After returning from the Mothership, Kanda made his way to his room, his body still heavy with the fatigue from the day's missions. He peeled off his uniform and changed into more comfortable clothes, relishing the small comfort before heading downstairs to grab some much-needed lunch.
As he descended the staircase, the muffled sound of something rhythmic caught his attention. His brow furrowed. When he reached the bottom, the sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.
There, right in the middle of the living room, Eris was dancing energetically atop the table. She twirled around clumsily, waving a pair of maracas in each hand, their beads rattling loudly with every exaggerated movement. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, and a glazed, almost drunken smile stretched across her lips. Her fluffy ears twitched wildly with every spin, while her tail swished through the air in uncontrolled glee.
Kanda stared, dumbfounded.
"What... happened to Eris?" he asked aloud, struggling to process what he was seeing. "Why is she dancing around with that... intoxicated expression on her face?"
Manami, standing nearby with a resigned look on her face, raised a hand to explain. In her other hand, she held a small glass jar. "It's my fault, Kanda. Eris found this in the cabinet — it was something my grandmother sent."
Curious, Kanda stepped closer. His sharp eyes caught the label on the jar, written in elegant cursive.
He read it aloud under his breath, "Catnip...?" His voice trailed off as realization dawned.
Beside him, Aoi shifted nervously, wringing her hands. "W-What should we do now, Kanda?" she asked, her eyes flickering between him and the euphoric Eris.
Kanda exhaled, rubbing his temple. "First, let me call Dr. Durel," he said, reaching up to touch the silver earring on his left ear — a disguised communication device linked directly to the Catian ship in orbit. A soft chime indicated the connection had been made.
When Durel answered, Kanda wasted no time briefing her. Her calm voice replied quickly, "Understood. I'll be there shortly."
As Kanda lowered his hand, satisfied that help was on the way, something slammed into his back, almost knocking him forward.
"Kandaaa~~!" a gleeful voice sang out.
Before he could react, arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Kanda turned his head slightly to see Eris clinging to him like a child to a beloved toy. Her face was pressed against his back, her ears twitching happily.
"What is it, Eris?" Kanda asked, a mixture of amusement and concern in his tone.
"I love you, Kanda~" Eris declared loudly, nuzzling against him with unabashed affection.
A faint blush dusted Kanda's cheeks, but he turned around to face her, his heart softening. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a proper embrace, his hand reaching up to gently stroke her silky hair.
"I know, Eris. I love you too," he whispered sincerely.
Eris responded with a pleased purr, her body relaxing completely against him. She tilted her head up, her golden eyes sparkling, and then — without warning — she pressed her lips against his.
Startled for a heartbeat, Kanda quickly recovered and returned the kiss, matching her affection with gentle passion. What started as a sweet peck soon deepened, their emotions blending together under the warm afternoon light that streamed through the windows.
Across the room, Kio and Aoi stood frozen, faces blazing red, averting their eyes in embarrassment. Manami simply crossed her arms, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. Maya, as usual, remained impassive, though her eyes lingered just a little longer on the pair.
Then, without warning, Eris let out a soft, high-pitched yelp. Her body sagged in Kanda's arms before she went completely limp, a blissful, almost dreamy smile frozen on her face as she fainted.
"Eris!" Kanda caught her easily, cradling her light frame against his chest.
At that exact moment, the front door creaked open, and a gust of cool air swept into the house.
"Sorry I'm late," came a voice from the entryway.
Everyone turned to see Dr. Durel entering the room, her long lab coat billowing behind her. A sleek, form-fitting bodysuit peeked out from beneath the coat, emphasizing her graceful yet professional demeanor. She wore a strange-looking gas mask over her face, and walking beside her was a nurse-outfitted Assistroid carrying a rather large syringe.
"Dr. Durel! When did you get here?!" Aoi gasped, jumping in surprise.
"I arrived a few minutes ago, after Ichijou called me," Durel replied nonchalantly, thumbing behind her.
Behind Durel, three more figures entered — Kuune, Melwin, and Chaika. Kuune and Melwin both wore bright, flustered expressions, clearly still reeling from witnessing the kiss. Chaika, on the other hand, was muttering quietly to herself, fanning her face. "It's so hot... it's so hot..." she repeated, her cheeks flushed.
Kanda gently laid Eris down on the nearby couch, carefully adjusting a pillow under her head. He and the others then settled onto the remaining seats scattered around the living room, the atmosphere tense but filled with unspoken questions. Maya, ever the perfect hostess, silently moved to the kitchen and began brewing tea for everyone.
Breaking the awkward silence, Kanda turned to Durel.
"So... what exactly happened to her?" he asked, his voice edged with concern. "Does catnip really affect all of you like that?"
Durel pulled off her gas mask with a practiced motion, setting it aside. Her sharp teal eyes gleamed behind her glasses as she addressed them calmly.
"Not exactly, Ichijou," she said, smoothing down her coat. "Normally, catnip stimulates the happiness receptors in our brains — the same way it affects Earth cats. It can cause mild euphoria, playfulness, or excessive affection, but nothing too extreme. Most Catians can control themselves even under its influence."
"Then why... why did Eris act that way?" Manami asked, frowning.
Durel adjusted her glasses before continuing. "Eris has just entered her sixteenth cycle — an important milestone for a Catian. It's the equivalent of coming of age. At this stage, a young Catian experiences her first heat. Her body becomes naturally attuned to seeking out a mate. When exposed to catnip during this sensitive period, her biological instincts were amplified. It created an overwhelming drive to seek affection, bond, and... well, attempt to procreate."
The room fell into stunned silence, broken only by the faint rattling of the maracas Eris had dropped earlier.
Aoi cleared her throat awkwardly. "So... how are you going to treat her?"
Durel smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'll administer a neutralizer that will counteract the effects of the catnip and stabilize her hormonal levels. She'll be back to normal in a few hours."
She turned to the Assistroid, who handed her the prepared syringe with mechanical precision.
"Now," Durel said as she approached the sleeping Eris, "let's get started."
After Dr. Durel gave Eris the injection, she said,
"She's stable for now, but we'll need to monitor her. Alternatively, we could use the second method."
"May I ask, Dr. Durel, what is the second method?" Aoi asked curiously.
"It's simple," Durel replied casually. "We just let her release her internal desire later."
"W-Wha..." Aoi choked on her words, her face turning red.
"Don't be surprised, Futaba," Durel said, smiling. "Honestly, she's lucky to have a partner ready. Most of our people don't find mates during their first heat at sixteen. You could count those who do on one hand."
"If it's not rude, may I ask how you handled it back then?" Kanda asked the Catians.
"We have pleasure rooms aboard the ship," Durel answered simply. "They're designed to help relieve us during our heat periods. Most of the crew are still virgins — only a few personnel have experienced the warmth of a true mate. Even our Captain and First Officer are still virgins, Ichijou."
"Dr. Durel!! What are you telling him?!" Kuune suddenly stood up, her face flushing bright red, while Melwin gazed at the floor, blushing like a tomato.
"Relax, Kuune. I'm a virgin too," Durel said matter-of-factly.
"I know, but you should be more mindful when talking about personal matters," Kuune scolded her.
"It's fine. It's just us here," Durel shrugged.
Kuune could only shake her head before sitting down again, while Kanda chuckled.
"I'm not sure how to react to that sudden revelation, but thank you for the juicy information, Dr. Durel," Kanda said, grinning. Kuune and Melwin continued blushing furiously.
Thirty minutes later.
"Unya?! What happened to me?" Eris asked, rubbing her head as she slowly woke up.
"Are you feeling better, Eris?" Kanda asked, stepping closer.
"Kanda?! Yes, I'm fine... What happened before?" she asked, confused.
"You don't remember?" Aoi asked on behalf of Kanda.
"Not really..." Eris replied, frowning.
"Try to recall what you were doing before you passed out," Durel encouraged her.
Eris thought hard. "Hmm... After we came back from the ship, I got hungry and... tried to find something to eat. I found a jar that smelled delicious..."
Slowly, her memory returned, and her face turned bright red, almost steaming.
"Do you remember now, Eris?" Kanda chuckled at her reaction.
Blushing even harder, Eris stammered, "I-I'm so sorry, Kanda. I-I didn't mean to act like that."
Kanda laughed warmly. "It's fine, Eris. You didn't disturb me at all. Honestly, I'm grateful for your... affection. Just, next time, let's be a bit more mindful of where we are." He gently patted her head, and she shyly nodded.
"Anyway, Eris," Durel said seriously, "this was just your first heat. I've only suppressed it temporarily. Please be careful. You might want to ask Ichijou for help — most of us don't have the chance to find a partner during our first heat."
Eris blushed deeply and whispered, "I'll... consider it."
Just then, Maya appeared behind Kanda.
"Kanda-sama, I've prepared lunch. Would you like to eat now?"
"Thanks, Maya. Let's go, everyone," Kanda said, and they all headed for lunch. Chaika, the most excited at the mention of food, made everyone laugh with her enthusiasm.
After lunch, Manami and Aoi returned to the ship with Kuune and the other Catian girls to begin their training, leaving Eris behind. Kanda bid them farewell, and soon after, Eris shyly asked him for a date — a request he happily accepted.
They changed clothes and left after saying goodbye to Maya, who wished them well.
At the park.
The two of them strolled along a lakeside path, chatting happily. Kanda wore a yellow-checkered shirt with jeans, and Eris wore a red blouse with peach-colored pants.
Passersby couldn't help but stare at Eris's beauty — especially the way her figure moved. Some male onlookers even earned slaps or ear-pulls from their jealous girlfriends, making Eris tilt her head curiously.
"What's going on, Kanda?" she asked.
"Just ignore it," Kanda chuckled, and though still curious, Eris let it go.
Later, they revisited the restaurant they had gone to on their last date. Eris ate happily, her expression full of joy. Kanda smiled warmly at her antics, causing Eris to blush shyly under his gaze.
As night fell, they walked through the softly lit town, the full moon shining overhead.
"Kanda, can I ask something else?" Eris said, stopping.
"What is it?" he asked.
Eris, blushing fiercely, looked up at him. "C-Can we... do that thing... where two people sleep together and... do those indecent exercises?"
Kanda blinked in surprise, then smiled gently. "Are you sure, Eris?"
She nodded. "I want you to be my partner during my mating period. Not many of my people get that chance, and... I want it to be with you."
He stepped closer, his hand brushing her cheek. "Are you absolutely sure? There's no turning back after this."
"I'm sure, Kanda," she said, opening her arms to him. "Please... take me."
Kanda stared into her eyes for a moment before pulling her into a tight hug.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she replied.
They checked into a nearby hotel after notifying Maya. After a warm bath, they sat together on the bed, wrapped in white bathrobes.
They shared a slow, gentle kiss that quickly deepened into a passionate embrace. Eris was the first to pull away, gasping for air, her face flushed.
Kanda gently laid her down, hovering above her, whispering, "Are you ready, Eris?"
She nodded shyly.
The sounds of pleasure echoed faintly through the night as the two gave themselves fully to each other for the first time, their love blossoming under the silver moonlight.
Two hours later, they lay asleep in each other's arms, peaceful and content.
END OF THE CHAPTER.