Nighthaven is a free city with an officially recorded population of several million.
It’s a semi-autonomous city-state that belongs to no nation.
"If you are meta-human, you belong. If you’re non-human, come here."
Under the philosophy of the mighty dragon mayor, non-human beings from other worlds could enter and leave the city without any complicated procedures.
As a result, all kinds of capable non-human beings flocked to Nighthaven like bees to nectar.
It was especially appealing to those who had suffered from excessive discrimination in human society.
However, this bold policy had a double-edged nature.
Along with the influx of non-human beings came a flood of uncontrollable criminals.
Vampires, beastkin, demons, orcs, ogres, dryads, and more—
Those who found human rules annoying and sought to live freely often wreaked havoc, plunging the city into chaos.
Their attitude was shameless: "If this city is for us, we can live however we want."
No one wanted to face a walking natural disaster with a dragon heart radiating raw power.
But in the end, what isn’t seen or caught isn’t a crime.
Nighthaven’s dark alleys and corners were still full of unresolved issues.
Of course, that was inevitable when such a diverse array of beings with different personalities and tendencies gathered in one city.
Even so, Nighthaven remained an attractive place for non-humans.
Just as cats wouldn’t have survived if they weren’t cute, Nighthaven’s unique sense of freedom outweighed the chaos caused by criminals.
Among Nighthaven’s many charms were its scenic urban design and abundant recreational spaces.
Casinos, theme parks, stadiums, theaters, art galleries, hot springs...
There was no shortage of entertainment within the city, and the parks, designed for citizens to enjoy nature, were particularly popular.
3rd Central Park.
Unlike the 1st and 2nd Central Parks near the dragon mayor’s office, this park was farther away and not as popular.
Compared to the crowded main parks, this one often felt nearly empty.
Still, as one of the few places in the city where nature could be enjoyed amidst skyscrapers and neon lights, it was a favorite meeting spot for nearby residents.
But today, with snow falling heavily, the park was completely deserted.
I stood under the eaves of the park’s information center, quietly watching the falling snow.
The snowflakes drifted down from the sky, creating a mesmerizing sight that made time seem to flow more slowly.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind mixed with snow swept past me, slipping through the hem of my maid’s skirt. The chill was sharp.
It’s freezing. I should’ve dressed warmer.
I rubbed my thighs to shake off the chill creeping up my spine.
I really wanted to go indoors soon. Where was Sabrina?
As I blinked blankly at the snow, someone came running in the distance.
In no time, the small figure grew close enough for me to recognize—it was Sabrina.
She’s late. I almost turned into a snowman waiting here.
“Hah... hah... I’m so sorry! The subway stopped because of an accident... I ran the whole way!”
“...”
The subway stopped?
I guess there was a good reason for leaving me out in this cold for an hour.
It wasn’t her fault she was late.
In fact, it was impressive she made it here in under an hour despite running the whole way.
Still, I couldn’t help feeling a little annoyed...
I walked straight up to Sabrina, who stood fidgeting with a guilty look on her face.
As I approached, she instinctively shut her eyes tightly, and I grabbed her hand, shoving it into my coat pocket.
“H-Huh? Y-Yuria?!”
“...”
How does it feel? Cold, right? This is your punishment—to warm my hand like a heater.
Feeling the heat from her surprisingly warm hand, I brushed the snow off my bangs with my free hand.
To think she ran so hard in this freezing weather that her body was this warm...
I almost felt bad for making her feel guilty.
Still, something about Sabrina caught my eye.
Her appearance today was... different.
Her usual neatly braided hairstyle had been undone, her hair now swept back freely. Her face, usually bare, had a faint sheen, as if she’d applied something lightly.
Her clothes, typically boyish shorts, had been replaced with a flowing dress that reached her knees, paired with knee-high socks.
It was a complete departure from her usual laid-back, tomboyish style.
Did she dress up like this just to meet me?
If so...
What an earnest and serious beastkin!
Even for a simple apology meeting, she’d gone to great lengths to make a good impression.
“S-So... does it look weird? Me dressing like this, I mean...”
“...!”
As I silently admired her surprising charm, she must’ve misunderstood my reaction.
She shrank back, avoiding my gaze as she murmured nervously.
Not at all—it looks amazing!
But how could I say that? I shuffled my feet, trying to figure out how to express my thoughts.
Finally, I grabbed her other hand and made her look at me, shaking my head firmly.
You look adorable—like the cutest girl ever!
I poured all my admiration into that gesture, hoping she’d understand.
“R-Really? It’s not bad?”
“...!”
“Hehe... I see... Thank you...”
Thankfully, she seemed to get the message.
Her face, which had been clouded with guilt and self-consciousness, brightened in an instant.
See? A smile suits everyone best.
With that, we left the park together, strolling leisurely.
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I hadn’t planned anything for today, so I decided to let Sabrina take the lead. After all, I didn’t even know what was nearby.
“Well, it’s still a bit early for lunch. Let’s head to a café. Reine said a new dessert café opened nearby...”
Snowflakes piled on our heads as they fell from the sky.
But maybe because we were holding hands inside my coat pocket,
even though my legs felt cold, the warmth between us made everything feel much cozier.
*
The dessert café Sabrina guided us to was a place that specialized in cakes.
The seating was quite spacious, so we were able to settle in a quiet corner where there wasn’t much foot traffic.
Cake, huh? I’d never really had a proper cake from a place like this before.
But considering my sweet tooth, I was almost certain I’d love it. This was exciting.
As I deliberated between a simple strawberry shortcake and an orange tart, Sabrina, sitting across from me, muttered with a deeply contemplative expression.
“Ugh... what’s supposed to be good here...”
Ah, she’s not familiar with places like this either, huh.
Come to think of it, with her personality, she’d rather spend her free time training instead of hanging out at dessert cafés.
Feeling a sense of camaraderie bubbling up, I chuckled quietly and pointed to the egg tart on the menu—safe, simple, and universally loved.
This one’s impossible to dislike. Even people who aren’t into desserts would enjoy it.
Sabrina, trusting my suggestion, nodded and decided on that.
After a short wait, our desserts arrived along with the drinks we ordered.
I had a strawberry shortcake with a big, juicy strawberry on top. Sabrina had the golden, glistening egg tart.
“...!”
“Mmm! This is so good!”
The moment we took our first bites, we couldn’t help but let out sounds of delight.
The flavors were absolutely stunning—enough to make our eyes widen in surprise.
As expected from a high-end dessert café!
It was definitely the kind of place worthy of a personal recommendation from Sabrina’s sister, Reine.
Honestly, I’d hesitated a bit at the price before ordering, but it was worth every penny.
No regrets about the splurge at all.
As I thought about this and speared the strawberry with my fork, nibbling at the end, a loud clatter and a scream suddenly erupted from nearby.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“...?!”
“What the...?”
Naturally, both Sabrina and I turned our heads toward the source of the commotion.
There, we saw a blue-skinned woman sprawled on the floor, a tray upended beside her.
What... exactly is going on here?
Confused, Sabrina and I exchanged puzzled looks, tilting our heads in unison.