Viana spun around in fright, then let out a relieved sigh when she saw it was Tidelys.

“Little Ti, don’t sneak up on people like that! You gave me chills,” she said, patting her chest.

Tidelys’s gaze lingered on the scandalously sheer fabric of her back. “Maybe your back felt cold because, Nana, you’re wearing way too little.”

“Is that so?”

Cold sweat beaded on Viana’s brow, but she forced calm into her voice. “I just woke up—I’m obviously in my nightgown.”

Tidris pressed on, relentless. “Then why have I never seen this nightgown before?”

“Well… I bought it recently. Totally normal you haven’t seen it.”

*Crap. Did Little Ti figure it out?*

To divert suspicion, Viana quickly changed the subject. “So… what brings you to my bedroom door, Little Ti?”

“Catching a cheater.”

Viana: ?

Why was Little Ti so aggressively blunt tonight?

But clinging to the “deny unless caught in bed” policy, Viana stammered, “Wh-what do you mean, ‘catching a cheater’?”

Seeing her play dumb, Tidelys asked again—sharper this time. “Nana, in that flimsy nightgown… were you heading to Shopkeeper Simon’s room?”

Viana froze, then sighed in defeat. “So you knew all along, Little Ti… I thought I’d covered my tracks. Where did I slip up?”

“What cover-up? You were shamelessly obvious!”

Tidris finally snapped. “Marking Shopkeeper Simon with your scent like a she-beast! Did you think I wouldn’t notice?!”

Viana stiffened. “A… she-beast?!”

How could Little Ti use such a vulgar word for her?!

Thank goodness—possessive she might be, but she genuinely hadn’t noticed the scent thing!

Tidris huffed. “Simon smelled sweet this morning. One whiff—I knew it was yours.”

*If not for worrying about my image with Simon, I’d have pinned him back to bed and rubbed my scent all over him ages ago.*

“Fine… what do you want me to do, Little Ti?”

Caught red-handed, Viana had no ground to stand on.

She gave Tidris’s arm a pitiful little shake.

“Nothing. Just go back to sleep.”

“What?! No way!”

Viana recoiled like a cat whose tail got stepped on.

“How do I know you won’t sneak into Simon’s bed after I leave?”

Though her mother had passed early, her earnest words echoed clear:

*“In love, if you don’t claim your territory, someone else will.”*

She would *not* slink away defeated!

Tidris’s face flushed crimson. “Y-you’re talking nonsense!”

How could she leave such a shameless impression on Shopkeeper Simon?!

Sensing Tidris’s fluster, Viana pushed her luck. “Well then—if Little Ti won’t go, *I* will. Can’t let Simon sleep alone, right?”

Fed up, Tidris threw caution to the wind, wrapped her arms around Viana’s waist, and shoved her backward.

“Neither of us is going!”

“Wait—wait! Don’t push so hard, Little Ti…”

Unaware, Simon—still burning the midnight oil—

Had no idea his love life hadn’t even sprouted wings before the catfight began.

…

“You’ve been yawning since morning. Viana too.”

Inside the carriage, Simon eyed the drowsy Tidelys.

“You two… didn’t sneak off to do something naughty last night, did you?”

“N-nothing like that! Shopkeeper Simon, please don’t imagine things,” Tidelys mumbled, bleary eyes betraying her guilt.

Truth was, she’d barely slept—wrestling with Viana till dawn before finally dozing off tangled together.

Thankfully, she’d slipped back to her room once at sunrise. Or this question would’ve been impossible to answer.

They stepped off the carriage at the crossroads, luggage in hand, and walked to the shop door.

Before Simon could pull out his keys, Tidelys tilted her head.

“Huh? Did the shop across the street change?”

Simon glanced at the plain new sign. “Seems so. But wasn’t their business thriving?”

Just then, a man in his thirties emerged from the opposite shop. Spotting Simon, he strode over with a handshake.

“You must be Simon, shopkeeper of Simon’s Card House. Long admired your work.”

“Hello. And you are?”

The man flashed a bright grin. “Hope, shopkeeper here. Call me Hope.”

Simon felt instant respect for this man whose name practically screamed “multiple aliases.” “Pleased to meet you.”

“Come over!”

Hope waved. A white-haired young man—Simon’s age—stepped out.

“This is Alastor, my staff. Same age as you—good to connect.”

*Whoa. This one’s even heavier weight.*

Simon shook his hand eagerly. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

Alastor pointed at himself. “Shopkeeper Simon… you know me?”

“No! I just got excited—you share a name with a legendary Duelist I admire.”

After introductions, Hope smiled. “Just returned from a trip? We won’t keep you. Drop by anytime.”

They declined Simon’s offer to stay and left with a simple greeting.

“Odd new neighbors, Shopkeeper Simon,” Tidelys murmured, eyeing the card shop. “Shopkeeper greets us personally *and* brings his staff?”

“Could they be your fans?”

Simon shook his head while unlocking the door. “I’m not famous. No fans.”

“Still… far friendlier than the last neighbors.”

Dust coated the untouched shop. Simon settled into his recliner. “Tidelys, tidy up.”

“On it, Shopkeeper Simon!” She rolled up her sleeves.

Simon relaxed, savoring the quiet.

The new neighbors were just a minor ripple.

His focus returned to the Rank B card taking shape in his mind.

*Knock.*

A bespectacled man pushed the door open.

“Hello. New neighbor next door—just stopping by to say hi.”

Simon: ?

…Is there *another* big shot?