“Hmmm.” Hanging limp in her sister’s arms while she walked, Mia grumbled, she wanted to save her money not waste it on a useless test. It was made all the worse that the test was useless, only proving she had no healing ability.

“Relax Mia, it’s ok-“ Ria adjusted her hold on Mia, patting her on the head “If you can’t buy what you want today, you just need to save up.” She chuckled “I’m sure between the two of us, we can rake it in!” her chuckle turned a bit more devious, imagining all the potential money the two would get.

“Hah…sure.” She was happy Ria didn’t seem to be affected but had a good guess as to why. Finding out you had magic when you were told your whole life you didn’t… or maybe it was because it wasn’t her money that they were forced to spend.

Mia had debated loading to save the cash, but she didn’t want to dampen her sister’s mood and she really didn’t want to deal with Mike with that meeting to get paid again as it would just lead right back to here. ‘Would also be hard to explain to Ria about her fire… why did they lie to her in the first place?’

She tried to remember anything about that, searching for a reason but came up short, she couldn’t believe their words at face value anyways… maybe because it was low? Something about that sounded familiar but she wondered how they could tell without that device.

“We are here!” Ria bounced up the last step, arriving at the markets and swiftly going over to a directory, a large board hung up off to the side of the stairs “Let’s see… skill orbs, skill orbs…”

“There.” Mia, brought out of her thoughts, pointed at one of the names “Skilled’Gach’A’Million…?” she read the name aloud.

“Eeeh?” Ria took a good look at the name “Sounds fishy.” The two sisters looked over the long list of shop names again, trying to find an alternative.

“Only one with skill.” Mia said, the pointed out smaller text printed under the shops name “Says skill orb shop.”

Ria squinted her eyes “So it does…” she then checked the shops listed next to it, noting they all shared the smaller, descriptive text “…If they try and scam us, we are checking elsewhere.” Ria said, giving her sister a pat on the head.

“Hmn, got it.” She then saved over slot 2, not wanting to waste time when they had already spent so much already on affinity testing.

[?!]

“…?” Mia felt a pang from Ami, but she could remain disabled after that lecture “Going?” she asked, patting her sister’s arms.

Ria nodded “Yeah…hope fully it is not too bad…” She sighed, spinning around to face the onslaught of people moving about their day “Don’t get lost.” Ria said, gripping Mia close to herself.

‘How could I, you still refuse to let me go.’ Mia muttered a rebuttal in her mind.

“Suspicious.”

“Super suspicious.”

The two arrived at the store front, standing outside and staring inside the store. The entire entrance was decorated with balloons, flashing lights, and a large multicolored glowing sign with the store’s name on it. The whole thing was extremely out of place compared to the other shops, while others were more professional and looked like they belonged, this singular shop looked liked it belonged in a festival, something the likes of the two had never seen before.

“The inside is…” Ria said before the two peered inside, immediately becoming confused. Beyond the entrance the store appeared professional, several metallic blocky tables laid out with people interacting with tablets embedded into them while in the back they spotted a singular large desk with people lined up, the only thing strange about the inside being the walls sharing the same festive atmosphere the outside did, decorated in a similar fashion.

“Watch it brats!” “Move!” “Stop standing in the doorway!”

A party of four shoved passed them, exiting the shop “Hey!” Ria shouted after them, but they had already vanished into the crowd “…rude” Ria stepped inside and moved out of the way “This place is crazy…”

“Hmn.” Mia looked around; she didn’t see any skill orbs “None here.” She watched the groups, heavily armed adventurers of all shapes and sizes from different races, all interact with the tables “What are those?”

“Dunno.” Ria walked up to a free space at a shorter table, the group next to them briefly eyeing them before paying them no mind “this is, here.” Ria held Mia forward, allowing her to see.

The tablet was blank but seeing everyone tap at it she did the same, briefly surprised when it lit up “Oh, like the guild desk.”

“Let me see!” Ria pushed up next to her “Huh, we can buy, sell, auction house? and…gachapon?” the two looked at that option for a moment, exchanging glances before shrugging.

Mia reached forward and tapped the buy option, instantly she was presented with a long list of skills “this is-!” She scrolled through them excitedly, suddenly coming to a stop when Ria put her hand on the tablet, stopping the scrolling list.

“Dagger arts, 27 silver!” Ria shouted, tapping on the name made it enlarge, now showing it in the center and giving an option to buy “oooh- hey!”

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Mia backed out of it, returning to the list “Don’t need, easy to get.” She nodded to herself, continuing her search “will teach.”

“Oh really?” Ria narrowed her eyes, leaning up against the table after releasing Mia “And what if I wanted to buy it?”

“Can afford?” Mia glanced at her.

“…I’ll pay you back?”

“Then no.” Mia huffed she stopped scrolling, finally finding what she was looking for “Besides, already owe me for this.” She tapped on the screen, enlarging the selected fire magic skill orb ‘1 gold and 11 silver…’ it wasn’t cheap, but she had enough for two. She reached out to select the buy when she paused just short of hitting it.

She took a step back ‘couldn’t I…’ she saved to slot 2, now that this was confirmed to be a skill orb slot that was no longer needed. she then returned her attention to the tablet, hitting buy. The desk made a clanging sound, and a slot below the machine opened, reading the tablet made what this was obvious, as it asked to deposit coins.

[…]

She took the required coins into the slot, getting shocked when the tablet played a little jingle.

“W-what was that? Mia did you break it?!” Ria, startled by the fanfare, shouted. Getting another surprise when the slot closed and another, larger slot opened “You did, didn’t you?”

Mia looked at her, raising an eyebrow “No I-“ she stopped, hearing a clattering sound as a familiar orb plopped down into the slot with a sharp clink “Ah-haha~” with the widest smile she could manage Mia grabbed the orb “Easier, but expensive.” She nodded, rubbing the orb’s surface.

“So that’s a skill orb?” Ria got close, her eyes sparkling “and that one is for… me?” Ria smiled, she started to giggle but stopped, Mia shoving her hand into her face.

“No, next one.” Mia absorbed the skill orb, and ignoring the protests and pouting of her sister she checked her status, smiling once she saw it.

[Skill: Fire Beginner, LVL 1: The flames of fire at your beck and call. Fire now bends to your will, albeit lightly. Be careful not to be burned by its rebellious spirit, novice. ]

“Heh.” Mia raised a finger, concentrating and willing a small, blue flame at her fingertips “blue?” She figured it would be red like normal, was this the stain caused by her title?

“No fair!” Ria shouted, but then paused her protest “Why is it blue?” she then leaned closer, raising her hand above it, quickly pulling back “It’s cold?”

Mia sighed “Title is making it ice… fire? Icey fire.” She’d need to test it out somewhere to see just how bad it was, but for now she could tell, it was a lot easier to control than her water magic was, easily making the small flame dance between her fingertips “Power of affinity.” She nodded to herself, convinced.

“HEY YOU BRAT!” A loud masculine voice resounded in the shop, coming from the front desk “NO TESTING OUT YOUR FU-“

[Slot 2 loaded.]

Now back before she bought the orb, she glanced at the front desk, seeing a man with large hairy arms watching over the shop. His eyes fell onto her, he smiled and gave a small wave before going back to monitoring the shop ‘noted, don’t make him mad.’

‘Now for my plan.’ She smirked, checking her status and forced herself not to laugh, she still had fire magic. Now she just had to- wait. She glanced at Ria, wondering just what had her distracted the first time. Seeing her sister was staring off into the distance, she followed her gaze towards another group, the group of three were excitedly screaming over the tablet, easily the loudest voices in the shop, as multiple skill orbs poured out from table.

Mia initially questioned this, but shrugged, she could now buy as many skill orbs as she wanted ‘soon that will be us.’ She chuckled, tapping buy and going to slot the coins.

‘Hm?’

She checked her item box again ‘did I miscount?’ holding back her panic, she emptied her cash on top the table and counted it “1 gold and 11 silver short?” did she not remember the count correctly? No, she counted when she received payment, did someone steal it? Was that even possible? She glanced around, everyone was now celebrating at the table with all the skill orbs on the floor “No…”

It was then she got an announcement, a voice ringing in her head.

Mia punched the table, she could somewhat accept being flung around into danger, she could accept having to negotiate with others to change someone’s fate, even if that one was technically a misunderstanding. hell, she could even accept someone getting mad she reset time a bunch of times in quick succession, but this?

She didn’t even technically steal it! It was right there! But she still had to pay for it?! What if she bought it and went all the way back to slot one? Does she just start with negative money?!

Clutching her bruised hand, her eyes snapped back to the celebrating group, now gathering up the orbs that fell to the ground. “And what about this?!” She put her foot up against the table, pointing as much dex as she could without fainting, she kicked off the machine, with her legs aching she reached out, grabbing an orb.

“Mia!?”

“Who’s this brat?!” “Wait, seriously? For one of those?” “How desperate are you…”

“Woah now!”

With everyone’s eyes now on Mia, she found herself lifted by the man who was at the front desk, now suddenly right ontop of her. “Kid, don’t do anything stupid, did you just get here today? That is a gacha tra- really??? Are you dumb!”

Mia didn’t listen, absorbing the orb and quickly confirming the skill, [Chopsticks: 1] then loaded.

She was back at her table, and after confirming she had the skill, she checked her item box, seeing she also had all her money minus what she spent on the fire orb. “So, is that fine!?” She huffed, waiting for an announcement but never got one.

“Eh, what is fine?” Ria tore her eyes away from the screaming group but Mia ignored her.

Still receiving no announcement, Mia enabled Ami ‘you better not be still lecturing! What is going on with this justice thing?!’ Mia yelled angerly.

[…you saved when- no matter, Justice is…]

There was a pause, but Mia wasn’t having it ‘tell me.’ she demanded.

[Justice is just that, justice… by her own hypocritical morals, she will prevent you from using time to steal from proper businesses without compensation.]

Mia’s eyebrow twitched, she swung her hand around and pointed at the group, just starting to celebrate as orbs fell to the ground “And what about that?! She doesn’t care for that!?”

“Eh? Who doesn’t care, Mia are you ok? Do we need to go home? it’s ok if you can’t afford it?”

[They are not a proper business.]

“I-“Mia fell slack, why does that even matter?!

[She is hypocritical and has a book of unreasonable rules for you and your ilk, don’t mind it for now.]

“…” she looked around the room, stopping at the celebrating group before falling to the ground. Ignoring the worried shouting of Ria, Mia looked up towards the ceiling, her eyes immediately going wide. She had locked eyes with a face staring back at her, a young boy’s face, sticking out of the ceiling. She tried to speak, to question it, but her voice was caught in her throat, she couldn’t speak as the room fell silent.

[Soon.] Said the boy.

[Soon, we will meet.] Said the world.

The boy’s face retreated into the ceiling, sound fading back into existence, everyone moving as if nothing had happened.

Mia started coughing, gripping her throat as she struggled to breathe. Her head began to pound, and she was sweating bullets. “I am…” she fell limp, barely managing to load slot 2 to save herself from fainting.

Now with everything back to normal, she carefully looked up, sighing heavily in relief when it was pleasantly absent of faces. ‘Fine, if we are meeting soon. I have a lot of complaints.’ Mia stated defiantly, then purchased the fire skill orb for her sister.