Chapter 51

Night Haven was a free city with an officially recorded population of several million. And it was a sort of autonomous city-state that didn’t belong to any nation.

If you’re a meta-human, this place is for you.

If you’re a different race, come here.

Under the powerful Dragon Mayor’s philosophy, otherworldly races could easily enter and leave the city without complicated procedures.

Thus, all sorts of capable other races began flocking to Night Haven like bees to flowers. It was because they felt great attraction to this city made for non-humans who had been battered by excessive discrimination policies in human society.

However, such a somewhat radical policy had its downsides too. Completely uncontrollable criminals from other races also poured in en masse.

Vampires, beastmen, demons, orcs, ogres, tree spirits, and more. Those who found human rules annoying and wanted to do as they pleased stirred up trouble and easily threw the city into chaos. Their attitude? If it’s a city for other races, shouldn’t I be able to live however I want?

-We’ll increase police manpower and work harder to maintain order in the city. Ugh… these damn criminals! Just let me catch them right in front of my eyes! I’ll split all their heads in half!

-M-Mr. Mayor… The mic’s still on.

-W-What? C-Cough… That’s it! End of today’s announcement. Edit this part out, quickly!

But thanks to the influence of the Dragon Mayor, who openly declared he’d smash anyone who caused trouble, the endlessly rising crime rate gradually started to settle down.

No matter how much they wanted to run wild, no one wanted to face the walking natural disaster with a glowing dragon heart radiating mana.

Still, if you don’t get caught, it’s not a crime. Even now, unresolved issues remained scattered in the unseen corners of Night Haven. Well, it was inevitable when so many races with various personalities and tendencies gathered in one city.

Even so, despite the darkness of the city, Night Haven was still attractive to other races. Just as cats would’ve gone extinct long ago if they weren’t cute, Night Haven’s unique sense of freedom remained appealing even with its rampant criminals.

And among the attractive aspects of Night Haven were its excellent urban aesthetics and abundant leisure spaces.

Casinos, theme parks, large stadiums, theaters, art galleries, hot springs… There was plenty to enjoy without leaving Night Haven. Parks designed for citizens to enjoy nature were also popular leisure spots.

Third Central Park. Unlike the bustling First and Second Central Parks near City Hall where the Dragon Mayor worked, this park was far away and relatively unpopular. Compared to the packed crowds of the other two, this place felt almost deserted.

Still, as one of the few places to enjoy nature amidst skyscrapers and neon lights, it was often used as a meeting spot by nearby residents.

Well, maybe it was because of the heavy snowfall today, but there really wasn’t anyone coming or going.

I stood under the eaves of the park information center, watching the snow quietly fall. The flakes drifting down from the sky were entertaining enough on their own. Time seemed to pass by peacefully.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a gust of wind mixed with snow brushed past me.

The cold breeze sneaking through the gaps of my maid uniform skirt was quite sharp.

It really is cold. Should’ve worn something thicker?

I rubbed my thighs absentmindedly as goosebumps crawled up my spine.

I want to get inside somewhere quickly. When is Sabrina coming?

As I blinked dazedly, lost in thought, suddenly someone came running frantically from afar.

In an instant, the figure grew close enough to recognize—it was none other than Sabrina.

You’re late! I was about to turn into a snowman waiting here.

“Hah, hah… S-Sorry! The subway suddenly stopped due to an accident… I ran all the way here!”

“…”

What? The subway stopped?

So that was why she left me alone in this freezing weather for an hour.

Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. She didn’t mean to be late.

In fact, it’s impressive she got here within an hour after running all the way.

‘Still, I’m a little annoyed….’

I strode over to Sabrina, who was awkwardly fidgeting with an apologetic face.

Then, grabbing her hand suddenly—causing her to squeeze her eyes shut—I yanked her into my coat pocket forcefully.

“E-Ek…! Y-Yuria?!”

“…”

See? Cold, isn’t it? You’ll serve your punishment as a heater to warm my hands.

Feeling her unusually stiff body heat, I patted the snow off my bangs with my free hand, silently appreciating her effort.

For her body to feel this warm in this freezing winter, she must’ve run really hard.

I actually started feeling a bit sorry for her.

‘By the way… Sabrina dressed up a lot today.’

Then it hit me. Her appearance looked different from usual when I looked closely.

Her previously braided hairstyle was undone and swept back, and her usually bare face now had a hint of minimal makeup.

Instead of the boyish shorts she usually wore, she had on a fluttery dress that reached her knees paired with knee socks. Gone was her usual tomboyish vibe entirely.

Could she have dressed up like this just to meet me?

If that’s true… As expected, she’s earnest and sincere, this bear-beastman!

Even for a casual apology meeting, she went all out.

“Th-That… Um, does it look bad? Me wearing this…”

“!”

As I inwardly marveled at Sabrina’s unexpected charm, perhaps she misinterpreted my silence.

She slumped her shoulders, avoiding eye contact, and muttered nervously.

No, you look amazing… How do I convey this without words?

I stomped my feet in frustration, unsure how to express my feelings.

Then, grabbing her other hand to make her face me, I shook my head vigorously.

You’re super cute right now, truly the cutest girl ever!

It was a gesture full of reassurance and meaning just that.

“Eh, th-that… Is it okay? Not too bad?”

“!”

“Hehe… R-Really…?”

Thankfully, my message seemed to get through.

Sabrina, who had been feeling insecure about being late and dressing up, brightened up instantly. Yep, smiling suits everyone.

After regrouping, we casually exited the park.

Since I came here without much thought today, I planned to leave everything to Sabrina. After all, I didn’t know what was around here anyway.

“For now, it’s still early for lunch. Let’s go to a café. Raine mentioned a new dessert café nearby…”

Snow piled heavily on our heads as it fell from the sky.

But maybe because we were holding hands tightly inside my coat,

Though my legs were freezing, I felt much warmer than before.

*

The dessert café Sabrina led us to was a cake shop.

There was plenty of space, so we managed to grab a seat in a quiet corner.

Cake, huh? I hadn’t tried serious cakes from places like this before, but my sweet tooth would probably love it. I was looking forward to it.

While I debated between a plain strawberry cream cake and an orange tart, Sabrina across from me muttered with a troubled expression.

“Ugh… What should I get…?”

Ah, you’re probably not used to places like this.

Thinking about it, with her personality of prioritizing training over hanging out with friends, she wouldn’t normally visit a dessert café.

Feeling a surge of kinship, I giggled and pointed to the most basic option—an egg tart—to show her.

This can’t possibly taste bad. Even if you hate desserts, you’ll definitely like this.

Taking my recommendation, Sabrina nodded decisively.

After a short wait, our desserts arrived along with our drinks.

I got a big strawberry-topped cream cake; Sabrina got a golden egg tart.

“!”

“Mmm! So good!”

As we took bites of our respective desserts, we both instinctively gasped in admiration.

It was unbelievably delicious.

Truly a high-end dessert café!

This was the kind of taste worthy of Raine’s personal recommendation.

Honestly, I hesitated a bit due to the price before ordering, but it was worth every penny. No regrets spending the money.

As I happily nibbled on a strawberry with my fork,

Suddenly, a crash and a scream erupted from the side.

“Kyaaah!”

“?!”

“What, what…?”

Naturally, Sabrina and I turned our heads.

There, a blue-skinned woman lay sprawled on the floor with a tray overturned beside her.

What… is going on?

We couldn’t help but tilt our heads in confusion.

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