Dawn of the Pointed Hat: Kifree and Olugio's First Night - The Misty Atelier and the Trembling Confession

*Pop.* That stupid sound echoed through the atelier again. "Ugh... I messed up again..." The girl with deep purple hair tied loosely let her shoulders slump. On the workbench, a beaker lay on its side, belching dark smoke. This was the old town of Orbis, the central island. A small atelier tucked into a corner of the cluttered Craftsmen's Alley. The walls were plastered with countless scribbled notes left behind by her late master. The shelves were packed tight with about three hundred kinds of ingredient jars. Above the fireplace, a strange blue crystal was displayed. It was the end result of a spectacularly failed magic potion she'd made with her childhood friend Orugio about ten years ago. It sparkled and glittered prettily, so she couldn't bring herself to throw it away. Through the window, the thin mist that was practically a landmark of this city was visible. "Sigh... I guess I really don't have any talent after all..." Keefree sighed and stared at her hands. On her left wrist, a faint silver bruise-like mark floated to the surface. She was an "Apprentice Grand Sorceress." A title granted to incredible people who have mastered the magic of this world, Azurite—the art of Mist Arts. It was a technique for manipulating the "mist essence" contained in the moisture in the air to cause various phenomena. But using it for too long lowered your body temperature, so everyone practiced while shivering violently. Except, Keefree's situation was a little different. Because she supposedly had legendary aptitude, her late master had forcibly appointed her to the position. Still only nineteen. The one and only Apprentice Grand Sorceress in the world. But Keefree thought to herself. *(How could someone as clumsy as me possibly...)* The expectations of those around her clung to her like the mist itself, and it was painful. "Keefree, you home?" Suddenly, a cheerful voice came from outside the door. There was a *clatter*, and a tall woman peeked her face in. Her smooth, light-blue semi-long hair was mixed with streaks of silvery white here and there. Her long, narrow golden eyes scanned the shop interior, brimming with curiosity. "Eruna!" Keefree's face instantly brightened. "Messed up again?" Eruna looked at the disaster on the workbench and laughed, exasperated. She seemed to have just returned from the harbor; there was a faint scent of sea breeze about her. She was a "Mist Lighthouse Keeper" who guarded the lighthouse on Mercurius Island. She used Mist Arts to light a special light that served as a beacon for ships. "I just... messed up the temperature control a little..." "That's not 'a little,' that's for sure. Well, you look well, so that's good." Eruna stretched out her long arms as she removed her gloves. On those arms were pale silver marks, like trailing mist. Mist-folk half-breed—the sign of a hybrid between a human and this world's native "Mist People." Eruna was strong against the mist and lived longer than ordinary people. "So, what brings you here today?" "Just stopped by the harbor on my way. Came to see your face, Keefree." Eruna shrugged lightly, picking up a potion bottle from the shelf and glancing at the notes on the wall. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she spoke. "Come to think of it, there've been more strange ships at the harbor lately." "Strange ships?" "Ever heard of the Mistheart Society?" Keefree tilted her head. "The Mistheart Society... I think I've heard rumors that they're an organization of bad people..." "That's right. Apparently, they're searching for a forbidden magic tome. I don't know their goal, but it's nothing good." Eruna's golden eyes grew a little serious. But she immediately relaxed her expression. "Well, it probably doesn't have anything to do with you, Keefree. Anyway, I'm off. Got work to do." "Okay. Thanks, Eruna." Eruna waved her hand lightly and left. When the door closed, the atelier suddenly fell silent. Keefree stared at the door for a while. Eruna always shared all sorts of information with her. And she would come to help immediately if anything happened. Four years older, she was like a much older sister to her. After that, Keefree pulled herself together and started cleaning up. She washed the beaker and tidied up the scattered ingredients. As she was doing that, the mist outside the window gradually grew thicker. The twilight dimly illuminated the cobblestones of the old town. Then, there was another knock at the door. This time, it was a gentle sound. "Keefree, are you there?" Deep in her chest, her heart gave a *thump*. "Orugio...!" Keefree threw down her cleaning tools and ran to the door. When she opened it, the first thing she saw was his soft-looking, wavy silver hair. Then, his clear, light-blue eyes. In his hand, a silver staff forged with mist crystal into pure silver—it glowed faintly, reacting to its owner's magical power. Orugio. Her childhood friend, and a skilled Mist Arts practitioner. It was almost unbelievable that he was already at the "Expert" rank at just eighteen. "Another failure?" Orugio looked at the sorry state of the atelier and chuckled softly. "Y-yeah. Just a little one." Keefree felt her face grow hot. It was always like this when Orugio saw her. Honestly, she wanted to show him her cool side. "Want some help? You were going to try a new concoction today, right?" Orugio lit the lantern and stood in front of the workbench with practiced ease. Then, the two of them silently began their work. Grinding ingredients, carefully measuring out the mist crystal powder. Checking the procedure now and then, mixing them one by one. The lantern light illuminated Orugio's pale profile. His silver staff was propped up nearby, glowing faintly. Today, for sure, I'll say it. She'd been thinking it forever. For years and years now. But it would rise to her throat, and she'd swallow it back down again. *(What if he thinks it's creepy?)* *(What if it ruins the relationship we have now?)* *(And besides, someone like me could never be good enough for Orugio...)* As Keefree's hands moved, her head was filled with nothing but those thoughts. "...Keefree? Your hands have stopped." Startled, she looked up to see Orugio watching her with concern. "S-sorry! I was just thinking about something..." Keefree hurriedly reached for a reagent bottle. At that moment. Both of their hands reached for the same bottle, and touched. Their fingertips overlapped. It was as if time had stopped. Keefree's heart pounded furiously, like it might break. Her face flushed burning hot, and her whole body felt like it might start trembling. She had to pull away. But she couldn't. "Keefree...?" Orugio gently squeezed her hand back. That warmth made her mind go completely blank. It was no use anymore. She couldn't hide it. "I've always... always, Orugio... I've loved you so much..." Her voice trembled; she couldn't speak properly. "I wanted to tell you, but I was scared, and I couldn't say it all this time... But I can't hide it anymore. I love you. I love you so much." Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring Orugio's face. A moment of silence. Then, after that. "...Me too." Orugio's voice was trembling too. "I've wanted to say it all this time, too. I've always loved you, Keefree." His ears were bright red. His light-blue eyes were glistening, yet they were looking right at Keefree. The two of them, awkwardly, still holding hands, stared at each other as if in a daze. The lantern light flickered and swayed. The atelier was quiet, and warm. And finally, Keefree was able to smile. "I said it..." "Yeah. Finally." Both of them were on the verge of tears, yet laughing—it was funny. Outside the window, the mist was growing thicker and thicker. That same night. Just outside the atelier. In the cobblestone alley, there were two shadows. A man and a woman, hooded deeply, looked up at the building from within the mist. "It's around here. The mist essence is strangely clear." The man whispered lowly. "Yes. There's no mistake. So this is the purification ability... the rumored 'Key.'" The woman's voice was cold, devoid of warmth. "The Apprentice Grand Sorceress is inside. The Six Mist Generals desire her." "Capturing her would be easy. But we need to watch for the right moment. The brat with the silver staff is with her, after all." The woman shook her head slightly. Red lips peeked out from under her hood. "Haste makes waste. First, we report. Keep an eye on their movements." The man nodded. The two of them vanished back into the mist. As if no one had ever been there from the start. Only the light inside the window continued to sway gently.

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Episode 1

Name: Dawn of the Pointed Hat: Kifree and Olugio's First Night
Author: Novelia

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