The cat moved first the moment Draven stepped away from the table.
Fast.
It leapt effortlessly from the floor onto his cloak before climbing upward with absolutely no concern for dignity, permission, or basic restraint.
Draven caught it calmly midway through the climb.
Then, without ceremony, shoved it beneath the cloak.
A second later—
the cat's head reappeared from within the hood near his shoulder as though it had always belonged there.
Purple eyes half-lidded.
Entirely comfortable.
Honestly, practiced behavior at this point.
Nia quietly gathered the remaining pieces of bread from the table afterward.
No waste.
Reasonable survival instincts once again.
The group left the private room without sparing another glance toward the shattered puppet remains still scattered across the floor.
No staff stopped them.
No one questioned anything.
Very Blackwater.
The restaurant doors opened once more—
and the noise of the city immediately swallowed them whole again.
Steam vents hissed overhead.
Crowds surged endlessly through lantern-lit streets.
Somewhere nearby, metal crashed violently against metal, followed by distant shouting and what sounded suspiciously like an explosion.
Absolutely no one nearby reacted.
Aldric stretched slightly as they stepped back onto the street.
"…Alright."
He glanced sideways toward the others.
"So what are we doing next?"
The cultist adjusted her sleeves calmly.
"There is something I would like to do."
Then her gaze shifted respectfully toward Draven beneath the hooded cloak.
"…But first."
A brief pause followed.
"Is there anything my lord wishes to do?"
Silence settled over the group for a moment.
Nia quietly ate another small piece of bread while walking beside Draven.
The black cat observed the streets lazily from within the hood.
Then Draven answered in the same calm voice as always.
"Clothes."
A short pause.
"Baby coats."
Another.
"And toys."
The cultist blinked once.
Then immediately lowered her head slightly.
"Yes, of course."
Her expression softened faintly afterward.
"For the young master and young miss."
Aldric stared at Draven for several long seconds.
Then slowly looked upward toward the smoke-filled sky as though reconsidering reality itself.
"…You know," he muttered lazily, "watching you casually shop for baby clothes right after ripping through a puppet's skull feels deeply confusing."
Draven ignored him completely.
Aldric sighed.
"…Yeah, alright."
Then a faint grin appeared on his face.
"Fine."
He rolled one shoulder while walking beside them through the crowded streets.
"Let's go buy tiny coats for the terrifying little blood demons."
The group moved deeper into Blackwater's commercial district afterward.
The atmosphere gradually shifted as they left behind the rougher industrial corridors.
Not cleaner.
Never cleaner.
Just… wealthier.
The buildings became taller.
Lanterns brighter.
Storefronts more elaborate beneath layers of polished metalwork and glowing mana signage.
Even the crowds looked different here.
Less desperate.
Better armed.
Aldric walked with his hands buried inside his coat pockets now, lazily observing the passing streets.
"…Didn't expect this place to actually have decent shopping districts."
The cultist answered calmly.
"Money improves appearances."
Aldric nodded once.
"Yeah."
A brief pause followed.
"Shame it doesn't improve people."
Honestly fair.
Nia continued eating pieces of bread while quietly following beside Draven.
The black cat remained half-hidden inside the hood, watching the streets with narrowed purple eyes.
Eventually—
they reached a wider commercial lane lined with noticeably higher-end stores.
One display window immediately caught the cultist's attention.
Soft fabrics.
Small coats.
Tiny shoes.
Children's clothing.
Warm lanternlight glowed gently behind the glass.
The sign overhead flickered softly in pale blue mana script.
Aldric stared upward at it for a second.
Then slowly turned toward Draven.
"…Alright."
Draven walked inside without hesitation.
The bell above the door chimed softly.
Warm air greeted them immediately.
The interior smelled faintly of clean cloth, perfume, and polished wood.
Compared to the streets outside—
the place felt absurdly peaceful.
Rows of neatly folded clothing lined the walls while enchanted lanterns cast soft golden light across the store's interior.
A middle-aged beastwoman looked up from behind the counter.
Fox ears.
Sharp amber eyes.
Professional smile.
The moment she noticed the group—
her gaze paused briefly on Aldric's stolen sword.
Then on Draven's hood.
Then on Nia quietly carrying bread through what was clearly a very expensive clothing store.
Blackwater instincts activated immediately.
Her smile somehow became even more professional.
"Welcome."
No questions.
Smart woman.
The cultist stepped slightly closer to Draven.
"This place should have proper winter-resistant fabrics for infants."
Aldric blinked slowly.
"…You know way too much about this."
The cultist frowned faintly.
"I researched it."
"Why?"
A brief silence followed.
"…Preparation."
Aldric stared at her for several seconds.
Then sighed heavily.
"Yeah, that sounds exactly like something you'd do."
Meanwhile—
Nia had already wandered quietly toward one side of the store.
Her gaze lingered on a small black stuffed creature resting among several children's toys.
Round ears.
Tiny stitched fangs.
Honestly—
it looked suspiciously similar to the cat.
The black cat noticed too.
Its purple eyes narrowed immediately from inside Draven's hood.
Apparently, territorial instincts extended to stuffed animals now.
Draven walked calmly past rows of folded coats.
Then stopped near a smaller display.
Tiny dark-colored winter coats were lined neatly across the shelves.
One had silver fur lining around the hood.
Another had small embroidered bats stitched near the sleeves.
The cultist visibly softened the moment she saw them.
"…These would fit."
Aldric leaned slightly sideways to examine them.
"…Why are those actually adorable?"
Silence.
Then—
the black cat slowly climbed farther out from Draven's hood.
Its eyes locked directly onto the bat-themed coat.
Aldric stared at it.
"…Don't tell me the damn cat has opinions too."
The cat blinked slowly.
Which somehow felt like confirmation.
Draven quietly began pulling coats from the shelves one by one afterward.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Just silent selection.
A dark coat with silver lining.
Kept.
A smaller white coat with soft inner fur.
Kept.
The black coat with embroidered bats near the sleeves—
the cat immediately stared harder at that one.
Draven kept it too.
Aldric watched from nearby with visible disbelief.
"…You're taking this way too seriously."
Draven ignored him completely.
Another coat was lifted slightly.
Soft black fabric.
Heavy enough for cold weather without restricting movement.
Kept.
The cultist quietly moved closer afterward.
"These are good quality."
Her gaze shifted toward one of the stitched tags.
"…Northern-thread fabric as well. It retains warmth extremely well in colder climates."
Aldric pointed at her lazily.
"You sound like you've been preparing to raise children for years."
The cultist's expression stiffened instantly.
"I researched necessities."
"That wasn't a denial."
"…Please stop talking."
Meanwhile—
Nia had slowly wandered toward another nearby section.
Tiny gloves.
Scarves.
Small shoes lined neatly beneath enchanted lanternlight.
She quietly picked up a tiny pair of black gloves and stared at them silently.
The black cat noticed the movement and turned its head slightly from Draven's shoulder.
Its eyes narrowed suspiciously at the gloves.
Still judging everything apparently.
Draven continued selecting items calmly.
Small blankets.
Winter wraps.
Several soft inner-layer outfits.
Aldric eventually walked closer and grabbed one tiny coat from a nearby rack between two fingers.
Completely black.
Small silver buttons.
Tiny hood.
He stared at it for several long seconds.
"…These things are absurdly small."
A pause followed.
"…How are the little demons even real?"
The cultist folded her arms calmly.
"They are infants."
"Yeah."
Aldric frowned slightly while staring at the coat.
"And they fly."
Honestly fair concern.
Aldric tossed the coat lightly toward Draven afterward.
"Take that one too."
Draven caught it effortlessly without even looking.
Then added it to the growing pile in his arms.
The shopkeeper quietly watched the entire scene unfold from behind the counter with increasingly complicated emotions.
Mostly confusion.
Slight fear.
And the overwhelming professional instinct not to ask questions.
Especially after noticing the sheer amount of expensive infant clothing now being gathered by a heavily armed group carrying hidden mana signatures strong enough to make her instincts scream.
Blackwater survival instincts once again.
Then—
Draven stopped near another shelf.
Toys.
Simple wooden carvings.
Stuffed animals.
Small enchanted trinkets.
His gaze paused briefly.
Then he picked up two small plush toys.
One black.
One white.
Both shaped vaguely like bats.
The black cat immediately looked offended.