*CRASH!!*

The entire scene crashed, stopped the vision.

“Hua!” (Arc)

“Hah!?” (Misha)

“UH!?” (Raina)

“…Um…?” (Herlin)

In gloomy and eerie room, four children jumped up bewilderedly, seeming clueless as to what just transpired.

“……What was that?”

Arc shaking his head wildly, checking the surroundings. 

“…Where is us?”

Misha murmur, still confused by the previous experience.  

After thrown several times into unknown spaces and scenes, she found they’re currently fell in rather familiar room.

“Little Misha, what happened?”

“…Uncle Jug?”

Misha’s muddled head snapped at the direction of the sound, found Uncle Jug looking her worriedly. Beside Uncle Jug, there’s an unknown woman observing Misha and others state.

The young woman standing openly, but Misha and others couldn’t recognize her presence since their mind still confused.

“…Are we in the mysterious shop now, Uncle Jug?”

“…?…” Uncle Jug cocked his head.

“Yes, we’re still in Vermilioness Atelier… Just what happened to you all, Little Misha? You suddenly dazed for after you held those cards.”

“…Uncle Jug … I’m…” Misha sighing relief, then snapped, “Wait, these cards still in my hand!?”

Heard Uncle Jug, Misha’s head fully awoke up, and realizes the cards that suddenly exploded, has already returned in her hand. Misha instinctively threw the cards, afraid another incident.

*Thud*

Coincidentally, the cards fell on unknown woman’s hand. 

“Are you all okay?” Arc asked.

“I’m fine.” (Misha)

“Yes.” (Raina)

“…Yeah…” (Herlin)

Arc sighed out relief heard their answers. Knowing there’s nothing happens to them after the extraordinary experience.

If isn’t for the three girls indicated they has been experienced same thing like him, Arc might be thought he just been hallucinated.

Huh?

Wait a second.

For a moment, Arc wondering if his mind too confused and made problem with his hearing.

“Are you all really fine?”

“Didn’t I just say we’re fine, Arc?” (Misha)

“Yes.” (Raina)

“*Nodded*” (Herlin)

What?

Arc blinking his eyelid several times. Found what’s bothering him.

Looks like I wasn’t misheard just now.

“Raina?” Arc staring the cold little maid.

“What happen, Arc?” (Misha)

“Yes?” (Raina)

“!!?” (Misha)

Stopped, Misha blinking her eyelid rapidly, seeming discovers what Arc trying to means and something unbelievable.

“Raina, you speak!?” (Misha)

Raina tilted her head, baffled by Misha exaggerated reaction. She doesn’t understand what’s wrong with she able to speak for a while. Then, Raina noticed the anomaly of her state.

“Huh? I speak?”

Even Raina herself surprised by discover.

The only ever time Raina spoke was, when she introduced herself in deep of Varista Forest. After that, only beast-like grunt that coming out from Raina’s mouth.

That wasn’t because Raina uneducated, but she unable to speak.

Raina throat has been long damaged by poison plant at the time she surviving in the forest. For survive, Raina eaten any plants she found to relieve her hunger, then eat poison plant accidentally. There’s no way a child with short experience and non-existed survival knowledge could discern the edible and poison plant. It was miracle Raina could survive from poison.

Despite survived, Raina throat damaged severely as cost, crippled her ability to speak. Even with heal magic, Misha currently too weak to fully heal old internal scar that stayed for so long, only could relief the pain in Raina’s throat at most.

Unless Misha breakthrough to Second Rank Magist, when her healing magic strengthened further, she uncapable doing anything to Raina's injury.

When Raina introduced that time, it greatly burdened her, and using all of her might just to say her almost-forgotten-name.

Now, hearing Raina speaking all of sudden was pleasant surprise for them.

“How?” Raina touches her lip.

“Maybe because of the cards?” Arc analyzed.

The only clues of how Raina regained her voice are the cards and vision they saw.

“Eh?”

Arc then perplexed when he trying to recall the vision he’d saw, as his memory became blurred.

The more he trying to recall, the more he unable to recall.

“It doesn’t matter, it was good since Raina’s voice back!” Misha cut the topic with cheery tone.

Since they don’t know why Raina’s throat healed, as long it’s good, Misha doesn’t mind.

Misha jumps at Raina, give her a warm embrace, congratulating her recovery.

“……Thanks…”

Raina obediently accepts Misha’s warm hug.

“…What I missed actually?” Grimace Uncle Jug, doesn’t know what have happened, but Raina situation told him something happened without his awareness just before him.

Uncle Jug aggrieved as the only clueless person at the case location.

“…”

The young woman watching the situation in deep contemplation.

Then, after long silently inspecting the cards, she opening her mouth.

“Greeting Little Saint of Everyne, I’m the owner of this place, Vermilioness Atelier, Elisabeth. May I know your purpose come to my humble shop?”

The young woman, Elisabeth’s voice was enchanting. With her voice, she pulled attention of the children. Herlin little panicked as she just noticed Elisabeth’s presence.

Elisabeth’s polite and elegant manner unlike a merchant, more like high-rank noblewoman.

Hearing Elisabeth introduction, Misha extracts herself from Raina. She ignoring the woman existence until she spoke, as Misha’s mind hasn’t clear yet.

*Cough*

“Greeting Madam Elisabeth, I Misha Everyne. I’m come visiting since I have heard reputation of Vermilioness Atelier. Like the news, I found your place truly enchanting.”

As she spoke, Misha trying her best to behave like a noble daughter. Unknowingly, the aura that surrounding Misha changed. The impression she was giving doesn’t like a noble child at all, rather like a high-rank noblewoman.

When Arc and Raina saw Misha change, they stand straight behind her immediately, appropriated with their status as servant. Unlike the childishness they show before, Misha’s party gave imposing feeling despite their children outward.

For moment, Elisabeth’s reaction paused by sudden the change of children.

“It’s good, I happy Little Saint found my humble shop was attracting.”

“You can call me Misha, Madam Elisabeth. I also heard you’re acquainted with butler of my house, Sir Robert.”

Listening Misha’s word, Uncle Jug sighing inwardly. This scene has been playing repeatedly before him.

Usually, Arc and Misha would act childish and curious, befitting with their age. But that applied only at time they with relatives or close people or children. When they dealing with strange, Arc and Misha would act like mature adult.

The closer their relation, more childish they become. The farer their relation, more mature they become.

That kind time was the only time Misha would be calling him with his real name.

“I wouldn’t be so disrespectful, how about calling you Miss Misha.”

“I’m fine with that, Madam Elisabeth.”

“Fu-fu-fu, Miss Misha doesn’t need too respectful to me. Just call me Untie Eli like my disciple over there.” Madam Elisabeth said, eyeing Herlin beside Misha.

“Your disciple?” Misha following Madam Elisabeth’s line sight.

Being stared at by people, Herlin blushed.

“Right, I’m actually magist, puppet-magist precisely. I took Herlin as disciple since I found she have aptitude to become puppet-magist.”

“Is that true?”

“Really?”

Misha and Uncle Jug raise their voice, surprised by Elisabeth claim.

Misha surprised by the fact Elisabeth is Magist.

Uncle Jug surprised by the fact Elisabeth accepting disciple.

Need to know, magist was rare and precious. For Herlin, the girl Misha’s party save and befriend to be magist disciple, akin found treasure on the roadside.

Arc and Misha double surprise, as they unexpectedly found pair magist and magist’s disciple in their whim trip. Moreover, the magist’s disciple is an acquaintance.

“What is puppet-magist, Madam Elisabeth?” Arc raise a question.

Arc have been assisting Misha in study magic and knowing many kinds of magist field existing. However, this first time he heard something like puppet-magist. Judging from its sound, it’s may magist that controlling puppet.

 The tip of Elisabeth’s lip curled up at Arc’s question. She doesn’t answer directly, but raise her right arm toward decorated dolls on the wall.

One of the dolls rise up and jumped in front of crowd, and start making series of attracting performances.

The doll’s move and dance drawing children’s eyes. Although it was a doll, it moving flawlessly like a real person.

After the doll performance ended, it’s bowing courteously.

Arc and Misha clapping at the nice show.

The doll float, returned to its original place.

“How?”

“It was great show, Auntie Eli.”

Misha replied, using Elisabeth’s intimate calling, while doesn’t break her politeness.

“It’s pleasurable to know Little Saint happy with my little show.”

“Of course, but please call me by name –– However, I feel you have much more to show than little show just now, isn’t it?”

“Oh my, what a discerning child. You quite perceptive, Miss Misha.”

“It’s great, I looking forward for next show, Untie Eli. By the way, you seem used to be dealing with aristocratic.”

“You’re right. Even thought my humble shop located deep in gloomy city corner, there many deals coming from peculiar customers here. For example, the old man here.”

“Hah~ Is this how you treat your old friend and customers, Elisabeth?” (Uncle Jug)

“Oh my~ Oh my~”

Elisabeth giggled by Uncle Jug grieved tone.

“Moreover, it’s been years since last time I bought something from your shop.”

“That’s true. You’re no longer my loyal customer.”

“Could you blame me? It was you that vanished that time. Why didn’t you tell me when you returned?”

“Well, it just been half-year since I returned. And you rather busy with important work. There’s no way for the me casually calling you here like old time, friend.”

“*Sigh* You’re right.”

“Then here, you have a playful little lady as your master. What is it? Earlier, I heard she calling you with such playful nickname. Seemed, Uncle Jug. I wonder why you called that.”

“Ugh, could you not mention that?”

“Oh my~”

Uncle Jug and Elisabeth bantering, reconnecting their old relationship.

“Long time no see, [Puppet Witch] Elisabeth.”

“It’s been long time since I called by that old title, [Dragon Spear] Sir Robert.”

“Stop calling me that, I had abandoned that name since long ago.”

“Alright.” Elisabeth paused, then sighed. “You’ve became old.”

“……No one can resist the cruel nature of time, Elisabeth.”

“…You’re right.”

The topic stopped.

Air inside shop slightly strained as Elisabeth and Uncle Jug stopped their talk in such gloomy topic.

*Cough*

Arc letting out fake cough, trying to distract atmosphere.

“Madam Elisabeth, could I have question?”

“……Oh, of course you can. Before that, would you politely introduce yourself, Little Servant?”

“…I’m Personal Servant of Misha Everyne, Arc.”

“Thanks, Little Servant, you could ask me now.”

“Could you tell us what are those cards?”

Arc asking politely, pointing the cards in Elisabeth’s grab.

It was faint, but Arc could saw Elisabeth’s eyes slightly widened. Seems like she forgot about the cards after long conservation.

“Is these, Little Arc?”

Arc nodded.

“It’s good you’re asked, I almost forgot to tell you what is these.” Elisabeth admitting her forgetfulness. “But before I explain, could you tell me if you feel something from these cards?”

“That––”

Arc glanced at Misha and got nod as reply. Then, he explains Elisabeth what experience he and others have through carefully.

“–– then we returned. But I couldn’t remember what vision I have seen.”

“Now you mentioned it, Arc. I also couldn’t remember that vision.” (Misha)

“…Same” (Raina)

“Me too.” (Herlin)

“Elisabeth, tell me honestly what those? Are these cards dangerous?” (Uncle Jug)

Elisabeth chuckled at their reaction. Then continuing her explanation.

“You couldn’t remember what have you seen might because your vision too extraordinary. These cards are something I found in ancient ruin and known as popular tool for fortune-telling, [Fate Cards].”

“““Fortune-telling?””” The children’s voice overlaps at each other.

Fortune-telling, augur, or divination or whenever it called is powerful power to peek the future. They marveled how such famous item are in front of them.

“Yeah, unfortunately, I didn’t have augur ability nor found someone with that ability to make sure the authenticity of these cards. Because of that, these cards sitting dust in my shop.”

‘Oooo~’

After Elisabeth say that much, the children mood dampened.

“Why didn’t throw the cards then?” (Uncle Jug)

“It’s instinct, I felt these cards were extraordinary.”

Elisabeth eyeing the children.

“And today, someone has proven my instinct.”

She went toward before Misha.

“Miss Misha, as pleasantry for our first meeting, could you accept these cards as my gift?”

“What?”

Misha taken a back. Part of it because previous experience, another part is because Elisabeth could hand over fate cards so easily.

Something felt skeptical in this development.

“Hold on, Madam Elisabeth. Aren’t these cards too valuable as gift?”

Misha said that. However, honestly, Misha’s curiosity pushing her to accept the cards.

“What were you thinking, Elisabeth?” (Uncle Jug)

Uncle Jug couldn’t help but intercepted their talk.

“Don’t worry, this gift isn’t just for pleasantry, it also my thank to save my disciple before. So, I dare Miss Misha to accept this.”

Misha sends her glance to Arc, asking what should she do.

‘Up to you.’

It’s pictured in Arc’s eyes as reply. Means he accept whenever her decision.

Misha makes up her Mind.

“Are you sure?”

Choose to accept the gift.

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll accept the gift.”

With that, [Fate Cards] fall on Misha possession.