“Noth’s finally bringing a friend over! I’m so excited!”


    Serris and Ren peacefully sat together in the back of the garden, the angel’s long invisible fingers running through the small girl’s hair as she slowly braided it.


    <Oh? I’m surprised. I thought you might have been more jealous about it, like Jean’s been.>


    “Is she being jealous? I thought she was just working really hard to make sure everything would be perfect.”


    <Yes, it could be that she’s just trying her best to be helpful… But to me it looks more like she’s venting out her frustrations.>


    “Oh… Yeah, she does that sometimes. I really hope she’s not jealous, though.”


    <So that means you’re not?>


    “Um… I don’t think I am. I sure hope I’m not…”


    The angel chuckled and gently tugged on the freshly completed braid, bringing it forward for Ren to see.


    <It’s okay to be jealous sometimes you know. It’s a natural part of being human, after all.>


    Ren ran her little fingers over the offered braid, feeling the texture as she looked down and tried to hide her softly blushing face. Serris stared down at her lovingly, and patted the shy girl’s head for a while. Trying to cut away the tingly atmosphere, Ren chose to push the conversation forwards.


    “Still, I’m really happy for Noth. He’s been opening up to the townspeople lately, but not as much as he opens up to us, and… And it must be hard not having anyone his own age to talk to. Helt told me that…”


    Serris sighed, wrapping her arms around the small cute girl and resting her head on top of Ren’s fluffy ashen hair.


    <You’re always such a sweet girl, Ren. I wish I could be more good like you.>


    “Huh???”


    Ren turned her head towards the seemingly invisible air, looking surprised and confused at the sudden praise that had been pushed upon her.


    “I-I’m not that good at all! I still think bad thoughts all the time, really!”


    <Everyone thinks bad thoughts sometimes, Ren. But I believe the amount of goodness in your heart far outweighs all of that.>


    “Uuuu~...”


    Ren looked back down to the ground, her hands coming up to cover her flushing face.


    “I’m not that good, really I’m not. But, but… Thank you.”


    Serris nuzzled her face against the cute girl, squeezing her in their hug just a tad bit tighter for a moment, before she reluctantly pulled away. She came around to the front of the small bashful girl, gently removing the hands that covered her blushing face and holding them into her own in a semi-firm grip.


    <Ren, I have something important to say. Can you make a promise with me?>


    “Huh? Um, maybe. What do I need to do?”


    <...Someone bad is about to come to visit us, a very bad and evil woman. And if she sees you, she’s going to steal you away.>


    “What?! Oh no, we have to tell Noth! We can’t let them come!”


    Ren tried to spring up so she could run and find Noth, but Serris’s firm grip on the girl made it impossible for her to go.


    <No, don’t tell him anything; This has to be a secret. The bad woman won’t be able to do anything to you if you just hide behind Helt when you meet her. Don’t make eye contact with her. Don’t even say anything. So long as she can’t see you for too long you should be completely safe. And if you get too scared, you can come right back here, and she won’t be able to get you.>


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    “But… Are you sure we can’t tell Noth? If it’s him, he can keep us safe.”


    <No, he has other important things to do. After all, isn’t the new friend he finally made coming over soon?>


    Ren’s eyes widened, and she desperately looked up to where she guessed that her invisible friend’s eyes would be.


    “...Noth’s new friend isn’t the evil woman, are they?”


    <Love, Noth’s new friend is a man.>


    The small girl looked like all the tension had drained from her as she drooped in relief; She’d been absolutely terrified of how she could break the news to Noth about the new friend he’d been looking forward to meeting. But soon her flagging body re-stiffened, and her gaze went back up to search for her friend’s.


    “...Then how will I know who the evil lady is?”


    <You’ll all be called to meet her. When that happens, be sure to do as I said and stick very very close behind Helt.>


    “And Helt will be okay…?”


    <Yes. Noth will make sure that nothing too bad happens to him, even if the evil lady notices Helt.>


    “Are you sure? I… I don’t want Helt getting hurt in my place.”


    Serris hugged Ren once more, and pressed her forehead against the small girl’s. Ren couldn''t see Serris, but the pained look on the angel’s face would have been enough to make Ren cry just from seeing it if she could.


    <I’m sure. It might get a bit scary, but it’s better off if she sees him rather than you.>


    Ren looked like she wasn’t fully convinced, and her eyes searched the ground as if she were looking for the right solution. Serris hugged her a bit tighter, and her voice shook as she pleaded with the small ashen girl.


    The sincerity in her begging voice made Ren give up and make her choice. If her friend was sure that this was what she needed to do, then she would try to do it for her as best that she could. Her heart couldn’t just ignore the pleas of a friend who’d been so kind to her and kept her company through these past years.


    “Well, if you’re sure that Helt won’t get hurt, then… I’ll do it.”


    <...Thank you, Ren. Thank you. And…>


    Serris had to stop herself before she choked out the words ‘I’m sorry’.


    ***


    From the moment Noth had received the letter stating that Mark and his sister Rilly were going to arrive the next day, he’d been nothing but flustered, excited, and vigilant. He searched through the mansion, double-checking the shadow cat’s cleaning work. He’d never particularly cared how dirty or weathered anything might look, but for some reason his eyes were drawn to every nook and cranny in worry that he might find something that would stand out to their special guests. He’d talked with the first shadow cat multiple times, reassuring that the cats knew to hide their true selves for the duration of the visit, and in the end it was decided they would just stay as cats in the villa, where Mark and Rilly would be kept away from, so no accidents would occur.


    On the afternoon when the siblings were set to arrive, Noth, Ren, Helt, Jean, and Elillith all gathered in front of the mansion to await their guests. They watched as the carriage slowly made its way through the town, and talked amongst themselves in giddiness and anticipation. Jean might have been trying her best to look pleasant and dignified, like a high ranking maid, but the unhappy glint in her eye gave away her irritation. Helt seemed unbothered by the situation for the most part, but occasionally he would ask questions to Noth for clarification, or would send Jean a slightly exasperated glance. Ren was holding on to a fistful of his sleeve and refused to leave his side, half hiding herself behind him as if she were shy. And Elillith was… Well, she was just Elillith, as always.


    In a way, Elillith’s perpetual nonchalance no matter the situation was a beacon of stability for Noth.


    When the carriage finally reached the mansion and the coachman came down to open the door, a nervous silence pervaded the area. However, that silence was easily broken the moment that the ever cheerful Mark sprung out and stretched his legs while reaching up and looking at the sky.


    “Ah finally! We were cooped up inside that thing for forever! I was starting to think we’d never get to leave!”


    When he brought his head back down, he shot Noth a big beaming smile, and he goofily waved his hands like a child towards his friend.


    “It’s been a week, Noct!”


    Noth let a small smile grow on his face at the young man’s antics, and he waved back, although much more slowly and reserved.


    “It has, Mark. Welcome to my territory. I hope Sleekka isn’t as hard on the eyes as you might have expected.”


    “Oh no; Actually while we were driving through town, Rilly and I were talking about how pretty and new all of the houses and everything looked- Oh right, Rilly!”


    Mark looked back towards the carriage, and put his hand out towards the door in a fancy, refined motion. A hand clad in a long, black glove that shined like silk and caught everyone''s eye gracefully took hold of the offered hand, and soon a woman clad in black lacy silk from head to toe made her way down from the carriage. She looked gorgeous, like some kind of doll that only a noble or rich merchant could have ever possessed, and the large black slightly translucent veil that she wore over her head came down to her elbows, mysteriously shrouding her in a way that kept the viewer guessing. Noth knew he wasn’t the only one marvelling over her beautiful visage.


    Mark cheerfully broke through the awe-filled silence, used to such situations.


    “This is my sister, Rilly! Oh, um, but I guess you can just call her Riln.”