Mino burst through the study door, her sapphire-blue eyes darting around until they landed on the familiar figure inside.

"Mino?" Mia froze mid-sentence, crimson eyes widening in disbelief.

The next moment, her composure shattered. Emotion flooded her face—relief, guilt, and overwhelming joy all at once. She rushed forward and swept her little sister into a trembling embrace.

"Sister, I missed you so much!" Mino cried out, her voice breaking. She clung to Mia's waist tightly, burying her face into her sister's chest. Tears spilled freely, warm against the cold air of the study.

"You've grown so much," Mia whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She gently stroked Mino's hair, her crimson eyes misty. "It's really you… this isn't a dream."

The younger girl's shoulders trembled. "Mmm… woo…" she whimpered, unable to hold back her sobs.

"Hush now," Mia murmured, her throat hoarse. "Don't cry, sweetheart."

"I finally found you…" Mino lifted her tear-stained face. Her small lips trembled as she asked, "Where have you been all these years? Why didn't you come back?"

Mia's gaze faltered. "I'll tell you later," she said softly, guilt creeping into her tone. She had left Mino alone for four long years—a weight that still gnawed at her heart. But the truth about the Oasis… that could not be revealed. Not yet. Not in front of everyone.

"You didn't even come back to see me…" Mino whispered. Her long bunny ears drooped miserably, the very image of wounded innocence.

Mia's heart ached at the sight. She reached out and pinched one soft ear between her fingers. "I went back once," she said weakly. "But the tribe was empty. No one was there anymore."

"Something happened," Mino explained quietly. "I had to leave too." She bit her lip, then her eyes brightened suddenly. "Ah—didn't you find the clue I left for you?"

"Of course I did!" Mia hurriedly drew a stone and a folded piece of parchment from her shadow space. Unfolding it, she held it up with care. "You mean this?"

"Yes!" Mino's eyes lit up. She tugged Mia toward the nearest chair. "You understand what I was trying to say, right?"

"Of course," Mia said, spreading the drawing carefully. Her expression grew solemn. "You were taken away by a man riding an octagonal fang beast."

"Eh?" Mino blinked blankly. The corner of her mouth twitched. "What?"

Across the room, Luciel barely managed to suppress a laugh. He had already guessed that the girl's art would be open to… interpretation.

Mirean Moon leaned closer to take a look. One glance at the crude drawing and even her elegant face twitched slightly. Without context, it really was impossible to tell what the picture was supposed to be.

"Is there a problem?" Mia frowned, confused by their reactions.

"Sister," Mino puffed up her cheeks. "That's supposed to be a tortoise! A fierce beast tortoise!"

"…A tortoise?" Mia blinked, staring at the sketch. "You mean this thing with eight legs and fangs?"

"It's not fangs, it's the shell pattern!" Mino huffed. "I followed Luciel on the Black Tortoise to find you!"

Luciel's dark eyes shimmered with amusement. "It does look a bit like a tortoise," he said, smiling faintly.

Mia's face turned crimson. "I… I see." Her voice faltered. "I suppose my interpretation was a little… creative."

The others—Yanlu, Alina, even Mirean—were already biting their lips to keep from laughing.

The reunion was emotional enough, but the drawing had nearly turned it into a comedy.

And just then, an untimely growl echoed in the silence of the study.

"…"

Every pair of eyes turned toward Mia.

The cat-eared woman's expression stiffened. "Ahem. My stomach is… unwell," she said with as much dignity as she could muster.

If it weren't for the pink flush spreading across her cheeks, someone might have believed her.

Luciel chuckled lightly. "You must be hungry. Sophia, why don't you prepare something for them?"

"I'll cook!" Mino piped up immediately, her face bright with energy. "I want to make something for Big Sis myself!"

Luciel nodded with a smile. "Go on then. Eat, bathe, rest well tonight. We'll talk about everything tomorrow."

"Alright." Mino's eyes softened with gratitude before she turned to lead her sister away. There were so many things to say—too many years to fill in.

After they left, Luciel gestured toward the others. "You should rest too."

"Yes, my lord," Yanlu and Alina said respectfully before retreating.

Once the room was quiet, Mirean Moon walked over and stood behind Luciel. Her long fingers settled gently on his shoulders, kneading with practiced care. "When will you start writing the second volume of Chaos?" she asked softly.

Luciel smiled and patted the back of her hand. "When the new textbook is finished."

Mirean sighed regretfully, her ocean-blue eyes shimmering. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to seeing how the story of Pangu unfolds."

"Press my temples next," Luciel said with a small smile, closing his eyes.

Her face flushed slightly. "Alright," she murmured, and continued the massage with delicate, steady movements.

In the kitchen, Mino was a whirlwind of motion. She chopped vegetables, stirred soup, and adjusted the fire under the pot—all with a bright, focused smile on her face.

Sophia stood nearby, hands clasped nervously. "Miss Mino, are you sure you don't need help?"

"No need," Mino said without looking back. "Just bring Luciel a cup of hot tea and tell him to rest early for me."

Sophia hesitated, then nodded obediently. "Yes, Miss."

As she prepared the tea, she noticed Mia sitting quietly in the dining room, her tail flicking lazily. Out of courtesy, Sophia poured another cup and set it down before her.

"Miss Mia, please have some tea."

"Thank you," Mia said, her tone softening slightly.

When Sophia left, Mia lifted the cup and sniffed the steam. The aroma was unusual—floral, faintly metallic. She remembered disliking this tea before. Still, she took a cautious sip.

"Bitter…" she muttered, frowning. But before she could put it down, the bitterness melted into a gentle sweetness that lingered on her tongue. It was like honey in the cold of winter—comforting and strangely intoxicating.

"Huh… this is good," Mia murmured in surprise. Then, a sudden cool rush spread from her throat to her temples. Her whole body tingled. "Wh–what kind of tea is this?" she gasped softly, cheeks flushed. "Why does it feel like… this?"

From the kitchen, Mino heard the startled voice and poked her head out, holding a steaming pan of stir-fried cabbage. "Sister, what's wrong?"

"This tea," Mia said quickly, "what is it?"

"Oh! That's Star Tea." Mino smiled proudly. "Isn't it delicious?"

Mia nodded dazedly. "It's… very good. Do you drink this all the time?"

"Mm-hmm. It's the only tea we have here in the City Lord's Mansion," Mino said as she set the dishes on the table. "Luciel says drinking it often helps the body—and even prolongs life."

"Prolongs life?" Mia's eyes widened. That single sip had already made her feel strangely refreshed, even a little giddy. There was definitely something extraordinary about it.

"How much of this tea do you have?" she asked quickly.

"Not much dried tea left," Mino said, pointing out the window. "But there's a big Star Tea Tree out there, glowing near the courtyard. We can pick fresh leaves anytime."

Mia blinked. "Wait—you mean this tea comes from that tree?"

"Of course!" Mino replied cheerfully. "Now stop thinking about tea and eat. You must be starving."

"...Alright," Mia relented. The smell of freshly cooked food was irresistible anyway. She hadn't eaten properly in days.

As soon as she took a bite, her eyes widened in delight. "This is… delicious! When did you learn to cook?"

"Not long ago," Mino said modestly. "Luciel taught me little by little."

Mia chuckled softly as she ate, her earlier tension fading away. "You've really grown up, Mino."

Her little sister smiled but didn't answer, only urged her to eat more. "Finish first," she said gently. "Then I'll draw a bath for you."

Mia wanted to argue, but the warm food in her mouth and the warmth in her heart left her speechless. It felt like home again.

Before long, the plates were clean. Mia leaned back, rubbing her stomach with satisfaction. "So Mino really is living well here," she murmured to herself. "It doesn't look like she's been mistreated at all…"

The thought both relieved and unsettled her. She had planned to take Mino away immediately—but now, she wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do.

"Let's talk about it later," she sighed softly, sipping the last of her tea as her mind drifted.

That night, the two sisters sank into the steaming water of a grand marble bathtub. Candlelight shimmered on the surface, filling the air with the scent of herbs and floral soap.

"So comfortable…" Mia couldn't help but sigh, her cat ears twitching as she relaxed into the warmth. Every ache in her body seemed to melt away.

Mino giggled behind her hand. "See? A daily bath is the best."

"You bathe every day?" Mia's eyes widened. "Isn't that wasteful? It must take so much water!"

"Luciel says food and baths are both important," Mino said matter-of-factly, cheeks flushed from the heat. "You eat every day, don't you?"

"That's not the same…" Mia grumbled, but Mino only smirked mischievously.

"Sister," she teased, "you should smell yourself. You stink so bad it's almost dangerous. You definitely need to soak a while."

"Smelly?" Mia frowned, sniffing her underarm cautiously—and nearly fainted. "Ahh! Why didn't I notice before!?"

Mortified, she ducked under the water until only her ears showed. "You didn't have to say it so bluntly…"

Mino laughed, splashing water gently. "Now you know. Clean body, clear mind!"

Mia sighed, leaning back. "Alright, fine. Tell me then—what happened after I left the tribe?"

And so, in the gentle steam of the bath, Mino began to speak. Her voice was soft, steady, filled with small joys and old wounds. She told of how she met Luciel, how they rebuilt their lives piece by piece.

Mia listened in silence, her crimson eyes glimmering with emotions she couldn't name—worry, relief, pride. When Mino spoke of danger, she tensed; when she spoke of happiness, she smiled unconsciously.

The water rippled softly between them, carrying their laughter and their shared warmth through the quiet night.

For the first time in years, the sisters were together again—and the world, for a fleeting moment, felt whole.

📢 Dear Readers! ✨

Thank you all so much for reading and supporting my novel! Your comments, reviews, and encouragement mean the world to me. Every time I see your feedback, it truly motivates me to write more and improve with each chapter. 💪

If you've been enjoying the story, I'd really appreciate it if you could vote with Power Stones and send a Golden Ticket this week! 🌟

Your votes help the novel reach more readers and keep it climbing the rankings — and every single vote or ticket gives me a huge boost of motivation to keep updating daily. ❤️

Even one Power Stone or a single Golden Ticket can make a big difference! If you're enjoying the characters, the plot twists, or just want to support the author, this is the best way to show it. 🙏

Let's grow this novel together and make it shine brighter than ever!

Thank you for being part of this journey — your support means everything! 💫

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.