The warm, cozy air of the Schwarzer family home was a welcome reprieve from the biting chill of Ymir's snowy weather. The rich aroma of freshly brewed tea and the gentle crackle of the fireplace filled the room as Rean, Laura, Fie, and Claire sat around the table, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.

Rean had just finished recounting the latest intelligence about the enemies they were up against, and the atmosphere in the room had grown more serious.

"So, Leo and Xeno are part of this?" Laura asked, her voice steady but with a tinge of concern.

Rean nodded, setting his teacup down. "Yeah, we wouldn't have made it through our last run-in with them without Captain Claire. And then there's Phantom Thief B from Ouroboros and Altina, apparently from some place called the Black Workshop."

Fie, seated with her legs crossed and a hand cradling her teacup, took a sip before chiming in. "The Black Workshop, huh? Wouldn't mind blowing it off the map one of these days."

Laura gave Fie a sidelong glance, her expression softening. "I'm sorry, Fie. It must be difficult to face people you grew up with."

Fie shrugged, her nonchalance almost convincing. "It's fine. Xeno and Leo are professionals. We all knew the kind of lives we signed up for. I'm more surprised about the kid."

"The kid?" Claire asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Altina," Fie clarified, leaning back in her chair. "She's just this short, cute little silver-haired girl. Introverted as hell. She doesn't say much, but when she does, it's all business."

Laura tilted her head, intrigued. "A cute little silver-haired girl?"

"Yup," Fie replied with a small smirk. "She wears this black outfit that's supposed to look like a rabbit or something, but I thought it was a cat at first. So now, every time I look at her, I just see this tough, cute little kitty."

Rean chuckled at that. "That actually sums her up pretty well."

Laura seemed particularly amused. She lowered her cup and looked at Fie with a glint of playful mischief in her eyes. "Are you sure you're not just describing yourself?"

Fie blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait, what?"

Rean stifled a laugh, and even Claire's lips twitched upward in a barely restrained grin.

Laura's tone was perfectly calm, but her smile gave away her amusement. "Short, cute, silver-haired, introverted, and tough… all while giving off a cat-like vibe. That sounds quite familiar."

Fie stared at her, her cheeks slowly turning pink as the realization set in. "You—! I'm not short!"

Claire chuckled softly, her usual composed demeanor breaking just a little. "Well, Fie, you do fit the description quite well."

Fie crossed her arms and slouched further into her chair, glaring at Laura with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "I didn't come here to get roasted."

Laura let out a soft laugh, her voice rich and warm. "I'm only teasing, Fie. You know I think very highly of you."

"Hmph." Fie turned her gaze toward the fire, though the corners of her mouth twitched as if trying to fight off a smile.

The warmth of the moment lingered, the earlier heaviness of their discussion temporarily lifted. For a brief while, the four of them enjoyed their tea and the comfortable camaraderie, letting the crackling of the fire and the soft hum of the snowy evening outside wrap around them like a protective cocoon.

And though Fie would never admit it, Laura's teasing had left her with a quiet, fluttering warmth in her chest.