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Yulia sat in her most comfortable chair, adorned with a navy-blue, satin bathrobe with one leg folded over the other. As the first of the four Variety Hour matches started, she watched her monitor with a sense of deep satisfaction, her lips curled into a sly grin.

Yulia's fingers slowly descended, untying her robe as her lithe fingers slid through the opening and brushed the underside of her breast. Her eyes locked onto Rose, watching her mannerisms and behavior after starting her transition into rabbithood. She couldn't help but delight in the spectacle of observing the downfall of a bad girl as she transformed into something more terrified and submissive.

As she began to push her free hand between her legs, Lucius' voice sounded from the speakers. Any sense of mounting excitement and arousal vacated Yulia's body instantly, her blood running cold while a pang of anger flared up. Lucius? What is HE doing here? She venomously thought. Her hands pulled away as she turned to glare at a monitor to the left, which displayed a feed of the audience. As if on cue, a lamp flickered on and illuminated the pitch-black form of Lucius, his crimson eyes taunting Yulia through the screen. As far as she was aware, Callum, Nigel, and Estelle were the three VVIPs who requested a chance to watch in person. This disgusting man would ruin everything.

As the match progressed, it was evident that Estelle was missing from the group. Beyond that, Yulia found it impossible to properly enjoy the first game of Mollusk Match when Lucius' voice constantly assaulted her eardrums. She didn't want to watch some gross panther man outlet his sexual fantasies onto her precious girls. Her enjoyment came from managing them individually struggle against the changes that afflicted them. Introducing a chauvinistic male element to the fray only served to destroy her enthusiasm. She glanced at the wine glass and bottle upon the end table to her left, contemplating for a brief moment before grabbing the bottle and taking a swig.

After the first match, Lucius calmed his sexual advances, but his grating voice tormented Yulia. She watched the game's progress as she grew more disinterested by the minute. Despite Yulia's mind wandering, Lucius' peculiar behavior caught her attention as he regularly mentioned Grace.

Lucius smirked from his seat, watching the girls of round three do their best to make an impression. "You have much to live up to after the balls Grace showed off during round one. That one was fearless; I'm simply not sure if I could like you as much as her, but you could certainly try," he purred, stroking his fingers over his chin.

Yulia frowned, setting the wine bottle down as she leaned forward in her chair and glared at the monitor. "What the hell are you up to?" She growled as unease welled up within her. Lucius seemed hellbent on mentioning Grace and the show she put on at every available opportunity, much to the chagrin of many of the contestants.

 By the time everything was over, she felt only irritation. "What a damn shame," she spat, trying to contain her anger. After a few minutes of contemplation, Yulia took a slow breath, resting her head back as she closed her eyes. Relax. I can't let that bastard get to me; he'd adore knowing how mad I am, she reasoned with herself as she took another drink of wine and started to think about the future. The following games would surely reinvigorate her arousal and interest; patience was key. Amidst her thoughts, Yulia's expression grew somber. It's a shame you had to lose this one, Grace. She couldn't stop thinking about Lucius' odd behavior during the Variety Hour. It wasn't like him to so heavily compliment someone he considered prey.

A sudden knock at the door brought Yulia back to reality. She wasn't expecting any guests. Outside her door was a hallway with a guarded, reinforced door at the end. It must have been a guard or close servant bothering her, then. "Come in and state your business!" She shouted.

The door creaked open as an anxious-looking male guard stepped in, fidgeting as he took a deep breath. "M-- Mistress Yulia… I… I have important news for you," he stammered, avoiding eye contact.

Yulia's eyes dangerously narrowed as she rose from her chair and took a few slow steps toward the man before crossing her arms and glaring. "Out with it. You know I dislike men who don't cut to the chase."

The guard let out a small yelp and frantically nodded. "Y-- Yes, ma'am! There's a guest here to see you, mis--"

"I'm not interested!" Yulia shouted. "Whoever they are, let them know I'm busy after the first game!"

The guard flinched, taking a step back as he broke out into a nervous sweat. "Mistress… The VVIP, Estelle, is here to see you. She has requested immediate audience with you," he quietly added before taking a sharp breath as if in anticipation of a bomb going off.

Yulia's eyebrow raised. Estelle? What is she doing here? Usually, she was relatively passive and more than happy to go with the flow. However, she was a rather dangerous combination of airheaded and vehemently stubborn. To request a meeting like this was rather rare for her. It could, however, be much worse; there were VVIP guests she would prefer not to meet with under any circumstance. "In the future, could you simply open the door and immediately say 'Estelle is here to see you, Mistress' or something like that?" She asked in a dull voice. Goddamn morons, who is in charge of hiring these buffoons? It certainly wasn't her. "Let her in and get out of my sight," she waved.

The guard nodded and eagerly left in a hurry. Now alone, Yulia sighed and walked toward the door, waiting ten feet from it with her arms crossed. She's going to want me to greet her as usual.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door, quickly followed by a feminine voice. "Miss Yulia! Can I please come in?" The voice cheered.

"Yes, Estelle. You really don't need to ask," curtly responded Yulia.

The door was opened by the same guard from before, who politely let the VVIP into the room. A petite woman covered in a thin layer of snow-white fur walked into the room with a bright smile. She had a long fluffy tail and pointed ears atop her head. A pale blue sundress adorned her lithe, feminine frame.

"It's good to see you, Estelle. What brings you here?" Yulia asked as her eyes scanned over her guest. She hadn't seen Estelle since she underwent treatment to change her body. Considering Estelle's fangs and her mouth's slight, muzzle-like quality, she guessed the VVIP managed to become a fox.

Estelle puffed her cheeks, her ears tapering down. "Can't I just come to say hi?" She insisted in a pouty manner.

Yulia sighed and took a few steps forward. She then reached out and gently patted the top of Estelle's head before transitioning into gentle scratching. "Is this what you want?"

Estelle nearly melted, her soft blue eyes closing tight as a broad, content smile spread across her face. Simultaneously, her tail quickly flicked back and forth. "Heh heh… How did you know I wanted to be greeted this way now that I'm a fox?" She giggled.

Yulia raised an eyebrow. "You've always wanted me to greet you this way, sweetheart."

Estelle opened her eyes, blinking as she innocently stared. She then tilted her head to the side. "Oooooh… I guess that's true, isn't it? Well, I like being greeted this way even more now!" her lips curled into a bright, toothy grin as her eyes closed again.

Yulia nearly laughed. It's hard to believe she's in charge of a pharmaceutical empire, she briefly thought before beckoning for her guest to follow. "How are you enjoying life as a fox?" She inquired, feeling a slight hint of genuine curiosity.

"O-- Oh! It's amazing!" Estelle cheered. "My senses are incredible; I can hear, see, and smell much better than before. Even though I'm still so small, I'm stronger and faster. This silky fur is so comforting. I always feel so comfy and snug!" She couldn't stop smiling as she spoke.

 "Is that so? I'm glad to hear it," Yulia faintly smiled. Most who underwent a consensual transformation had a similar reaction. Come with me," she insisted as she beckoned with her hand and started to walk.

"I can only stay for a moment! I don't mind standing," cheerfully insisted the VVIP. "I hope this isn't a letdown, but I wasn't actually here to just say hi. Sorry about that."

Yulia momentarily winced, turning to face her guest. It was never that easy, was it? "I'm a very busy woman; tell me what you need, Estelle."

"I'll cut to the chase-- just the way you like it!" Estelle cleared her throat. "Lucius and I are having a proposal forwarded to you. We came together and agreed that these poor girls deserve more support! They need to develop bonds of friendship since they're going through a lot. Don't you think so?"

Yulia didn't like where this was going. As soon as she heard Lucius' name, she knew she would be completely pissed off. "Continue. Please."

"We are in agreement that the girls should all live together! If all twelve contestants could support one another and be friends, I am sure they would be happier! They're already so sad and confused; they deserve a chance to form a bigger support network! Keeping four to a living space is cruel, especially when some contestants are quiet and keep to themselves. That means some of these poor girls are virtually suffering all alone."

Fuck you, Lucius.So that was your plan? Yulia internally growled, cursing that awful man. "I assume Lucius brought this idea to your attention?"

Estelle quickly nodded. "Yeah! Since our interests align, we have a close business relationship, so we get along pretty well!" She paused, seeing Yulia's confused look. "I know he seems like a lot, but he's really a sweet guy when you get to know him!" She giggled as her ears perked. "Important business came up for me, and Lucius was gracious enough to take my spot!"

Yulia didn't buy that for a second. Yeah, sure… And what kind of close business relationship would a pharmaceutical company have with an arms manufacturer? It wasn't any of her business, though. The most important matter was the fact Lucius was trying to ruin everything. "Does this have anything to do with why Lucius replaced you during Variety Hour?"

Estelle thought for a moment. "Lucius was gracious enough to take my place when something came up! That's all."

Yulia let out a low sigh. She didn't trust anything regarding that awful, predatorial man. Estelle was too naive for her one good; didn't she understand what putting these girls together would actually mean? She thought of Estelle as an RPG character who maxed out intelligence without investing a single point into wisdom. "Estelle. Sweetheart," Yulia continued. She had to keep herself calm and collected. "That is a kind gesture, but I'm not sure it's that simple. Do you really think these girls will all get along and be friends? You know that most are criminals and that they are competing against one another, right?" Snapping at one of the top VVIPs would do no good, even if she was internally screaming.

"You're wrong!" Estelle shouted, standing defiantly as she stared into Yulia's eyes. "Lucius made many good points, and I was a young girl myself once, so I know! All of them will be going through changes to varying extents. I am confident they will lean on each other for support!" Her words grew more animated by the second. "I know there is already a communal living space that's not being used. We're going to move them there as soon as possible. They deserve the chance to forge bonds with one another to get them through Mollusk Match. Girls are social creatures; they need this!"

Yulia stood in disbelief, a feeling of pure rage swelling within her and permeating every cell of her body. She clenched her fists while keeping a calm expression. "Please give me a chance to explain my point of view. These girls--"

"NO!" Estelle yelled, stepping forward. Her face viciously contorted as she bared her fangs. "This--- This isn't up for negotiation! You need to have a heart and let these poor girls have a support network! They-- they… Grrrrrrrr!" Her sentence trailed off as she began to growl. After a few seconds, the VVIP realized what she was doing after seeing the look on Yulia's face. "O-- oh, I'm so sorry!" She squealed, putting a hand over her mouth. "I-- 'm still not used to all these instincts and such…" She turned her eyes in embarrassment.

Yulia's eyes widened as she watched Estelle's volatile display in silence. I'm really not getting through to her, am I? God fucking dammit. You're so naive, Estelle. She shook her head and sighed. "You won't give me a chance to plead my case, will you?"

"I'm sorry, Yulia. You're a good friend to me, but I know this is the right choice. We have the support of a couple of other VVIPs and many VIPs. Lucius managed to talk them into it." Estelle spoke gently as her fluffy, white tail swayed from side to side.

Yulia closed her eyes tightly, rubbing her forehead as she took a slow breath. Getting angry or trying to reason with Estelle would prove fruitless labor. This would happen whether she liked it or not. "Fine. I see I have no choice; I will get to work on moving them into the communal living space as soon as possible."

Estelle's face returned to a warm smile. "Heh heh… I'm happy to hear it! Thank you, Yulia!!" She softly giggled. "Oh!! I almost forgot!" Her eyes widened as she stepped forward and placed her hands on Yulia's shoulders. "Do you remember my request? Is it going to happen?" She asked with great longing.

Yulia kept her fury repressed. This wasn't Estelle's fault; it was pretty obvious Lucius had found a way to manipulate her. "You wanted one of the contestants for yourself, correct?" She asked with a sigh. It was hard to stay focused through the torrent of negative emotion flooding through her.

"Yeah!!! You know I've been planning to become a beautiful creature with gorgeous white fur for a while now! I need more who are like me," Estelle eagerly insisted. "One of the contestants will become a soft, white-furred creature like me, right?"

"You know how touchy compatibility is. I'm doing my best, okay? You will just have to wait and see."

Estelle huffed. "I want a cute sister-- or even a cute pet! It has to be an adorable, fluffy animal as the base. Another fox, or a cat, or a bunny. Something like that, okay?" She begged, giving Yulia an innocent look.

Yulia gave her a dull look. "Like I said, your request has been noted. You will have to be patient, okay?

Estelle pouted, turning her head away with a huff. "Okay, fine!" She pulled her hands away and took a step back. As if flipping a switch, she immediately perked back with a bright smile. "I'm so excited to see what happens. Thank you for listening, Yulia!" She chimed, pulling a phone from her purse to check the time. "Oh!! I have to go now!" Estelle waved at Yulia before trotting toward the door.

Yulia walked forward and graciously opened the door for her guest. She had no interest in further conversation today; getting her privacy back sounded like a good deal. "I'm quite busy myself, so it's no problem. Take care."

After an exchange of pleasantries, the door shut, leaving Yulia completely alone. She turned and slowly walked back to her chair, sinking into it as she grabbed the wine bottle. "Lucius, you piece of goddamn shit," she growled, allowing her anger to fully surface now that she was in isolation. Yulia thought back to how Lucius kept mentioning Grace during every Variety Hour round, and now she would be forced to put all twelve girls together.

 She chugged the wine, emptying the bottle as all of her negative emotions coalesced into a ball of indescribable rage. Yulia then let out an angry growl and threw the bottle as hard as she could, completely smashing the monitor in front of her.

Yulia sat in silence, leaning forward as she rested an elbow on her knee and placed a hand on her head. Only the faint hum of dying electronics permeated the air of Yulia's hideaway. She thought about Lucius' actions and what moving the girls in together would mean for the future of Mollusk Match. If Lucius was looking to incite chaos, he would be getting his wish granted.

 "You're going to destroy Grace, aren't you?" Yulia venomously spat, standing up as she headed toward her bedroom for a nap.

Arina stared at Grace with a look of great concern. "Sweetheart-- there's no way I could ever hate or think poorly of you," she said in an incredibly gentle voice, leaning forward as she placed a hand on Grace's shoulder.

"Don't-- don't touch me!" Grace cried out, pulling away from Arina. "Look at me! This-- this damn slime. I don't know what the hell is happening to me. It's disgusting!" She wasn't thinking rationally; the pressure of Variety Hour combined with her awful dream and the reality of waking up to sheets soaked in viscous ooze wore her down and weakened her resolve. Beyond that, that last game exposed how fucked up her upbringing must have been.

Arina bit her lip, staring at Grace as she wracked her brain for a solution. What could she do to help? She took a slow breath and steeled her resolve as a determined look appeared on her face. "Grace," she said in a low voice. "How could I ever find you disgusting? I would never push you away for something none of us can control. You are the strongest person I know."

Grace breathed slowly. "I-- I got every answer wrong…" She slowly shook her head while trembling. Thinking back to her utter despair as Eun correctly answered every question sent a shiver down her spine. "My grades were good. Why… Why couldn't I answer a single one?" Her insecurities bubbled up from the depths of her being. She remembered how helpless she felt when Yulia transformed Ella in front of everyone. "I want you to think I'm strong, but am I? Really?" Her voice wavered. Despite her best efforts to remain stalwart, she lost faith in herself. I thought I could get through this if I remembered everything you told me. She lamented, recalling the wisdom imparted by her mentor.

Arina hesitated, digesting every word that flowed from her dear friend's lips. She took a deep breath and considered everything she had learned since they met. From her perspective, Grace was a strong person who stuck up for her friends. Despite that, she sensed a great deal of mounting pain and confusion boiling beneath the surface. She recalled their previous conversation about books; something seemed quite off about Grace's upbringing. The fact she couldn't get a single answer right only supported that fact. Regardless, it wouldn't help to bring attention to this.

"Grace," Arina started. "You could have done nothing during the first game; it was unfair from the start. Some people are simply better in the subject than others," she said softly, refusing to let Grace wallow in self-pity. "We haven't known each other long, but I care for you more than I can express," her lips curled into a slight smile as she leaned in and wrapped her arms tightly around Grace, pulling her friend's head to her chest. She then placed a hand on the back of her head and gently brushed her fingers through her hair. "Even when the odds couldn't be more out of your favor, you still stood up for yourself and made the only choice you could, right? You let them know you would never give up. All the VVIPs know you're not weak now. I think that takes courage," Arina promised, her words deliberately warm and kind.

Grace rested against Arina, taking in her lovely scent. As soon as she was pulled into her tender embrace, a couple layers of mind-numbing anxiety melted away. She tightly closed her eyes and basked in the warmth and comfort. Thinking back, she honestly did try her best to get through the first match. She stood up to Lucius and made a proclamation to give herself the slightest chance of victory. Was that really something she could be proud of? Amidst her thoughts, something strange stood out to her. Was Arina simply referring to the fact Grace mentioned making a hail-mary attempt at victory to her earlier? "Thank you, Arina, I appreciate it," she said quietly, having calmed a little. "I know I told you I made a hail-mary attempt at victory, but I didn't tell you that I made a proclamation about never giving up to the VVIPs. Did I? Am I going senile now?" Grace sighed, trying to lighten the mood slightly as she sniffed. Thankfully, her tears had stopped by this point. Close physical contact with Arina seemed to soothe her.

Arina thought for a moment, still stroking her fingers through Grace's hair. "Well, Lucius brought it up a few times during my match. Nothing was said about how many points you scored or didn't score, but he seemed impressed by your bravery!" Arina brightly smiled, trying to cheer her companion up.

Grace paused, a slight chill going down her spine. Something wasn't right; Lucius was a certified scum-bag; his every word dripped with villainous intent and mockery. Why would he bother bragging about how well she performed? Ultimately, it seemed to her that she lost the match regardless. "Arina. What impression did you get from Lucius?"

"Oh, umm… His appearance is pretty scary, but he seemed nice enough. He asked us questions and spent time talking about you as well. I think he gives off a creepy vibe, but he didn't do anything bad; it's more like, umm…" She hesitated while finding the right words. "When I caught him staring at me, I thought, 'this is how a gazelle in the African savannah must feel when being stared down by a grown lion,' or something along those lines," she weakly laughed.

Lucius… Nice? Grace wondered if he stopped being a horrifying creep right after her match. She thought about saying something to Arina about what he did but realized it wouldn't do anything to make her current situation better.  Arina deserved to know he was a horrific, disgusting asshole, but she didn’t want to spook her right now while they were enjoying this quality time together.  I’ll warn her in a little while, she thought. "Thank you. I feel like I'm losing my mind sometimes, but you somehow find a way to ground me." Her lips curled into a faint smile as she pulled her head away from Arina and met her gaze. She then realized her face was still wet and puffy from getting so worked up and felt embarrassed, turning her head. "I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want me to bring you something?"

Arina felt relieved to see Grace rebounding so nicely. "I'm going to shower and clean up. I don't need anything. Since we have nothing better to do, maybe we can spend more time together in a couple of hours," she suggested with a wide grin.

Grace was more than happy to take Arina up on her proposal. The two girls got out of bed and went their separate ways. Once alone, Grace realized she should probably change before getting something to drink. Not feeling up to showering this second, Grace briefly washed her face before trying her hair back and changing into a long-sleeved tee and pajama pants. She knew in the back of her head that she should bathe after secreting so much strange fluid but decided to ignore the reality of her situation a little longer. Who was she here to impress? Arina didn't care, Ella never left her room, and Phoebe seemed to despise her.

Grace sighed, leaving her room as she went down the hall. The strange, fuzzy feeling from the other day seemed to be gone, for the time being, giving her a little bit of reprieve. Despite that, she couldn't shake the general feeling that her body felt was not quite right. She raised a hand while walking and cupped one of her breasts, immediately wincing and withdrawing upon realizing how sensitive it was. Am I starting my period? She lamented, noting how tender her mammaries were. Her nipples seemed unnaturally sensitive as well. She took a deep breath, pushing back a welling of fear as she repeated, 'what would Margaret do?" in her head. She then thought of the quality time she just spent with Arina.  Cuddling with her the night before, waking up with her and receiving her comfort.  Despite the horrific reality of these Mollusk Match games, she coudln’t help but crack a smile.  It’s not all bad.  I wouldn’t have met her if I didn’t come here, she told herself.

A sudden, low-moaning sound jolted Grace back to reality as she quickly turned her head. It took her a moment to register her passing by Ella's door. She stopped, staring at the 'Ella' nameplate with a stupefied expression.

"Eeeeuuuuggh…. Eeuughh I-- n.. Nooo… Nooo-- eeeuuugh…" The moans were sad yet lustful at the same time as they reverberated through the hallway.

For a brief moment, Grace thought how horrified Ella must be by all of this. She was going through so much more than anyone else. A pang of guilt shot through Grace as she remembered Phoebe's harsh words from before. "I should ask if she needs help," she whispered as her heart rate picked up. She raised a hand to knock, stopping an inch from the door. "Just do it… Offer her support," Grace muttered as her body began to tremble. She broke into a cold sweat, her mouth hanging open as her breathing grew erratic. She had been riding the high of peace of mind Arina gave her, but that gradually dissipated the longer they were separated.  There was only so much Arina’s warmth could heal before the the terrifying implications of her current life situation crept into her head.

Images from her nightmare the night prior flooded Grace's mind. The image of Ella on the bathroom floor, masturbating while the walls oozed. She could still hear Ella's pleas for help, begging for Grace to do something-- anything to help. "I-- I.." Grace stammered, shaking as she took a couple of steps back from the door. She felt nothing but terror at the prospect of entering the room in front of her. Did Ella lose the last game? She didn't seem to be in any state to answer questions, so how much more had she changed? Would she even have hands anymore? Would she have the ability to speak?  Just minutes ago, Grace thought she had reached some level of catharsis, but that melted away.

"N-- Neeeugh.. Ah-- Ah daohnt Wahn teeuuugh--" The garbled words of Ella penetrated Grace's ears, inflicting direct damage to her very soul.

Panic quickly set in, overriding any innate desire Grace had to be strong like the most influential figure of her childhood. She took another haggard step back from Ella's door and sped down the hallway, nearly running as she did everything in her power to separate herself from Ella's room. I can't-- I can't do this… Not right now. I'm sorry-- I'm so sorry, she silently begged Ella and Margaret for forgiveness; both would surely be disappointed in her for running away, right? That's what she convinced herself.

Without thinking, Grace entered the living room and turned to stagger into the kitchen. Everything was a complete blur as she did her best to run from her fears due to what she perceived as a combination of cowardice and ineptitude.

It suddenly hit her that tasty smells were coming from the kitchen, finally tearing Grace's immediate thoughts away from the onslaught of negativity. Phoebe was at the stove, stirring a pot. She paused, blinking as she regained a semblance of composure, staring at Phoebe's back. Recalling their last encounter still stung, but this was also a chance to do something right. Phoebe must have heard her enter but seemed to be deliberately ignoring Grace. From this angle, Grace could clearly see Phoebe's arms due to the short sleeves of her tee shirt. Patches of glimmering green scales went all up her arms at random. Her skin appeared to be flaking and peeling off. It was definitely worse than before.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's not too late to turn everything around; look what Phoebe is going through., Grace told herself, imagining a tiny Margaret-like angel on her shoulder, egging her on. She took a few slow breaths, collecting herself before finally taking several steps forward. "Hey-- Phoebe…" She said quietly, biting her lip as she momentarily hesitated.

Phoebe paused what she was doing but did not turn.

"I-- I was thinking about what you said the other day. Maybe you're right. I should try harder to support Ella. Not only her but you as well." Grace paused to think through her following words. "I am hoping we can all support each other. What can I do to help, Phoebe?" Her words, while genuine, dripped with a hint of desperation.

Phoebe let out a low sigh before finally turning to face Grace. The patches of green scales also covered her face, but to a lesser extent than her arms. Unlike before, both eyes were now deep, ruby-red with slit-like pupils. Her nose had also changed, taking on a slightly flatter appearance while her nostrils narrowed. She still looked mostly human, but her humanity appeared to be slowly drifting away. "Oh? Is that so?" Phoebe asked in monotone.

Grace did her best not to freak out or react to Phoebe's appearance. Much like Ella, Phoebe's visage was another stark reminder of the fate everyone in Mollusk Match was likely destined for. Grace forced herself to smile. "Y-- Yeah, that's right. It's not just Arina and me here. It's all four of us. I want to help in any way I can, so what can I do?"

"Well…" Phoebe paused and shifted her eyes back to the pot on the stove. "It sure is nice of our captors to keep our kitchen stocked, isn't it?" She asked in a dull tone. Phoebe then met Grace's gaze, intensely staring at her. "Actually, I'm just about to bring Ella her lunch. Why don't you join me if you're so eager to help? We'll bring her lunch together," she suggested, keeping her eyes locked on Grace.

Grace felt like she was going to scream. It was easy to talk big, but could she put her money where her mouth was? Before she could let her insecurities take control, she forced herself to respond. "Y-- Yeah, of course! I… I want to help her!" She wasn't sure whether to regret her words or feel proud of herself.

A tiny smile spread across Phoebe's face. "Really, now? Alright, then." She turned back to the stove and ladled some soup into a bowl before turning off the burner. After preparing a tray, she walked over to Grace, meeting her eyes from only a couple of feet away. "By the way, I should probably mention. Ella didn't win the last match. Are you sure you want to do this?" Her words came off as a sort of challenge.











CHAPTER END

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