I stared at the system screen in front of me, my brows furrowed. There were no significant changes to the mission's progress since their arrival in Arcadia. The city map remained stable—no major disruptions, no suspicious activity detected. Everything was too... calm. I shifted to a screen displaying the perspectives of Catherine, Thomas, and Pierre. Their conversation with the girl—Cinderella, as she called herself—kept my thoughts racing.
Luna stood beside me, her eyes monitoring another screen, though I knew she was watching me.
"You look serious. What's wrong?" she asked softly.
I sighed, rubbing my face briefly before responding. "This is going too smoothly. She's giving us information too easily. Her real name, the number of combat units on their side, even details about Blanchette. Since when is the enemy this cooperative?"
Luna nodded slowly, but the worry on her face didn't fade. "You're suspicious of her?"
"Of course," I answered firmly. "She may seem innocent, but I'm not trusting her just yet. Cinderella..."
I glanced at the screen, recalling the classic fairy tale. "The problem is, which Cinderella is she? The story has so many versions. Is she the kindhearted Cinderella from Western Europe's tale? Or the darker, more cunning version from Eastern Europe? If she's based on a real person, like our combat units, this gets even more complicated. We know the mindsets of Jeanne d'Arc or Catherine de Medici because of historical records. But Cinderella? If she's drawn from folklore, her character and motives are much harder to predict."
Luna appeared thoughtful. "If she's truly the Cinderella from the fairy tale, wouldn't her personality be gentler and easier to read?"
I gave her a sharp look. "Fairy tales always have different interpretations. In some versions, Cinderella is a pure victim who eventually finds happiness. In others, she's more manipulative, using circumstances to her advantage. I don't know which version this Cinderella comes from. That's what makes me uneasy."
I returned my focus to the screen. Catherine was talking to Cinderella, playing her role perfectly—extracting information while pretending to be a genuine friend. Pierre and Thomas appeared more passive, following Catherine's lead without much input. But I knew they were cautious, too. They weren't that naïve.
"But," Luna interjected, breaking my train of thought, "if she's giving false information, wouldn't we find out soon enough? For example, the details about the four combat units. If it's wrong, we can immediately conclude she's untrustworthy."
I nodded in agreement. "True. But that's the issue. If she intends to deceive, why bother sharing easily verifiable information? And if she's being truthful, why? What's her motive for helping us? None of this makes sense."
Luna fell silent for a moment before saying, "Maybe she genuinely doesn't see us as a threat."
I frowned. "That's even worse. If she truly doesn't see us as a threat, it means she or her team is far stronger than we assume."
Luna let out a quiet sigh, her gaze returning to the screen. "What's the next move?"
"We keep watching," I replied. "If she tries anything, I want Catherine prepared to respond. Their Navigator, the one they call Tofu, is clearly observing from afar. Cinderella might be his pawn. But what kind of pawn, I still don't know."
I closed several screens and focused one display on Catherine and Cinderella. The girl laughed cheerfully, as if genuinely enjoying her conversation with Catherine. Yet her smile… it was too perfect, too bright. It could be a mask. I wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating her.
"We need more information," I muttered, more to myself than to Luna. "Fairy tale or not, this Cinderella is a puzzle we need to solve."
Luna nodded slightly, though her eyes still held a hint of unease.
"You're overthinking it. Maybe Cinderella is just the kindhearted girl from most stories."
I was about to reply when the system screen suddenly flickered. A new notification appeared:
[Quest update: Defeat the goblins west of Arcadia.]
I frowned. It was an ordinary mission, too standard to show up suddenly in the middle of all this. But before I could react further, the system screen flickered again. The notification glitched—its letters breaking apart, disappearing, then replaced by a new message:
[Speak to the fortune teller and accept their offer.]
I froze in place. What on earth?
"What's happening?" Luna asked, her tone sharp.
"The system screen is glitching," I replied slowly, trying to process the situation. "The notification just changed. I've never seen anything like this before."
Luna stared at the screen in confusion. "What does it mean by 'speak to the fortune teller'? Who is the fortune teller?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. But what worries me more is this glitch. The system isn't supposed to have issues like this. Since we entered this world, everything has been stable. No bugs, no data corruption."
I tried stabilizing the screen, but the system continued displaying the same message:
[Quest update: Speak to the fortune teller and accept their offer.]
"What offer?" I muttered, more to myself than to Luna.
"Maybe you should send a message to Elizabeth's team," Luna suggested. "If they're connected to this fortune teller, we need to make sure there's no threat."
I considered it briefly. "You're right. But I can't give them direct orders to accept the offer. I don't know what the consequences might be. Whatever this is, it's clearly outside the scenario I designed."
Luna watched me intently. "So, what's your plan now?"
I took a deep breath. This situation was unlike anything I'd encountered before. I needed to tread carefully. "I'll monitor more closely. If there are other anomalies, I'll make a quick decision. For now, let Elizabeth and Virginia approach the fortune teller naturally. Let's see how they react."
"And if it's a trap?" Luna asked, her tone tinged with worry.
I stared at the screen still showing the glitched message. My heart raced, but I forced myself to remain calm. "If it's a trap, we'll turn the tables. We've faced worse than this."
Yet deep down, an unease lingered—a feeling I couldn't shake. Something big was happening, and I had no idea what would come next.
***
Elizabeth walked quickly, ignoring Virginia's half-panicked calls behind her.
"Elizabeth, wait! Don't go back there!" Virginia shouted, trying to catch up with her determined friend.
"I just want to confirm something," Elizabeth replied without turning around, her voice cold and filled with an unhidden curiosity.
Virginia let out a frustrated sigh. "You're always so stubborn! That fortune teller is clearly suspicious, and I don't want us to get tangled in unnecessary trouble."
"Then why didn't they attack us earlier?" Elizabeth countered, continuing her pace. "I didn't sense any threat from them."
"That's what makes them even more dangerous!" Virginia snapped, finally matching Elizabeth's stride. "You can't just rely on your instincts. This world is full of deception."
Elizabeth didn't respond, only quickened her steps. They eventually approached the fortune teller's stand they had visited earlier. But before they could arrive, a figure suddenly emerged from the tent.
A young girl dressed in traditional all-white clothing stepped out, her appearance strikingly unfamiliar. Her jet-black hair, almond-shaped eyes, and pale skin set her apart from anyone they had encountered in this world—even Catherine or Virginia herself.
Elizabeth stopped momentarily, her eyes studying the girl with deep curiosity. The girl said nothing, merely gazing back at Elizabeth with a calm expression. She gave a slight bow, offering a faint smile, then walked past them silently into the bustling market.
"Who was that?" Elizabeth murmured, her eyes following the girl until she disappeared into the crowd.
Virginia furrowed her brows. "I don't know, but she definitely isn't from around here. Did you see her outfit? So unusual. And she doesn't look like an adventurer."
Elizabeth nodded slightly but remained silent. She then stepped into the fortune teller's tent, followed closely by a visibly uneasy Virginia. The familiar scent of incense greeted them, just like before. The fortune teller sat in their usual place, their face obscured by the shadow of a draped hood. However, their smile was clearly visible.
"I knew you would return," the fortune teller said softly, as though they had been expecting them all along.
Virginia crossed her arms over her chest, trying to mask her discomfort. "How did you know?" she asked suspiciously.
"Oh, Virginia," the fortune teller replied, saying her name with the tone of a parent gently scolding a child. "There are many things I know. Far more than you can imagine."
Elizabeth stepped forward, her eyes sharp and focused on the fortune teller. "I want to ask you something. Who was that girl who just left your tent?"
The fortune teller chuckled softly, their laughter almost a murmur. "Ah, her? She's another visitor, on a journey of her own. Just like you, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth frowned. "What do you mean?"
The fortune teller didn't answer immediately, instead folding their hands over the small wooden table in front of them. "You're here because of your curiosity. My question, Elizabeth, is: how far are you willing to go to find your answers?"
Virginia stepped forward, standing beside Elizabeth. "You won't toy with us. If you have something to say, say it," she demanded sharply.
The fortune teller smiled again, their hidden eyes seeming to glimmer faintly beneath the hood. "Patience, Virginia. All will be revealed in time."
They turned their attention fully to Elizabeth, completely ignoring Virginia. "So, Elizabeth, what is it you wish to ask?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath, readying herself to voice the question that had been weighing on her mind. Yet deep inside, she couldn't shake her curiosity about the mysterious girl they had just encountered.
Who was she, and what connection did she have to the fortune teller?
***