CHAPTER 96: SOMETHING ELSE (II)

A Marzipan.

Tiny figures.

She blinked.

There were seven small marzipan dolls candies—each one shaped exactly like her brothers.

Lucien’s was stoic, with arms crossed and a little sugar sword. Jared’s had a smirk and sugar shades. Callum’s was holding a book. Marcus wore sugar roses on his sleeves. Leo and Lance posed like knights with icing shields. Felix’s had a tiny frosting paintbrush.

Evelisse’s eyes sparkled.

"I *love* them."

Beneath them was a small scroll and a single flower.

A moon lily.

Rare. Pale blue. Blooming only under moonlight.

She picked up the scroll and unrolled it.

The handwriting was neat. Curled at the ends.

"To the girl who smiles at shadows."

That was it.

No name.

No signature.

Just... that.

Fluffy floated closer, squinting. "This... isn’t from anyone we know."

Snugglewuff growled very softly.

Evelisse glanced between the marzipan, the scroll, and the moon lily.

’That’s a little creepy,’ she thought. ’But also very poetic. Which makes it worse somehow.’

Fluffy narrowed his eyes. "Either someone is watching you... or someone wants you to *know* they’re watching you."

’...Well. They gave me sweets,’ Evelisse said, licking Lucien’s marzipan head. ’That’s at least *slightly* polite.’

"Princess," Fluffy said, dead serious, "licking magically suspicious snacks is not a survival tactic."

’I respectfully disagree. You told me to play dumb, and it has worked so far. There has been less death threa—’

"I know princess, but that doesn’t dispute the fact that..."

Evelisse closed her eyes, trying her best to act nonchalant about the situation and force back the fear and tears that were begging to break her strong facade.

’I can’t act up without drawing suspicions, I do not approach anyone until I have substantial evidence that would back my claim. Or else the perpetrators will simply lay low and strike when we’d least expect it. I have to find out who plotted the original Evelisse’s kidnapping and what they really wanted with her. But how can i do that if I DRAW ATTENTION by SEEKING EXTERNAL HELP or WORSE, THEY ARE THE ACTUAL CULPRIT?!’

Fluffy’s ears lowered, "I’m sorry I put you in this situation even though all I wanted was that you lived a fulfilling fluffy new life. I had no idea this host was in a peculiar twisted situation as of when you were chosen."

Evelisse chuckled at the words and forced a smile to calm her nerves. She was going to get to the bottom of the whole fiasco and lay low as she dreamed.

’I can do this! I had lots of affection points now. I can defend myself if the need arises. I can do this!’

She repeated those words several times in her head till she believed it.

The flower glowed faintly. Only when she touched it absentmindedly.

That was the last straw.

Fluffy zipped up into her curls and shouted, "We’re going to the Queen!"

’No! Wait! I wanna keep the brothers! Look at Jared! He’s so smug!"

"We’re taking the whole box and *burning* it if need be!"

’But the frosting!’

Fluffy narrowed its eyes, folding its little arms. "The best option is the Queen, she’s shown she could be trustworthy, your affection points have grown exponentially with her unlike the previous times you two have interacted!"

Evelisse’s hands shot out, shielding the marzipan like a tiny bakery bodyguard. ’Wait-wait-wait!’

"Suspicious gift? Unmarked box? Glowing moon lily? This is textbook villain nonsense!" Fluffy emphasized again.

’I know, I know!’ Evelisse whispered back, glancing at the door like it might grow ears. ’But—what if I tell mother and father and they just say it’s from one of the nobles? Or from the royal sweets club?’

"You think your parents would ignore a possibly cursed snack box?! After what had happened few months ago?"

’...No,’ Evelisse admitted slowly. ’But if I tell them now, and they *don’t* think it’s weird, I’ll be mad as hell. Because then I’ll look like a dramatic baby who freaks out over cookies and sweets.’

"You *are* a dramatic baby who freaks out over cookies."

’I *deserve* that reputation,’ she said proudly. ’But only when it’s earned.’

Fluffy narrowed his eyes. "You looked like you would lick the marzipan. That’s practically an ancient curse trigger."

’I was *pretending* to lick it.’

"Why pretend anything with a potential danger-muffin?!"

Evelisse sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose like her brother Lucien did when math was involved. "Listen, Fluffy. I’m not dumb. I’m cute. Big difference. I know not to actually eat mysterious sweets or touch glowing flowers unless someone I trust says it’s fine."

She peeked again at the contents of the box. The marzipan brothers sat peacefully in their sugary row, looking both delicious and deeply sus.

"I’ll tell mommy tomorrow," she said decisively. "In the morning. When I can explain everything clearly. And when they’re not tired from ballroom politics or Duke Altair’s reconciliation."

"Or cake-dramas."

"Exactly. I’ll even show them the scroll and flower. For now," she scooted the box toward a higher shelf and Grabbed a handkerchief, "we don’t eat. We don’t poke. We don’t sniff."

"Progress," Fluffy muttered.

’Seal it. Store it. Observe from a safe distance like a suspicious spy princess.’

"...We’re making progress," Fluffy said again, this time more proudly.

She gave the box one last glance before turning away. "Besides," she mumbled under her breath, "if anyone’s cursing my snacks... they better be ready for war."

From the shelf, the moon lily pulsed once more. A soft, rhythmic glow.

As they bickered, the scroll’s letters shimmered briefly. Hidden runes glowed beneath the surface—then vanished.

Neither of them saw it.

Not yet.

But something *else* did.

From beyond the mirror on the wall, something unseen flickered.

Like a watching eye blinking once.

Then gone.

Suspicious gift? Unmarked box? Glowing moon lily? This is textbook villain nonsense!" Fluffy emphasized again.

’I know, I know!’ Evelisse whispered back, glancing at the door like it might grow ears. ’But—what if I tell mother and father and they just say it’s from one of the nobles? Or from the royal sweets club?’

"You think your parents would ignore a possibly cursed snack box?! After what had happened few months ago?"

’...No,’ Evelisse admitted slowly. ’But if I tell them now, and they *don’t* think it’s weird, I’ll be mad as hell. Because then I’ll look like a dramatic baby who freaks out over cookies and sweets.’