulder, stopping her from closing the door.
And right after that, a familiar but lazy, pleasant voice sounded behind her:
“Cat, hold off on closing it for now.”
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