Inexplicable

"They have already escaped," said Guard Captain Ieyasu in a deep voice. "However, I have ordered more personnel to search for them, and it shouldn't be long before we find them."

"No need," Kaguya waved her hand and pondered. "Call them back."

"But their appearance here must be part of some unknown plan. If we let them go..." Guard Captain Ieyasu hesitated.

"It's fine, they can't stir up much trouble," Kaguya said, playing with a strand of her hair and smiling slightly. "Those people run faster than rabbits. Don't bother with them."

"Yes," Guard Captain Ieyasu replied respectfully.

At this moment, Kaguya saw Kurome approaching. She seemed hesitant, as if she had something to say. Kaguya turned and waved her hand at Guard Captain Ieyasu, saying, "You may leave. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

"Yes."

Guard Captain Ieyasu bowed, turned, and left the room in a hurry.

"What is it? Are you sick? You look pale." Kaguya blinked, curiously looking at the dark-haired girl standing before her.

The girl looked a bit pale, with dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well the previous night, carrying a hint of fatigue.

"Princess, I want to go out," Kurome said softly.

"Go out?" Kaguya frowned unconsciously. "What do you want to do outside in this snowy weather?"

"Many people have gone missing recently, and I suspect it's the work of Danger Beasts. I want to go out and investigate," Kurome said quietly. "Besides, it would be good practice for my skills."

"The Imperial Guard can handle such matters," Kaguya said, sipping her tea and smiling. "Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, and you're still in a crucial developmental stage. Too much training might not be beneficial. Would you like some tea?"

Kaguya stood up, picked up a small bag from a table nearby, and handed it to Kurome with a smile. "These are cookies I baked myself. I'm not sure if they'll suit your taste, but I think they're pretty good."

As Kurome accepted the bag, a pleasant aroma wafted out, surprising her. She looked up at Kaguya with her clear black-and-white eyes, showing a hint of astonishment. These were her favorite cookies; she recognized the smell.

"So I took your cookies, and now I'm making up for it," Kaguya chuckled.

Kurome held the cookies gently, her expression momentarily lost in thought, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She was reminded of the time when she first met the Princess. Back then, she had lost all hope, left only with despair. If not for her goal of avenging her sister's death, she might not have survived. Those days were spent in a daze, like a walking corpse.

The whole world seemed a monotonous gray, devoid of color.

It was the Princess who pulled her out of that abyss of despair, giving her new hope.

She suddenly realized that the world could be so beautiful, something she had never considered before. Her new pursuit was no longer about killing her sister, but something else, though it was a bit embarrassing to admit.

"Why don't you try one?" Kaguya tilted her head and smiled. "It took me a long time to perfect the recipe. It shouldn't be too different from what you used to eat."

"Oh, oh." Kaguya's voice snapped Kurome out of her reverie. Her face turned a bright shade of red, and she hurriedly opened the bag, clumsily taking out a cookie and putting it in her mouth.

A crisp crunch was followed by a rich flavor spreading through her mouth, refreshing and delicious, even better than the cookies Kurome remembered. She immediately took a liking to them.

"Delicious, right?" Kaguya cupped her chin with her hands, smiling as she watched Kurome enjoy the treat. As a cook, there's nothing more satisfying than someone enjoying what you've made.

"Mm, mm," Kurome nodded repeatedly, her face brimming with happiness. She had avoided such cookies for a long time, fearing the Princess might think she was still taking those enhancement drugs.

"Now can you tell me why you want to leave?" Kaguya suddenly asked.

"Ah!" Kurome was caught off guard, nearly dropping the cookie.

"Do you think I can't tell when you have something on your mind?" Kaguya walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me what's going on. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

Kurome's face turned a deeper shade of red, and she tried to run, but Kaguya caught her wrist.

"What's going on?" Kaguya asked, puzzled by Kurome's reaction.

"Nothing's wrong," Kurome stammered, looking uncomfortable.

"If nothing's wrong, why are you running?" Kaguya was even more puzzled and curious about what could cause such a reaction in Kurome.

"Let go of me." Kurome struggled, but she couldn't break free from Kaguya's grip. "Really, it's nothing."

"I'll let you go if you tell me," Kaguya said. "Are you going to tell me?"

"No," Kurome replied firmly.

"Then I won't let go," Kaguya teased.

"You... let go!"

"No."

"Ah! You're really like a dog."

It seemed Kurome was desperate. She opened her mouth and bit Kaguya's arm, and as Kaguya loosened her grip, Kurome quickly escaped like a frightened rabbit.

What just happened?

All I did was ask a question, was it really necessary to react like that? Kaguya looked at the crescent-shaped bite marks on her smooth white arm, puzzled.