Deep in the dense forest, two slender figures wove through the shadows. Bold? Undeniably so.

Though the twentieth-level woods held no mighty monsters, the sun-choked canopy and goblins that screeched and leaped from the brush still startled most first-time female adventurers.

“Strange…”

Ophelia swatted dead a goblin sneaking up behind her, then frowned slightly. She’d stretched her magical perception to the limit—yet sensed no trace of a powerful beast lingering nearby.

Nefu followed silently, lost in thought.

“Little Nefu, hand me that.”

“Yes…”

Nefu pulled a mana recovery potion from her backpack and passed it over. At first, she’d wondered why Ophelia brought her. Now she knew: she was just a walking storage bag.

Annoyance prickled under her skin. But what could she do? She couldn’t win a fight. Bound by a Slave Contract, resistance was pointless.

Ophelia uncapped the vial, downed it in one gulp, and felt her nearly depleted mana slowly replenish. Only then did she sigh deeply.

“Let’s go. We’ll stroll through the city.”

“Mm.”

Just as they turned to leave, rustling came from the bushes. Ophelia raised her hand—but a tiny black puppy with wide, round eyes tumbled out.

It nuzzled Nefu’s legs affectionately. Nefu knelt and gently stroked its head.

“Master, it’s so cute! Can we—?”

She looked up—and froze. Ophelia’s guard was still up. Disgust flickered across her face. Her voice turned icy.

“Nefu. Step back. Now.”

“Huh?”

Confused but sensing undeniable command in the words, Nefu took a small step back. That slight retreat exposed the pup’s position.

*Whoosh.* An arcane orb shot through its skull.

“Master, you—!”

“Look closely,” Ophelia said calmly, glancing at the corpse now reverted to its true form beside Nefu’s feet. “This was a Mimic disguised as a puppy.”

“Be more careful next time, little Nefu.”

The warning meant nothing to Nefu. Of course she recognized her own kind. She’d seen through the disguise the moment she laid eyes on it—that’s why the pup trusted her.

But how had *Ophelia* known?

As if reading her confusion, Ophelia brushed hair from her eyes, revealing pale golden irises.

“My magic eyes see through any disguise.”

“R-Really? Master is amazing,” Nefu replied stiffly.

No time to mourn kin. Cold sweat beaded her brow. *She saw through me too?*

Anxiety churned. If Ophelia knew… why hadn’t she struck? Unless… Mimics in human form were immune to detection?

*Yes. That’s it.* Nefu silently reassured herself. *Why panic? If she knew, she’d have acted.*

Her expression eased slightly.

Ophelia caught it all—a faint smile hidden in her eyes. She ruffled Nefu’s silvery hair, soft as satin.

“Still frozen? Scared? Come on, we’re leaving.”

“O-Okay…”

“What’s wrong? If you like puppies that much, I’ll buy you one later.”

“Eh?”

As sunset bled across the sky, they returned home. Unlike usual, a new presence waited inside.

“Come on, Blackfang, hurry in.”

Nefu patted the dog beside her, voice warm.

Yes—this was the pet *she’d* chosen. Ophelia hadn’t been joking.

But… Ophelia stroked her chin, puzzled. This “dog” looked wolf-like. Fluffy tail hung limp, not wagging once. *A safety risk for my little maid?*

She’d suggested a smaller pup. Nefu insisted on this one.

“Nefu, tidy up. I’ll handle things inside.”

“…Understood.”

Watching Ophelia disappear into her room, Nefu’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. A cold glint flashed in her eyes.

Ophelia was right. This was no dog—a magical wolf cub. The seller misidentified it. That’s why Nefu chose it.

“Blackfang, come here. Be good.”

(Blackfang: the name she gave it.)

The pup obeyed instantly, lying at her feet. Docile? Only on the surface.

It submitted solely to the bloodline pressure of a higher-tier magical beast. Nefu wore a fragile human form—but her innate dominance left Blackfang no choice.

*Perfect.* Satisfaction glimmered in her eyes. A little helper. She wouldn’t confront Ophelia directly… but she could *command* Blackfang to bite.

*Heh heh…* She already pictured those fangs tearing into Ophelia’s throat.

“Ugh, headache,” Ophelia called from the doorway, waving her over. “Dinner’s ready. Stop spacing out with that silly smile.”

All day yielded no clues. The other guilds hit dead ends too. The beast was cunning—left almost no trace. *Let them play detective. I’ll join the capture.*

“O-Okay, coming!”

Nefu hurried over. Ophelia noticed the faint anxiety on her face and smiled inwardly. *Teased her too hard yesterday?* But… she was just too adorable. Practically begging to be teased.

Her gaze drifted to Blackfang. Annoying creature. *But little Nefu chose it.*

A flicker of irritation. *Should I tease her again later?*

The thought sent a faint blush creeping up Ophelia’s cheeks.