The Moonlight at Night

While the members of Night Raid were scheming, Kaguya was out shopping with Esdeath. It's hard to deny that shopping is inherently a woman's nature—even a super sadistic queen like Esdeath isn't exempt.

But it was tough on Kaguya, who had little interest in shopping. She didn't quite understand the appeal, especially spending an entire day shopping without buying anything. Kaguya usually knew what she wanted to buy and would just pick it up if it fit, without much fuss.

"How about this one?" Esdeath held up a pink dress and compared it against herself.

"It's nice, looks good," Kaguya replied absentmindedly, her thoughts already wandering elsewhere.

"And this one?"

"Hmm, suits you well."

"And this one?"

"Very pretty."

"And this one?"

Kaguya was about to respond automatically when she turned her head and nearly choked on her own words.

Esdeath, who already had a tall and elegant figure, looked breathtakingly beautiful in the dress she was trying on.

"Well?" Esdeath spun around in front of Kaguya, her pale cheeks slightly flushed. "How do I look?"

Kaguya cleared her throat to cover her embarrassment. "It's very nice."

"I think it's nice too." Esdeath swayed her slender waist as she approached Kaguya, then leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I'll wear this for you every day from now on. How about that?"

"We'll talk about it later." Kaguya, regaining her composure, coughed lightly and turned her head away, feeling her face warm up.

If they weren't on opposing sides, this kind of shamelessly comfortable life might not be so bad...

By the time they left the clothing store, it was already evening. The sun was setting, the sky was bathed in hues of orange and pink, and the day's bustle was giving way to tranquility. The occasional bark of a dog added to the deepening night. The moon slowly rose from the horizon, casting a soft, cold light over the land, turning everything a shade of white.

The town's lights gradually flickered on, and smoke curled from the chimneys of homes as the clatter of pots and pans filled the air, accompanied by the rich aroma of home-cooked meals.

"Shall we go get something to eat?" Esdeath suggested, linking her arm with Kaguya's and smiling.

"Sure." Kaguya nodded. After walking around all day, she was indeed feeling a bit hungry.

They walked into an inconspicuous tavern around the corner. It wasn't that they didn't want to go to a bigger tavern, but those places were usually crowded with adventurers and travelers, making it noisy and chaotic. Many of the patrons were rough and uncouth, and Kaguya worried that Esdeath might lose her temper and slaughter them all.

Inside the tavern, it was surprisingly clean, with simple yet elegant decorations and a quiet atmosphere that Kaguya found very pleasing.

"What can I get for you two?" A waiter approached, momentarily stunned by the beauty of the two girls before him. After a brief pause, he managed to gather himself.

"Anything will do. Just bring out your best dishes," Kaguya said, placing the menu on the table with a smile.

"Alright," the waiter nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait," Esdeath suddenly called him back.

"Yes, miss? Is there something else?" The waiter asked respectfully.

"Bring a few bottles of your finest wine," Esdeath requested.

"No need," Kaguya quickly waved her hand. "We can skip the wine." Although Kaguya had great strength, her alcohol tolerance was surprisingly low—she was basically a lightweight. Last time, she got drunk on low-alcohol sake while drinking with some girls and ended up completely wasted.

"What's a date without wine?" Esdeath asked, puzzled.

"No wine. If you want to drink, go ahead, but I'm not drinking," Kaguya replied firmly.

Half an hour later...

It was unclear how long they had been drinking, but the table was now cluttered with empty bottles, with more scattered on the floor. No one knew exactly how many bottles they had gone through.

By the end of it, Kaguya was barely conscious, her sense of direction completely lost. Her head was spinning, and her body felt like jelly. If Esdeath were to strike now, it would take no effort at all—she could easily capture Kaguya.

The cold moonlight filtered through the windows, casting a delicate glow over the quiet forest outside.

As dawn broke, the morning star shone brightly in the sky. The sun slowly rose over the horizon, and the gentle morning light washed over the land, driving away the night's chill.

The warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft light on Kaguya's pale, delicate face, making her look peaceful and serene.

Kaguya's long eyelashes fluttered slightly as she slowly opened her eyes, waking up from her sleep. Still a bit groggy, she sat up in bed, frowning as she pressed a hand to her forehead.

The throbbing headache from her hangover made her feel like her head was about to explode, the pain so intense that she almost wanted to roll around.

It took a while for Kaguya to recover from the excruciating pain. As she looked around, she realized she was in an unfamiliar room. Judging by the decor, it seemed to be an inn.

Something had happened yesterday, but she could barely remember what. Her memories were hazy, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall anything clearly.

Wait, where's Esdeath?

Kaguya suddenly leaped out of bed, noticing a note on the table. She walked over and picked it up.

After reading the contents, Kaguya frowned slightly.

The note said that Esdeath had something urgent to attend to, so she couldn't accompany her and had to return to the capital. From the wording, Kaguya sensed that something must have happened in the capital, prompting Esdeath's hasty departure.

What could be so important that it required her immediate return? Could it be...?