Mara was just about to ask something else when a shout from upstairs interrupted them.
"ALIIIIIIICEEEEEE! MAAAAARAAAA! WHERE AAAAAARE YOU?!"
That voice was unmistakably Mordred's.
"Ara, it seems we'll have to pause our little tour for now. Come on, let's go," Alice said before gently taking Mara's hand and guiding her back toward the stairs.
Alice went up first, and as she climbed, Mara caught a brief glimpse beneath her robe—a flash of those panties she had already seen the night before.
The warm, vivid memory of their night together immediately crossed her mind.
I can't wait for night to come so I can sleep with Alice again, she thought, feeling a tingling mix of impatience and lust begin to build inside her.
When they finished climbing the stairs, Mara found Mordred and Cecilia standing in the middle of the reception area, both with their backpacks on and an air of readiness that made it clear they were about to leave.
"Are you heading out already, girls?" Alice asked naturally, as if she could see them perfectly.
Although Mara was starting to get used to the way Alice seemed to perceive everything despite the bandage over her eyes, it still struck her as deeply curious.
Maybe I should ask her about that sometime, she thought, watching as Alice walked toward them without hesitation.
"Yeah, we've got a guild request. It'll take about four weeks to complete, but the pay is definitely worth it," Mordred said, handing Alice a pouch of coins that clinked with a metallic sound.
"Take care of yourselves. From what I've heard, things outside have been pretty chaotic lately," Alice replied, her tone tinged with concern.
"You don't have to worry, Alice. I'll make sure this idiot doesn't get herself killed," Cecilia cut in, grabbing one of Mordred's feline ears and tugging it with a serious expression.
Mordred made an exaggerated face of pain, while Cecilia let out a clear laugh, and Alice couldn't help but chuckle softly.
That was when Mordred turned her head and fixed her gaze directly on Mara.
"Hey, Mara, why are you standing so far away? Come here," Mordred said. As she spoke, both Alice and Cecilia turned toward the orange-haired girl.
"Huh? Me?" Mara said, pointing at herself in confusion.
"Is there anyone else here named Mara?" Cecilia replied in her usual bossy tone, though without any trace of anger.
As Mara approached the group, she saw Cecilia release Mordred's ear. The moment she was free, the cat-girl lunged forward and scooped Mara up into the air, crushing her in a hug so tight it nearly knocked the breath out of her.
"Ugh… Mor…dred… You're… choking me…," Mara managed to gasp, trapped between Mordred's strong arms and her chest.
When Mordred showed no sign of loosening her grip, Mara looked toward Alice and Cecilia for help—but all she got was a soft little laugh from the older woman and an amused grimace from the witch.
The hug dragged on until Mordred finally decided she'd had enough physical contact and let her go.
"Hahahaha, it was just a hug, Mara. You don't have to be so dramatic," Mordred said with her booming laugh, setting her back on the floor.
"I almost… died," Mara muttered, finally catching her breath.
As Mara recovered, a brief silence settled around them, broken only by her uneven breathing.
After a few seconds, Mordred spoke again, this time in a slightly calmer tone than usual.
"I like you, Mara. And from what I can see, I wasn't the only one," she added, jerking her thumb toward Cecilia and Alice with a mischievous smile.
The silence returned once more—but as quickly as it came, it was broken again, this time by Mordred.
"…I don't like sentimental goodbyes, so I'd rather skip all that," the cat-girl said with a half-formed smile. "Besides, we'll see each other again in four weeks. So take care, girl—and don't let Alice steal too much of your sleep."
Mordred placed a hand on Mara's head in a playful, almost protective gesture, then turned toward the door. Cecilia followed, giving a brief wave goodbye as well.
"See you soon. And don't get into too much trouble," Alice said in her warm, familiar voice from where she stood beside Mara.
Mordred simply raised a hand in farewell, and without turning back, the two of them stepped out through the inn's door.