Now that she finally had some free time, Aurora wasn’t quite sure where to go. She ended up visiting the largest mall in Ravenshore, just to walk around for a bit. It had been so long–she didn’t even know what kinds of things were still sold there. Might as well take the chance to look around.

Aurora wandered through store after store on her own, not even sure what she was looking for. For a brief moment, it felt like she’d stepped back into her childhood. No one could see her anyway, so no matter how she acted, it wouldn’t affect anything. Besides, if she didn’t take this chance to enjoy the mall now, who knew if she’d ever have the opportunity again? Once she came to terms with that, her steps grew lighter, more carefree.

Everyone bustled past her, busy with their own lives, and that made her feel unexpectedly grounded. Even though no one could see her, that very fact gave her a sense of freedom. It allowed her to fully experience the moment without any obstacles. Thinking that way made her even more cheerful. For the first time, she felt grateful to the heavens. Just being able to come back like this, even in such an unusual form, was already a gift. She didn’t need anything more than that–there was no point in asking for too much. She’d already seen so much of this world, and that alone was extraordinary. She also felt like she’d finally seen the real side of Tessa, and that clarity made her feel better than before. After all, from young Aurora’s perspective, Tessa had never been a saint, but she hadn’t seemed entirely malicious either.

Aurora never would’ve imagined that her own sister could be this cruel toward her. Besides, something like this had never happened before. So how could Aurora not be shocked? She’d just been thinking about Tessa when, suddenly, she spotted her walking out, arms linked with a little girl and a middle-aged man. At first glance, they looked like a happy little family. But when Aurora took a closer look, she realized something was off. Where exactly was that old man’s hand going? It looked like the arm around Tessa was sliding lower and lower. Narrowing her eyes, Aurora tried to get a clearer view of what was happening. A moment later, she smacked her own forehead. She always forgot–no one here could see her. Even if she stood right in front of a mirror, it wouldn’t reflect her.

With that in mind, she strolled boldly up to the trio. But the moment she got a good look at the little girl, her heart gave a jolt. Wasn’t she the same one who’d lost a watch when they were kids? Emma, wasn’t it? Just the thought of her made Aurora’s expression twist. What a small world. Back then, she’d been wrongly accused over a lost watch by this very girl. Now, Emma might’ve looked sweet and refined, but Aurora couldn’t forget. That incident had left a splinter deep in her heart. Ever since then, she’d avoided wearing watches altogether. And Emma had been a big reason why.

Now… Aurora’s eyes shifted to Tessa, who was laughing brightly beside them. So, her beloved sister had been involved in it too. What did that make her, then? Just one big joke.