The sky was clear and the clouds floated leisurely by; the weather was bright and mild. However, since it was already the beginning of winter, the temperature was gradually dropping, and the air was filled with a faint chill. The whistling northwesterly wind was bone-chillingly cold, and even today's rare fine weather couldn't dispel the chill of winter.
However, the room was warm and cozy, seemingly unaffected by the cold outside.
On the soft, comfortable bed lay a beautiful silver-haired girl, breathing lightly, appearing peaceful and serene. The soft sunlight illuminated her snow-white skin, adding an extra layer of warmth.
Suddenly, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she opened her sleepy eyes, still appearing half-asleep. After a while, she sat up from the bed, stretching her lithe body, revealing a perfect figure.
After a long journey, she could finally sleep in and enjoy herself. Kaguya yawned and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her pale fingers.
Over the past few months, various matters had become tangled and chaotic, with many factions stirring up trouble, causing her endless worry. Every time she wanted to take a vacation and relax a little, all sorts of trouble arose.
To be honest, her role as a princess was quite frustrating; she had to do everything herself, with no one to rely on, let alone someone who could take charge. She couldn't be lazy even if she wanted to.
Sometimes, she even thought about quitting altogether, but that was just a thought. Her resentment toward Prime Minister Honest deepened. If not for that fool, she wouldn't be so exhausted.
At that moment, a sound like a kitten's purr came from beside her, pulling Kaguya back from her fantasy of tormenting the minister.
Next to her, a head emerged from under the covers, and she saw Kurome yawning, her hand covering her mouth.
Kurome, still sleepy and groggy, had an expression like a kitten that had not fully awakened. As she moved, the soft covers slipped off her shoulder, revealing a white, soft shoulder, which was very cute. Moreover, she was not wearing anything underneath.
The antics of the previous night lasted until dawn. Although Kurome felt shy, Kaguya justified her actions as helping Kurome detoxify and, at the same time, as punishment for her. Knowing she was at fault, Kurome didn't retort.
As Kaguya helped Kurome remove her clothes, Kurome blushed and shyly asked if they could leave them on. Of course, Kaguya sternly refused, claiming that the toxins could only be completely removed if she took off her clothes.
Whether it was true that the toxins had to be removed this way was something only heaven would know.
Kurome wiped her sleepy eyes and looked up. Their eyes met in the air, and Kurome froze. Suddenly, her face flushed red, and she pulled the covers over her head.
"Hey, what's there to be shy about?" Kaguya said, amused, patting the covers. "It's not like I haven't seen it before."
Hearing this, Kurome wrapped herself even more tightly in the covers, pulling Kaguya's covers over as well, wrapping herself up like a ball.
Kaguya looked at her bare body and said helplessly, "You can wrap yourself in the covers, but can you leave some for me?"
Kurome didn't respond, pretending she didn't hear anything, remaining motionless.
"Did I go too far last night?" Kaguya mused, stroking her chin with her pale fingers. "Maybe I should ease up a bit. It wouldn't be good if she got scared away."
When Kaguya finished dressing and went downstairs, it was already noon. The bright and gentle sunlight streamed through the bright windows, adding some warmth to the cold winter.
"Come down and eat; the food is ready. I guarantee you'll like it." An amiable old lady was setting dishes on the table, kindly addressing Kaguya as she came down. "Where's the other young lady?"
"Oh, she's coming soon." Kaguya went over to help the old lady with the dishes, smiling. "This is too much food; we can't finish it."
"It's no problem," the old lady said with a smile. "You're both young and growing; you should eat more."
Hearing this brought a twinge of sadness to Kaguya. Perhaps because she was still developing, her figure had become more pronounced, with perfect curves that drew attention. The way men looked at her, like lustful dogs drooling, was truly disgusting.
Kaguya wanted to say more but remembered Kurome, the glutton, and decided against it. Kaguya herself ate quite a lot, and with a glutton around, the table of food might not be enough.
This kindly old lady was very hospitable. Initially, Kaguya only intended to stay for one night, but the old lady warmly invited them to her home. Her husband had passed away the previous year, and her children had left to live their own lives, leaving her alone. Perhaps because of this loneliness, she took a liking to Kaguya and Kurome, treating them as her granddaughters.
At that moment, Kurome came downstairs, dressed, her face still slightly flushed, and her walk slightly awkward.
Kaguya also felt a bit embarrassed and cleared her throat lightly. Perhaps she had gone too far yesterday.
"Come and eat; the food is ready. It will get cold if you don't eat soon." The old lady kindly took Kurome's hand and led her to the table.
The old lady's culinary skills were indeed excellent. Though the ingredients were simple, the dishes were delicious and fragrant. Even Kaguya, who considered herself a master chef, couldn't help but praise her.
Seeing the two girls enjoy the food so much made the old lady very happy, and she smiled broadly, continually helping Kaguya and Kurome with more food, as if she truly was their grandmother.