Time passed fairly quickly, and the wall clock now showed eight in the morning.
Inside a pink-themed bedroom, Yuki Tokito lay peacefully on the bed, wrapped in a warm blanket beside Illyasviel von Einzbern.
Their breathing was soft and calm—the kind typical of children still deeply asleep in the comfort of early morning.
Soon after, Yuki's eyelids twitched before slowly opening. Her awareness was still half-drifting.
Sensing something beside her, Yuki instinctively turned her head. There, she saw a strange white-haired girl sleeping right next to her.
Yuki blinked several times.
"UWAAAH?!" Her small body jerked backward on the bed with a shocked expression. "A-a mysterious girl in my room?!"
Her eyes widened as she stared at the girl's long white hair, which looked soft like rabbit fur.
"White… fluffy…" Yuki pointed while trembling. "A rabbit?!"
Because of the loud shout, Illya let out a small groan and frowned slightly.
"Uugh… noisy…"
Her eyelids slowly opened, revealing clear, beautiful ruby-colored eyes under the morning light.
Yuki froze instantly. Her gaze locked onto those ruby-red eyes. Somehow, it only strengthened the strange impression in her mind.
"Even her eyes are red…" Yuki's voice softened in awe. "This really is a mysterious rabbit girl…"
On the other side, Illyasviel von Einzbern slowly woke up and sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes with a lazy gesture. Her long white hair was slightly messy from sleep.
After that, she stretched her small body while yawning softly, then turned her gaze toward Yuki Tokito. A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Good morning, Yuki."
Yuki was still staring at her with a stiff and confused expression.
"Ah… g-good morning…" she replied reflexively.
But a few seconds later, her expression turned serious again.
"That's not the issue!" Yuki pointed at Illya in panic. "Who are you?! And why are you sleeping in my room?!"
Illya blinked slowly, then calmly answered, "Illyasviel von Einzbern."
She placed a hand on her small chest gracefully.
"I am a girl who was kidnapped by Kuro Onii-san along with my servants from my castle last night."
Silence.
Yuki's eyes widened even further.
"KIDNAPPED?!" Her small body stiffened. "D-did Uncle really kidnap someone?!"
But right after saying that, Yuki suddenly went quiet.
Her expression slowly turned uncertain.
"…but…"
Her gaze dropped slightly. If she thought about it, about a month ago her uncle really was a bad person: cold, scary and like someone who didn't care about anything.
Although recently Kuro had changed a lot and felt much warmer, Yuki still understood that her uncle's original personality was not normal to begin with.
Yuki's eyes wavered.
"Don't tell me…" she murmured softly. "Did Uncle become bad again…?"
Illya tilted her head slightly upon hearing the murmur.
"Bad again?" she thought.
She paused for a moment trying to understand the meaning, then gave a small laugh and set the thought aside.
"Not really."
Her tone was casual, as if she didn't particularly mind the fact she had been taken to someone else's house by force.
"Kuro Onii-san is a bit strange," she said softly. "And slightly criminal."
Yuki's face turned pale.
"Slightly…?"
"But…" Illya continued with a faint smile, "I don't think he's truly a bad person."
She looked directly at Yuki.
"If he really had bad intentions, I wouldn't still be treated so casually like this."
Yuki fell silent.
Her gaze slowly dropped to the blanket covering her small body. Her fingers gripped the soft fabric lightly, as if searching for something to steady her thoughts.
She actually wanted to immediately deny it and say her uncle wasn't a bad person.
But for some reason, the words wouldn't come out easily.
Because Yuki knew.
In the past, Kuro truly was a frightening person. Cold, distant, and difficult to approach like an endless winter that never fully melted.
Even though now he had become much kinder and warmer, sometimes that cold side still showed itself in his eyes.
And that made Yuki a little afraid.
What if someday her uncle went back to how he used to be?
Illya, noticing Yuki's gloomy expression, tilted her head.
"You really like Onii-san, don't you?"
Yuki flinched slightly.
"Eh?"
"Because you look like you're afraid of losing him."
Yuki's eyes widened a little.
She quickly turned her face away.
"I-I'm not—"
Grrrkkk…
A small stomach growl suddenly echoed in the room.
Silence.
Illya blinked, then slowly looked toward Yuki's stomach.
Yuki's face turned bright red instantly.
"…forget what I just said."
The corner of Illya's lips lifted slightly as she tried to hold back a laugh.
"You're hungry?"
Yuki lowered her head in embarrassment, holding her stomach.
"…a little."
Grrrkkk…
This time it was even louder, breaking the heavy atmosphere from moments ago like a soap bubble.
Illya finally giggled.
"Let's go find something to eat."
Yuki pouted in embarrassment for a few seconds before reluctantly nodding.
Soon after, both of them got down from the bed. Yuki walked first, occasionally glancing back to make sure Illya was following.
Meanwhile, Illya walked calmly behind her, curiously observing the pink-themed room.
For the first time since waking up, the atmosphere between them felt much lighter—warm like morning light slipping through the curtains.
***
Leaving the room, Yuki and Illya went down the stairs toward the living room after hearing the sound of the television downstairs.
When they arrived, they immediately saw Kuro sitting casually on the sofa.
The living room was calm, illuminated by morning light streaming through the window like a warm blanket covering the space.
Next to him, Kama was lying lazily with her head resting on Kuro's lap, using it as a natural pillow.
His fingers gently stroked the silver-haired Goddess of Love's hair in a slow, relaxed rhythm, making Kama look half-asleep like a pampered house cat.
Meanwhile, the television in front of them was showing the morning news.
The screen displayed a church area surrounded by police lines and heavy damage. The reporter explained that the incident was suspected to be a mysterious terrorist attack that occurred last night.
Of course, that was just a fabricated story.
In reality, the place had become the battlefield between Kuro and Gilgamesh the night before.
Kuro smiled faintly while resting his chin on his hand.
"It seems I should give a reward to that dark priest," he said casually. "As appreciation for covering up the real incident so well."
At that moment, Yuki and Illya finally entered the living room.
Yuki spoke first, still slightly sleepy. "G-good morning…"
Illya raised a small hand lightly. "Good morning, Kuro Onii-san."
Kuro turned toward the source of the voices.
"Yes," he replied calmly. "Good morning." His gaze then shifted to Illya. "Did you sleep well, Illya?"
Illya blinked slowly before giving a small smile. "Un. Very comfortable."
She glanced briefly at Yuki beside her.
"The bed was warm. And Yuki didn't move too wildly while sleeping either."
"E-eh?! I'm not that bad!" Yuki protested instantly, her face turning red.
Illya giggled softly at her reaction, her voice light like a small bell in the morning.
Meanwhile, Kama, still lying on Kuro's lap, opened one eye lazily.
"So noisy in the morning…" she murmured. "You children are energetic."
Yuki immediately looked at Kama and smiled brightly.
"Good morning, Kama Nee-chan!"
Even though Kama didn't directly look at her, the corner of her lips still lifted slightly.
"Yes, good morning, Yuki-chan~"
After Kama greeted them, the two girls walked toward the kitchen, leaving Kuro and Kama alone in the living room. Their footsteps slowly faded, replaced by faint kitchen activity and the soft sound of the ongoing news in the background.
A moment later, a mischievous smile appeared on Kama's face. Lazily yet deliberately, she raised her right hand and touched Kuro's chest with her fingertip.
The touch slowly slid downward across his stomach, slipping under the slightly open gap of his white shirt.
"Hey."
Kuro's flat voice made Kama's movement stop right around his stomach.
"The children are awake," he continued with a soft sigh. "Sella, Leysritt, and Tamamo are also preparing breakfast in the kitchen."
Only then did he glance at Kama from the corner of his eye.
"Wasn't last night enough for you already?"
Kama's smile only grew sweeter, like a poisonous flower blooming more beautifully when touched.
"Love and desire are never truly satisfied, you know?"
From her relaxed position on Kuro's lap, Kama lifted her chin slightly, gazing at him with half-lidded eyes.
"Besides…" she whispered softly, full of temptation, "isn't it more thrilling when it's done secretly in the middle of many people, Master?"