The Witch and the Doll Swear

Benedict, Benedict.

The papers were folded in different categories and made a neat sound on the desk.

After sorting out the information given to her by the Adventurer's Association today, Tingna stretched a little, sat up from the leather chair, and took the thinnest stack among them—it was also requested by the owner of this castle. That part, left the study.

The corridors of the castle are still intricate, and no longer getting lost is the only progress Tina feels she can boast of this week.

However, it is only limited to the study room, Liliana's bedroom, and the laboratory and library. Once she accidentally goes to the wrong intersection, Tingna will become dizzy and completely lost her place in a short while. Can yell out, please Miss Liliana or Miss Alice to save yourself.

"Turn left at the next corner, go straight for 5 portraits, then turn right through the room with musical instruments, then..."

——Fortunately, now I won't make this mistake again.

Slightly smug in the bottom of my heart, counting the lifelike landscape oil paintings on the wall, the blond-haired girl walked through the room lined up with the instruments of an entire wind orchestra.

Then turn right, at the end of the corridor lined with pointed arched French windows, there is nothing, a hall with huge windows on the entire wall, from here, walk up the steps covered with thick carpets.

Finally, go straight along the corridor at the top of the steps, and push open the door that depicts the seven wings of Magnus—the seven wings surrounding an eyeball.

After opening the door, the corridor continued. However, at the end of the staircase, which was symmetrical with the hall next door, with a wall as the dividing line, it was not the area where Tina could continue to move forward.

Different from the hall behind the door that Tingna just closed, which was empty but big enough to accommodate two theater stages, this vast space was half larger than the empty hall, and it was filled with things that Tingna didn't know at all. , except for a few roads that can only be passed by one person, there is almost no place to stop.

Even so, it doesn't look cluttered.

These devices with unknown names and uses seem to be arranged in an orderly manner according to some rules. It is also understandable when long shadows are drawn on the top.

That belongs to the beauty of order.

Fantastic contraptions, utterly unimaginable to the uninitiated of magic, include a floor painted with the seven wings of Magnus, floating with twelve sparkling crystals; A melting furnace of glass tubes; floating in mid-air, slowly rotating concentric metal rings around a flame-like deep purple light; hanging from the ceiling, a huge funnel engraved with countless incomprehensible runes...

Even though this week, Tina came here almost every day to witness these mysterious creations with her own eyes, her shock and amazement never diminished.

Especially, when the owner of this magic laboratory controls them with his own hands.

Leaning against the carved log railing and looking down, among the colors of brass and iron, it is easy to find the bright whiteness.

Slender limbs with incredible dreamlike aura.

Soft body, fair skin without the slightest variegation.

It hangs down to the calf, and the closer it is to the end, the closer it is to the pure white bright blonde hair.

Liliana Einsteins.

This laboratory, the owner of this castle.

It was almost a week ago that I met her.

"Today is... that wonderful altar..."

Today, she is at the very center of this laboratory, next to the altar made of pitch-black stone with six gracefully curved stone pillars pointing to the square stone floating in the center.

The girl was waving the short magic wand in her hand. Around her, materials that Tina could not name slowly floated up and landed on the edge of the square altar, on the 8 platforms engraved with many runes.

There was a magical light shining around her, reflecting a large area of ​​skin gorgeously.

On the curved stone pillars facing the suspended stones in the center, runes flickered one after another.

Immediately afterwards, the huge magic circle on the base of the black altar lit up. The floating square stones began to rotate slowly, and a large pile of glass jars filled with unnamed liquids were arranged around the altar. A magic circle rose from the bottle stoppers, and various liquids floated up and were attracted in the form of a long line. In the past, become part of the light on the stone.

"so beautiful……"

I can't understand it at all, but it's so beautiful and powerful.

The rotation of the square stone stopped after the bright veins and runes occupied all the surface. At this time, the altar no longer drew liquid from the bottle, and the light veins like runes and roots dimmed one by one until they reached the bottom. The sharp corners gathered and turned into bright silk threads and poured onto the platform below.

"call……"

Tina held her breath in anticipation.

Although she didn't know what Miss Liliana was doing based on the knowledge she had learned in the magic class that she had almost slept through for five years, Tina was very interested in magic. Judging by the situation, she was about to succeed. Well, it's about to succeed, right?

Let her be the witness—

--boom! ! !

"……Eh?"

The sudden explosion froze the expectant expression on the blond girl's face.

A semicircle of light lit up around the altar in an instant. In the barrier, deep purple ripples and smoke filled the air. The wanton impact and sharp sound were like the screams of demons from the lower world when they were dying, or It is the dreadful curse of a vengeful ghost.

This is obviously not the music that should be played when you are successful. Rather, when this kind of music is played, it is usually a bad end, right?

Speaking of which, is this the so-called Wraith Scream in Ghost Castle?

——I have discovered the cause of another phenomenon.

While crying and laughing, she was still thinking about unimportant things on the head, Tingna poked her head out from the edge of the fence with her upper body almost parallel to the ground, trying to find the girl who was engulfed in purple smoke at that moment.

"...Is the job done?"

tread.

A pair of soft little feet gently stepped on the girl's back.

When Tingna subconsciously straightened her body and turned her head, she leisurely landed on the crimson carpet.

"Ah, Miss Liliana, are you alright...ah, the clothes are..."

"fine."

Standing behind the girl, the owner of the castle picked up a wet towel from the small round table, and wiped away the remaining explosion dust stains on his skin with a single wipe, revealing his fair and delicate skin again.

"Still insisting that I put on my clothes?"

First the face, then the hands.

Then came the body and feet, and Liliana wiped her body, looking directly into Tina's eyes.

Those clear black pupils without confusion.

Indifferent yet forceful clear words.

Just this difference turned the little milk cat who was fighting sleepy bugs in the bed in the morning into a proud and elegant cat queen.

"Hmm... sorry, I will pay for those clothes..."

"It's okay, although you are the one who made this meaningless proposal, but the culprit is me who accepted the proposal and failed the experiment. If this can make you stop dictating my clothing style, the loss of a few pieces of fabric is not a big deal .”

"yes……"

— Really, it's completely different.

Liliana before she woke up was completely different from Liliana after she was fully awake.

Because of this, Tina always felt that.

Although I saw this girl with the title of honorary adventurer in the morning of that day, the first meeting between the two of them was not at that time.

that night.

She calmly landed on top of the snow-frozen black wolf, bathing in the starlight to save herself.

It's her, Tina, and Liliana Einsteins, and this Miss Witch.

Shocking encounter.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"...Are you okay?"

The girl who jumped off the frozen black wolf's head lightly, the girl I saw in the morning.

Liliana Einsteins.

Adventurers Association, honorary adventurer.

"... Can you stand up?"

"Ah, eh... well, it's finally..."

Out of breath.

The pain in the chest was so painful that it almost made me cry.

My feet hurt too.

But in the end, it's safe and sound.

— survived.

The tiredness and soreness of the body are the proof that she is still alive here. Tingna, who understood this, "haha", laughed in a low voice along with tears.

——survived.

Only then did I have the energy to think and organize what had happened.

I, after leaving the huge castle, walked almost halfway along the road to Salt Sand City, and met a wolf.

Why are there wolves one or two kilometers around the city? Shouldn't they be in the mangroves further north? This kind of thinking has only now had the power to emerge. When she realized that she was being targeted by a pack of wolves, Tingna completely turned the wilderness survival knowledge she had learned in the academy into a cry of fear, and ran away almost instinctively.

Although it is stupid to do so, I really have nothing else to do to deal with it. After running like this, I realized that what was chasing me was not a single wolf, but a pack of wolves, at least ten or more. .

Running and running, being led away from the main road by these cunning beasts, to the bushes where even if one or two people died, it would not be easy to find, and fell, thinking that he was about to die.

"Miss Liliana, thank you very much..."

saved.

"It's fine, it's fine."

The girl with long platinum hair didn't react much to Tingna's thanks. She nodded to the girl and then raised her head to look at the little puppet floating on the black wolf's body.

"Alice?"

"It's the jungle black wolf in the mangrove area in the north. However, no one other than me has caused wounds on his body. It doesn't look like he was expelled after losing the territorial competition..."

The little puppet has changed back to the blue and white dress that Tingna saw this morning, and the scepter in her hand is gone. She is floating above the body of the largest black wolf, holding a rainbow-colored magic circle in her hand.

"They don't know that this area is human territory."

"Having said that... well... it does look like a pack of wolves out hunting, at least that's what this wolf's memory tells me."

"No mutation?"

"nothing now."

Tina, still in shock, didn't know what Liliana and Alice were talking about.

Now, she just broke free from the great horror and joy of the rest of her life, looking around, she fell on the grass in the night, the corpses of dozens of monsters and the blood filled the air, the girl only felt faint because of desperately running and panting. The aching belly—stomach, to be precise—cranked a little.

However, it would be too rude to spit it out in front of one's savior.

"Miss Tina, are you all right?"

Alice floated in front of Tina.

"Well, well, it's okay, maybe..."

Forced to smile, Tingna stood up unsteadily.

"Hmm...it doesn't look like anything is going on, your complexion is very bad..."

"Because I was running so crazy, to be honest, I thought I was going to be like that marathon hero... Cough! Cough!"

——It would be too sad if that were the case.

Before finishing speaking, the girl bent down and coughed violently.

"Well... let me see..."

In the pupils of the little puppet's sapphire, a rainbow-colored magic circle lit up.

"Short-term high-intensity exercise, it's nothing. Miss Tingna's body is still quite strong, and then, the high level of mental tension...Miss Tingna, look into my eyes."

Tina raised her head subconsciously.

"Eh?"

Line of sight meets line of sight.

The jewel-like clear blue, and the intoxicating blue, iridescent magic light.

【Those who walk on the land need not be afraid, those who set foot on the wilderness need not panic, the great mother earth will protect you wherever you stand on any mountain peak or wilderness】

Gentle prayers seemed to ring in my ears, as if believers were praying for protection from the gods they believed in.

The soft soil on the soles of the feet seemed to reveal a little warmth, dispelling the blood and coldness blown by the night wind on the empty grass.

"[God's Word: Comfort]."

Words fell.

Although the body is still tired from intense exercise, however.

"Calm down..."

"Gaia's magic, the effect is not bad."

"Huh? Mmm..."

No longer gasping for terror, no longer trembling with joy for a narrow escape.

peace.

That's right, it's not calm. Now Tina feels her mood is very...peaceful.

Therefore, the curiosity suppressed by those complicated emotions surged up at this time.

"Miss Alice, was she a priest of Gaia Church..."

"……Eh?"

The doll floating in front of the girl tilted its head.

"Ah, no."

shook his head.

"Although I know what Miss Tingna is talking about... I didn't become a living doll after my soul was stuffed into the doll's body after death. I was born as a doll from the beginning, although I can't remember exactly but in this body."

The girl puffed out her lovely chest, proudly declaring that she was [myself].

"Not any other soul, but [Alice]."

"Wow, that, then I was really rude."

Tina immediately realized that she had taken the knowledge in the horror story as reality again, and she hurriedly apologized.

"It's okay, it's okay~~~~"

While the two were talking, Liliana, who was originally beside the black wolf's body, came over.

Even though the blood flowing from the ice cone pierced the devil and stained the grassland with a hellish scene, the bright starlight still fell on the girl's beautiful body with nostalgia, and the soft summer grass covered her slender legs and swayed low, as if she was stepping on it. The green sea waves that have not faded are like fairies walking under the starry sky.

"...It does not seem to be due to any mutation."

"Well, it looks like... Could it be that Lily is worried?"

Shake your head, shake your head.

"It's just that you should be cautious and vigilant about abnormalities, although this is not abnormal."

"That's to say—it's better not to jump to conclusions without more conclusive evidence."

"……So."

The conversation here is over.

Liliana shifted her gaze to the girl who was staring at her.

"Miss Tingna, is it? We will escort you back to the city, and then we will trouble you."

"Eh? Ah, ah..."

After a little bit of delay, Tingna translated that the trouble Liliana mentioned referred to her own work.

The liaison officer is responsible for filing and recording the situation resolved by the honorary adventurers before the release of the relevant entrustment, and writing a letter of entrustment issued by the Adventurer Association as the entrustment issuer to the association, and then the association will grade the entrustment, determine the reward and Give it to the honorary adventurer.

If a third party has issued an entrustment when the situation is resolved, it is responsible for accepting the entrustment.

[Monsters appear around the city]

One of the information she got today is this.

And Liliana and Alice wiped out the monsters. Although she didn't know if it was all the monsters, she undoubtedly had to document the fact that they wiped out the wolf pack. This was her job.

"No problem, leave it to me..."

When she thought of going back to the city, she couldn't just go home and pounce on the soft bed, but had to rack her brains to record and file, Tingna suddenly felt that today was not a good day at all.

"...Then, let's go."

Liliana nodded lightly, then turned and walked towards Salt Sand City.

"—Wait, wait—"

After taking two steps, Ting Na's voice sounded from behind.

"Any questions?"

Liliana turned her head in confusion, is there anything else she didn't notice?

"That's a big problem! That, that, Miss Liliana, don't you think your appearance is a bit strange?"

The girl with short blond hair blushed for some reason.

--question? strangeness?

Liliana froze for a moment, then lowered her head to inspect her body.

A bit sad but not cute boobs.

A flat stomach without any fat.

Firm and smooth, silky skin.

This body is as good as ever, and it can even be said to be perfect.

"...No blood stains, no other filth, is there anything strange?"

"It's weird!"

Ting Na opened her mouth, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer this question that seemed so natural.

I have stared at my body for a while, why haven't I found it yet!

"Why isn't Miss Liliana wearing any clothes?"

Or is she wearing magic clothes that only idiots can't see, so she can't see it! ?

"Clothes...ah, speaking of which, being naked outside is very bad according to human customs."

"No, that's right, speaking of why Miss Liliana didn't wear clothes..."

"Because I'm taking a bath."

The girl blinked her night pupils reflecting the brilliant starry sky, and answered as a matter of course.

"It's normal not to wear clothes when taking a bath."

"Ah... that's why I'm all wet... No, what's going on..."

Tina was dumbfounded.

Why did the topic suddenly jump to taking a bath?

"Hey~~~ Lily, your explanation is too jumpy."

Alice, who was listening to the conversation between the two, burst out laughing.

"To put it simply, Lily was leisurely taking a bath after a day's experiment, while reading the information compiled by Miss Tingna, um, first started to read from the stack of natural environment, and looked at At that time, a wolf howled from the hills outside the castle, and at this moment, Lily just picked up the first sheet about the movement of monsters."

The little puppet floated onto Liliana's shoulders and sat down, shaking its legs.

"……ah."

The first picture of Monster Movement...

Because it was the first information dealt with today, Tina remembered it clearly.

[I saw traces of monsters on the outskirts of Yansha City]

"so……"

"So I didn't even have time to put on my clothes, so I ran to the study to pick up the note you had written on. I used magic to find your location and [flashed] all the way over. Fortunately, I caught up with you at the nick of time."

"Yes, is that so...... I'm sorry!"

"...It's okay, it's also my negligence to let the liaison officer walk in the wild unsuspecting, and I will send you to the city every day from now on."

Liliana turned around, shaking her long golden hair that gradually faded towards pure white.

"Let's go."

"But, clothes..."

Walking quickly to the side of the girl who was much shorter than herself, Ting Na still had an unacceptable expression on her face.

Even in the wild with no one else...

"As you can see, I didn't bring clothes and space storage, and."

Liliana raised her head and looked up at the star-studded night sky, her indifferent expression gradually revealed a soft smile.

"Witches prefer to use the soles of their feet to feel the soil and the earth, and use their skin to bathe in the night wind and starlight, to be in tune with the world, and to feel the pulse of nature. This is the nature of our witches."

"Miss Liliana is... a witch?"

"...That's right, speaking of it, I haven't been able to say hello properly in the morning."

Turning her face sideways, the girl bathed in the starry sky in her birth posture raised her chin slightly towards Tingna.

"I... right, me? I'm just an ordinary scholar, Liliana Einstein, a proud witch, and to Miss Tina, she's also an honorary adventurer of the Adventurer's Association and the owner of the Ghost Castle Bar."

Ordinary self-introduction.

But it is like the queen's irrefutable declaration to her courtiers.

Even though she was looking down on her because of her tall height, Ting Na felt that she was the one being looked down upon, as if she was standing under a palace full of stars, and the petite witch was sitting on a high throne, waiting for her respond.

"And I am Alice, the puppet who made a vow with the witch."

Even Alice, who was as big as a cat sitting on Liliana's shoulders, seemed to hide a deep and distant "something" under her words.

——That would be, what?

"Uh-huh."

Tina put the question out of her mind for just a split second.

Don't think about things you can't understand. This has always been the secret of her happy growth-of course it is also the culprit that caused her poor grades.

Liliana and...Alice.

All in all, the girl who chews on these two names cares most about it.

——Regret that I didn't wear an extra dress today.

"Miss Liliana, won't you be shy?"

Until she was sent to the gate of the city, the petite Miss Witch didn't put any cover at all.

"Shy? You can't be a witch with something like that."

However, Liliana seems to have used a magic to prevent everyone from noticing this—even so, walking on the street at night, Tina still feels that the passers-by on the road are staring at Miss Witch's undressed body. Beautiful body is watching.

But Liliana's calm expression did not seem to be bathed in people's eyes at all.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Liaison Officer, then."

After sending Tina to her home, an ordinary small building, Liliana gave Tina an amulet and a key, and then used another magic to spread the wings of shadow from behind, left from the sky.

Ting Na, who was blushing, was left standing downstairs blankly.

In the next few days, Tina, who was a liaison officer, went to the laboratory or the library to find her, and even had lunch with her, Alice, this noble girl with a noble surname did not have a piece of fabric on her body at all. .

It seemed that only when she was sleeping, would this Miss Witch wear a silk pajamas whose price would make Tina pass out for the sake of comfort.

Alice's explanation for this is that magic experiments are prone to explosions, and some weird effects. Under the protection of magic, Liliana herself is unlikely to suffer any damage, but the things on her body are often not so complete. Protection, over time, this noble lady who is addicted to the magic world and doesn't like to go out has developed a good (?) habit of not wearing clothes.

Wearing pajamas when sleeping is only because silk pajamas are very comfortable to wear...

Tingna couldn't accept such an explanation at first, if it was just Liliana and Alice, it would be fine, no one was qualified to comment on how she dressed in her own home.

But she is an outsider! Even if she is also a woman, how can a girl expose her body in front of outsiders!

Therefore, Tina wondered if this Miss Witch was a naturist or had a penchant for showing off.

— At least get dressed while I'm around.

So, she suggested this to Liliana.

—A meaningless proposal, but I can try it.

Liliana also accepted.

Then, during the next week.

Liliana destroyed more clothes than Tina bought in a year. Of course, considering the price of Miss Noble's clothes at least 1 gold coin, the clothes burned this week are enough to empty Tina for the next five years. salary.

Tina finally surrendered.

She admitted that the reason Miss Witch doesn't like to wear clothes is not because she really doesn't like to wear clothes, and it shouldn't be some kind of naturism or showing hobbies.

Even low-quality clothes that can be bought for dozens of copper coins can be burned to the ground, frozen into powder, fragmented and melted into a sticky liquid, no one can stand it! What's more, Liliana's wardrobe is full of beautiful and expensive ones!

Even if in fact the number of successes is much more than the number of failures, a piece of clothing must be scrapped after each test accident, which still makes the girl from a poor family feel very distressed.

"It seems that even you understand."

"Yes……"

"Very well, then, today's information..."

Sitting at the round table with gold-edged carvings, Liliana gracefully held up the teacup. The crimson satin on the chair contrasted more vividly with the skin that looked like the highest-grade ice cream. If it wasn't for the hanging hair that just covered her beautiful Body, Tina really didn't know where to put her eyes.

The charm of Liliana, the magical charm of a witch, transcends race and gender.

"Ah, yes, according to Miss Liliana's request, I sorted out the information about the northern volcano [Visuka] and the mangrove forest."

After sitting on another chair beside the round table, and handing the paper to Liliana, Tingna hastily imitated her and picked up the teacup, shifting her gaze to the little puppet sitting on the table.

Today's Alice is wearing a black dress covered with lace and ruffles. Her soft blond hair even hangs below the table, like a golden waterfall. On her head, there are also a pair of fluffy cat ears.

If Liliana's beauty transcends the barriers of racial aesthetics, then Alice's cuteness is also at this level.

Tina can guarantee that there will be no girl who will not be moved when she sees Alice, at least she just looks at the villain gnawing on the biscuits like an idol hamster—although she doesn't know why a doll needs to Where did she eat and where did she eat, but this did not prevent her from feeling healed physically and mentally.

Noticing Tina's gaze that seemed to be soaking in hot water, Alice blinked and smiled at the girl.

There was not much information about the monsters on the volcano and the mangroves on the north side of Salt Sand City, so Liliana put down the paper in her hand very quickly.

"...the materials for infusion are gone, let's buy them."

"……Eh?"

It's been a week since our first conversation.

Ting Na still couldn't keep up with the frequent topic jumps of this beautiful witch lady.

……………………………………………………………………………

The market in Yansha City is relatively prosperous among the many cities along the Tranquility Sea.

This is the coastal city at the southernmost tip of the Sea of ​​Tranquility. Going south from here, bypassing Cape Nepsis, you will step into the territory of goblins, bordering on the Emerald Sea, the natural empire of Faruilan covered by grasslands and forests.

As the last coastal human city on the east coast of the mainland, it is a commercial city that relies on the opening of shipping routes and the development of salt trade. The large area in the southeast is a business district. Tina originally thought that she would go to a special store to buy materials for magic experiments, but she didn't expect Liliana to bring her and Alice here directly.

Of course, after wearing a simple foreign dress.

"Are there any materials for magic experiments to buy in this kind of place..."

The scattered shops are clean and tidy, and the streets and alleys are filled with the fragrance of sea salt and spices. Walking here with Liliana is like returning to the carefree days of childhood.

Tingna used to come here often. The slowly developing commercial red street is on the edge of the slums where there are not many people. Young girls like the air and gentle people here. They like to walk among the houses with red bricks and tiles. Treasures from far away countries often take a whole day to visit.

It wasn't until the sun went down that I set foot on the way home with the siren of the late fishing boat.

It is because I am very familiar with the streets here that I feel incredible.

In this kind of place, will there be those precious magic materials?

——If Miss Tingna refers to materials such as magic bones, magic plants, and magic crystals, of course they don’t exist here. Countries have strictly regulated their trade regulations.

Before entering the city, Alice, who was still humming a little tune and shaking her two calves, was still sitting on Liliana's shoulders, but now she was obediently motionless, acting as a puppet on Liliana's shoulders, Even talking to Tina is through a magic called [spiritual communication].

Even so, the girl with the cute doll sitting on her shoulder was still enough to attract attention in the dense crowd, but it was only attention.

The dress on Liliana was not a luxury that ordinary people could afford. Obviously, no one would be willing to offend a nobleman out of a momentary curiosity.

In fact, within a two-meter range centered on Liliana, no one approached except Tingna.

——However, for now, we don't need to purchase those materials that are actually used in relatively small amounts in magic experiments. The materials that consume a lot of magic infusion are things that can be seen everywhere, such as... this.

Still, Miss Witch seems to really enjoy people's alienation. After turning a corner with Tina, she stopped.

Tina looked up.

The signboard of the store is [France's Forest Suite], which is said to be owned by goblins. It is the largest wood specialist store in Yansha City. When the store opened, Tina and her friends used to hide in the store to find Looking at the legendary goblin.

"here……?"

All of a sudden, she fell from the mysterious magic shop to the well-known famous merchant. Before Tina could react to the gap between imagination and reality, Liliana opened the door and went straight to the counter.

"2 cubic meters of mahogany, 1.5 cubic meters of silver tree logs, royal wood, polar wood, 1 ton of bronze willow bark, and 20 branches of magnificent wood, shipped to the gate of the castle outside the city."

Before the salesperson raised his head and said "Welcome", he threw out a long string of numbers.

The tone is flat and the words are clear.

The storefront, where there were price discussions, inquiries, and greetings, was completely silent.

"Ah, ah, this, this lady, no, I'm sorry, that...um... 2 cubic meters of mahogany, 1.5 cubic meters of silver tree logs..."

After the poor salesman was stunned for more than ten seconds, he grabbed a piece of paper and a brush and began to write.

"Royal wood, extremely cold wood..."

I accidentally misheard a word.

"Polar wood, log, more than 5 years old and less than 10 years old."

"Yes! No, sorry, that... polar wood, 20 branches of magnificent wood... no, sorry, we don't have so many in stock..."

The petite Miss Witch gently tapped on the counter with her fingers. The sturdy guy who was almost twice as tall as her trembled in fright. Such a scene was really funny.

However, even if she could only see the girl's slender back when standing behind her, Ting Na felt an incomparably vivid sense of presence rushing towards her face, it was like a silver moon in the dark night, like a black flower in the white snow The strong sense of presence is not sharp or aggressive, but it is indistinguishable and very distinct.

Liliana walking on the street doesn't have this feeling, but in the castle, such a sense of presence surrounds her all the time, this is Miss Witch's [trait], and she takes it for granted [existence].

In the castle, even if she was naked, those who looked at the beautiful body would not dare to have any blasphemous thoughts, but at this moment, when she stated her appeal.

As if proclaiming "I am here", no one can turn a blind eye.

"That's 10 branches, old branches more than 10 years old, with branches and leaves, don't go through freezing and drying."

"Okay! Okay! Well, then the payment is... 35 gold and 66 silver. My guest, the deposit is..."

Knocking on the abacus profusely, it took a long time for the young man to report a number.

"pay off."

Boom.

Liliana stretched her hand across the counter, and after a crisp crash, five stacks of gold coins with virtue crosses printed on them were stacked neatly on the counter.

"Send it to the castle outside the city, as soon as possible."

"Yes, it is……"

The receptionist brother was stunned.

Probably never experienced such a resolute transaction before, but the blonde lady witch didn't care so much. After confirming that the necessary information had been written on the order in his hand, Liliana nodded in satisfaction, turned around and left. .

"gone."

At this time, Alice's knowledge of Liliana has only begun to spread a few words.

In other words, I just explained to Tina that what Liliana did on that wonderful altar today was not [enchanting] but [infusion], that's all.

——But, what is the difference between [Enchanting] and [Infusion]?

——The essential difference is whether the [essence] of the material or utensil has been changed, and the intuitive difference is the cost of the materials used.

Stone Shop【Old Tobys' Cave】.

"50 kilograms of black marble, 10 kilograms of obsidian, 3 kilograms of immortal silver slime, and 2 kilograms of malachite, sent to the castle outside the city."

"That, that, the total price is 45 gold, 75 silver and 60 copper...the deposit is 15..."

"pay off."

- I don't quite understand...

——To put it simply, enchanting is to [add] another effect or magic to an object, while infusion is to directly [change] its nature. Take a sword as an example. To enchant [flame blade] on it, just inject The magic power can make the sword ignite with flames, but if the sword breaks, it will turn back to a normal sword. But if [Flame] is [Infused] on a sword, then even if the sword is broken into many pieces, as long as the magic power is injected, each piece will still burn with flames.

Ore store [Red Rock].

"5 kg of Immortal Silver, 10 kg of Bronze, 5 kg of Mithril, Arcanite, and Gray Iron. Send to the castle outside the city."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, please wait a moment... um... um... a total of 58 gold, deposit..."

"pay off."

——In that case, isn't [Infusion] more powerful than [Enchanting]?

——It cannot be said that, a sword can be enchanted with many effects and modified, but most substances can only be enchanted once. Objects after infusion will also become difficult to enchant. More importantly, infusion requires harsh site conditions, with a high failure rate and will cause pollution. Therefore, it is a relatively unpopular branch in alchemy. Of course, the advantages It is relatively cheap.

Herbal shop [Ledia's Cauldron].

Bookstore【White Feather】

Silk shop [bubble]

Jewelry shop【Golden Rose】

…………

In the end, what Tina recalled in her mind was Liliana's indifferent but firm "one-time payment" and the various sounds of gold coins being smashed on the counter.

"—Miss Liliana, it's wrong to buy things like this!"

Finally, Ting Na, who came out of a clothing store, frantically pressed Liliana's shoulder.

In this store, Miss Witch finally failed to repeat the words "send to the castle outside the city" and "pay in one lump sum", and it took extra time to customize the clothes, but when a few gold coins—— If Ting Na counted correctly, is this the 232nd or 233rd that was sprinkled from Liliana's slender fingers today? ——When the store owner put it away flatteringly, the two of them returned to the street with one doll.

Tina finally broke out.

"...?"

Liliana tilted her head.

"Miss Liliana, it's not okay to spend money like this. Not only do you not bargain, you don't even need change. This way of spending money is a prodigal! I don't understand the market and dare not talk nonsense about the previous materials, but this -"

Realizing that her voice was too loud and attracting the attention of passers-by, Tingna quickly lowered her voice and said to Liliana and Alice.

"The owner of this store obviously sold the clothes that are not worth so much money at a higher price!"

Liliana's way of shopping is really difficult for Tingna, who has not spent more than two hundred gold coins in the five years of schooling and living expenses from the age of 10 to now 18 plus the five years of schooling.

This is enough to buy a well-decorated two-story building in Yansha City!

"……I understand what you mean."

Miss Witch nodded.

"That's right, if you want to buy something next..."

"It's just some odd money that doesn't need to be so fussy. Although it's not much, those gold coins can allow merchants to give us better services-no merchant will be troubled by money, and no merchant will refuse to spend money. guests."

"..."

Because Miss Witch didn't deliberately lower her voice, at this moment, Ting Na felt that the movements of children, men, women, and old people walking about two meters away from her were a little stiff.

"What's wrong?"

"...No, I'm just...thinking about life..."

What Miss Witch seems to lack is not just the common sense of shame.

And money.

[Although not many]... huh, ha, ha ha...

It takes two months for me to see one gold coin without being deducted from my wages without eating or drinking. The gold coins that my father who works in a fishing workshop can only save in three months... [although not many]...?

Tina looked up.

Today, the light of the Saigon Sun still shines on the land, and on this continent, the rich and the poor still live separately.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"Next, the fish shop [Hairar] is a little far away, let's go."

"Ah, for that fish shop, I know a shortcut—"

In this urban area dotted with streets and alleys, the so-called shortcut is a relatively short path drawn on a complex chessboard.

Tingna, who quickly recovered from the painful financial blow, volunteered to lead Liliana and Alice through the gray and white streets.

Compared with the bustling red brick streets in the business district, the old town just one street away looks extremely lonely.

It used to be a slum with narrow lanes and dense corners, but now it is deeply embedded in the red brick roads and houses, as a historical witness of the city's development.

"The business district of Yansha City is part of the new urban area, and it is adjacent to the old urban area. Because this area is considered an area to be built on the map, there are no road signs or anything. However, you can go directly through here to the sea, from the sea to the sea. [Hairar] The fishing shop is very close... But it's been a long time since everyone left. In the past, although this was a slum, it was a very warm street. Although the people who lived here were poor, But they are very warm-hearted and kind, and now they are scattered all over the city, and I don’t know how they are doing.” After going to the college to study, Tingna never came here again, so at first she brought the wrong Around one or two corners, the girl with a smile on her face is like a wanderer who has left home and returned to a familiar hometown.

"Did Miss Tina live here before?"

"Eh? No, Miss Alice, I don't live here, but I often come here to play, and there are many friends here, it is really a carefree time..."

Soon, the blond girl found the path that led to the seashore that she used to walk when she was a child.

"Miss Liliana, this way, just turn this corner and walk a little further—wow!"

Tinna, who greeted Liliana who was two steps behind and turned her head, felt that she had bumped into something.

"Wow!"

Following this low cry of pain, the hit figure sat down on the ground.

"Ah, sorry, are you okay?"

The one who lowered his head and sat down on the ground was a boy with a relatively strong body and dark skin for his age.

It seems that because I turned around and chatted with Liliana, I just came out of the corner, so I bumped into it without noticing... The blond girl bent down and stretched out her hand to pull the boy up.

The boy blinked his brown eyes and took Tina's hand, but.

The boy didn't move as Tina tried to pull him up.

"What's wrong? Did you hit something and can't stand up?"

The boy shook his head, his eyes wandering.

At this time, from the back of the corner, many children came out one after another. They were of different ages, and the oldest was about eleven or twelve years old. They wore old and patched clothes, their skin was rough, and their bodies were thin. .

It's the children of the ghetto.

"Oops!!"

——Is this the place where these children ambush?

Tina immediately realized that she wanted to let go of the boy's hand, but the boy grabbed her wrist instead.

"Damn it, let me go—Miss Liliana, these guys are—"

Tina, forgot one thing.

This is the fringe of the slums where few people come.

Apart from the desolation and dilapidation, there is another reason why few people come.

--Snapped!

Suddenly there was a burning pain on the cheek.

"Shut up!"

Tina turned her head in disbelief. The boy who walked up to her quickly and slapped her hard across the face seemed to be the strongest of the dozen or so children. He clenched his fists tightly and stared at Ting Na. Na's green pupils were burning with hatred that stunned the girl.

That's right, hate.

The blazing flame of hatred made Tingna forget what she was going to say next.

"The noble lady in front, in front."

Seeing that Tina had calmed down, the boy looked at the girl who stopped a few steps behind Tina and looked at all this calmly.

It's the eldest lady of a noble family, are you scared? Or don't care at all?

"I, we saw it, Miss Noble, you are very generous no matter which store you buy, and you are willing to spend money for your time. This, this road behind us is the shortcut to [Hailar]. If the noble If Miss is willing to spend some gold coins, we, we will immediately get out of the way."

If you are scared and stupid, then it would be best...

The boy's body was trembling, and his voice lacked momentum and strength, as if he had forcibly drawn a decayed strong bow, which creaked and might break at any time.

More importantly, he stuttered.

"..."

Why are these kids stuck here all of a sudden?

Tina understood.

Probably someone or a few of them saw Liliana's lavish shopping, and heard the conversation between himself and Liliana, so they decided that it was some noble lady who came out to buy things, but he himself In order to take a shortcut and take them to [Hylar], I came to the old city... Has anyone heard this part of the conversation?

So, the group of people who thought this was a good opportunity... No.

Ting Na looked at the trembling teenager, and then at the children with lowered faces who dared not look at her or Liliana at all.

——Is this the only person who thinks this is a good opportunity?

——That's why I shut myself up and looked at me with such hatred... It's because if I tell Liliana to run away, not only will they get nothing, but they may also be accused of [attacking nobles] Bar?

But, it doesn't make sense, does it?

Maybe she was regarded as a noble maid? What do you want from a nobleman after beating her maid in front of a nobleman... don't know what these guys think.

For being a waif, maybe just stupid.

"What if I say no?"

Liliana answered flatly.

"Then, then, please, please, Miss Noble, please return to the original way."

"Then it seems that he intends to vent his anger on you, what should we do?"

Those deep black pupils looked at Ting Na calmly.

"Ahh..."

Needless to say, Tingna also knew that if Liliana turned her head and left, these little fellows who dared not really attack the nobles would inevitably be punched and kicked in order to vent their anger, and the money on her body—— Ah, because I didn't bring my wallet, so I didn't have any money on me. Is that a pain in the flesh?

Even if I am older than these children, it is impossible to win against ten people.

The girl smiled wryly.

but.

"It seems so."

His own voice was so calm that even he was startled.

Maybe it's because looking at places full of memories, these guys exude a disgusting smell of trash.

Perhaps it was the humiliation of being slapped that ignited the anger.

Or maybe it was me who was studying the law department in the college, and saw a group of idiots who probably didn't even know how to write the word law challenged the boundaries of the law.

"Miss Liliana, don't go back the same way, just go towards them. Article 412 of the Yansha City Criminal Law, anyone has the right to fight back against those who violate the safety of life and property... I'm curious, you little guys How many of you have the guts to touch a nobleman with your dirty hands."

In short.

She is angry.

Deliberately biting the word "noble" very hard, the expressions on the faces of these children suddenly panicked. They may not know how many laws are, but the status of nobility is enough to make them feel scared.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! Even if the city guards come and we hide in the slums, no one can catch us, and!"

The boy suppressed the voices of these children loudly.

"We are not robbing or blackmailing, we are just begging, we just hope that this noble lady can give us some gold coins for the sake of the true god and the time she is about to save!"

But his voice also started to panic, so that's how it is, poor bastards who are not even punks.

"We have ten people, so we only need ten coins. One coin for each of us can feed us and help our sick family members get treatment. I beg you for the sake of the true god—"

The boy was crying almost at the top of his lungs.

His crying hadn't lasted more than a few seconds, and the most excited child behind him hadn't had time to smear the saliva on the corners of his eyes. At this moment, a crisp sound fell on the gray-white gravel road.

"Okay, I don't want to waste time anymore, for the sake of the true god."

Liliana stretched out her hand, and between the fingers with rings, the color of gold tinkled down.

One, two, three, four, five...

"Since it is for the sake of the true god, then I will give you more."

... Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen.

Liliana put down the hand with the ring, and there were thirteen gold coins scattered on the ground.

The eyes of the children were straightened, and the boy holding Tingna's wrist also stared blankly at the gold falling from Liliana's fingers, as if he couldn't believe that they could actually get such a rich amount from the hands of the nobles. alms.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Tingna broke free her hand. She backed away from these children in disgust, but the other hand held her painful wrist that was grabbed by the boy.

A soft and clean, strong and luxurious little hand.

"Now, get out."

The witch's voice was cold and harsh.

The children who blocked them at the corner parted a road in unison.

When she walked to the leader's side, Liliana suddenly slapped his face fiercely with her backhand, causing him to stagger and fall to the ground.

The young man covered his face, as if he hadn't reacted yet, he stared at Liliana's beautiful face, a flame of desire suddenly rose in his eyes, the burning greed was accompanied by a fierce light, even There was still a ray of killing intent, which made even Ting Na feel astonished.

"--ah!!!!!"

Then, he clutched his crotch and let out a scream.

"This is a punishment for my people."

The witch who didn't care about the unpleasant red stain on the stiletto of the high-heeled shoes, and the puppet sitting on her shoulder pulled Ting Na, and left without looking back.

Walking through this corner, you come to a quiet but deserted road, go straight, at the end of the road, the waves and soft silver sand are shining brightly in the sun.

"It is indeed a shortcut. Although it was delayed by those little guys for a while, it still only took less than ten minutes."

Looking along the seashore, the iconic octopus signboard of [Hairar] is very conspicuous.

Liliana walked there without thinking about it.

However, the resistance from behind prevented her from taking a step.

"..."

One after the other.

a long time.

"...why give them money..."

The girl who was held by Liliana's slender and luxurious hand broke the silence.

"Why not?"

The witch and the puppet didn't look back.

"The old city, which used to be a slum, was about ten years ago, when the new city was being built, and the city recruited a lot of workers there, arranged for them to move into new housing, gave them jobs, and most of them left there, but, There are still people who are lazy, and some people who sit and do shady things stay there—no, the only people who stay there now are these guys!”

"Not all of them deserve goodwill, those guys, who can apply to the city hall and get a placement, just go find a job everywhere now, but they still stay there as a rat, stealing and cheating for a living , because of these guys and the intricate environment of the old city, the city guards failed to clean them up, and the demolition of the old city was delayed. This time, Miss Liliana gave ten children gold coins. Next time, Lilia Miss Na will definitely be targeted when she comes to buy things again, and more people will come to ask for more gold coins!"

The seagulls on the beach fluttered up, leaving elegant silhouettes on the beach.

"Not everyone should show kindness, Miss Tina, do you think so?"

"...Although Miss Liliana punished that boy, the seeds of hatred have already been planted."

"I think so too, so I said, for the sake of the true god."

Turning around, Liliana looked at the girl with red eye circles.

"Miss Liliana is a believer in the Virtue Church? If that's the case—"

What was thinking in those black eyes, Ting Na didn't understand at all.

One of the teachings of the Virtue Church is that everyone should be self-reliant and leave your goodness to those who really need it.

Those children who are able-bodied are obviously not included in this list.

"No, I'm not interested in the Seven Virtues. I just...well, I really owe the True God a favor. Since those little guys say it's for the sake of the True God, then I will pay back the favor."

"……Eh?"

Tina didn't understand the meaning of the combination of these words at all. Seeing her stunned look and Liliana's plain expression, she couldn't help but a little smile.

"Forget it, this is not important, but another reason why you are angry is because these people you hate occupy the good things in your memory."

"..."

The blond girl exerted a slight force on her hands.

"Before you met them, you said, this is a warm street."

On the deserted beach, Alice, who was no longer pretending to be a doll, sat on Liliana's shoulders and asked softly.

"The warm and kind people in my memory have turned into these 'rats'. The streets that once felt warm are dilapidated, and 'rats' are rampant...Miss Tina, I am probably angry because of this."

The words whispered by the little puppet made the girl stunned for a moment, then shook her head with a wry smile.

"Sorry, Ms. Alice, Ms. Liliana, I won't be with you for the next purchase. After you buy everything, come to the association to find me. For honorary adventurers, the association has a subsidy amount. So……"

Pulling out Liliana's wrist without any red marks, she bowed lightly towards the two of them. Tingna turned in the other direction, leaving a row of crooked footprints on the sand.

She stopped suddenly.

"...I would rather this place be turned into ruins and strange streets be built."

It's like hesitating for a long time.

"Do you really think so?"

Alice held her cheeks, shaking.

"Because it was stated in the previous relocation agreement that after the new block is built, the original residents have the priority to move back."

Very small sound.

Then, the girl didn't stay any longer, and that slender figure quickly disappeared into the boundary line between the beach and the red bricks and tiles.

On the silver sand of the beach, a witch and a doll stand.

Although Yansha City has a large seashore, it is not a city that sells tourism. The large silver sandy beach on the edge of the city is the origin of the city's name. Under the baking of the sun, the salty smell of the ocean wafts.

"...she said that?"

The girl's last words were very light, very light, probably, she didn't even think about it, she would convey it to someone's ears.

But witches manipulate the wind.

The doll has furry cat ears on its head.

"Although this kind of unilaterally repays the true God's favor, even if I explain this to her, I won't believe it."

Lying on the little head of the witch who made an oath with him, the puppet lazily blows its own bangs.

"Next, where are you going and what are you going to do?"

"Go first, buy something."

Facing the signboard of the [Hairar] fishing shop, Liliana put Alice back on her shoulders and walked without looking back.

"Then……"

"Then?"

"I spent a lot of money today, I want to earn some back."

……………………………………………………………………………………

Adventurer's Association, third floor, behind the desk in the corner of the financial room.

The twilight glow fell on the window sill, and the girl stood up from the table.

what happened? The corridor outside the finance office is full of people coming and going, it's so noisy...

Tina moved her stiff shoulders and refocused her gaze.

"The subsidy is not much...of course, it is based on the speed at which honorary adventurers spend money."

The document in front of Tina is the association's annual subsidy for honorary adventurers, no, an allowance.

The amount is 30 gold coins, one year, but very few honorary adventurers withdraw this money.

The reason... just look at the experience of shopping with Liliana today, these huge sums of money that ordinary people can't even match are probably nothing to those who are capable of being awarded the title of honorary adventurer by the association.

but……

Over time, the accumulated amount is still very scary.

Judging from the information found by the association, Liliana Einsteins has been an honorary adventurer for more than 20 years.

The accumulated amount is a full 600 gold coins... For an ordinary family of three such as Tingna and her parents who already have a house and don't plan to renovate it, as long as they don't get seriously ill, the money saved is enough to use 60 years later...

Tingna suddenly understood that when she asked the person in charge of the financial office to give Liliana a subsidy, the bald middle-aged man looked at him bitterly and bitterly...

"Miss Liliana, how old are you..."

"The witch's age is a secret."

"Ahaha... how about age after the age of 20 is a topic that all women don't want to talk about... Wow!"

After subconsciously responding, I realized that this indifferent tone was not any colleague I was familiar with.

"Li, Ms. Liliana, have you bought all the materials..."

It was the witch who broke up with a little glum in the morning.

"There is no familiar person to lead the way, and a lot of time was wasted when purchasing scattered materials later."

Pulling away the chair in front of the table, pulling back the bright blond hair that gradually turned to silver to avoid sitting, Liliana crossed her legs.

Tingna handed the paper in front of her. However, the puppet holding Alice in her arms didn't look at the paper with the amount of money that would make an ordinary person jealous. She looked at Tingna and seemed to have recovered. With a calm face, he said flatly:

"By the way, go earn some gold coins."

Tina froze as she handed over the quill.

Not paying attention to the subtle changes in the girl's expression, Liliana's words continued.

"After I finished, I went to the association to have a look, but I didn't find the corresponding commission on the commission board, so I thought I would trouble you, so I came here."

--No way?

"That, that is, what kind of commission is it..."

--No way! ?

Looking at the girl whose expression didn't change as if she was saying what to eat for dinner today, the shape of her lips, the quill pen stained with ink in Tingna's hand fell with a clatter, leaving a dark line on the snow-white paper. stains.

"You can see it on the roof of the association."

Miss Witch stood up from the chair holding Alice.

On the top floor of the association, on the platform.

Here, a lot of people have gathered, and their various voices are noisy and entangled, turning into a noisy pot of stew.

However, Ting Na, who was in it, didn't seem to hear it. She opened her mouth wide but couldn't make any sound. She stood in front of the copper flower railing, staring blankly at the other side of the city.

--No way.

"..."

--No way! ! !

The girl couldn't believe her eyes.

However, even if she told herself that it was impossible, she was joking.

The scenery on the other side of the field of vision has not changed because of this.

At the place where the gray old disease stubbornly adhered to the city's bright red flesh, at this moment, there is only a flat piece of mud.

A piece of clean, flat, no one's.

The soil of the earth,.

"The problem can be solved with just one [Wide Area Fossil to Mud Art]. I don't understand why the demolition of the city hall was hindered by the entanglement of hooligans."

Liliana hugged Alice and said flatly.

"Is this what Ms. Liliana did...?"

"That's right, but I didn't see the relevant commission on the commission board, so."

Liliana turned her head to look at Tina.

"May I trouble you?"

——The honorary adventurer will often resolve the situation before the quest is issued.

The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the brown soil warmly, and the metal armor of the city guards shone in the setting light, driving away the surrounding crowd and maintaining order.

The warm light also shone on Miss Witch's beautiful face, dyeing the fair skin with a lovely blush.

——To make these archives they made a commission with the Adventurer's Guild as the publisher, that is.

The corner of the girl's mouth showed a smile unconsciously.

- The work of the liaison officer.

"Miss Liliana, let's go to the financial office, this time..." The association's capital chain may be broken.

………………………………………………………………

Postscript of a certain day:

"Speaking of which, Miss Liliana, said to that boy, 'This is a punishment for my people'... Well, it shouldn't have any special meaning, so let me just..."

"Since she works in my castle, Miss Tingna is of course mine. Considering gender, is it more appropriate to use 'woman' here?"

"Because it's bad for the heart, please don't."