The Witch and the Doll Swear

The voice was muffled by the wind.

The spindle-shaped balloon floats in the sky, and the tough steel cables link the cradle-like hull. On the wings extending left and right of the hull, the huge propeller is driven by the magic furnace, and only the vague shadow can see the circular outline.

Near the cargo hold at the tail of a whale, flight attendants and guards are guiding the handling of cargo, because of the rustling wind, other sounds seem insignificant.

The more important reason is that the girl was distracted. When the calm words passed through the lingering sound of the strong wind, the sea-blue pupils refocused, and looked at the girl in the cloak with condensed and confused eyes.

——What are you talking about?

It seemed to come from far away.

—The wind died down.

"...Miss Tina, what's wrong?"

"Huh? I..."

There was no longer the noisy sound of wind and mechanical parts, and Liliana, who was beside her, came before her with the doll in her arms.

"...Because of the wind from the airship, I didn't hear..."

Her dark pupils are deeper than the night sky, and her beautiful face is more dazzling than the endless stars.

To cover up the truth, the girl lied and looked away.

"……Yeah?"

The witch blinked slightly, turned her head, and watched silently from a distance, busy carrying the team.

"...This airship cannot reach Yansha City directly."

"Um……"

——Hornless Blue Sheep

On the night when the blizzard ended, Bike City restarted the first airship.

Rescued from the dark basement by Miss Witch, the first time he woke up, he saw the dazzling clear sky.

Beautiful and clear.

The sky that makes me nostalgic for my hometown.

So, after turning fear, despair, and cowardice that almost betrayed Liliana and Alice into tears, I looked at the sky like that.

—I want to go home.

Tina said it.

When she woke up again, Liliana handed her the ticket for the airship.

"...It will arrive in Iron Guard Town in five days, which is a famous iron ore producing area. There, Miss Tingna can transfer to the airship to the largest city in the southern part of the mainland, Vesonis, and then go to the city from Vesonis. Salt Sand City."

"……Um……"

"...Don't touch the wound with water... When you take a bath, remember to wear gloves, apply ointment every night, and the nails will grow back before arriving in Tiewei Town."

"I see……"

All the magic lamps on the top of the airship lit up.

The conversation came to an end.

Two hours ago, the airship was supposed to take off, but there were more merchants and merchant goods than expected, so the city's airship authority had to temporarily move more from the warehouse. The large storage space for props and more workers have delayed until now.

Therefore, Liliana and Alice, who were supposed to bid farewell two hours ago, quietly waited beside the pier of the airport, together with the girl.

Tina didn't know if she should be happy because of this. She watched the last carriage leave the rear of the airship, the cargo compartment closed, and the flight attendant lowered the stairs to greet the passengers to board—

The real feeling of "going home".

The mood of "saying goodbye".

These are only now, like waking up from a big dream, slowly emerging.

Tingna stared back at Liliana in a daze, and at Alice who remained silent from beginning to end.

"……I'm going."

Open lips, but only such words can come out.

"... safe travels."

"After you go back, take a good rest."

"Um."

A very different farewell than last time.

This time, he chose to leave.

Has courage been pulled out along with the lost nails?

Did the aura of setting off from Yansha City disappear with the death of the knight?

got windy.

The flight attendant used the horn to greet the passengers to board the ship as soon as possible.

And myself.

I couldn't say anything myself.

Without being able to say anything, she left Liliana and Alice.

The witch and the puppet did not say any words to persuade them.

It's like I failed to keep them when I was at the tail of Chunri.

Farewell with just a look.

In the end, I still—

"...Miss Tingna, traveling with you is very pleasant."

"..."

Or... what?

Standing by the gangway, the businessman behind him has been urging impatiently, the ticket handed to the flight attendant has been handed back, has the mental communication been released? The wind whistling in my ears is calling the name of my hometown.

"……Um."

The bandaged hand waved lightly.

Nothing was said.

The girl boarded the gangway.

Pass through the deck, walk through the corridor, and pass through the cold metal doors, find the number written on the ticket, push the door and enter.

Tears finally welled up in my eyes.

"Liliana...Alice..."

Wipe, wipe, but the tears that wet the cheeks can't stop no matter what, even if the palms and backs of the hands are wet, even if the tears seep into the bandage, the unhealed wound stings.

A large bed, an independent bathroom, clean, tidy, and comfortable, it is prepared for wealthy nobles. The best cabin on the Cape Goat.

After the blizzard ended, it was so hard to get a ticket for the first airship to resume communication with the outside world. Even if Liliana and Alice didn't say anything, Tingna knew that it was impossible to do so on her own. snatched.

Without Liliana and Alice, I would absolutely, absolutely not be able to get back on the airship flying towards my hometown. No, going further, without Liliana and Alice, it would be impossible for me to cross that land. In the prairie, it is impossible to see so many things that have never been seen before, even.

If it weren't for them, I wouldn't even have the idea of ​​leaving Yansha City.

He must be like a frog in a deep well all his life, looking up at the unchanging sky and sea in a small city.

Everything up to here is because of Liliana and Alice.

But I can only become their burden.

"Liliana..."

He caused them trouble.

"Alice..."

I have already... I have, there is no way, to be with them again——

"Liliana...Alice..."

The huge airship began to vibrate.

The weeping whisper was drowned in the roaring radio and noise, unable to be conveyed from the wet bedding, unable to leave the round porthole, and then in the dark night.

It failed to reach the ears of the witch and the puppet who quietly watched the airship gradually disappear at the end of the sky.

Then.

Come to the morning when the sun of Saigong leaps out of the snow field.

………………………………………………………………………………

Somewhere, there was a corner of the city where the snow had been swept away from the road.

A few winter sparrows cocked their heads on a bare branch, staring at an open door.

"Do you have to go? Although I don't know much about it, even if you don't have to do it yourself..."

"I'm really sorry, Jielin, Mary, but this is my responsibility and responsibility. For you, I must not let any danger and evil go."

Rubbing his daughter's little head, the knight smiled unnaturally.

The Bike City Church held an overnight meeting last night, and under his strong advocacy, a secret arrest warrant for the dangerous individual Tina von Sia was passed.

An inquisitor died in the line of duty.

The Chief Forensic Officer was seriously injured and blinded.

Several knights were seriously injured.

News cannot be blocked, in this commercial city.

The upper echelons of the church are also aware of the seriousness of the situation.

The blow to the reputation of the church is second to none. The girl who was parasitized by the shadow demon left the supervision of the magician on the way to board the airship, and no one can guarantee her absolute safety. At that time, it will be too late to regret.

However, they could only act in secret, and the tough attitudes of the Adventurers Association and the Wizards Association caught the Church by surprise.

Especially the head of the Bike City Magicians Association who has always been submissive.

The Church of the Holy Church couldn't understand why he dared to put on such a tough attitude during the negotiation, "If you don't make any concessions, you will maintain all the alchemy equipment in this city yourself". That girl who looks like a teenager, is it magic? Is it the daughter of someone important in the Masters Association? Did you promise a good reward?

But the more this is the case, the more they have to find a way.

Maybe, this will become a powerful trump card of the Church of the Holy Church against the Association of Magicians.

Magicians should benefit people under the guidance of the Holy Light, instead of gathering together to study the so-called truth.

"...Come back soon, Dad."

The girl's little mouth was pouted, and under her mother's urging, she turned around reluctantly and threw herself into her father's arms.

"We can set off the day after tomorrow. I want to see how it snows in the Holy Temple Kingdom."

"Yes, I will definitely come back. Not only will I take you, Mary, to see the snow in the Holy Land, but I will also take you to the beautiful and majestic Chapel of the Holy Light, to climb the High Castle of the Commandments and Guards, and to be in Nani Let's have a snowball fight together in the forest."

"Mum...then, Lagougou. And...Dad, lower your head—"

The pouting daughter raised her mouth higher. Sure enough, she was looking forward to this trip.

Although it was only postponed for a day or two, she still broke her promise, and she would still be angry, especially since the one who broke her promise was herself who had always taught her to be honest and keep her promise.

Probably a few hairs will be pulled out, right?

The knight smiled wryly, and bent down.

"Um?"

"This is, smooth sailing, blessings."

"...Ahaha...then, I'm off."

The unexpected blessing made him couldn't help but smile.

The daughter is the little angel of the father, and to protect her own little angel.

Once again, he repeated that oath in his heart.

- Whatever it is, I will do it.

The knight who kissed his wife and daughter goodbye watched the birds jumping away from the branches in front of the door. He took a deep breath and closed his silver visor.

- Definitely, can't fail.

"Lily, it's time to wake up."

Somewhere, in a deserted hotel suite, the witch who heard Alice's voice put the empty wine bottle aside.

"It seems that they are not just talking, they are starting to act."

"..."

"I drank a lot, although you always drink a lot every time your traveling companion leaves Lily, but this time... can you still stand up?"

"……I am angry."

"It's rare to be angry at the departure of a traveling companion."

"...It's just angry at myself. Miss Tingna is just an ordinary person with no background and strength, but I, who has power and strength, failed to protect her. This is the first time I have such emotions, which makes me ……very angry."

"No way, without using the Magicians Association and the Adventurers Association to put pressure, it would be easy for Lily and Alice to rush over and smash the church to pieces to rescue Miss Tina, but that would also make things difficult to do later, maybe it will still be difficult. would draw unwanted attention."

The little puppet sat by the bed, watching a few birds that had become fluffy in winter pecked off the melon seeds and flew away.

"This is the first time that I have traveled with completely ordinary people for such a long time. It is also a novel experience for Alice. Although she is a little cowardly and a little twisted child, but."

"... In order not to leak our information, she endured torture... Leaving here is Miss Tingna's own decision, so I won't stop it, that's all."

"That's right, do you have any plans for today?"

"...going to visit some new friends, don't forget the gift, otherwise it would be too rude."

There is no need to continue the conversation.

There is no need to confirm what to do.

Alice floated onto Liliana's shoulders, and opened the French windows of the balcony with a light whip.

at this time.

"Coo, coo coo!"

"Eh?"

"……This is……"

A snow pigeon with messy feathers cooed and fell from the sky.

………………………………………………………………………………………

The wider the field of vision, the more you can only see a boundless piece of pure white on this snow-covered grassland.

This was something Tina knew about during her trip to the grassland. Now, she was sitting on a chair fixed on the deck of the airship, ecstatically stirring the creamy soup for lunch.

After waking up hungry, it was almost afternoon.

Unable to bear the war waged by merchants in the restaurant with spittle stars and scales, Tinna brought food to the completely deserted deck. After wolfing down two portions of bread and a whole bottle of blueberry juice to fill her stomach, She has always been in such a dazed state.

She had a lot to think about, and although there were a lot, the girl didn't think about anything, and she didn't want to think about it, whether it was the past or the future.

But every time he saw the bandage on his finger, the nightmare reality of yesterday would appear before his eyes again and again.

In the torture room illuminated only by candlelight, those cold and painful props are like demons under the shadow of candlelight.

The ice-cold instrument of torture embedded in the flesh and blood between the fingers, the fingernails are covered with sticking flesh and blood, a part of the body is torn, and the pain of pulling it out is like a flame that almost burns the brain.

...if only it was a nightmare.

——This is the first one, don't worry, it hurts, but it won't die, of course, maybe it's better to die, because next is the middle finger, little finger, index finger, thumb, and then the ring finger of the other hand , middle finger, little finger, index finger, thumb, and both hands, and feet. Take your time, you have plenty of time, and reflect on what you should have told us.

That female knight, the female interrogator said slowly.

——It hurts, it hurts! No, it hurts, it hurts! ! ! ! !

The only thing I can recall is this, and the ridiculous will that was washed away almost instantly.

After waiting for herself to taste the pain slowly, the female knight put the terrifying pincers on her middle finger.

My own mouth was almost about to betray Liliana, and I begged with tears not to continue talking about myself who I don’t know anything, and I didn’t get mercy.

second piece.

It's almost like a part of the soul has also been pulled out.

It's almost like the spine has been pulled out and broken.

In the indescribable pain, only the words "will die", "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" "will die" ——! ! !

When he came back to his senses, both the interrogator and the instruments of torture were all in pieces. The dark red blood sprayed on his body and fell on the fingers that had lost the protection of the nails. The pain and panic cut him off in an instant. all awareness.

When he woke up again, he was in Liliana's arms.

The snowstorm has stopped, and the beautiful sky is the same as now.

"..."

Just like, now.

The girl silently picked up her own shadow slightly.

The pitch-black shadow on the table was lifted a little like soft dough.

In his shadow, there is also a shadow demon, a shadow demon lord.

The Rat Society, an assassin group in Salt Sand City, planted the shadow demon seed into his own shadow in order to assassinate Liliana.

This comes from the shadow plane, and the monsters that are almost impossible to kill will affect the mind of the parasite, making people irritable and crazy.

However, in Salt Sand City, Liliana and Alice used a special method to destroy its will, making it lose its soul and will, which made it neither have any impact on Tina's mind and personality, nor let it Tina couldn't walk as long as the shadow was trampled on.

The characteristics of the shadow demon have hardly eroded the girl at all.

Therefore, even though the detection of evil responded to Tina, the templars failed to make a correct judgment.

In fact, many times, the girl herself completely forgot about it.

But this time.

As the parasite, Tina's fear and pain, these intense emotions inspired the shadow demon's instinct to protect himself, which led to the death of the interrogator.

This is what Liliana and Alice told Tina.

Kneading the motionless shadow, Tingna bit her lips tightly, subconsciously stroking the whalebone amulet around her neck.

That scene was deeply engraved in my mind.

That sudden creeping shadow.

The knight with the holy light shining on his body took a few steps back quickly.

The shadow tore apart the light, and cut and shredded the armor and the human body together.

"It's self-inflicted..."

When the second nail was pulled out, the idea of ​​"As long as she dies, I don't have to suffer anymore", like sparks ignited in the haystack, continued to expand.

Was it his own pain and fear that triggered the shadow demon's reaction, or did his killing intent kill the woman?

If they knew about this, how would Liliana and Alice react?

Tina wasn't sure, and she didn't want to know the answer.

Not at all, don't want to know.

The creamy soup was no longer steaming, and she stared blankly at her fingers and the girl in the blue sky, letting go of her own shadow. There was no one on the deck, and no one noticed that she existed here. For this airship, it might just be the number of gold coins on the income and expenditure list.

——For Liliana and Alice, I am just a burden.

——Obviously, someone who doesn’t like to attract attention, but in order to save me, he had to use his relationship, owed favors, healed himself in the hotel, and when he was taking a bath, messages from the Magician’s Association kept coming. .

My mind is in a mess. It doesn't matter if you are more chaotic, as long as you can distract yourself and not think about anything.

——Papa and Mama, are you all right?

Go home... yes, go home, there is no Templar Church there, and the Church of True God and Virtue will not do such a cruel thing.

As long as I can go home, back to a warm and safe home.

Picking up the bowl, Ting Na, who suddenly felt that the sunlight from the sky was too dazzling, stood up from her chair, and was going to go to the restaurant to get another one, and then went back to her room.

She turned around, then froze.

Behind the airship, there is a small airship flying towards this side. Under the balloon hangs a hull like an arrow, shining dazzling golden light under Saigon's sun.

The coat of arms on that balloon...

Tina's face became extremely pale.

The too dazzling warm sun shining on the girl's plush windbreaker can't bring any warmth, and the airship high above the sky can squeeze the atmosphere and blow the strong wind, but it can't make the coldness even colder.

It is of equal length horizontally and vertically, with an elegant outline, neat and shining.

Holy Cross.

The symbol of the Church of the Holy Church!

--Snapped!

The world in front of me is distorted like falling into a kaleidoscope.

The girl could hardly stand still.

Only the sound of the dropped soup bowl shattering on the deck echoed in the clear sky on the grassland for a long time.

As if crying helplessly.