When the Moonlight Fell Across Her Face
"Ha!"
(｀)
With a simple Arcane Blast, Annie sent the ill-intentioned creepy old man flying, making sure he wouldn't bother her again. That improved her mood a tiny bit. She started huffing and puffing her way up through the empty magic tower, and it took her ages to finally reach the door of a room on the top floor.
"Is anyone in there?"
|˙˙)?
Annie didn't barge in recklessly. Instead, she went up to the doorframe, poked her head inside, and cautiously called out.
"Eek!"
!(;o)o
The moment she spoke, Annie saw her:
In the tower's topmost room, which looked like a study, there was a mess everywhere. It didn't look like a girl's room at all. The little Ranni doll, wearing a snow witch's pointed hat and outfit, sat motionless in a chair by the wall in the middle of the room. Her head was bowed, and the broad brim of her hat covered half her body. She seemed to still be fast asleep.
"She's still sleeping?"
(lll￢▽￢)
"See, Tibbers? That means I'm way more hardworking than she is!"
o(*︶*)o
It was a rare moment. Annie, who usually slept until the middle of the afternoon and sometimes wouldn't get up even when the sun was shining right on her bottom, had finally found something to feel proud of in this sunless Lands Between: the fact that she was more diligent than the doll before her.
That put her in an even better mood. The frustrations that had been weighing on her earlier faded, and a mischievous smile finally spread across her face.
(...)
(●￣￣●)
"..."
The room's owner was still sleeping in, so Annie didn't bother with formalities. She walked right in and looked around.
Soon, she realized the place was full