They were adorable, kind, and lively, seemingly no different from ordinary girls. When speaking to common folk like them, there was no hint of condescension.
Were they simply too young, not yet tainted by their hero status? Or did such individuals truly exist among the heroes?
Mrs. Josephine wasn’t sure. All she knew was that Celia and the others made her feel incredibly comfortable, as endearing as Alisa had been in her youth.
After chatting for a while, Alisa began playing small games with them. It was then that the doorbell chimed once more from the entrance.
Ding-dong—
“I’ll get it!”
Alisa was the first to rise, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
With light, eager steps, she hurried to the door and carefully pushed it open.
Just as she had expected, standing outside was a silver-haired beauty, gracefully holding a patterned umbrella.
Delicate fingers clasped the umbrella’s handle, while the dim night accentuated the woman’s remarkably fair complexion. When she offered a faint smile, Alisa felt her heart utterly captivated, leaving her in a daze.
The only minor flaw was the rain, which had dampened the very bottom of the beauty’s skirt, adding a touch of disarray to her otherwise perfect appearance.
“Lena, store manager!”
Recovering from her stupor, Alisa was overcome with delight.
“Happy birthday, Alisa.”
Lena extended the birthday gift to Alisa, then spoke with a touch of apology, “I’m sorry, I’ve arrived a bit too late.”
After that man took his own life, she had waited for Sharlene. Only after learning Sharlene knew nothing about him did she go to buy the birthday present, which consumed a significant amount of time on the way.
She had messaged Alisa after buying the gift, but received no reply. At the time, she felt quite anxious, fearing Alisa might be angry and ignore her.
Now, it seemed Alisa simply hadn’t checked her communicator since then.
“It’s not late at all! Our party is still going strong, please come in quickly.”
Alisa immediately stepped forward, linking her arm through Lena’s and leading her into the living room. Lena, for her part, lowered her patterned umbrella and allowed herself to be pulled along.
The moment she entered the living room, Lena spotted Celia and the other two. Seeing them all unharmed, she finally breathed a complete sigh of relief.
Celia and her companions reacted similarly to Lena. Even Isha, who had been engrossed in her cake, looked up to observe her. Only after confirming Lena was completely unscathed did she resume eating.
Alisa hummed softly, then, still linked with Lena, introduced her to her mother. “Mom, let me introduce you to Ms. Lena, the manager of the Witch’s Flower Shop!”
Mrs. Josephine and Lena exchanged glances. Then, with a warm smile, Mrs. Josephine approached her, gently pulling her to sit on the sofa.
“Manager Lena, Alisa is still so young; I imagine she’s caused you quite a bit of trouble, hasn’t she?”
“Mom!”
Hearing this, Alisa pouted, clearly displeased.
‘Always “causing trouble”! Do I look like the kind of person who causes trouble?!’
Lena, sensing Alisa’s thoughts, smiled and replied to Mrs. Josephine, “Oh, not at all! Alisa is both diligent and sensible. If she weren’t at the shop, I’d be quite a bit more stressed.”
Indeed, she spoke only the truth. Even in Lena’s absence, the highly capable Alisa managed to keep the shop impeccably organized.
Yet, for a mother, there was nothing more joyful or pride-inducing than hearing praise for her child.
Mrs. Josephine beamed. Although she soon began recounting Alisa’s minor faults, the underlying pride in her words was undeniable.
Lena listened quietly, interjecting occasionally, while beside them, Alisa’s face had grown as dark as the bottom of a pot.
It felt as though her most embarrassing childhood stories were being recounted to a respected elder. She was utterly mortified.
During this time, Mrs. Josephine also inquired if Lena had any children, seemingly intending to praise them. However, Lena skillfully sidestepped the question.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Alisa crossed her arms, a proud expression on her face, and declared to her mother, “Hmph, Mom, everything I said was true, wasn’t it?”
Lena, the store manager, would come, and so would the three heroes.
Her mother hadn’t believed her at first, but now that the evidence was undeniable, she had no choice but to accept it!
Mrs. Josephine chuckled softly, pulling Alisa onto the sofa and gently ruffling her hair.
“Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong. Alisa has grown up, she even knows heroes now. She’s far more accomplished than your father and I ever were.”
“If only your father were still here. Seeing Alisa’s growth, he’d regret ever looking down on you for not having magic…”
As she spoke, Mrs. Josephine’s thoughts drifted to Alisa’s father. Her eyes instantly welled up, and her voice trembled with a hint of a sob.
Alisa also remembered him. Sadly, he had passed away too soon, and her memories of him had gradually blurred over the years.
Yet, that did not diminish her love for him.
After a moment of silent contemplation, she quickly composed herself. Then, with a familiar lack of formality, she patted her mother’s back.
“Alright, it’s my birthday today! Let’s be happy, and we have guests!”
Mrs. Josephine nodded, rubbing her eyes and regaining her composure. Seeing this, Lena recalled something. “Oh, Alisa, someone asked me to bring you a birthday gift.”
Retrieving the jewelry box she had prepared, she handed it to Alisa.
Taking the jewelry box, Alisa looked puzzled. “Who is it from?”
With a mysterious smile, Lena softly uttered, “Dorothy.”
At the mention of that name, Alisa wasn’t the only one who froze. Even Celia and the others, seated nearby, turned their gazes toward them.
Hearing the name “Dorothy” from Lena’s lips, Celia and her two companions found their minds momentarily struggling to process it.
“Go on, open it.”
Seeing Alisa still lost in thought, Lena prompted her again.
“Mm.”
Alisa took a deep breath, dispelling the silvery figure that had appeared in her mind, then opened the jewelry box.
Inside lay a necklace, shimmering with silver light, from which a dazzling gem hung suspended. It clearly commanded a high price.
Slowly, she lifted it out. The cool, pleasant touch instantly made Alisa reluctant to let go.
However, she dared not play with it carelessly. The necklace appeared incredibly valuable; even a slight bump could mean losing several months of her salary.
Yet, Lena’s next words nearly caused her to drop the necklace she held.
“It’s an enchanted necklace. If you wear it around your neck, you can briefly control magic.”
‘Had she misheard?’
‘Control magic?!’
Her eyes widened. For the first time, she felt the necklace in her hand weigh incredibly heavy. Beside her, Mrs. Josephine’s expression mirrored her own astonishment.
The ability to control magic was a dream countless ordinary people pursued their entire lives, yet never achieved.
Even the briefest control over magic would draw innumerable aspirants.
‘Dorothy, of all people, had actually given her something so incredibly precious?’
‘They had only met once, after all…’
Cupping the necklace to her chest, Alisa’s joyful smile became impossible to conceal.