"Meow..."

The black cat sat beside Nainai, who had frozen completely in place, its soft murmur carrying a clear message:

—*Now do you understand why I accepted that male biped?*

Fusiming truly was formidable. In just one day, and at tremendous cost, he’d transformed their dwelling into this. According to his explanation to the cat, it was merely "compensation" for its injury yesterday. Of course, such lavish compensation came with a request:

*He simply asked the black cat’s permission for Nainai and himself to move freely within its kingdom.*

Nainai adored cats.

And the young man had sworn—neither he nor Nainai would ever harm the cat or its subjects.

How could the cat refuse?

*Hell, this was a steal!*

The black cat, as intelligent as any human, could only agree to Fusiming’s deal—bitterly, helplessly, and utterly forced into it.

*No choice. He gave way too much.*

*...Defeated, fair and square.*

Nainai’s earlier resentment dissolved, leaving only thick frustration. Staring at the conceptual "cat house" now made startlingly real, she couldn’t help but feel genuine respect for Fusiming’s actions—even if she still disliked him. Ignoring the time, effort, and sheer labor he’d poured in, the cost of materials alone...

For a little penniless thing like her, it was an astronomical sum she’d never dared imagine.

Leaning against the smooth, rounded doorframe, Nainai slowly turned her head. Her gaze settled on Fusiming, busy not far away.

The young man was laying a path.

Using steel frames he’d cleared from the flat-roofed house.

With brute force, he snapped the welded frames apart into individual square rods. He bundled several together, then drove them vertically deep into the sun-baked earth, ensuring they wouldn’t sink further. To prevent rain from washing the rods apart, he added extra "support pillars" around the outer edges.

Just like that, a simple foundation—forged from scrap—was complete.

Knowing bare steel would be slick when wet, Fusiming planned to cover it later with non-slip rubber mats.

*So Nainai wouldn’t slip and fall.*

"... "

Silently watching Fusiming’s busy back, Nainai’s heart churned with tangled emotions.

Her so-called "humiliation"... was utterly hollow.

Pathetic. Meaningless.

How could someone as lazy, as worthless, as *done* as her feel "humiliated" by this hardworking young man?

*Ridiculous.*

It was like a rookie on the court feeling "humiliated" after Kobe Bryant crushed them.

*What right did she have?*

He was more talented. He worked harder. Of course he was stronger.

Suddenly, Nainai realized she didn’t hate the man anymore.

His figure seemed so towering... while she felt like an insect on a millet stalk.

Was her meaningless, painless "dislike" even worth anything? Necessary?

"... "

Unnoticed, two glistening tears gathered at the corners of the Little Succubus’s eyes. Her downcast gaze shimmered; her eyes ached, swollen.

*I just want to cry.*

Biting her lower lip, Nainai blinked hard.

Warm tears traced slow paths down her delicate cheeks.

Her heart was such a mess... she didn’t even know *why* she cried.

But that strange, sour ache spreading through her chest demanded release.

*Just pathetic tears from a good-for-nothing.*

"Huic..."

Soft sobs escaped her. Tiny hands kept wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop.

Cats’ hearing was sharp...

The moment Nainai made a sound, the black cat beside her—and every cat in the shelter—turned toward the small pink demon girl, face streaked with tears.

Her soft, kitten-like whimpers floated on the warm summer night air...

Gently reaching Fusiming’s ears.

*Nainai’s crying.*

*She’s crying?*

Like a mother summoned by her infant’s cry...

Fusiming dropped his work instantly. He rushed to Nainai’s side.

This crying was different from any he’d seen before.

Not the desperate wails of hunger... nor the frightened sobs of terror...

This was quiet weeping born of bitter, lemon-sour complexity and resignation.

Fusiming hadn’t known how to handle the first two kinds... let alone this soft, unfamiliar sound.

Helpless. Flustered. Agitated.

Hearing the Little Succubus cry like a tiny, heartbroken kitten made his own chest tighten.

He hated seeing Nainai cry.

Even her anger... even her scornful insults... even her violent slaps and kicks...

Anything was better than her tears. A thousand times better. Ten thousand.

*What do I do? How do I cheer up a girl?*

Lips pressed thin, Fusiming frantically wiped his grimy hands on his clothes.

In seconds, his white T-shirt looked like he’d just crawled out of a coal mine.

His hands moved to his cargo pants, patting the pockets... then froze.

*There!*

His fingers closed around a forgotten, square-shaped object in his pocket.

*Yes! This!*

Like finding a world-saving savior, Fusiming yanked it out—eager to present it like an offering.

But panic made his fingers clumsy... or maybe the old grease on his hands was too slick.

The palm-sized box slipped free, arcing gracefully toward the hard-packed earth.

Instinct flared.

***Corruption Essence*** surged.

His hand shot out like lightning, snatching the box just before it hit the ground.

Fusiming let out a silent breath of relief.

*Almost ruined the most important part of my "compensation."*

"Nainai..."

Kneeling on one knee before the Little Succubus, bringing himself to her eye level, Fusiming called her name softly.

"Huic... hicc..."

Nainai didn’t speak. She just kept sobbing, tear-blurred eyes fixed on the handsome young man with the large bandage on his right cheek.

She was even hiccuping now...

Tears had smudged the peach-colored eyeshadow behind her downturned eyes into something strangely vivid...

Her face, smeared with tears and snot, wasn’t exactly pretty.

But she was still adorable. Nainai was always adorable.

"Yesterday... I accidentally broke your phone."

"This... is to replace it."

As he explained, Fusiming peeled open the slim, palm-sized box.

Nestled in pristine foam lay a brand-new smartphone.

A glossy card sat centered on its screen—a stylized logo of a soaring rooster, edged with elegant, gold-embossed script: "5".

It was the latest Nokia v5 model.

Market price: roughly one and a half years of Nainai’s income.

Fusiming hadn’t chosen it for the camera, the screen, or the specs...

Purely because this brand was *infamously* unbreakable.

*Surely Nainai wouldn’t have to worry about breaking this one...*

Staring at the expensive new device gleaming under the black screen, Nainai’s lips trembled. No words came.

For a moment, she even forgot to cry.

Tears just kept welling up... until her vision blurred completely.

*Fusiming... replacing her broken junk phone—which wasn’t even worth half this—with something this precious?*

*What kind of joke was this?*

*How was this any different from just... giving it to her?*

Nainai had thought she’d sunk so low she could proudly call herself "useless."

But when someone tore through that flimsy, paper-thin barrier of her self-deception...

She realized her so-called "fall" was still far from the deepest abyss.

At the very least, she couldn’t accept such a precious gift—from the stranger she claimed to "hate"—without guilt crushing her.

"Huic... I can’t... hicc... take it..."

"Yesterday... huic... wasn’t your fault at all..."

"Take it... huic... take it away... don’t bother with me... huic..."

Nainai wept, pleading.

*Why?*

*Why did he treat her so kindly after she’d hit him, insulted him, looked down on him, and coldly said she never wanted to see him again?*

*He should have scorned her! Mocked her! Spat on her! Kicked her away like a disgusting bug!*

They’d only known each other two days.

Their total time together wouldn’t fill an afternoon tea.

*Why was Fusiming willing to give her so much?*

Confusion. Dread. The urge to retreat. Overwhelming gratitude...

Simple words couldn’t capture the storm inside Nainai—the tangled mess of her thoughts.

*What did she deserve?*

*Was she even worthy?*

—*Worthy.*

If Fusiming had heard her thoughts, he’d have answered without hesitation.

He still didn’t understand his own heart...

He still couldn’t name his feelings...

He still didn’t grasp the strange flutter in his chest.

But the pull in his soul—the urge to be near Nainai—was undeniable.

Maybe he just craved her beauty... or maybe he was addicted to the thrill of chasing desire.

His mind yearned to be close. His body yearned to merge.

But no matter the reason... Fusiming refused to lie to himself.

Seeing Nainai happy was enough. Right now, it was more than enough.