The Witch and the Doll Swear

"Will it still hurt?"

"...Well, it's...not hurting anymore."

The pain on the back of the foot has been relieved by the potion he drank a few minutes ago, but when the skin that has become sensitive due to the pain touches the ice floating on the water, the girl's toes will still curl up subconsciously. Because of this, Wu Qing was also pulled, and it was particularly eye-catching on the snow-white skin.

"In short, there is no fracture. Although there is a large bruise, the pain will not affect the movement after the pain disappears. Let's have a good soak first and don't move."

It was good luck to be hit hard by the stone slab that needed two hands to lift without breaking a bone, but considering it was in such a place and under such circumstances, it was hard to say that it was not bad luck.

Is it lucky enough or unlucky enough?

Tina sighed and stopped thinking about this question that had neither meaning nor precise answer.

Taking care not to submerge her injured thumbnail in the water, she shifted her gaze from the bruise on the back of her foot to Ai, who was sitting aside, applying ointment to a thin piece of gauze.

"I'm sorry, Miss Ai, I'm obviously an adult, but I still trouble you to take care of me..."

Ai was sitting by the side, holding a quill, using some kind of silver ink to draw a triangular magic circle on the surface of the tulle bandage. Because it was not easy, she kept throwing the damaged gauze into the basin on the other side to wash it, and then repainted after drying.

When Ting Na called her name, the girl's careful strokes were crooked again. She sighed and turned her head slightly dissatisfied.

"Did you find it troublesome when Ms. Tingna took care of me in the City of Thousand Towers?"

"...Huh? That..."

The tone was a little impatient, but the words that came out had a different feeling.

There is always a subtle duplicity in this girl's emotional expression, sometimes it sounds like she's making a fuss, but when you think about it carefully, you can realize the true meaning hidden in the words.

When I first started getting along, I was not used to it, but now...

Tina suddenly remembered what Alice had said to herself when she was still in Alexandria.

——The child was also worrying about how to get along with Miss Tina.

...that's what makes her cute.

"... Let's take it as a repayment for Miss Tingna's kindness to me at that time. Without Miss Tingna, I would not be where I am now. If it would be troublesome to help you with cold compresses and bandages... Wasn't Miss Tingna more at that time? Should I be left alone?"

Ai picked up the quill again, and gave up the plan to draw extremely standard runes on it. Under the less neat drawing, the magic ink endowed the gauze with a cold temperature. After doing this, as if she suddenly remembered something, she turned around and looked at Ting Na angrily.

"I said Miss Tina didn't need to call me 'Miss' when she called me."

"Uh, but when Ai called me..."

"That's because Miss Tina is older than me. If I were born ten years earlier, I wouldn't have to call Miss Tina that way."

"...I'm not really a nobleman, so I don't need to care so much about those complicated etiquette..."

"But I am. This set of etiquette is something my mother spent a long, long time carving into my bones. It is my code of conduct."

Ai replied angrily, and took out his pocket watch to check the time.

"Okay, the cold compress should not exceed 20 minutes at a time. There has been no edema so far. There should be no need to apply cold compress again. Just apply the ointment and stretch your feet over."

"I, I can do it myself..."

"Put, foot, stretch, over, come."

Every time this happens, Tina will deeply realize how different she is from the real ancient nobles who have earned their titles thanks to Liliana and Alice.

Facing Ai's gaze, the girl who has never had anything that can be called aura since birth can only lift her feet obediently, and then raise her head to look at the sun in the sky.

Countless hands of light protruded from this golden sphere, and it was already tens of minutes ago.

Looking back now, it was really like a nightmare. It started suddenly and ended without warning. Apart from being convinced that it was the stone slab that prevented the light wrist from targeting them, Tina had no idea what happened. .

After the sun wheel returned to its original state, the Witch didn't take long to make a decision to stay and continue to investigate. After moving Tina to the roof prepared for them, Liliana and Alice went to check on those Sinai people. When they come back, they should have a clue.

She looked at the petite figure not far away, trying not to focus on the back of her foot, Ai's sliding fingers.

Not long after the simple dressing was over, Liliana and Alice also came back.

"...Those people are not real human beings."

The witch spoke lightly, expressionless.

Then, with the dull expressions of the two girls, one big and one small, Alice explained in detail what they found.

Out of prudent considerations, the golden ball in the sky was not immediately included in the investigation list. The witch and the puppet first went to the Sinai people who were still drunk to conduct the first investigation.

After all, after being penetrated into the head by those hands of light, the changes of these people cannot but be noticed.

"Lily used "Sense Life" and got no response, then used "Sense Undead" and got a very weak response. Considering that their fading and illusory state is a bit like the phenomenon of spirit monsters dying, I used "spiritual perception" again-this time I got tangible feedback. The Sinai people who make us feel any strange place are some kind of special spirit body, which can also be directly defined as some kind of undead. "

Spiritual monsters are a special category of monsters. Under this category, they can be subdivided into congenitally formed spirits and acquired spirits. The former are represented by forest figures and lake fairies that often appear in various fairy tales.

And the latter's generation changes are all kinds of ghosts—or, after the death of the creature, the remaining spirit body.

"But, but I remember it was said in the Monster Manual that undead are one of the easiest monsters to find, because there is an absolute gap between the living and the dead..."

Tingna looked at those people who were lying on the ground snoring because of drunkenness.

Those light wrists from a while ago didn't seem to have any effect on them. A few children who didn't sleep well rolled in their sleep, and a middle-aged man with a small belly occasionally rubbed his exposed belly , In the snoring, there is also vague sleep talking, every word comes from the satisfaction after drunkenness.

Tina still remembered the young man who was taller than her at the banquet, who shyly danced the somewhat funny god dance with her, the child who laughed and toasted Ai, and those who refused to admit defeat, and were poured down by Liliana one by one. people.

Such them...are undead?

It's not that she doesn't believe Liliana's judgment, it's just that she feels incredible.

"...Maybe it's some kind of magic covering the entire secret realm that makes us unable to feel the characteristics of the undead that should be easy to recognize. After all, the reaction perceived by "perceiving the undead" is very weak. Perhaps this is the experiment of the ancient magic empire in this secret realm As a result, or..."

Speaking of possible explanations, Liliana gradually fell into thinking, but soon she shook her head again, looking at Tina's feet wrapped in a thin layer of gauze.

"...Maybe we can find more clues by going to other places to investigate, Miss Tingna, can I go?"

"Well, well, the pain is gone after drinking the medicine, and there is no swelling after applying the medicine with cold compresses. Exercise should not be a problem."

"However, Alice suggested that Miss Tina should not exercise vigorously. I felt that there was nothing to do as usual, but it turned out that there were also cases of sudden swelling..."

"……sorry."

Lowering her head and staring fixedly at the insteps and toes wrapped in gauze, Tina bit her lip.

this nasty feeling again

I... have become a burden again.

"...Miss Tina, turn around."

"Huh? Uh, uh..."

The witch's voice interrupted Tina's self-loathing, and Tina turned around in some confusion, her back to Liliana, and then felt the witch's palm pressed against the bare skin on her back.

"..."Rawls Shadow Walking Technique""

The touch of the witch's palm came from the back, and a supporting force emerged immediately.

Tingna turned her face away, and saw a few thick tentacles protruding from her shadow, wrapping around her waist, raising the girl's body a few centimeters above the ground, and the shadows of the tentacles spread like waves. The feet squirmed.

"...A shadow magic that allows people to move almost regardless of the terrain, but because Miss Tinna can't control the magic, so this movement can only be controlled by me, Alice... or Ai... Can I ask you? AI."

After a pause, the witch looked at her apprentice.

The girl was obviously stunned for a moment, but after a while, facing the task entrusted to her by her respected mentor, the girl nodded without much hesitation.

"If it's just control, I won't have a problem!"

"...Then, what about Miss Tina? Are you willing to temporarily entrust your mobility to Ai?"

"……I'm OK."

Ai's burgundy pupils were reflected in Tina's eyes.

Yes, it is better to let Miss Liliana or Alice pay more attention to this magic to control my direction, in various senses.

Or, I can persuade them not to care about whether my feet will swell up, anyway, as long as there is no pain, I can move normally—but even if she said so, they would definitely not listen.

Liliana should look at herself suspiciously, unable to understand why she said that.

Alice should understand, but she will definitely say "stupid", of course, it may also be "idiot".

As for Ai? She might think it was because she didn't trust her and puffed up her cheeks, staring at herself with those eyes.

What if I told them to send myself outside the secret realm first?

If I insist strongly, Miss Witch will agree, but in this way... I can't accept this matter.

...I really don't want to be a burden.

Sighing, Tina nodded.

"...Ai, inject your magic power here."

"yes!"

After solving this problem, Liliana and the others walked on the straight bridge between the two urban areas.

Going left along the bridge, there is a temple with the god Aten—at present, his real body should be the mummy of Pharaoh Akhenaten.

And going down the stairs in front of you, you will come to another city on the lake in this secret place.

There is no difference between the two urban areas, both are typical Sinai bungalows, both are white rocks, and the distribution of streets and blocks does not seem to be much different. Palms are swaying, obelisks stand tall, and the golden sun hangs high in the center of the city. Float a little higher than the obelisk. And the sun that reciprocated on the long bridge is now shining brightly above the second tower gate.

...Where should we go first?

Standing at the junction of the bridge and the two stairs, the witch stopped in her tracks, quietly pinching the material for casting the spell between her fingers.

A Sinai man was standing at the bottom of the opposite steps with a dull expression.

It looks like a reenactment of the entrance, the young man is about to step on the steps to go somewhere, and he is obviously stunned when he sees three women and a doll standing on the bridge.

"Who are you...?"

"...we are pilgrims."

Liliana still remembers her "personality".

"Pilgrims, but you don't look like people from Sinai, and what is that...?"

Staring at the churning shadow under Tina's feet, he looked at Tina suspiciously, and spoke half-believingly.

This place should be the place farthest from darkness and shadows.

"That is……"

For a while, Ai couldn't think of any suitable explanation.

They are a little too careless.

The puzzled expression on the man's face became more and more serious, he had already stepped back half a step, and it seemed that as long as the girls' silence lasted longer, he would open his voice and shout.

Although he couldn't see it, the magic circle was already lit up on the hand of the witch behind her back. If he really wanted to do something, a simple magic could make him unable to make any sound. Can't do it either.

However, Liliana felt a sense of disobedience from his words.

Just when the witch was still thinking about the source of the sense of disobedience, when the suspicion and distrust in the man's eyes were almost overflowing——

A bare wrist hung down from the golden sun and landed on top of the man's head.

At that moment, his expression became confused, he knelt down on the ground with a plop, rolled his eyes, and rambled out "Yes, yes." and "Oh, please forgive me Suspicious." and so on.

A few minutes later, Guang's wrist rose into the sky again, and when the man recovered from that strange state looked at them again, his face was full of kindness and friendliness.

"Pilgrims from the Elegant Inner Sea, God Aten wants to summon you."

"...Is this the will of God Aton?"

The magic circle in the witch's hand dissipated.

"Yes, that's right, we were ordered to prepare the best costumes and jewelry for you, and send you to the temple on a miraculous sedan chair. Please come with me."

"……I see."

………………………………………………………………………………………

It really looks like a reenactment of that scene from not so long ago now.

Discovered by the residents of the city, they falsely claimed to be pilgrims, and the light wrists that fell from the sky brought a revelation that God wanted to see them. The only difference was that this time, the "God Aton" made a request for them to dress up to see them...

"...It's because of this slab."

She was taken to a luxurious room, and a piece of gorgeous and luxurious clothing was handed in by the women outside the door, tops, long skirts, sandals, headgear... The witch stared blankly at the gold-framed mirror Trying on clothes, while applying soul-protecting magic to Tina and Ai one by one.

"Think about it carefully. When getting the slate, God Seth said that this is a pass. That is to say, the person who holds this slate should be a member of the ancient magic empire in this secret realm. This can also explain why those light The wrists suddenly stopped attacking us... This secret realm is a testing ground, although it is not very clear what kind of experiment it is doing, but it will definitely not let the experiment manager become the subject of the experiment... At least not without special reasons."

It is not easy to cultivate top magicians and scholars - Ai, who has already chosen the clothes, picked up the jewelry box full of jewels while talking, and began to choose accessories to match the beautiful clothes on her body.

Because all the clothes are very tall because of her height, Tina did not participate in the dressing, but the dolls did her makeup and selected suitable accessories.

"But, is it really necessary for us to wear such a dress to meet that 'god'... or rather, that mummy..."

"What are you talking about, Miss Tina, this is a challenge, 'I hope you will come dressed up' - since even the inviter said so, if we wear plain clothes to the appointment, it will only appear that we have no momentum. Remember, dresses and accessories are a woman's armament, think about how Mary of Holly Valley stepped onto the battlefield confidently on the night of the judging session... But there is really nothing suitable for Miss Tina among this pile of accessories... Just put on the jewelry made from the previous ruby."

After finishing speaking, Alice, who helped her put on makeup, sat across from the girl, watched Tina put the wide collar inlaid with the ruby ​​on her neck dumbfoundedly, looked left and right, and then nodded , let her go.

"However, Miss Tingna, Ai, both Lily and Alice were caught off guard by the development of the matter, so they could only take one step at a time and let you get involved. I'm really sorry."

"Don't say that, Miss Alice, although I can't help you with anything, I also stumbled across the problem with the slate, didn't I? Uh...it doesn't seem to be something to be proud of..."

Tina shook her head vigorously.

"It's not Miss Alice and Miss Liliana's fault. Besides... Without you, I probably wouldn't be able to encounter so many adventures that are memorable for a lifetime. So, that..."

"Including being injured by a stone slab?"

"Uh... It should be said that in the secret realm of the ancient magic empire, I was injured by an ancient stone slab..."

Alice quietly stared at Tina's somewhat cramped gaze. After a few minutes, she shook her head and floated up from Tina's face.

Liliana, who had finished her make-up by the side, suddenly uttered words in the same tone as Alice now.

"...Then, let's take Miss Tingna to see more things that ordinary people can't see in a lifetime. Let's go to the invitation of the 'God' to see what kind of intention it has. If it is kind, we will repay the kindness." , if it is malicious... Alice and I can try to pull the god from the throne with our own hands for the first time—if it is really a god."

The little puppet that had opened its mouth froze like that. She looked annoyed at her best friend who had stolen her lines, but soon, Alice laughed fearlessly.

"Let's go."

Luxurious sedan chairs were already waiting on the street. There were three in total, each of which was carried by eight muscular men, with soft cushions on the seats.

This Sinai-style long sedan chair has two very long poles and a seat for one person. It was seen in Memphis and Dibistina at the flood festival, but it was the gods who were lifted up by people at that time. statues, and now they are the ones to sit on.

... In a sense, this is also an honor.

Thinking about going to see a "god" later, Tina couldn't be happy about it at all.

Especially when they saw the frenzied expressions of the men in charge of carrying the sedan chair, they even turned a blind eye to the shadow walking technique that was still supporting her. Following Tingna and the others on the long sedan chair, the women also dressed in costumes held long The peacock feather fan followed by, and the old people sang praises in hoarse voices while leaning on crutches.

"Your radiance shines on the vast earth, and your love keeps people from opening their eyes!"

"You exist in the smoke of the temple, you exist in the green leaves of the palm, you exist in the wings of the swan, you are the invisible sun, you are invisible and everywhere!"

"Please soothe us gently, Sun Wheel of Thousand Hands! Please bless us lovingly, great God Aten!"

In such a situation that made Tina uncomfortable, the men lifted up the sedan chair and walked towards the temple.

The journey is not long, but the time is not short. It was as if everyone wanted to be blessed with the pilgrim summoned by Aten, and the bearers changed several batches.

After entering the temple, the bearers were replaced by heavily armed soldiers, and the Sinai people stayed outside the temple.

But these silent soldiers did not send the girls to their gods. Just before the golden curtain, which looked like the morning light, they put down the long sedan chair and silently watched them enter the deepest sacrificial hall.

Before lifting the curtain and going in, Ting Na took out her pocket watch and looked at it. Although it is not clear how long it has been since they arrived in this secret place, they went out this morning. Now, on the cheap iron dial, the tin-white The pointer is pointing to noon.

Not half a day later, they had to face the "god" they had faced before again.

"...God, please bless Miss Liliana, Alice and Ai, nothing will happen..."

Drawing a cross of virtue on her chest, Ting Na followed the witch's back and stepped into the sacrificial hall.

Unlike Ai's nervousness and Tina's uneasiness, the witch who walked in the front seemed to have really just come to a ball or a feast. Alice was held in her arms and went to the steps of the throne. The edge of the shadow of the pillar stared serenely at the blazing light.

The light was different from the last time I saw it.

It is no longer so dead silent, whether it is its believers or strangers appearing under the steps, there is no movement, but it is still dull and heavy, just like...

That's right, it's like waking up from a deep sleep and not getting used to the long-lost sobriety.

Tina saw it more clearly.

Under the light curtain, the posture of the withered and shriveled mummy has changed. Seeing the girls stepping in, its head, which seemed to be crooked by the high double crown, turned back, and its hands crossed on its legs were also placed on the armrest of the throne.

It opened its mouth—although the old cloth strips only let its two eye sockets leak out, but since it made an unbearable tense sound and heard it with its own ears, then it should be He opened his mouth, speaking with a throat that is not sure if it is rotten.

"Hope, my people...have not neglected you....guests from the empire. For a long, long time...no one has come...here, as if this place, has been, forgotten."

It spoke like a scarab's slender feet across the cavity of the skull.

Is this the voice of God?

No, no, Tina had heard the real voice of God, recited by the gods of the desert with the help of hyenas under the yellow sands of Letopolesta.

It was a noble and unassuming voice, not so gloomy and frightening.

Tina couldn't help reaching out to hold the drop-shaped whalebone pendant on her chest.

This was the first alchemy tool she got from the witch. She was used to holding it when she was uneasy, but when she stretched out her hand, she seemed to touch something warm. Only then did she remember that the jewelry she was used to was taken away. This ruby ​​from Tutankhamun's tomb was replaced.

She lowered her head, feeling that the red gemstone on the wide collar had been warmed by her own body temperature, and even the color seemed to become brighter.

...It must be an illusion caused by tension.

"...In fact, it has indeed been forgotten. The priests of Sinai closed the tomb and destroyed the records. Even in the library that contains the most knowledge in the world, there is no trace of it. Of course, including the pharaoh .”

"Ah, yes... the strife of power has always been like this, and the city of Victoria is also inevitable-then, why are you here?"

"...exploring, investigating, finding things that no one has studied, writing exaggerated project plans in exchange for funding. You know, not every magician can be like the emperor, who can live freely on the tower like the emperor. Conduct experiments, write papers."

But that's not an illusion.

The mummy on the throne twisted its withered head. It hadn't exchanged more than five words of greeting with the witch. As if it had sensed something, it moved its empty eye sockets to Tina.

At this time, the girl was nervously looking at the bright red gemstone on her chest, not knowing what to do, but when the mummy's eyes fell on the gemstone, the bright red color suddenly flickered like a beating heart.

Tina didn't hesitate anymore, she quickly untied the wide neck collar and threw it on the ground, this behavior ended almost at the same time as Alice's words through the spiritual link asking her to quickly throw away the jewelry.

The wide silver collar slid on the stone floor for some distance before stopping. At this time, the witch just followed the mummy's line of sight to look there.

...Is today a special anniversary day for emergencies?

——Maybe the goddess of fate favors the anniversary.

Sighs were exchanged between the witch and the puppet like lightning, and the sudden development basically announced that their plan to pretend to be a magician from the ancient magic empire to obtain information failed at the very beginning. As for the next step...

In the deep pupils that showed a little helplessness, the moment when the red gemstone that shone like a heartbeat was reflected, it shattered like a splash of water.

The light and mist filled the air, and the shattered gems gradually lost their blood-like color, but the light quickly condensed, and a figure emerged from the permeating mist.

The bright red light like blood first formed a strong carcass, and then covered the body with armor in the hazy mist.

A young male's voice sounded, calm and confident, and besides that, there was a certain aloof aura.

"...It's hard work for you to sneak in here."

Immediately afterwards, the figure in the fog moved its joints, vigorously shook its hands, and then twisted its neck, as if it was doing a warm-up exercise.

After doing this, the red light gradually dimmed. Finally, the figure waved his hands, and two short swords appeared out of thin air in his hands. He picked up a few sword flowers like butterflies flying, and was finally held firmly in the hand.

He walked out of the mist and stood in front of Tina and the others without hesitation, holding a pair of daggers in both hands, staring at the high throne from below.

"...Leave it to me, I will be here...to completely extinguish the embers of the Thousand-Handed Sun Wheel!"

……………………………………………………………………………………

This is a fighter.

No matter who sees him, they will think so - he is a fighter, a capable fighter.

Such an impression came from his bulging muscles that were as solid and shiny as metal.

They are evenly distributed on the young man, making him look like those handsome marble statues of the classical period.

And the deadly feeling came from his posture like a cheetah preparing to prey.

The man bowed slightly, and his hands that seemed to be casually placed on his waist clasped the pair of short swords...or the pair of daggers.

The golden handle is etched with ancient holy scriptures, the black blade is cold, one sword body has a slightly curved arc, and the other is straight like a shooting star trailing tail. The blade is decorated with lilies and jackals.

These two beautiful weapons were pressed against his dark skin, and in the chilling air, it seemed as if they would pierce, cut, and tear in the next second, turning into endless blades and destroying those who stood in front of the pair of daggers. everything.

"Now, get out of here and tell them the success of the plan."

After making the announcement to "extinguish the embers of the Thousand-Handed Sun Wheel", the young man spoke again in an orderly tone.

Although his gaze was fixed on the withered mummy on the throne from beginning to end, these words were obviously addressed to Tina and the others.

However, Liliana and the others did not act.

"...plan, success?"

Even the experienced witches and puppets are now caught off guard. There have been too many accidents in this exploration of the secret realm, which should have been tentative, so many that they can't get rid of it immediately. Everything is well connected and understanding what is happening in this moment.

Perhaps because he felt that the people behind him didn't intend to do what he said, the man who had been staring at "God Aton" turned his face away from the moment he appeared.

The dissatisfaction on that face immediately turned to doubt—obvious doubt.

He looked at Tina's blond hair, blue eyes, and Ai and Liliana's fair skin and delicate facial features in the country of Sand Sea, and he quickly realized something.

"Who are you?! Now—what time is it now?! Why are you the one who sent me here... Priest Hope Almond?!"

It was as if a well-prepared plan discovered a fatal problem at a critical moment. For a moment, the confident and calm expression on the young man's face was shaken.

Liliana looked at him wordlessly.

It wasn't until this moment that the mummy, who had been silent for a long time, seemed to have finally sorted out the sudden situation. The pair of eye sockets stared at the man who appeared suddenly, and a series of unpleasant laughter came out from the lips covered by cloth strips.

"It looks like you brought an acquaintance to meet me."

As soon as its voice sounded, the corners of its mouth twisted as it stared at the young man who had been scrutinized for a long time by the girls who obviously did not belong to the aborigines of this land.

The man gritted his teeth and looked at the mummy, squeezing out a series of hate notes from between his teeth.

"Is this what your crazy followers do too?"

"...Who knows, but since you came to my country in such a young state at such a time, it means that they are very good, don't they? My stupid son, Tutankton."

It laughs, the sound is so piercing, and it is so happy from the bottom of the heart, so that the intermittent laughter finally turns into a compact shrill laugh.

"Don't call me that profane name!"

Amidst the laughter, the young man's expression twisted.

"Then what should I call you? After my death, what kind of name did you change? Tutankhamun? That false sun, the dog of the invisible one? You came here also under the instigation of that cowardly god, to kill me Pull down the throne that was taken from it?!"

"I came here for every Sinai citizen who died tragically under your tyranny! For the eternal common sense that all mortals must die! For myself who was pierced by a spear with your name on it! My abominable father , Akhenaten!!!"

Sarcasm and hatred share the dialogue between two people who refer to each other as father and son.

Three names roared from their mouths, one of a heresy that the priests of Sinai had nearly wiped out with their marrow-eating hatred, and two of a young and enigmatic pharaoh.

One of them practiced the first and only "solar reform" in Sinai, known as the pagan pharaoh, and the other abolished the false gods and returned the land to the ancient beliefs.

Akhenaten.

Tutankhamun - Tutankhamun.

In this extremely ancient temple of Sinai, in front of Tina's unbelievable eyes. The father and son who have covered up countless historical mysteries are now standing in front of the girls and confronting each other.

In a trance, the scale of history flowed to the past, back to the kingdom still succumbed to the scepter of the magic emperors, back to the time when all the history was vague.

Not father and son, nor pharaoh and crown prince.

Every pharaoh in Sinai, or the crown prince who is about to become a pharaoh, is a warrior who honors the gods. Contradictions that cannot be reconciled through conversation and debate can only be resolved by fighting with swords.

The apostates and the rebels confronted each other in the solemn temple, angrily rebuking each other, sharpening their killing intent.

But this is just a girl's fantasy. When she unconsciously came up with this idea, some knowledge also emerged from her memory, breaking this absurd imagination.

In 1331 of the second era, three years after Tutankhamun succeeded to the throne, Sinai restored the traditional polytheistic beliefs. At that time, he was less than 10 years old.

Three years before he succeeded to the throne, his father Akhenaten died mysteriously, and his queen, Nefertiti, was renamed Smenkari, acting as the pharaoh before his son could take over the ancient kingdom.

Unless all archaeologists and historians are wrong, there is no way in history that this confrontation between father and son has ever occurred.

But what is in front of them in this case?

The grown-up Tutankhamun and Akhenaten's mummy are now in the third era, in the secret realm of the ancient magic empire that has been dust-sealed for thousands of years.

Neither of them was surprised that the other appeared here, but according to history, for Tutankhamun, Akhenaten was the dead father, and for Akhenaten, he could not know his son Died equally strangely at such a young age.

It's almost like, it's almost like... there's a struggle between them that lasts through life and death and through time, and that hasn't stopped even though the eras have changed.

Ah, no, I can't figure out what I'm thinking...

Tina felt dizzy for a while, she shook her head vigorously, and then immediately realized that her dizziness was not caused by too many thoughts in her head, but was caused by Tutankhamun and Akhenaten—now you can Calling them by their first names—and the suffocating tension between Liliana and Alice.

"To be honest, Miss Tingna, I don't think you need to force yourself to think. In terms of being confused about the situation, Miss Alice, me, and Master Liliana are all the same as you..."

Holding Tingna's hand, Ai took two steps back at some point, hiding behind the witch and the puppet.

Not having much combat experience, she also sensed that the atmosphere was about to explode, and after discovering that Liliana and the others were not the ones who "should" be here, the young pharaoh no longer turned his back on them.

He turned his body sideways, with slightly raised veins on the wrists clasping the double daggers, wary of everyone here.

The air was tense and the sun was harsh.

In the distance, the cheers and chanting of the Sinai people outside the temple disappeared, no, maybe they didn't disappear, but they were blocked by the dignified atmosphere, so they couldn't hear them anymore.

"...Maybe we should visit another day and leave the space for you to enjoy the reunion of father and son after a thousand years?"

It was Liliana who finally broke the silence.

Her finger pressed on the ring that was no longer inlaid with emeralds. It only took a moment for her to take out all kinds of magic materials from it to construct gorgeous and deadly magic.

Her mentor is ready to fight, but it seems that she doesn't want to stand in line easily.

Ai nervously stored the ring in his own space.

The Witch also didn't want the two pharaohs—if they were really Akhenaten and Tutankhamun—to think they were on the other side, so the Witch made a statement.

"Or, you will be willing to help me solve this man who intends to kill his father, and go back with my gratitude and friendship, and everything you want to know."

On the throne, Akhenaten's voice was smooth enough.

The mummy stood up, and from behind the throne, pulled out a pitch-black sickle-shaped sword inlaid with gold and jade on the side of the blade.

The rotten aura on him changed.

The faint smell of blood wafted away, because the slowness shown just now seemed to have completely disappeared, and it was more ferocious than Tutankhamun, as if a bloody warrior had stepped into a battlefield he was familiar with.

"It's also possible that you will be willing to assist me in completely destroying this tyrant who tried to become a god in vain, but hid here after failing, enslaving the souls of believers, dragging them into the endless dawn, and revived the thousand-handed sun wheel The last bit of fire is completely snuffed out. In return, everything I know will be unreserved."

The young Pharaoh said, his body tensed even more, and his tone was a little anxious.

Ai saw the inconspicuous anxiety on that young face, and immediately realized that Liliana's words before were not only clearing the relationship, they were also up for grabs.

Akhenaten hoped to win them over.

For what reason should this mummy be unable to leave here? If he wants to re-establish contact with the outside world, he can now rely on them who broke in.

Tutankhamun wanted to win them over.

A few minutes ago, the young Pharaoh confidently said that he would leave everything to him, but after seeing Liliana and the others, that confidence disappeared immediately. Obviously, an important plan in his cognition has gone wrong. Compared with his father, his situation may be more dangerous.

"...Master Liliana...Miss Alice..."

Her own words are the only sound in this silence, and the figure in front of her is not much higher than herself, the back of her mentor, and the puppet sitting on her shoulder are the only things she and Tingna can rely on here.

——What should I do?

Akhenaten had already raised his sickle sword, and Tutankhamun's eyes narrowed sharply like an eagle.

Both sides of the battle have already set their bids. No matter which side the frowning witch chooses, or if no one helps them to leave, this place will explode in an instant, and maybe those guards with expressionless faces will also rush in, and will Covered here with the tune of Killing.

"...I've changed my mind. Traveler from the Empire."

Suddenly, Akhenaten raised his sickle sword and spoke.

He raised his sword, and the blade stretched out of the curtain of light that surrounded him, and shot a ray of light into the sky, piercing the golden sun.

This is the fuse.

Tutankhamun's figure became blurred at that moment, but at the same time, the light that has always been entangled with Akhenaten expanded violently, like a substantial high wall pushing in all directions, bumping into the edge of the throne. The figure holding the double swords continued to spread, as if there was no obstacle at all.

Tutankhamun let out a roar, but the anger didn't make him react any better, and he was bounced away. Flying more than ten meters, the metal and leather footwear left a series of sparks on the ground.

The light dissipated after crossing the first section of steps, and the dry wood-like figure was reflected in the eyes of Alice and Liliana.

At the same time, the golden curtain in front of the sacrificial hall was lifted, and Ai who turned his head saw two rows of dog-headed soldiers walking in with spears and giant axes.

They are like obsidian sculptures, they walked in silently, and soon surrounded the entire sacrificial hall, raised their weapons and waited for the next order.

"I saw some disgust in your eyes, right after my stupid son said that."

Akhenaten lowered his sickle sword and took a step down the stairs.

"I don't know what you suddenly thought of, young magician. But the disgusted look in that moment, the piercing disgust, really made me shudder, and my intuition told me that you couldn't stand on my side. I'm curious What makes you believe that man's one-sided story... But, let's wait until the execution time to ask."

He said coldly, and swung his sword at Liliana and the others.

The soldiers began to charge.

"...You made a mistake, not that you want an answer from me."

And the lightning of magic also bloomed from the hands of the witch.

"There will be an answer."

Liliana spoke indifferently.

"It's us."