The golden orb representing the [Wish of Home] bounces twice in Liv's hand before leaping toward you.
The moment you reach out and catch it, an indescribable feeling washes over you.
The perfect temperature, a full belly, a peaceful sleep, the safety of friends surrounding you... as if all pain has been soothed away, inspiring boundless courage.
This is my most beautiful vision of home.
Ki...kiku?
Kiku!
The household mechanoids, whose mobility modules were disabled by the two of you earlier, slowly rise to their feet. The manic look in their electronic eyes has vanished as they gather around Liv, chirping softly.
They seem to be celebrating her arrival, while also appearing remorseful for going haywire.
It's me. I'm back. Don't worry, I know you didn't mean any harm.
Suddenly, commotion erupts from the corridor outside. Turning to look, you see a swarm of small mechanoids running in and carrying Othilde, who waves her arms enthusiastically as she makes her "grand" entrance.
Othilde! Are you hurt?
Not at all! At worst, I just lost a couple of feathers from flying too hastily, hehe.
The black swan butler hops back to the ground and playfully tugs at the flowing ribbons on Liv's dress.
Your Highness, please light up the fire blossom fireplaces and the honeysuckle wall lamps!
Of course.
Liv takes a deep breath, looks around the dim ballroom, and raises her right hand as if gently pulling an invisible light cord from the air.
Let there be light.
The orbs of light nestled around her and you scatter joyfully, bringing a warm golden glow that slowly illuminates everything, from the crystal chandelier in the hall to the corridors beyond.
You take Liv's hand, the one she just used to cast her magic, and run to the window together amid cheers from the household mechanoids and Othilde. Pushing open the stained glass pane, you lean and look outside with Liv.
The high winds tousle her long hair as Liv stands with her back to the brilliant lights of the palace. Her eyes meet yours in silent understanding, and she tightens her grip on your hand.
It's a butler's duty to assess the damage and tidy up the reclaimed territory! Your Highness should wait elsewhere until the palace is properly cleaned. It won't take long!
Othilde flaps her wings and pulls out a wicker basket from ripples that appear in the air, then begins retrieving various items one by one.
This is a berry pie... and these are honey candies... Oh, and this one, and this one too...
This is my entire stash of snacks and treats! It's my way of saying thank you, so you absolutely must take them!
Liv bends down and gently ruffles Othilde's soft hair.
I'll also bake lots and lots of little sheep-shaped cookies for you in the future. You can choose whatever flavor you want.
The small butler flashes a radiant smile, then turns around and plants her hands on her hips.
Everyone, fall in line! Team Chocolate will be responsible for sweeping the floors, Team Butter will inspect the roof and windows—
Othilde marches off with her teams in a grand procession, looking like a commander of housekeeping robots.
C-Commandant... just call me Liv...
I made Othilde a butler because I've always admired how butlers in stories can do everything. I really wanted to become someone like that.
I never expected her to take it so seriously. Now she won't stop calling me "Your Highness" instead of Liv...
As if afraid you might call her "Your Highness" again, Liv clasps her hands behind her back and changes the subject, her eyes darting away.
I know a place the Red Sorcerer has never found, somewhere we won't get in the way of the cleaning crew. Let's go there to enjoy Othilde's treats.
You think you've reached the top after climbing all the way up the palace tower, but Liv blows gently at the night sky painted on the ceiling, and the full moon opens into a circular doorway before waning.
A spiral staircase resembling black crystal extends down from the doorway. You follow Liv up the stairs and discover a small attic filled with plush toys and soft cushions.
"Fairy tales always begin with imaginary friends and secret hideouts." My mother once wrote this on the title page of a storybook.
Commandant, you've already met my imaginary friend. Now, welcome to my secret hideout. Please, make yourself comfortable.
You place the basket on the carpet and make a small nest in the pile of cushions with Liv, just big enough for the two of you. With your heads next to each other, you start picking out treats from the basket.
The ceiling light is sparse, its glow draping like gossamer veils. Liv hums a shapeless melody, and the feather ornament by her temple shakes gently against your head.
Yes, we even jumped down a chimney, something I couldn't have dreamed of, even as a child.
The Snow Globe is shaped by your Mind Beacon and my M.I.N.D. As long as we're together, it can't harm us, which is why I feel safe. And...
Liv lowers her head and looks at the candy jar, trying to lift it up and hide her face behind it. Realizing you're still waiting intently for her to continue, she puts the jar down and mumbles softly.
The feeling of you relying on me, of us being so close together... I really like it.
Like now.
She takes out a candy. Though the wrapper is transparent, it refracts into a rainbow of colors under the light.
I may not have jumped down chimneys, but I wasn't exactly what you'd call a proper lady when I was little. A proper lady wouldn't sit on the ground digging soil to plant flowers and getting dirt all over her face.
But my mother would teach me how to dig with the least amount of effort, and how deep I should dig. Calliope would join us after finishing housework. All the vibrant life in that garden was nurtured by the three of us, little by little.
Perhaps those afternoons filled with soil, sweat, and laughter were when my [Wish of Home] first began to sprout.
A comforting warmth leans against your shoulder as Liv looks up at you, her eyes brimming with both nostalgia for the past and anticipation for the future.
Once we find a way to break the seal on the frozen lake and completely purify the Snow Globe... let's decorate this place together.
Whether the flooring should be wood or stone, what color the curtains should be, even the shapes of the bushes... I want us to decide all of it together.
When everything is ready, we can host a housewarming ball and dance together with Othilde and the others...
After all, a home is a place built together by the family members themselves.
I look forward to it.
The warm fireplace stirs drowsiness in both of you, and your tense bodies relax naturally next to someone you cherish.
The warm fireplace stirs drowsiness in both of you, and your tense bodies relax naturally next to someone you cherish.
Mmm... I'm getting sleepy...
Let's just take a little nap...
In the tranquil silence, your breathing gradually slows and softens.
Undisturbed, the princess and the wizard can have a moment of respite before the cleaning is complete.
