A sharp cascade of notification tones echoed through my room.

Ping!

Ping!

Ping ping ping!

A continuous string of ping—ping—ping like the OmniSync had decided to become an alarm clock. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

My ears flattened instinctively as I groaned and buried my face into the pillow.

What time even—

I blinked one eye open.

6:02 AM.

The sky outside was barely light.

Soren hadn’t returned last night. His side of the adjoining room had remained dark and untouched. He must still be buried in estate matters or regional council work.

Good.

Because if he were here right now, he would absolutely hear the alert storm happening beside my bed.

Ping!

I yawned, stretching my forelegs forward and arching my back in a slow feline stretch before tapping the OmniSync awake.

The screen expanded.

And then—

My drowsiness evaporated instantly.

————————————

Crimson Snow Atelier

Notifications: 53

New Orders: 8

Unread Messages: 47

Reviews: 1

————————————

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

All remaining energy stones—ordered.

Every single one.

Status: Awaiting Seller Confirmation.

For a moment, I genuinely questioned if I was still dreaming.

Maybe this was one of those absurd fantasies where I wake up, check the system, and find out I’m suddenly famous.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my paw.

The numbers remained.

Payment Received: 4,000 IC

Pending Confirmations: 8

4,000 Imperial Crown in one night.

My tail puffed slightly in disbelief.

They bought it.

All of it.

The same "outrageous" 500 IC pricing.

The same "mere low-grade junk."

’What just... happened?’

I immediately scrolled through the shop page.

Crimson Snow Atelier — Trending.

There was even a small flame icon next to my shop name.

My ears stood straight up. ’Trending? At 6 AM?’

My viewing counter had skyrocketed.

I opened the analytics tab.

————————————

Shop Analytics:

Shop Visits: 12,847

Conversion Rate: 0.07%

Revenue: 4,500 IC

Followers: 312

————————————

Followers?

Since when do I have followers?

I stared at the numbers like they might evaporate if I blinked too hard.

Something definitely triggered it.

My paws trembled slightly as I navigated to the review section.

Only one review had been posted so far.

The very first buyer.

This review would determine everything as I hesitated for half a second before clicking it.

Username: MidnightVulpes

Rating: ★★★★★

My heart started beating louder.

I leaned closer to read.

————————————

I was skeptical about the price. 500 IC for a low-grade energy stone is absurd by current market standards.

I almost didn’t buy it.

I’ve commissioned custom high-grade energy stones from reputable carvers before. Rare materials, premium cores, but none of them eased my Hysteria.

I bought this because I was desperate and mildly offended by the pricing.

I wanted to see if it was a scam.

When the package arrived, I expected something ornamental. Something overly stylized.

Instead, I received a fox.

Not a rough carving nor a piece of clay lumped together but a fox.

The posture was natural it looked alive. Its tail was curved, the ears weren’t symmetrical in a mechanical way but balanced and even the mixed color veins inside the stone flowed like layered fur catching light.

I’ve attached images of the previous high-grade stones I commissioned. Compare them.

————————————

Below the text were ten image attachments along with my work.

The difference was obvious even through a screen.

The review continued.

————————————

I genuinely thought it would be useless. At best, decorative.

I was wrong.

Within an hour of holding it, the migraine I’ve had for years dulled. Then faded.

My partial transformation stabilized. My ears retracted fully for the first time in weeks without backlash.

This is the first energy stone that really treated my Hysteria. There was no violent energy surge. No pressure spike. No nausea.

I just feel... calm.

Seller, if you’re reading this, I’ve messaged you privately to ask if you do custom orders. I will pay you any amount so name your price.

————————————

The view count on it was climbing rapidly as replies under the review were flooding in.

I dove headfirst into the comment section.

"Are you serious??"

"Wait... did this actually reduce your migraines, or did they just vanish into thin air?"

"Restock when??? I need to try it!!!"

"500 IC? Pfft, feels like pocket change now."

"Sold out already?! Guess I’ll start praying to the shop gods."

"Is this just slick marketing, or do they have actual magic?"

The reviewer had responded:

"I wouldn’t even bother leaving a review if I found someone this talented at making energy stones. If I had my way, I’d keep this shop a secret, hide it in a vault, and pretend it doesn’t exist. But because of this shop, my Hysteria is partially cured."

The thread exploded.

"What do you mean keep it a secret??"

"Bro don’t be selfish."

"We were just asking questions."

"Too late it’s already trending."

"Is it really that good or is this another scam?"

I was still scrolling through the comment thread when a sharp notification cut through the screen.

Reminder: Confirm pending orders within 2 hours to prevent auto-cancellation.

• Regal Sitting Fox – 3

• Resting Cat – 2

• Stretching Cat – 1

• Playful Paw – 1

• Fox Variant – 1

I nearly smacked the confirm button in my haste.

Orders Confirmed. Prepare Items for Dispatch.

Drone Pickup ETA: Scheduled Upon Packaging.

Completely forgot about that.

Agatha had been lucky enough to find a presentable velvet case for the first order — something stored away from an old gift set that hadn’t been used.

But that was pure coincidence.

I immediately opened StrataLink’s supplier tab and filtered for premium small-item cases and placed an express order.

• 20 pieces — White velvet display cases (reinforced corners, magnetic lid closure)

• 20 meters — Deep crimson silk fabric (matte finish, high thread count)

• 1 box — Custom product insert cards (embossed logo, minimalist typography)

For the insert cards, I uploaded my logo: a deep red snowflake motif interwoven with a crescent arc — Crimson Snow Atelier centered elegantly against a clean white background.

Delivery option: Express.

Cost: Slightly painful.

I paid using my newly earned money, of course.

Order confirmed

ETA: 18–22 minutes

I slid off the bed and padded toward the door.

"Agatha!" I called.

My voice was still slightly hoarse from sleep, but urgency sharpened it.

She appeared almost immediately, as if she’d been hovering nearby already. "Yes, My Lady?"

I gestured toward the hologram that followed me into the hall.

"Orders," I said simply.

Her eyes widened as she scanned the list. "Already?"

I nodded.

"But what about the packaging?" she asked.

"Done. Wait."

I pointed to the supplier tab where my express order status blinked: Out for Delivery.

Agatha’s brows lifted slightly. "You ordered just now?"

I nodded again. Of course I did.

She excused herself briefly and returned with a glass of milk, placing it beside me on the table.

"You should drink something while we wait," she said gently.

I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until I drank it in one go.

Twenty minutes later—

A soft chime echoed from the estate’s external delivery platform.

I authorized access.

The drone lowered a sleek sealed crate onto the platform before announcing:

"Delivery verified. Signature encrypted."

I blinked.

In my past life, I once waited two weeks for imported stone. Here? Just twenty minutes.

Agatha retrieved the package while I confirmed the receipt through StrataLink.

We carried everything to the sitting room table as we opened it together.

The white velvet cases were pristine—structured, clean-lined, smooth to the touch. The magnetic closure clicked with a satisfying sound.

The deep crimson fabric shimmered subtly under the morning light. Not flashy, just rich.

When layered inside the white velvet, the contrast was striking.

The product insert cards were even better than expected.

Heavy stock and cool to the touch.

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

Crimson Snow Atelier

— B.F.

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

I ran my claw lightly across one.

Yes.

This feels like 500 IC.

Agatha began lining each velvet case with the crimson fabric, folding the corners cleanly so the interior looked seamless.

I sat opposite her, the energy stones arranged in a precise row before me, retrieved the finished energy stones and one by one, I inspected them again.

Regal Sitting Fox— lavender hue glowing faintly.

I placed it gently into the crimson lining. The contrast made the internal veins stand out more vividly.

Resting Cat — amber warmth catching the morning light.

Stretching Cat — azure tones glinting like water.

Playful Paw — smoky gradient subtle but alive.

Fox Variant — balanced yet refined.

Each stone was centered carefully inside its case and added a product insert card to each box, placing it slightly beneath the stone, angled just enough to be visible when opened.

Presentation matters.

The first moment a customer opens the lid determines whether they feel buyer’s regret or satisfaction.

Agatha then sealed each case carefully before placing them into reinforced shipping containers.

The StrataLink updated automatically as we tagged each order.

Ready for Drone Dispatch.

Within minutes, the soft mechanical hum returned to the balcony.

One drone.

Then a second.

StrataLink must have batched the route efficiently.

They hovered just above us, scanning the encrypted seals as Agatha placed the shipping containers onto their platforms.

"Seller identity secured," one announced. "Route locked. Dispatch initiated."

One by one, the packages were lifted into the air and disappeared beyond the estate.

I stood at the balcony railing, watching as the first light of dawn spilled across the horizon in streaks of pale gold and muted rose, brushing the estate rooftops in soft warmth.

I curled my tail along my body as I let the breeze graze my face.

"Blanca? Why are you up early?"

I turned around to see Soren standing near the balcony door, one hand still resting against the frame as if he had paused mid-step. His hair was slightly disheveled, black strands catching the sunrise. He wasn’t dressed formally yet — just a loose shirt, sleeves rolled halfway up.

He looked... softer like this.

"Nyang!"

Soren stood near the balcony doors, one hand still resting against the frame as if he had paused mid-step. His hair was slightly disheveled, silver strands catching the sunrise. He wasn’t dressed formally yet — just a loose shirt, sleeves rolled halfway up.

He looked... softer like this.

"Nyang!" I said brightly, straightening.

Translation: You’re back!