“Wha?!” I screamed as I tumbled through the air, my stomach lurg from the sudden shift. Before I could even process what was happening, I nded with a soft thud onto an impossibly plush surface. The st of vender and expensive fabric filled my senses as I sank into the luxurious embrace of a king-sized bed, its velvet opy draped elegantly above me. The deep crimson and gold embroidery shimmered uhe gentle glow of a grand delier, casting ornate shadows across the room.

  I pushed myself up, my hands sinking slightly into the silkes, and took a moment to s my surroundings. The room was vish, ravagant, adorned with intricate Victorian-style décor. Tall, arched windows lined with rich burgundy curtains allowed the moonlight to spill in, illuminating the dark wood furniture and the meticulously carved bookshelves that stretched along the walls. A massive firepce crackled softly on one side, its golden fmes casting flickering patterns across the polished marble floor. The air carried a faint hint of roses, mixing with the st of aged paper and fine perfume.

  “Alright, let’s think this through,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “I was on top of the shrine rooftop, fighting off those creepy noodles and cockroaches, and then… what? A teleportation spell? A dimensional shift? Did I get kidnapped?”

  I quickly sed the room. The Victorian-style décor was extravagant, intricate gold trimmings lihe walls, an ornate delier hung from the ceiling, and the furniture was made of finely carved mahogany. Heavy velvet curtains draped the windows, their deep crimsog the elegant beddih me. Whoever owhis pce had an expeaste.

  I patted my body just to be sure. Same Mashiro outfit, same soft frilly sleeves, same pink and bck dress. At least nothing had ged there. Except… my heels were gone. My bare feet pressed against the cold floor, and I wiggled my toes experimentally.

  I took another deep breath, steeling myself. Okay, first priority: figure out where I am. Sed: find out whht me here. Third… hopefully, not die in some creepy noble’s mansion.

  With that in mind, I carefully stepped forward, pushing aside the heavy bed opy to get a better look around the room. The air smelled faintly of vender and aged part, a stra oddly f mix. There was an air of stillness, as if this pce had been undisturbed for a long time.

  My eyes nded on the rge double doors at the far end of the room. If there were ao be found, they were probably beyond that door. Taking o steadying breath, I squared my shoulders and made my way toward it.

  "Fufu… Finally, the meal is here."

  Just as I was about to reach for the door handle, a gust of air whooshed past me as the double doors were flung open with a dramatic force that nearly knocked me backward. My heart jumped into my throat as I instinctively took a step back, my muscles tensing in preparation for a fight. And then, she stepped in.

  The woman before me was nothing short of breathtaking, though in a please-don't-kill-me kind of way. She leaned casually against the doorframe, her voluptuous figure ed in what could only be described as an almost transparent, silky nightgown, if you could even call it that. The sheer fabric g to her curves, revealing just enough to make my brain short-circuit. Her long, wavy violet hair cascaded over her shoulders, and those pierg violet eyes shimmered with amusement as she took in my flustered expression. A slow, sultry smile curled her lips.

  "You’re the hot witch!" I blurted out, pointing at her

  "Oh my, ‘hot witch’?” she purred, her voice dripping with mischief. “What an adorable way to greet your captor. Perhaps I should take it as a pliment?”

  I backed up instinctively, my hands fumbling to summon my training sword, but nothing. The on didn’t materialize. My heart dropped. Crap. My iory isn’t w?

  "Rex, little shrine maiden," Vio cooed, taking aep closer. "You look so tense. You should be honored, you know? Not everyohe ce to dih me… as the main course."

  Oh hell no.

  I bolted for the door, but with a flick of her wrist, an unseen force smmed it shut before I could even reach it. I skidded to a stop, spinning back around just in time to see Vio raise her hand, her long fingers elegantly twirling in the air. A faint purple glow shimmered around her nails.

  “You’re not going anywhere.”

  I swallowed hard. Okay, okay, think, Mikan! Fighting is out. Running is out. Time to stall for my life.

  I straightened my posture and crossed my arms, f a smirk onto my face. “Wow, so this is how you treat yuests? No tea? No cookies? Just straight to eating them? What kind of vilin hospitality is this?”

  Vio let out a soft chuckle, stepping closer until she was mere inches away. She leaned in, her breath tig my ear as she whispered,

  “Oh, don’t worry. I like to py with my food first.”

  I AM GOING TO DIE.

  "Where are Yuzu and Catherine?! What did you do to them?!" I demanded, my voice sharp with panic as I took a cautious step back. My heart pounded against my ribs, a mixture of frustration and fear boiling in my chest.

  Vio, however, remained pletely unbothered. Instead of answering immediately, she stretched her arms above her head in a zy, almost seductive manner before letting out a soft sigh, as if I were nothing more than a mild invenieerrupting her rexation.

  "I don’t know," she finally answered with a shrug, her violet eyes half-lidded with amusement. "Probably w where you’re at. Maybe panig? Maybe running around like headless chis? Sounds abht for those two, doesn't it?"

  "You don't know?" I shot baarrowing my eyes. "You expect me to believe that? You were just fighting them!"

  Vio smirked, tilting her head slightly, her violet eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, my dear little shrine maiden," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "Do you really think I keep track of every little pest running around? I had more important things to focus on. Like you."

  Her words sent a chill down my spine.

  I took a slow breath, trying to keep my posure. "If you think I'm going to sit here a you do whatever you want, you're out of your mind," I said firmly.

  Vio let out a low chuckle, stepping even closer, f me to take a step batil the bay knees hit the edge of the plush bed. "Oh? And what exactly do you pn to do, little shrine maiden? Without your sword? Without your talismans? Without any way to summon those lovely butterflies of yours?"

  My fists ched at her casual dismissal. She was toying with me, sav my frustration like a cat pying with a ered mouse. The worst part? She was good at it.

  "You're lying," I shot back, my voice firm, though the uainty g me. I had been fighting on the shrine rooftop, slig through those grotesque NONO-css creatures, and then nothing. A blink, and I was here. Had she teleported me? Was this some kind of illusion?

  Vio only smirked, taking aep forward. "Oh, sweet shrine maiden, you wound me." She pced a hand over her chest in mock offehough the glint in her eyes betrayed her enjoyment. "Lying is such a harsh word. I prefer… selectively withholding information."

  Just before I could react, Vio moved with inhuman speed, seizing both of my wrists in a firm grip. Before I k, she had pushed me backward, my body sinking into the plush mattress of the oversized bed. The sheer force behind her moveme a shiver down my spine. I wasn’t weak, but she was fast. My breath hitched as her warm breath tickled against my skin.

  “Kyaa! What are you doing?!” I shrieked, my voice eg off the ornate walls of the Victorian-style room.

  Vio didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she leaned down, her lips parting ever so slightly before she licked my neck, her hot, wet torailing a slow, deliberate path against my skin. My entire body jolted in response, a sharp trast of disgust and panic shooting through me.

  I struggled, thrashing against her iron grip, but she held me down effortlessly, her strength far surpassing mine. "L-Let go!" I protested, my legs kig against the soft sheets, trying to buck her off.

  Vio let out a low, pleased hum, her violet eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh? You're feisty. I like that." Her grip tightened slightly, keeping me firmly pinned in pce. "You’re even cuter up close, you know?"

  I ched my teeth, gring up at her with all the defiance I could muster. "I swear, if you don’t let me ght now, I will—"

  She chuckled, cutting me off as she leaned in even closer, her nose nearly brushing against mine. "You will what, little shrine maiden?"

  I froze. My heart pounded violently in my chest, my mind rag for a way out of this situation. Damn it! How did I even end up here in the first pce?!