Flying over the dense canopy of the Forest of Magic, I scanned the area below, searching for a familiar sight—smoke rising from a chimney. If I tried to walk through the forest, I would definitely get lost, so flying was the best option.

  I still remembered the first time Marisa brought me to her home—it was a complete nightmare. She beat me up and force-fed me some suspicious mushrooms that nearly sent me to the afterlife.

  Maybe she realized she went too far because, after that, she let me go and even gave me some edible mushroom and advice—If I wanted to find her house, I just had to look for smoke coming from the chimney—that meant she was home.

  Spotting a trail of smoke in the distance, I smiled and made my way toward it. But as I nded, something felt off. This wasn't Marisa's house. The structure was different, and the surrounding area cked the usual clutter of books and magical junk. Did I find the wrong house?

  Just as I was about to turn back, the door creaked open, and a woman with golden hair and a calm yet calcuting gaze stepped out. She was dressed elegantly, and at first gnce, she didn't seem dangerous. But my instincts told me to be careful.

  "Who are you?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of suspicion.

  Realizing my mistake, I quickly bowed slightly and introduced myself. "My apologies. My name is Mirage Carl. I'm a magician, and I was looking for Marisa's house. I must have taken a wrong turn."

  Her expression shifted slightly, her eyes narrowing. "A magician?" she repeated, tilting her head as if analyzing me. "I don't sense any magic from you."

  I shrugged. "That's because I don't use magic. I perform tricks."

  A sudden tension filled the air. Her once-neutral expression twisted into a look of displeasure. "Tricks? And yet you call yourself a magician?" she asked coldly.

  I didn't like where this was going. "It's just a title. I specialize in illusions and sleight of hand," I expined, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding.

  But it was too te. She raised a hand, and, in an instant, several dolls floated into the air around her, their tiny eyes glowing eerily.

  "Calling yourself a magician without using magic... How insulting," she muttered.

  Before I could react, the dolls lunged at me, their needle-like weapons aiming right for me.

  "Wait, wait, wait!" I shouted, barely dodging the first attack. "This is a misunderstanding!"

  Alice Margatroid wasn't listening. The forest had suddenly become a battlefield, and I was her unfortunate opponent.

  Alice used Blue Sign "Fraternal French Dolls", and all the danmaku came from her dolls. I quickly pulled out my Cheat Card: Shield to block the attack.

  Seeing me use something unfamiliar, she narrowed her eyes. "What is that? It doesn't look like magic."

  I smirked. "If you stop attacking, I'll tell you."

  But Alice wasn't the type to be easily fooled. She had a deep passion for magic—real, genuine magic that required skill, knowledge, and precision—but she absolutely despised anything she considered fake, deceptive, or cking in true craftsmanship.

  Without even a moment of hesitation, she swiftly cast another spell, her dolls moving in perfect synchronization as they prepared to unleash another barrage of danmaku in my direction.

  Darkness Sign "Foggy London Dolls"—her dolls spun in circles around her, unleashing a relentless barrage of danmaku.

  I sighed. She's really stubborn... and ridiculously skilled with those dolls.

  Dodging and blocking her attacks was exhausting, and I was getting fed up. Finally, I shouted, "Fine! If you want to see magic so badly, I'll show you!"

  I reached into my coat and pulled out a Love Sign "Master Spark" Cheat Card. As I held it, I hesitated. Do I really have to use this?

  Then, a lightbulb went off in my head. Wait! I can use that! Grandpa taught me this trick for times when I didn't want to hurt anyone.

  Alice stopped attacking, intrigued. She clearly wanted to see if I could actually use magic.

  I said with a serious face, "This is my ultimate magic, a technique I perfected in London whenever I was in a tight spot. I call it..."

  Alice narrowed her eyes. "What?"

  I grinned.

  "Ni ge ru'n da yo!"( Run Away! )

  Without missing a beat, I bsted into the sky at full speed.

  "Bye, crazy woman!" I shouted over my shoulder, leaving her behind me.

  Her expression turned furious. "Get back here!" she shouted, flying after me.