The Witch and the Doll Swear

After lunch, Liliana brought Knight and Wright to the literature room in the tower with the deciphered materials that Tina brought back from the Academy of Ancient Languages.

For Ms. Witch, the so-called rest probably refers to not having to worry about managing those troublesome affairs, but can concentrate on studying magic classics and doing what she likes to do.

Thinking this way, Ting Na, who habitually wanted to follow in and watch, came out dizzy after ten minutes.

She accidentally opened a magic book.

The book magician of the grimoire was annoyed that she touched it without gloves or permission.

So I gave her a mental system magic [Earth Spinning].

That's it in three lines.

The girl who was sunk by the lowest level of spiritual magic that disturbed the five senses and the center of gravity in one blow walked back to the study in a nonchalant manner. She sat on the chair like a dried salted fish until the effect of the magic disappeared.

The blue sky without even a cloud and the distant city scenery made Tingna feel better. However, while looking at these scenery, Tingna also couldn't avoid seeing the girl standing there.

"It's past noon..."

The clock on the wall showed it was 10:15, just 15 minutes past noon.

She's been there since dawn, and she's been standing there for four hours—a full 520 and 15 minutes.

But she remained there without moving.

Can humans really stand for so long?

The girl couldn't help but search for her experience of standing for a long time from her memory, but the longest experience she could remember was that she was punished to stand for half an hour after school because she failed to complete the training target in the martial arts class. That's all.

Only half an hour.

But when Tina thinks about it now, she still can't help but shrink her neck, feeling a dull pain from the muscles in her legs.

"Miss Ai... is she really okay..."

After holding her chin and hesitating for a while, Tingna turned the office chair from facing the balcony back to facing the desk, and stood up.

"Tina, Miss."

"Wow!"

Then he was startled by a sudden sound from the side.

On the sofa near the desk, an elf with gray skin like sand and long emerald green hair like vines appeared there at some point. When Tina turned her head and saw her, she greeted the girl.

"Miss Noam, please don't scare me..."

Looking at Noam who nodded slightly as a greeting, Tina was crying.

These elusive elemental spirits are not friendly to the hearts of ordinary people at all, and Noam’s sense of presence is extremely low—not because of his whereabouts, but because he is as easy to be ignored as people always ignore the earth under their feet The kind of extraordinarily thin sense of existence.

She has lived in this tower for many days, but Tingna just can't get used to this situation.

"Miss Noam, when did you come here..."

"Miss Tingna, wobbly, bumping into the wall from time to time, worrying."

"……ah……"

Did you see the embarrassing look that almost wanted to be listed at the top of the list of the most embarrassing mouths in your life?

Ting Na couldn't help covering her face, and looked away in embarrassment.

"Miss Tina, do you want to go there now?"

However, not to mention clothes, morality, and ethics at the time of birth, elves who have not even been born with flesh and blood have no feeling of shyness.

So for this incomprehensible emotion, Norm looked at Tina who was blushing, and tilted his head incomprehensibly.

"Eh, um..." Ting Na looked back out of the window again, her eyes drifting away.

"Then, please give this to the child."

Hearing Tina's ambiguous response, a faint smile appeared on Nom's dull face. This smile reminded Tina of when she was accepting the blessings from the elves, Nom was going to fall in the darkness. That loving smile when he helped himself up.

"this is?"

"White velvet fruit, flame lizard blood, setome mead, potion mixed with pepper, ginger and cocoa leaves."

Norm handed the light red potion to Tina.

"Warm the body, replenish energy and water, she started in the morning, not a single drop of water, so she can't last long."

"……Eh?"

"Although Princess Lily doesn't intend to accept apprentices, we like that child very much, and Miss Tingna also cares a little bit."

"It's impossible not to care..."

Norm explained slowly.

However, Ting Na looked down at the potion in her hand, and then at the smiling elf.

"But why should I send it there?"

Generally speaking, at this time, it is more encouraging to be sent by elves who are obviously higher than yourself, right?

But Norm shook his head slightly.

"No... this is something only Miss Tingna can do."

Norm only left that sentence, and turned and left the study without waiting for Tina to ask.

...Should it be said that there is a kind of spirit for every kind of contractor?

I vaguely remembered that Liliana and Alice also seemed to like to say some confusing things.

But—something that can only be done by oneself...?

Although I can't figure it out, I do intend to talk to that girl. So, after contemplating for a while without any clue, Tina walked out from the gate of the tower, stepping into the snow that was half-submerged to her calf.

Among the black pines, Ai was still standing there.

Norm and Nate seemed to have been paying attention to her situation. Alice told them that if the girl went to the toilet, eaten, or drank water, they could find any reason to expel her because she lacked perseverance or sincerity.

Tina felt that this was a bit excessive.

However, although it is excessive, it is understandable.

Liliana didn't want an apprentice. Even if she had good intentions and reverence, it would cause trouble to others. This was even more disgusting than having malice.

Incessant entanglement is not worth advocating in any matter.

However, the girl never even sneezed.

She stood there so stubbornly.

It wasn't until I got closer that I realized what a slender girl she was.

Not to mention comparing this jadeite, Liliana's mage tower, even just comparing the two black pines next to her, the girl looks so petite and fragile.

but.

There she stood, fearless.

"Well……"

Tina stopped

As long as you walk less than a hundred meters forward, you will be close to her.

But we can't get any closer.

Although this jet-black flame is burning quietly, it is burning fiercely, just like those people who don't want to be disturbed in a noble dance or a workplace party. "Don't come close" - such a burning will is entangled. almost becoming a reality

She didn't even use the corner of her peripheral vision to glance at the approaching girl, her burgundy eyes just stared at the balcony where Liliana had appeared.

In those eyes, the flame flickered.

"That...Miss Ai?"

The girl looked away for the first time.

"...If the seventh seat of Einsteins makes any decision, her contracted elves should inform me."

As she said this, she kept her polite stance and remained motionless, as if she was questioning why Tina was here.

This caught the girl off guard, and she was shocked by the aura wrapped around the girl. After hesitating for a while, she realized that she was facing a girl who was smaller than herself, but Tina did not dare to raise her voice.

"Eh? Well, it's just...Miss Ai hasn't eaten or drank all morning...is it okay?"

"...I'm sorry. I had to stay awake all day before I came here, and I had already replenished the nutrients needed for this. As for the water...it would only cause me trouble."

Tina did not put the potion in the space storage ring but held it in her hand, so the girl saw it at a glance, which seemed to confirm that Tina was not here to expel her. Seeing the bottle of potion, the girl was slightly He pursed his lips.

"So, while I appreciate your kindness, I can't accept it."

Due to thirst, the pale pink lips were very dry, slightly white and chapped.

But Ai expressed his refusal politely with only words.

...Despite saying this, Tina noticed that the girl's hands stretched out from her snow-white sleeves and intertwined in front of her were secretly pinching herself through the little black dress.

After a moment of silence, Tina took the bottle of potion closer.

"..."

The girl started screwing herself.

"...Actually, I'm very thirsty already..."

Even if the sunshine in winter does not make people sweat, the normal metabolism of the human body still requires water. If you stand for more than four hours without dripping water, you will be extremely thirsty no matter what.

Putting aside hunger, the feeling of thirst is particularly uncomfortable.

"I'm not thirsty! Please don't come any closer! Are you saying that you are deliberately harassing me so that the seventh seat of Einsteins has a reason to reject me?"

"Miss Liliana might be angry if I did that without permission. Actually...well, it was Miss Liliana who asked me to do it." "What a clumsy lie! And that witch wouldn't be so considerate, would she?" !”

It seemed that the calm tone and expression on that little face could no longer be maintained. The girl's eyes were raised, and her lips were grinning to reveal sharp fangs.

The black flames that were burning quietly a moment ago suddenly turned into a crackling bonfire. Obviously, when she didn't see her emotional words, she looked like a polite and well-educated child, but when she was angry, she looked like a arrogant and somewhat surly young lady.

But Tina found this reaction a bit cute.

"Miss Liliana is very gentle."

"...You are not the seventh apprentice of Einsteins, right?"

"He is the liaison officer of Miss Liliana, the honorary adventurer...and now also serves as secretary."

"...In short, although I am grateful for your kindness, your help will only have the opposite effect."

Perhaps noticing that he was a little too excited, Ai took several deep breaths in succession, licked his chapped lips, and looked at Tina with conflicting eyes.

"Please leave quickly."

"I want to ask a question before I leave."

It was like a kitten with its fur all over its body exploding. If it kept chasing, its face would be scratched by the claws that popped out. Tina quickly stepped back and waved her hand.

"Wouldn't it be counterproductive to pester like Miss Ai? Miss Liliana has already refused once, why is she unwilling to give up?"

This is the City of Thousand Towers. The number of magicians alone is even more than that of the Glory City. Moreover, today is the beginning of the week-long city-wide exam. Even if we hit a wall at one point, shouldn't we change our goals? ?

Or is there some reason why it must be Liliana...?

"...Are you trying to find out the reason from me this time?"

The corners of Tina's mouth twitched.

Are you really so easy to understand yourself?

"Is it convenient to tell anyone other than Miss Liliana..."

"I have a dream, and I want to realize that dream, and for that, the help of Einstein's Seventh Seat is absolutely necessary, nothing more."

With a cold tone, the girl repeated the words that had been conveyed to Liliana through Wright.

"Is that all?"

"Do you think there is anything else?"

The girl glanced at Ting Na angrily.

"My family was destroyed by the enemy, and my parents were involved in some accident. Before they died, they told me to come here to seek help from the seventh seat of Einstein? Let her avenge my old friend? Do I have to say pitifully? A bunch of bitter and bitter reasons to get a chance?"

"...If that's the case..."

Thinking of the witch who walked out of the silver cemetery, Tingna nodded.

"Miss Liliana will definitely agree."

The passing of Guoyi Kewei, Liliana's old friend, seemed to make Miss Witch into a slight anxiety.

When Tina was seriously ill and was bedridden, Liliana and Alice, who were not good at taking care of patients, were visiting friends everywhere, as if they wanted to make up for the long absence. Every day, every day, they went out in the morning and didn't come back until late at night.

If there's anything really difficult about this girl, at least...

Tina felt that, at least, Liliana would be willing to invite her into the tower, and then talk about apprentices.

"...That's just a shameless moral kidnapping using sympathy, a despicable act."

It seemed that Ai was choked by Tingna's sure answer, and after staring at Tina for a while, she closed her eyes.

When it was opened again, the flame burned even more fiercely.

"I want to become the apprentice of Einstein's seventh seat. I have been preparing for this for ten years. I don't need, and I won't need, such a clown-like method."

It was already obvious that he didn't want to talk any more.

Tina sighed softly, turned and left,

However, there was one thing that caught the girl's attention.

According to the girl, could it be...

……………………………………………………………………………………

into the night.

Liliana, who didn't come out of the literature room until after dinner, was lying on the big bed in the room, enjoying Nate's massage.

Hearing Tingna's question, she turned her head slightly and opened her eyes that were closed due to a little fatigue.

"...I never had an apprentice or student."

"...Eh? I thought Miss Liliana didn't accept apprentices because of some bad memories in the past."

Ting Na, who was taking a bath in the hot spring channel next to the bed, was taken aback for a moment, and then began to think in distress.

Because Ai said that, she thought Liliana had an apprentice before...

By the way, when this idea came up, many thoughts appeared in the girl's mind, such as the apprentice collapsed because she couldn't catch up with the powerful Liliana no matter what, or the two parties broke up because of some conflicts. , Liliana had to kill her apprentice, or Liliana saw the apprentice leave earlier than herself because of the ruthless time, etc. Stories that could be written into a whole novel... especially the last one.

Because the death of that Goy Kewell seemed to make Liliana very sad, Tingna originally thought that the last conjecture might be the correct answer, but.

"Wrong guess."

"Princess Lily has never taken an apprentice, at least not when we are all around."

Alice and Knight, both dismissed the idea.

"Hmm..."

Seeing the girl who was thinking hard but had "don't know" written all over her face, Liliana blinked her eyes.

"...Do you want to tell Miss Tingna directly?"

"It's not that the magic card needs to beat Miss Liliana..."

"...In that case, this will become a mystery."

"... sooner or later you will win."

"...then look forward to that day coming..."

"Miss Liliana!"

Puchi, the dark elf couldn't help laughing. Ting Na glared at her fiercely, raised her voice, and then lowered it down without any momentum.

"Please tell me why……"

"...It's very simple, a reason."

Reaching out to stroke the girl's golden hair, Liliana said flatly.

"...My mentor is the best educator on the mainland, but I have not learned the ability of education from her. It is very difficult to cultivate a magician. To cultivate an excellent It is even more difficult for a magician, because I have come here like this, so I understand very well." Such a tone is almost like an old elder telling a young man about his past. Tina couldn't help thinking, what kind of time would that be for Liliana?

——It is undoubtedly very beautiful.

Because, although it was only a little bit, Tingna saw a soft smile on Liliana's face.

For Ms. Witch, life in Guanghui Academy, the number one academy in the mainland, is such a beautiful memory, right?

Tina didn't know Liliana's past, and it was too much of a stretch to ask herself, who had known her for less than a year, to understand Liliana's life for hundreds of years.

All Tina knows about the past of the witch and the puppet in the City of Glory is that one day, Liliana, who has learned the ancient fairy language, made a vow to Alice that she still doesn't know about.

And the meaning of that oath, I have never known it to this day.

Tina, who was in a daze, listened to the witch's plain words, and her curiosity began to drift again, but——

"Focus."

Discovered by Alice.

"...But I don't understand, Miss Liliana is one of the most powerful magicians, right? In that case, it will be easier to be Miss Liliana's apprentice, right?"

Ting Na quickly waved her hand to concentrate.

Alice snorted coldly, and floated from the bed to Tina's shoulder. Of course, the weight of an extra cat will not affect the girl. Tinna was glanced at with a look of "so you don't dare to be distracted." Alice leaned against the girl's face, in order to sit more comfortably And rubbed.

This slightly disproportionate behavior made the girl's lips twitch.

"...It's not that people with excellent ability can teach people with excellent ability."

Having said this, Liliana was silent for a moment, then looked at Ting Na and added something slowly.

"...Although I have learned from the best educators on the mainland, I don't have any self-confidence in this aspect alone. This is the most important reason. I don't know how to teach. According to my own growth method, probably ...No, it will undoubtedly be counterproductive, and even ruin her perhaps bright future...This conclusion based on rational thinking is the reason for my rejection."

She looked in a certain direction.

The walls of the tower blocked the view, and unless the witch's glasses could penetrate the rock, she could see nothing.

But Tina knew that the girl was still there, not eating or drinking, in her own way, trying to become Liliana's apprentice in this stupid way.

"It turned out to be like this..."

Doesn't she know that Miss Liliana doesn't want to accept apprentices?

No, it is precisely because she knows that she will use this method, using this kind of moral kidnapping that she herself despises, in order to impress the witch.

After listening to Liliana's reasons for not wanting to accept apprentices, although she was a bit pitiful.

Tina thought, she tried to think about this matter with pure reason, and finally came to the same conclusion as Liliana.

……but.

"However, not everything can be analyzed rationally, and then the most reasonable result can be obtained..."

"What did you say?"

"Eh? Eh? Did I just say something?"

Because Alice suddenly asked in a stern tone in her ear, Tina suddenly realized that she seemed to have spoken her heart unconsciously.

"...You said that not everything can be analyzed rationally. Was this sentence...that girl asked you to say it?"

Miss Witch's speech speed also seemed hurried.

"No, it's better to say that the child told me that my good intentions would only have the opposite effect. If possible, she hoped that I would not say anything... And this, that... I don't know why such a sudden appearance In a word, it's just..."

Ting Na was a little at a loss, she quickly began to recall her state of mind a moment ago, and then.

"It's just that I'm just an ordinary person, I'm not a magician, and I don't have any great abilities. I can't think calmly and rationally like Liliana and Alice, so I think, that, treat everything with pure Thinking rationally...wouldn't it be a little...so sad."

The young girl really hated her inflexible lips and tongue, and said something incoherently, but.

"..."

After listening, Liliana was silent.

She asked Nat, who had been silent all this time, to stop the massage and lay on his back on the bed. The ceiling of the room suddenly became transparent, reflecting the starry sky in the City of Thousand Towers that was clearer and closer than any other place.

【Laplace】Appeared in the hands of the witch, all the lights in the room were extinguished, in the darkness, only Liliana stared at the starry sky, the starlight fell from the night sky into another pair of deep night sky, those starlights flickered, the witch was silent For a long time.

"...by chance, isn't it?"

self-mumbling.

"Lily..."

"Princess Lily..."

"...It's nothing, I've been tired all this time, I'm going to rest, where is Miss Tingna?"

After waving slightly to the doll and the dark elf, Liliana restored the ceiling to its original state. In the room, only the big magic book was left surrounded by iridescent magic light, which illuminated Liliana's face. If not, she would have almost merged with the darkness.

Only the pair of black pupils that are deeper than the darkness, as always, people can't see anything.

"Well, that... can I come too...?"

"..."

Nod, nod.

Liliana patted her side, and then, like a kitten, curled up in a ball under the soft blanket.

"……Good night."

"Eh? Well, good night, Miss Liliana..."

What kind of impact did the words I said unintentionally have on Miss Witch? For this question, even if I looked at Alice who was sitting on the pillow with her knees folded, she couldn't get an answer.

Although she was the one who said the words, Tingna now found that all she could do was pray to the true God, and her unintentional words would not make the situation worse.

In the end, she took a deep look in Han Ye's direction, hugged the witch who was fast asleep into her arms, and Ting Na quickly fell asleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………

In a daze, it seemed that he heard something.

"Good morning, Lily, it's really early today...it's not dawn yet."

"...It's been a dream for a long time."

"It's rare."

Yes, Liliana and Alice? What are you talking about?

Head groggy, sleepy...

"...It happened when I first arrived at Guanghui Academy."

"The time after losing to Primula?"

"...Well, it was also the first day of the moonless moon. I stood in front of the gate of Guanghui Academy from the moment of dawn until the moment of dawn the next day. I didn't eat or drink, and I was almost motionless. But the dean only appeared once on the city wall, behind the people I have hurt."

"..."

"...When the sky was about to dawn, I couldn't hold on any longer. At that time, the head of the school appeared."

"Ahhh, I talked a lot about the college council not allowing Lily to enter this college, those who were hurt by Lily wanted them to justly execute Lily, and then said that I really like Lily's eyes, if it's not the first time It’s a hostile position to meet, and I’ll definitely invite Lily to the academy right away, and I’m troubled because of that...the elf’s flattery is not credible at all.”

"...and...Alice, remember, what did she say?"

"There are a lot of things, [But some things cannot be measured with pure reason] and so on, [I believe I can give you a chance] and so on."

"...Is this the reincarnation of fate?"

"This was planned by that girl. Miss Tina was unknowingly hinted at... Even though I wanted to say this, Lily and Alice definitely didn't tell anyone else about it, and it's even more impossible for Primula. It would be a coincidence to say that..."

"..."

"Are you going?"

"...It's just a chance, just like what Miss Tingna said."

"..."

The sound disappeared.

The morning of the second day of Moonless Moon.

"...Miss Tingna, can I ask you to live in another room temporarily?"

Drowsily finished washing, Ting Na, who was about to covet the body temperature of Miss Witch in the bed, couldn't help pinching her cheeks, trying to wake herself up from this sudden dream.

The pain didn't change the world in front of me, but it dispelled the drowsiness.

Ting Na let out an "ah" sound in a daze.

"That, that, Ms. Liliana, I, am I talking in my sleep? Or snoring? Did I disturb Miss Liliana to rest? And, did you say that I did something rude——"

The confused expression on waking up was immediately replaced by panic.

Ever since she returned to Liliana and Alice's side, whether it was a hotel in the city or a tent on the prairie, Tina had gotten used to hugging the witch's small and soft body to sleep.

However, Liliana suddenly didn't want to share the same bed with her?

Tingna looked at herself, and then at the witch bathed in the morning light. She didn't know what she had done wrong. Her sea blue eyes opened uncomfortably because of Liliana's request—maybe, a proposal?

Now Tina really hates that she doesn't have eyes that can see through the thickest mask, and she can't at least tell from Miss Witch's flat tone that this is a proposal or a request.

But the witch didn't care about the girl's astonishment. She turned her attention away from the "Essence of Education" in her hand, and was stared at by Liliana with her pair of dark pupils that seemed to be able to see starlight. Tina straightened her back on the bed. Straighter, like a prisoner nervously facing the judge's sentence, waiting for the trial to come down.

"...Although I can probably guess what Miss Tingna's impolite thing is, but it's not the reason."

Liliana shook her head, turned around and picked up a glass.

"...In the next period of time, this room will probably be very noisy. For the sake of Miss Tingna's sleep quality, it is necessary to temporarily move the bedroom."

"Yes, is that so?"

The sweet drink was handed to the girl, and when she heard that Liliana didn't hate her because of some small actions she made while she was asleep, the big stone in Tingna's heart fell to the ground. With a relaxed mood and a relaxed gaze, he moved away from the starry eyes, because the whiteness accidentally splashed on the coffee-colored skin was frozen again.

The witch casually wiped away a drop that accidentally splashed on her body when pouring the drink, and Tingna sighed with some regret.

"...Miss Tina?"

"No, nothing, nothing..."

Shake your head, shake your head.

Ting Na quickly picked up the cup and drank the sweet drink in small sips, but this had the opposite effect. The softer and more delicious taste flowed down the throat, the hotter the girl's face became, even if she didn't look at it The mirror also knew that his face must be unimaginably red.

Alice once said that when she was infiltrated by Liliana's [magical beauty], she still said that it was not like that, but now, after really traveling with Liliana and living for such a long time After a while, Tina began to believe that this was the truth.

The girl really felt the terror of this power.

Alice, who has no defense against her because she is of the same sex, is so cute and terrifying. Sometimes, her every gesture tests the girl's deep-rooted common sense and fragile reason.

Sooner or later, one day, I will desperately smash all the obstacles between me and her, and do something irreversible.

If she did something to Liliana because of her impulsiveness, Tingna would not be able to forgive herself.

Thinking about it this way, it might be good to sleep in separate rooms temporarily to cool off.

"...do you still want it?"

"No, no need!"

With a blushing face, Tingna put the quilt on the bedside cabinet, exhausted all her rationality, and shook her head vigorously to express her rejection.

Today, Tina, who was confused by Liliana's defenseless figure, looked away in order not to meet the sight that made her heart beat faster.

"Not at all."

In the end, Alice stared at him with a pair of eyes that hate iron and steel.

"...If Miss Tingna is willing to help me solve the accumulated problems, I can do it anytime."

"...Uh, uh... Well, why is it so noisy here? Is Miss Liliana planning to conduct some experiments in the bedroom?"

--no.

Tina quickly changed the subject.

The cold gaze of the little puppet made the girl calm down a little, but if she continued this topic, her shame and reason might not be able to hold on.

"...It's not an experiment...Miss Tina, there is someone I want to introduce to you."

"Sylph."

The witch shook her head slightly, and Alice floated onto her shoulders expressionlessly, calling to the wind elf.

"Understood, tell Wright and Norm now—"

Responding to Alice's call, the Wind Spirit that appeared in the air immediately disappeared, and after a while, Du, Du.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs leading to this room.

Ting Na hastily adjusted her suit, took out a hand mirror, and confirmed that her appearance would not appear disrespectful during the meeting.

At this moment, she suddenly thought of one thing.

"Speaking of which, we met directly in the bedroom instead of the reception room... Are you Miss Liliana's friend?"

"...No, it's someone Miss Tingna also knows. She will use this place for a while."

"Eh?"

Tina didn't quickly understand who the Miss Witch was referring to, but she heard the voices of Norm and Wright. The elves of light and earth stood at the stairs, greeting Liliana.

"...Good morning, Princess Lily, Alice, Miss Tina."

"Good morning to you."

"...Is the child all right?"

Liliana hugged Alice to her chest, sat back on the vine wood chair and nodded slightly in response.

The child...?

The girl frowned suspiciously and thought hard, because of what Liliana said suddenly, a part of her brain was overly frightened, and it seemed that she hadn't reacted until now.

And I always felt as if I had forgotten something very important, even in the morning, as if I heard Liliana and Alice talking, but my drowsy head didn't even remember a word.

"After using the ointment and potion, it has been cured."

"...It's just that the spirit is still a little sluggish. After all, she is just an ordinary human being. It's best to let her rest for a while..."

The spirit of light, on the word [common], slightly emphasized the tone.

"...Ah, it's because I didn't think carefully. In that case...Miss Tingna, please wait for a while for the formal introduction."

"Huh? I'm fine...but..."

Miss Witch thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, but Tina was still at a loss.

Seeing Liliana shift her gaze to this side, the girl who always felt a little out of place couldn't help but ask who this guest was.

Katina couldn't finish her sentence.

After the "but", before the girl's vocal cords had time to repeat the name "that child" and ask who it was referring to, from downstairs, a girl's voice drove in like a wedge.

"I'm fine!!!"

Tina froze.

The moment she heard this voice, she remembered what she had forgotten for a while. This voice reminded people of flickering flames and dancing shadows under the flames, and reminded people of——

That black hair and wine red eyes!

Tap, tap, tap.

The percussion of the soles of the shoes and the stairs was like a well-timed drumbeat, and at the same time that the cluster of black flames that were quietly burning among the black pines appeared in Tingna's mind, the rapid progress came to an abrupt end.

On the way through the two elves on both sides of the stairs, her somewhat vain footsteps almost caused her to fall when she stepped on the last step, but she stabilized her body. The girl who had been standing walked up to Liliana step by step, and untied the bandages wrapped around her body.

The curtains rolled up by the wind leaked the blazing sunlight.

And the girl's skin is fairer and more dazzling than the sun at this moment, without a trace of scars, only the tired expression on her face and the dark circles under her eyes prove that her current condition is indeed not that good.

... As for the flush on the face... It's not surprising that normal girls would blush when they were naked, especially when Liliana was in front of her.

It's strange why she's here.

Didn't Liliana say that she doesn't want an apprentice?

"...Miss Tingna, this is Ai, you should have talked about it too."

The shocking facts made Tina cast doubtful eyes on Liliana and Alice.

However, they didn't seem to be in a hurry to let Tina understand the situation. The witch and the doll nodded slightly to the girl who had no idea when the situation had reached this point.

It just told the two of each other's name, not an introduction at all. Apart from making Tingna's confusion more intense, it didn't help in understanding the current situation.

"Einstein's seventh seat, I'm fine now. Although I don't know what medicine the elf ladies gave me, my injury has healed, so."

Especially, the girl whose expression is tense because of nervousness.

After saluting slightly to Tingna, Ai stood two or three steps away from Liliana and pointed to her body. Tingna didn't know why she was hurt, but she could hear the faint urgency in the girl's voice .

"...It seems so right."

"A clean and young body, not considered strong, but very resilient."

After looking at Ai for a while, the witch and the puppet came to this conclusion.

So Ai tensed his body.

As if waiting for the final sentence, the hand on the side of the waist clenched tightly,

"...This is the final confirmation, Ai, have you decided yet?"

"……Um."

The girl nodded vigorously.

When she said this, Liliana fell into a long silence. She put her left leg on her right leg, closed her eyes, and put her hands together in front of her, as if suddenly, she fell into a memory.

"...At that time, did the Headmaster feel the same way?"

She was talking to herself.

Even Tina couldn't help becoming nervous.

The wordless silence did not last long.

"...But fate gave you a chance, and I decided to try something that I have never experienced in my life so far."

The witch opened her eyes.

"...until the end of the final exam, you will live in my bedroom, and I will try my best to teach you, no matter what kind of help you need, no matter when and where, but if, you can't finish the final subject. "

Towards the girl, she slowly stretched out her hand.

"Is that the end of the brief master-student relationship? I know."

Tingna could see that she was trying to maintain a calm expression, but on that tired face, there was still an expression of joy that couldn't be restrained because of slack.

Even the tense body seemed to have lost its strength, and when he walked in front of Liliana, his body shook and fell to his knees.

After all, he had stood outside the tower for a whole day, and it was already difficult for his feet to support his slender body...Ah!

Tina's eyes widened suddenly.

Kissing fingers to say thank you is etiquette even Tina knows

The girl with weak legs did not stand up, she stretched out her hands to support Liliana's little feet, lightly rolled up the black hair that fell to her face, lowered her head, and pressed her lips to the witch's jade-like toes.

"...Then, until the final exam is over."

Taking advantage of the situation, she lowered her outstretched hand and stroked the girl's head. The witch lowered her head slightly and stared at the girl's stubborn eyes.

"...you are my first apprentice."

Calmly, make a statement.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Postscript of a certain day:

"..." "Miss Tina, you are stunned, are you dissatisfied with the new room?" "No, Miss Knight, it's just that I haven't recovered from the feeling of leaving Miss Liliana to sleep alone ..." "... I haven't recovered from the fact that Miss Ai kissed Princess Lily's toes, and then Princess Lily seemed to accept it very approvingly." "Woo..." "Ah, this is Princess Lily before It was a little hobby that I developed when I was the queen of the Qiqiu Empire. After all, she was the queen who brought the empire that was on the verge of shattering back from the edge of the cliff and completed the great cause of rejuvenation. Therefore, the etiquette officer of the court suggested that in order to highlight the majesty of the queen, the nobility should Kissing feet to show submission, that was at the end of the Second Era, that girl really spent a lot of time getting to know Princess Lily." "... Can anyone do it?" "... Can you see her?" Princess Lily is limited to cute girls. By the way, women on the mainland are allowed to participate in the economic, political, military and other fields on a large scale because of the influence of Princess Lily." "...Hey, Miss Knight , Miss Wright, am I... cute?" "...Is it... cute..." "Anyway, Miss Tina, please do your best."