【Feywonder·Witch’s Cottage】
Its business hours are from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM every day.
This is a famous café hidden in the west of Huyili City.
When you push open the door, you’re greeted by warm yellow lighting, wooden tables and chairs, and the sweet aroma that always lingers in the air.
It’s the caramel scent of freshly baked pastries, the rich fragrance of freshly ground coffee, and the fresh aroma of just-brewed black tea.
On the menu, everything from light meals to desserts is available.
Want a proper meal? The pasta here has rich sauce and springy noodles, each bite revealing the chef’s care.
Want something sweet? The honey cloud cake is soft and sweet, the tiramisu has distinct layers, and the seasonal fruit parfait is a hot item.
And what about drinks? The fresh coffee is aromatic, the premium black tea has a lingering aftertaste, and the hot milk with honey is a must-order for many children.
As for the owner of this shop—
She is a beautiful woman as enchanting as a fairy.
She has soft pink long hair and large blue eyes that always hold a smile.
Every smile, every gesture, every movement seems to carry a certain magic that easily stirs the hearts of everyone present.
Some say she’s the eldest daughter of a fallen noble family, some say she’s a mysterious traveler returned from her journeys, and others say she’s not human at all, but a great spirit who stepped right out of a fairy tale book.
But no matter which theory, no one can truly explain her origins.
And the shop also has two lovely maid girls.
One is the warm and cheerful Leya.
She has short brown hair, a pair of big ears on top of her head that are always perked up, and a fluffy tail behind her.
Whenever she walks by carrying a tray, the whole atmosphere of the shop livens up.
Her smile is as bright as sunshine, her voice as clear as a bell, and her energy seems never-ending.
The other is the cool and intellectual Aivina.
She has silver-white long hair, slender eyes, and moves with an elegance like a noble lady who stepped out of a painting.
She doesn’t speak much, but every word is perfectly placed. Her smile is faint, but every time it warms people’s hearts.
The black tea she brews is widely recognized as the best in Huyili, and the pastries she makes make countless customers linger in memory.
For the guests who come here, there are two reasons to choose 【Feywonder】 .
One is that the food here is genuinely delicious and affordable.
The other is…
On a certain street corner in the city, three young people gathered together.
One tall boy, one boy wearing glasses, and one girl with a ponytail.
Liking beautiful girls is probably a common hobby among all races, right?
“Ahem,” the tall boy rubbed his hands excitedly. “Walpurgis Night is coming. Where are you planning to go?”
“Do you even need to ask? Of course to 【Feywonder】 !” the ponytail girl said as if it were obvious. “Last time, that beastkin girl named Leya—when she smiled, her tail wagged back and forth. So cute!”
“I think Miss Aivina is better,” the glasses boy said with a dreamy look. “That cool temperament, those elegant movements… she’s like a noble lady who stepped out of a painting…”
“And did you know?”
The ponytail girl suddenly lowered her voice and said mysteriously:
“That shop recently hired a new maid girl.”
“Huh?” Both of them looked at her at the same time.
“I heard there’s going to be a special event for Walpurgis Night!”
“What kind of event?”
“Well… something like… a spell to make food delicious? Anyway, it involves having the new maid girl perform something…”
The tall boy’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go now!”
“Let’s go!”
The three of them disappeared at the end of the street in a flash.
***
—Inside 【Feywonder·Witch’s Cottage】—
Sunlight streamed through the window, spreading a warm halo across the floor.
Yiruo stood in the center of the living room, wearing a pale purple dress.
The collar of the dress was tied with a ribbon bow of the same color. The puff sleeves had just the right amount of gathers, and the black lace edges and waist-cinching belt outlined her slender waistline.
On her wrists were a pair of black lace gloves that perfectly wrapped around her slender forearms.
She closed her eyes, a slight blush on her face, with both hands forming a big heart shape in front of her chest.
Then, she spoke.
Her voice was small, trembling a little, but she tried hard to recite the “incantation” she had practiced countless times.
“Become delicious… become delicious—”
She paused, as if bracing herself.
“Heart-Throbbing Magic—Make the omurice delicious—!”
Along with the heart gesture, she delivered the most embarrassingly cringey line.
On the small round table beside her sat a plate of steaming omurice.
On the golden egg skin was a crooked smiley face drawn with ketchup.
The air was silent for a few seconds.
Then—
“Pfft—!!!”
Leya was the first one who couldn’t hold it in. She doubled over, her shoulders shaking violently.
She was laughing so hard her face turned red, tears nearly flying out of the corners of her eyes.
“Hahahaha—No way! Little, little Yiruo is too cute—! Hahahaha—!”
She laughed while clutching her stomach, her tail shaking wildly, almost falling to the floor from laughter.
Meanwhile, Aivina stood to the side, holding a small notebook that had somehow appeared in her hand.
She looked at Yiruo seriously, her gaze sweeping over every move—the angle of her hands, the curve of her expression, the rise and fall of her voice—then rapidly wrote something in the notebook.
“Hmm… raising the hand position by two centimeters would have a better effect… the expression could be a little more natural… the trembling in her voice is just right…”
She nodded while writing, as if conducting some kind of serious academic research.
And as for Yilena—
At that moment, the witch’s eyes were sparkling.
In those large blue eyes, something seemed to be burning fiercely.
She rushed toward Yiruo in three quick steps, circled around her once, scanned her from top to bottom, then from bottom to top, and finally stopped at the slender waist outlined by the corset.
“Oh my~”
She reached out, touching here and pinching there, muttering to herself:
“The texture of these puff sleeves~ the curve of this lace~ the fit of these gloves~ Perfect! Perfect!”
Yiruo stood frozen, her face growing redder and redder.
Then—
Yilena’s finger lightly poked a small patch of fair skin exposed on her shoulder.
“—!”
Yiruo shuddered, as if electrocuted, her legs going weak, and she toppled straight toward the floor.
But just as she was about to have a close encounter with the floor—
A small gray shadow darted out from the side, using its head to support her back.
It was Rabi.
Floating in midair, its ruby-like eyes flickered helplessly as it used its fluffy little head to prop up its master, preventing her from completely falling.
“…”
Yiruo slumped in midair and said somewhat irritably:
“…It’s all her fault for poking me.”
Yilena withdrew her hand, stroked her chin, and smiled like a cat that had stolen a fish.
“Oh my~ This is the witch’s brilliant idea, you know~ Having little Yiruo participate in the shop’s event as a mysterious maid—it’s absolutely awesome~”
“What does that have to do with you?”
A slightly disdainful voice came from the stairs.
Lilian walked down, holding needles and scissors in her hand.
Her short blond hair gleamed in the sunlight, and when her ruby-like eyes fell on Yiruo, her expression unconsciously softened.
“Ribbon ornament… hmm, perfect.”
Yilena immediately put on a dramatic act, clasping her hands over her chest and saying pitifully:
“Oh my~ But wasn’t it the witch who put in the effort to bring you here? Without the witch, this outfit wouldn’t exist~”
Lilian didn’t look up, the scissors in her hand making a snip sound.
“I came because the little one is cute and well-behaved. What does that have to do with you, someone with no taste?”
“Wah~ That hurts~”
Taking advantage of the two bickering, Yiruo finally recovered and got up from the floor.
She tugged at her skirt and said quietly:
“…Can I not wear it?”
“No.”
Four voices said in unison.
Yiruo was stunned.
Aivina closed her little notebook and said with a smile:
“This event really needs you, little Yiruo.”
Lilian stood up and lightly tapped her forehead with her finger:
“I stayed up all night making these clothes. You have to at least try them on.”
Yilena bent down to meet her eyes, her large blue eyes filled with satisfaction and anticipation:
“And~ little Yiruo looks super cute in them, you know~ Why would you refuse?”
Yiruo found herself surrounded by four people, suddenly feeling like a small animal being cornered.
She turned her head and looked at Rabi floating nearby.
Yiruo activated her SOS skill, placing her last hope on her plush rabbit.
Rabi glanced at her.
Then silently turned its head away.
Yiruo: “…”
“…Traitor.”
She muttered quietly.
“Okay, okay~”
At that moment, Yilena clapped her hands, walked to the table, and raised a glass of orange juice.
“To celebrate the upcoming event at our shop, the maid girl’s ‘Delicious Magic,’ and little Yiruo’s official joining—”
She paused, her smile bright.
“Everyone, cheers~!”
Leya immediately jumped up, raising her glass high.
“Cheers, cheers! Little Yiruo looks super—pretty in this! I declare, from today on, you’re our shop’s new star!”
“I think so too,” Aivina said, picking up her black tea and smiling faintly.
“Mm-hmm~” Yilena tilted her head. “After all, beautiful girls look good in anything~”
“Of course,” Lilian gave a light snort. “And who do you think made the clothes?”
Yiruo looked at them, pursed her lips.
Finally, she stood up and raised the orange juice in front of her.
She downed it in one gulp.
As if venting some dissatisfaction.
Gulp gulp gulp gulp—Ha!
She set down the glass, her face slightly flushed from drinking too fast.
The others looked at her like this and couldn’t help but laugh at the same time.
Sunlight spilled down, falling on six figures—Yilena, Yiruo, Aivina, Leya, Lilian, and Rabi floating beside them.
Faint noises of commotion came from the street outside the window.
Walpurgis Night was drawing closer.
And the new story belonging to 【Feywonder】 had just begun.