When Frieren stepped inside the shop, she scanned the area as always.
Then her gaze narrowed on something.
CRACK.
Lucy and her father turned for a moment.
"Dad, did you hear that?" Lucy said, spinning her body playfully.
"Maybe it came from outside…?" he said, scratching his head.
I knew it… those eyes everywhere, Frieren thought.
Her fingertip flickered with a pale spelllight, then sighed back into stillness.
She turned her attention to the clothes again, letting her expression settle.
No one seemed to notice, Lucy was still whispering to her father, and the shop hummed with its ordinary, fragile peace.
Frieren's shoulders eased a fraction, though her ears stayed attuned to every soft creak in the building.
She hoped the spell erased enough, just enough to keep their eyes from finding her again.
Lucy turned to Frieren, clasping her hands behind her back. "Soo, Frieren, what do you want to—"
"Frieren!" Lucy spread her hands toward her, only to find her trapped against a tower of neatly stacked storage ottomans.
"Frieren, why are you inside that storage chest?!" Lucy shouted.
"Old habit," she murmured from within, her voice calm and muffled.
"Frieren, you're so funny!" Lucy let out a gentle laugh.
Her father scratched his head. "How innocent…"
Once Frieren stepped out of the chest, a small smile touched her lips.
A faint crease lingered between her brows, as if she still expected the chest to bite again.
It had been a long time since a mimic surprised her… longer still since she let herself laugh about it.
Lucy moved closer, lingering near her with wide eyes bright with unfiltered delight that tried to read Frieren's expression.
"Frieren, you're so cute!" Lucy rushed toward her, wrapping her into a hug.
Frieren's head pressed awkwardly into Lucy's chest as Lucy pulled her closer.
Frieren stiffened at first, uncertain how to respond; her hands hung for a moment before resting lightly at Lucy's sides.
Trapped twice… amusing, Frieren thought.
I hope she doesn't reach my head.
"Frieren, you smell good! Just like raindrops falling on Earth!" Lucy said.
Frieren lifted her head toward Lucy.
I always thought it was like woodfire, she thought. A faint warmth spread across her ears.
Lucy's arms tightened slightly, but not in a way that felt intrusive.
Frieren's posture softened, a soft breath slipping out as she accepted the comfort.
Humans… they approach without hesitation, she thought.
The aroma of baked bread and fresh coffee drifted through the room.
"Here, I guess you're hungry," Lucy's father said, holding a cup of coffee and a piece of toast.
She cast a sidelong glance from Lucy's embrace and murmured her thanks, barely audible.
Once Frieren sat to eat, she kept silent.
Humans have grown stranger with every century… so it seems, she thought.
I came for a hat, and that's what I am doing now, Frieren thought as she sipped the coffee.
"It isn't a latte…" she whispered.
Then she lifted her head to Lucy. "Latte… can I have a latte?" she asked.
"Oh, Frieren, you're so adorable!! You get it!" Lucy said, holding Frieren's normal cup of coffee.
"Dad! Can you get her a latte?" she said.
"On my way!" Lucy's father said, already at the entrance door.
Then he saw something… a black shard, and his face tightened the moment he noticed
A prickle ran down his spine, subtle but unmistakable.
He blinked once, unsure if it was a trick of the light.
The counter screens blinked into a stark
"NO SIGNAL."