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Lee Yang-hoon’s mansion had a beautiful appearance.

The garden, touched by the Great Witch’s hands, had an elegant old-world charm. Iarin’s strong demand for a place ideal for training meant there were also small shelters for quiet martial arts practice.

And in one of those shelters, several people were gathered.

They settled in against the backdrop of the dark sky.

It was almost excessively serious.

Two girls with white hair.

Two girls who lived in this mansion.

These four were enjoying a glamping experience in the garden, as if they were camping out.

A huge tent that could hardly believe it accommodated four people, along with a sofa and bed that were inflated with air, a makeshift shower facility, a portable TV, and a laptop… not to mention the projector they had brought along to watch movies.

It looked less like camping and more like they had just moved a dormitory here.

They were huddled around a camping wood stove.

“The garden vibe feels really strange. It doesn’t seem like home.”

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration? Sure, we fixed up the garden a bit….”

“Rabbit, rabbit. Not a bit… it’s completely redone….”

“Umm… true… but still, it is home….”

Through the transparent window of the wood stove, firewood was burning brightly, filling the air with warmth, accompanied by crackling sounds outside, while a mocha pot was steaming up, making coffee.

The sound of burning logs.

The distant calls of insects.

The bubbling of the mocha pot.

And on top of that, the fragrant aroma of coffee mixing with the earthy scent of grilled rice cakes wrapped in foil.

They were enjoying their camping time.

“But… there is one thing I don’t like.”

“What is it?”

“You.”

The reason for this was evident just by looking at Iarin’s current appearance.

“Why?”

“Why? You really don’t know? You’re too clingy!”

As she clung to Ella, pretending it was to keep warm against the chilly night air, Iarin’s actions suggested she was intentionally trying to find a reason to stick close to her.

“What’s it to you? Let’s share.”

“Share? What do you mean? Ah, don’t stick to me! Move away!”

Iarin was glued to Ella.

As if Ella was a hand warmer.

She sat right next to Ella, even putting her hand into the sleeping bag that rested on Ella’s lap, as if to share its warmth. Naturally, she leaned her head and body against Ella, and as time went on, her form was slowly leaning more heavily.

Watching the speed at which she was leaning, it seemed like she would soon lay her head in Ella’s lap.

“Haah….”

And across from her sat Iserin.

She was completely covered in track pants and sleeves, which looked a size too large. The pants fit perfectly, allowing for easy movement, but the top didn’t have the same snug fit.

It was a size or two too big for her.

“Fuh….”

This was intended by Iserin.

While it’s good to have fitted clothing when exercising, she found it more comfortable to wear something a bit loose for casual wear.

Especially the long sleeves were easy to work with.

For instance… when she tucked her hands inside and took a perfectly grilled rice cake to munch on.

“Fuhuh….”

Iserin used her sleeves like mittens, nibbling away at the rice cake while puffing gently to cool it.

Next to Iarin, there was a small girl.

A girl who looked like she was in elementary or middle school, with white hair and red eyes.

The mysteriously enchanting girl was fidgeting with her moonlit white hair, casting a small frown at the three girls.

“Excuse me?”

The girl named Anastasia addressed the three.

“I said, I’m coming out!”

However, no one was paying attention to her words.

Ella was focused on Iarin, who was subtly increasing their contact surface area, and Iarin was busy overpowering Ella’s attempts to push her away, trying to sleep on her lap.

Meanwhile, Iserin, having entirely devoured her rice cake, was glaring back at Anastasia like some food critic.

“…Uh-huh. She’s coming out, Asha….”

Iserin casually tossed her an acknowledgment and then redirected her attention to the rice cake, dipping it into the honey she’d brought from the restaurant and smiling, clearly enjoying the combination of the savory rice cake and sweet honey.

“…Ew.”

Anastasia pouted as she noted their reaction.

She suddenly sprang up from her spot, reaching into the pocket of the bomber jacket she’d thrown over her dress. She pulled out something strange and wriggly and tossed it into the wood stove.

**Thump.**

What Anastasia had thrown landed in the stove and made a viscous sound as it oozed down to the floor.

But the liquid didn’t pool like any ordinary fluid.

It squirmed as if alive, sprouting tentacle-like appendages. It waved these appendages in the air, then slithered across the floor towards the wood stove’s window.

Impassively, it blocked out the bright light.

As if this was its purpose.

“Huh? Why did it suddenly get dark?”

“The fire hasn’t gone out… it’s just that weird thing stuck there. The culprit is obvious….”

“Oh, it’s dark now, and I feel sleepy. I’m going to sleep.”

“…Stop joking around and get up. My lap isn’t a pillow.”

And thus, darkness reclaimed the garden that had been brightly lit by the wood stove.

Though the camping lantern’s glow seeped from the tent and shelter, the dimness created an eerily unsettling atmosphere.

And the source of this scary vibe was gazing at the three girls with a proud expression.

Her younger sister, who was startled by the sudden darkness yet quickly regained her composure, let out a sigh.

Iarin, seizing the opportunity of the darkness, lay her head on Ella’s lap.

Iserin, having finished her rice cake, stared intently at Anastasia.

Anastasia looked at the three and declared, “When camping like this, you have to tell scary stories.”

She boldly proposed to the three.

To entertain themselves with ghost stories in this amazing atmosphere.

“…You’ve been trying to set the mood this whole time….”

Ella sighed at her sister’s insistence.

It seemed she had enjoyed a recent variety show revolving around scary tales.

‘But well… maybe this could be fun after all.’

 

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