The feassed quietly. Dad kept visitio take me outside and watch the stars together. That day he felt that I had gained an i in it... not that he was wrong, but it wasn't that much.

  As for Mom. For some reason, she had beeing busier tely. One of the few times I mao spend time with her, I heard that the business she had been starting with Lady Kar rogressing quite well, partly thanks to the help of Duchess Katarina. So, she was being buried by tons of work. A good thing, sidering her motives, but bad for me because in a week, I could get to see her, hopefully, only once.

  No, I'm not mad at her, I'm just... feeling a little lonely, that's all.

  ...

  I won't go on with that subject.

  Zenya was simir, but she did make an effort to visit me, although most of the time she ended up falling asleep while we were pying. Nothing to pin to her about. She seriously looked exhausted. Besides, it was fortable to take naps o her, so, no pints.

  Sarka would stop by sometimes, but mostly she was just as busy as the rest. From what I learned, she was currently at the academy, yes, the same one; or so I believe, that Mom had mentioned quite some time ago. Sarka had returned home in the middle of her course due to my birth and Mom's health and was currently studying to make up for lost time. Also, part of it was research she was doing to get her e tirlfriend approved. At least that's what I heard from her when she was talking to Zenya.

  Regarding Ameli. She is currently with me.

  I must say that Maki is a very good mentor. Ameli had improved quite a bit from how she was in my early days in this world. She still had a few acts, but she was undoubtedly better than before. She had also begun to smile again. Not in the same way as before, but more... natural.

  Another ge was that, when we were alone, Ameli had a habit of talking to me. She didn't expect me to answer anything she said, but that didn't stop her from tinuing.

  A lot of the things she would tell me were about her childhood and how difficult it was, but she teo focus on the positive things. She would tell me about her older sisters and what good sisters they are, the jobs they currently do, her other mothers; of which she has 9, and the Matriarch, who serves the fun of a father/husband in her family.

  A little hard to imagine, especially sihey call her just that, "father". Don't ask me why, Ameli didn't seem sure either. She just said it was one of the quirks she had, but in a way it was endearing.

  Her family, which she called a "Maternate" sisted of her "father" and her 9 wives, of which, the fifth in rank was her mother. She had 24 sisters of different ages, but only 3 were sisters of the same biological mother, and only 1 of them shared the same biological father. Acc to her, he was an Eleinos, a race with nothing remarkable apart from their intricately designed horns. It didn't matter much to her, as the Valven don't usually have an i in these birth fathers. Their eribe is females, so in a way it's uandable.

  It came as a surprise to me to learn that there was an all-female race, but hey, I guess it was to be expected from a different world.

  Another iing thing about her was that she was currently entering her "nymph" stage of adulthood acc to Valven. From the age of 20 onwards they begin to be sidered adults among their race, and that is also when they be courted by a Matriarch to join her "harem" and begin having daughters. Ameli said, quite bluntly, that she did not pn to do that for at least another 30 years. She wao tinue w for the Baelian family for now and learn as much as she could. Truly an admirable thing to do.

  Maki arrived ter that afternoon while Ameli tio tell me stories about her family. She seemed a bit exhausted from her work and, of course, it was my duty to heal that exhaustion by running up to her and stroking her ears with everything I had.

  No, I'm not lying, it wasn't me being selfish and enjoying the divine fluffiness...

  …

  Ok, I admit it, yes it was, but Maki said it rexed her so it was a win/win.

  While we were in that rexation session, reinf my retionship with my beloved extremely soft-furred seother, another maid arrived. Someone I didn't know.

  "Madam Fiana." She began, standing in the doorframe.

  "Felia?" Maki rearranged her rexed posture, sitting up straight and pg me on her p. "e in, what's wrong?"

  "Yes. This letter just arrived. I gave it to Madam Irna first, but when she finished reading it she ordered me t it to you."

  fused, Maki motioned for her to e closer and took the letter. She began to read it and her expression instantly ged from fused to joyful.

  "It's finally here." She said, as she looked away and smiled at me.

  "Arrived? What did the letter say?" asked Ameli, very curious from the side.

  "...Ameli, it's rude to ask the tents of a letter addressed to someone else."

  "S-sorry, Madam Fiana!" cried Ameli in panic. She lowered her head immediately, looking embarrassed.

  "As long as you know. However, this time it doesn't matter, si's something you o know anyway. Thank you Felia, you're dismissed."

  "Yes, ma'am." Replied the maid, curtsying, and promptly retiring.

  "So. The letter is an invitation ing from the Nazzik family." Maki expined after it was just the 3 of us left.

  "The Nazzik family ma'am?"

  "Yes. You don't know this, but the night of Dri's birthday we received a visit from Duchess Katarina. She said she was anizing a small infant party and that she expected us t Nita."

  Ameli made a plicated expression. She didn't think it was a good idea for us to attend, but she didn't say anything about it. Maki noticed that but decided not to say anythiher. She was quite aware of what was being said in the mansion itself about the Nazzik, but there wasn't much to be done about it. It's not like you could magically ge everyone's mi ht.

  "Anyway," Maki resumed, again attrag Ameli's attention. "The reason I'm telling you all this is because you'll be attending as well."

  "...A-are you sure this is a good idea, Madam Fiana?" Ameli asked crestfallen. Her previous mood was repced by nervousness, being ed by the low self-esteem that still held its cws deep in her.

  "I know what you're thinking. You won't be going alone, so you don't have to worry about anything."

  "Who will go with me? Ah, is it possible for Madam Irna to attend as well?"

  My eyes sparkled at the thought - will Mom go with us? She means, will I finally be able to spend more time with her?

  But Maki dashed my hopes instantly...

  "Lana will be busy for a while, maybe for several more months. No, who will go with you will be me and Tina."

  ...

  I'm not upset.

  I didn't hug Maki's tail tighter because I set, I just... I was getting cold.

  ...

  Anyway, it might be a good opportunity to see Maki in a. Normally she just keeps herself at home and, since we don't get many visitors, I've never had the opportunity to see her i with other people. I use this as a good example of what adult iions are like in this world.

  Ameli also seemed somewhat relieved. Having Maki around would put her mind at ease.

  "The invitation says the party will be oh day of the 1st month, so we still have plenty of time. It will also be a good opportunity to see Nita i with other children her age. It will be the first time she gets to meet children other than Dri."

  "I think she will do well. The little dy is very cute and nice. Surely all the children will want to py with her." Ameli said fshing a smile. "That reminds me. Duchess Nazzik had a daughter retly too, didn't she?"

  "That is correct. In fact, acc to Katarina, she is the reason why she decided tahe party. She wants our daughters to get to know each other and be able to be friends when they grow up."

  "It will be... difficult," replied Ameli, sounding rather worried.

  "You think so? For me, it's the opposite. If Nita is like her mother, then it won't be difficult at all for the two of them to bee good friends." Maki said with a smile, looking at me as if she knew something I didn't. "And from the way this little Mishka sees me tely, I'm vinced she's the same way."

  Ameli didn't look vinced but said nothing more, merely watg me thoughtfully.

  For my part, I eyed Maki suspiciously. I wasn't quite sure what she meant by those ents and in a way, they didn't seem fttering...am I the same as Mom in any way? For some reason, I'm not sure if I want to know what she meant.

  After that, the topic drifted to other day-to-day things, as well as advice Maki gave the girl.

  U time, the time started to move faster, and by the time I realized it, we were already i month of the year.

  There were some heavy snowfalls the st few days, turning the outside into a real white bhat covered the whole ndscape pletely.

  Although there were no more major events si time, a few things did happen. Zenya officially started her csses with her music hero, so sometimes she would arrive with me with a huge smile on her face. Other times she would arrive with the little bird that Sarka gave her for her birthday, showing me how well-trai was and its really beautiful singing. Sometimes the little bird would approach me, curious, but Zenya would immediately pull it away. I don't know if it was out of fear that the bird would do something to me... or the other way around. It was kind of annoying that she thought of me that way, but there was nothing to be done.

  Mom also showed up a couple of times, but only long enough to greet me and give me a few kisses on the cheeks before leaving again. And when I say leaving, I mean being dragged away because she wasn't able to leave on her own.

  That was enough for me to know that at least she wasn't leaving me alone of her own free will. At least not to a certaient.

  I just hoped that this work of hers would pay off soon and she would get more free time. I wanted my retionship with my mother to be a real mother-daughter retionship this time. One of my many goals in this life.

  he end of the month, one of the st events of the year arrived. Although this one is just for the family. Maki's birthday. Although it was different from how I expected it to be.

  Let me expin.

  From what I uand, during the life of anyone in this world, especially in their childhood (although it also depends a lot on culture, tribe, and race), 5 important birthdays are celebrated. The first is on their first birthday, a family-o that celebrates just that, reag the first year of life. This is especially important because, unsurprisingly, getting through that first year is a difficult thing for many children. The medical field seems; I emphasize SEEMS, to be good enough, but still, infant mortality is quite high.

  The sed is at the age of 3, also exclusively familiar, and just as "small" as it is the first step taken as a scious person. What do I mean? Instead of celebrating the age, it is celebrated that the child is now able to see the world with greater uanding. In this world, it is said that, at the age of 3, is when the "soul" bees aware of its body and finally bees "someone". In short, it is when the child bees aware of itself.

  At the age of 5 years is the third and sed in importahis is when their first social debut occurs. Wheart to create es, and friendships, bee aware of their duties as a noble, and so on. That is why it is celebrated in a big way, to allow them the opportunity to take their first steps firmly in the world.

  At the age of 8, for the Atenosia, the vah ceremony is given. This is the age when it has finally finished growing and has adjusted to the rest of the body. The ceremony is performed by members of the ra a room behind closed doors. I have no further information about it, I just know that it is extremely important.

  The st one is at the age of 12. This is the most important because it is when they finally make their real debut in society, standing alongside adults on a retively equal footing. At that age, they begin to be sidered almost adults, and it is also when the marriage requests begin to arrive. There seem to be rules about that, although I don't know them.

  After that, there are no more birthday celebrations except for a few. The so-called "milestones" of life. These are at 30, 50, 100, 150 and 200. Not many make it above 150, although most races seem to easily exceed 100 years in their life expecies.

  How did I learn about these things at such a detailed level? Why is all this relevant now? Because my beloved sister told me about it. At that level of detail, yes. I told you she was a great source of information. And it is relevant because Maki passed the age of 50 some time ago. Oh of the 12th month, she turned 56. So, I missed her celebration by 6 years and if I want to see the one, I'll have to wait another 44 years. I hope I live long enough.

  Regarding the rest of the family... other than Zenya, I don't know their ages. Maki doesn't look 56 years old, maybe 30 or younger. However, that could be due to the long life expecy of this world, letting her beautiful and/or youthful appeara much longer. Sarka is around 16, though I'm irely sure. Mom and Dad are a plete mystery for now. The only thing I'm sure of is that Dad is older than Maki and Mom is youhan her.

  Oh, and Ameli is 18, as she said, close to her Nymph stage at 20.

  Back to the point, Maki walked around the mansion that day receiving words of gratutions, and nothing else. It seemed that nothing more than that was being do least by others. That night Mom and Maki went to sleep together. The only thing I will say about it is that the day Maki looked extremely happy and rexed, other than that her hair and fur looked shinier.

  She is living the good life...

  A few days ter, the st event of the season and the year. No, there is no Christmas, no New Year's Eve or anything else. It's just a fairly simple New Year's celebration. A family dio say goodbye to the year, thank Sathalia fiving us another year of life, and a speech from the head of the family to the servants and guards as thanks for their servid staying loyal to the family.

  It sounds like something simple and somewhat ungrateful, but it is quite important. Everyone looked very happy for Dad's words to them that day. I ter learhat they are given a juicy moary bonus on that day...

  With that, finally, my first winter came to an end.

  Slowly the weather became warmer. The snow was melting and the white was repced by bright green. Spring was timidly peeking out, as some small animals awoke from the lethargy that the cold winter had imposed on them.

  The invitation that Duchess Katari us said that the party would be oh day of the 1st month, that is, in about 3 days, and Maki had been preparing for that day. How? You may be w. Well, she called Lady Kar to prepare a dress for her. Yes, a dress for her. The st time she wore something other than the usual "maid uniform" was for Zenya's birthday, and she looked absolutely stunning that day. The big differehis time was that now she wasn't hiding her appearance. She had to take into at her ears and tail, and the colors that would match her new hair color.

  Of course, Kar was full of fidence, measuring her body, from the tips of her ears to her tail. With me it was the same, taking new measurements to pare with the previous ones and see how much I had grown.

  It wasn't much. But, sidering I was teically a Revant, and from the way Aunty Ven looked, I was sure I would keep my height down. Not that it bothered me.

  Again, I was ed in various types of fabrid dresses, only this time, Kar was much calmer thaime with Mom. Maki quite enjoyed seeing my different styles but was more "professional" about it, something Kar decided to respect by giving equally professional and serious ents.

  Dilia was not with us this time, but Kar kept mentioning her every ce she got. stantly pining that she still didn't give her a grandchild, that the girl didn't call her "mother" and that she was still so strict with her at work that it seemed like Dilia was the boss and not her. Quite an amusing dynamic.

  Fortunately, Lady Kar was an excellent worker, very dedicated and fast. She said that the dresses would be delivered the day by herself, to make sure that everything would be perfectly done.

  With everything ready, we just had to wait for the promised day.

  I was quite nervous about it. Not only because there would be too many high-status strangers, but, because it was my first time leaving the mansion grounds. It was, quite literally, a whole new world in front of me, and that scared me. I was just a baby, what if we had an act or were attacked by bandits? Or worse, by monsters. I didn't know the route we would take, or what anything was like, and that made me even more anxious than it should.

  I didn't feel very good that st night. It was so bad that Ameli had to call Maki to sleep with me to calm me down. I was sure she noticed how nervous I was, and so she ed her tail arouhanks to that I mao sleep very fortably.

  The m of the party I was woken up very early. They bathed me and put on my new dress, a very lovely light blue dress, made of a soft fabric that fluttered gracefully with every movement I made. The bodice was simple, adorned with fine silver thread embroidery in star patterns to match my own eyes. Short puffed sleeves, finished in white ce giving a fiouch of elegance.

  The skirt was wide and light, designed so that I could move easily, both walking and crawling; though I doubted I would have the opportunity to do that at a high-css party. A blue satin ribbon encircled my waist, tied in a small bow at the back, adding trast to the dress.

  And to top it all off, little white leather shoes along with a matg tiara, adorned with a small blue gem in the ter, which sparkled subtly in the suns light.

  My whole outfit revealed the eic power of my family, but without being too opulent, showing a touch of humility despite our noble rank.

  Maki, oher hand, was wearing a dark blue dress, made of a much more luxurious fabric refleg the actual position she had, which she did not usually show to the rest. The bodice was tight, decorated with the same type of silver thread as my own dress, but with much more intricate and plex designs, imitating steltions.

  The sleeves were long and tight, ending in a wide cuff adorned with white ce, mirr my own. The nee was moderately low and was decorated with a line of pearls, adding to how tight that part of the dress was, it greatly highlighted my seother's abundant breasts.

  The long, flowing skirt fell in graceful folds to the floor. It was desigo move gracefully, giving the impression of floating with every step. A sky-blue satin ribbon encircled her waist, tied in a bow at the back just above her tail, which had also been adorned with 2 rge silver rings with blue gems, in the middle of her tail and the other he tip.

  To plement the whole outfit, she wore low-heeled shoes, covered in something simir to dark blue velvet, and a neckce with a blue gem that subtly reflected the light. Her hair ulled ba an eborate updo, adorned with small gold accessories with small blue gems, keeping with that star theme.

  The whole outfit was trying to ey dress, screaming to everyohat we were mother and daughter enjoying an outing together.

  Ameli came out behind us, dressed in her elegant maid's uniform, one much more eborate than normal.

  The girl looked nervous but cheerful. Something that helped me calm down a bit. The ay was still present, though.

  We left the mansion together through the front door, where a rge carriage was waiting for us.

  It was just like a princess carriage, with its design remi of a pumpkin. But with the differehat it was not pulled by horses, but by birds. Yes, birds. Four of them. Not ostriches, emus, or cassowaries, they were like... chocobos? Slightly thinner, at least 180 cm tall, with more dinosaur-like appearances, but incredibly cool. Their feathers looked fluffy and soft, so soft that you wao hug them and sleep in their warmth.

  The coolest thing about them was that they had some sort of armor attached to their backs that covered their sides, and they wore some sort of helmets on their heads. Even their legs had steel spurs that looked incredibly sharp and deadly. They weren't wearing the typical horse reins, with those things they put in their mouths, but they were wearing a leather traption ed around the base of their beaks that seemed to serve the same fun.

  I was so fasated by them that Maki started ughing. And to my surprise, she pulled me close to the magnifit animal. You would think a mother would NEVER do that, especially with animals that look dangerous, in more ways than one, but she did. I didn't know whether to be terrified rateful.

  When I got to the o stared at me for a moment, then at Maki, at the driver, who nodded slightly, and, as if it uood, put its head towards me while closing its eyes. I hesitated, very much hesitated as to what I should do, and at my hesitation, Maki slowly brought me closer to the animal.

  I touched with my hands, still hesitantly, the feathers on the side of its head, and, ihey were incredibly soft. With each passing sed, I gained more and more fidend veo stroke more parts of its head. Its beak was hard but smooth, with very few marks, a testament to how well cared for the bird was, the feathers on its head were somewhat firmer, but equally incredible to stroke, simir to the feathers of an eagle or hawk.

  I was pletely lost in that moment, that I barely noticed the sweet sounds the bird was making. Adorable squawks that indicated unmistakably that it was enjoying my caress. Unfortunately, we didn't have all day to be here, and I was led away from the wonderful, majestiimal. Surprisingly to everyohe bird had e so much that its head followed me as I walked away, looking disappoihat it had lost its source of petting. It gave a few annoyed squawks, but quickly returo its position.

  I whined, whined quite a bit because I wao keep petting him, but Maki turned me around, to face me directly in her fad spoke to me calmly.

  "Nita, I see you enjoyed Mer quite a bit, but those Ekus will be home always in the Nidarys. I promise we'll go see them aime, okay?"

  Maki didn't wait for my answer, instead, we walked to the carriage door and, helped by a screed, climbed in and she sat inside, Ameli behind us.

  I had no choice but to accept it and wait for the ime I would see the cute Mer, and be able to stroke his amazihers. But I could uand it. Right now, I was heading to an importa. A battle I hoped I could face.

  Meeting and pying with children my age.

  It would be my toughest battle yet.

  FivesZeta