Chapter 67: Don’t go, little canary.

Ifrora wore a cherry-pink hunter’s outfit, practical yet elegant, accentuating her long legs. Her cherry-pink hair was tied into a neat ponytail with a simple phoenix feather band, a few loose strands framing her face. Her crimson eyes sparkled with amusement, fingers teasing a tiny phoenix conjured from flames.

As the door opened, she lazily lifted her gaze, locking onto Aphrosia—especially the glaring goblin sticker on her calf. Her smile deepened, brimming with unmasked mischief. (Aphrosia: Where are you looking, hey!)

“Well~” Her voice was like honeyed breeze. “Finally out, my dear little canary? My ‘snack party’ invitation worked wonders, hmm?” The flame phoenix vanished with a poof.

“What do you want? We’re not exactly close,” Aphrosia cut to the chase, her tone icy, emerald eyes meeting Ifrora’s.

“Oh my~ We teamed up just days ago, and now you’re cutting ties? Miss Aphrosia, who called herself Flo’s girlfriend~?”

“…I have business to handle. No time for your silly hide-and-seek.” Aphrosia dodged the topic.

“Business?” Ifrora rose gracefully from the cloud sofa, landing lightly before Aphrosia, tilting her head curiously, crimson eyes glinting slyly. “More important than meeting me? That stings.”

She sighed dramatically, but her gaze scanned Aphrosia’s face, catching every microexpression. “Let me guess… tied to that ‘little trouble’ on your leg? Or… something else?”

“If I recall, that mark should be on Mr. Flo. So why’s it on a girl who, except for pointy ears, looks nothing like him?”

She stepped closer, so near Aphrosia could see the sheen on her curled lashes, the faint rose-cedar scent enveloping her again.

“Could it be… Miss Aphrosia is Mr. Pointy-Ears?” Ifrora’s voice lowered, probing, her crimson eyes locking onto Aphrosia’s.

Aphrosia’s heart skipped. As expected… But she kept her face calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Move, I’m leaving.” She tried to sidestep.

“Not so fast.” Ifrora moved like a specter, blocking her again, her sweet smile unyielding. “Little canary, you carry his contract mark, use his pets” —her gaze flicked to Mistfeather and Blazewing— “and hold something tied to him” —she glanced toward the lab— “and most importantly…” Her finger darted out, lightning-fast yet gentle, touching Aphrosia’s heart.

Aphrosia froze.

“…you’re hiding lots of secrets here.” Ifrora’s voice tickled like a feather, sweet and beguiling. “Especially that… unshakable resolve in your eyes when you mentioned ‘business.’ I’m very curious.”

She withdrew her finger, twirling her pink hair, eyes brimming with interest. “So, this ‘business’—where to? Need help? The Phoenix family’s reach is bigger than you think, Miss Aphrosia… or Mr. Pointy-Ears who blew up his house and vanished?”

Aphrosia’s heart sank. Ifrora had pieced most of it together, and she was at a loss…

“No need.” Aphrosia refused coldly, trying to slip past.

“And you think I’m the same as my dear one? That’s laughable. Surprised I transferred the mark with magic? Jealous his pets are with me? Coveting my treasures, Miss Third-Wheel?”

Aphrosia played dumb, refusing to admit anything. Take that, Pink Chicken!

“Oh? Call your ‘boyfriend’ then. I’d love to see you two together~”

“No way. Let you meet my dear and you’ll seduce him? Not letting him near a sneaky cat…”

“Quite possessive, Miss Aphrosia~” Ifrora’s smile grew, like a cunning cat toying with trapped prey.

“But you’re mistaken. I’m not interested in Mr. Pointy-Ears~ You, Miss Aphrosia, are far more… intriguing~”

Her “you’re intriguing” felt like a feather with searing heat, pricking Aphrosia’s frayed nerves. Those crimson eyes gleamed with the same excitement Ifrora showed as a kid during treasure hunts, brimming with cunning and certainty.

Aphrosia’s blue eyes cracked for a moment, a flicker of being cornered by her childhood friend nearly spilling out. She forced down the dryness in her throat, keeping her voice steady, laced with sharp mockery.

“Hmph, the Phoenix miss has such cheap, broad interests. Sorry, I’m not interested in being your new ‘collectible.’”

She tried to bypass the wall of cherry-pink and childhood memories. As her foot moved, Ifrora, as if predicting her, spun elegantly, her skirt arcing like Phoenix flames, blocking her again. Closer now, Aphrosia saw the eternal fire in those crimson eyes from their garden chases, the golden sheen on her lashes—a Phoenix trait. The rose-gardenia scent, so familiar from shared afternoons in studies and secret hideouts, wrapped around her, threatening to seep into her skin, stirring suppressed memories of Flo Astreya.

“Don’t rush off, my cute little canary~”