Unable to win Alyssa’s approval, Nevia wordlessly turned her head and lifted her gaze back to the clouds drifting across the sky. A gentle breeze softly lifted the little girl’s golden strands, a few playful locks even trying to sneak into her eyes.

Nevia rubbed her eyes. When she opened them again, the cloud she’d been watching had shifted slightly in the wind. What had looked like a tongue-lolling head now resembled a cat’s face with whiskers—and worst of all, its drooping ears had morphed into pointy feline ones.

Nevia rubbed her eyes again in disbelief, confirming it was real.

How unlucky.

She smacked her forehead, then sneakily glanced at Nina. The other girl was glaring at Alyssa, clearly annoyed by the child’s vague answer.

“Alyssa!” Nina fixed her with a stern expression, sitting up straight. It worked—Alyssa flinched at the sharp call, instantly stiffening in her seat with a fearful look, too scared to speak.

Nina’s expression softened just a little. “We’re asking for your honest opinion. Don’t hold back—just say what you truly think.”

Alyssa nodded obediently.

“Good.” Nina gave a satisfied nod and repeated her question. “So tell me now—what does that cloud really look like?”

“Oh.” Alyssa lifted her head, studying the sky for a moment before lowering her gaze to Nina. “It looks like both a puppy and a kitten…”

“I told you to have your own opinion—” Nina started,不满ly, but Nevia suddenly cut her off.

“Look!” Nevia pointed skyward. Nina followed her finger and saw the disputed cloud had transformed. What she’d insisted was a cat now undeniably resembled a puppy too.

Alyssa wasn’t wrong. Wind-tossed, the cloud now blurred into a strange cat-dog hybrid.

What would you even call that—a cat-dog or dog-cat?

Nina snorted, bursting into laughter.

Nevia shot her a puzzled look and shook her head, baffled. Alyssa, catching the mood, giggled along too.

Their laughter floated on the breeze.

A gust swept past, finally dissolving the cloud they’d watched so long into a shapeless blur. It drifted away on the wind, vanishing from sight.

Nevia plucked a few blades of grass beside her. She placed them in her palm, and under Nina and Alyssa’s curious stares, the tiny stalks twisted and danced between her fair fingers, weaving into something unfamiliar.

“Ta-da!” Nevia chirped, holding up her impromptu creation pinched between thumb and forefinger. Bathed in bright sunlight, the little grass ring seemed to shimmer.

“So pretty!” Alyssa gasped, right on cue.

Nina huffed. “Big deal.” Yet her eyes kept flicking back to the ring in Nevia’s hand.

“This,” Nevia wiggled the ring, then placed it in Alyssa’s palm, “is for good girl Alyssa!”

Alyssa’s face lit up with flustered delight.

“Bad girls don’t get any!” Nevia teased, grinning at Nina.

“Hmph. I don’t want it anyway.” Nina lifted her chin, staring down at Nevia. “I’ve got plenty of rings!”

“Oh? Too bad.” Nevia sighed dramatically. “I was going to make one for Nina next…”

“I—” Nina turned away stiffly. “Don’t bother!”

Nevia secretly flashed a victory sign, grinning to herself.

“Here, you can have it.”

Alyssa suddenly held the ring out to Nina, timidly pressing it toward her hand.

“…”

Nina froze, then waved her hands frantically. “No, really—it’s fine. I don’t like stuff like this.”

“Alyssa, try it on!” Nevia leaned past Nina, snatching the ring back. She grabbed Alyssa’s left hand.

But where to put it? Nevia hesitated. In her past life, each finger held meaning for rings. Though no one here cared, she wanted to keep that memory alive.

She slid the ring onto Alyssa’s ring finger. *This is an engagement ring. Alyssa’s future belongs to me*, she thought.

Alyssa’s cheeks flushed crimson. Nevia’s touch felt strange on her fingers, but she didn’t pull away—she cherished this fragile friendship too much to risk it.

*Well, maybe a new friend too now.*

Alyssa smiled sweetly at Nina’s grumpy face. *Life is good like this.*

Alyssa’s slender fingers were soft, warm, and fair—still short with youth, but Nevia adored them. Paired with the green grass ring, they held a quiet beauty.

Nevia released Alyssa’s hand.

The three sat silently under spring’s gentle sun, breeze caressing their skin. Nearby, flowers on the hillside swayed softly. Every so often, a stronger gust would ripple through the field, making the blooms surge like ocean waves.

A bright light suddenly flashed in the flower field.

Petals peeled away from stems as if drawn by a magnet, spinning lazily into the air.

A white orb shot out from the petal swirl, streaking straight toward the girls. Even under the brilliant sky, its glow stood out sharply.

Nevia gasped in surprise.

Instantly, a semicircular blue Magic Shield flared before them—Nina’s quick defense spell.

*Plop!* The orb slammed into the shield and dropped to the ground with a thud.