The Witch and the Doll Swear

Before the door was opened, Tina thought a lot.

How should I greet Miss Liliana when I see her, what kind of response will she and Alice have, how should I answer, how many times should I knock on the door?

And most importantly, is she really going to knock?

At the end of thinking, there is the girl's desolate and weak smile.

——What will I do if I make things difficult for Liliana-san.

——If Miss Liliana didn't really want to travel with me, what she said when she said goodbye was just to comfort herself?

She flinched.

What Elif said is absolutely right, thinking about it will only make people unable to do anything and go nowhere.

It is no wonder that most of the protagonists in knight novels and adventure novels are people who do things without considering the consequences, such as uniting oppressed peasants to defeat the lord of the notification territory, crusade against terrible monsters, and rushing into the heretics alone to stop the evil gods Arrival... a legendary story can only be achieved by that kind of desperate guy.

And Ting Na, even if she has an honorary surname, she is still that Ting Na. Obviously, he came here with a sudden momentum, but at the last step, he hesitated.

Even, want to back down.

She took a step back, she thought about how to lie to the two goblins, and left here.

However, as if even the true god couldn't stand the young girl's cowardice, when she hadn't put all of this into practice, she was about to turn around and leave.

The door in front of the girl opened.

"..."

Before the door was opened, Tina thought a lot.

For example, who will answer the door, Alice? Or Liliana?

Haven't seen each other for half a year, have they changed?

all kinds.

But after the door opened, Tina's mind went blank.

"……come in."

Miss Witch ignored the girl's blankness, opened the door, turned around and walked into the depths of the room. The platinum-blonde long hair was sticky to her soft back, and the water droplets slid off the slender shoulders, leaving a gorgeous wet mark, and finally disappeared on the furry carpet.

Tina froze, from the bottom of her heart.

"...Hey, Miss Liliana."

"...?"

Liliana, who had already walked to the middle of the living room, turned around, as if she didn't quite understand why Tingna was still standing at the door in a daze.

Her expression was still calm, but seeing a few drops of still steaming water slipping down her delicate collarbone, and the light in the living room shining brightly on the girl's body, Tingna couldn't calm down no matter what.

"Why, it's naked again."

She thought of the night when they first met.

This time, there are no deadly wolves, no starry night sky, and no salty sea breeze.

My feelings didn't change at all.

The difference is that the shock and restraint at that time made me look away as much as possible, but at this time I couldn't take my eyes off it.

But in any case, considering the surprise of reunion after a long absence, this is too exciting. If he is a young man with a lot of blood, he must already have a lot of (nose) bleeding.

"...I just finished bathing, and I felt the fluctuation of my own magic power."

Liliana looked at Tina, eyes like the night sky were focused on the round amulet carved with whalebone on the girl's neck.

It was the farewell gift given by the witch to the girl during the parting in early summer. It was a talisman that had no special purpose other than covering the rain on rainy days.

However, Tina has always cherished and cherished it, and at this moment.

This becomes the final weight on the balance.

"...feeling that the magic power fluctuation of the talisman is subtly moving away, I came to open the door."

"Even if that's the case, at least wear a bath towel or something...Aren't you afraid of being seen by others..."

"...Other guests won't come to visit me. Dan and Ferroa are fairies, and they don't care."

Liliana looked expressionlessly at the girl who was still standing at the door, after a while.

"...Please sit down casually, I have some work to finish first."

After speaking, without waiting for Tingna's answer, she walked straight into a room.

"Ah, good, good..."

Ting Na stood alone at the door, holding a plate of mulberries like an idiot, dumbfounded.

Even though it was a reunion after a long absence, Miss Witch didn't have any special reaction—this was exactly as she had guessed, because there was really no difference, and it even made Tingna want to cry.

Even if there is no surprise hug, at least a surprised expression must be revealed, right?

Even if she already knew through the letter from the Adventurer's Association that she was coming, "Why did you come now?" At least Tina could feel that this is really a happy reunion after half a year!

But Liliana didn't show any expression.

Liliana said nothing.

Even the clothes were the same as Tina was used to seeing in that castle.

Tina even had the illusion that she and Liliana hadn't been separated for that long at all, it was just that they said goodbye yesterday and met today as promised.

What about the touching reunion?

What about the smiles, tears, and kisses at the promised reunion?

The novels are all lies! ! !

He took off his shoes and put them on the shoe rack next to him, took off his suit coat and hung it on the coat rack, and then closed the wooden door.

After finishing all this, Ting Na sat down on the sofa in the living room with her head down, put down the small plate of mulberries, and moaned in distress while holding her head.

She felt that she was really the biggest idiot in the mainland, expecting Miss Liliana to show an unexpected expression, she might as well pray for peace in the mainland.

The courage accumulated from traveling thousands of miles to come here seems to have disappeared all of a sudden.

——Fortunately, Miss Liliana and Alice seem to be busy with work now, and there is still time for her to sort out her mood.

Sitting on the sofa, the girl kept taking deep breaths, temporarily blurring the lingering thought of Miss Witch's beautiful body.

She calmed down quickly and waited for Liliana's work to finish.

"..."

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, fifty minutes...

A long time has passed, and Liliana still hasn't come out of the room.

After the big clock in the living room went through ten small divisions, Tina felt bored.

This is also of course, although magicians can spend a whole day just meditating, and devout believers can stay in a stone room with nothing for several days just by praying, but Tina has neither received meditation training nor She is also just a shallow believer. In essence, the girl is just an ordinary person. It seems that she has nothing to do but sleep for such a long time.

Apparently it was impossible to sleep at this time.

And there is not even a magazine in the living room that can be used to pass the time, and the few magazines that Ting Na read on the airship and carriage have not been brought over, so the bored girl can only walk around in the living room, looking at the fairy style room.

However, maybe it is because the main guests are humans, orcs or dwarves, the room decoration of this [Maple Leaf Trumpet] is not as gorgeous as described in the book, but very simple, without any cumbersome decorations and procedures. Too much furniture makes the girl quickly lose interest.

The time seems to have become extraordinarily long, the girl walked up and down on the carpet in the living room, not knowing what to do.

When she was in Salt Sand City, no matter what experiment Liliana was doing, Tingna could watch from the high platform of the laboratory, watching the bright flames change colors, watching the clear spring water being boiled because of the addition of various materials. It became colorful and colorful, watching countless magic runes fly down from the spiral of the ceiling, gathering into a magic circle that she couldn't understand at all...

Although I am a layman, I don't know what Miss Liliana is doing, but just watching, I never feel bored, but now...

——Or else, take a peek at Miss Liliana's work?

Seeing the door through which Liliana walked in, Tingna hesitated.

After all, this is not the castle with complete facilities and a high platform. No matter how excited I am in the castle, it will not affect Miss Liliana, but if I am here...

——Well, I'll take a sneak peek, if I don't go in, it won't affect Miss Liliana...

After a fierce ideological struggle, the girl was still defeated by her own curiosity. She tiptoed to the door of the room Liliana walked in, and carefully pressed her hand on the doorknob.

"……Eh?"

Apparently, Miss Witch didn't lock the door.

With a slight push, the wooden door with flower reliefs opened a small gap.

From there Tina cautiously peered in.

If the style of the first floor is as simple as possible to be close to the mortal race, the decoration in this hotel room is completely in the style of goblins, and the tables and chairs that "grow" directly from the log floor and walls are also good. Whether it is a wardrobe, or a decoration of delicate flowers and branches, there are almost no traces of artificiality, but there are also exquisite workmanship that pure natural creations do not have.

Especially the large round bed in the middle is surrounded by plain flowers, and the emerald green vines hanging from the ceiling are soft hanging curtains, bound by a piece of white silk on a jagged wooden pole.

The sheets on the bed seemed to be woven from light pink flower petals, and Liliana was kneeling on it, her head bowed, not knowing what she was doing.

The long platinum hair spread out on the bed like quicksilver, turning into a platinum horse.

From this angle, you can only see this side of the room and Liliana's side face. In order to see more details, Tingna held her breath and carefully pushed the gap slightly so that her face could be poked through, and then...

"..."

"..."

I met the eyes of Miss Witch who turned her head silently.

"That, that... I, has it affected Miss Liliana... Yes, I'm sorry..."

Drenched in cold sweat, the girl shrank her head back.

"... Curious?"

But those deep eyes didn't seem to care at all, the witch lowered her head to look at the bed in front of her again, and asked calmly.

"It's not so much curiosity...it's better to say...it's really boring..."

"...Really? Then, it's okay to come and take a look, it's almost over, and Alice also wants Miss Tina to watch it."

"Eh? Can you?"

Tina's face poked through the crack in the door again.

Nod, nod.

"Well, well, thank you very much, I will try not to interfere with Miss Liliana's work...Speaking of..."

Speaking of—

The girl suddenly realized that she hadn't seen that little doll yet.

That Alice who is sometimes lively, sometimes quiet, sometimes noble, and sometimes black-bellied, let alone seeing her, even her voice...not...not...

Walking to the bed step by step, Tingna's mind became blank step by step.

"……Eh?"

Finally, when she really saw [what] in front of Liliana clearly, her whole body seemed to be cursed by petrification, and she stood there blankly, not moving.

"...Miss Tina, I know what you are misunderstanding."

The witch seemed to have expected the girl's reaction long ago, and spoke calmly.

While talking, she also used her fingers to draw obscure runes on the large black slate in front of her.

with my own blood.

And among the flashing runes one after another, the parts stained red by the witch's blood are human parts.

Fingers, forearms, shoulders, a carcass without a belly, showing a hollow cavity, calves, thighs, toes, eyeballs, jaws, and what Tina couldn't recognize, what looked like internal organs.

Of course, there is also Alice's head that has lost its eyeballs and jaws, leaving only empty eye sockets. They are scattered in the black disc, stained with bright red blood. Liliana whispered the ancient spell, making the rainbow flames burn on it.

"Well……"

Subconsciously, Tingna covered her mouth.

"...the annual dismantling care, please don't think of a bad situation just because of the sight in front of you."

"Dismantling... Nursing..."

nausea.

shudder.

Tingna covered her mouth and took several steps back.

"...For humans, this is a picture that is difficult to understand and accept. If it is difficult to accept anyway, it is okay not to look at it."

"Miss Alice, are you okay..."

"...Well, it's okay... She asked me to tell Miss Tingna like this."

While talking, Liliana's hands were still pressed on the disc, and the concentric circles of magic circles lit up on the pitch-black metal, and runes floated out one after another, surrounding what was once a cute doll's parts.

In the past six months, in order to "know whether the shadow demon in my shadow will really affect me", "by the way, don't be so ignorant of everything when you meet Miss Liliana in the future." Sufficient knowledge of magic and alchemy.

Although she still couldn't even recognize a tenth of these runes, at least she could know that Liliana was using alchemy instead of magic.

The disc of black stone is the [pedestal], and the concentric circles lit up on it represent the flow and circulation of power, which is the foundation of all formations.

Among the floating runes, [Sun] represents the soul, [Moon] represents the spirit, the material of this black disc itself is some kind of stone, and [Rock] is the flesh, and then Liliana used blood to refine it. , in alchemy and necromantic magic, blood is considered the currency of the soul. Adding blood in the alchemy array has the meaning of endowing the soul, and it is often used to make gram or golem...

"...Miss Alice has a soul herself..."

Bitterly searching for her only knowledge of alchemy, Tingna frowned.

There are too many incomprehensible symbols and refining formulas. With my own knowledge, I can only get one-sided and wrong results.

"...If the refined object itself has a soul, then the meaning of this behavior is the [soul contract], but Alice is special, she does not have a [soul] in the narrow sense, she is a concept. A unique concept called [Alice], her body is just a gesture after the concept is concretized, her personality and memory exist in the [Truth], or the dimension of [God], which will never be lost, never distortion."

Liliana explained calmly.

"...The runes of [Gold] represent perfection. The runes of [Androgynous] represent God and all supreme beings and concepts. This is the core composition. [Holy Grail], [Long Sword], [Star Coin] and The scepter corresponds to the four elements of water, wind, earth, and fire, and above that..."

She pointed to the night pearl surrounded by green leaves that exuded soft light on the top of the bed.

"... light and day."

Pointing to the bottom of the disk again, Tingna realized at this time that the disk was not placed on the bed but was slightly suspended, casting a thick black shadow on the wound on the bed sheet.

"...Darkness and night, the six elements are the foundation of all things, together with my magic power, life, and soul, they form the law of [elements give birth to all things, and all things have spirits, and all things have magic power]. [World], as [the other end].”

Liliana raised her head and looked out of the window at the increasingly dense twilight.

Tingna had already heard it. Following Liliana's line of sight, she saw that the deep purple of the night had already infiltrated most of the sky, but the Saigon sun, which had not set for a long time, seemed to burn all her flames. Burning at this moment, making the western sky bright and gorgeous.

The end of the moment of sunset, the eve of the moment of meeting the devil.

——Now, is it day or night?

"...Finally, an ambiguous time. The [Upside Down] rune represents reversal and fall. Below this rune is [Alice], which makes [Alice] become what we see. Alice's alchemy, that's all."

Liliana spoke flatly, and then followed.

Tina felt a biting chill.

"Well!"

I can't tell why, but nothing happened, the formations on the disk were still flickering calmly, Liliana didn't make any moves, and the parts of those dolls didn't whimper and fly up to become Ellie. The look of silk, but, but.

—something is happening.

The instinct of being a [human] is weeping.

——There is something extraordinary here.

The weak soul called [Human] was trembling.

Even the thought of running away couldn't arise, even the reverence of worship couldn't arise, and my heart was pounding.

The girl is like a baby bird seeking the protection of her parents, hugging the petite witch tightly.

Until that feeling disappears from the room.

"...It's, is it over..."

The girl tremblingly opened her eyes.

"……Um."

The witch nodded slightly as an answer.

The black disc had completely shattered, and in front of the witch, those parts of Alice were floating.

"...Miss Tina, you're sweating a lot."

"Hey, ah, I'm sorry, I'll let go right away... Um... What, what's going on..."

After letting go of the witch's petite body and standing up, Ting Na was stunned to realize that her clothes were soaked through.

It's almost as if you just fell into the water and got fished out, not only that, but thirsty, thirsty, very, very thirsty!

Dry mouth.

The girl subconsciously wanted to ask Liliana where there was water to drink, but at this moment, the witch stood up.

The girl standing on the bed was about the same height as me, and the feeling of being able to look up without lowering her head was very strange and fresh, but then, the witch approached Tina, reaching out to hold the girl's face .

"——?!?!"

Like, when a seagull sacrifices himself to overexcitement and drowns.

"...That, that, Ms. Liliana...?"

"...Sweating is the stress response of human beings in the face of danger. Don't be surprised. Even if you can't see it, the aftermath of [Truth] is very subtle to human beings. Miss Tina's body instinctively feels it. , so I sweat a lot, just sweating, which is already great."

"Yes, is it..."

The feeling of [what] is indeed creepy, but if I have to say it, it is the huge lava dragon beast on the top of Vesuka that scares Tina even more. cold sweat...

"...Then, Miss Tingna didn't notice because she couldn't use the magic power. She just sensed some aftermath, and a lot of magic power has been taken away. Before replenishing the water, you must replenish the magic power."

The witch spoke calmly, her soft lips slowly approaching.

"...Although it is okay to give Miss Tina the magic potion... But, according to my observation, when you kiss me, Miss Tina will be very happy, her heart rate and body temperature will increase, and her mental state will also tend to a higher standard As a reunion gift, do as Miss Tingna likes..."

"..."

... Am I dreaming?

The girl couldn't help pinching her thigh fiercely.

— it will hurt.

- This is reality.

——I and Miss Liliana are about to kiss.

The simple and unadorned syllogism turns the girl's original confusion and hesitation into aged nectar in an instant.

She reached out and hugged the girl's slender waist almost with what could be called a pious mood.

And the witch just looked at her calmly, taking whatever she wanted.

After a long time, until the girl finally left reluctantly, she looked at the girl calmly and told her that there was boiled cold water in the living room, then turned around and sat down on the bed.

From Liliana's fingertips, iridescent silk threads flew out from the iridescent magic circle, connecting the floating parts one by one and assembling them one by one.

Ting Na, who was still touching her lips in the aftertaste, stared blankly at this scene, watching the parts of [Alice] slowly put together an arm, a sole, and a torso with complete internal organs. A complete body...every part is spliced ​​without trace, making the girl look not like a doll at all but a small person who is no different from a human

In the end, the two gemstones were put into the empty eye sockets. Liliana pondered for a moment, then took out a small dress from the space storage ring and put it on for her.

For a moment, that little doll seemed to come alive, even Tina could feel it, even in a trance, the parts that were originally [doll] have now become parts of [Alice]. The material is unknown, but the hands, feet and body that exude an inorganic texture seem to have the pulse of life at this moment.

"—good evening, Miss Tina."

The long golden hair is made of silk, and the emerald green pupils are shining with the brilliance of gemstones.

The round face makes her look a bit young, and the pointy ears and the four-leaf clover pattern dress make her look like a cute little fairy.

She lifted one side of the skirt, put one hand on her chest and floated in front of the girl and bowed slightly to her. From her small lips, there was a greeting that Ting Na was familiar with but seemed to be from a lifetime ago.

"Well, good evening...or should I say good morning? Miss Alice."

Her greeting woke Tina up from the aftertaste of her lips and teeth, "Long time no see." She said so.

"It's really been a long time." Alice also chuckled, floating on the girl's left shoulder.

But immediately, the little puppet frowned its beautiful, slightly blue eyebrows.

"Miss Ting Na, you are sweating all over your body."

"Huh? Ah..."

The girl suddenly reacted, took two steps back, put the wet and sticky cuffs in front of her and smelled them, showing a bitter melon-like expression.

"Well, Miss Liliana, Miss Alice, can I borrow the bathroom..."

"Well, it's just opposite this room. Overwhelmed by the aftermath of [Truth], the human body will experience instinctive fear. Just being sweaty and not incontinent is already quite remarkable. Ah, just put the clothes in the basket , the tree elves will help with washing and drying."

"Yes, is it..."

Is the so-called [truth] such a terrible thing?

What about the ultimate source of the promised alchemy and magic? It is agreed that once you know it, you can get endless wisdom and knowledge, and promote the progress of mainland civilization?

——Now not only novels, but even textbooks are beginning to lie?

"...Anyway, Miss Tina, go take a shower and change your clothes. It's almost time for dinner."

"Huh? Uh, uh..."

Speaking of which, what is the elf of the tree?

With such curiosity, Tina left the room.

…………………………………………………………………………………

When the girl came out after bathing, she saw what Alice said, the tree elf.

They were light green balls of light. When Tingna came out of the bathroom, they were floating in mid-air in groups of three, circling around the clothes that Tingna had changed. There was a water ball in the center of each group. , there is steaming heat in the center of one group, the clothes are quickly washed and then dried by them, and finally there are three small light balls to flatten and fold the suit.

Seeing Ting Na coming out wrapped in a bath towel, these small balls of light flew to her side and turned around. After a while, the water droplets on the girl's body disappeared completely, and her whole body was enveloped by a natural fragrance.

After finishing this yesterday, they cheered and disappeared from the ceiling.

"Is this the magic of elves... so amazing..."

Putting on a clean suit that looked like a brand new one, after Tina left the bathroom, the [Maple Leaf Trumpet] also sounded the dinner trumpet.

"... Strictly speaking, they are not. They are the elves of the trees in the garden. They make a contract with the fairies and help them do many things. They are the smartest kind of elves. In the hotels and taverns of the fairies, you can often see them. arrive."

"They are all very obedient and cute children. If you go to water them, they will be very happy."

Ting Na, who followed Liliana and Alice downstairs, finally understood why the name of this hotel was [Maple Leaf Trumpet].

The signal that Ferroa used to remind the guests that it was time for dinner was a brisk and clear trumpet solo. Accompanied by her daughter's tambourine, the tight rhythm and cheerful rhythm of the night fairy until the girl and Liliana , Alice came to the restaurant on the first floor and stopped temporarily.

"Good evening, Miss Liliana, are you very happy to meet again after a long absence?"

Fei Luoya put down the red gold trumpet decorated with maple leaves in his hand, and greeted the three of them.

"Hey, Miss Liliana, Miss Tingna suddenly appeared in front of you, are you startled? Mulberries, are they delicious?"

The little goblin sat on a chair and beat a tambourine, her slender legs dangling. Seeing the witch and her friend walking down the stairs, she asked impatiently.

"Well, it's better to say..."

Dan's little question made Tinna scratch her cheek in embarrassment.

If I had to say...the one who was scared...in fact, it was me.

Seeing Liliana who just came out of the shower without wearing anything or even a bath towel and opened the door, Tingna admitted that her heartbeat had temporarily stopped for a while.

Well, more than a moment...

"Hey...Miss Liliana, it really does not leak..."

"...if you've seen enough things, you won't be surprised by everything."

Dan tilted his little head, and he was slightly different from his white-skinned counterparts. The night elves were more frank in character, or more extroverted. The little elves couldn't see the surprised expression on Liliana's face. , a little dissatisfied, kicked his legs, puffed his cheeks and launched a gaze offensive at Miss Witch.

"Ah, Miss Alice, turned into a fairy—"

"Well, it's the Starry Night Fairy, with pointed ears~~~"

But soon, she found a new playmate. Liliana and Tina sat next to Dan. Alice floated off Tina's shoulders and landed in front of her. The goblin held the little hand of the doll and made Alice dance on the table.

There were other guests in the restaurant, but they didn't pay much attention after glancing at this side.

"Today's dinner is roasted pork chops with maple leaves, pork bone soup and cheese bacon sandwiches. If you need milk tea or maple syrup drinks, please let me know." After a while, Feloya came over with dinner.

After the sumptuous dinner was served, Liliana calmly picked up the knife and fork.

"Ah, ok, ok, thank you very much..."

And Ting Na, who finally found the fundamental reason why she came here from the previous series of emergencies, looked at the witch's detached and indifferent expression, and she still somewhat... cared.

Although I went back to more than half a year ago immediately, the feeling of getting along in that castle was very good, and the girl was relieved that there was no awkward atmosphere, and the sweet kiss made her feel that life's This is great value for money for a first trip, but...

"...So, Miss Liliana?"

"...?"

"You really don't care... the reason I came here..."

That's right, Liliana never asked "why" from the beginning to the end.

Even if it’s asking why I didn’t come here until now, why I didn’t write a letter before I came, why I said such a righteous word before but now I regret it... Even if it’s these questions that Tina finds it difficult to answer, at least that’s enough. It proved that after the parting half a year ago, Miss Witch really believed that she would never return to her side.

But this plain look always made Tingna feel that her thoughts and actions were within her expectations...

"...you came, followed your own will, and are here now."

Cutting off a fat pork chop, Liliana didn't even lift her head.

"……that's enough."

"Yes, is it..."

A sense of loss for no reason made the girl droop her head, and the originally thick and plump pork chops became dull.

"Alice and Lily believe that Ms. Tina will come sooner or later, right? Although Ms. Tina said that she still loves her family... But Alice can see that she has experienced an 'adventure' that is completely different from 'everyday' Afterwards, Miss Tingna, she will definitely not be content with her usual routine anymore... However, Alice and Lily originally expected that it would take at least several years, or even more than ten years, but they didn't expect it to be so soon."

Such an obvious emotional change was of course noticed by the little puppet. Alice looked at Liliana who couldn't see clearly, and sighed softly.

"What happened, Miss Tina?"

"If you say what happened, what happened..."

It was Alice's little tenderness, and of course Tina felt it.

The girl let out a long sigh. On the way here, she asked herself many times why she had to embark on a journey, why she tore up the small book filled with three words, but when she really returned to Liliana and Alice, she found that , that is an extremely simple reason.

"... I began to feel that Salt Sand City is boring..."

This is the root.

It's like seeing a landscape that you suddenly get tired of, no, it doesn't mean that you hate it, it's just that the unchanging scenery gradually becomes smaller in your own eyes.

This was what Tina suddenly realized a month after Liliana left.

Perhaps, as her father said, there is still an adventurous nature in their blood?

After seeing the unimaginable and fabulous scene, Salt Sand City became a bit small for her.

"However, because my father and mother are still there, although I have this feeling, I don't pay much attention to it, but as time goes by, the feeling of boredom gradually becomes stronger."

As soon as my father returned to the port, he saw his mother fell in love at first sight, so the enthusiasm for adventure disappeared like this, but what about himself?

Nothing attracted my attention, and the busy life after becoming Miss Alive's secretary made me travel all over Salt Sand City, which made this feeling even stronger.

"The streets I'm familiar with are still warm, the people I know are still living enthusiastically and happily, and the sea breeze smells of salt and fish that have nourished me for more than ten years... But gradually, I am not satisfied with these, and the more I am getting more and more dissatisfied, just like my father said, after seeing that mermaid, something boiled in my chest, so..."

——The idea of ​​wanting to leave took root at that time.

"Then, just a few days ago... I came home, and my father and mother suddenly told me that they had won the grand prize in the lottery on the commercial street. It was a free travel ticket for two people to the City of Glory..."

And this is an opportunity.

That night, when I opened the door and came home, after hearing the news, I didn't sleep well all night.

The reason why I stay here is... home.

The self who loves home is like a seagull who has been reluctant to spread its wings. It is nostalgic for this warm nest and has never thought of leaving.

Home, what is home?

where the family is.

where the family lives.

A place that feels like family.

A place without these is just a house.

However, my own family, the pair of idiot parents, said to Tingna briskly, "We are going to travel to the City of Glory, which is listed as the first place in the list of [Places You Must Visit in Your Life] Well, the glorious city-state, the most beautiful city, ah, what a beautiful place it will be?"

Then I left the stunned Ting Na alone, and went to pack my luggage and plan the tour route on my own.

"At that time, I felt that I was simply a big fool."

So the next day, the girl rushed into the president's office with the transfer notice with a feeling that she didn't quite understand. The unreasonable feeling even overwhelmed the uneasiness about the journey... Although she was traveling The uneasiness came back again, until just now it disappeared.

"So, did you come here?"

Shaking his little feet and tapping, Dan nodded at the girl's words.

It seems very empathetic.

"...Honestly speaking, I really don't want to do this kind of trip again in a short time..."

Tina drooped her head, dejectedly.

"...But, we're about to embark on a journey again."

Seeing such a girl, the witch who swallowed the pork chop said calmly.

"……Eh?"

The girl's expression froze.

"Wait, wait a minute, why are you leaving again!"

"...because what was to be done here has already been done."

"Actually, Alice and Lily are scheduled to leave tomorrow."

"Why, why is this—"

"...Miss Tingna can rest here, and come after us when we arrive at the next stop."

"Isn't that pointless..."

——Can you really not take a day off?

Not yet used to the fatigue of the journey, the girl whose waist and buttocks are still sore is pitifully staring at Miss Witch, but there is no compromise in Miss Witch's deep black pupils. Seeing her who did not accept the invitation at the train station in Yansha City.

"Woooo..."

The witch's will will not be transferred by herself, Tingna knows it. Just because she knew, she didn't place much hope in her request.

For Liliana and Alice, traveling seems to have a unique meaning, and they don't just travel for the sake of travel.

And that meaning, their oath, Ting Na still doesn't know.

Even, whether I can become their traveling companion now...

"I see……"

——In the future, it will probably be very hard.

Turning grief and anger into appetite, the girl picked up the knife and fork again, and smashed the pork chop in front of her into thousands of pieces.

Just when the witch looked at the girl calmly, she accidentally choked and beat her chest desperately because she ate too fast.

"Hello, Miss Einsteins."

A magnetic voice sounded from behind her.

The witch handed Tina a glass of warm water mixed with maple syrup, and slowly turned her head, staring at the man in the smart suit for a while.

"……Is there a problem?"

Tilted his head.

"..."

Tingna, who was gurgling water and swallowing a small piece of pork chop stuck in her throat, could clearly see the seriousness on the face of this man who obviously had a clear goal and walked straight to Liliana without hesitation. His expression instantly melted into a touch of flattery that was honestly a bit disgusting.

"Yes, I'm very sorry to interrupt Miss Einstein's meal, but...can you please postpone your departure for a few more days? The branch of the Maixing City Magicians Association wants to entrust you with something."

In an instant, Tingna's favorability for this branch of the Magicians Association, which she had never heard of, gradually rose to admiration.

………………………………………………………………………………

A certain day's postscript, part two:

"Then, Miss Liliana, I'll just open a room here..."

"...?"

"Miss Tina, won't you live with us?"

"Eh? But, there is only one bed in the room..."

"...a bed is enough."

"...Wait a minute, Miss Liliana, wouldn't you say that we are going to sleep in the same bed—"

"……Any questions?"

"……No."