?"Alright, let’s get to work."

  ?Doctor adjusted the translucent, pale-blue cooling ring around her neck, finally settling into her stride. She rarely wore skirts, opting instead for practical athletic shoes built for movement.

  ?The sky was a piercing, cloudless blue. A late autumn chill rode the Ritsu-no-Kaze—the seasonal wind—making the birdsong sound even sharper. Despite the fiery reds and golds of the exterior, the glass-walled interior was a sanctuary of towering, vibrant greenery.

  ?Two hours since opening, and not a soul had appeared. Doctor, Amethyst, and two others sat around a table, lounging under the guise of "waiting."

  ?The vast facility was half-botanical garden, half-library. What started as a collection of history books had expanded into a sprawling archive of children’s literature, fantasy novels, manga, and fashion magazines, thanks to a steady stream of donations.

  ?Tasha, the stray black cat they’d taken in, darted through the aisles or claimed the tops of bookshelves for her frequent naps. Meanwhile, the crew drifted between lunch, music, and light dozing. If someone were to paint this scene, the only fitting title would be Siesta on the Table—a space of unnervingly deep relaxation.

  ?Then, just past 1:00 PM.

  ?"Excuse me! Hello?!"

  ?A man entered through the glass doors, leading a young girl by the hand. He was dressed in a brown wombat onesie; she was in full witch regalia. They looked like they had just sprinted out of a scavenger hunt at a school field day.

  ?"Welcome back," Doctor said.

  ?Amethyst blinked, her eyes narrowing as she stared at them in silence. Not 'Welcome to our shop'? "Aw, come on! I went through all the trouble of masking up, and you saw right through me? I was gonna pretend to be a customer and surprise you after lunch!"

  ?The man, in his late thirties and short of stature, spoke with a huff of mock disappointment. Doctor, blunt by nature, wasn't one for sugar-coating.

  ?"You said last year you’d bring your daughter. She’s the spitting image of you; it wasn't exactly a mystery."

  ?"You actually remembered that? I don't even remember saying it!"

  ?While they talked, a small voice rang out.

  ?"Tiger-san!"

  ?The girl lunged at the one they called Byakko, throwing her arms around him.

  ?"Whoa, hey! Careful now," the father panicked, trying to pull her back. "Don't get too close, he might eat you!"

  ?But the girl only clung tighter. "Tiger-san is nice! Daddy, look! His fur is so fluffy!"

  ?"Come to think of it," Doctor mused, "you haven't roared much lately, have you, Tora-emon?"

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  ?"Is that so?" Byakko replied.

  ?"If you keep this up, you might actually start attracting children instead of scaring them," Doctor teased.

  ?"I see..." Byakko muttered. He looked like he was struggling to swallow the compliment. For someone who usually let his roars speak for his emotions, finding the right words was a Herculean task.

  ?"I caught the Tiger-san’s tail!"

  ?"Hey—stop that. Let go," Tora said, his expression stoic as he shifted his weight to gently discourage the girl.

  ?Doctor grinned. "Look at you, quite the fan favorite."

  ?"It... it tickles, forsooth!"

  ?"‘Forsooth’? Ah... I might have uploaded a bit too much data from those archaic manuscripts. My bad," Doctor laughed. It was clear she enjoyed teasing him most of all.

  ?Amethyst stepped forward. "Sir, please, take a seat. This table has the most beautiful view."

  ?"Deeply appreciated. You’ve got some good staff here," the father said, staring in disbelief at his daughter still messing with Byakko as he slumped into the chair.

  ?"Wait... so that's what you meant by the view."

  ?He looked out the window and froze. A breathtaking vista seemed to pull his very soul forward.

  ?"The water is emerald. Is that a lake?"

  ?The water looked like an oasis tucked away in a dense forest, drenched in the heavy gold of the afternoon sun. Yet, it was connected to the great ocean through a complex network of hidden caverns.

  ?"It’s the sea," Amethyst answered, playing along with the little girl.

  ?"Looks more like it’s swallowed by a jungle."

  ?"People say that often. But it’s the sea. One taste of the water will tell you. We get excellent salt from it—it makes our sweets taste subtly rich and delicious."

  ?"Do you sell the salt anywhere?"

  ?"Sadly, there are no commercial producers. We just fetch the water and boil it down ourselves. In the old days, they called it 'Magic Salt.'"

  ?"Magic salt? That’s a new one." The father’s interest was piqued.

  ?"It wasn’t just for flavor. They say it cured incurable diseases. Since the hospital is so far away, people with asthma used to rush to the salt caves. Even strange, unexplained illnesses were said to vanish." Amethyst spoke with a calm, matter-of-fact grace.

  ?"Hey, Phoebe! You never told me about that."

  ?"Don't call me by that name," Doctor snapped, her gaze sharp as a needle.

  ?"Let’s get back to business," Amethyst intervened smoothly. "That sea holds a mysterious power. You should take a walk there with your daughter."

  ?"Yeah... I’ve only got two days of vacation left. We’ll head down tomorrow."

  ?"Thank you for waiting."

  ?A lavish lunch was laid out, nearly covering the entire surface of the table.

  ?"Smells incredible. You sure about all this?"

  ?The food was curious—unfamiliar in presentation, yet it carried an air of nostalgic, home-cooked comfort.

  ?"What is this?"

  ?Doctor explained each dish simply, avoiding technical jargon. "It looks like a quiche, but it’s more of a large gratin. Over half the pastry is made from potato flour—potatoes grown right here in our garden."

  ?"Whoa! It’s like a pizza!" the girl chirped, eyes wide.

  ?At that moment, Clamo appeared. He moved with a strange, humble hesitance, like a pedestrian trying too hard not to get in anyone’s way.

  ?"You don't have to be so tense, kid," the father noted.

  ?"My apologies. I am not... accustomed to being perceived by others. When I feel too much happiness, I find it difficult to maintain my composure."

  ?"Sounds like a rough way to live. But no need to apologize. You’re at that age, right?"

  ?"Thank you. I’ll prepare our signature coffee for the finale. Please look forward to it." Clamo retreated toward the kitchen, hiding a mountain of unspoken words behind a neutral face.

  ?The moment he vanished, the front door swung open on its own. A dark silhouette stretched out from the shadows of the potted plants and bolted straight into the back of the kitchen.

  ?"Wait, you have another animal in here?" the father asked.

  ?"Tasha the black cat is still napping on the shelf," Doctor said flatly. "I don't know of any others."

  ?"That’s weird. A black, animal-like shadow just streaked right past me."

  ?"Oh," Doctor realized. "You mean him."

  ?"Him?"

  ?"We have one more boy working here."

  ?"What?! That was a human?!"

  ?"Yes. Now, eat up before it gets cold. Call your daughter over. I’ll tell you the whole story while we eat."

  ?"R-right. Hey, Letty! Come here!"