The Kingdom of Aurora.
After escorting the woman safely back to her home, Ficky and Aya stood before the King and Queen to deliver their report. The truth they received in return made both their eyes widen—first with hope, then with shock.
"Is what you're saying true?"
"Indeed it is," King Gorgeous VIII nodded.
Earlier, they had obtained several coins that held no monetary value in this world. Both sides were engraved with the image of a centipede, and the metal itself shimmered with a golden hue.
"Those five coins can be used to return to your original world," the Queen explained with a gentle smile.
A few servants approached to attend to them, but the King raised a hand, dismissing them so they wouldn't be interrupted.
"That's it? Great! Let's go home!" Aya shouted, her excitement overflowing.
"However," the King added, "five coins will not be enough."
The duo froze instantly.
"Why not?"
"The answer is simple. Those coins represent your 'luck' or 'fortune.' Think of it like making a wish while tossing a coin into a fountain."
"What is this, a shrine?" Ficky grumbled, looking away. He clearly wasn't buying the explanation.
"Hardly. The coins are the fuel for the displacement magic that will send you back. That is why five isn't enough. If you use only five, then—"
The Queen's explanation cut off abruptly as her husband gripped her hand and shook his head. He seemed to think there was no use in revealing the darker details. The Queen hesitated, her brow furrowing as she looked away.
"What is it? Why the sudden silence?" Ficky demanded. He felt like he was being played.
"Just explain it. We don't care about the risks," Aya added, her voice steady and serious.
"To put it bluntly," King Gorgeous sighed, "five coins will only take you to another world. Your fortune would be so low that you'd likely plummet straight into Hell."
SLAM!
The chamber doors flew open with a loud bang. A young man, looking slightly younger than Aya, stormed in with an expression of pure annoyance.
"Father! Mother! Why didn't you join—!"
The prince was completely oblivious to the gravity of the meeting. The King slapped his own forehead while the Queen let out a weary sigh.
"Ah... am I interrupting something?"
"You're always interrupting! Get out!" the King bellowed, and the prince scrambled away.
"Forgive my son. He's always been like this. No etiquette whatsoever. Hah, what a pain," the King muttered.
"No... it's fine," Aya replied. She felt lucky she hadn't been forced into a marriage with someone like him. He hardly seemed like royalty at all.
"Setting that aside, Your Majesties," Ficky said, returning to the matter at hand. "We want to go home as soon as possible. Fortune or not, can you explain the details clearly?"
"Very well." The King steeled himself to explain the mechanics of world-walking.
"There are two ways to return. The first is with the coins. This way is safe, but it takes time, and your destination is determined by the number of coins you collect." He gestured to the pieces in Ficky's palm.
"The second way is to draw a magic circle yourself. This requires a specific Grimoire. But the cost is your life—you would perish the moment you arrived in your world."
There was no safer way than the coins. It was a long road, and a lack of luck could land them in Hell or another nightmare realm.
"I don't get it," Aya grumbled. "Why are the rules of other worlds so confusing? And 'falling into Hell'? Isn't that just the afterlife?"
"Relax. You have a top-tier bodyguard here. You can count on me. Collecting coins sounds easy enough."
"No, it won't be easy," the Queen countered. "You don't get these coins just by slaying monsters at altars. They are forged from the hopes of others."
"So, granting wishes gives us coins? Is that what you mean?" Ficky asked.
"Precisely. Someone managed to do it hundreds of years ago, but there are no guarantees today," the King admitted.
The rulers of Aurora were clear: the coins were a life insurance policy. In a world that didn't forbid lethal displacement magic, hope was their only currency. As they listened, a chilling thought struck both Aya and Ficky.
I'm thinking of that hooded figure, Aya thought. Did they use that lethal displacement magic? Does that mean they're dead now?
Ficky's train of thought mirrored hers exactly. They both wondered about the person who had used such large-scale magic to target Aya—the group of assassins from her own world.
"Hey," Ficky said, glancing at Aya with a cynical glint in his eye. "If they were willing to use magic like that, does that mean their goal was something massive?"
Aya flinched. She wasn't used to such sharp scrutiny. "I don't know why they're after me. I'm just a... fox-child or whatever. I've never caused trouble or done anything wrong."
She felt the need to defend herself, hating the idea that all of this was her fault.
"I'm not blaming you. I'm just asking—do you really have no idea who they are?"
"I told you, I don't know! I only found out what I am today!" Aya snapped, clutching her sprained wrist.
The atmosphere turned awkward, but the Queen broke the tension by stepping forward and patting Aya's shoulder.
"There's no time for bickering. You want to go home, don't you? Then move quickly."
"Right," the King added. "Collect at least 75 coins. It doesn't matter if they are all the same, but the quantity will dictate your luck."
It sounded simple, but they both knew it was incredibly complex. They weren't going home anytime soon.
"Don't waste this chance. Even the King and Queen came to see us off," Ficky said, ushering Aya out of the room.
"Don't go off on your own," Aya muttered.
"And that 'granting wishes' thing... it makes us sound like gods or something."
"Granting wishes? That sounds more like the era of heroes and priests," Ficky remarked.
"I've never heard of any heroes," Aya sighed. "They must be myths."