The tension in the room was thick as Skully and Frosty sat stiffly on the luxurious couch, their eyes darting nervously between each other and Beatrice, the woman who had casually consumed Micro Astros like candy. Meanwhile, Rookie perched on the armrest, visibly unsettled by the eerie silence.

Skully adjusted his tie, his skeletal frame visibly uncomfortable. “So, uh… you eat... those things often?”

Beatrice, lounging lazily with her GrimoPhone, barely glanced up. “Oh, all the time,” she replied with a chuckle. “Micro Universes, Micro Suns, even some micro timelines once. Tastes different every time.”

Her casual tone sent a shiver down Frosty’s frosty spine. “You’re joking, right?” he asked, his icy submachine gun resting awkwardly by his side.

Beatrice smirked and leaned forward. With a quick tap on her GrimoPhone, the screen shimmered, and a fully formed person materialized in the room. A young man, bewildered and looking around in confusion, barely had time to react before Beatrice reached out, plucked him from the air, and—without hesitation—ate him.

One moment he was there, and the next, he wasn’t.

The room fell into stunned silence. Rookie’s cookie jaw dropped, his chocolate chips trembling. “W-Was that—was he—?!”

Skully recoiled, pressing his bony hand to his mouth as if he might vomit (if skeletons could). Frosty’s frosted hands tightened into fists, his icy demeanor faltering.

Beatrice burst into laughter, wiping a tear from her eye. “Relax, you three! It wasn’t real!”

Frosty squinted. “Not real? But the sounds—”

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“Magic illusion,” Beatrice said with a dismissive wave, though her tone carried a playful edge.

The trio exchanged uneasy glances. Rookie whispered to Frosty, “Do you think she’s lying?”

“...Maybe,” Frosty muttered.

Beatrice wasn’t done. With another flick of her GrimoPhone, plates of food materialized in rapid succession—a steaming roast chicken, a golden pie, a stack of cupcakes. She devoured each with shocking speed, making exaggerated eating noises as the trio watched in horrified fascination.

“See? Totally fake,” she said through a mouthful of cake, winking.

Then she upped the ante. With a gleeful grin, she conjured a humanoid hamburger, complete with little arms and legs. It wobbled, confused, for mere seconds before she gleefully ate it whole.

Rookie let out a squeak, covering his eyes. Frosty and Skully both leaned back, visibly disturbed.

Beatrice giggled at their reactions, clearly enjoying herself. “Oh, your faces! You should see yourselves right now. Priceless!”

“Y-you’re having too much fun with this,” Frosty stammered, his frosty composure melting under the absurdity of it all.

“You’re messing with us on purpose, aren’t you?” Skully grumbled, crossing his arms.

Beatrice leaned back, her laughter subsiding into a satisfied sigh. “Of course, I am. It’s harmless fun. None of it was real—just a bit of magic to lighten the mood.”

The trio exchanged wary glances, unsure whether to believe her. Rookie, still clutching his chocolate-covered head, muttered, “I thought I was getting used to her, but nope. Still terrifying.”

Finally, Beatrice stood and stretched. “Alright, enough playing around. I suppose I owe you some real food. Let me whip something up.”

With that, she disappeared into the castle’s kitchen, her footsteps echoing faintly as she hummed a cheerful tune.

Back in the living room, the three remained seated, the absurdity of what they had just witnessed lingering in the air. Frosty broke the silence first.

“Does she always do stuff like this?”

Rookie nodded solemnly. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

Skully tapped his bony fingers on the armrest, staring out the window at the blood rain still pouring down. “Well, at least the rain keeps us hidden from Arcana. No point canceling it now.”

“Yeah, about that…” Frosty said, gesturing to the kitchen. “Do we really trust her to cook?”

Rookie shrugged. “We don’t really have a choice. Besides, her food’s probably the safest thing about her.”

The three sat in a strange, tentative silence, each processing the chaotic whirlwind that was Beatrice.