The Witch and the Doll Swear

The City of a Thousand Towers is a quiet city-state.

There was no neighing of carriages and horses, and there was an endless stream of pedestrians, but the footsteps were very low, no one spoke loudly, and there was only the whistling wind floating above the street under the blue sky.

If in other cities, such as Tingna's hometown, quiet and deserted must accompany each other, but here, there is no relationship between these two adjectives.

There is an endless stream of pedestrians on the street, and people come and go in front of the store from time to time. The golem carriage made of steel is the most popular means of transportation in this city, and the horseshoe made of soft material will not collide with the black stone road. There is no loud noise, and the wheels don't squeak annoyingly.

Tingna has also gotten used to the tranquility of this city to some extent, and, I don't know if it's because of the middle of the exam, compared to the days before the beginning of this month, the streets are even quieter.

Originally, most of the magicians were relatively quiet guys, and those who could stay in this city also had higher quality. Everyone spontaneously obeyed the point of not making loud noises in public places.

Look out to both sides of the street, whether it's pedestrians hurrying by or hawkers flipping meat skewers on the grill. It can be found that most people have all kinds of books on their hands and around them.

People can be seen discussing something everywhere. Recently, examinations and admissions in various parts of the city have been the focus of people's discussions. When passing by a square, there are also magicians giving speeches about the possibility that steam engines may seriously impact the existing magic industry system.

Compared with the streets Ting Na is familiar with, the biggest difference is that in this city-state high in the sky, it seems that there are no very leisurely people, and almost everyone is sullen, so the quiet streets are also filled with a heavy atmosphere. .

"Is life in this city very stressful?" Driving the carriage, the girl who seemed to be about the same age turned her head from the driver's seat after hearing Tina's emotion.

"It varies from person to person. If you just want to eat, drink, and hang out here, it's actually quite easy. Although the consumption level is high, the income is also high, and the biggest consumption for this city is magic. Yes, if it’s just an ordinary person... Ah, although it’s impolite to say so.” The girl casually tapped the golem’s butt with her staff, making the golem’s speed constant.

The horses used as a means of transportation in the City of Thousand Towers are all steel golems. It is not difficult to control, but it needs continuous injection of magic power. If you are not a magician, you cannot drive them.

"For ordinary people, it is not easy to find a job here. Everything in this city depends on magic. If you are not motivated and have magic power, you can actually live quite comfortably, but..."

"but?"

"The frontline of most of the magic field is here. Most of the people here are magicians. If there is even a little self-motivation, the pressure will continue to come from all directions... The papers in the journal cannot be understood. The confirmed experiment can't be restored to the same conclusion. As time goes by, the number of original texts piled up on the desk keeps increasing. Which tower's genius has made a breakthrough in which field of magic, but he has made no achievements. Every year The number of newly promoted official magicians announced by the City of Thousand Towers is increasing, but I can't get rid of the shackles of the spell slot—"

Some people describe that once you step into this city, it's like stepping on a runway where you don't know where the end will be.

You don't know how far you have run from the starting point, and you don't know how far you are from the end point. You only know that there will always be someone lighting a dazzling torch on the top of the distant mountain, and you only know that there will always be someone around you who will surpass you.

Therefore, you can only keep driving yourself forward and running.

"It's the time of the big exam, it's the most tense time in this city every year, look."

The carriage stopped.

Tingna raised her head only to find that the arrows at the crossroads ahead indicating forward and left were glowing red. This was a device used by the city of a thousand towers to direct road traffic.

The girl hadn't seen anything similar in other places, but it was obviously more efficient than the city guards shouting at the crossroads in Yansha City.

"The big exam...is the college's unified enrollment period?"

Lately, Tina has heard the word a lot.

Whether it is the princess and her attendants who met by chance in the bookstore, who intend to cheat, or the apprentices who use soundproof barriers to create one study space after another for themselves in the cafe.

And of course there was Ai who had stood in front of the tower since dawn on the first day of the Moonless Moon.

But the girl doesn't know much about the big exam itself. She is not a magician, and she has already dropped out of the academy. Although it was only a year ago, the girl always feels very far away when she hears the word "examination".

"Look around. People who are not working now are either on their way to the exam or have just left the exam room. Ninety-nine percent of the population of the City of Thousand Towers are magicians or magic apprentices."

Looking around, the drivers and passengers in several open carriages picked up books or small cards at the same time, with serious expressions. Tingna didn't hide their gaze, and they turned a blind eye to the girl's gaze.

"Ninety-nine percent of the population of the City of Thousand Towers are magic students, but the city's teaching resources can directly take care of less than half of them, and the other half are self-students. For these people, becoming a student of the academy , a member of the society, or entering a certain high tower as an apprentice, there are nothing but these three paths before us." The girl explained slowly to Tina.

"Usually these organizations seldom recruit newcomers. The only way to join them is to be admitted to one of these organizations in the first week of the moonless moon every year. In the field of magic, no matter how self-study There are limits, so this is a very important test."

"That's right..."

"Magic is expensive knowledge. Even if the city of a thousand towers encourages sharing, those precious and expensive teaching resources cannot be afforded by ordinary people without background. It is already a great favor for major colleges to not restrict course auditing. .”

The carriage gradually drove towards the valley where the tip of the tower could already be seen.

After coming to this route, pedestrians and carriages gradually thinned out.

"Speaking of which, you are from the hot spring tower. Although you are not a magician, you don't look like an apprentice either."

When the carriage was about to drive into the valley, the girl driving the carriage suddenly spoke.

"It's true that I'm not a magician or an apprentice... But, the hot spring tower?"

"Sitting in the entire Emerald Mountain, there are two hot springs nearby, never recruiting apprentices or assistants, and not publishing any papers, in fact, even the owner of the tower rarely shows up, and even the registration name of the tower is unknown. But it is one of the most mysterious places in the City of Thousand Towers, although the ivory tower is what I want to test the most."

She blinked, half joking, half looking at Tina seriously.

—Ah, is that what you mean?

While thinking that not everyone in the City of Thousand Towers knew Liliana, and understood the meaning of the girl's flashing eyes, Tingna responded politely with a smile.

"Liliana...my boss has no plans to accept apprentices."

"I think so. Not every magician would like to have an apprentice nagging."

Didn't get any message from Tingna, but the girl seemed quite indifferent, she turned around and let the steel horse run a little faster.

Not long after, the golem's carriage stopped.

"Thank you for your hard work."

The frugal Tina didn't let Liliana and Alice call a special carriage for herself. Pass some silver coins to the girl.

"Although you can choose one of the colleges and high towers you are admitted to study, no matter which side you choose, it's just a competition from half the people in the city for places, to a competition for knowledge and resources with the other half... ...I really envy you."

Taking those silver coins, the girl said so.

Then, a slight smile.

"Ah, although I don't know what you are going to do in this city, but you should also work hard, in this city..."

A magical carrier pigeon landed on the girl's shoulder. The girl who hadn't finished speaking closed her mouth, skillfully dismantled the magical carrier pigeon that was said to be specially designed for carriage reservations, and waved it at Ting Na. He waved his hand and drove the carriage towards the other side of the valley.

"Do magicians have the bad habit of not speaking in the middle of their speech..."

Ting Na looked depressedly at the girl who disappeared into the cold mist of the winter morning before finishing what she cared about.

Between the two black pines, the girl stood for a long, long time.

"Actually, I envy you even more..."

Silently, the girl shook her head and walked towards the gate of the tower.

Today is the fifth day of the Moonless Moon.

Almost half of the big exams that started at the beginning of the month have passed, and two days have passed since the girl's first appearance at the banquet in the social circle of nobles and magicians in the City of Thousand Towers.

In the past two days, Princess Charlotte asked Naina to send information about the young thief [Unnamed], and the Flandia family sent a formal letter of apology for the negligence of the guards at the banquet and what happened at the end of the banquet. The thief of the doll escaped from the dungeon somehow, but Alice and the elves picked it up and looked at it, then put it aside casually. The black gift box was taken by Liliana to the Institute of Ancient Languages ​​of Cetillin, but there are no new research results for Tingna to pick up recently.

Moreover, the letter of apology sent by Sephanny did not contain information about manipulating Shadow Demon, which made Tingna extremely disappointed.

Ever since she embarked on a journey with Liliana and Alice, Tina has always looked forward to changing her unchanging routine after something happens, but each time she is only disappointed.

Just like Miss Witch didn't leave the room today, she hasn't seen herself for three days.

—Maybe this is life.

Just like now, occasionally, Tina would think so, and couldn't help sighing.

"I'm back……"

"Welcome back--"

Walking along the spiral staircase to the third floor, some weakly stood on the disc that would automatically go up and down. From the third floor to the ninth floor of the tower, Tingna's voice was only echoed by the wind spirits that seemed to be everywhere. .

Although it was more than half an hour before noon, Tingna had already had lunch outside. At this time, most of the elemental elves are busy with their daily work - the maintenance of the entire tower, so the ninth floor, which is responsible for the main living function area, seems a little deserted no matter what.

Sighing softly, she somewhat missed Liliana's Tingna in the castle when she was in Salt Sand City, and walked towards the study.

"...?"

On the way, she stopped and couldn't help rubbing her eyes.

...Did I read it wrong?

The suspicion made her rub her eyes again.

Leading to the tenth floor—excluding the three underground floors, the light wall of the stairs in Liliana's room at the top of the tower...

gone?

After confirming that her eyes did not lie to herself, and that Liliana's light curtain was not replaced by other transparent barriers in order not to be disturbed, Tingna, who stood in front of the stairs, only hesitated for a short time, and walked along the Go up the stairs.

"That, Miss Liliana..."

It has only been less than a week since I moved out of this room, but the junction between the railing of the stairs and the luster of the wooden floor seems to have been gone for a long time.

Without thinking too much, the girl who ran up the stairs and felt a little uneasy about entering without consent did not see the witch and the doll in the room.

The room on the top of the tower was as clean and bright as when she was bedridden with a serious illness. Surrounded by the water channel beside the big round bed, the transparent water spirit raised her head, put her finger on her lips, and with a soft smile, motioned for Tina to lower her eyes. sound.

In her arms - or in her body, the black-haired girl was falling asleep.

When helping a person who is smaller than her to take a bath, Akuya seems to completely contain the other person in her transparent body, and the flowing water leaves small breathing holes in her mouth and nose, although it looks scary Some, but looking at Ai's relaxed expression, it was obvious that it was very comfortable.

"Miss Aqua..."

"Princess Lily and Alice have gone out. While most of the members of the Supreme Council are here, the Association of Magicians has decided to conduct a major overhaul of the City of Thousand Towers. They probably won't be back tonight."

"Is that so..."

Akuya's whispered words solved Tingna's doubts and dispelled some of her expectations. The girl whose expectations failed couldn't help but sighed a long time, kicked off her shoes, stepped across the waterway, and threw herself into the water. That big soft bed.

...After wearing it for a few days, the girl was no longer so sensitive to the extraordinarily expensive set of clothes she was wearing.

The soft quilt seemed to have the body temperature of a lazy witch. Holding the velvet quilt, Tingna took a deep breath.

Not only is it embarrassing to do this when other people are around, it seems a bit perverted, but... Anyway, at some point, the elemental elves seem to know their little thoughts about Miss Witch, and Aqua's gentle gaze Looking at it, Tingna simply hugged the quilt even tighter.

Has the breath of Liliana.

As if the books have passed through time, the fragrance of yellowed paper pages permeates on the oak bookshelf, and the smell of grapes and rice is slightly intoxicating.

Famous wineries in mainland China, finely brewed with tree sap and nectar, fragrant and mellow white yellow medicinal wine from the East, and scarlet jade wine brewed with blood.

In the emerald mountains there is a wine cellar belonging to the witch, buried deep in the rocks of the mountains, Norm told Tina that it is bigger than the banquet hall of Flandia's house.

Apart from hot springs, Liliana's favorite thing is wine.

In other words, most of the overly rational magicians are in love with the liquid that allows people to temporarily throw away the cold rationality in the blazing heat of confusion, and let people return to the ignorance with flesh and blood and passion.

I heard from Knight and Salamanda that Liliana's drinking method is very special, which makes her easy to get drunk. During the journey, in front of Tina, Liliana did not drink alcohol, maybe because of the need to drink during the journey. Staying sober and rational, she didn't start to enjoy wine tasting again until she returned to the magician's base camp, which belonged to the witch's territory.

So Tina hadn't seen The Drunken Witch.

How tempting would that be?

How cute would that be?

Yes, it wasn't me but Ai—this girl who had only been with Liliana for a few days was able to witness such a scene. Tina was like a child whose favorite thing was taken away, moaning in the quilt .

——Obviously, it was me first.

However, this girl... Ai, left on the witch's bed the fragrance of tuberose perfume that she would smell on her body.

Unable to let go no matter what, the girl who sat up on the bed with the quilt in her arms stared at the girl lying in Aqua's arms full of resentment.

"That...Miss Tina?"

It seems that this can drive away the guy who has occupied the magpie's nest.

"Miss Tina..."

"What's wrong?"

"The expression is scary, isn't it? It's like trying to drive Miss Ai out."

"...Why does Miss Liliana have to teach her in the room, generally speaking, isn't it a laboratory or a library?"

The little malice in her heart was exposed without knowing it, and Ting Na changed the subject with a whimper.

“[A place where both the mentor and the apprentice can feel relaxed and relaxed is the most suitable for teaching]... Princess Lily reads this in the book, because Princess Lily has no relevant experience, so...well... I am not familiar with the field , Princess Lily is more... um..."

"...Why did you suddenly accept an apprentice on a whim..."

The girl let out a long sigh.

She still doesn't know why she said the day before that she didn't need an apprentice. Liliana, who had already seen through the girl's design against her, suddenly changed her mind the next morning and let the girl become her apprentice. That day she was most impressed Only Ai's foot kiss ceremony and the mess in front of the tower seemed to have been baptized by a storm.

Liliana said that was proof that Ai had worked so hard for.

After that, Miss Witch locked herself and Ai in the room on the top floor. So the girl didn't find a chance to ask why.

She has always been brooding about this matter.

To Tina's resentment, Aqua responded with a chuckle and changed the subject.

"Does Miss Tina have any plans for this afternoon?"

"No."

"In that case, can I ask Miss Tina to take care of Miss Ai?"

"Eh?"

Ting Na blinked, and while speaking, the water elf picked up the petite girl from her body, and stood up from the water channel beside the bed.

When leaving Akua's body, all the water droplets on Ai's body remained in the elf's body. He put Ai on the big soft bed and pulled the quilt over a corner.

"After Ms. Ai came to the tower, she only slept for more than an hour today. Princess Lily's subject was too harsh for a little girl. She kept forcing herself to squeeze out time, and today she couldn't hold on no matter what. , Consciousness is disconnected."

Blinking at Tina, Aqua smiled.

"However, Noam and I have to prepare nutrients and potions for Miss Ai in the afternoon, and we can't stay here. Knight and Wright are going out with Princess Lily, and Sylph and Salamanda don't know how to take care of people... If it is If Miss Tina, you can rest assured."

"...I don't know how to take care of people either."

"Miss Tingna doesn't like Miss Ai very much, right? So, after Miss Ai wakes up, she will definitely not be persuaded by Miss Ai to let her continue her studies and ask her to rest. Miss Ai needs a rest too much now."

"What is this..."

"Anyway, please."

"Ah, wait a minute, Aqua-san!"

With a meaningful smile, the water spirit merged with the flowing water in the channel and disappeared into the room after speaking to himself.

"What is this and what..."

Alone with Ai in the room—because this was something that she never dreamed would happen, Tina stared at the girl's sleeping face with some depression...but she only saw the velvet quilt.

The girl curled up on the bed like a kitten and completely hid in the quilt. Tingna stretched out her hand to pull the quilt away, and she would roll up the quilt again, as if only in such a tight and tight manner could she Well into dreamland.

"Forget it, that's it, I too... want to soak in the hot spring."

Tingna sighed for the second time today, and temporarily left the sleeping girl alone. The girl walked into the bathroom, washed her body, and soaked it in the water channel next to the bed.

According to Akuya, Ai's total sleep time in the past few days is less than six hours, and his body is completely unable to hold on. It would be fine if he just slept like this until Akua or Noam came to take over... If she wakes up midway...

...Then, let's talk about it when the time comes.

Thinking of this, the girl leaned against the stone wall of the waterway, and slightly closed her eyes.

Seeing Ai sleeping so soundly, she was also sleepy...

………………………………………………………………………………………

Tina was awakened by a sound.

Warm spring water, suitable warm wind, and the scent that belongs to Miss Witch that people are attached to—although other aromas that are not very popular are mixed in, and there is also a little sleepiness that emerges after being tired.

These can always make people fall asleep comfortably and have a good dream, just like the evening wind on a summer night and the warm sun on a spring day.

but.

A thunderstorm can always pull people out of their dreams.

"Well... what's going on..."

After waking up in a daze, Ting Na stared blankly out of the window, the Saigon Sun had already slanted towards the west sky, the cloudless blue sky, no matter where the girl remembered, there was no sign of thunder falling.

——Or in the city of a thousand towers, even thunder is different from the seashore in the southern part of the mainland?

Just when Tina was half asleep and half awake, she stood up from the waterway.

— Crack!

From outside the window, another flash of lightning flashed.

Tingna was fully awake all of a sudden, the sound came from outside Liliana's room, on the top of the mountain where the Xuerong Spring was located - the sound was still secondary, the important thing was that after standing up, Tingna found that Ai who should be sleeping on the bed gone!

"Goo!"

Immediately after the disappearance of the lightning, the girl's painful cry came along with the wind.

"Miss Ai!"

Tingna suddenly jumped out of the waterway, and ran out along the waterway bridge connecting Liliana's room to the top of the Emerald Emerald Mountain without even bothering to put on her clothes.

A constant temperature control barrier enveloped the bridge of the black stone and the hot spring on the top of the mountain. Some distance from the edge of the hot spring, almost to the edge of the temperature control barrier, Tingna saw a black-haired girl on a small piece of flat ground.

She was staggeringly holding on to the fence beside her and got up from the ground. Under the blue sky, there was a silver metal rod—no, it must be silver, like criss-crossing, curving and converging on the top of the girl's head. It turned into a birdcage that imprisoned her. The rock and the girl's naked body were covered with scorching marks, and the flowing black hair was curled up, which looked extraordinarily funny.

"Miss Ai, what are you doing!"

But Tina couldn't laugh.

Those wine-red eyes, those flaming eyes, are like a furnace. The dark fire burns up all the accumulated unhappiness, anxiety, boredom and anger, just like forging away the impurities in the ore, leaving them in those eyes. In the eyes that are somewhat delicate but still have childish outlines, there is only—

A cold and tenacious will.

Ai didn't seem to hear Tina's words at all.

Supporting the birdcage beside her, she stood up to confirm that her body was fine, and immediately took out a quill from the space storage ring and wrote something in the air. Tingna looked in the direction Ai was facing, and finally It was found that on a rock wall a little further away, there were already a lot of formulas that she couldn't understand at all.

"The magic formula for controlling the lightning element is wrong... No, Mr. Tesla's formula is perfect, but my affinity for the lightning element is not so high. I can only use my own to create some structures by adding this formula to the magic circle. [Perception] senses it, but cannot control it with pure micro-manipulation ability, this formula and related structure need to be changed..."

"Miss Ai!"

The girl's soliloquy was interrupted.

Putting away the quill, Ai, who was holding some black sand and yellow powder in her hands, turned her head and saw Tinna whose body was still wet.

"...Miss Tingna, please retreat to the hot spring, otherwise it may be dangerous."

This was the first conversation Tina had with Liliana after Ai became her apprentice.

"Dangerous or something. What the hell are you doing?"

"Don't you know after reading it? The study of magic is to understand the structure and effect of magic by practicing and memorizing the original scriptures, find out the most suitable method of use, and refine it into [interpretation]."

After saying this, the girl emphasized it again.

"Please stay away. The Faraday cage can guide lightning into the ground and protect me from most lightning damage, but it cannot guarantee Miss Tina's safety."

"Not this question!"

Tingna took two steps closer, reaching out and grabbing the shoulder of the girl in the "birdcage" who was much shorter than herself.

"Miss Ai, when did you wake up?"

The overwhelming difference in height made Ai raise his eyes. Because of the bags and dark circles under the eyes, these eyes have no deterrent power. However, being stared at by those stubborn wine-red eyes, Ting Na couldn't help asking softly. some.

"Just now."

In any case, it is never a wise decision to practice magic when you have direct physical contact with others. The girl raised her hand and put it down again. She looked up at Tina, her tone was the same as the conversation between Hei Song a few days ago.

But Tina knew that this was a [courteousness] of nobles.

The real appearance of this child is definitely not so polite - at least it sounds, not this kind of extraordinarily quiet and polite, Ai is a somewhat proud noble lady, she doesn't know if Ai is lying, but.

"Miss Sylph."

The wind that surrounds this tower, the eyes and ears of this tower, must know.

"Miss Ai woke up about 30 minutes after Miss Tina fell asleep, and has been here since then to contact the great magic of the sky system, [Tesla's Thor's Hammer] - improved by the sage Tesla [The Hammer of Wrathful Thor], because of the mistake just now, the sound insulation barrier set up was destroyed, so Miss Tina was woken up."

"...In other words, it has been at least an hour?!"

In the ear, Feng Jing's voice made Ting Na dumbfounded.

She had lunch early in the city today, and it was only noon when she ran to the hot spring, and now the sun has already set in the west!

"Miss Liliana said she wanted to let Miss Ai rest! Why didn't Miss Sylph stop it?"

"Because, because I was persuaded, the task Princess Lily left for Ms. Ai is very difficult, and every minute and every second that can be used must be used up. Sylph and everyone like this child very much, and hope that she can keep her. come down..."

"..."

Ah, that's what Aqua said.

For some reason, the elves in the tower liked this child very much, and hoped that she could stay. In this case, when Ai said that he worked hard to pass the witch's project and stay...

These simple elves, who are completely inconsistent with the tens of thousands of years, may indeed be persuaded.

"...In short, Miss Ai, please stop, Miss Liliana told you to take a good rest, you are already full of scars, aren't you?"

But I am different.

Tinna tried her best to relax her expression a little, and let Tinna with angel wings suppress Tinna who was flicking the devil's tail.

"If you fall ill before completing the project, it will not be worth the loss, so."

"Even if you are sick, a magician can use magic, but if you don't learn it, it's useless to be healthy."

"Then what if it's a fever? If the fever reaches 40 degrees, and the throat is sore from a bad cold, you can't say anything. Could it be that Ms. Ai is a super genius, who can master a big magic so well that she can sing silently or even cast it instantly in such a short period of time?" the point?"

"Ah, yes."

The girl's eyes lifted in displeasure.

"I'm a super genius, otherwise, how could Miss Liliana agree to give me a chance?"

——Ah, here we come.

In the bottom of my heart, I don't know when Tinna with angel wings was hoisted up and roasted on the fire. Tinna flicked the devil's tail with a happy smile on her face.

Just like teasing those proud cats, watching them tame or crazy will always give people interesting enjoyment.

"Since you are a super genius, you don't need to study so hard. Even if it is great magic, shouldn't it be something that can be learned in a few hours of sleep? Or the genius Miss Ai, Lian Lao Don’t you understand such a simple principle of combination?”

Tina asked "politely".

In fact, she doesn't dislike this girl either. People who work hard and persevere always have unique charms, and Tina doesn't dislike her at all.

And it's still so cute—although it's not as good as Liliana.

——But it would be a different matter if Liliana was snatched away from him.

The most important prerequisite for all liking and appreciation is not to touch your own interests. From this point of view, Tingna wished that Ai could not complete the project and be kicked out of the tower by Miss Witch. At that time, she might sincerely say "" what a pity".

Ai fell silent.

Then, the spell-casting materials in her hand were replaced with flower petals with a relaxing fragrance and a small test tube of liquid.

“[Sleeping in a luscious dream…]”

"Wait for me!"

The wind sent the girl's chant so low that she could hardly hear it, and sent it to the girl's ear, magic? And it sounds like...

Like using it against yourself?

The technique of preventing magicians from casting spells that she learned in the academy suddenly flashed across Tina's mind, and she also remembered the method used by the disguised thief Wuming to control Sephanny two days ago.

The hand on the girl's shoulder grabbed her neck.

"Cough cough!"

The chant was interrupted.

In desperation, Ting Na had no control over her strength. Although it was only a short period of time, Ting Na's hands still left shallow handprints on her white and thin neck that was stained with burnt gray.

"Ah, sorry!"

"There is no sincerity in apologizing, this expression!"

A vein popped faintly on the girl's forehead.

"I just want to tell Ms. Ai seriously that you need to rest rather than force yourself to continue studying, especially when Miss Liliana and Alice are not in the tower, it is very dangerous, but Ms. Ai wants to Use magic on me..."

"Miss Noam and Miss Sylve have been staring at me..."

"They have their own work to do, don't trouble them, I will report to Miss Liliana."

"... Tsk, take your hands away! I just need to rest!"

Ai glared at Ting Na fiercely.

Seeing his unapologetic face through the girl's wine-red eyes, she shrugged and let go.

The silver birdcage was opened.

"Should you be satisfied with this? What do you want me to do next?"

Ai came out from the inside and looked at Ting Na angrily, but I don't know if it was an illusion...

Tina always felt that Ai, who was touching the handprints on his neck, seemed to be a little more obedient.

"As long as it's a rest, Miss Ai can do anything."

"...Can I read a book?"

"sure."

"very good."

Two minutes later.

Speechlessly, Tingna took the big book, which was comparable to a dictionary, from the girl's hand.

"You said you can read." The girl who sat at the desk and had washed her body raised her eyebrows.

"Excluding academic journals, collections of treatises and original books of magic, reading these will only be more tiring."

The silver birdcage did protect her from the damage of lightning. The pain that Tingna heard was the backlash from the failure of casting spells, and it was not serious. Now Ai is just a little sluggish—although just listening to her tone I can't feel it at all.

Tina sighed.

"Can't you read other books?"

"Other books... like what?"

After thinking about it, Tingna took out a small book from the space storage ring and handed it to Ai.

"I can't really recommend it...but I kind of like this."

"... "Amber"... what is this thing?"

Ai looked at the title on the cover in great confusion.

"I remember that Amber means amber... Is this the illustrated book of amber?"

"This is a novel! A novel!"

Tina was dumbfounded.

"Fiction... a story style based on reality or fiction? I've never read it. Is it good?"

Ai frowned suspiciously.

"There are good and bad... But it's true that there are no novels in this city..."

Only then did she realize that Ai said that she had never seen it before...

Now, even a noble young lady has one or two romantic novels on her desk, so Tingna thought she was joking, but...

"Is this a novel?"

After turning over a dozen pages quickly, Ai frowned.

"...What's wrong?"

"Too emotional rhetoric, not rigorous, inaccurate description, the most important thing I want to express - go back to the past and get magical power to change everything?" Ai smiled.

"Changing the past is equivalent to denying yourself, denying everything that people in this world have worked hard for life, dreams or other things during this period of time-I don't like this kind of thing."

"...it's just a novel, and you haven't read it for a minute."

Tina frowned.

She was a little unhappy that her favorite novel was reviewed hastily.

"The learning of magic starts from reciting the original scriptures. Since I was a child, I have been forced... to be trained to recite lengthy papers. People without a strong memory can't go far on the road of magic, although they haven't reached the point where they can't forget. ...But within ten minutes I can recite the first chapter backwards, of course because I don’t like it very much, I will forget it in ten minutes at most.”

Ai closed the book and handed it back to Tina.

"Then—any crazy idea starts out as a delusion. These stories don't help my dreams. The original books of magic are more interesting."

"..."

Tina took a deep breath.

"No, give me a good rest! You can soak in the hot spring for a daze, or you can sleep. In short, have a good rest!"

She was sure of two things.

First, I am not suitable to be a caregiver.

Second, this girl doesn't like herself very much either.

The evidence is that those eyes with dark circles and bags under the eyes are looking at him provocatively.

But it's fine if you are willing to rest obediently, as long as you coax her to sleep.

but……

"...It's okay, sleep in the afternoon and wait for Miss Liliana to come back in the evening, and you will feel better all night..."

"...So, why aren't you sleeping?"

The girl who climbed onto the bed blinked.

"Without that... I can't sleep."

Tina followed the girl's gaze and lowered her gaze.

I saw my own Yimapingchuan's chest.

"……ha?"

The girl felt that she had heard it wrong, so she turned around and looked behind her.

"That's it!"

"Are you a baby?!"

"I have been made into such a physique since I was a child, and I can't help it!"

As if realizing how embarrassing she had said, Ai's ears were flushed, and she gritted her teeth and shouted.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"...Is that something that can't be said?"

After a while, Ting Na opened her mouth cautiously.

She didn't know why she had to be so careful, but the expression on Ai's face when she realized that she had accidentally said something... was nothing like what a girl should have at this age.

Even, compared to Sephanny, compared to the girl who really faced death...

"Currently. If I don't rely on it, I can't fall asleep. This is something that will not be diverted by my will."

"Must, have to rely on... this?"

"It's not necessary."

Ai closed her eyes and shook her head.

"But when I escaped, I forgot to take the pacifier out..."

"……Eh?!"

"Don't tell Miss Liliana! She didn't ask me why, she doesn't know these things, and I don't want her to know, I—"

Tina's eyes widened.

"I never want to be pitied because of this kind of boring thing. I want to use my strength to realize my dream! I also don't want to be sympathized and pitiful by you. This kind of thing——"

She opened her mouth to say something, but was stared back by Ai Chilie's gaze.

And Ai also abruptly interrupted his words.

The air between the two was once again shrouded in silence.

"...In short, are you willing to help me? After I fall asleep, it doesn't matter if I leave."

"Um, um, let's treat it as a preview of having a child in the future, um... that... how I... how to do it..."

Ai smiled bitterly.

That smile seemed to be soaked in darkness.

"What a bad lie."

"Just listen carefully!"

"Well...then, please lie down here."

"Is this so?"

Tina lay down on the bed nervously

"Well, I like it better, being held in my arms... so... no, it's nothing."

Ai gently lay on the girl's body.

A girl who is about the same size as Miss Witch is also as light as Miss Witch, or is it true for girls of this age?

While thinking wildly, Ting Na tensed up and tensed her body.

"……Alas!"

"Don't make strange noises..."

"Don't talk with your mouth in your mouth either!"

"But... thank you...Miss Tina..."

Soon, a particularly subtle feeling came from her chest, Tingna felt goosebumps all over her body, and the feeling became even weirder when Ai muttered.

"...Fall asleep..."

There was also an odd feeling welling up, and Tina wasn't sure if it was the sympathy that Ai loathed, but...

Tina thought of some words that the girl had accidentally said.

[Being forced. 】

[It was done. 】

[Never read it. 】

[Escape. 】

Tina didn't want to think about what that all meant.

Ai curled up into a ball on the girl's body, and she had already fallen into a deep sleep.

The slender figure of the completely quiet girl was extraordinarily fragile.

Also extraordinarily lovable.

Whether this was a maternal instinct or not, Tina didn't know.

Tingna couldn't help but hugged the girl in her arms, and combed her curly black hair with extra gentle movements.

...Mom...I, definitely...

"..."

Ai has fallen asleep.

However, the girl pulled the velvet quilt over herself.

Girl with tears in her sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Postscript of a certain day:

"..." "...Good evening, Miss Tina." "...Eh, eh? Miss Liliana, Miss Alice... Well, when did you come back..." "The inspection work went well, return early." "...That's it, it doesn't matter if you don't need to be so quiet, I cast the magic of sleeping on Ai's body, and she won't wake up until tomorrow morning." "Is this okay..." "Rest, necessary." "Yes Is it...hey, that...Miss Liliana." "...what's wrong?" "...ah, no, it's nothing." "...If you are pressed all the time, it will hurt." "Liliana Miss also...helped Ai to fall asleep like this?" "...Yes." "..." "...Miss Tingna wants to sleep too?" "Please forgive me..."