The creak of the door shatters the heavy stillness of the room, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts.

It’s Eris.

She’s here!

I bolt upright, like a startled weasel scrambling out of its burrow, my tail stands straight up. Every muscle in my body locks up, stiff as stone, and for a terrifying second, I swear I’ve forgotten how to breathe.

Calm down, Felicia. Just calm down!

I chant internally, desperate for composure. But my heart doesn’t care— it jolts violently, thudding against my chest like a drumbeat gone wild.

Grasping at fraying threads of control, I force out a shaky question. “H-how is everything going?” My voice cracks, betraying the nerves I wish I could hide.

Eris leans casually against the wall, exhaling a long, weary sigh.

“Just as I thought,” she says grimly. “They were members of the Crimson Order. We couldn’t extract any information. Their souls have already been tampered with, and all their memories erased.”

Her words land heavily, sinking into me like stones in water. My ears flatten, disappointment pressing my shoulders down.

“I-I see…” I murmur weakly.

I had hoped—hoped—that Eris would uncover something useful, something that she and the Guildmaster could use to bring down that corrupt organization and free Mistvale from its shadowy grip. Maybe even make life a little safer for Furrens like me.

But seems like… reality rarely grants miracles.

“I’m sorry,” I stammer, unsure what else to say.

Eris’s gaze sharpens. “Hey, what are you sorry for?”

Her tone catches me off guard.

“And anyway,” she continues, “we failed to extract information with necromancy, sure—but we did confirm they’re Crimson Order.” Her lips curl into a smile. “They still had the tattoos. Plus, a few of those guys were already on the Kingdom’s wanted list.”

“Oh!” Relief floods through me, loosening the knot of tension in my chest. “That’s good, right?”

“Exactly. Now no one can question why we had to kill them. It was clearly self-defense.”

That’s very good indeed. At least there’s some justification now—something tangible to protect us from accusations.

“And don’t worry,” Eris adds, her voice steady and reassuring, “there are still other ways to get information outside of necromancy. Like investigating the black market—tracing where they get their weapons or their fake IDs.”

“Nn.” I nod, feeling lighter. “That makes sense.”

Eris’s serious expression softens slightly.

Then, suddenly, as if flipping a switch, she takes a small step forward. Her eyes flicker uncertainly, darting around the room. Her fingers absently twist a strand of hair.

“S-so, um… a-about what you said earlier…” Eris’s voice wavers, softer than before.

“Eh?”

…

Badump.

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP!

Her words catch me completely off guard again, sending my heart into an uncontrollable frenzy. Warmth surges to my cheeks, burning like fire.

“W-what thing? Heh… hehehe…” I stammer, forcing out a nervous laugh that sounds far too awkward to be natural. My eyes dart everywhere but to her face.

I’m a mess.

“About… you liking me.” Eris replies.

“A-a-ahaha… S-so you heard that?” I stammer, laughing even more awkwardly like an absolute idiot.

“Yes,” she replies simply again.

Meanwhile, my mind spirals into utter chaos.

AAAAA!!! Damn it, Felicia, stop laughing like an idiot! You’re making this so much worse!!!

But before I can dig myself any deeper into this hole, Eris steps closer.

Then, without warning—

She pushes me back.

And now…

I’m pinned on the bed.

Her body hovers above mine, warm and dangerously close. I can barely breathe.

“E-EH?!” I yelp, my mind short-circuiting.

“Felicia,” Eris breathes, calling my name, her voice low and serious, her deep blue eyes now gather all of my attention.

And then, three simple words escape her lips, yet like thunder that shakes my entire world.

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“I like you.”

“A-as a friend… right?” I blurt out pathetically, my voice cracking.

…

AAAAA!!!

DAMN IIIITTTT!!!!

Oh. my. freaking. god.

I can’t understand it. What the hell is happening?!!

Why am I like this?! WHAT ARE THESE SAD ANSWERS?!

“No, silly,” Eris lets out a soft, amused chuckle. Her expression shifts, turning more earnest.

“More than a friend. More… intimate than that.”

I open my mouth to respond, but she places a finger gently over my lips, silencing me.

“Can you hear it?” she whispers.

“H-huh?”

“Listen.”

Well, if she says so…

I do as she says, forcing myself to focus.

At first, there’s only the faint whoosh of wind from outside the window.

Then I hear it—clear and steady beneath the quiet, growing louder and louder.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump!

Ba-dump. Ba-dump! Ba-dump. Ba-dump! Ba-dump. Ba-dump!

The sound of heartbeats.

Mine thuds erratically, fast and chaotic—

But there’s another one.

Eris’s heart.

It’s pounding just as fiercely.

“And in case you’re not used to your catgirl senses yet…” she says softly, taking my hand in hers.

Before I can react, she guides it to her chest.

Soft.

Soft warmth presses against my palm.

My brain practically explodes.

AAAAAA!!! I’m TOUCHING HER CHEST?!

But then—

I feel it.

Her heartbeat, wild and relentless, thundering even louder than mine.

“This,” Eris whispers, “is how much I like you, Felicia.”

My breath catches.

I’m stunned speechless.

So… it’s true…

Eris…

She likes me too!!!

“Ever since I met you,” she continues, “I couldn’t take my eyes off you. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. The silliest. The kindest. Felicia, can’t you see? You are driving me crazy.”

Her words are giving me so many butterflies in my stomach right now.

However…

I still have mixed feelings about this.

“B-but…” My voice wavers. “I-I used to be a man…”

“So what?” Eris says firmly. “Aren’t you a woman now? That doesn’t matter to me.”

“A-and… I’m not even the real Felicia,” I choke out. “I’m just… some random soul living inside her.”

Right.

This is the ugly truth, and Eris must have forgotten it.

This beautiful body isn’t mine.

The Felicia that Eris likes… she’s not me.

She never could be.

The real me wouldn’t even deserve a flicker of her attention.

“Hey,” Eris says sharply, breaking my spiraling thoughts. “Don’t say that. It’s not true.”

“H-how can you be so sure?” I whisper.

She smiles softly. “Because the Felicia I like isn’t just a pretty face.”

“W-what?”

Eris chuckles. “Yeah. The Felicia I like… she tried to eat salad.”

“W-wait, WHAT?! You like me because I ate tried earting SALAD?!”

“Yes,” Eris teases, grinning mischievously. “But not just that. She cuts vegetables insanely well too—though she doesn’t know how to wash a girl’s hair properly yet.”

“H-hey!” I protest, feeling suuuuper pouty right now.

But Eris just chuckles.

“Hehe, she still tries her best, though.” Eris continues, her fingers gently weaving through my hair. “And it’s not just that. She’s cute, considerate, and kind-hearted. She didn’t want to depend on me for everything. She never judged me or flinched when she saw my scar. She held my hand when we slept. Her presence alone is like sunlight, banishing the darkness inside me. And today…”

Her gaze softens, her eyes shimmering with raw emotion.

“She was willing to risk everything to protect me—even when the odds were stacked against her.”

My throat tightens. Tears blur my vision.

“So… that’s the Felicia I like,” Eris concludes with a gentle smile. “No, I’m sorry, let me correct it. That’s the Felicia I love.”

…

Hearing her pour her heart out like that—

I can’t hold it in anymore.

Tears spill from my eyes, unbidden, unstoppable.

My heart jumps, suddenly aching like hell.

But this pain… I like it.

I love it.

Eris leans in, her face just inches from mine. Her breath, warm and soft, brushes against my lips.

“So tell me…” she whispers. “Are you… that Felicia?”

Her words hang in the air, lingering, echoing in my mind.

Now…

I find myself asking too:

Am I… that Felicia?

Everything I’ve done until now—despite being in a different body—does it still count as me?

Well… maybe around 70% of me, I think…

But now that Eris has shown me a different perspective, I feel something shift within me. A newfound confidence, somehow.

And so…

“Nn…”

I nod, my body trembling with emotion, my heart racing in anticipation. My throat tightens, the words I want to say stuck, tangled in my chest. And then…

It happens.

I let her come closer, the heat of her breath teasing my lips before the soft pressure of her mouth meets mine.

A kiss…

At first, it’s barely a touch—so soft, a little bit wet, doesn’t taste like anything.

But slowly, it gets more intense, more intoxicating.

Her lips moving with a tenderness that makes my pulse quicken, her every shift sending waves of warmth through me. Her tongue brushes against mine slightly.

My heart races, threatening to burst from my chest, each beat erratic and overwhelming.

I can’t think—only feel. Thoughts scatter, evaporating into a haze of bliss, slipping away like smoke.

And time slows, stretching into eternity, the world around us becoming distant, irrelevant.

And then, for a heartbeat, I forget everything—who I was, who I am. There’s only her. Only this. Only the warmth of her touch, the soft, consuming sweetness of her lips against mine, burning with a hunger I didn’t know I needed.

And finally, when she finally pulls away, I’m left gasping for air, my chest heaving, my body craving more. The emptiness in my lungs is unbearable, and I ache to feel her again, to lose myself in the sensation of her kiss, her touch again.

My lips throb, hungry, desperate.

Meanwhile, Eris’s face is red, a soft pink coloring her cheeks. Her eyes meet mine, dark and intense, holding me captive.

She bites her lower lip, a silent gesture that speaks louder than words— a hunger, an invitation.

Damn…

This is dangerous.

I force myself to hold back, fighting the storm of desire building inside me.

Seeing her like this…

I’m terrified I might lose control.

I want her. I want her more than anything!

But… is it too soon? Too fast?

We’ve only known each other for nearly 2 days, yet we’ve already shared this—this kiss.

A kiss.

A FREAKING kiss!!!

That has to be enough, right?

It’s more than enough for me, right?

I can’t be too greedy.

And besides…

I don’t want Eris to think of me as some horny, indecent girl. That would be… terrible!!!

My heart pounds as uncertainty creeps in.

…

But then, Eris leans in, her finger tracing the curve of my body in a slow, tantalizing movement that stops just above my chest. Her voice, a soft whisper, cuts through the tension.

“Can we… do more than this?”

…

Ah… fuck it.

If she says so…

Why hold back anymore?

RIGHTTTT???

Thus, with a surge of desire, I pull her closer.

“Nn…”

And just like that, as I give my consent, Eris kisses me again—this time longer, deeper, more searing, more passionate than before.

I’m breathless, my mind spinning in a haze. She moves to my neck, her lips grazing it lightly, and then her tongue traces a path that sends a jolt of electricity shooting down my spine.

My body tenses, every muscle frozen in place.

“Ahhh…~!”

A soft moan escapes me, caught between embarrassment and pure sensation.

I have no idea what just happened, how the hell did I just make that weird sound.

“Then you need to relax a little bit…” Eris smiles and whispers. “It’s only going to get more intense from here.”

Ah, shit…

If she says that, I really need to brace myself.

I’m looking forward to it.

Eris then places her hand gently over my chest, pressing just enough to make my heart race even faster.

“B-be gentle…” I plead with teary eyes, my voice shaky. "

“I’ll try.”

Eris leans in again, kissing my neck, then slowly down to my collarbone. Her lips, her breath, her tongue overwhelm my senses in the most intoxicating way.

I melt into her, my heart pounding, my arms holding her tighter, like I’m afraid to let go…