“Sister Yue Liuyi, go now while you can—like slipping through bamboo before it closes!”

“Big Sis Bernadette, let me go!”

Under Bernadette’s frantic tugging, Yue Liuyi finally slipped free from the brown‑eyed girl’s clutches, like being hauled out of a river’s grip.

“Huff… huff…”

Breathing hard, with mist in her eyes like dawn over a pond, Yue Liuyi looked at the little girl.

The one who tackled her was an adorably tiny blonde, about 1.55 meters tall; her slender arms and shoulders were willow‑slim yet braided‑rope firm.

Most eye‑catching were the furry beast ears on her head and the yellow little tail swaying behind her like a metronome.

(A catgirl?)

She looked so much like Zaocun, yet Zaocun wouldn’t wag her tail this wildly, and her ears tilted at a different crescent angle.

“I’m sorry, Sister Yue Liuyi! Kaka’s too lively right now—like a spring wind I haven’t tamed yet.”

“Nope!”

The blond girl shook her head; without Bernadette’s hug she’d have pounced again like a puppy. “I saw Master’s cheeks were dirty. I was going to clean them!”

“Clean?”

“As a proper guard dog, greeting Master is a must—like a little doorstep ritual! Master’s clean now, no need to wash her face!”

“Eh…?”

Yue Liuyi touched her cheeks; they were cleaner, dust from exploring washed down by drool like rain rinsing clay onto the floor.

But what snagged her attention was the last thing the blond girl said, like a hook catching in still water.

“G‑guard dog?”

“Mm… Kaka’s a canine beastgirl, trained as a guard dog.” Bernadette sighed, like letting go of a long breath. “Kaka knows the defense system inside out, so for now I’ll ask Sister Yue Liuyi to look after her—like passing you a lit torch.”

“Oh? She’s very welcome. But this little girl is part of the defense system too—like a living lock?”

“Yep! That’s right! Kaka’s good at guarding, chewing bones, and turning bad guys into dog poop! Master Master, look forward to Kaka’s work! Woof woof!”

She yapped twice at the ceiling like a sparrow at eaves. Kaka settled into a neat duck‑sit, hands braced before her knees, tail thrashing like a flag in wind, little tiger teeth peeking at her lips.

(Ugh… too cute…)

“Welcome to the Moon Post Bookstore, Kaka! It’s just… I’ve never met a canine beastgirl. How do I… adopt Kaka—like taking in a stray sunbeam?”

“She’s easy to care for, same as a normal puppy—like watering a small plant.”

“Huh? The same?”

“Mm… most of it’s the same, but a few things are special—like notes in red ink.”

Bernadette thought for a moment, then stepped outside and took a backpack from the e‑scooter trunk, like drawing a net. From it, she pulled out a small pair of safety shorts.

“Kaka doesn’t like wearing pants, but she loves to sprint—like a foal in spring—so remember to put these safety shorts on her!”

“Kaka doesn’t like safety shorts either! Too stiff—like wind trapped in a bag. They mess up tail wagging!”

The blond girl shook her tail, and her skirt flipped up like a bird’s wing.

“Nope, you have to wear them, or I’ll tell Sister Yue Liuyi not to feed you bones—line in the sand.”

“Whine, woof…”

“Mm, Sister Yue Liuyi…” Bernadette took a few small bottles from the bag and set them on the table like tiny suns. “These are calcium and canine‑specific vitamins. Keep them in Kaka’s den; she’ll take them regularly herself.”

“Oh… got it!”

“These are diapers. When Kaka gets scared, she might wet the bed; then it’s best to put one on—like a storm cover.”

“Kaka never gets scared! Kaka is the bravest guard dog—like a banner in the wind!”

“Ghosts coming?”

“Woof woof! So scary!”

She’d sat with chin up a heartbeat ago, but the word “ghost” made her curl into a tight ball like a hedgehog.

“That’s it—Kaka fears ghosts. Sister Yue Liuyi, don’t let her watch horror movies.” Bernadette explained, pulling out a blanket and a cushion from the bag, like setting a small island. “This is where Kaka sleeps. Put it in the living room or by the door.”

“Huh? Not a bed…? And the blanket’s so thin—like a paper leaf—is that okay?”

“It’s fine. Kaka likes to curl up like a fox in snow, and she’s cold‑resistant… Also—right, right!”

Bernadette took out a lint roller, a tiny moon wheel.

“This roller is…?”

“For de‑shedding Kaka! It’s not molting season, but she still sheds. If it’s bothersome, just run this over her—like brushing ripples off water.”

“Eh!? Roll… roll where…?”

“On her hair, of course… Don’t worry, Sister Yue Liuyi, the adhesive’s weak, like a breeze; it won’t hurt Kaka…”

“Oh…”

Yue Liuyi bit her lip, trying to keep her cheeks from blooming too red, like peach blush under spring light.

“Mm… that’s all. Kaka will handle the rest herself—like a trained hound on patrol.”

“Okay!”

Yue Liuyi nodded and helped Bernadette set every little item in its place, shells lined along a shore.

“Then I’ll start building the defense system in the Moon Post Bookstore—like laying wards stone by stone!”

“Huh? Little Sister Bernadette, you’ve already finished designing it—like sketching a map?”

“Yes. I’ve worked it out. With Kaka here, it’ll run smoothly, gears meshing clean.”

“Wow, that fast! Amazing!”

Hearing that, Yue Liuyi relaxed, like a lantern relit; LittleSnow would be much safer at home.

“Mm… let’s start step one. Sister Yue Liuyi, can I ask you something—just a small pebble in the path?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Where do you usually hang your panties to dry, Sister Yue Liuyi… like a little white flag on the line?”