[You have received Rank-A Character: Mira Springfoot - Blossom Reaper.]

  [You have received a duplicate. The character has been verted into a Memory Shard.]

  Memory Shard?

  The transparent figure shattered into pixel-like fragments, which floated in front of Ats before f into a card. He picked up the card and saicture of Mira holding a hoe in one hand and a carrot iher.

  "My Lord, what did you just get?"

  "Is that ao upgrade Mira?"

  "Yeah, it's like in a gacha game.”

  "What will happen to Mira?"

  Even Mira, now standing at the very front, g Ats with a puzzled expression.

  Ats ied the item again.

  [Mira Springfoot - Memory Shard]

  [Activate the card to access Mira’s past memories.]

  [Receive 320 Are Shards upon activating the card.]

  [Upgrade Mira to +1 after activating the Memory Shard.]

  Mira’s past memories?

  Ats paused for a moment.

  "Jackpot, tell me precisely what will happen if I activate this card?"

  [Host, it’s simple. You’ll be transported into Mira’s memories, which are embedded within the card.]

  "How does that work?"

  [It’s like you’ll fall asleep temporarily. Think of it as a dream, but vivid and crystal clear.]

  "So, you’re saying I’ll actually fall asleep if I activate this card?"

  [Yes.]

  Ats hen turo address everyone.

  "Alright, this card will upgrade Mira, but who knows what else might happen. My system says I’ll o sleep for now," he expined with a grin.

  "Sleep? Why sleep, My Lord?"

  "Yeah, we’re curious about what’s going to happen."

  “Well, I’ll tell you more tomorrow,” Ats said, signaling the end of the evening.

  "I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mira," he added with a reassuring smile.

  With that, he dismissed the group and headed toward his room.

  Onside, Ats activated the card. For a moment, nothing happened, leaving him puzzled. He g the card, then decided to lie down and close his eyes. Almost immediately, his sciousness was drawn away, as if carried into another world.

  When he opened his eyes again, he squinted against the sudden brightness. The light was gring, as if it were m. He could hear the murmur of people talking. Blinking to adjust to the ge, Ats found himself inside a small house with white walls and matg furniture.

  The voices of an adult man and woman chatting drifted from the dire of the living room. Meanwhile, Ats found himself standing in peared to be the kit. He gnced down at his hands and torso, realizing his body was translut.

  Of course—this was just Mira’s memory.

  He sed his surroundings and his gaze nded on...

  A bunny girl?

  From his position, he could only see her back, but it was clear the girl had a pair of rabbit ears perched on her head. She was a beastkin rabbit, appearing to be around 12 or 13 years old. Her outfit was , resembling a school uniform—a short red skirt and a navy-blue bzer.

  Ats stepped closer, the girl. She reparing a lunch box filled with an assortment of carrot-themed creations.

  His brows furrowed in disbelief.

  This girl... Is she Mira?

  From her face, there was no doubt—it was Mira. Yet this version of her was wearing gsses? And where was the cheerful, pyful expression she always had?

  This Mira looked pletely different. Her face was serious, her demeanor quiet, and focused as she sliced the carrots.

  A short while ter, young Mira joihe dining table, where two adults—her father and mother—were seated. Let’s call them Dad Mira and Mom Mira.

  Dad Mira was engrossed in reading something on his tablet, using a spoon to eat absentmindedly.

  “Ah, damn it!” Dad Mira suddenly smmed the table. “This idiot! Ruining my m already!”

  “Jealous people,” Mom Mira chimed in. “Do something to put him in his pce. Anything that’ll teach him a lesson. I’m sick of hearing about your colleague’s crap behavior.”

  “I’ll make sure he regrets it! Damn it!” Dad Mira growled.

  Still visibly annoyed, he turned his cold gaze toward Mira.

  “How did your exam go?”

  “Uhm…” Mira hesitated, looking up timidly. “It’s… an A.”

  “An A?” Dad Mira let out a heavy sigh. “An A isn’t good enough! I’m spending a fortune on your education! Aim higher! Stop being so zy about this!”

  Mom Mira added her own cutting words. “And quit wasting your time with that ridiculous carrot gardening. It’s pointless and won’t make you any money. Focus on your studies!”

  “If you fail to get the top scain,” Dad Mira growled, “I’ll destroy that stupid carrot garden of yours!”

  “Yes, Dad. Yes, Mom,” Mira murmured quietly.

  Ats, watg from the sidelines, let out a heavy sigh. Experieng the temosphere firstha utterly stifling.

  After that, young Mira left the house with her head lowered, walking briskly as if eager to escape. Her expression was stiff, tense, and unmistakably unfortable.

  So this is what you were like in the past, Mira?

  Ats took a deep breath, his thoughts swirling as he pared the Mira he knew now to this version of her. The cheerful, lively girl he was used to seemed worlds apart from this somber, withdrawn young girl.

  He decided to follow her as she walked through the cobblestoreets of the city.

  The world around them was... uedly peaceful. People sold goods along the roadside, chatting and bustling with activity. The atmosphere was bright and carefree, filled with the ughter and energy of daily life.

  It was such a stark trast to the world Ats had e from—a pce where people lived uhe stant shadow of fear and danger.

  Have the floating ised here as well?

  He gnced up at the sky, squinting against the sunlight. Sure enough, a few small isnds hovered high above.

  This world, too, had floating isnds.

  After a while, Mira reached a grae-looking school building. Students filled the grounds, all dressed in polished, well-tailored uniforms. Ats couldn’t help but notice the girls in their mini skirts—charming and undeniably attractive enough to briefly catch his attention.

  Among the crowd, he spotted several beastkin, a clear indication that this world also embraced a diverse mix of races.

  However, Mira seemed pletely detached from the lively atmosphere around her. She her greeted anyone nor made eye tact, moving swiftly with her head bowed. Occasionally, she gnced up, but only to avoid colliding with others before l her gaze again.

  Ats trailed behind her, as she ehe school building, asded the stairs, and came to a halt in front of a door. From within, he could hear the cheerful sounds of ughter and lively versation.

  Mira stopped, frozen in pce.

  What’s she doing?

  Ats paused, watg as she hesitated. Her left hand slid into the pocket of her bzer, gripping something tightly.

  What’s that?

  Finally, she opehe door, and—

  The students iuroward her, their faces lighting up as if they had been eagerly awaiting her arrival.

  Oh? Maybe she’s actually doing fine here? He thought, a flicker of hope crossing his mind.

  But that hope was crushed in an instant.

  Those very same students—most of them girls—spat at her as she stepped into the room.

  “Ugh, disgusting!”

  “Get out of here!”

  Their pt unctuated with the sound of spitting.

  Mira moved past them, her head still bowed, enduring the torrent of humiliation. As she walked, they struck her on the back of the head, kicked at her legs, and even spat directly onto her face.

  Damn it! These little pieces of—!

  Ats’s fists tightened, his whole body trembling with fury.

  I’m going to kill them. Every. Single. One of them!