“Nina?”

Rafi’s comforting hug settled over her like a warm shawl. The tiny girl’s tension melted, and memory trickled back—at least her name.

“Mm~ Nina is Nina~”

“Is that so… Nina, huh… Pretty name.”

“Thanks~”

She nodded so hard her long hair bobbed like wheat in wind. That young face already hinted at future charm. Her cuteness left other kids miles behind.

—Turns out I picked up an unexpectedly adorable child~

With the biggest question answered, Rafi had no urge to pry into Nina’s past—whether from apathy or mercy toward whatever storms lived there.

She glanced down at the small body in her arms. The scars were shocking, like storm-lashed bark. Clothes hid some; the exposed ones were brutal.

“Looks like I need to fix those wounds. Better erase the scars too…”

Rafi started planning Nina’s future without asking. Nina didn’t fuss; she stayed in Rafi’s lap and let her do as she pleased, like a dozing sparrow.

—Back to business: that attendant still hasn’t come up after half an hour. How can service be this slow?!

Ding-dong~

Speak of the devil.

Rafi moved to get the door. Fear gripped Nina first; she clutched Rafi’s hand and refused to let go.

“Don’t… open the door… Behind it… all monsters!”

Bad memories seemed to surface; her voice shook like reeds in wind.

No one knew what she saw inside. Rafi chalked it up to trauma from being captured.

She stroked Nina’s head, palm warm like morning sun, pouring out as much comfort as she could.

—Wait… since when did I get this soft?

Rafi watched her own hand and wondered.

The magic of head pats worked fast. Nina’s shaking stilled. Warm relief rose in Rafi’s chest like tea steam; soothing for no good reason.

Ding-dong~

The attendant rang again. Rafi tensed, watching the tiny girl. The head-pat buff lingered; Nina basked in the warmth of Rafi’s palm.

Rafi exhaled in relief and called out, “Use the key. Come in.”

After a moment, hurried footsteps pattered outside. A key turned, gears clicking like a clock’s heart. Poor service, yet eager to enter a lady’s room.

She was still grumbling inside when the door cracked open. A woman’s voice came from the gap.

“Then I’m coming in…”

Before the words finished, Nina’s terrified cry erupted.

“No!!”

Rafi barely reacted before force hit her chest. She toppled off the bed onto the floor. Her skull burned; weight pressed her chest. A cold draft kissed below—

Wait—down there’s cold?!

Rafi stared, stunned, at the bath towel fluttering away like a fleeing cloud. Her post-shower modesty had abandoned her. Nina, sprawled on Rafi’s chest, was now the only cover for vital territory.

Wait, there’s an outsider!

She remembered the attendant about to enter. A woman, sure, but that didn’t mean she could see Rafi like this!

Rafi opened her mouth to stop her. A surprised, slightly excited voice slipped into her already burning ears.

“Sorry! I’m interrupting your fun. I’ll leave right now!”

Well, of course. In that flurry of chaos, the attendant had already slipped in. She saw a naked Rafi and Nina in a suggestive pose. Any normal mind would jump.

Small mercy: the witness was a woman. No one took advantage of her.

Mm… not a loss…

Not a loss…

“Not a loss, my ass!”

Rafi slammed the girl back onto the bed, ignoring her exposed state—maybe she simply stopped caring.

In short, Rafi pinned Nina beneath her, turned defense into offense, and kneaded Nina’s cheeks like dough with both wicked hands.

“It’s your fault! All your fault! My reputation of hundreds of years—gone! My lofty, noble image—shattered after centuries!”

She mourned honor and pride, and her kneading grew harsher, as if vengeance could restore her name… Though people mostly remember Miss Rafi by her chest anyway.

“I w-was wrong~”

The tiny girl mumbled, barely audible. Rafi finally stopped. Once released, Nina’s cheeks jiggled like jelly and settled.

She cupped her flushed cheeks. Tears welled at her eyes like dew. That clearly hurt.

“Bad person! Why did you hurt Nina?”

“Huh?! You made me embarrass myself in front of someone! It’s obviously your fault!”

“Nina doesn’t care, Nina doesn’t care. Bad person hurt Nina first! Nina doesn’t like bad person!”

Rafi felt a vein bulge at her temple, tight as a drawn bowstring.

“Is that so… all my fault, huh. Looks like Nina needs a little compensation…”

Nina saw the fierce look and knew this “compensation” wasn’t anything good.

“Nina… Nina forgives bad person… no need… for compensation, okay. Bad… no—cute big sis doesn’t need to compensate Nina~”

Did the last struggle help? The answer was no.

“Enough talk!”

After that, indescribable sounds drifted from the room, like ripples behind a paper screen. The attendant eavesdropping outside went crimson. Whatever scenes bloomed in her mind, only she knew.

So, this time, victory belonged to the attendant~