Mirror, mirror, who's the most beautiful of all?
Me!
IT'S ME!!!
NYAHAHAHAHA!!!
I twirl in front of the mirror, my reflection spinning with me, a vision of absolute perfection.
With this final touch, I'm complete! No more flat chest! Thanks to the generous pads that Lenore gave me, I've ascended from pancakes to HUGE BOOBIE WOOBIES!!!
And that's not even the best part!
Lenore also hooked me up with the cutest shoes to match my dress AND an adorable hat with ribbons!
Ribbons.
I'm basically a walking fantasy princess now.
OH MY GOSH…
I'm SO cute right now!!!
"I LOVE IT!!!" I squeal, barely able to contain myself as I strike a dramatic pose.
"Yes, I love it too!" Lenore claps her hands together, beaming like a proud artist admiring her finished work.
But now…
The ultimate test.
What will Eris think of me?
As the thought crosses my mind, my heart takes off like a racehorse.
My hand trembles as I reach for the curtain. Slowly… dramatically, I step out of the changing room, bracing myself for Eris' reaction.
"Eris… how do I look?"
…
…
…
Eris just stares at me.
Her bright blue eyes widen, her entire body freezing in place.
Why hasn't she said anything yet?
Is it… bad?
Oh no.
What if—
Plop.
The stack of clothes she was holding slips from her arms, tumbling to the floor in slow motion, her mouth hanging open in pure, unfiltered shock.
And in that instant—
I know.
HECK YEAHHHH!!! SUCCESS!!!
"UUWOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!"
Eris practically yells, her entire body vibrating with excitement.
"Felicia, y-you look AMAZING!!!"
YESSSSSSSS!!!
I can't help it—I grin so wide it feels like my cheeks might fall off.
My heart tap dances inside my chest.
"You… you really think so?" I ask, feeling giddy from head to toe.
"Nnn!!!" Eris nods so hard I'm surprised her head doesn't fly off.
"Like… REALLY really think so?" I ask, just to confirm I'm not dreaming.
"YEAHHHH!!!"
Eris practically bounces on her toes before spinning to Lenore.
"Miss Lenore, we're taking this WHOLE set!"
And just like that—
The rest of the evening turns into the most epic shopping spree EVER.
I lose count of how many outfits I've tried on.
We go through at least a hundred different designs—each one cuter than the last!
And I'm having so much fun that I can't stop giggling every time I twirl in a new dress.
By the time we're done, my arms are full of clothes, and my face hurts from smiling too much.
I get it now.
So THIS is why girls love shopping so much!!!
This is so addictive!
But then—
As our shopping comes to an end, Lenore steps up to the counter, her smile as sweet as honey.
"The total will be… four thousand nine hundred and eighty-two crowns, please!"
…
The cheerfulness vanishes.
Uhh… what?
Four… what now?
…
"AAAAAAAAA!!!"
I'm screaming internally again.
Almost five thousand crowns?!
That's literally my entire month's salary!!!
Oh nooooo!!!
"E-Eris…" I turn to her, my ears drooping dramatically as I whimper, "I-I'm soooorryyyy~~~"
But before I can spiral any further into despair—
Eris just smiles like it's no big deal.
"Don't worry."
She casually hands over the money like she's buying a loaf of bread.
… Huh???
And then—
Without warning, she takes my hands in hers.
Her fingers wrap around mine—warm, steady, gentle.
Her eyes soften, gazing at me with an expression so tender it makes my breath catch in my throat.
And then—
She says,
"As long as you're happy, I don't mind."
BADUMP!
AAAAAA!!!
My heart does an Olympic-level flip.
I freeze, my ears twitching violently, my tail puffing up like a startled kitten.
What. The. Heck.
What is this???!?
Why does this feel so romantic?!?
She's just being nice, right?!
Right?!?
"E-Eris…" I stammer, desperately grasping for logic, "Are you secretly a millionaire or something?!"
"Haha, no, no," she laughs, waving a hand. "But don't worry about the money. I've got plenty."
I stare at her, still dazed by how unfazed she is about spending a fortune on me.
But even then…
I can't just accept such a huge gift without feeling guilty.
I have pride, damn it!!!
I puff up my chest, trying to look strong and independent.
"I'll pay you back, I swear! As soon as I get my salary!" I declare, standing tall and proud.
I may be a catgirl now—but I am NOT a gold digger!!!
"Alright, alright," Eris chuckles, clearly entertained by my over-the-top determination.
We wave goodbye to Lenore, who smiles warmly as we step out of the shop, the cool night air wrapping around us.
This has been an amazing experience—but wow… definitely EXPENSIVE.
Mental note:
NO MORE spontaneous shopping sprees without checking prices first!!!
—————————————————
A long walk later, we finally make it home.
It's really late now. The streets are nearly empty, save for a few lingering patrons in the Gilded Horn's bar, their laughter and murmurs filling the quiet air.
"Welcome back, Eris and Felicia!" Lilly greets us with her usual cheer.
"Yes, thank you, Lilly," Eris replies casually.
But I can't even manage a response—I'm too focused on dragging myself over to the nearest table.
"Phewwwww!!!" I exhale dramatically, dropping the two overstuffed bags of clothes onto the table with a heavy thud, gasping for air. My entire body feels like it's been through a full workout. My arms are jelly, tingling from the strain, and I'm sweating like crazy.
Walking all the way back from the clothing store with these bags was no joke! I had to stop three times just to catch my breath, and even then, I barely made it.
Meanwhile—
Eris, carrying three times the number of bags I am, sets hers down gently, without breaking a sweat.
She casually stretches, cracking her neck like she just finished a relaxing evening stroll.
…
I stare at her, my mouth hanging open in awe.
Damn.
Eris is strong.
Like, really strong.
At the end of the day, we ended up buying a little bit of everything—casual clothes, dresses, shoes, sandals, hats, sleepwear, undergarments, jackets, coats, even scarves for winter.
Wait…
Does Eris even have room in her closet for all this?!
"Alright, let me take these upstairs for you," Eris says, effortlessly scooping up all the bags—mine included.
"T-thanks, Eris!" I say weakly. "Sorry, I… don't have any strength left…"
"Don't worry about it," Eris replies, smiling. "Just leave it to me."
As she heads upstairs, Lilly suddenly chimes in from the hallway, her voice cheerful.
"You two want a bath? I've already prepared a hot bath for two!"
"Yup!" Eris calls back over her shoulder. "Thanks, Lilly!"
My ears perk up instantly.
"Oooooh, a bath!?" I blurt out, excitement rushing through me. "YES! I need a bath so bad!!!"
After all that walking, lugging bags, and sweating like a pig, a bath is exactly what I need! Plus, there's no way I'm going to bed smelling like this—Eris would be fleeing for her life!
And let's not forget—
This isn't just any bath.
It's a HOT BATH.
HECK YEAH!!!
"Alright, Lilly, can you show Felicia the way?" Eris asks as she disappears upstairs. "I'll be down in a few minutes!"
"Yes! Leave it to me!" Lilly says brightly, beckoning me to follow.
She leads me down a quieter hallway to another section of the inn, where I notice three wooden doors, each marked with a sign:
Hot Water Bath
"Hehe," Lilly giggles, handing me a towel, a brush, and an impossibly fluffy bathrobe. "You can put your dirty clothes in the basket inside. The soap, shampoo, and conditioner are all on the shelf. I'll be right outside, so just holler if you need anything!"
"Woaaah, thank you!" I squeal, eyes wide with amazement.
For a medieval inn, isn't this a bit… too modern?!
Hot baths, soap, shampoo?
Am I in a 5-star fantasy hotel?!
This place is awesome!!!
I waste no time kicking off my boots, padding across the cool wooden floor, shivering at the pleasant chill against my bare feet.
As I push the door open, my breath catches in my throat.
The room is stunning.
The floor and walls are smooth stone, polished from years of use. In the center sits a large wooden bathtub, filled with steaming, fragrant water, its surface shimmering under the soft glow of candlelight.
And the smell…
Oh my gosh—
It's like a bouquet of the freshest flowers ever!
I practically glide over to the tub, my fingertips grazing the water's surface.
Aaaaaaaa~~~
It's hot, perfect, heaven itself!!!
I'm just about to strip down and jump in when—
"Lilly, is this the room?"
Eris' voice.
From right outside.
"Yep, the middle one! Felicia's already in there," Lilly replies cheerfully.
"Thanks!"
Wait.
Wait a minute.
Hold up.
Didn't Lilly say this bath was for TWO?!?
FOR TWO?!?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
OH NO.
OH NO, OH NO, OH NO!!!
THIS IS BAD.
THIS IS REALLY BAD!!!
I want to run, but my feet are glued to the floor.
It's already too late—
The door opens.
Eris steps inside, closing it behind her with a soft click.
"Hi, waiting for me?" she says, her voice calm, casual, almost unsettling.
…
I can't respond.
I'm standing there, trembling, my brain short-circuiting, heart pounding in my chest like a drum solo at a rock concert.
I'm fucked.
I'm so fucked.
Eris, completely unbothered, starts undressing, casually tossing her clothes into the basket.
The steam blurs her figure, softening the outlines, but her movements are graceful, her silhouette undeniably mesmerizing.
And then—
Her underwear comes off.
OH. MY. GOD.
My mind goes blank.
I forget how to breathe.
I forget how to function.
I forget how to exist.
I scream internally.