Chapter – 15
Why?
What on earth happened?
Did that much time pass while riding the Foramen? Or is there some kind of time difference between the magic world and the human world?
Neither possibility was good news for Mari.
I need to find the doll quickly and meet Mr. Retus!
Relying on Cecil and Caligo made her uneasy, but she had to resolve this situation as soon as possible.
Reluctantly, Mari turned to the children.
“Guys… will you really help me?”
“Sure—if you let us play a little prank.”
“If Cecil’s okay with it, I’m okay too.”
Cecil lifted the corner of his lips faintly, and Caligo grinned mischievously.
Mari’s green eyes darted back and forth.
I can’t trust them. But…
She had no other choice.
“Thank you. Then… shall we go?”
“Yeah.”
Mari looked around and started walking in one direction—only to stumble when someone grabbed the hem of her clothes.
“Cecil?”
“Mariposa, not that way. You need to go beside us.”
“Oh—sorry. This way?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Her heart was racing. Biting her lip, Mari quietly followed the direction Cecil pointed.
Cecil stared at her face for a moment before speaking.
“I’ve never seen someone with a heart as pure as yours.”
“Huh? My heart is pure? Wait—can you see my heart too?”
Her face turned deathly pale. Could he read her thoughts? Had he figured out she was human? Her heart pounded wildly.
“Cecil doesn’t read thoughts,” Caligo snapped sharply instead. “He just sees people’s emotions—their sincerity. So don’t look at him like that.”
Mari touched her face, wondering what kind of expression she was making. Did I offend him?
Seeing her worried look, Cecil gave a small laugh and shook his head.
“Caligo’s right. I don’t read thoughts, so don’t worry.”
“Oh… I see.”
That was a relief.
Still… what did it mean to see someone’s sincerity? Could he tell lies from truth?
Mari stole glances at Cecil, lost in thought.
“That’s the back exit. If you follow the alley, it’ll lead to the toy shop.”
Behind a pile of stacked luggage, a small hidden door appeared where Cecil pointed.
If she had been alone, she would never have found it.
“Cecil, thank you for helping me. I wouldn’t have made it out without you.”
Cecil’s face flushed red.
Caligo nudged him in the side.
“Can we go now?”
“Mm… wait a bit. Someone’s about to pass by.”
Cecil’s eyes drifted through the air.
Just as he said that, a woman in a white coat and glasses walked past with steady footsteps. Mari quickly ducked.
“See? Amazing, right? I told you we wouldn’t get caught.”
“Stop it… don’t flatter me. I still can’t control it properly.”
Cecil blushed as he scolded Caligo, who looked proud.
Mari smiled faintly before asking,
“What do you mean you can’t control it? Isn’t it your family’s magic?”
“It’s because we’re still young. Once we enter Edefol, it’ll become easier to handle.”
Edefol? What’s that?
Is it some kind of school?
She wanted to ask, but since she didn’t even know about Lactea, pushing further might make them suspicious. She decided to stay quiet.
I’ll ask Cropot later.
Thinking of her ever-grumbling temporary guardian, Mari sighed. After causing such a huge mess, would he even explain it to her?
Caligo then approached the small door.
“Be careful not to knock the luggage over.”
“Okay.”
Cecil and Mari carefully opened the back door and slipped through the narrow gap.
A narrow alley connected directly to the toy shop.
Mari lifted her head and breathed in the chilly dawn air.
The sky was pale.
Not the red glow of late afternoon—but the quiet, cold blue of early morning.
It’s really morning.
Her mouth fell open as she walked forward.
“Let’s go, Mariposa. The shop opens at seven. We have less than an hour to find your doll.”
“What does it look like?”
“Uh…”
Gathering herself, Mari began explaining with gestures.
“It’s a baby doll with red hair and blue eyes. It’s wearing sky-blue clothes… and when you shake it, it blinks!”
“Just an ordinary baby doll,” Caligo replied indifferently.
He wasn’t wrong. Mari sighed and nodded.
“There are probably hundreds that look the same… It’ll take forever to find it. Cecil, can you see exactly where it is?”
“Hmm… I haven’t seen that future before.”
Cecil looked apologetic.
“When I try to see a future on purpose, it’s blurry. Sometimes I can’t see it at all. It might take some time.”
“I see…”
“It’s okay. We can still get inside. Follow me.”
“Okay!”
She had fed the doll a gem by mistake and then lost it—one disaster after another. But thanks to these twins she met by chance, things seemed solvable.
Good or bad, she didn’t know—but she chose to stay positive.
I can’t cause trouble for Cropot.
Clenching her fists, Mari followed Cecil with determination.
* * *
Cecil found the back entrance of the toy shop.
The children carefully slipped inside.
Since the shop was preparing to open, floating lights illuminated the interior brightly. Beautiful toys, neatly wrapped, hovered in the air at regular intervals.
Drool nearly slipped from Caligo’s mouth.
“A—A donkey figurine!”
“Caligo!”
Cecil grabbed his clothes just as he dashed forward.
The twins tumbled together, and immediately an employee appeared nearby, looking around suspiciously.
Mari clamped her hands over both their mouths and froze.
“I thought I heard something…”
After scratching his head, the employee left.
Thank goodness…
“Hey, let me go! It’s a donkey figurine!”
“Is that really what matters right now?”
“Caligo, calm down.”
Caligo wiggled as if he might jump at the donkey any second. Cecil lightly smacked his back.
“Cecil!”
“We can look at it later when we buy it. Did you forget why we’re here?”
“But…”
“We’re here to find Mariposa’s baby doll. Not now.”
Cecil’s silver eyes gleamed sharply.
Caligo puffed out his cheeks.
“So just not now, right?”
“Right. So stay quiet.”
“Tch…”
Mari observed them. It seemed clear that Cecil held the upper hand between the twins.
“Where would the baby dolls be?”
She scanned the vast shop.
As a famous toy store, it was far larger than she’d imagined—piles of toys like mountains, dozens of floating models, and boxes still scattered on the floor.
It was chaos.
Cecil took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“Baby doll…”
He murmured before slowly opening them.
A galaxy seemed to drift within his gaze.
He lifted his head, frowning slightly.
“It’s hard to see. Maybe it hasn’t been displayed yet?”
“Gasp…”
“Ah—wait. I see something.”
Tilting his head, Cecil parted his lips.
“What is it?” Caligo asked, still sulking.
Covering his mouth, Cecil’s eyes curved slyly.
“Found it.”
“You did?!”
“Yeah. It’s in the Rainbow Section. It’s already on display. It should be there.”
Relief flooded Mari—but Cecil’s fox-like smile made her uneasy.
“Then shall we go?”
“Yes. But Mariposa, when you go to get the doll, it’s better if you’re not with us.”
“Why?”
Sensing something, Caligo’s bad mood disappeared.
“You saw something fun, didn’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Can we play a little now?”
“Yep. So stay a bit far from us later, Mariposa. You might get caught up in it.”
“What?!”
Mari gasped in horror.
Fun? Play a prank? With Cecil’s foresight and Caligo’s reckless nature combined, she couldn’t imagine what they’d do.
They’re not going to cause something serious enough to call the sheriff… right?
This is bad!
Biting her lip, Mari pleaded.
“Cecil, please. I really just need to find the doll and leave. If someone catches us, it’ll be terrible.”
“I know. Don’t worry, Mariposa. Your secret won’t be revealed.”
“Really… huh?”
Mari’s eyes widened as she stepped back. Her face turned pale—then bluish.
“You… know my secret?”
