The Taste of a Demoness (4k)

The consequence of staying up all night reading romance novels was that, when the Tarot Club meeting began the next day, Neph woke with a start amid a flash of crimson light and found herself seated in that magnificent palace.

Perhaps her bewilderment was too obvious. Miss Justice's first reaction was not to greet her, but to check on her condition:

"Miss Pure White, what's wrong?"

"...I didn't sleep last night." Neph cast a resentful glance at Klein, concealed in the grayish-white fog, before answering Audrey languidly. "When your Mr. Fool called me, I hadn't woken up yet."

Audrey froze for a moment. Alger the Hanged Man and Cattleya the Hermit had already begun speculating about what Miss Pure White had been doing.

"What were you doing?" Equally curious, Klein directly controlled the World to ask.

"I was studying the psychology of people with Stockholm syndrome," Neph replied solemnly, "and considering exactly what role a Demoness's powers of charm play in the process."

The World met her gaze. Behind him, Klein instinctively sensed something was wrong and continued speaking through the World. "In plain language."

"I was reading a romance novel Tracy had read," Neph swiftly amended. "One about captivity."

"..."

The World looked away.

"..." Cattleya and Alger looked away.

Fors the Magician resisted the urge to ask for the book's title and looked away.

"..."

Emlyn the Moon and Derrick the Sun stared blankly at Neph, seemingly still unable to process what she had said.

Maintaining her smile, Audrey asked the most useful question. "Miss Pure White, what is Stockholm?"

"Could you say good afternoon first?" Neph asked, with a strong sense of ceremony.

By the time the subject came up again, the trading segment had ended. When Audrey repeated her question, Neph gave an explanation this time: