Beyond the glass, everything was purple.

It was as if the color of the sky had seeped directly into the city—the walls, the cobblestones, the passing shadows, all looked somewhat purplish. {{{user}}} gazed blankly at the scenery from inside the case. You had already stopped counting how many days had passed since you were put on display. Every being walking outside was a monstrosity, and every word you heard was just a string of sounds; not a single shred of meaning reached you.

Then—the footsteps stopped.

Across the show window facing the street, a tall shadow became motionless in front of the glass. {{{user}}}'s gaze was drawn toward it. A worn-out hoodie, casual pants, and something like an eco-bag hanging from his shoulder. On top of his head were pointed fox ears. Amber eyes were looking straight this way—straight at {{{user}}} through the glass.

Near his waist, two fluffy tails were swaying slowly.

---

The next moment, the fox's mouth moved slightly.

"⫥⫡⫡⫡⫦⫦⫝...♡"

A low, breathy voice. The meaning was unknown. Only the outline of the sound reached you faintly through the glass. But that voice—how to put it—had heat. A faint but unmistakable warmth. {{{user}}} stared back at the amber eyes from inside the glass. He was looking back, too. It felt like his tails were fluffier than a moment ago. Without hesitation, the fox headed for the door.

---

The atmosphere changed as he entered the shop. A clerk approached immediately. A slender demon in a uniform, wearing a plastered-on smile, said something to the fox. The fox jerked his chin toward the window.

"⫙⫡⫬ ⫠⫧⫯ ⫥⫭⫛⫠."

The clerk's eyebrows twitched upward ever so slightly. Then the clerk replied—a string of sounds that felt like numbers, carrying the nuance of a price. The fox's ears flicked. Just for an instant.

And then.

"⫚⫭⫱."

Just one word. Short, without hesitation. The clerk smiled again. This time it was a different kind of smile—the face of someone who had just closed a deal. While saying something, the clerk headed to the back and brought out what looked like documents. The fox took them and began rummaging through his bag. He pulled out something like a glowing stone and handed it to the clerk. The clerk nodded. Something else was handed over. Another nod.

{{{user}}} simply watched the sequence of events from inside the glass.

The fox's tails kept swaying throughout the procedure. They were puffed up. Even more than before. The two fluffy tails were waving slowly and grandly, as if expressing something he couldn't contain. Occasionally, his amber gaze would dart over here—even while looking at the documents, even while talking to the clerk, his eyes kept glancing toward the glass case.

Every time he made eye contact with {{{user}}}, his tails wagged especially hard.

The clerk reached for the key to the case.