Dinner was an experience. Astra explained everything that happened when they were out. Shion spent most of the time trying to slip away, while Ryoma demanded a clear explanation. Kaen stayed quiet and kept serving everyone, and Arisu sat there focused on eating, glancing nervously between them watching the awkward scene. The moment dinner was over, they didn't waste a second they quickly excused themselves and made their escape.
Arisu sat on the wooden bench, lost in thought, while Astra paced back and forth across the garden, hands clasped behind her back. The grass beneath her feet flattened with each step, leaving a faint trail behind her. Watching her, Arisu finally spoke up.
"What are you even thinking about? You've walked so much that if we wait a little longer, you might create an actual road." Astra halted mid-step, then plopped down beside her.
"I'm still thinking about the honey. I couldn't get any."
Arisu shook her head."Yeah, well, our luck was so bad today we didn't even get a single drop. If only we could go and fetch some honeycombs ourselves, we'd be enjoying it right now."Astra's ears perked up at those words.
"Wait, what did you just say? If we could go ourselves? That's it! What are we waiting for? Tell me the exact spot, and we'll go right now!"
Arisu blinked. "What? Are you serious? That area is near the forest border! No one goes there because of demon activity!" She flailed her arms. "That area It's basically a buffet for monsters, and if we go there we'd be the main course! Besides, they won't even let you go there. I saw how they were already throwing questions at you earlier."
"It's not like we're going into the forest. We won't even cross the border! We'll just go near it, grab a little honey, and come back like nothing ever happened. And about them? Don't worry I have a plan."
"No. Nope. If it starts with 'I have a plan', it ends with someone like falling off a roof or setting something on fire. What if we ran into those demon beast that escape from the boundary. It will be even worse! It's not safe!"
"Ugh, why does everyone act like I'm some sort of trouble magnet?" Arisu gave her a look.
Astra blinked.
"…Okay, fair point….. Still Arisu, come on. Don't be such a scaredy cat! Aren't you a blessed one? and You've got way more spiritual power than I do, even if we do face a demon, it'll probably be one of those tier-2 or tier-3 beasts near the border. We can totally handle that."
Arisu crossed her arms. "Tier-3 or not, I'd rather not play tag with something that has claws and a taste for chaos."
"Arghh, Arisu don't let this chance slip away! Remember, this is a once a year opportunity. By next year, when they finally make honey again, who knows I might not be around to share it with you."
Arisu's face dropped, Astra glanced over and immediately said,
"Oh no no don't give me that face! I didn't mean I'm disappearing forever! You're my best friend after all! I'll even write letters about how much I miss you after I leave."
Arisu blinked, unsure whether to laugh or cry. "You'd forget me in two weeks…"
"Two weeks?! How dare you! at least make it a month!" Astra gasped making her chuckle.
Astra leaned in. "So? Are you in or out?"
""This is a bad… but I'm in!"
Astra grinned broadly. "Great! Now listen to my plan. You head back home before anyone comes starts searching for you. Wait until everyone's asleep, then sneak out from there and meet me outside I'll be waiting near the gate. Once we meet, we head straight to the spot, grab the honey, and get back before sunrise. Deal?"
Arisu sighed again. "Deal. But if we get eaten by demons, I'm haunting you first."
____________
The night deepened, around midnight the stars flickering above as Astra stood near the gates of Mansion, a cloth wrapped around her face. She sighed, at the two guards fast asleep on either side of the gate, snoring in harmony. She glanced at the snoozing guards and muttered under her breath,
"I don't know how much protection Kaneko Mansion really has from robbery…"
Just then, she heard a thud! and a bird chirping in panic. She turned quickly and saw Arisu on the ground, having just jumped over the wall and fallen straight into a bush. Astra panicked for a second, glancing at the guards. But they didn't move at all, one even let out a loud snore.
She sighed in relief and ran over to Arisu, who had just stood up, brushing dirt off her clothes and picking tiny sticks out of her hair. Her Kwami sat on her head, chirping. until Arisu hushed at it, whispering, "Do you want to wake the whole neighbourhood?"
"Are you okay?" Arisu gave a sheepish nod.
"Wait… Are you planning to take your Kwami too?" Astra asked, eyeing the bird.
"I'm not," Arisu whispered. "Chipi just showed up the moment I started sneaking out." "Chipi?" Astra blinked at the tiny bird sitting proudly on her head. "Yeah, that's his name."
Astra leaned in with a small smile and reached out to pet him. "Well, hey there, Chipi—"
Before her fingers could touch, Chipi pecked her hand with a sharp nip, making Astra flinch.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Chipi fluffed his feathers and let out a smug chirp, clearly unbothered.
"Okay, rude," Astra muttered, rolling her eyes at Chipi, then quickly pulled out a cloth and handed it to Arisu. "Here, take this. Cover your face."
"For what? It's not like we're going out to steal or something…" Arisu said, tilting her head. Astra gave her a look.
"…Okay, fine. We are technically going to steal it."
"It's not just that. Imagine the chaos if people start whispering that the daughter of the Defense Minister is sneaking around at midnight with a kwami on her head."
Arisu wrapped the cloth around her face and muttered, "Don't make me regret coming with you. We are returning before sunrise, that's final."
"Alright, alright," Astra whispered, nudging her forward. "Regret tastes better with honey, right?
Now move, before some neighbours see us."
The two girls carefully walked down the quiet street, trying not to make any noise. But little did they know that some neighbour had already seen them.
"Well, well… what a view. The youngest daughter sneaking out in the middle of the night with that trouble maker, that too for stealing something?…..there's gonna be wild fire soon."
Maihima leaned on the railing, lazily swinging her fan, a smirk spreading across her lips.She turned her head and called out,
"Meimei, Miaomiao!"
The two girls who stood beside her, still looking half-asleep. "Yeah, leader?" Miaomiao yawned.
"Remember when we used to play Catch the Thief as kids?" Meimei blinked. "Yeah? Why?"
"....Wanna play it again?..."