gentle and affectionate

Chapter 30.

The seal of the right eye is close to the limit.

The coyote's sleeping time is getting longer and longer, and recently it has surpassed the soulless Sakura.When he was placed on the bench just now, he also clearly saw that pale little face that was almost bloodless.No matter how you scream, he will not wake up. If it is not for breathing and heartbeat, it will almost make people think that he is...

"That brat recently...do you know what?"

I stopped and looked up at the man with firm features, I couldn't even look at him anymore.

"……do not know."

How could you not know.

The young man's godless right eye, from the first time I saw him... no, it should be said that I knew it before I saw them, a long, long time ago.

——The clone prepared by that person.

The words I was told in the ice and snow are deeply imprinted in my memory like tattoos, and even if they are burned off, they will leave scars, which can never be restored... So I can't forget, I can only carry this memory on my back, holding "Anyway With the mentality of "just walking together", I embarked on a journey with anticipation but no expectation.

But I didn't expect him to be such a kid.

Imagining ten thousand possibilities is not as good as one encounter.Even if I have never been told the truth of the matter, my ability is enough to see his identity at a glance, just like his master Seishirou has known it for a long time, but he has never mentioned it.

In fact, the boy's eyes are the same as his master's, not just blind.

Seishirou's right eye is filled with a magic item that travels through dimensions, and this child... I can probably guess who is behind that eye, and he clearly knows the huge power hidden in that eye, and knows that it is in this day and night. The role played by the two people knows that its seal has been loosened day by day.

However, there is nothing I can do.

"Really?" Black Steel doubted.

See, even he doesn't believe me.

...Yeah, I am known as the strongest magician in the country, but I can't even do this, I can't even just tell them the truth, because even if I tell them, it won't change anything, so I can only keep going. Keep it a secret.

Where is the strength again.

"I really don't know," I don't know if there is any way to change it, "what does Master Hei think?"

But even people who don't know magic can see that I'm lying.

……

He's been like that lately too.

The ninja in black carried the children's clothes and walked ahead. Once I appeared in his sight, he would frown and fall into terrible embarrassment.

This kind of embarrassment seems to have become more and more obvious since the last world... He obviously already has his princess, but he still insists on catching me. The part that should be discovered by him, I can't answer the questions I ask every time.

Because every sentence is to the point.

I look at his back, and every now and then, I don't know whether to say he is too smart or too stupid--he can clearly see so many things I hide, can't he see that every time he asks a question? embarrassment?He thought so much, why couldn't he think of the result that I wouldn't tell even if I asked?

The result was that I was pushed into a desperate situation again and again; in the end, I almost couldn't even hold the habitual smile.I know that he is actually suspicious of me, after all, I have kept so many things from them; along the way, I didn't really want to keep many things from them, but...

How can I say it.

Hei Gang, what do you want me to tell you?

So greedy to make a person who hates me care about my feelings, it seems that he really did what he said.

- I have really changed.

It has become possible, and it is no longer possible to watch them fall into danger indifferently as before.

……

Because they are so cute.

"Are you reciting a spell?"

When I came back, I saw the foreheads of the two little people touching each other, and the girl was still muttering something... Mo Ke's "very enthusiastic" booing made them blush instantly, and Sakura desperately wanted to explain , but they were unable to speak, so I helped them connect.

So they nodded desperately together, they were so cute.

"This place is different from the countries we've been to before," I explained, pointing to the clothes Hei Gang and I changed into. "The clothes feel like this."

It is somewhat similar to the style of the Emerald Kingdom before, and there are many characters that can be recognized.Mr. Hei and I handed over the children's clothes and looked up at the sky.

"This country is full of incredible strength."

Mokona's statement is very accurate - ubiquitous magic, familiar words, familiar attire, except that the weather is not as severe as Thrace's daily winter, the rest are so familiar.Because it is a land of magic, I heard about this place even when I was in Thrace in the past, and I heard it occasionally mentioned by old people who traveled around the world.

This is by no means an easy country.

"However, for the little wolf, it should be considered very good." Feeling a stare fixed on me, I turned my head away with a smile.

"Right? Master Hei."

He snorted coldly.

So, after coyotes and sakura had changed their clothes, we headed to the library.

Little Wolf has long mentioned that he likes books, and his eyes shine when he sees bookstores along the way, but he always has to give up because he is looking for feathers or other things; it is rare to come to a country that admires books this time. He and the child's father also wanted to see the shining eyes of their son, so they took them to the library in the center of the town according to the route they had just explored.

The decoration is gorgeous.

The ancient dome building, rich decorations and carvings, inside is a three-story circular hall, full of buildings and dazzling array of beautiful things, the little wolf stared straight at the eyes.

really.Master Hei and I glanced at each other, the latter had exhausted his patience just now when he accompanied me to ask for directions to find the library, until now seeing the little wolf so happy, he finally became a little gentler.

I snickered, I already said he was my real dad, definitely my real dad.

"Little Wolf likes archeology, so he probably likes history?" I asked him with a smile, "Do you also like books?"

Nod.

"However, can I understand it?" Little Wolf asked uncertainly.

"Go and see."

"it is good."

It was rare for Xiao Lang to be so excited, and Xiao Ying, who had been worried about him since he couldn't wake up, gradually showed a smile.The happiest thing is to do what you like, and the luckier thing is that you can find the words you know, so he told Xiao Sakura about it, and the latter also listened very happily and showed a relaxed smile.

"Little Wolf is obsessed with it!" I was also very happy watching, "It would be great if I could buy it for him, right? His father?"

"This joke is already very old-fashioned?! Shut up!"

"But, we don't have any money..."

"..."

Molesting Heipo is daily entertainment, Mokola is daily booing, Sakura is also relaxed, and only Xiaolang who is obsessed with books is left alone looking at the bookshelf with bright eyes; Knowing the book, Sakura also expressed bewilderment.At this moment, Little Wolf suddenly found a strange book. Father Hei went to visit his son. search.

So later on, when Mr. Hei and I recalled the events at this time countless times, we only felt that everything was destined, just like what Miss Witch said must be; After discovering that book, we will get there sooner or later with the purpose of looking for feathers, but Mr. Hei keeps complaining that the world goes by too fast, there is no rest, nowhere to stay, and we can’t even eat properly After a meal... After my childish naughty thoughts were exchanged for my ridicule, he quarreled and refused to do housework, but at the end when it was time to cook, he still rudely grabbed the kitchen knife in my hand, laughing a lot, It's all for later.

If someone else heard these words, they would probably say that he was too petty to complain about these trivial things, but if you tell me, I know.

He regretted it.

If there is something that the bravest ninja in the world regrets, it is that he failed to speak the truest words in his heart when he still had the chance.

It is true that in the country of feathers, it is indeed the place where we stayed for the shortest time until the end of the journey, but the memory is extremely deep, not only because it is called "the country of memory" - just like Black Steel, I also I can't forget that place, just like I can't forget the tearful teenager, the brown eyes full of sadness.

That time made me finally affirm that this boy must have the most sincere and kind heart.

That one time alone was enough to convince me that he must be a good boy.

……

"Mr. Heigang, I have something... I want to tell you."

So I took Sakura out. As for what those two people said, I think I know part of it.

- The Book of Memory.

Those who look back will see the memories of the previous person—a treasure that they have heard of in Thrace, and just encountered it when they pulled the little wolf away...Obviously understand it clearly, but in front of it just now When questioning him, he still habitually answered "I don't know".

But I was afraid that he would blame the little wolf, so I added a few words of "I heard" like superfluous, and briefly explained the matter of the book of memories, but in exchange for his frowning eyebrows and probing eyes.I think I'm really hopeless, knowing that with Heigang's character, he won't care.

And now, when we come back, a line of sight is glued to the body again.

I remembered that when I was going out, he also looked at me like this, with frowning eyebrows, complicated eyes, hesitating to speak... No matter how embarrassing I could understand what he meant, I took the initiative to pull Sakura out of the room, feeling His eyes never left, and I didn't look up until he turned to close the door.

What did the little wolf see that made him feel so sad?

Although I have cared about it, in fact, I didn't know anything about it for a long period of time afterwards; I don't even know how they told the long-buried past in a short period of time , about the tears that the man flowed back to his heart, as clear as the spring of Xuantian.

The ultimate in softness.

……

So now, I can only quietly watch him and Mokona rob food as usual, watch the little guy tease him deliberately to trouble him, watch the sadness that the little wolf has not completely faded... and then, he used that look again Watching, complex eyes seem to contain a lot of words.

"What's up?"

"Yeah," I winked at him, "it's okay."

Until our stomachs were almost full, Mokona and I began to report to them what we had just found, introducing the copy of the memory book that Xiaolang had just seen, looking at the pattern on the cover of the book that looked very similar to Sakura's feathers, and then After following the vines, I found the original copy of this photocopy——

central library.

Taking the roller coaster to this city named Bibriou, we got off at the exclusive station of the Central Library, and what we saw was an extremely noble and magnificent building.The exterior is hemispherical and upside down in the water. The mirror-like lake surface reflects the shape of the entire library. Occasionally there is a cool breeze and the water ripples, which is really a very pleasant sight.

However, the atmosphere is anything but relaxing.

Mokona sensed the feathers, which means the correctness of the clues, and it also means that the enemy is approaching...Of course I didn’t say this kind of thought. Master Hei looked at me, as if he was about to say something, but I didn’t expect that at this moment The two giant watchdogs suddenly growled, with fierce faces, as if they knew our purpose.

Not good.

"Is that the watchdog?"

"Yeah, it seems scary."

"...Do they know?"

The two good boys were startled at the same time, and even the useless and alcoholic father looked at Mokona—the little guy had already used this stalk all the way, and now he stood on top of my mother's head and said solemnly:

"Actually, Black Steel is a bad guy!"

……

Well, do you look at the looks?

I watched the child’s father and eldest daughter (son?) chasing and playing (?) on the steps one after the other, meaning to ask them to be quiet, after all, this is a library after all; a pair of children’s goddesses hung black lines on their heads in sync, all of them ashamed.

Well, it's really harmonious, the setting of this family is not bad.

However, only within the home.

"Borrowing prohibited?"

It is really not harmonious to get along with the staff of the library. The latter can be called an iron face. He sticks to the book of memory, not to mention borrowing it, and he can't even take a look at it. We had to come out temporarily and prepare to discuss countermeasures.

But having said that, for a treasure with such powerful power, it is normal for people to be reluctant to give it up. After all, not everyone in every world is as open-minded as Princess Tomoyo... Facing the toughness of the staff, the girls feel very troubled. I It's hard to say even if Mr. Hei has a bad idea, Mo Ke asked the little wolf with a ghost, so this hot potato was thrown back into the hands of our son.

then--

"Steal it."

With the final word, everyone expected it.

So after a while, we returned to the library as if nothing had happened.

"I don't know if there are any interesting books?" I recalled what I read in the morning, and tried to whistle.

"Say...that's true."

"Fake."

Sakura struggled to cooperate with me in acting, but I was complained about because of my superb acting skills. This is simply unreasonable.I stepped out to block the father of the child who was leaning towards my daughter, and pointed my fingertips to my cheek, showing a sweet smile.

"Where's the fake?"

"It's your expression now."

"Huh? Aren't I smiling all over my face?"

His face was full of disgust, which made me want to slap him very much for a moment, but there was no noise in the library, so I had an idea and stretched out my hand to pull his face.

"Come on, Heitan also smiles, smiles~!" I said maliciously, "If you don't like this, it will make people suspicious, right?"

I used my hands to pull his hard face and change his shape.

"Wow, that looks so fake."

"Bai Mantou, take out my knife." He was caught in the face by me, causing him to slur his words, which was very funny.

"No! If you wield a knife, we will be kicked out of the library!"

"Then stop making trouble!"

The little wolf is already sweating at Lushan Waterfall, and Sakura probably has never done such sneaky things before, she is very disturbed, and has no time to pay attention to us who are messing around, so she doesn't even sweat, just worrying about whether she is here to steal books in broad daylight Something was wrong; Little Wolf analyzed the benefits of having more people during the day, and I added that even if you go wrong during the day, you can just get lost.

However, the early stage was smooth.

After we walked around for a while, we came to a secluded place according to Mocona's guidance.There are two tall bookshelves in front of me, and a normal-looking wall between them. I reached out and touched it, and blew a shapeless whistle casually.

The breath of magic, and very strong.

"It's the magic wall." I looked around casually, "Hei Qi, move this bookshelf."

Even now, he is not polite to him, and he still complains pettishly.Before I could comfort him, the mokona on the little wolf's head grabbed the show again, and said in my voice with ease:

"It's up to you, the child's father."

Then it was his voice again.

"Since it's my mother's request, there's nothing I can do about it."

……

Be good, we are here to steal things, we can't blow them up.

So, all the anger could only be vented on this bookshelf. With a low shout and force, the huge shelf moved an almost impossible distance, and the bottomless black hole instantly appeared in front of him, deep and dark.

The road ahead is unknown.

I whistled.

"Mr. Fay is amazing."

"This is a magic wall made of two bookshelves here, so as long as you move the position, the magic will move and appear behind the wall," I explained to the two children. will know."

He didn't speak.

……

After that, as I expected, the movement of the magic was sensed very quickly, and the guard system was activated immediately, starting from the inside of the cave.

"Princess, please step back."

Countless long snakes flew out from the walls on both sides, with a large number and strong attack power.Although they are driven by magic, they don't pose much of a threat due to the large number of them which disperses their strength. Hei Gang and Xiaolang's skills are completely capable of dealing with them.

So I safely hid behind Heigan as before, and only moved my fists and feet a little to protect Sakura, as if the whistle I blew unintentionally had already taken shape.

"Hey, hey~ Heitan~ Does what I just blew sound like a whistle?"

"You can help me a little bit!"

"Yeah? Little Wolf and Lord Hei are more than enough to deal with it!"

I fought against him on the battlefield like Night Demon, obviously awakening someone's memory of that period of dark history, and gave me a fierce look, which I ignored smoothly and kept bragging.

……

But there were too many enemies, and it was useless to retreat. We had no choice but to run towards the light in the depths of the cave, and came to the Jiulou Kingdom in our memory.

The fact that I was so honest all of a sudden aroused Mr. Hei's suspicion—when I took the initiative to tell the origin of this world, his eyes were almost unprecedentedly deep.

"This is 'Memory'," I lowered my head without looking at his face, "The memory in the 'Book of Memory', because that book was originally created using the power of Sakura's feathers, so it is used to The mechanism that protects that book was also created from Sakura's memory."

I explained again that it was because I had learned a little bit of magic... The children looked at me adoringly, and Mokona was even a little happy. don't go.

One after the other, I walked with him in the desert of memory.

"You seem to have something to say, Hei Ling?"

"It's the same with the wall just now. It's just something that you can know if you have learned a little magic. It can't be used as a protection, right?"

Very good, hit the nail on the head.

"Besides, to see through the trap... you need to be stronger than the person who set it up, and you don't seem to use magic."

I stopped and smiled back at him.

"You overestimate me."

"big liar."

……

Look, it's like this again.

The back view is extremely tall and reliable, and it almost makes people feel safe by looking at it. It also gave me a great sense of security when I was in the Night Demon Kingdom, but now, it has become what I am most afraid of seeing.

I always find parts that he shouldn't have found, no matter how hard I try to cover up, I can't escape his eyes.He is obviously a person who doesn't understand magic at all, and obviously has completely different personalities and habits, but he has a terrifying insight into everything about me... In the past, I was always disturbed by him when my mind was disturbed. There is no escape.

It's like being stripped naked and thrown on the street with people coming and going, and all you can see are indifferent and probing eyes and unfamiliar faces.

——It seems that it is better for me and him not to talk.

……

Continue walking with Xiaolang and Sakura, and come to the wing-shaped ruins deep in the desert.It is night, but the passageway that is not cold probably preserves the girl's warmest memory. The ridiculously high bench probably comes from a misunderstanding in childhood, but the clock is so small that it can be covered with only three fingers.

I looked at Xiaolang's dazed face, and knew that he should have been in this memory.

Walking and walking, the sound of footsteps echoed in the narrow passage, my whistle sounded a bit weird, so I was forcibly stopped by the incomprehensible child's father; I walked and walked until I saw the wing-shaped altar-like stone gate, After opening it, a huge dark well with bottomless bottom appeared on the ground, and Mokona said that the fluctuation of the feathers is in it.

The indifferent Lone Ranger took the initiative to accompany the little wolf to go to investigate, and the swords and flames were just a leisurely walk; the girl still doesn't understand why there is such a boy who loves herself so desperately, in order to find her feathers, No matter how difficult or dangerous it is, he has never backed down.

In front of my eyes, the facial features of a boy appeared, even if looking for feathers is the purpose of life... But human existence is not just based on purpose, right?

Therefore, I believe in that boy, and I also believe that they will return safely.

So, I took the girl's shoulders because I didn't want to see her sad face.

……

Because indeed, as Black Steel said, I have changed.

——I have made up my mind from the beginning, but I have never been able to truly be an outsider; I don’t want to be tied to them, I don’t want to be sad for their accidents, and I don’t want to let them suffer misfortune because of myself... But man’s calculation is never as good as heaven’s calculation .

With another burst of magic fluctuations, the scene in front of me gradually melted, the world of memory disappeared, the four reunited, and the feathers returned to the original, but Heigan's face was unusually dignified, and he immediately urged to transfer the world. Magic is restricted at this time.

——Even if I succeeded for a short time at the beginning, such as the idea of ​​not saving Heigang in the corrosive rain of Korea, such as the self-comforting waiting in Jade Kingdom... But if I were given the same situation now, I might not be able to Make the choice calmly and decisively as before.

So we embarked on our first real escape since the journey began.

The beast and the sea of ​​fire, the lovely child is still worried about whether the book will be burned... I whistled frivolously, and told the boy to be at ease, hoping that the relaxed atmosphere would alleviate the cloud on his brow to some extent.

Hei-sama was carrying Sakura on his shoulders, his expression was solemn all the time, because his magic was limited, he couldn't even use a sword.

"The 'Book of Memories' marauders are on the run—on the run—"

The unemotional machine voice repeats endlessly, mixed with the sound of crackling flames, and the strategic deployment is faintly heard... Running for life, struggling to dodge the attack of the fire and rain, the room is almost filled with crimson red, and even the place where you step is fast. No.

……

I followed behind Heigan as I was used to, watching his tall and straight back, holding Sakura firmly with his strong arms, while the young man followed us, kicking the enemy away from time to time.

When I finally went out, it was like a dream.

After running away for too long, the three of them were out of breath, and what was even more frightening was that the original long steps turned into a dark red sea, surging to stop us thieves.The leader, who is always out of shape and complaining endlessly, has just decisively led us out of the sea of ​​fire. Now that there are pursuers, he made a decisive decision again and decided to flee across the water.

"No."

I gently took off my hat and threw it into the sea, watched it melt as expected, put away my smile, and whistled lightly... The sky in front of me was dazzling, and the long wings of the guardian beast gradually took shape, show us it A face that grew more ferocious from the roar.

dead end.

I whistled, feeling the long-lost azure flowing through my body.

……

In fact, I have known for a long time that I can no longer be as indifferent as before.

It is impossible to watch him and the little wolf go all out without worry like before, can no longer treat everything as a game, can no longer stand by and let his life be hurt but only leave a "sorry".

He will change his mood because of the children's mood, he will feel overwhelmed by his doubts and persecution, his every sentence will no longer be social talk like before, and even habitual lying will be so sinful that he can't feel at ease for a long time.

—I have changed.

Black Steel discovered this earlier than myself.

……

The whistle that I practiced hard all the way finally blew melodious notes, and the magic spell I just saw from the library in the morning is clearly visible in my mind... Whistle lightly, stimulate the power, and the sky blue that belongs to me forms a complicated magic knot around it In the world, I smiled and said to the white and soft little guy, Mokona, it's ok.

It did so immediately, so trust me.

……

The me who can always learn magic at one time, the me who will be applauded once I use magic, and the me who was born with powerful magic, only at this time can I feel a little bit proud of my powerful power.

Only, when you can protect them.

I looked at my companions walking along the road in front of me: a pair of gentle and kind young children, a little guy made by magic but with great affection; and, the person who has been standing in front of me all this time, with swords up and down, No matter how you look at it, you are an indomitable hero.

The self-confidence that was once ignited by protecting the people in Thrace when I was young, finally disappeared with the dead bodies and blood, because the people who used to look at me and cheer for me are no longer there.

because I.

——If this disaster is also because of me.

If that's the case... then it can only be regarded as my redemption.

……

A huge light blue magic barrier formed in front of the famous Central Library in the Kingdom of Memory. I remembered that Wang said he loved this color the most; the familiar magic circle was finally summoned, and the moment I was sucked in, I saw him shocked The look... That kind of expression is so rare on his always calm face, so rare that it can almost make people feel a sense of accomplishment from the bottom of their hearts.

Look, Mr. Hei.

Am I stronger than you think?

third feather