The Witch and the Doll Swear

Magician's gift, it seems that there are very few flashy things.

Judging from Tina von Sia's short 18-year life, it is natural to draw this conclusion. Although she received only two gifts from Liliana, they can all be used as arguments for this point of view .

It is very sea folk style, and it also comes with a whale ancient amulet that will automatically activate the function of [water element dispelling enchantment] on rainy days.

Made of gray crystal and black leather, it is as light as nothing, and it is also engraved with [Evil Probe]. [Life Vision] snow-blind mirror.

Either way is functional and beautiful.

"Miss Liliana, there are life reactions a little far to the right, there are more than a dozen!"

this day.

The girl discovered signs of life gathered while she was struggling to memorize the rules of the magic card.

It appears as clustered red dots on the snow-blind mirror, but it is unknown what it is at this distance. Maybe it is a deer, maybe a wolf, or maybe it is just a group of hares lying on their nests under the thick snow.

After getting this goggle, the girl who couldn't use magic became obsessed with using these eyes to look for small monsters such as stinky rats, moles, and rabbits hiding under the snow on the snow-covered grassland.

Making guesses in advance and waiting for the answer to be revealed, this has become another interesting entertainment for girls on this journey besides the magic cards that are not yet mastered.

"Lily, let's go and see together, what will it be this time?"

Even Liliana and Alice thought so.

Therefore, the galloping astral unicorn galloped in the direction the girl pointed because of the witch's instructions.

"Ah, still moving!"

"Then it shouldn't be small animals hiding in their dens. The number of wild sheep or cattle is too small. It's probably small-scale deer or wolves. Which one is it?"

"It's interesting if you don't know, I guess it's a wolf!"

The beautiful monster galloped, and the snow flakes were flying in the wind. It didn't take long for the red dot on the gray crystal to change shape after those life reactions entered the visible range.

"Ah, you guessed right! It's a wolf!"

Tina cried out excitedly.

That shape symbolizes the most common predator on the grassland.

After the heavy snow fell, the number of monsters active on the snow field decreased significantly, and the frequency and scope of these predators also became higher and higher.

"Eh? Wait a minute, why..."

But it's not just wolves.

After seeing the wolves, the black astral unicorn also chirped happily.

Liliana and the others don't take the initiative to find trouble with monsters during their journey, so this aggressive monster can often only rely on galloping to consume too much energy, and the rare few hunts are also ordered by the witch Prohibition of killing everything is not fun at all.

However, since the quality of a single shot is not enough, then use the number of times to make up for it.

Slowing down, black flames spewed out from the mouth of the unicorn from the astral world, extending into whips.

"Aww—!!"

With just one swipe, a gray-brown coyote that was targeted by it was turned into half-coke that was still sparkling by the black flames from the astral world in the blink of an eye.

"——————!"

The smell of scorched flesh and the screams of its prey made it proudly raise its front hooves, ready to show its strength to the summoners on its back.

After watching the fire whip knock down another wolf and turn it into black coke, these beasts, which were still aggressive before, were cowed in an instant.

Following the biological instinct of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, they turned their heads and ran, and the astral unicorn immediately raised its hooves and chased after them.

But before it could increase its speed, it was stopped by the witch on its back.

"...Wait a minute, don't chase after me."

--Why?

Stopping, it turned around dissatisfied.

But the witch who summoned it from the astral world just reached out and touched its head, signaling that it should not be so cruel.

At the same time, it feels a light on its back.

"Are you okay? Have you been bitten by a wolf?"

Tina jumped out of the saddle and took off the gray goggles.

Symbolizing the response of life, the red light spot with a shape disappeared from the eyes, replacing it appearing in the girl's vision at the moment.

are people.

And, not nomads.

Not far from Tina, the little boy who was stunned by what happened in an instant held a torch and a knife in his hands, and was taking deep breaths.

The girl did not expect to meet a single human being on the grassland after the heavy snowfall. Obviously, the opposite side also.

"I, I'm fine... Little Moo is fine... How about you? Who are you?"

From the boy's thin lips chapped with cold was the Common Tongue.

Although there are some prairie accents mixed in, compared to some nomads, they are already very pure.

Perhaps out of vigilance, he hugged the little red horse beside him even tighter.

It's like protecting it with your own body.

"I'm Tina, and those are Miss Liliana and Alice. We are travelers and are planning to go to Bike City. What about you? Are you a child from a nearby town? Why are you here?"

"..."

The boy pursed his lips and did not answer Tina's question.

——It seems that he is still vigilant.

Tina didn't continue to approach, and kept a distance away, thinking about ways to calm the boy down.

at this time.

"...Miss Tina, who is this boy?"

Miss Witch, who was holding Alice, comforted the dissatisfied astral unicorn rolling around in the snow, and came to the girl.

Then.

There's no after that.

……………………………………………………………………………………

"That is to say, did little Faze escape..."

A few minutes later, on the snow-covered grassland.

Two strings of hoofprints stretched all the way.

Hearing the girl's question, the boy sitting on the pony and walking side by side with the realm unicorn nodded.

The boy named Fazer was a stable boy who had just celebrated his 11th birthday and was from the town of Pike, not too far from here.

Bi Tina and Liliana's goal, Bike, went deeper into the grassland. Forty years ago, it was just a piece of wilderness with nothing, and it was established because of the kingdom's development plan. It is a young town.

"...In other words, have we reached the border of the grassland?"

"Well, it takes less than a day to go from Pike Town to Bike City by carriage, and riding a horse is faster. If there are not guards everywhere in that direction, I wouldn't run to the grassland..."

Being completely captured by the [Magic Charm] in the blink of an eye, he has long since lost any vigilance towards Liliana and Tingna. He told them all he knew about all the questions Tinna raised.

Of course, this also includes the reason why he entered the grassland after it snowed.

Pike Town is a town established by some nomads and immigrants from outside the grassland. Although it is young, it has an ancient custom.

Ancestral Spirit Festival.

Sacrifice the spirits of ancestors with cattle, sheep and horses to pray for health and luck.

It is very famous on the prairie in this area because anyone who is a participant can get blessings and can intuitively feel that the body has become healthy.

"The ancestral spirit festival attracts many tourists every year, making the town prosperous and vibrant. The cattle, sheep and horses killed at the festival are specially hunted and raised. This year... it's the little boy's turn. Moo."

"Moo~~~"

Hearing the boy calling his name, the pony, who had to trot to catch up with the big stride of the astral unicorn, mooed.

It was the first time for Tingna to see such a short and small horse mooing when it was clearly a horse. It seemed that this was why it was called "Little Moo".

It is very docile and cheerful. When Tingna wants to touch it, she sticks out her tongue and licks the girl's palm affectionately. It seems that she doesn't know that it will be a sacrifice at the festival tomorrow. Full kill, take out the heart.

Fazer didn't want to see that scene.

So, yesterday, when the guards and shamans were not on guard, the boy lied about taking Moo out for exercise and escaped from the town.

"Every year there is only a specific day to hold the ancestor spirit sacrifice, which is tomorrow. I was going to hide on the grassland until the day after tomorrow. I said that I met a pack of wolves outside and lost my way when I ran away in a panic, but..."

In order not to be discovered after they disappeared, the people who came out to look for them in the town chased them, and Faze took Xiao Moo deep into the grassland.

Originally he had a fluke mentality, but he did not expect that he would actually meet a pack of wolves one day after escaping.

From the eve of dawn, he and Xiao Moo fled desperately, losing all food and water, only a small knife and a torch were left in their hands.

Until he met Liliana and Alice—if it weren't for them, the boy would never have the chance to lie.

"...You said that this festival will actually bless the participants?"

However, compared to the reason why the boy appeared in the wild, Liliana, who managed to put on a cloak to cover her petite body under Tina's persuasion, was interested in another part.

"That's right, every year people in the town will go to participate and get blessings. The weak will become healthy, the elderly will become energetic, and even many sick people will recover after the festival, so it is very interesting. Fame, tourists from other cities also come here." "...Really..."

In most cases, the festival is just a symbolic ceremony, and it is very rare to have a festival that can actually feel the benefits.

If it's not that the ritual itself has power, it means that the object of their sacrifice has such ability.

"...Is there a Holy Church in that town?" After receiving the boy's affirmative answer, Alice, who was sitting in Liliana's arms, raised her head.

On the west side of the mainland—on the site of the Holy Church, which is famous for heresy trials and alien exclusion, no matter which one it is, it seems quite strange.

And this kind of festival has lasted for decades without incident...

"Abnormally, Lily, the nomads in the grassland are fine. Alice doesn't think those guys whose brains have been burned by the holy light will be so kind and tolerate other faiths holding festivals in their cities."

"...I agree. Leaving aside the Virtue Church, which encourages people to have multiple beliefs, it is not normal for the Templar Church, whose history itself persecutes paganism and a history of alien races, to be so benevolent."

The witch hunts and witch trials that swept across the mainland in the first era were initiated by the Templar Church. Although Tina didn't know whether Liliana and Alice were old enough to experience such a dark and crazy era, it was obvious.

I don't like the Church of the Holy Church, Miss Witch and Miss Doll.

"Just go and have a look."

"……Um."

After a brief discussion, as expected by the girl, she made the decision to take a look.

"But aren't you going to Bike City?"

Fa Ze, who was sitting on Moo, seemed a little anxious for some reason.

"...Speaking of which, which month and day is it today?"

"The day I escaped from town was the tenth day of the Moon of Starfrost..."

"……if that is the case."

The witch nestled in Tina's arms raised her head and stared at the blue sky on the grassland. Many numbers with unknown meanings were whispered from her mouth, as if she was calculating something.

Tina vaguely heard the last number gushing from Miss Witch's mouth.

26.

Finally, she lowered her head and gently shook the hair that had transitioned from golden splendor to platinum glaring.

"...There is still plenty of time, so it's okay to go and have a look."

"I want to see it too, what kind of festival will it be?"

Tina herself was aroused.

"Little Faze, you can't cause trouble for everyone. It's dangerous outside the grassland. Your parents must be worried now."

"……how come……"

Disappointment and annoyance were on the surface, and the boy lowered his head in frustration.

Only the little pony carrying him pattered hard to chase the footsteps of his "similar" who was much taller than himself.

From morning to evening.

Under the warm sun slanting in the west, the towns that appeared on the grassland had no city walls, and what stood among them were not the tents of the nomads [San Torre].

The color of the glass, the red brick walls and the tiles that reflect the sun, in the eyes of the girl who has not seen such a scene for two months, all these colors are singing the praises of the beauty and great "civilization".

After sending the astral unicorn back from a long distance outside the city, the closer she got to this small town, the more excited Tina was, so much so that tears came out of her eyes.

"Finally back..."

But the only one who is excited is Ting Na who finally returned to the embrace of civilization.

"Miss Tina, you look very excited, but Alice can also understand this. Although there is still a day's journey away from Baker, but here, this trip can be regarded as an end. Thanks a lot."

"...I still like the grassland without so many human breaths."

The little puppet who has maintained the appearance of a magician since leaving the mage tower just pressed the black witch hat, and did not have any special reaction to the end of the trip, while Liliana stared at it with a slightly displeased expression. Crowds in town.

She was still only wearing a fur-trimmed cloak near the collar, and she didn't even wear shoes and socks. Her bare feet below the knees were walking on the slightly muddy gravel road.

It is helpless whether it is a young guy or an old man with white beard and hair. Even the women who were holding hands with their husbands and male companions and talking intimately just a moment ago can't help being dumbfounded when they see her.

The place Liliana walked seemed to have been baptized by petrification. Seeing the obsession burst out of their eyes—that was the expression that Tina could often feel on her face—the girl had no doubts that now No matter what Liliana said, they would do it without hesitation.

It wasn't until Alice "Lily forgot to use [Ordinary Temperament] to restrain [Magic Charm]." After reminding her like this, and Miss Witch put on a hood and used a magic spell on herself, the traffic on the edge of the town finally returned to normal.

"However, I don't think there is any difference between Miss Liliana after using magic and Miss Liliana before it was useless..."

"[Ordinary Temperament] doesn't change your appearance, it just makes it less conspicuous. Besides, Miss Tingna, you've gotten used to Lily's charm to some extent. This magic doesn't have much effect on those close to you."

"Someone who is close to you... Hehehe..."

"...?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Faze was the only one with a sad face.

Although his whole body was full of "don't want to go back", in the end, the boy followed Liliana, Alice and Tingna to the town that appeared on the grassland.

In any case, the food, water, etc. brought will be lost, and there is also the risk of being attacked by wolves. In this case, the grassland is definitely not a place where you can feel at ease.

He's just an 11-year-old boy.

Behind Liliana, Tingna and Alice, he led Xiao Moo, and stopped several times, but in the end he followed with heavy steps with an air of helplessness.

"Moo?"

Little Moo, who was not much taller than the boy, didn't know why his master was so melancholy, and the happily wagging tail pony kept rubbing his cheek against the boy's face when he came back to town.

However, the little master who always smiles and strokes its mane on weekdays just grinned this time, still unable to cheer up.

"Moo..."

"Little Moo, I'm fine, it's just... what should I do..."

The boy tried his best to turn his little head, but before he could figure out why, a voice he didn't really want to hear sounded.

"Hey—Faze, Faze is back!"

Having already set foot on the road paved with smooth stones, Tinna, who was deeply moved by the solid texture of the soles of her boots, turned her head and saw that a group of adults had surrounded the brown-haired boy in old cotton clothes.

"Why are you here now? What happened?"

"What's the matter, you have been out since yesterday, and the guards searched all over the pasture where you often go, but they couldn't find you."

"Everyone is worried to death."

A series of voices scrambled Faze's already chaotic thoughts into a mess.

"I ran into a pack of wolves when I took Xiao Moo out for exercise, and ran into the grassland in a panic. In the morning, I met..."

He pointed to the girls who were standing by the town billboard and told what happened after he met them.

The group of townspeople rushed over immediately.

"Is it a traveler? Thank you so much. Oh, why are there wolves not so far from the town?"

"There are not so many prey in winter. These monsters dare to go anywhere like crazy. Didn't the brothers of Jack's family kill two wolves not far away a few days ago? Don't blame Faze, the important thing It’s thanks to the travelers, let’s see if the horse is alright?”

"Yes, is the horse alright?"

They talked a lot, thanking Tina and the others for saving Faze and Little Moo, and some invited Liliana and the others to the tavern, and they treated them with sumptuous food as a thank you gift.

"No, don't bother everyone, we just did what we should do..."

While declining the warm invitation of these strange townspeople with a smile, the girl frowned slightly in her heart.

—Is it an illusion?

——It seems that the only thing these townspeople care about is Xiao Moo?

In short, "No, this is too much trouble for you." "Hey, please let us express our gratitude." In the endless alternate shirk.

"...Hey, Uncle Charlie, must Xiao Moo be the horse for the ancestor sacrifice? Can't we use other horses instead?"

The boy spoke.

In an instant, the people present became quiet, and looked at the boy who held the rein tightly and raised his head stubbornly with eyes like "Here we go again".

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

"...Well, I heard little Faze mention it before, what does offering a horse mean?"

Ting Na didn't know why this happened. In order to break up the atmosphere, the girl asked curiously.

"The two travelers also came for our ancestral sacrifice?"

"Eh? No... Actually, I'm going to Baike. After I met little Faze, I heard that there is a festival that brings blessings here..."

"Oh, oh, you must come and see it. It will start at dusk tomorrow. Everyone present, the gentle ancestors will give blessings of health, luck, bravery and stability, especially health blessings , if the disease is not particularly serious, it will get better in no time! Even if there is no disease, you will feel healthier for a while!"

The old woman closest to the boy said, "What are you talking about at this point?" After reprimanding the boy, she explained to the blond girl.

"Yes, is it...it seems very powerful..."

"It's really amazing. Then, one of the sacrifices to the great ancestors must be a red pony, must be six years old, and must have grown up drinking milk wine. The ones bred are for offering horses, little Faze has been doing this since he was five years old, and he has raised this pony for six years, getting along day and night, tomorrow is the festival, this kid probably feels a little bit reluctant."

"But--"

The boy who was still trying to say something was glared at by the old woman, so he had to lower his head with his mouth pursed.

"For horses... is there only one horse for each festival?"

"Oh, of course, the cows dedicated to the ancestors must be old cows, the sheep must be blue sheep, the most difficult to catch, and the horses must be six-year-old red pony that drinks milk wine every day. There is only one horse, otherwise the ancestral spirits will be unhappy, and..."

After the old lady chattered about the benefits of the blessings of the ancestral spirit ceremony, and warmly invited Tingna to bring her "sister" to the ceremony several times, Faze and Xiao Moo disappeared into the houses of the town together with these townspeople. among.

"Miss Liliana, you have been treated as my younger sister..."

After listening to it, Tingna felt as if she had encountered a liar selling panacea, or some kind of cult propaganda—of course, Tingna didn't dare to say such feelings.

Slightly relieved, Ting Na, who also felt a little uncomfortable, kept smiling and looked at Liliana, who was beside her, who had never spoken.

"That...Miss Liliana?"

Miss Witch raised her head calmly and stared at her.

"...Miss Tina doesn't care? The horse."

"Eh? Ah... About the sacrifice..."

The girl blinked blankly.

"If you were raised as a sacrifice from the beginning, then there's nothing you can do about it... Why did Miss Liliana suddenly ask such a question?"

The blankness reflected in Liliana's starry black pupils made Miss Witch nod her head thoughtfully, and then cast her eyes on the streets of the town.

"...It's nothing, let's go to the hotel."

"oh oh……"

This topic started abruptly and ended abruptly. The girl who didn't know why Liliana would care about such a thing touched her head, and decided to classify this into the jump that Liliana said from time to time, which she couldn't keep up with at all. sexual speech.

the next day.

It was almost noon.

Not long ago, Liliana had breakfast.

At this point, Ting Na suddenly realized that she had gotten used to Miss Witch being the same as herself during the journey, walking at sunrise and resting at sunset.

After returning to the civilized world, Liliana's inability to get out of bed seems to have returned, and it seems to have become more serious.

——Lily's snoozing is essentially still in a town of humans. The breath of [heaven] and [earth] that witches love is diluted and thinned by the breath of humans. During this time, I have been enjoying the stars and the moon on the grassland to my heart's content. With the sun and the pulse of the earth, I can't get used to it all at once.

By the way, Liliana opened the door this morning, probably not fully awake yet, without any clothes on. Even Tingna almost didn't react because she kept looking at Miss Witch's naked body during the journey. .

Fortunately, only the youngest daughter of the innkeeper who brought breakfast saw it.

——Are we waiting here for Miss Liliana?

——It’s best to be like this. The Church of the Holy Church has a strong hostility towards non-human races, magicians, and further towards witches, witches, and black magic. It would be best not to cause commotion.

Because in the town where the Church of the Holy Church is the main faith, Alice holds a doll in Tina's arms and talks to Tina with magic,

Strolling in the garden next to the church, the blond girl sighed as she walked.

"...a bit boring..."

After the novelty of returning to the civilized world from the empty grassland faded, it was just a small and uninteresting town.

It is located in the grassland, but there are no grassland-style buildings anywhere. The same houses and streets are the ones that can be seen in Yansha City. distinguish.

But praise civilization.

Even so, this is much better than the endless grassland where you can't tell the difference between southeast and north.

Moreover, the church not far behind the girl is worth seeing. The snow-white flying buttresses, statues of knights, and kaleidoscope-like stained glass windows are all very beautiful.

However, preparations are being made for the ancestor spirit sacrifice in the afternoon, so visits are declined.

Liliana did not know what method she used to sneak in.

After taking Tingna to visit [a typical white gothic church library in the late second era], I don’t know why the ancestral spirit belief that belongs to the ancestor worship category and the holy light belief that is seriously exclusive can coexist harmoniously. Tina, who was not interested, ran out holding Alice, who was very interested but hated the Church of the Holy Church.

——The sun is also very comfortable now.

——Then find a bench to bask in the sun comfortably.

In the winter garden, there are only the colors of evergreen plants. The snow that fell on the path a few days ago has been swept away, but the white snow on the dwarf pine has not yet begun to melt. After a period of time, you will feel the warm sun of Saigon. There is still a little distance from the very center of the sky.

"……Eh?"

Tingna, who was looking around for the bench, found the target and also saw the boy who had a short fate.

"Faze...good afternoon."

"Miss Tina, good afternoon..."

Those emerald eyes were slightly rippling because of the appearance of the savior, but they immediately turned to the previous direction.

"Can I sit next to you?"

"Um."

With the boy's permission, Tina sat on the other side of the bench.

Therefore, it is natural to see the scene in the middle of the garden.

There is a spring in the middle of the bush fence, and the girls in white clothes put steaming wooden basins there, rolled up their sleeves, and were bathing three animals.

"Moo~~~"

Tina and Fazer can see Moo, and of course it can see them too.

The brush was dipped in foam, and the warm water was scooped up from the wooden basin. Little Moo yelled at them comfortably, not like the blue sheep bleating, nor like the silent cow. Just flicking his tail.

Of the three animals, it is the tameest and most cooperative.

Although it was a scene that made people laugh, but considering what happened next, even the smile became bitter.

"Well, are you preparing for the afternoon festival..."

The boy was silent and nodded.

"In the end, didn't you convince everyone..."

With a tone of almost giving up, Fazer leaned back in his chair and moaned.

"Uncle Charlie and Grandma Eugen said that it is Xiao Moo's honor to go to Master Zu Ling to bring everyone health and luck, but I don't think at all, if they think it is honor, why don't they go by themselves? Isn’t Moo’s life life? After I asked this question, Uncle Charlie said that Moo is just a beast, saying that I’m still a child, and I don’t even know which is more important, the life of a human or a beast…”

Yesterday, after Faze and Tinna parted ways, the boy tried hard to convince them.

"I can't convince you, everyone... Everyone in this town is looking forward to the smooth holding of the festival, because only in this way can they get the blessings of the ancestors, travelers, and everyone will have more money in their pockets, they."

But everyone thought he was talking stupid.

"They don't care about Little Moo's life or death."

The lament, uttered from the mouth of an 11-year-old boy, sent shivers down Tina's spine for no apparent reason.

"Miss Tingna, which one is more important, Xiao Moo's life or human life?"

"Huh? This..."

Tina was a little at a loss.

What he said without hesitation in front of Liliana and Alice yesterday could not be said again in front of him.

The boy himself didn't seem to intend to get the answer to the question from the girl.

Looking at Xiao Moo, who was flirting with the girls in white robes and making them giggle, he just cared about himself and fell into the memories.

"...When Xiao Moo couldn't stand up, he was sent to me who was only five years old."

Fazer will always remember that spring.

The newborn pony, who couldn't even stand upright, was sent to him.

——This is the offering horse for the ancestor spirit sacrifice six years later, and it will be handed over to you to raise it. If you don’t know anything, ask Uncle Lime, he will teach you.

This is also the tradition of ancestral spirit sacrifices. The horses are given to young children to be raised, the stallions are given to girls, and the mare is given to boys. into his world.

At that time, he was only five years old, and he felt at a loss for what to do. He had to pull it behind the horse-raising adults in the town all day long, and worked hard to learn all the knowledge he needed.

Fortunately, this little pony who mooed for some reason is very docile and has no temper. The first time the boy bathed it with a brush that was too hard, it just mooed and then felt wronged. Looking at him, even if you stand behind it, as long as you don't frighten it, it won't raise its hoof and kick people.

"..." Tingna closed her eyes silently.

Fa Ze's words are the past between him and Xiao Moo, and the crying memories are turned into scenes and emerge in front of his eyes.

The boy liked the pony very much.

It was not high, and even a boy could ride it on it. They often run on the grassland near the town, and when they are tired from running, they lie down together and bask comfortably in the warm sunshine.

It was too hot in summer, so the boy brought it cool water from the well every once in a while, and took it to the nearby stream to play in the water. It was too cold in winter, so the boy found a lot of thick hay, covered himself and it, listened to it mooing and clucking and chewing the grass, and counted the twinkling stars in the night sky. Hold its neck and fall asleep together.

The boy still clearly remembers the only time in these years when he was sick and couldn't even get out of bed.

Because they were worried that his disease would be transmitted to Xiao Moo, the adults let him have a good rest and let them take care of Xiao Moo for the time being.

However, Xiao Moo didn't eat the fodder and carrots that other people brought, and ran to his room with the helpless adults. He didn't make any noise or make noise. Obediently go to the yard, no one can pull it.

It didn't gobble up the carrots until the boy recovered from his illness.

They stayed together all day, and spent one winter, two winters like this, Xiao Moo grew up healthy and healthy, until now.

No one has spent more time in Fazer's short life than the pony.

Even just listening to it can feel the incomparably heavy weight.

The girl hugged the doll in her arms even tighter, and she suddenly realized how cruel the words she said yesterday with reason and certainty were.

She thought that the boy was just reluctant to part with Moo, just like when the litter of kittens on the roof of her house grew up and left each other, and the kitten house she made with wooden boards and quilts became empty.

But it's not right.

She couldn't clearly express the boy's mood, but she could vaguely understand that it was more inseparable and heavier.

Definitely not just a boy, wayward at 11 years old.

It has been raised as a tribute to the festival from the beginning, but in the end, must it become a tribute?

A pony's life...isn't life?

"What about...Faze, your father, and mother? Since Faze is only a child, there is nothing I can do about it, but your father and mother..."

"I was picked up by Grandma Eugen outside Bike City. I don't have a father and a mother. Little Moo is my only family."

"……sorry……"

"No, it doesn't matter, Miss Tina, thank you for listening to me so much, I still want to give it a try, and it's useless to talk to uncle and grandma. I want to talk to the shamans and the mayor Tell me, although I don't know if it will be useful..."

Standing up from the bench, Fazer breathed heavily.

Little Moo, who stood up from the wooden tub because he stood up, was mooing at him. A smile appeared on the boy's face, telling Little Moo to wait here for a while, wait a little longer.

must.

He declared so.

"I will protect Little Moo, I will!"

ran towards the church.

"..."

Miss Witch, who passed by the boy, looked at the boy's back, and then fixed her eyes on Tina.

"...What happened to that child?"

"Fazer still intends to work hard so that the festival does not use Xiao Moo as a sacrifice... But, he is just a child, I always feel that it will not go so smoothly, that, Miss Liliana..."

The bathing by the spring is over.

Seeing Xiao Moo who was drying off the water droplets and being wiped by the girls with towels, Tingna hugged Alice and hesitated.

"Can we help him?"

"……decide as things go."

Lifting Alice from the girl's arms, Liliana calmly looked into Tina's eyes.

"...The analysis of the ancestral spirit sacrifice ceremony is almost done. Next, we can verify it after the ceremony officially begins." "Miss Liliana..."

"...This matter has nothing to do with us, and."

Liliana thought about it, and decided to tell Tingna, who seemed to have a change in her mood, about this matter.

Although it was just passing by, a casual glance.

However, at that moment, the witch saw the boy's eyes.

Definitely, not something a "boy" can have.