“Because stories always go on.”

  In the fashion shop, Marinette happily played with a ball of pink yarn on the chair, the pink yarn wrapped around her hands, while Luna and Arianna cheerfully listened to the stories I'd encountered that morning. From Scylla, the Sea Unicorn, Basilika, Alfrey, Walter… I showed them all the bizarre appearances from the painting Silika had given me.

  “So, after everything that happened, it’s a little easy… and the same,” Marinette said, without looking at the painting.

  “Celeste, you’re a royal princess, you should be more careful with salon matters like this,” Luna reminded me about Alfrey, and I nodded slightly.

  Arianna said nothing, still tilting her head from left to right as she looked at the painting, with amused grimaces, and Luna secretly chuckled.

  “That’s strange, according to the information, it’s a curse, right?” Arianna asked.

  “According to Silika’s assessment… yes, that’s right, is there anything wrong?” I said softly.

  Arianna took the picture from mid-air, pointing to the strange points, the notes, the unanswered questions, about origins, assumptions, doubts about curses, poisons, and strange, unknown knowledge…

  “In your opinion, what kind of curse would transform someone unrelated to the sea into a being connected to it…?”

  “Just because she doesn’t want to get married?” The room immediately fell silent.

  The clock ticked steadily, slowly, Marinette wagged her tail playfully as she played with a ball of yarn. I recalled what I had encountered today and realized…

  “They’re similar, if so, could you do me a favor…?” Arianna cheerfully handed me the picture, picked up the pen from the table, and the scrap paper Marinette had given her.

  『 Based on my knowledge, they only have such transformative effects when the subject is surrounded by overwhelming malice, 』I quickly jotted down the basic possibilities of the curse on paper.

  『 ...If the subject has contact with the sea, to the same degree, but if so… 』I carefully noted down the assumptions. Taking a deep breath, I examined Scylla's form closely again.

  "Humanity is ignorant, and tragically pitiful.” A sigh escaped my lips.

  Holding the pen, I marked the assumptions, conjectures, and preliminary assessments as incorrect. Gradually, everything became clearer.

  “She cursed herself out of malice; the curse only amplified, the sea creature was the conduit.”

  “Scylla is the result of arrogance, but life is too unfair. Hatred has brought her to this point.”

  “Marinette is right, it’s all the same and simple.” I approached and patted my student’s head. Marinette’s face showed delight, joy, and happiness.

  Luna and Arianna also joined in the petting. Marinette purred softly, enjoying it, her cat tail wagging continuously.

  “Everyone, stop petting me and go pet the people upstairs instead.” Marinette said, still enjoying herself.

  “By the way, I also have something to say… about Tiara.” With that, I and the two sisters stopped petting her. Marinette rubbed her face to calm down.

  I rolled up the picture, put it inside the magic circle, and Arianna hugged Marinette, letting her sit on her lap, her hands still tangled in yarn, the ball of yarn now much smaller.

  "Let me untangle it for you, Marinette," Luna smiled softly, gently unraveling each ball of yarn.

  "Well… Miss Tiara was here before, I invited her to try on some Gothic clothes, and then she just left." Hearing this, I sighed.

  "Marinette, you understand, you're quite bold," she said, wagging her tail slightly. Arianna gently stroked her head.

  Marinette took Arianna's hand and walked towards the small fashion magazine stand in the corner outside the room, a spot I had completely overlooked.

  "Teacher, you should read these two first," she said, handing me a magazine and a newspaper she'd taken from the stand.

  “Marinette can read newspapers now,” Arianna chuckled softly, her voice sweet.

  “I’m not that old yet,” Marinette settled back into Arianna’s arms.

  Luna and I shared the news, flipping to the front page of the magazine, which featured Tiara with her wavy golden hair neatly tied back. Her alluring profile was tilted upwards, her lips a sweet, vibrant red.

  Her eyes were half-closed, highlighting her sharp, elegant features. Her shoulders were exposed beneath the red dress, accentuating her fair skin and ruffled sleeves. Overall, she looked simple and modern – almost like something a diva would wear.

  『 Is this the kind of off-the-shoulder dress designed to attract attention? And the shoulder looks like she intentionally altered it, but why is only half her body visible? 』

  『 Something’s wrong. This outfit…it’s not Tiara at all, unless she’s posing to compensate. 』

  “Is there anything you need?” I glanced at Luna, who was silently reading through the newspaper.

  It was about a male and female figure skater who had just won a competition. I had heard about them a few times, especially the controversy surrounding the girl's past misreporting of her hometown.

  『 It’s good that she’s still able to compete. 』

  Several paintings that sold for a high price at the underground auction at Symphonica Realms were publicly burned. Some were said to be imbued with dark magic, and the most shocking news was… Waltzienstein had recaptured two of their seven districts.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  『 But something doesn't quite seem right about all of this, 』Luna continued reading, her face showing no surprise.

  『 It's true that after dealing with so much paperwork and official documents, news is just like words on paper, 』I chuckled to myself.

  "What are you thinking about, Celeste?" Luna suddenly asked.

  "Oh, it's just… I think you're too calm, you're too quiet while reading the newspaper," I said with a cheerful smile.

  "Good girl, Celeste," Luna gently patted my head.

  Everyone laughed together for a while, and the atmosphere in the shop became much more relaxed. I took a pen and summarized the information I had gathered. Luna flipped through a few pages, checking for additional details.

  "Teacher, please open the magazine to chapter four," I said, following Marinette's instructions.

  When I reached the required chapter, I was struck by the sheer volume of information on new fashion designs and accessories—bags, bracelets, lipsticks, and more—from various designers, along with the characteristic high prices of Symphonica Realms.

  But there were a few underlined lines, mostly accompanied by questions about Marinette's vague timeline.

  "What do you mean by 'not quite right,' Marinette? What are you trying to say?"

  "Teacher, I've seen those designs before... but the focus is something else."

  "How should I put it...?" Marinette paused, trying to find the right words.

  Luna continued marking information, while Arianna glanced down as if trying to see what the little cat in her arms was thinking. After a few minutes, Marinette's eyes lit up, wagging her tail excitedly.

  "We both know the competition is over, and according to you, why is that place in the magazine?"

  "While they were supposed to be sold that day, they're here instead."

  "Symphonica Realm… sigh, it's getting more and more lost." I sighed.

  The door outside the room creaked open, the doorbell jingling. I looked out and saw a tall, bewildered male customer. He had a youthful face, wearing a thin, long black suit, and carrying a red bag.

  "Is there something wrong with your attire? Don't worry, I'm the owner of this shop." Marinette immediately stepped out to greet him professionally.

  "Oh yes, you're quite perceptive, ma'am." He chuckled and took out his clothes: a thin shirt and a pair of long pants.

  “She reads the situation so quickly, Celeste is such a good teacher,” Arianna whispered.

  Marinette inspected each garment, turning them inside out, while he looked around. After a few minutes, she neatly folded them and placed them on the table. I silently observed them; the fabric was stretched and slightly wrinkled, and the zipper was broken.

  “Come pick them up tomorrow morning. Next time you need repairs, just come back; I’ll give you a discount,” Marinette said with a smile.

  “That’s great, I’ll get the money ready later,” he said with an embarrassed smile before leaving.

  Marinette waved goodbye. Once the customer was gone, she went into the room, sighed, and continued:

  “Could you please stop this fake customer act?”

  “It’s just repairs, you’ve got more customers already,” Arianna replied cheerfully.

  “Sister, this… is a trick to make customers check the shop, and the shop owner think they’ve got the order,” I whispered to Arianna.

  The sound of a pen clicking echoed, Luna had finished her work, calmly looking back at the newspaper clearly marked with blue ink, most of the minor details omitted. Luna immediately became serious, and everyone instantly fell silent to listen.

  “Getting straight to the point, Queen Basilika’s mother has withdrawn her troops from two districts of Waltzienstein…”

  “…Because the chances of retaking them are zero, this is related to what happened at the Sea Prison…” She paused, as if to let everyone catch up.

  “…It’s preparation to merge the two places into one, possibly intending to wage an open world war.”

  She paused again, everyone listening attentively, and after a few short minutes, she continued:

  “As for Basilika, she’s inviting everyone in to share a piece of the Mare Star Palatium.”

  “Including you, Celeste, but… it’s too big a haul, we might lose the fish… or not be able to catch them all.” I nodded slightly in agreement.

  As soon as she finished speaking, Luna immediately pointed at me with a serious expression, leaving no room for joking. Arianna remained silent, listening intently, only the sound of Marinette pouring water into glasses could be heard in the corner of the room.

  “Celeste, we just need to solve the Scylla problem; we’ll see what happens next,” she said, and I readily agreed.

  “We should abandon the idea of ??signing a peace treaty altogether, otherwise, everyone here will leave.”

  “That plan was originally Queen Selena’s,” I said softly. Luna didn’t reply, only nodded silently.

  The clock continued to tick steadily. Marinette brought out a tray with four small cups of water, handing them to everyone for a short break.

  “Cats don’t drink tea, so I’ll just offer everyone this simple,” Marinette replied cheerfully. I patted her head.

  “Thank you so much, Marinette,” Arianna and I said together.

  “No need for tea, your thoughtfulness is enough, Marinette,” Luna added.

  The cool water flowed into my mouth, and my body felt instantly healed. I glanced at the clock; it was already the busiest hour of the afternoon. Suddenly, I noticed how quiet Marinette's shop was, so different from most other shops.

  "Oh, right, Marinette, this used to be your house, didn't it? How did you get it back?"

  I looked around at the interior—spacious, simple, airy, clean, and pleasant, with large windows. The kitchen was covered in colorful decorative paper, and a wooden staircase was placed near the entrance.

  "I negotiated with the previous landlord to get it back. They live on the left corner now."

  "A middle-aged couple, they're regular customers of the shop now."

  "They come here occasionally to chat, and I help them with a few errands." Marinette explained, wagging her tail happily.

  Marinette smiled slightly. I patted her head proudly, and she beamed. Arianna giggled mischievously, poking Marinette's rosy cheek.

  “I’m not one of those Chartreux cats.” Seeing Marinette's annoyed, pouting face, everyone burst out laughing.

  “Okay, okay, I just wanted to tease you,” Arianna said, laughing and coaxing her.

  Laughter filled the room. I neatly put away the magazine and the glass of water I had drunk from. Luna tidied up the newspaper on the table. I put the picture back inside the magic circle, and the two sisters also stood up.

  “We have to go now, Marinette, stay home and be good,” the three of us happily said goodbye to her.

  “Yes, please be careful on your way,” Marinette adjusted her dress and bowed slightly in farewell.

  The small bell on the door rang cheerfully again. Stepping outside, the bustling sounds of the street immediately flooded in, not too noisy, but still overwhelming.

  “According to the plan, we need Twilight. Arianna will go with Celeste to meet Atlan Tissa,” Luna planned.

  “I guess Scylla is down at the Shipwreck Market; that’s a good place to hide.”

  “Yes, we understand,” Arianna and I replied simultaneously.

  Walking down the street, a short while later, we were surprised to hear about Velvet’s situation and arrive at Charlotte’s guesthouse.

  “I’d like to see the guesthouse owner in the reception room,” I told the receptionist.

  “Yes, I’ll let you know.”

  A while later, the reception room was only occupied by occasional guests, some discussing business. After hearing the whole plan, Charlotte was enjoying herself, looking even happier than before.

  “It’s rare that we all get together in one place, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Charlotte said cheerfully.

  『 It was just a few years ago, this girl, 』Luna replied with a weary look.

  "This plan is interesting, but you two can't act on your own," the girl said with a mischievous smile to Luna and Arianna.

  『 This girl is something else. Mother has been gone for so long, 』Luna thought to herself.

  Luna sighed wearily, while Arianna cheerfully replied,

  "We know, but we think this is a good time to meet."

  "But, shouldn't a target underwater be handled discreetly?" Charlotte asked casually.

  The question was so obvious that Luna's arguments crumbled in an instant, like a gust of wind.

  “We’re just being cautious, better safe than sorry.”

  “Besides, we need to check out the black market too,” Luna added.

  “Don’t add feathers to a broken eggshell, sister,” Charlotte replied.

  Charlotte continued to enjoy herself, and in an instant, her eyes lit up like the sun; her quick thinking still surprised me.

  “Let’s break it down even further and do it slowly. The target is Scylla, so let’s get rid of her first.”

  “Then, sneak her back safely, and then I’ll go to the black market and ask around as if I’m new here.”

  “Attacking first and asking later, a classic plan, and very typical of you,” Luna replied.

  Everyone stood up, without another word of discussion, and I and the others adjusted our chairs back to their original positions. Charlotte cheerfully approached a nearby male employee and said,

  “If anyone asks, tell them I’m out on business and schedule an appointment for this evening.”

  “Yes, ma’am, please be careful,” the male employee replied with a polite bow.

  The group happily left the guesthouse, strolling along the road towards the sea. Charlotte's face lit up with joy, her smile as bright as the sun.

  Looking back, it had been quite a while since we'd been this close. The afternoon sun, both gentle and magnificent, illuminated the streets.

  "Oh, by the way, Flare said she once tried to burn down your house in an accident. Tell us about it," I said to Charlotte.

  "Huh… she told you?" Charlotte was slightly startled.

  "Well… Flare was sleeping by the fireplace, her dragon tail was in the fireplace warming it, and it was already dark…" Charlotte said, laughing awkwardly.

  Charlotte deliberately quickened her pace. A sigh escaped my lips; it seemed the truth would remain hidden forever. Arianna was still laughing, and Luna had run after us – how nostalgic.

  “This morning, when I got to the beach, I met a very cute little girl named Claire Joseph,” I chatted with Arianna.

  “She’s very cheerful and loves surprises. It’s a shame, I was planning to stop by.”

  “But I accidentally teased Charlotte on the way back, so I didn’t get to meet her,” I said with a wry smile.

  Arianna and I chatted happily, ignoring Luna who was busy with Charlotte.

  The salty sea breeze gently brushed against my shoulders, the scent was so pleasant. In the distance, a small flower garden lined the golden sand and the waves lapped cheerfully.

  “Oh, by the way, Celeste, Aurora Rias is with me,” Arianna said softly.

  “She hasn’t been with any Starships lately, has she?” I asked. Arianna shook her head gently. A hint of sadness flickered across her cheerful face.

  Aurora Rias, my fellow astronomy student, the youngest Shipwright of the Argo Mothership Fleet. It's been quite a while since I last saw her, and I feel a little nostalgic.

  “She said that the Seven Realms escaped an event even bigger than the one at our base.”

  “A governor has sailed his gunboat here, for reasons unknown.”

  “But the plan failed, and he’s now wanted throughout the galaxy.”

  At this point, I suddenly realized that from the war that day, the sky cracking in the distance, to Aurora’s report, why did they always choose this place? It all pointed to one thing…

  “Sister, I know why now. It’s all because of Cassiopeia, because of that Queen.” I looked up at the high sky.

  “I think I’ve guessed the leader of the Church group, it’s the constellation Cepheus.”

  “Queen Cassiopeia, King Cepheus, Princess Andromeda…” Arianna murmured softly.

  A faint smile flickered across her thin, red lips, her face brightening. From afar, Charlotte’s voice called out; Luna seemed to have stopped chasing her.

  “We’re coming right away,” I shouted back, grabbing Arianna’s hand and hurrying towards the sea.