The Witch and the Doll Swear

Except for a few aristocratic teenagers throwing bloody steaks into the sea and attracting a group of bloodthirsty dogfish, the voyage of the Golden Cup can be said to be safe and sound.

"We will stay in the port for three days, and when we send all of you back to Fei Leng Cui, this voyage will be completely over."

After anchoring at the port, after saying these words to Tyron as the person in charge, Sabos shook the refilled jug and led some sailors to the tavern on the island under the watchful eye of Tyron. .

Tyronn saw with his own eyes that this time, what he filled the jug was unadulterated, full of rum, the favorite of sailors and pirates.

Probably, this experienced captain will spend the past few days drunk.

"sorry to bother you."

"No trouble, no trouble, as long as there are rum and shiny gold coins, there will be no trouble in the sea!"

However, the reputation of the Golden Cup was unanimously recognized by many nobles. After learning about this incident, Tai Lun was curious about the real identity and background of this man more than once during the voyage, but out of politeness and the prudence of a magician, he did not ask. .

"Ah, here we are, is this Sardinia? It looks really simple."

"Is there really a hotel in this place that provides hot water, scented soaps, and soft beds? Oh, I smell salted fish, it stinks."

"I want to take a shower! That damn snail messed up my hair!"

As soon as they landed, the noble children beside Tai Lun showed considerable curiosity about the island they set foot on for the first time. They looked around, but soon showed disappointed expressions.

This is just a small town on a small island, which can barely be considered clean, but those red tiles and yellowed white walls don't show much vitality. There are few shops on the street. The smell made these children who grew up in perfume and powder cough violently.

During the ancient magic empire period, few magicians paid special attention to the towns around the mage tower.

The purpose of the Church of the Holy Church and the Association of Magicians coming here is for research rather than development.

What's more, you can't expect a group of guys who can give up everything except the truth of magic, and a group of guys who are still working to demonize that long-standing empire, can do anything to these remnants who still call the owner of Majestic Tower a lord Humanistic care, so the dilapidated island town has been dilapidated.

On the entire island, there is only one mage tower and one church that are brand new, and that is where the investigation team is located, and it is also the residence of these noble children for the past three days.

Tyron couldn't help but sighed.

No matter how times change, some things will never change.

"Then, let's go to the Association of Magicians and the Church of the Holy Church first. On this island, our food, clothing, housing, transportation and safety are guaranteed by them. At least there will still be hot water and soap. After that, let's experience the old saying The mage tower in the era of the magic empire."

Seeing the disappointment of the students, Tyron clapped his hands and asked them to gather, and followed the receptionists of the Wizards Association and the Church of the Holy Church, and walked towards the church and the wizard tower on the island.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Pressing her head, which had just woken up from a hangover but was still aching, Tingna looked in disbelief at Liliana and Alice, who were interrupted by her.

"Holy Church?!"

"...That's right, it's the Church of the Holy Church."

"The Church of the Holy Church and the Association of Mages are working together... to explore the mage's tower in the age of the ancient magic empire?"

"Alice can understand Miss Tina's surprise, but as I said before, don't judge something based on your own experience alone."

As if she had expected that the girl would be confused by this question, Alice, who was enjoying Liliana's knee pillow like Tina, raised her food and waved, beckoning the witch to explain.

"... When I was only eleven years old, the war to shoot down the floating city of the magic emperors had ended in less than two hundred years. In that war, the belief in the Holy Light gave the oppressed people the power to resist. They Occupied the cities and overthrew the throne on the earth, but those cities were the cities of the magic empire. If the magicians were lost, more than 90% of the functions would be paralyzed. Unfortunately, until more than 300 years later, the Church of the Holy Church It was only then that the magical part of the city was slowly removed."

"In addition, the power of faith is very strong, but it is not so strong that the Church of the Holy Church has the ability to knock down the pinnacle achievement of ancient magic, the thirteen floating cities. Among magicians, goblins and demons Before they got involved, before the dark sages betrayed the emperor's council, just one magic emperor and one floating city almost turned the tide of the battle, although it was precisely because of their arrogance that they finally lost... anyway."

Liliana stroked Alice and Tina's golden hair, and spoke calmly.

"...At that time, the Holy Church was the most mainstream belief in the mainland. Their teachings were not that extreme. The relationship with the Magicians Association was not close, but there was not much conflict. At that time, the Adventurer's Association had not yet been established. The Church of Virtue is far from being born, and together with Glory City, which has always been outside of politics, they are the most powerful three poles on the mainland, just like the City of Glory, the Association of Magicians, and the Church of Virtue today. Therefore, join hands to explore , not surprising."

"is that so……"

"...do you have any questions?"

Ting Na still couldn't believe it as she tightly held the hand that still seemed to have a ray of phantom pain.

But the girl knew that Liliana had never lied to herself, and there was no need to deceive herself.

"If you want to ask questions... Up to now, it seems that Miss Liliana hasn't appeared yet."

"...What I tell is my perspective."

"Eh? But Miss Liliana didn't..."

"... At that time, I was using [Eye of Birds and Beasts] to watch the whole ship through the eyes and ears of seagulls. That was the first magic I learned. It can cast spells on monsters, let us share audio-visual, Tyron The instructor doesn't know either... Since I was a child, I have been very fond of pigeons, seagulls and other birds, and they have never paid attention to it, but this magic is very general, so I rarely use it now."

"Then, what about after going ashore?"

"...I have always been by the tutor's side. Those nobles, whether male or female, approach me for a purpose. Being close to anyone may cause social problems. But the tutor was hired from the city of a thousand towers to do it. The teacher's is an outsider in the noble circle of Fei Leng Cui, so it's fine for me to cling to him."

"Then you all went to the place where you stayed, washed and rested, and then went to the Tower of Majesty..."

Tina felt a bit of a headache, probably not from the hangover.

"If there is nothing special in the middle, can you skip this paragraph?"

She felt that if she listened to Liliana's flat tone for another half hour, she would fall asleep again.

"Storytelling is Lily's rare shortcoming. Although she went back to Guanghui Academy to learn how to be a good bard for this reason, she was dropped out of school because of poor grades in the third year. This is Lily. The only time I was expelled from Guanghui Academy - because Lily is too passionate in both poetry and stories!"

Liliana tapped the little doll's forehead wordlessly to interrupt Alice's snickering, covering her mouth. The Segon sun, which was not covered by clouds, sprinkled bright light from the porthole, and Miss Witch's cheeks seemed to be slightly moving. It was blushing, but before Tina could see it clearly in surprise, the bright color disappeared on the brown skin.

"...In that case, let's just skip a paragraph, starting with the way I went to Majerta, I bought some souvenirs on the side of the street..."

……………………………………………………………………………………

For Liliana, this trip was no different from the past.

The self who doesn't like the excitement and rarely goes out, and the dry and rainy summer of the elegant Inner Sea, around me, the aristocratic teenagers and girls who want to establish a relationship that is deeper than good and more intimate than friends.

The sandals that raised his body a few centimeters rattled on the floor made of rough stone slabs. After all, should it be said that it was the cooperation of the two largest forces in the mainland? Although the small town on the island is small, it has food stores, alchemy shops, and blacksmith shops.

These old houses have not been painted, but there are exquisite wooden shelves purchased by Fei Lengcui, and brass and glass cabinets are placed next to the red bricks exposed under the plaster.

All are produced by Swarovski workshops, and every shop that claims to have a history and taste loves to use them.

The new and the old are mixed together with a great sense of dissonance in these shops, but they show an indescribably weird style.

Originally, Liliana was not interested in these things, but after Miranda said that some props and souvenirs unearthed from Magheta were sold in the alchemy shop, she was surrounded by girls and pushed the signboard of the company. There are no shops either.

"Ah, ah! Welcome, gentlemen and ladies, do you need any help?"

Seeing this group of luxuriously dressed young people entering the store, the idle receptionist in front of the old wooden counter was taken aback for a moment, then immediately wiped off the water around his mouth and stood up, bending down like a parrot learning to speak I made a bow that I don't know where I learned it.

It can be seen that the costumes worn by the noble lady and the teenagers have brought him a lot of pressure.

But no one cared about him, these shelves that were incompatible with the old house and the various props on them attracted their attention and curiosity.

"Excuse me, can we pick it up and have a look?"

"Okay, okay, no problem."

After politely asking the salesperson for permission, the teenagers took out gloves from their pockets and put them on, and took some small sculptures, rusty thumbwheels, and fragments that looked like something from the shelves into their hands and played with them carefully , amazed.

Compared with the Wizards Association, most of these nobles' family backgrounds are closer to the Church of the Holy Church, but it is not so rational to stand in line rashly. Therefore, although learning magic is not very hard, but it is not very perfunctory. This can be seen from their actions. can detect.

And if their usual attitudes are so rigorous and careful, Liliana thought.

At least she would be happy to chat with them about the theory and history of magic.

"Miss Liliana, look, this sculpture of a girl looks like its paint has been peeled off, but it's actually inlaid with a lot of crystals, it's so shiny and beautiful!"

"...That is a statue made of crystal-doped black iron. After the metal cools down, some transparent crystals will condense inside, which can absorb lightning. It is a protective material that magicians who are good at sky system magic like to use. This, probably It's a small lightning rod for magic experiments..."

"Lightning rods... are those pointed metal rods on the top of the church, they are so beautifully made..."

"...The magicians in the age of the magic empire were basically nobles. In order to distinguish themselves from ordinary people, they admired the gorgeous Baroque decoration. In the later period of the empire, there was a trend of Gothic style. The mansions of famous magicians were also luxurious. Even the ordinary utensils are gorgeous."

"Miss Einstein, I'm sorry, I don't know if I can ask, what are these symbols on this plate?"

"...I can only recognize a few. Those are the runes of the Nether language, representing several demons of the Nether Realm. If they are not used in some demon-related magic, then this is just a decoration."

...It would be better if you don't ask yourself every time you see something novel.

In the bottom of her heart, Liliana sighed.

"I see, as expected of Ms. Liliana, she even dabbled in Nether Language, she has profound knowledge."

"Even if it's something from the era of the ancient magic empire, it can't be difficult for our emerald pearl."

The compliments from the nobles didn't change the girl's expression. She had long been used to the nobles complimenting her in different ways whenever they found the opportunity—maybe they thought that a magic apprentice would be satisfied with these compliments, and thus became famous in the circle of nobles. Become close to them?

They shouldn't be that stupid... no, of course they wouldn't be that stupid.

Liliana walked around the cabinet absent-mindedly, sometimes looking at the products on display, and sometimes answering their questions.

"I don't know if there are some treasures that have been missed by the association and the church."

"Don't be stupid, even if the missing master of Majeta really hides his soul somewhere like in the novel, all he can teach you is the ancient language magic, can you learn it? Why don't you give it to Miss Liliana .”

"Hey, stop kidding, how can something so evil be given to a lady like Miss Liliana?"

Hearing such whispers, she could roughly guess what the excited boys were thinking.

In recent adventure novels, the weapons and accessories obtained from alchemy shops, black markets, relics, and inconspicuous corners of grocery stores are actually sleeping treasures or attached to the soul of a strong man. After obtaining them, the protagonist embarks on an adventure to achieve great achievements.

In the history of the mainland, there are indeed some strong men who became famous because of such adventures.

Now these people have such expectations to some extent. Of course, it is more likely that they want to attract their own attention by giving them gifts.

This is not a whim shopping, but a social occasion among nobles, so...

The girl turned her head, looked at Tai Lun's mentor who had never participated in their conversation standing by the door, and sighed slightly from the bottom of her heart.

...So, Tai Lun's tutor didn't come in. Although he is the teacher who leads the team, he can't come to help at this time.

She vaguely felt the attention of the nobles.

I, and only myself, can end this time-wasting and meaningless shopping session as soon as possible.

Therefore, Liliana quickened her pace a little.

Maybe this small island welcomes some tourists occasionally, or it may be that most of the sailors on the supply ships are willing to spend a small amount of money to buy a mysterious relic of a magician to protect them in the ocean. unimpeded.

Although it is said to be excavated from the Majestic Tower, the number of goods that look like amulets is unusually large.

Even, there are many pendants that look old due to the washing of time, but the chains are brand new as if they have just been forged from a furnace, which is obviously a fake.

However, there are still many genuine ones.

Although it is either a pure decoration, or it is a lightning rod, a grinding mortar and other utensils that have something to do with magic but not so much, or it is inlaid on a brand new finger wheel or a necklace that has been simply enchanted. gem.

These are genuine magic raw materials, but raw materials are just raw materials.

After declining another boy's offer to give her a cup made of gray iron, Liliana stopped in her tracks.

Realizing that this would be endless, she casually took a necklace from the shelf after thinking for a while.

A round sapphire hangs on the thin silver chain, just like the color at the junction of the sky and the sea is cut off. As soon as Liliana picked it up, the chattering nobles fell silent and stared at this side.

"Did Miss Liliana take a fancy to this necklace?"

"It doesn't look like anything special, or did Miss Liliana find something interesting?"

"...No, this is just a sapphire that has undergone basic polishing and infusion. It's not too big. I just like this color, and there is no other reason."

"It turns out that Miss Einstein likes sapphires. How should I put it, I'm a little surprised."

A young man immediately spoke before the others.

Liliana glanced at him.

It's non-nuca, non-nuca Bordeaux.

He is considered a minor nobleman in Fei Leng Cui, but his family owns several grape islands in the elegant inland sea, and is one of the most famous wine merchants in the Holy Seven Hills Empire.

My mother once told herself that this is a family that has a general relationship with the Church of the Holy Church and a family that is relatively close to the Association of Magicians. This stance seems to be based on the Church of the Templars having previously expressed their desire to acquire their finest wines at a "pious and generous price" and their willingness to send priests to their family "so that the Holy Light will grant them sanctuary".

【How much people do for you to get the same or more from you. 】

Even Liliana is well aware of the rules of Vanity Fair, and of course those sophisticated businessmen can see through the church's calculations at a glance.

So they refused and joined the Association of Magicians, but because the family has no magic talent for generations, and their status in the association is not high, they have always been quite anxious.

In such a family environment, this teenager is the most active group of people who want to have a good relationship with him.

He is honest and has no bad habits. If he gets annoyed by boys, he will be a good person to rescue him - this is what my mother said.

...Then, it's you.

The round and smooth gem was about the size of a pigeon egg, but it exuded a jade-like luster. Holding this gem in her hand, Liliana glanced at the blond boy and took a step towards the counter where the salesperson was.

"...Can't I like sapphires?"

It is enough to respond with a word, glance, and take a step.

The next thing, the nobles will take care of themselves.

"No, no, it's just a bit of a surprise, because I have never seen Miss Einstein wearing jewelry in the academy, and the girls don't seem to be involved in the topic of jewelry, so..."

Fenuka didn't seem to expect to get a direct response from the girl, he was slightly taken aback, a little incoherent.

"What are you talking about, Mr. Finuka, Miss Liliana will have her coming-of-age ceremony in three years, and now she is at the age of beauty."

"That is to say, is there any problem with using beautiful gemstones to set off the most dazzling pearl of Emerald? Come on, Miss Liliana, my sister will help you put this on. If you like gemstones, our Klanimis family I have collected a lot, welcome to be a guest.”

The girls booed first.

Immediately afterwards, the young man who put a gold coin in front of the salesperson and said "The rest will be your tip" couldn't help showing a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Ah, no, I made a slip of the tongue. It's really a slip of the tongue. A girl as beautiful as Miss Einsteins should be surrounded by equally beautiful gemstones. As an apology for the slip of the tongue, let me give this necklace to you." Give it to Miss Einstein."

Liliana, who let Miranda put on the necklace for herself, listened to the series of social words with a blank expression, and sighed silently in her heart.

Liliana hated exercising the so-called "privileges" of women in this way. Her mother had told her long ago that it was precisely because women had all kinds of "privileges", big and small, that they couldn't get real equality on the mainland.

How much people do for you, in order to get the same or more from you - this sentence also applies here, as if an empire gives more privileges to vassal states, in most cases, it is for better rule .

The girl doesn't think that the relationship between the boy and herself has become closer, but from the eyes of other nobles—these young nobles are not as rich as their fathers, she can also see unwillingness and loss in their eyes. Opportunity's remorse.

That's right, a missed opportunity to get closer to yourself.

That's what they think.

Girls think so too.

The only one who doesn't think so is myself.

I have been close to Miranda and some girls for a long time. On my birthday, I gave gifts selected by the family etiquette master and bought with family money. They formed a small group like the girlfriends group. Spending time and energy to deal with interpersonal relationships, I screened and dealt with the network of relationships that can't be called contacts, but are I and these girls really friends?

She asked herself that question more than once, and never got a second answer.

Liliana doesn't like the games of the nobles, the rules of Vanity Fair, but everyone does it like this, so she has to obey, like them, put every behavior on the balance like a businessman, and then choose Accept what you can pay.

It doesn't matter how you "feel" yourself.

"Hating" yourself doesn't change anything.

Thinking about it carefully, it was because my father and mother knew that they didn't like this kind of interaction that they publicized their talents since they were young, and invited many young ladies with good family background, moral character and ability to hold afternoon tea Let's have a tea party.

The world of nobility is as simple as it is complex.

In addition to these people who are more friendly to themselves and the Einsteins family, there are also many people who are malicious

If this small island is not under the joint control of the two behemoths, the Church of the Holy Church and the Association of Magicians, and the relationship between my family and them is also very close, maybe I will not be able to become a formal magician or even have a treasure before I become a magician. Was allowed to leave Fei Leng Cui.

It’s the first time to leave a familiar city, the first time to leave your family to go out, but the island in the sea is still inseparable from the intrigue of the nobles?

Unable to suppress the sigh in her throat, Liliana looked at the young man waiting outside the shop.

"Okay, dear gentlemen and ladies, if the shopping is over, let's move on to our destination."

Tai Lun clapped his hands at the right time, attracting the attention of the nobles.

"……Um."

"I understand, Teacher Tai Lun, but can you get a few carriages for us delicate ladies? Such a rough road is not very friendly to our expensive soles."

"Dear Miss Fran, even if it takes only an hour to go around Sardinia, there are no horse-drawn carriages on such a small island, and the little ladies don't want to take the rickshaws that transport sea goods, right? .”

However, it's finally over.

As the saying goes, the first person to use a rose as a metaphor for a woman is a genius, and the rest are just speculators and imitators. This sentence is also applicable here. After the first winner appeared, others bought what they fancy props, and did not stop at this shop.

Liliana, who was the first to walk out of the store, walked up to Tai Lun again, and glanced at the young mentor with her dark and deep eyes.

Of all, only this teacher had the lowest asking price.

He treats himself in the way of cultivating a magician, and he only needs to treat him as a teacher. He is not interested in Einstein's blood, family wealth and power, and tries his best to teach himself what he wants. All he got was the mystery that he could learn magic.

You can do it yourself, and you can pay the price.

"Miss Liliana?"

"...Mr. Tai Lun."

Facing the gaze of the young man, looking at the face with a polite smile, Liliana was silent for a moment, Brick looked towards the end of the rough street.

The tall tower made of light silver metal and black bricks is surrounded by the black tower of the Wizards Association and the church of the Holy Church on the left and right. Here you can also see magicians floating in the sky with alchemy props surrounding the straight tower, using all kinds of magic to try to break the tower's defense system.

The magic light flickered near the tower, exploding lightning and color light from time to time, but even these were resisted by the magicians. Occasionally, a magic circle would appear from the wall, and then a huge one with commanding lights on the membrane wings would be sent. Huge bats with creepy human faces, but these monsters were often charred by the flames of the Holy Light before they could even launch an attack.

The high tower, which was abandoned after the end of the age of ancient magic, is being pried open bit by bit, looking like a dying monster struggling feebly.

Even so, "In fact, this old town, the Wizards Association and the church are just ruled by it" - such thoughts emerged in the girl's mind.

That tower is really too tall.

"Thinking about something?"

"...Mr. Tailun, the mages built the mage tower so high, is it to make the tower a guide for them?"

"oh?"

The blond-haired young man looked at the girl next to him in surprise, wearing a snow-white dress covered with lace.

"...It is so that even if you gain power and power, you will not forget your original goal, as a beacon to climb the peak of truth..."

Those deep pupils described as the night sky were staring ahead of the town. The stone road with rough sand and gravel filling the gaps, the nasty jokes of the sailors in the tavern, the faded fish drying racks in front of the houses hung with dried seafood, the tinkling in front of the blacksmith's furnace not far away... The girl stared at this It was an old town, but nothing in the town caught her eyes.

"It's a novel statement, but there are still different opinions about why magicians use the tower as their stronghold."

Turning her gaze to the farthest place she could see, there was only the tall tower in the center of the island.

Tower, tower, tower.

This should be the most familiar architectural form of Tai Lun.

In the magician's base camp, the floating city that once belonged to the dark sage, the magicians built hundreds of towers in the past two hundred years. In the city where even the name was changed to the city of a thousand towers, he spent his schooling career in one tower after another, but why was it the tower...

Tai Lun touched his chin habitually, realizing that he had never thought about such a question.

If the priests of the church pray in the church to bathe in the holy light, then why do magicians love towers so much?

"I know, it's said that in the era of the magic empire, magicians were proud to climb up to the floating city of the magic emperors and have a place on it, but the area of ​​the floating city is not that big, so in order to meet the needs of life and research Needed, they built towers."

"Ah, that is indeed a theory, but before the ancient magic empire developed the floating city, mage towers had already spread all over the land, and what Miss Liliana thought..."

Hearing Miranda's words, Tyron nodded, then shook his head again.

Liliana is not thinking about "historical" issues.

As a mentor, Tai Lun can clearly understand her confusion, because he also had such a period, but people were taken away by her dazzling light, and could not see the mist in this bright pearl.

Why is the mage tower built so high? Is it to become a guide to guide oneself? Is it to get closer to the sky and the truth?

Liliana didn't know.

There are many things she doesn't know.

She is the pearl of Emerald Emerald. She was born with favorable conditions that many people can't get in a lifetime. She doesn't need to work hard for anything, and she doesn't have any responsibilities and obligations to fulfill.

She has lived her life so far relying on her hobbies, and she doesn't know where she will go in the future.

"Maybe you'll understand when you see it with your own eyes."

And he couldn't give an answer.

Because in the city of a thousand towers, his mentor answered him in this way.

"……I guess so."

Will you understand after seeing it?

Liliana wasn't sure.

But, there's no reason not to watch either.

Touching the sapphire hanging on the necklace, the girl nodded and looked away from the Majestic Tower.

……………………………………………………………………………………

As Tyron said, Sardinia is indeed a small island, and this town is also a small town.

Leaving from the store, and then passing through the wasteland outside the town where a large amount of fish catches are drying and the solid dirt road in the middle of the green grass, the tower that still bears the name of the former owner is close in front of you.

It was not very clear when I was on the boat and by the pier, but once I got close, the old and dilapidated appearance of the tower was clearly revealed.

Even the flying buttresses of the Gothic tower are more than half damaged. Only in the arches of the flying buttresses, or where they connect with the tower body, can you still see the traces of the bricks and stones being scraped together. The crystal-clear enamel-like luster of the ultra-smooth paint. Cracks and gaps can be seen everywhere on the cone-like tower. The charred traces and the strangely scattered wreckage after being torn apart by magic can reflect that, apart from the dilapidation, there is only the desolation of a passing era.

"In two hundred years, even the tower of a great mage has been corroded into this appearance?"

"I feel a little disappointed."

As they gradually approached the high tower, the nobles gradually started talking more and more. The owner of this high tower was once a great mage who ruled the entire elegant inner sea. In the ruling sequence of the ancient magic empire era, this is equivalent to The real powerful prince among the nobles, when he waved his scepter in the throne of the high tower, he could plunge the entire elegant inner sea into endless rainstorms.

"Don't look at this dilapidated tower, the core of its defense system is still running day and night, the interlocking esoteric magic protects the tower and prevents us from prying, but under the protection of the great holy light Now, we have still successfully breached the first floor of the tower."

The templar who came to greet them spoke proudly.

After greeting Tyron, who is the leader and mentor, he greeted several nobles who have a close relationship with the Church of the Holy Church with knight etiquette.

"It's a great honor to meet Emerald Pearl, Ms. Einstein. This is the first meeting after the martial arts competition a few years ago. Greetings from Jiushu. I am the captain of the guard team at the excavation site of Majestic Tower, Flanding Manchester, under the protection of our Templars, please feel free to visit and study on the first floor of this tower. It is absolutely safe here. I also hope that you can learn more about the progress of the people and the mainland from these dilapidated remains. Beneficial magic."

"...Well, my father has been thinking about your father's sword all the time, and he even visits the mansion from time to time."

After the knight performed the etiquette of slamming his fist on his left chest, Liliana calmly stretched out her hand.

Obviously, it is impossible for this knight who was sent to receive so many nobles to come from a commoner. He straightened his body, held the girl's soft little hand and bent down to kiss her. After that, he formally greeted these young men The nobles spoke words of welcome.

"Welcome to all of you, everyone at Emerald Emerald Magic Academy. I hope that under the protection of the Holy Light, you can get something you can be proud of. I still have official business, so I'm afraid it's inconvenient to accompany you on the tour. The guide here—"

While talking, the knight who folded his mask after the hand-kiss ceremony was over, measured his body, and let out the figure in the magic robe behind him.

"...It was a young man who was almost as tall as him, wearing a magic robe with a cross pattern. He didn't rush to say hello, but looked at the side of Teacher Tailun with serious eyes, including a dozen of my apprentices. , and the blue eyes shone with wisdom and shrewdness."

"It sounds like a very serious magician."

Tina stirred the black tea with milk, talking to herself.

The pain of the hangover has faded away, and the place for storytelling has shifted from the soft big bed to the tea table in the cabin. The dessert just brought out from the kitchen slowly melted away the bitterness in the girl's mouth.

"...On the contrary, after the boring introduction was over and Knight Commander Flanding left, the first thing he said was, 'If it weren't for those die-hard believers who regarded the use of ancient language magic as a scourge, we would have completed the exploration a long time ago. , get out of here'."

"Eh? But, didn't Miss Liliana say that the Church of the Holy Church and the Association of Magicians could even cooperate in that era?"

The ceramic spoon made a ding sound on the wall of the cup, and Tingna felt that there was a new problem before her eyes.

Liliana's past is a completely unfamiliar history, almost every detail and every event is like opening a new novel, the black tea that Alice brewed has not yet cooled down, but she seems to have fallen into the fog of the past .

"Cooperation belongs to cooperation. After all, religion and magic are two different ways of understanding the world. There is no way to resolve the fundamental contradiction. Although the belief in the Holy Light is rather special... In short, it has only been two hundred years since the fall of the magic empire in the old saying. The power of the church is huge, and if it weren't for the achievements made by the magicians, it is indeed impossible to slander, and everyone knows that the Church of the Holy Church must want to wipe out all the magicians from the mainland."

Alice was sitting in the center of the round table, holding a small piece of muffin, explaining to Tina tirelessly.

"At the end of the war, the Church of the Holy Church recognized the legal status of magicians and the Magician Association on the condition that the entire continent abolished ancient language magic. The idea of ​​completely suppressing magic, so the two forces are only incompatible... But Lily, it's a bit too long as a foreshadowing for the story."

"……can you?"

The witch blinked and looked down at the doll who was holding a pancake and stuffing her cheeks like a hamster.

"Ah, no, no, compared to the previous paragraph, I don't think it's lengthy."

Tina quickly shook her head.

"It's better to say, I think these parts are more important. It feels like I know what kind of era it was at that time, and what kind of person Miss Liliana was at that time..."

"...What kind of person does Miss Tina think I am?"

"Let me think about it... Probably, it's a bit like me before."

"...and Miss Tina?"

In the witch's voice, there was rarely a little confusion mixed in.

"Well, yes, although it's just my feeling...Miss Liliana was very confused at that time, right? As Miss Liliana herself said, I feel very similar to when I was confused. Then, because my family Next door lives a very powerful person who seems to have never been lost, so..."

"..."

The sugar cube slowly melted in the second cup of black tea, Liliana nodded calmly.

"... At that time, I was really confused."

The witch stared at her fingers and spoke like this.

On the slender fingers, there is a slender finger wheel. The dull texture has been rubbed for many years, and it is moist and exudes a gentle luster. The hollow patterns are three-leaf lilies and laurel buds.

This ring has always been worn on the witch's finger, but this is the first time Tina has looked at it carefully, so she didn't realize until now that it is actually an incomplete ring, with a flat area on the finger wheel. On the arc of the center, engraved with the coat of arms of lily, laurel and lion.

Obviously, this is used to inlay gems, and even the four small hooks that bite the gems are still there, but the gems that should be there are missing.

"...Even from the current point of view, my family is a powerful and wealthy nobleman, one of the pillars of the empire. I have a smart and brave elder brother, and my parents are loving and harmonious. I was born with a big family on the mainland. Wealth and power that are difficult for some people to obtain in their entire lives, I never need to struggle and work hard for anything, even magic, because I have been gifted since I was a child, I have been learning it easily."

"...At that time, I took it for granted. So, when I grew up and learned from the philosophy teacher that there is nothing for granted in this world...Miss Tina, I am at a loss."

Liliana's words were so flat that there were no ups and downs, as if she was not talking about herself, but the past of some strange guy.

"... I began to be confused about the meaning of life, and I began to think about my future... What should I do, what should I do... Although there is nothing wrong with living like this, I always feel that this is not good. I I like to think, but I am also confused because of thinking, and Ms. Tingna might be very surprised."

"It's true... Well, Miss Liliana is always expressionless, as if everything is under her control, and even if there is a problem, she can solve it immediately."

Tina nodded.

But the witch shook her head, she is not omniscient, she said.

Then she said:

"But after that, I was indeed no longer confused."

After a while, Tina realized that what the witch described with a pronoun was exactly what was going to be told next.

"Is that... what happened in that mage tower?"

The event that turned Liliana Einstein, who was just an ordinary human, into an immortal witch.

That was the opportunity for Liliana and Alice to meet each other.

But Liliana didn't answer right away.

It wasn't until the sugar cube collapsed into a small pile of sweet gravel in the dark black tea without milk that she quietly asked a seemingly unrelated topic.

"...Maslow Abraham, does Miss Tina know this person?"

"...Is he a famous magician?"

"No, it's better to say that this guy is a magic idiot, but he is a famous human psychology researcher, and his most famous theory is called [Hierarchy of Needs Theory]. Simply put, it is that when people's survival is unsustainable, , there is no spare energy to pursue the so-called sense of security. When people cannot feel the sense of security, people seldom have enough energy to seek interpersonal and social relationships. By analogy, when a person does not even have the most basic social relationship, Then he has no spare energy to pursue the respect and praise of others. Without the affirmation of others, people have no spare energy to prove their own meaning and value. Conversely, it can be deduced that this declares the relationship of priority levels of various behaviors in human life, It doesn’t absolutely fit everyone, but at least it fits the laws of life of most human beings.”

The little puppet thought for a while, and said a very vivid metaphor.

"Miss Tina, when you are about to starve to death, what do you think and do?"

"Eh? If you're going to starve to death... of course it's a bag."

"...Is that the dialect of Yansha City?"

"Well, only some old people still use it..."

Ting Na seemed to shake her head, she was a little disappointed that the sudden joke didn't get the corresponding result.

But she seemed to understand.

—What is the meaning of this?

From her eyes, the witch and the puppet can see this problem.

"... At that time, I understood one thing. It is actually very simple to let a guy who is entangled in the future and life, has no goals, and is vacillating, have a firm goal."

Liliana stared closely at the tea stem standing up in the teacup, and picked up the warm milk from her hand.

"...As long as she is placed in a sufficiently dangerous and unknown environment—"

The white milk dripped from the spout of the silver pot, causing milky white ripples on the calm dark liquid surface. Liliana's movements were very rough, and the instant the white and crimson touched, they stirred the transparent tea into another. The color, the turbid water waves hit the bottom of the bone china cup.

The calm water body rolled up a whirlpool and piled up foam, in a very short time.

The tea stem is gone.