The Witch and the Doll Swear

Raising his head, gray skin and emerald green pupils were staring at him.

"You're not energetic, Miss Tina."

"No, I was just thinking about something..."

"think?"

"Well, now, Miss Noam."

The breakfast in front of her was crispy toast and bacon, as well as sweet drinks. Tingna sat at the table blankly.

"Why do I always get involved in weird things..."

In the first eighteen years of her life, Tingna felt that she was just an ordinary person, and the only experience that could be said to be abnormal was the murder she witnessed in class.

Although it is boring to look back on the past now, but...

Since meeting Liliana and Alice, has the frequency of being involved in messy incidents increased?

Not counting Salt Sand City, running errands for Liliana was sent to the heresy interrogation room as a dangerous member of the same level as a cultist, working as a secretary and meeting a princess who stole exam questions, and meeting a nobleman and a magician for the first time. Go to the disguised bandit with a living doll, and then... go to an aquarium - almost the same feeling - and you will also meet the sea monster who came to the city of a thousand towers from the water elemental plane to find a lover.

Not unusual at all by any stretch of the imagination.

"destiny?"

"Probably fate."

"There seems to be nothing to explain except fate."

The earth elves tilted their heads, and both the dark elves and the wind elves gave the same answer.

But Ting Na felt that this was not reliable at all, and with a tangled expression, the girl picked up the toast.

However, compared to Ai, the girl's expression is already very pretty.

Now the girl's expression is almost tired, a hodgepodge of stress and anxiety. Apart from that, although she can't see it, Tingna feels that there may be a lot of regrets.

——Regret for talking too much yesterday.

The time was the morning of the ninth day of the moonless moon, Miss Witch had just fallen asleep, counting today, there were still five days before the end of the week.

Today Tina and Ai are going to help an illegally smuggled siren lady find her lover in the city of a thousand towers.

The good news is that Miss Siren is very sure that that person is in the City of Thousand Towers.

The bad news was that Miss Siren couldn't even remember his name, except that it was a tall, blond man.

For Ai, the worse news is that there is not much time left for her subject assessment as Liliana's apprentice.

And when the person doesn't know what to find.

But Liliana directly blocked all the girl's protests with the sentence "I don't want my apprentices to be scholars who only study magic."

Therefore, Ai, who ate at the same table with Tingna for the first time, bit the delicious breakfast with a resentful expression.

And, as time passed and Tina hadn't finished her breakfast, that look became more dangerous.

"Then, we're going out."

Stared at by the resentful gaze, Ting Na was a little frightened and quickly put aside the question of whether she had awakened some weird physique. Wu's Ai dragged her to the carriage waiting in front of the tower without saying a word.

"So, do you remember any clues?"

Because she was a stowaway, Miss Siren was temporarily detained in the fountain institution. As soon as we met in front of the gate, Ai asked the blond-haired and golden-eyed Miss Siren.

The ring that Ai wore yesterday was the internal passport of the Fountain Organization. I don’t know how many people have carried it. Obviously, it can’t be used as a clue to find people.

Yesterday, before Ai, Liliana and Tingna left, the girl told her to take advantage of the evening to recall her "dear" name and other characteristics, but...

"I can't remember! But once you see it, you will definitely recognize it! The water in your human body is different from that of human beings!"

Probably because she is not used to human clothes, Miss Siren who kept pulling on her windbreaker answered firmly.

"Ah, that's enough—"

Apparently, she didn't think about it at all...or didn't remember it if she did.

"As the descendants of water elemental elves and monsters, sea monsters with the ability to freely change their shape can distinguish between groups of people through scales, and the way to distinguish individuals is the difference in water quality that makes up the body... It should have been thought of long ago, all books say Your race doesn’t have the concept of names and appearances, so of course you won’t memorize them… It’s not good for me to think in a human way of thinking.”

Anxiety, irritability, resentment...all these expressions disappeared.

Ai Xiaoxiao's shoulders completely collapsed.

"If Miss Sea Demon can't think of any other clues, what should I do..."

"I don't know. If there are no other clues, this is looking for a needle in a haystack... No, looking for gravel in the sand. There are a lot of people in the City of Thousand Towers, and there are many magicians who are not good at going to the streets, so they can't even expect luck."

The girl looked at Ting Na and the siren dejectedly.

but……

"—If there are clues, there are."

Nodding her cheeks, Miss Sea Demon clapped her hands lightly after turning around twice in place.

"...What is it? Please don't tell me that it is a unique feeling of sea monsters, such as the breath of water..."

"No, it's a song. It's a song created by my dear. He said he wrote it based on the scenery near his home."

After finishing speaking, the sea monster cleared his throat and hummed a soft melody.

Pure melody, no lyrics, with a touch of melancholy, but with a bright timbre, just like a child's innocent humming.

The siren is an excellent singer as famous as the mermaid. Even the boy sitting in the carriage and taking the time to look down at the book, and the guards standing guard like two statues in front of the gate of the spring were attracted by this song.

When the song was over, they couldn't help applauding, with the clang and whistle of gauntlets and gauntlets as the highest praise.

"Although it sounds good..."

Because of this pleasant melody, Ai's self-destructive expression also eased a little.

However, after the song ended and Miss Siren thanked the applause, the girl stopped clapping her hands, still a little mad.

"But how do you know the scenery near your lover's house!"

It's a pure melody.

Even the most famous music connoisseurs in the mainland may not be able to concretize the accurate scenery from these hums.

"No, there are words to this song, but my dear, I was young when I sang this on the lute, and I don't know the lingua franca, so I can't remember the words now... But, just give me Let me play and sing the lute once and I will definitely remember it, because I haven’t forgotten it, it’s just that I’m missing the introduction to memory.”

The sea monster nodded resolutely.

"...Since there is nothing else to do, so be it."

Although she has a confident expression that there must be a way to reach the mountain, Ai is obviously not that optimistic, but anyway, there are no other clues now...

Because of certain opportunities, vague memories are recalled, which is something that ordinary people will occasionally encounter. If the opportunity is the sound of the lute for Miss Siren... it is worth a try, isn't it? There was nothing else to do anyway.

The problem is that--

Ting Na stared at Miss Kraken's long and beautiful golden snake tail, and hesitated for a moment.

"Miss Siren... that is, can you walk on two legs like in the fairy tale? It might be inconvenient in the city."

The source of the spring is at the source of the Faine River that traverses the city of a thousand towers, at the corner of a secluded street, and there are relatively few buildings around it, so there are not many pedestrians.

However, if you want to buy something, or go further to find that place after Miss Siren remembered the lyrics, you will undoubtedly need to shuttle around the city.

At that time, the distinctive snake tail and way of moving may become the focus of pedestrians' eyes. Although there may not be problems, there may be troubles-at least on some narrow roads, this big tail may The road is blocked, and it is not convenient to go shopping.

"Ah, this city was built for humans who walk upright on two legs. I heard the elders of the clan mention that our original form would be more troublesome... Well, it's not a big problem."

Turning her head to look at her big and long beautiful tail, Miss Siren shook it nonchalantly, and then, that golden snake tail turned into translucent and wriggling water, not for a while. Miss Kraken has a pair of slender, human legs—although they are golden.

"I learned how to walk on two legs, look, and you humans have to wear pants or skirts?"

At the waist, some golden scales that were not attached to the skin were slightly turned outwards, which looked like hard jeans, and there were even slender high heels under the feet.

Although it looks strange to be covered in gold from the soles of the feet to the waist, but... well, Tingna was worried about becoming naked at first, but now it seems that there is no need to worry.

Then, the next thing is to buy a lute.

But.

When Tinna asked the boy driving the carriage where there was a musical instrument store in the City of Thousand Towers, the boy showed a blank expression.

"I'm very sorry, I've only been doing this job for less than a year, and I really don't remember where there is a musical instrument store in the City of Thousand Towers... Please wait a moment, I'll go and ask right away."

A blue-purple magical carrier pigeon flew out from the tip of his wand, and a few minutes later, a fiery red carrier pigeon landed on the carriage.

"...Well, the three ladies, I'm very sorry."

After receiving the news delivered by the magic carrier pigeon, the boy did not bring good news.

"In the city of a thousand towers, there is no dedicated musical instrument store..."

Or rather, it was bad intelligence.

"No? Why not?"

Ai looked in disbelief in the direction of the road.

The sturdy and wear-resistant road surface is enough for six or seven carriages to pass side by side. The direction in which the stone slabs extend leads to a bustling city, one floating in the sky. Although it is quiet, it is more prosperous than most of its kind on the mainland. , the city of magicians.

In a city where more than 90% of the residents in Nuoda are magicians, and half of them are nobles, how can there not be even a musical instrument store?

Except Miss Siren, who didn't seem to understand why the two of them showed such astonished expressions, Ai and Tingna looked at the boy driving the car with such doubts.

But, really no.

Just as the passengers in charge of the boy were expected to raise such doubts because they were not familiar with the city of a thousand towers, the magic carrier pigeon also brought the boy an answer to this question.

Apart from philosophers and alchemists who have climbed the peak of truth, the profession closest to truth is actually an artist. Magic and art have had an indissoluble bond since their birth. Most magicians are proficient in some music, painting or dance, especially those of noble origin.

But the biggest difference from artists is that most magicians appreciate art rather than create art. Set up a piano at home to play by themselves, open a special studio to paint by themselves...Compared with these, they are more willing to go to musicians' concerts, opera houses, galleries, or even cheaper, buy oil paintings and hang them on the wall On the Internet, put the recorded records on the inexpensive gramophone - they prefer to enjoy the existing results rather than create them.

Even if a small number of nobles purchase musical instruments for etiquette and social needs, they will choose the most high-end private customization, which will be handed over to famous workshops in the mainland, and will be delivered directly to the mansion after completion.

As for the largest number of magic apprentices?

Year after year of study, exams, and practice, they have exhausted their energy and money. How can they have time to train another musical instrument?

Therefore, the City of Thousand Towers does not have room for a store that specializes in selling music, and other stores will not even buy because they cannot sell.

Perhaps to increase persuasiveness, the magic carrier pigeon also included a business list of the city of a thousand towers in recent years, floating in mid-air in a pie chart, without even the category of musical instruments.

"...What about the bar?"

After a long silence, Tina spoke.

"Lute, bard, ale, adventurer, these are the indispensable scenery of the bar. There should still be bars open all day in the city of a thousand towers."

"if it is like this."

The boy nodded, and started the golem's carriage with his wand.

Bars that are open all day are not uncommon, especially during the big exams. There are always depressed people who walk out of the exam room wanting to drink away their sorrows, and there are also successful people who have received admission notices and need to pour cold but fiery liquid into their stomachs to celebrate in their intoxication The result of one year, or several years of hard work.

It's 8 a.m., and the streetlights have just gone out on top of the finely carved statues as the Saigon casts light from below the city.

Passing through a few streets with few pedestrians, [Kingfish Tavern] is at the corner of Fountain Square.

Pushing open the door of the bar, magicians in robes are holding crystal goblets as luxurious as the tables, chairs and counters of high-end restaurants. The wine swayed under the lights, like flowing rubies, and the melodious tunes of the piano and violin flowed from the small central stage.

"...This is...the bar?"

If it wasn't for the moment the bartender at the front desk raised her head and gave a bright smile the moment she opened the door, a waitress wearing a classic maid outfit was already walking towards here, Tingna really wanted to slam the door shut and start anew. Open it the right way once.

"Isn't this a bar?"

"No, although the trick should be a bar, but..."

"what does that mean?"

Ai frowned because of the girl's vague statement. She pointed to the signboard next to the door, which said [Kingfisher Bar] in beautiful cursive characters.

"No, it's just, it's different from the bars I know..."

"...are there other kinds of bars?"

Confusion turned into curiosity, and Ai raised her head to stare at Tina. Although her expression was serious and tense, her wine-red eyes seemed to be saying "tell me quickly", making her look like a curious cat.

Ke Tingna didn't know how to explain to Ai. The waitress was about to come, so she had to look for help to the boy who stood aside and volunteered to be a tour guide (for a fee, of course) for two ladies who were not familiar with the City of Thousand Towers.

What about ale? What about boozing adventurers? What about the ubiquitous hustle and bustle? The sound of dice shaking, the sound of magic cards falling on the table, and most importantly, the singing of bards accompanied by lutes?

"Please don't be surprised, although I can understand your surprise, miss."

The boy rubbed his head, and seemed to understand Tina's shock very well. The bar in front of him was indeed completely different from the tavern that most people imagined, but.

"But the bars in the City of Thousand Towers are all of this style. There are no adventurers here, and magicians don't like to be noisy. Although there are not only expensive red wines... but cheap and large ale and beer are only available in the big exam. It will be sold during this period, because there are more people who get drunk...this is the so-called cultural gap."

"...God is above."

Ting Na slapped her forehead. She had a bad premonition. Although she had a bad premonition, the girl still had some expectations. Ting Na took Ai and Hai, who had been looking around curiously and excitedly, Miss Yao came to the counter.

"Lute?"

"Yes, my dear was accompanied by the lute when she sang, I need to listen to the sound of the lute now to recall the lyrics of that song!"

"Although I don't know what's going on..."

The siren lady who said "Have you seen my dear?" pulled back, and roughly explained the reason why the lute sound is needed now, and the bartender showed a curious expression on his face.

"But sorry, maybe there's nothing we can do."

But out of politeness and the expensive clothes of the girl in front of him, he didn't ask any more questions. He just shook his head regretfully, and adjusted the non-intoxicating Pina Colada ordered by Tingna and the Martini ordered by Miss Siren.

"...go to the bar and order some juice?"

"This is a cocktail, although the alcohol content is very low...but minors are not allowed to drink alcohol."

With some heartache, she stacked 30 silver coins on the bar counter. By the way, after telling Miss Siren not to get drunk, Ting Na raised her head and continued to ask the bartender.

"Could it be that those two... don't know how to play the lute?"

"Thanks to the popular adventure novels and knight novels in the mainland, the instrument of the lute has been bound to adventurers, mercenaries, and bards, just like violins and pianos are to princesses, and ballet is to white swans."

The young bartender shrugged.

"There are many nobles in this city, many, many. The nobles probably look down on the former two. Their aesthetics and etiquette have infiltrated every river and every wine glass in the city since the ancient magic empire. Here, we all need to learn the politeness and elegance of nobles and magicians, and we must swallow tears even when we are drunk, which is called forbearance and strength.”

As a result, no matter which bar you go to, there is either a violin or a piano.

As for the lute?

The bartender looked at the two people in suits and leather shoes playing on the stage in the center of the bar.

"Even if the top students from various Royal Conservatories and National Conservatories have learned it, this city probably doesn't have musical instruments for them to play."

"……Thank you so much."

The taste of Pina Colada is sweet and sour without losing the slight coconut fragrance. After drinking it, Tina felt a bit of bitterness in her stomach.

She and Ai who was sitting next to her looked at each other. Ai who hesitated for a long time on the menu covered with cowhide and decorated with kingfisher feathers before ordering the cheapest soda also looked at her. The girl's face was also full of smiles. full of sorrow, and self-defeating.

Now Tingna finally understands what is meant by the cultural differences between the world and the north. Maybe there is no lute in this city.

The difference is maddening enough.

"What should I do next? Even this clue is broken."

"have no idea."

She drank the refreshing drink in one gulp, but Ai's expression couldn't be refreshed. She crossed her fingers in distress, and finally let out a long sigh.

"If it really doesn't work, the only option is to go to Ain... to Liliana's teacher, and ask if there is any other way, I don't want to do this, although there probably won't be any problems, but I don't want to do it at all. "

"I'm sorry, Miss Ai, Miss Tingna, I took up so much of your time..."

And from the conversation, Miss Siren put down the wine glass she drank, and apologized to Ai and Tingna full of apology.

She might be even more unfamiliar with human cities and human society than Ai, but even so, she can realize that she is causing trouble for two friendly women.

"No, helping you...in fact, helping myself."

And Ai just shook his head and pushed the glass towards the bartender.

"If you want to remember something, why don't you ask the magicians of the spiritual department for help?"

"The spiritual structure of high-level elemental life is quite special, and there is no guarantee that the means that are effective for humans will also be effective for sea monsters..."

"So this lady is a sea monster? That's really not the case... As the descendants of the first generation of elements, their soul and spiritual structure are too unique... In that case."

After he handed the quilt filled with soda water to Ai, as if he suddenly remembered something, he took out a piece of hard cardboard from under the bar.

"Maybe the three ladies can go here to try their luck in two days."

Pale gold paper, printed with a golden coat of arms - a coat of arms surrounded by thorns on a violin, and a large series of cursive characters underneath.

"this is?"

"The leaflet was accidentally left out by a noble guest. Two days later, the princess of the Olympian Kingdom will give a personal concert at the Ludwig Opera House in the City of Thousand Towers before leaving. I heard this The princess does not have any magical talents, but she is versatile and kind... Although I don’t know if she can play the lute, but if you find a way to go backstage after the concert and ask her, maybe she will be willing to help, after all..."

The bartender handed the card to Tina.

"The siren's singing voice should be the dream of countless musicians, whether it is sung or heard."

"Really? Two days later? Is it really possible?"

Miss Kraken's golden eyes widened, and her slender legs tapped on the horizontal stripes of the wooden floor of the bar. Probably races with tails like to wag their tails when expressing joy, but now her The tail has become human legs, so it can only stomp on the floor.

"The concert of the princess of a country, and two days later... this time is a bit..."

Ai's expression looked better, but when he thought that he would have to spare time two days later, he pursed his lips in distress.

"At that time, it doesn't matter if you don't bother Miss Ai and Miss Tingna."

"No, it's still not sure that you can get tickets to enter the stage, let alone that you can get the princess's help, this can only be used as a last resort...Miss Tingna?"

"Huh? Ah, no, I just..."

The girl raised her head.

When she got the leaflet, she stared at the words written on it, over and over again, after confirming that she read it correctly.

Tina thought about the teasing of Knight and Sylph this morning.

"Is this... destiny?"

"What?"

"I mean……"

Tingna took a deep breath, and took out a gold card from the space storage ring.

"We, maybe we don't have to wait until two days later."

………………………………………………………………………………………

When we arrived at the Embassy Street in the city of a thousand towers, the wind whipped a corner of the sea of ​​clouds to the top of the city.

The bright sky was covered by snow-white clouds for a moment, and then became gloomy in the cold wind.

It's going to snow.

"I've been wondering when Miss Tina will come to visit."

The embassy in the city of a thousand towers has a uniform architectural specification. After seeing Ambassador Olympian with the gold card embedded with rubies, Tingna, Ai and Miss Siren soon found themselves in a royal family building on the embassy street. In the annex, I saw Her Royal Highness, who had met twice.

Charlotte Finezan.

Ting Na never imagined that she and Her Royal Highness would still have some intersections.

"No problem, it's just a matter of raising your hands. I'm also very curious about the siren's singing. Naina, do you still have my lute with you?"

"Of course, princess."

The blond girl turned her eyes from the gradually gloomy sky back to the girl's face, and before Tina could breathe a sigh of relief, Miss Siren was already ecstatic and wanted to pounce on her.

Maybe it was because she finally knew that it was very problematic to do this to a noble girl, or maybe the gaze of the gray-haired girl standing next to the princess in a lace-covered maid outfit was too dangerous, Miss Siren didn't do this.

Staring back at the excited siren who was stomping on the floor, Naina put her wrist on the big desk, and the emerald green magic light flashed on the bracelet that was used as a space storage device. A finely crafted wooden box appeared on the table. When the princess opened the wooden box and held up the pear-shaped musical instrument that seemed to have experienced a long time and handed it to Miss Siren, Ella touched the hem of Latina's suit.

"Why do you know a princess?"

Ai's voice was small.

From the time when Tingna took out the card and saw the ambassador and came all the way here, the girl remained dumbfounded, as if she had met Tingna again, which made the girl a little proud.

However, she didn't know how to explain it to the girl. As for the fact that she not only knew the princess but also knew several of them, Tingna herself felt that her life trajectory had gone astray in the starry sky of fate.

Ai, who didn't get an answer from Tina immediately, turned his gaze to Charlotte who was handing the pick made of peacock feathers to Miss Siren.

"But... is that a princess... She is really beautiful and elegant."

Her voice was quieter, but the wind still carried the murmured whispers to Tina's ears.

"Are you envious?"

"of course not."

"Being a princess can not only wear a lot of beautiful clothes, but also many people will take care of you, and there will also be a handsome prince who will marry you and live happily with you—"

"So, I'm not envious at all!"

Tingna touched Ed's head jokingly. Such an attitude towards children aroused the girl's great dissatisfaction. The black-haired girl pouted and slapped Tingna's hand away, but with her physical advantages, the girl Still fulfilling his wish, with a smirk, he messed up the girl's black hair with a small side whip.

Just when Ai was gnashing his teeth like a cat with fried hair was about to pounce on him.

————————.

A string of notes leaped lightly from the strings.

Ai and Tingna immediately stopped their fuss. The few syllables in the prelude seemed to be adjustments to the notes, and after that, there was a series of flowing melodies.

Compared with Miss Kraken's lively and brisk singing voice, the sound of the lute is more inorganic and has a different rhythm. Ting Na can't tell which is better. In her ears, the two The melody can only be described as very beautiful.

It wasn't a very long ballad, and soon, the melody faded away as the tune faded away. Miss Siren finished playing, as if thinking in distress.

"Is the sound of the piano wrong?"

The princess applauded in no hurry.

"No, the sound of the piano is correct. Although the sound played by my dear is slightly different from this one, it is because the air in Jinggang is slightly different from that here. This is not the reason that will have a big impact. It is me who is wrong, it is me!"

The troubled expression unfolded, Miss Siren paused her feet, her long and slender human legs turned into crystal water jets, and then changed back to that golden and beautiful snake tail, Miss Siren who had returned to her original appearance relaxed Twisting its tail, the peacock's tail feathers brushed against the strings, the melodious prelude sounded again, the strings danced, and Miss Siren's face became brighter and brighter.

Then she started singing.

——Can I take you to the sea of ​​flowers in the sky? ——

- Rose, lavender, parsley and violets. ——

——I will climb the leaning White Tower with you. ——

—then you will be my love. ——

——Please let me put on a snow-white wedding dress for you. ——

- Rose, lavender, parsley and violets. ——

—Embroidered with basil patterns all over it. ——

—Please let me reclaim an acre of wilderness for you. ——

——planted in the blue sky and the boundless sea of ​​clouds. ——

- let you be my love. ——

——Can I take you to the sea of ​​flowers in the sky? ——

With a touch of melancholy, but with a bright timbre, just like the innocent humming of a child in love.

When he recovered from a trance, he had already applauded vigorously with Charlotte, Naina and Ai.

"Hey hey, my dear sings even better... Hey, how about it, my dear said, he wrote it based on the scenery near his home, do you have any clues?"

Sticking out his tongue, he saluted like a bard, full of anticipation and anxiety, and looked at everyone with golden eyes.

"Not so much if I have a clue..."

Pointing at the corners of his soft mouth that outlined a smile, Charlotte nodded lightly, and stood next to a map of the city of a thousand towers hanging on the wall.

"If you really write according to the scenery near home, the leaning White Tower..."

Charlotte pointed to a place on the map and smiled slightly.

"This is the only place in the entire city of a thousand towers."

………………………………………………………………………………………

It was a place that even Tina and Ai knew.

From the top of Emerald, from Liliana's mage tower, when looking at this city with more than a thousand towers, no one will miss this place among the tall towers.

Leaning Tower Pisa.

In the age of the ancient magic empire, a wise man used two iron balls to break the thousands-year-old concept that "the speed of an object's fall is determined by the weight of the object itself". Top-down change.

Therefore, in the minds of magicians, this place is considered a particularly noble place.

That's because the tower is still on the ground. Since the war at the end of the second season, it has been moved here as a whole, becoming the only leaning tower in the city of a thousand towers.

"When this floating city was still under the rule of the magic emperors, it was the gathering place for nobles among magicians. It also had one of the best gardens in the city of a thousand towers. It looks exactly like what is written in the lyrics."

"That's right..."

Beside the rose and lavender flower beds, the carriage stopped.

In the center of the block, there is a white tower that forms an incredible angle with the ground. Across the street, flying snowflakes fill the tops of luxurious villas with a touch of whiteness.

The scale of these villas is not as exaggerated as that of Sephine's house, but they are still full of aristocratic style. The neat trees in the front yard and the sculptures placed on the fountain in the back garden are all expensive landscapes that ordinary people do not have the money and energy to maintain. .

At a glance, the number is about twenty.

"There is nothing wrong with the narrow search range, but if they are all nobles... maybe it will be more troublesome."

"Don't you have a way to get online with these nobles?"

Hearing the girl's sigh, Ai pouted.

Ting Na patted her cheek helplessly.

"Miss Ai seems to have misunderstood me... So far, I think I am an ordinary person."

"Ordinary people don't know the princess, and they can be generous to help. I thought Miss Tingna was the kind of communicative person who could talk to anyone."

"..."

——Of course I'm not a good communicator.

Wordlessly, the girl stared into Ai's eyes.

She was suddenly curious about what kind of person she was now in the eyes of this little girl.

But Ai turned his face away and didn't meet her eyes.

However, Ai was right about one thing.

"Although it is possible...but it is very rude to pay a sudden visit without prior notice, and I don't want to do it."

Tingna thought about it carefully. In the noble circle...at least in a large part of the noble circle in the city of a thousand towers, no matter who she is, she should be able to speak up. With Tina von Sia—more importantly, She is the seventh member of the Supreme Council, Liliana Einstein's secretary.

"...You are really amazing."

After listening to Ting Na's answer, Ai was silent for a long time, and then she pouted and spoke reluctantly.

"I'm really just an ordinary person. It's not my own abilities and contacts... but Miss Liliana's."

It's a bit hypocritical to say so now, but Ting Na really thinks so from the bottom of her heart.

However, it doesn't matter what you think now.

Instructing the boy to wait nearby, Tina walked towards the thoughtful siren who walked to the wall of a nearby mansion as soon as she got off the carriage.

"...Miss Tina, Miss Ai, is this pattern... very common in the human world?"

After the girl came to her side, the siren who was staring at the exquisite iron fence of the noble mansion tilted her head and asked Tina.

"Eh?"

The girl was taken aback.

Miss Siren is standing next to the outer wall of a villa. There are sharp and slender iron fences erected between the gray and white marble columns. Miss Siren's finger pattern is a goat walking on basil leaves with the halo of Saigon on its back. The pitch-black steel is twisted poetically, embedded in the black-lacquered steel.

"This is the family coat of arms of the nobility. Every hereditary nobility has it. It is a proof of identity."

Ai, who followed Ting Na to the siren, raised his head, thinking slightly.

"It's not a noble coat of arms, it doesn't have any special symbolic meaning, it's more like a pattern of origin - it's used to show the origin of the family, it's probably a nobleman who started herding herds...do you remember anything?"

She suddenly thought of a possibility, and looked at Miss Siren in surprise.

"Your Majesty Deep Blue bless you... That's right, I remembered that my dear has such a pattern on her body! But I thought it was a very common pattern and didn't care. Are these the 'scales' of you humans?"

The siren, who was curling her golden hair with her hands, opened her eyes wide. This is the brightest smile Tina and Ai have seen on that somewhat coquettish face since they met this siren lady.

Before she finished speaking, she jumped up excitedly, her golden hair spread out as if floating in sea water, she took a deep breath, and then.

"It's the smell of my dear! This must be my dear's home!"

Really jumped up.

Those slender long legs erupted with unimaginable power, and even Ting Na and Ai, who were standing beside her, felt the ground tremble.

After reacting again, the Kraken had already crossed the high fence and landed directly on a flying buttress close to the fence. After jumping again, it landed on the balcony facing this side of the villa.

The maid who was watering the flowers on the balcony stared blankly at her suddenly appearing in front of her. When the siren passed through her and entered the house without looking back, she let out a scream——

At this moment, Ting Na just realized that "dark blue" refers to the giant dragon in charge of the water element plane, and the "scale" - in the eyes of the sea monsters, the family's identity proof such as the coat of arms may be the same as theirs. Is the scale that divides the ethnic groups a concept?

But there is no time to think about the cultural differences between krakens and humans.

When the maid screamed, Tina felt cold sweat wet her shirt.

That's trespassing, right? Trespassing, right?

Even if Ms. Kraken doesn't know that there are such crimes in the laws of human society, the laws still exist objectively!

The story is about to usher in a happy ending, because of the impulsive actions of the sea monster who is ignorant of the world, it slipped into a more troublesome and worse situation in an instant!

"What are you thinking about! I don't have time to follow the procedure of visiting nobles, so hurry up and find her!"

Fortunately, Ai Fei reacted quickly.

Her eager voice pulled back Tingna's thinking, the girl grabbed the hand of a girl who was taller than herself, and quickly chanted two [Feather Falling Techniques], the dark red magic light formed a magic square formation under her feet , the airflow gushes upwards from the ground.

"Wow!"

The sense of loss of the solid ground under her feet made Tina scream, and she and Ai were like two light feathers, falling from the wind on the balcony where Miss Siren broke into.

"Excuse me, where did that girl go just now?"

Two more unidentified intruders appear, but this time at least they appear to be human.

The frightened maid couldn't even utter a word under Ai Fei's fast speaking speed and momentum, she just pointed her finger in a certain direction - Ai, who was pulling Ting Na who was still in shock, ran there and soon found out that there was something wrong with her. She needs to show the way.

"Honey! Honey! I'm here to find you, the sun has risen, get up quickly!"

Miss Siren's extraordinarily high-pitched voice due to excitement can also be heard here, like a suppressed spring finally gushing out, with uncontrollable joy and happiness.

It sounds like... Miss Siren has found her lover.

"Hey, Miss Tina. Is it really a good thing for Miss Siren to find that darling?"

Just at this time.

In the carpeted corridor, Ai suddenly murmured.

"Eh?"

The girl turned around with a particularly gloomy expression, and Ting Na, who was dragged away by her, froze for a moment, not understanding why she said that.

"We all overlooked one thing. Miss Sea Demon said that the time agreed by the lovers was very, very long...but how long is it?" She ground her teeth, hesitated, and slowed down her pace.

"Twenty...or thirty years?"

"I think ten years is long enough, long enough to rot the soul."

The girl looked at Ting Na, the flames were blazing in those pupils.

"But what if it's longer? Eighty, ninety... or even a hundred years? Sea monsters with a natural lifespan of more than a thousand years are very insensitive to the length of time. If the so-called 'lover' promised such a time... Then what was his plan to make an agreement with Miss Siren? Could it be from the very beginning..."

"...?!"

A terrible premonition suddenly emerged.

What is the average life expectancy of humans on the mainland? 120 or 130? If...if it was that long?

Tina couldn't help but squeezed the hand held by Ai.

From the very beginning, I made a promise that I couldn't...no, a promise that I wouldn't fulfill?

Or was that promise just to amuse the young lady Siren? Just like human adults make some disapproving promises to children, waiting for the children to forget them?

"Y-I can't just say that that person just made a promise that couldn't be fulfilled without any responsibility..."

"...who knows."

Ai's response was exceptionally cold.

Stepping forward again, the carpeted corridor is not long, or the room where the lover is located is not far from the balcony.

After a short conversation, Tina and Ai came to an open door.

Most of the buildings in the City of Thousand Towers are slender and elegant Gothic, but they are not completely orthodox Gothic. A large number of floor-to-ceiling windows and small balconies allow the dark curtains to be opened, and the lighting of the building is exceptionally good.

In the beam of light entering this room through the window, sitting on a chair, the old woman wrapped in ermine fur and wrinkles moved away because of the stagnation of the two's footsteps.

"There are so many uninvited guests today."

The white-haired woman was protecting a few young maids behind her, calmly towards Ting Na and Ai, and then opened her mouth in surprise after seeing the girl's face clearly.

"...Miss Von Sia? Is there something wrong with the sudden visit of the secretary of Einstein's seventh seat?"

She also turned slightly sideways as a compliment.

But those eagle-like emerald pupils did not move away from the bed in front of the recliner she was sitting on from the beginning to the end.

over there.

"Honey, your hair has turned a beautiful pure white."

"Honey, your face has become wrinkled and has many spots. Could it be that you haven't taken good care of it?"

"Hey, dear, dear, get up quickly, or do you want me to sing to you before you are willing to open your eyes?"

The sea monster, which has returned to its original form, is lying on the bedside, holding its face happily.

In the bar before, in Charlotte's annex, when relying on slim hopes and clues to find her lover, the embarrassment and uneasiness hidden with a smile can no longer be seen, she is as happy as the blue bird who found love in a fairy tale , the princess rescued from the tower of the evil wizard by the handsome prince.

The sun was shining on her long golden hair, sweet honey flowed in the air, her expression melted into the honey, and those who looked at her—no matter who they were, seemed to dazzle their eyes.

but.

"The siren...Miss."

Tightly, tightly clenched her fists, Tina didn't answer the old woman's words immediately.

She looked at the big bed, at the sea monster and her lover on the big bed, the pain pierced slightly from the palm of her hand to her heart, and flowed coldly through the blood vessels of her whole body.

"Is that... him?"

The siren didn't answer a completely meaningless question.

Pat, clack, she just wagged her tail happily and kept calling with a melodious, happy voice.

"Yes, human beings are really a race that is easy to change. My dear looks have changed a lot compared to before, but there is nothing wrong with my dear!"

"..."

For a moment, the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat, and Ting Na was a little at a loss.

The worst premonition became reality.

The man lying on that big bed, the man Miss Kraken called dear.

That is really an old man.

Wrinkled and pale skin like a rag, those wrinkles spread to the bloodless lips, the short curly hair is pale with lifeless, even the spots on the slightly sunken cheeks are the same color. He closed his eyes tightly, and bandages that exuded magical light were wrapped around his body. Tina had heard of arcane bandages used to sustain life. This man was bound like a mummy about to be buried.

His chest was still rising and falling weakly.

But only his chest was still heaving.

Miss Siren's joyful words echoed in the room, but he couldn't open his eyes at all.

"..."

The feeling of suffocation coming from the bottom of her heart made Ting Na look away unbearably, but she was facing the old woman's sharp questioning gaze.

"...Madam, I'm really sorry for breaking into your house without permission..."

Anyway, they broke into the mansion of a nobleman without permission.

Thanks to Liliana's presence and the dance that she stood in the ballroom of Flandia's house and shook hands with countless nobles a few days ago. After recognizing Tina, the woman waved away the guards who had come to the door of the room. Just looked at her seriously.

— It must be explained.

Tingna swallowed her saliva, digging out the pent-up emotions in her heart, and found out from her memory the aristocratic etiquette that she had never used since the banquet at Flandia's house.

"I can explain it all."

The old woman knew Ting Na, Liliana's secretary, which made the girl even more nervous.

But being nervous doesn't make things better.

"Then let's talk about it and listen to it. Don't be too cautious. Although it is an unexpected guest, neglecting hospitality will always damage the family name."

The old woman kept looking at the siren pounced on the bed. When Ai pulled her aside, she shifted her gaze to the blond girl.

She paused the crutch in her hand, the small round table in the corner of the room was drawn by the magic light and floated in front of her, and a few chairs with soft cushions floated from the door, she whispered to the maid behind her, Tina Hearing what she said was green tea, matcha cake and honey, after a while, two maids brought hot tea and refreshments and placed them in front of them.

The nervous intrusion turned into an elegant tea party in an instant. The old lady picked up the teacup and took a sip, put down her wand, and leaned lazily on the back of the chair.

Although she said there was no need to be restrained, Tina's back was still straight. No matter how hospitable aristocrats are, they would not entertain an uninvited guest. She entertained Liliana Einstein's secretary instead of Tina, Ai, and Siren. Under such circumstances, she could not be rude no matter what.

"That... where should I start..."

In order to prevent Liliana and Alice from taking them out of the dungeon of the nobles, Tina bravely explained the cause of the incident and the reason why they appeared here.

It did not take long to explain the situation.

On the way, Miss Siren was blocked by Ai with a double matcha cake and did not speak, while the old woman.

Her expression was calm.

"... When he was young, he did go to Jinggang. And the older he gets, the more he misses his youthful appearance, boasting to me that he once fascinated all the beautiful sea monsters."

After listening to Tingna's story, a faint smile appeared on that wrinkled face.

She didn't question the agreement, and any magician who knows a little bit knows that as long as there is water in the body, the sea monster will not mistake a human being.

Moreover, as the descendants of water elements and monsters, the sea monster also inherited the pure character or simple mind of the water elf. To put it bluntly, such complex language behaviors would not appear in the brain that is completely composed of water—— This is almost an accepted fact.

"I never thought that this liar would tell me the truth. This may be the only sentence... In the end, it was about other women."

Maybe it was because she knew that, so she looked at the huge sapphire ring on her finger and sighed long.

It seemed to be frozen sea water.

Then, the old woman turned her gaze to the siren.

"Are you taking her away?"

"Well, my dear and I have made an appointment to watch Jinggang's aurora night together, and I will also sing songs I composed. For this, I have learned the common language for decades!"

Pulled away from the bed by Ai, the siren who was listening quietly nodded vigorously.

"He's too old to keep his eyes open, maybe he can still hear, but he can't talk to you anymore, and he can't see the aurora, even so—"

"But my dear... Gu... is it dear? The water in the human body can't lie."

"anyway?"

"Eh? Of course I need your permission, grandma. Although I don't understand human culture, family and ethics are too complicated..."

Not elegant at all, she swallowed the matcha bean paste cake in her mouth with green tea, and Miss Siren, who had not said anything, scratched her head as Ai stared at her.

"But if you want to take my dear away, you must get the consent of your dear family, right? It seems to be said in human novels... Ah, yes! It's called a marriage proposal, right!"

As soon as she clapped her hands, she stood beside the bed and laid her entire upper body...no, it was all on the cashmere carpet.

"Please give your daughter... No, son... In short, please give me your love, and I will definitely make my dear happy!"

What a funny scene.

A girl with a long, beautiful tail lay on the ground, not with five bodies but almost five senses, like a specimen nailed to a wooden board, and with sincere words, she begged the old woman to let her go when she was so old. Going back to see the true god's husband and handing it over to her, even in a farce, it may not be... no, there will definitely not be such an overly funny scene.

But Tina couldn't laugh.

No matter what, she couldn't laugh.

The words of the blood countess who was almost forgotten recently seemed to explode in her mind, and there was a slight pain in her clenched fist, and then she reacted immediately and threw the heavy finger wheel into the space In the storage ring, it's like throwing a pack of fireworks that have already been lit.

"You, what are you kidding, Mrs. Fisher is—"

Even the maids behind the woman were dumbfounded, and one of them shouted in disbelief.

But the old woman shook her head and waved her hand to stop.

That pair of muddy eyes that still contained blade-like gazes stared at the sea monster that raised its head, and at those golden and pure pupils—there was even cream on the matcha cake around Miss Siren’s mouth, Ai Bu Miss Kraken kept giving her winks and didn't react.

a long time.

"You know what? It reminds me of the fairy tales my daughter loves."

After a long time, she smiled wryly and turned to look at Ting Na and Ai.

"The mermaid princess turned into bubbles in order to fulfill the prince's happiness. She didn't like the ending. Why did she pay so much for the mermaid princess, but she didn't even have a chance to be with the prince? She said that and never read it again. That fairytale."

Tina pursed her lips.

She didn't know why the topic changed suddenly, so she could only keep silent.

Ai didn't speak either.

"I don't like that fairy tale either, it would make me sad. I was cheated out of my hometown by this liar, cheated away my youth, cheated away my dream, and I was old and ugly. He also said that I was not as good as a young and beautiful girl in the red light district, and that I died peacefully in the end. It's not bad to be under my gaze, heh, this damn liar...he has always been proud of cheating me, if at the end of his life he can be deflated once...it seems not bad, so that he can make his lies One less—he always said he was a born adventurer and would never die of old age in bed."

The old woman put down the teacup, the tea in the cup was already cold. With the help of the maid, she stood up on crutches and walked to the bedside.

The shadows cast outside the window have gradually become shorter, just like the candles made of shadows have been burned by light, the dazzling incandescence covered the bed, and the fine dust in the air danced like spirits.

Because of the light, the old man's eyelids and eyelashes trembled slightly, did he want to wake up? Tina couldn't help thinking this way, but her sunken eye sockets didn't open.

The old woman stretched out her hand to hold the same withered old wrist.

"Take him away."

She heaved a long sigh.

"I'm tired of seeing this liar's face."

Standing in front of the bed, she shook her head.

After speaking, with the help of the maid, he left the room.

"Eh? Eh? Really, really? Great, honey, we can be together!!!"

Only Miss Siren's gratitude and the old man's withered breath remained in the room.

Excitedly, Miss Siren, who was spinning her snake tail around in place, jumped back to the old man's bed with cheers. She seemed to be unable to hear other voices, but Tingna could still hear them.

There are other voices.

"Mrs. Fisher, please wait!"

Ai stood up from the chair and chased the woman out of the room with an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Mrs. Fisher, why did you agree?" I heard the mischievous wind spirit flapping its wings across the wall.

"Little girl, why do you think I won't agree?"

"That's your husband, isn't it? That is, your lover?"

The blessing from Sylve brought the girl a puzzled whisper.

"I... When I saw you, I felt that Miss Siren might be disappointed, and I was thinking about how to persuade her..."

"Little girl, if you know something about longevity species, you will understand that these guys, who live far longer than humans, have a completely different view of love from humans. In their eyes, a marriage contract is no more effective than a verbal agreement. Apparently this siren is too."

"Then... what about you?"

"I'm a human, so I can't love like a siren, yes."

Benedict, Benedict.

The crutches tapped the ground.

"Human love is a very strong, but also very fragile thing. A long time ago, when he was so demented that he couldn't recognize me, when he couldn't open his old eyes, the man I loved was already Dead,—he is still him, but for me he is no longer him, I cannot love him anymore... It is too difficult for a person to love a dead body with no heartbeat, is it not?"

After speaking a long paragraph, the old woman was panting lonely.

"What I love is his soul, but his soul is no longer in that withered body, but sea monsters are different... They don't divide love into various things like humans... Love appearance, love talent , loving souls...their love...is just love, hot and reckless, from a human point of view, really stupid, although stupid..."

"But, enviable, isn't it...?"

"I didn't say that."

"Is this... really okay? Is this a good ending?!"

Ai asked blankly.

The tone of an old woman suddenly became gentle, as if she were speaking to a granddaughter who still didn't understand anything.

"It's not a bad ending for that siren...it's also for me, thinking that he might suddenly be alive and kicking to hook up with the siren in Jinggang, at least it's better than turning into a pile of ashes in front of my eyes, so."

—I will, thank you.

The wind brought a murmur of thanks.

Tingna stared at the siren excitedly picking up the old man from the bed, and opened her mouth.

But nothing came out.

………………………………………………………………………………………

When she returned to the spring, Tingna couldn't help but rubbed her eyes.

The platinum-blonde long hair was swaying, and the black-skinned witch was wearing a veil. She was standing next to the [Blue Eyes], overlooking the pupils staring at the two blue skies.

——Why is Miss Liliana here?

Just when the girl wanted to ask this question, a light weight fell on her shoulder from behind.

The silver doll calmly stared at the girl's suspicious gaze, without saying anything.

But Tina knew.

It rubbed its cheek against the expressionless little doll. This time, the doll didn't stare at her, but just reached out and stroked the girl's golden hair.

"...Welcome back, is that Miss Siren's lover?"

"……yes."

Ai nodded, and turned to look at the old man who was being embraced by Miss Siren.

He is too old, like dead wood hollowed out by termites,

On the way from the gate of the fountain to here, everyone who saw it showed surprise eyes—they should have known about the sea monster to some extent, but they must have never thought that it would be such an old man who was so old that he was about to die man.

Along the way, the girl was always worried that his probably shriveled heart would suddenly stop beating, but it was like a miracle given by the true God. From the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the fountain, the life like a candle in the wind never went out.

"The extradition procedures for Huijing Port have been completed. It's rare that there are a few reliable people there who didn't die in the laboratory. Now you can go home, Miss Siren."

After Tingna, Ai and Siren returned here, a middle-aged man soon appeared on the platform above the deep spring.

He handed some scrolls to Siren, and then.

"Miss Tingna, Miss Ai, really, really thank you very much, I finally reunited with my dear."

The siren came to Ai Yutingna.

"In human society, after being helped, you have to give back a gift...it's the same in sea monsters. This is a scroll I made with the molted skin that I replaced. All the songs I know are recorded in it... maybe not something valuable..."

The sea monster handed over the golden scroll in his hand.

"No, you don't have to be so serious. Helping you... is actually helping myself."

The girl's expression was very complicated, but she nodded frankly, then muttered to herself thoughtfully.

"Desperate to do something, at all costs..."

In the middle of speaking, she stopped talking in a low voice, which should only be heard by herself, and raised her beautiful eyebrows and gave Ting Na a vicious look.

—Don’t tell Liliana and Alice.

Maybe that's what it means.

Tingna didn't know why this little girl tried so hard to hide her past and her real reason for coming to Liliana.

Now she was in no mood to think about it.

After receiving the scroll, Ting Na stared blankly at the happily smiling sea monster.

"...Is this really good?"

In any case, she couldn't restrain herself from asking this question.

"What does Miss Tina mean?"

The sea monster blinked those golden eyes, shook its tail and tilted its head, with a bright smile on its face.

"……nothing."

So the girl could only squeeze out a smile.

Immediately, the sea monster picked up his lover again and came to the edge of the platform.

Traveling through the world itself is not such a complicated procedure. After passing through this blue eye, you will return to the blue sky of Jinggang.

"Lily and Alice will follow to Jinggang, will Miss Tina follow?"

At this time, Alice said calmly in the girl's ear.

"……Eh?"

"It's nothing to be surprised about. If Lily doesn't follow, the old man will die on the way across the world. Although even if he follows, the arcane bandages used to maintain life probably won't last long after they fail. The environment in Jinggang is also The magic that is suitable for Ai to understand the ocean system... want to come?"

Tina raised her head, Liliana was looking at the platform where the fence was opened.

Although the black veil covered her black eyes, Tina could feel her sight.

It's like asking "Are you coming?"

Almost subconsciously, Tina was about to nod.

but.

She immediately shook her head desperately like an electric shock.

"...No, I just don't bother Alice and Miss Liliana, I'm...a little tired...and..."

But when she saw the sea monster happily saying sweet and expectant words to the aging man in her arms, it was like a barbed dagger was scraped across her chest, she took several steps back Sitting on the bench, he lowered his head in embarrassment.

Let the story stop here!

Let the hand who writes the story erase the aging of the lover from the article, and let the sea monster and him live a happy life from now on!

No one wants to know that the princess will grow old after marrying the prince, and no one wants to know that the prince will grow old and handsome in the end. Let this story stop here. Cruel times parted!

"Yeah?"

Alice said lightly.

Then, the weight on the shoulders is gone.

Subconsciously, Tina raised her head—maybe it would have been better not to, but she had seen it.

Seeing the Kraken hugging her lover and Liliana who was hugging Ai on the edge of the fence, jumping off without hesitation, seeing Alice who was the last to leave the platform turned her head, and with those silver eyes, she looked deeply, deeply He stared deeply at himself and then fell down.

Miss Doll said nothing.

It's just that the eyes are unprecedentedly gentle.

The emerald stone pillars surrounding the deep spring shone with radiance, and humming came from the radiance.

—I will sing a song, a song of sweet happiness—

——The wind is blowing and the snow is drifting The aurora descends from the night sky——

——Even if time turns you into something strange to me——

——Under the sky as blue as the sea——

A sweet and happy ballad.

Tina buried her head deeply in her arms and covered her ears, but the ballad.

— my love —

——I will go with you—

In the spring, it reverberated for a long time.