Chapter – 14
In the distance, an employee waved a baton, and dozens of sheets of paper unfurled into the air.
When wrapping paper and ribbons were pinned into the magic circles engraved upon them, the boxes began to take shape, fluttering as they formed.
Marie stared blankly at the needles and ribbons bouncing as if keeping rhythm, then snapped back to her senses when she bumped into a pillar, her face flushing red.
This isn’t the time for that. I need to get out of here!
And she had to find the doll.
Rolling her eyes around, Marie spotted someone passing by and quickly held her breath, hiding behind the pillar.
When the footsteps faded, she cautiously peeked her head out.
Swallowing a jewel was already a problem—but selling a toy that had been used for an entire month in a shop was an even bigger one.
The baby doll had already been moved somewhere else, and she had no idea where Retus was. Could she really hide her identity from the countless mages here?
And above all—
Why is this factory so huge?!
Dodging the roaming mages while searching for an exit made her head spin.
Eventually, she crouched in a corner, catching her breath, when someone tapped her shoulder.
“Eek?!”
Marie spun around in shock.
Standing before her was a girl about her age, with black hair and silver eyes.
“Wh-who are you?”
“I’m Cecile,” the girl answered calmly.
Marie hurriedly shook her head.
“No, I mean—why are you here? Who are you—”
“Then why are you here? You snuck in like us, didn’t you?”
A boy with sharp eyes suddenly popped his head out from behind Cecile.
Like her, he had black hair and silver eyes that shone like stars.
Marie’s mouth fell open.
“Are you twins?”
Their faces were nearly identical.
“Can’t you tell?”
“Caligo, don’t say it like that.”
Caligo, whose eyes were slightly sharper than Cecile’s, crossed his arms with a sulky look.
“Judging by your pajamas, you must’ve come from the tents outside… How did you get in? Did you use magic?”
“Tents? Magic?”
Marie blinked rapidly.
Cecile and Caligo were also wearing indoor clothes—refined, expensive-looking ones at that.
Who were these kids? And how were they here?
“What’s your name?” Cecile asked, nudging Caligo aside.
After hesitating, Marie answered softly.
“I’m Mariposa. And I… came in here by accident.”
“By accident?” Caligo frowned.
“How do you ‘accidentally’ enter Baldy Mister’s toy factory? You came to see the limited-edition toy, didn’t you?”
“No. There was an incident.”
“What kind of incident?”
Marie pressed her lips shut.
She couldn’t explain everything—about Kropot being a mage exiled from Magia, or that she herself was human. But since Cecile and Caligo were about her age, she felt they might not suspect too much.
“Something of mine got mixed in here. A delivery mistake.”
“A delivery mistake? Did you come from where Baldy Mister’s toys are made?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Whoa!”
Caligo’s face lit up instantly.
“Your company made the toys?”
“Uh… it’s not a company.”
“Then what? A private workshop? Anyway, what did you make?”
“Ah, um, that’s—”
“Guys, shh.”
Cecile covered Caligo’s mouth and lowered herself. Marie and Caligo instinctively shrank down as well.
Several employees walked past, chatting and laughing.
“Be careful. We’ll get caught.”
“That was close…”
Cecile’s silver eyes glinted strangely.
Marie found herself staring at them blankly before snapping back.
“Anyway, I need to find my toy. Or Retus.”
“You two shouldn’t stay here long either. What if you get caught?”
“Hah, caught?” Caligo shrugged.
“As long as Cecile’s here, we won’t get caught. We broke through security easily.”
“What?”
Marie blinked at the twins.
Even if they were mages, could children her age really breach factory security?
Cecile smiled faintly.
“You don’t know who we are, do you?”
“Huh?”
Caligo’s mouth dropped open.
“Black hair and silver eyes. You didn’t realize we’re from the Lactea family?”
“Um… what’s Lactea?”
Caligo looked horrified.
“Did you grow up in some backwater village?!”
“…Is it famous?”
“Famous? You don’t know the Lactea family name?”
Marie shrank back silently. Of course she wouldn’t know famous figures from Magia.
Caligo clicked his tongue.
“You’re really stupid, aren’t you?”
“I’m not stupid.”
“You are. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
Seeing this, Cecile stepped in.
“Stop it, Caligo. She might not know.”
Standing before Marie, Cecile explained,
“In the Lactea family, the firstborn of each generation can see the future.”
“Wh-what?!”
“I saw your future and came here.”
“My future?!”
Marie gasped. Seeing the future? Was that magic?
“Did you say you’re looking for your toy? It’s not here. It’s been moved somewhere else.”
Cecile’s silver eyes shimmered mischievously.
“I can still see it. If you follow that doll, something interesting will happen.”
Her tone remained calm and steady, but her sparkling eyes betrayed a playful streak.
A sudden unease washed over Marie.
“Where did it go? And what do you mean by ‘interesting’? Is something bad going to happen?”
“No, just a little prank. Mariposa, can we come with you?”
Both Caligo and Marie stared in shock.
“Why would you follow me? I can’t cause trouble. I just want my doll and to leave.”
“I know. I can see your emotions too. Don’t worry—I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
Cecile smiled confidently.
“And you won’t find it alone. I know where it is.”
Marie hesitated.
She didn’t know what the Lactea twins wanted, but they definitely seemed like troublemakers.
Still… Cecile’s offer was tempting.
If she could find the doll and locate Retus, everything might be resolved safely.
“How do you know where my toy is?”
“I looked a bit further into the future. After the shop opened, you were talking with the owner.”
“What did we say?”
“He told you it wasn’t in the factory. That the baby doll seemed to be displayed in the shop. He said he’d look for it and told you to go back.”
Cecile’s eyes flickered like stars in a stormy sky before she shook her head.
“That’s all I saw.”
“Wow…”
Marie was genuinely impressed.
She didn’t doubt Cecile. The silver eyes that glowed faintly when she used magic reminded her of Kropot.
“Do you know where Retus—the shop owner—is?”
“Not exactly. He’s not around here.”
Marie nodded thoughtfully.
Then Caligo suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“What are you thinking about? Let’s go. We need to get to the toy shop.”
“W-what?”
“She said it’s displayed there. We have to find it before the shop opens. It’s already past six.”
“Six?”
Before taking the Foramen, it had been five. Was it really already six?
Then a sudden thought struck her.
“Wait—does the shop open at night?”
“Night?” Caligo frowned.
Before he could say something sharp, Cecile answered calmly.
“Mariposa, it’s not night.”
“It’s not?”
“It’s morning. Six in the morning.”
“What?!”
Marie’s mouth fell open in shock.
