The Witch and the Doll Swear

I don't know when, Tingna fell in love with looking up at the starry sky on the top of the mountain.

Emerald Cui is just a low mountain, but sometimes Tingna thinks that on top of this high city, this mountain that is interdependent with Liliana's tower might be the land on this continent. The closest place to the starry sky.

Whenever the sunshine of Saigon falls on the boundary between the clouds and the sky, the dark blue night will infect the fiery red sky. The floating city floats in the sea of ​​burning clouds. Standing on the top of the mountain and having a bird's-eye view, it is like standing at the peak of the world. The dark blue and fiery red, the boundary between the sky and the sea of ​​clouds is extremely clear, as if it is the end of the world.

And the world is in sight

But what an arrogant thought.

——Overly magnificent scenery will make people realize the beauty and vastness of the world, but it will also give people too arrogant confidence.

One day, when Tingna and Liliana moved the dinner table here for the first time, when she expressed her feelings, the witch spoke calmly while holding a bright red goblet.

Tina, who returned to the tower after dinner, did not understand what this meant. But it didn't take long, when Tingna witnessed the disappearance of the dusk alone, she understood the witch's words.

The evening in winter is very short. Before the sunset comes to an end, the setting sun that hangs in the west has already fallen to the end of the horizon early.

As the moon rises.

The sea of ​​clouds is no longer burning, just like every cluster of grand fireworks will be dimmed, the night occupies the sky, and the evening wind blows the sea of ​​clouds into endless waves.

The stars shine right here.

The sky and the world are endless and far-reaching.

"...It's really small..."

The girl's hometown was her world. Not long ago, her world was full of unknowns, and then, at that moment.

The "world" disappeared from the girl's eyes.

Tina couldn't use more words to mock her arrogance, and she couldn't write the magnificence of this brilliant galaxy.

Now, she seems to be able to understand why those sages worshiped in front of the "world" and wept bitterly. It came from the soul and directly touched the feeling of this body. It could not be translated into words, it could only be deeply felt. I deeply feel the insignificance of the thing named [human].

Since then, Tina will always walk across the aqueduct bridge erected in Liliana's room before dinner, waiting for the burning and extinction of the world, looking up at the starry Milky Way, and then coming here again before going to bed, bathing in warmth The melting snow, falling asleep.

Although it was interrupted for a while because of Ai's appearance, Liliana removed the magic light curtain at the stairway after bidding farewell to the siren from the fountain.

"Phew...it's so comfortable..."

The pure white snowflakes accumulated all year round are melted by the geothermal heat in the mountains, gathered in the depressions on the top of the mountain, soaked in the slightly hot clear spring water, and still feel that the soul seems to be sublimated.

——The reason why Princess Lily likes hot springs as much as Alice, now Tina has a complete and profound understanding.

Aqua thought, and greeted this human girl who was blessed by her.

"Good evening, Miss Tingna, you have worked hard today too."

"It's not too hard..."

"You're lying? When I came back, even my soul seemed to have flown somewhere."

"...Ah, it's a lie."

Tingna just finished her first job as a secretary today... No, including the budget meeting with Miss Tessa on Liliana's contribution to the Cetillin Ancient Language Research Institute for this year, it should actually be her second serious job.

Rejecting their marching wishes in front of thousands of people is not an easy job, especially when she saw Frogo at the front of the line, and Frogo was dumbfounded when he saw her, Tina His whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

In the end, just trying to finish reading Ai's manuscript without stuttering, the girl felt as if she had gone on a long-distance race.

"Today, Miss Noam, Miss Knight and Miss Salamanda are really down there too..."

When soaking in the hot springs, you are not alone. Basically, after a day’s work, the elves in the tower also like to soak in the hot springs, arrange light snacks on small plates, and use porcelain or jade wine Fill the jug with wine from all over the continent. Akua smiled slightly, and filled the brownish crystals for the girl and herself.

"Yes, Miss Tina, do you want to drink? Today's wine is Mapolili Winery, a good wine from the year of the acorn. Because the grape production was very low that year, in order to solve the problem of low production, the winemakers put Some magic plants were filled together, and I didn’t expect to brew a wine with a unique flavor and medicinal value. Drinking some before going to bed will help you have a good dream.”

"I haven't had a dream for a long time..."

During the conversation, Tina took the wine glass.

Elemental elves have no physical needs for food, but under the influence of Liliana and Alice, for them, food, wine and hot springs are all hobbies.

And hobbies are also different.

Knight hated the lights that scattered the darkness when looking down from the top of the hill.

Norm liked valleys surrounded by rock walls.

Therefore, the elves of darkness and the earth chose the location of the hot springs to be in the Emerald Valley, the small lake where the hot springs gather.

Salamanda prefers magma to hot springs, so he took a look at the magma spring in the valley.

Compared to them, Wright likes mild rice wine and bright stars and moons. Although the moonless night has neither the twinkling of stars nor the shining of double moons, the light and streetscapes shining from the clouds are still beautiful enough. Now, she is sitting on a big rock by the hot spring, silently looking into the distance.

"..."

Noticing Ting Na's gaze, she turned her face, slightly raised the crystal clear jade cup between her fingers, and nodded slightly.

Being parasitized by the Shadow Demon, coupled with Knight's blessing, Tina's affinity for dark elements is now exceptionally high, so this elf of light has always been lukewarm towards her.

As for Aqua...

"Miss Aqua, you probably don't particularly like spring water on top of mountains or in valleys..."

"Yes, but if I don't come, Miss Tina will be very boring."

He took a sip of the crystal clear brown, the tip of his tongue stirred the cold liquid, and his body temperature allowed the aroma of the wine to slowly fill his mouth.

"How does it feel? It's a little sour, but it's not dry. It has the special aroma of the golden red grapes in the Marpoli Valley. When the wine flows through the throat, you will feel the crushed herbs brought by the magic plant in the nasal cavity. the fragrance of..."

"Uh-huh……"

Tina doesn't know how to taste wine. This drinking method was taught to her by Akua. The girl who drank the most expensive wine in the past and was only worth a dozen silver coins is very unfamiliar with the complex taste in her mouth. To say the feeling... …

"It was delicious……"

"Switching delicious food for delicious food is not considered wine tasting."

The translucent girl handed a small piece of cheese to Tina, and Tina blinked her eyes before she drank the wine.

"After all, Wright and Miss Tina don't get along very well, and Sylph at this time..."

The spirit of the water looks at the emerald emerald peak.

Strictly speaking, this melting snow spring is still located in a relatively low-lying place on the top of the mountain. On the real top of the mountain, the sky-blue hair is fluttering in the wind.

"...It's too quiet..."

It's hard to imagine a free wind elf. In all the stories and Tina's impression, these wind elves are a kind of lively elves who love to fly around, as if they will never stop. However, Sylph does not Same.

She likes to fly freely, and likes to brush Tina's skirt from time to time, or when Miss Witch gets up sleepily from the bed in order to catch up with the Supreme Council meeting, she giggles and uses the cold wind with ice chips to make her immediately Sober, however.

However, what Sylph likes most is sitting alone on the emerald hilltop in the middle of the night, quietly in a daze.

"...The spirit of the wind is so quiet, those fairy tale writers must be surprised when they hear it..."

"Sylph is just special."

The wine was finished quickly, and Akua didn't mention the degree of the wine. After drinking a large cup, the alcohol injected heat into the blood vessels, and the body was warm. Drunkness and sleepiness were churning in his mind, and they all came together up.

Ting Na looked at her slightly flushed face on the water, and put the tall wine glass beside the hot spring.

"Miss Liliana, Alice and Ai... are you going to stay overnight again?"

A little bit drunk.

"The big exam is coming to an end, and the overhaul of the City of Thousand Towers is coming to an end. Princess Lily and Alice will probably be much more relaxed. The riots in the Artisan City have subsided. Alas, it's really big. Fortunately, Brilliance sent a lot of powerful students to this year's season trials, and although the Black Council and the Twelve-winged Serpent were making trouble there, they are indeed gradually declining after Princess Lily left..."

"Huh? That means..."

Tingna blinked her eyes. Alcohol made her think a little bit hard, the city of artisans, the city of artisans... Ah, it is the city where the [steam engine] was invented, the Black Council and the Twelve-winged Serpentis... What is it.

"...That is to say, the problem is solved. The Guanghui Academy is an expert in leading changes. The Supreme Council decided to hand over the steam engine to them. At least it will not have too much impact on the existing magic industry in the mainland...In short."

Wright played with the small wine glass with her fingers.

"Princess Lily will be completely idle. When Ms. Ai passes the subject... or fails, she will leave this city. How many years will it be before she comes back next time..."

"...That's true, from a selfish point of view, I really hope that the commotion can last longer."

Akuya put down her wine glass, and leaned against the rock wall of the hot spring feeling a little lonely.

She narrowed her eyes and glanced at the silent girl, who was holding a glass of wine and meditating. For her, the energy revolution that the steam engine might bring, the riots of the heretics in the city of artisans, the silhouette of the new era...all of these are important. It's too far away.

Among all the elemental elves, apart from Knight, she was closest to the girl who grew up by the sea. Following her gaze, Akua saw the top of the tower.

There is a dark red light constantly shining.

Although the blond girl didn't move back to that room, she was able to come and go freely—even though it was only two days ago, Tina never stayed there for long.

"...What exactly is Miss Ai's subject?"

"...sea, sky, frost, flame, earth, light, darkness...the seven branches of elemental system magic, master a great magic on each branch...in one week, Princess Lily, Alice and we will give All the help she needs, if she can't do it under this premise..."

The spirit of light put down his wine glass.

Tina was silent.

After a long time, she picked up the wine glass full of fine wine again.

In the dialogue between the girl and the elf, time quietly passes through the moment of change.

The 11th of the moonless moon has become history, and the penultimate day of this week has climbed up the continent's schedule.

It was the last day before the final exam and Liliana's birthday.

In the morning of this day, Tingna, as usual, woke up in a daze for a long time, looked at the 12 on the calendar made by alchemy, rubbed, and rubbed her eyes.

At breakfast time, Miss Witch and Ai still didn't show up, and Alice still had a cold face, which made Tingna dare not ask about Liliana's birthday.

In fact, asking the elves is also a way, but this is really not a good choice. These blunt, secretive elves would soon make it known to everyone, even the taciturn Norm and the most reliable Lyte.

However, if she can't get a definite answer, Tina is not sure whether the immortal witch, after living such a long life, still accepts birthdays as a form of ephemeral life scale, and if she will get angry instead If so, it's over.

And Ai.

For some reason, the girl did not accept Liliana's kind intention of postponing the assessment of the subject for a day or two.

The girl insisted that after she, Liliana, and Alice sent Miss Siren to Jinggang, Miss Witch also taught her there, and Aurora Night is the plane of water element, the plane of light element and the plane of dark element The spectacular night of the aurora and the calm ocean reflecting light and dark gave her an epiphany of many things, almost equivalent to her practice for several days... In this way, it said a lot.

But Tina felt that she was just obsessed with the 13th.

The one-week deadline seems to have been proposed by Ai to Liliana who gave her a test in the black pine room that morning when Tina was still asleep.

It's not that day.

It's pointless to postpone it.

The 13th obviously has a special meaning to Ai. Could it be because Ai also knows that it is Miss Witch's birthday?

Tina wanted to ask, but couldn't find a chance.

Even so, in the afternoon of this day.

On the pretext that she wanted to go for a walk, Tina came to a gift shop near the Black Truffle Square.

After pushing open the red wooden door of the gift shop decorated with cute kittens, she was brought to the antique wooden window in the voice of the clerk "Welcome". Looking at the dazzling array of exquisite small gifts, the girl couldn't help but pat own forehead.

"I'm really stupid..."

This is completely exposed! It doesn't matter whether it's Alice or the elves who are quietly following behind me now - the former is more likely because the elves seem to have lost interest in following and guarding themselves after that time - but it doesn't matter who it is, The act of walking into a gift shop couldn't be more obvious, right?

"Who is this lady planning to give the gift to?"

"Well, a woman I'm very important and very fond of, but, she's been through a very long time so don't know what to think about birthdays..."

Especially when he directly stated his purpose in such a careless manner.

At that moment, Tina wanted to take Miss Witch's pocket watch and turn the pointer back, but as soon as the idea came up, she thought that even Liliana couldn't turn back time, so she had to let go of her annoyance. With a sigh, he patted his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Is that woman human?"

"Eh? Um...that's right."

But now that we have reached this point, what else can we do?

Ting Na thought for a while, wanting to cry, but nodded.

A witch... can be considered as a kind of human being, and before becoming a witch, Liliana was just an ordinary human being,

"In that case, miss, it's better to go to the side and ask for clarification. Although you don't say it, women who have gone through an extra long time are somewhat... that."

"……can you?"

"Tragedies like this have happened before."

The clerk nodded, feeling a little apprehensive.

"Seven years ago, a man came to our store to buy a bottle of eye cream for his lover's birthday. The original meaning was to let the lover who always complained to the book that his eyes were tired could relax and rest, but his lover paid attention. When I saw the anti-wrinkle effect in the eye cream description, I was furious and shouted, "Do you think I am old?", and threw him from the edge of the city of thousands of towers... At that time, she was already 180 years old, the magic of maintaining youth The effects are starting to wear off, and the man is only 26 years old, and she seems to have always had low self-esteem about it."

"……The results of it."

"No one was hurt, if not for the emotional damage that the years-long Cold War did to both men."

"...I will pay attention."

Tina was silent for a moment and left the gift shop.

I thought I would see the cold face of the puppet lady as soon as I went out, but nothing happened. Maybe it was because I had a public face, and the situation of everyone shouting and beating that I was worried about yesterday did not appear.

"That...Miss Alice?"

Even if Alice whispered that she should be following her, it was just a cold snort coming from nowhere in the air.

On the way back to Fei Leng Cui, Ting Na was always worried, just like a city where the final exam was approaching and the parade failed, making it seem dull and depressing.

While she was absent-mindedly looking at the recently familiar scenery outside the window, she saw a string of horseshoes and ruts on the snow.

A new snow covered the valley because of the high wind that blew up high in the morning.

In order to save the several silver coins for calling a taxi, the thrifty Tingna has always walked down the valley to the nearby streets and then took a carriage - and now she can still see the footprints left by the girl on the side of the road.

And the area around Emerald Cui is Liliana's private domain. Without permission, the carriage should not be allowed to enter...

Between two tall black pines, the coachman stops his steel horses.

Tingna got off the carriage and handed over a few silver coins for the fare to the coachman, but her attention was attracted by another carriage in front of the tower.

It was a luxurious carriage with a pure white body and many patterns. On the back of the carriage, a ferocious golden lion biting intertwined sharp swords.

A noble carriage.

If these are not convincing enough, then the two pure white horses pulling the cart are even more powerful evidence. In the City of Thousand Towers, only the nobles would ride in a carriage pulled by such horses.

Beside the carriage, Noam was grooming two horses. Seeing Tina approaching, she turned her head and greeted politely.

"Welcome back, Miss Tina."

The two white horses seemed to be enjoying the caress of the earth elves. They rubbed against the elf's gray skin like children coquettish to their mothers, sticking out their tongues to lick the elf's face. Norm's face was as usual with that With a kind smile, he reached into his belly and dug out a few pieces of potatoes to feed them.

After getting along with these elves for such a period of time, it is more or less acceptable for such a curious sight to be like finding a Salamanda sleeping on its stomach in the fireplace, and turning itself into a puddle of cleaning floor covering the floor of the room Kuya...

"... Miss Liliana has any guests?"

Taking a deep breath to keep calm, Tina asked Noam about the identity of the owner of the carriage.

Nod, nod.

"It's really strange, because it's uncomfortable to wear clothes in my own tower. Lily usually doesn't meet guests, especially when she is still teaching today, that little guy must be crazy."

Alice emerged from the winter wind and floated onto Tina's shoulders.

Then, she furrowed her silvery brows again.

"What's wrong?"

Tina also noticed that Noam's face was obviously showing worry.

"It's the head of the Osforth family..."

"The one from the Oswalds? The one from the Standing Council?"

"He is Miss Ai's father."

"……Eh?"

……………………………………………………………………………………

"Get out of here!!!"

When Tinna, who was holding Alice, came to the ninth floor of the tower panting, an extremely angry voice exploded like thunder.

It's Ai.

Is this... Ai's voice?

Ting Na and Ai didn't communicate much. In this short period of less than a week, Ai left the girl with the impression of being a bit arrogant and savage, but she is actually quite a cute girl. The little fish in front of you turned a blind eye, but the cat that wagged its tail and allowed your palm to brush its fur when you wanted to pet it.

——Can a cat roar like a lion?

Of course not.

But Tina was mistaken.

Ai is not a cat.

The furious roar of the young lion made Tinna feel the girl's anger stirring in her mind even after she covered her ears.

Alice pushed open the door of the reception room with a cold face.

In front of the fur-padded sofa, Ai stood there, clenched his fists, and bared his sharp canine teeth to the middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes sitting across from him.

"Is it proper etiquette for a nobleman to make a scene in front of your father, the guest who takes care of your benefactor?"

But the man is indifferent.

Even if Ai—— was stared at by his daughter with such hatred, the man with white silk gloves, blond hair and red pupils just picked up the black tea filled by Akua and stared at her calmly with an elegant demeanor. .

"Do you know how much trouble your leaving without authorization has brought to the maid who took care of you and the family?"

"I don't care what you think!"

Although it is a rebuke, it is not a rebuke tone, the man's voice is full of deep helplessness

Ai's tone didn't ease because of this.

In her eyes, the girl saw the pitch-black flames again.

It's not such a quiet swaying, the fire of will that can't be extinguished no matter the storm or the heavy rain, it seems that all the loathing and hatred are gathered, like deep dark clouds rolling and roaring to cover the sky, brewing vicious killing intent in it!

Without concealing it, even Ting Na at the door of the reception room could feel the sharp will of a needle, not to mention the man and the meticulous old housekeeper standing behind him.

But they didn't divert their attention because of this, but looked at Ai calmly, facing such killing intent, it was like a provocation, obviously facing their own family members, but Ai seemed to grab the teacup in front of him at any time. He smashed his head and broke his blood!

"Miss Ai."

Tina was surprised that she could still speak at this moment.

Ai glanced at the girl, and Tina believed that the girl had already seen the second half of the sentence she couldn't say from her face—even though, it might be a particularly ridiculous expression.

Her small chest heaved with rapid breathing, and then.

"...Get out of here for me, don't contaminate your sinister, disgusting smell into the tower of the mentor."

Sitting down a little dejectedly.

"It will be a long time before you can live independently and decide your own future independently, my daughter, and according to the regulations of the City of Thousand Towers, to become an apprentice of a mentor, in addition to obtaining the consent of the mentor himself , you also need to have the guardian's official approval document, you are just causing trouble for Miss Liliana."

Adding some milk to the black tea, the man raised his eyes, those blue pupils stared at his daughter, and then he let out a long sigh.

"Go home, Ai, I won't let you run around outside, it's too dangerous."

Very gentle, very gentle words, without a trace of sternness, rather than preaching and ordering, it is more like a plea to lower your figure.

"Absolutely not!"

All he got was the girl's scream of venom.

"Anyway—I'm not going back anyway!"

"... Ai."

Finally, Liliana spoke.

The witch, who specially put on a proper magician's cloak to meet the guests, finally spoke. Her voice lacked ups and downs as usual, but it had a reassuring weight just because of the lack of ups and downs.

She reached out and stroked the girl's long black hair, thoughtfully.

"...The appointed time is tomorrow, I will never go back, I must realize my dream!"

"Ai."

The man just shook his head calmly.

"You should understand that it is illegal to become someone's apprentice without the guardian's permission in the City of Thousand Towers. Before the agreement was unanimously approved, your behavior was just causing trouble to the young lady who took you in and took care of you."

Tina looked at Alice in surprise, but the doll with a cold face just nodded silently to indicate that the man was right.

"...you bastard..."

"...Miss Ai, please don't blame Master Tite, he..."

"Shut up! Teeter, you bastard..."

The dark red magic light rose enchantingly, like a dark flame enveloping the girl's body.

Ai's anger was completely ignited by the man's words. The pitch-black hair fluttered like the snake hair of the legendary Medusa, and those wine-red eyes were shining, as if the substantive anger finally no longer concealed its burning.

Maybe a real nobleman is like this, no matter what happens, he always remains graceful and unflappable, just like Liliana, like this man named Tite now.

Even facing his daughter's killing intent, Tite still looked calm. He put down his teacup and thanked the water spirit who made tea for him.

"...Ai, I didn't teach you magic to let you kill your family."

And Liliana also spoke again.

The dark red magic light gradually faded, and the girl who lowered her head gritted her teeth.

"...Tomorrow... If I fail to complete Liliana's tutor tomorrow, I will go back with you."

Ai's voice was like squeezing hatred out of his teeth.

"Now... get lost."

After she finished speaking, she turned and walked past Tina, walked to the end of the corridor, and climbed up the stairs leading to the top floor.

"ah……"

Tina failed to stop the girl.

She couldn't say a second sentence at all in this meeting, not because she didn't want to.

——This is between Ai and her father.

It was Miss Doll who said so and stopped her.

"……ha."

After Ai left, Tite's straight back seemed to be finally unable to bear the weight of silence, and became bent.

"...Cisega, the medicine..."

"Yes, Lord Teeter."

He turned his head to give instructions to his old butler, and then looked at Akuya who was standing beside him.

"Pour me a glass of water, please?"

"Do you want it cold or warm?"

"Warm is good."

Akuya nodded, and soon, a glass of pure water was handed to Tite.

Swallowing some small white and red pills with the cup of warm water, the man finally revealed a trace of lingering exhaustion in his perfect appearance, bowed his head towards Liliana and Tingna who was sitting next to the witch.

"excuse me."

"...You don't have to put on that aristocratic appearance in front of me at all. I have seen more fathers than you. I know what a father who is anxious to take his daughter away should look like."

Holding Alice from Tina's arms, Liliana said flatly.

"Glory is the blood of a nobleman and etiquette is the face of a nobleman. In any case, I am a nobleman first, and a father second."

Shaking his head, Tite leaned back on the fur sofa with a wry smile.

"Please allow me to apologize again for coming uninvited, Miss Liliana, during this time, my daughter has been taken care of by everyone."

"Don't talk so much nonsense."

Alice seemed very unimpressed by this.

"What you say next will determine whether Alice and Lily will continue to take care of your daughter... The laws of the City of Thousand Towers are only valid for the City of Thousand Towers."

There seemed to be a blizzard in those silver eyes, she stared at the man in front of her with a cold tone.

"In order to bring Ai back, no matter what you want to know, I will tell you the truth... Before this, did Ai tell you about her past?"

"No."

Tina shook her head, and then, as if relieved, Tite unwrapped all the tangled wrinkles.

"Is it convenient for you to make up lies?"

Alice raised her eyebrows and asked coldly.

"No, it's just... even if it's the same thing, different people will have different views on it, especially when looking at it with colored glasses..."

"Are you trying to say don't make us believe Ai's words?"

Knight, who was standing aside, spoke faintly.

"I just hope that you don't blindly believe in one side of the story, including mine... Where do I start to say it... By the way, Miss Liliana must know."

The man laughed at himself and pinched his tall nose.

"Vampire disease."

"...a congenital disease. When the patient is exposed to light, the skin will be severely festered in a short period of time. It is named because it is similar to the symptoms after being bitten by some vampire monsters."

"...No effective cure has been invented so far. Apart from living in darkness all their lives, patients can only seek a way to get rid of their human bodies. Both blood races and goblins are very stingy in this regard. If Aid suffers from This disease..." Liliana raised her eyebrows slightly.

"It used to be an incurable disease, once. My daughter... Einhardt did suffer from such a disease..."

Tite shook his head, followed by a short silence.

"Moreover, he has shown exceptionally severe symptoms since birth..."

The narration began.

……………………………………………………………………………………

After a while.

Watching the carriage pulled by two white horses leave new marks on the snow, the witch standing by the balcony watched the marks of wheels and horseshoes go away on the stone slab among the black pines, and said nothing.

She walked back to the sofa silently, and glanced at Ting Na who was full of emotion.

"... moved?"

Those dark pupils were deeper than before.

Ting Na, who was still immersed in a father's heartfelt confession, nodded to her subconsciously.

What the aristocratic man told is not a very long story.

Since birth, the girl seemed to be insulated from the light of this world, any faint light was poisonous to her skin that could not open her eyes yet.

Just leaving the mother's womb, the light in the delivery room almost took away the life that could not even cry. If the midwife doctor hadn't reacted in an instant and cast the [Darkness Technique] instantly, this young life would have been destroyed. Will die at the same time of birth.

— Vampire disease.

——The severity can be said to be unprecedented.

When the girl's parents knew about this incident, they also saw the horrible scars on the child who had finally been rescued.

Their only child is wrapped in life-sustaining arcane bandages before they even put on their carefully prepared culottes, and will spend his life in darkness without any light, even his parents can't see her face—

Mother almost collapsed.

It was not the father of the magician who put down the bowstring of the violin from that day on and picked up the obscure alchemy classics.

"If you go to the database of the Association of Magicians now, you can find the only treatment plan, and the submitter is...Tite Osfuss."

Teeter said lightly.

Since vampire disease is essentially a natural constitutional problem, it is enough to change the constitution.

The best options are the sap of the ancient tree, the first embrace of the vampire, and the blood of the giant dragon, but the Osfus and Einhart families have no friendship with the goblins and vampires, let alone those high-ranking giant dragons. The road does not exist.

However, the man who came from a magical family and once hated magic seems to have inherited the talent passed down from generation to generation in the family. He got inspiration from an ancient profession that has now disappeared, the process of changing jobs as a demon hunter, and developed the A drug that induces physical changes.

But this drug has no chance of clinical trials.

In itself, vampire disease is a rare congenital disease. Experimental animals can be made sick through magic and poison. Leaving aside, human diseased individuals are not common. The reason why people who are injured by vampires show the same symptoms is It is the curse of monsters that has different causes. Even if the power of the family is used, the man cannot find anyone who can be used as an experiment.

At this point, time has passed the second Advent.

My daughter is two years old.

A child of this age should have opened her eyes and started babbling, and started to use her hands and legs to go to this beautiful world. In that dark, lightless world, she has spent two full years, He and his wife spent two full years facing a mass of darkness.

It can't go on like this.

The daughter can't bathe in the sun, and as a father, he can't even see his daughter's face clearly. This is a future he can't accept anyway.

His wife was even more decisive. After discussion, they used the drug on the girl who was only two years old at the time.

When he said this, the originally proud expression disappeared from the man's face. The middle-aged man sighed dejectedly and fell into silence.

The meaning of silence is definitely not failure, because Ai left this living room angrily not long ago, but...it doesn't necessarily mean success.

The man's somewhat grizzled blond curly hair and blue eyes are evidence of this.

That blond hair and blue pupils are the most common appearance of humans on this continent, but Ai's pupil color and hair color are completely different.

What happened after that?

Tite took a deep breath for Tina who couldn't help asking such a question.

"After that... Ai did get better."

He said.

"Under the dim light, her skin no longer festered like butter under the flames. I burst into tears of joy. Until then, I felt that everything was worth it. We hugged Ai and watched all night long." Looking at her, praying to the gods for the first time in my life, I was ecstatic that I had overcome this incurable disease."

But such days lasted only a short, insignificant day.

It was like a mockery cast by the gods on his arrogance—Tite told Liliana, Tina and Alice in a self-deprecating manner that after taking the second dose of the previous day's dose the next day, Ai's body immediately There was a severe allergic reaction.

A large area of ​​measles and edema occurred on the young body, which almost cut off the girl's breath and life.

Once again, life and death danced on the tip of a knife.

The reason is the poison in the medicine.

There is a saying in the Eastern Kingdom that "medicine has three parts of poison". Even the detoxification medicine on this continent contains toxicity, and in this medicine developed by men, poison is an important ingredient that promotes physical changes. The toxicity caused a slight nausea at best, but was too drastic for a young body.

The change in physique is stronger than intense, making the immature immune system too sensitive.

The allergens are the dust floating in the air, the fabric on the body, the bedding on the crib—except for water, mother's milk, some metals with extremely stable properties, almost everything that does not belong to the human body, has become a different kind of drama. poison.

Joy fell to the bottom in an instant.

Do you continue to take medicine?

Or stop?

Without more information, it is impossible to start even improving the potion.

Even if they understand that this is a side effect of physical changes, as long as they can get over it, the painful crying makes them unable to calm down until.

"Until Ai's mother thought of a secret method that has been passed down among witches for a long time, using the human body as a filter to block the overly severe toxicity, retaining milder medicinal properties and transferring them to Ai's body through breast milk... In this way, the effects and side effects will be reduced." If it is weakened, the treatment time will become very, very long."

Looking at Liliana who was unbuttoning the dress beside her, Tingna couldn't help stretching out her hand.

"...That's how Miss Liliana healed me."

"……yes."

Liliana lowered her head and looked at her skin that was as white as new snow before coming to this city, but now it is like a glass of chocolate mixed with milk.

She explained to the girl while taking off the dress. .

"...The secret method of purification is very risky for those who use it. The side effects of the black dragon's blood will take at least several months to subside, and Ai's mother."

When the man said this, she didn't speak, but calmly watched Tite holding the wedding ring on her little finger, talking hoarsely.

"This is an extremely stupid therapy, so few witches know it anymore, but because it is effective, it has never been completely lost."

Putting the bone china teacups on the tray one by one, Aqua raised his head hesitantly.

"Does Ai know about this..."

"...Maybe they don't know. They don't want their daughter to know that they have an incurable disease. Since Ai has memories, the symptoms have been relieved by continuous treatment..."

Liliana shook her head lightly.

They locked Ai in a clean room made of metal with only a small amount of light input. In order to shorten the treatment time as much as possible, Ai needs to ingest breast milk for at least one-third of the time every day to obtain the filtered medicine. So, this also lasted for 6 full years.

"Ai Xingxu didn't even know he was sick."

Alice came to a conclusion lightly.

For Ai, it has been a long treatment and a long change.

For that mother, it was a long poisoning and a long death.

In the past six years, Tite has been busy with the affairs of the two families in order to obtain more resources and find a cure for his lover. When Ai's mother began to show many serious symptoms of poisoning, his attention gradually changed The better daughter moved away.

"You can actually ask a nursing mother, or is other people's milk also causing allergies?"

"For a long time, mother's breast milk was the only food that Ai was not allergic to. Other than that, she relied on some pills for the necessary nutrition. Communication and education were also entirely borne by her...until she was finally overwhelmed. "

"After that, as the vampire disease was gradually cured, and because the allergic symptoms finally eased to the point where they did not affect normal life, Ai's life and education were gradually handed over to personal maids and tutors. I was busy with the work of the Standing Council, but I still I didn’t let Ai leave the room where I could know her condition at any time, until this year’s big exam, when I wanted her to slowly start to enter society...she ran away."

Tina still remembers the man's painful expression when he said this.

"No, I don't know... It wasn't until Ai showed up at the Magicians Association yesterday that I finally got another clue about her... But it's somewhat conceivable. For Ai, I, the father, only came after her mother suddenly left. The strange man who appeared in front of me... No matter what, the time lost cannot be made up for."

Of course, what's more important is the excited face when he once again stated that he wanted to take Ai away but was flatly rejected by Liliana.

"No, you don't understand, Miss Liliana! Has my medicine completely cured the vampire disease? In addition to changing the color of the pupils, the color of the hair, and the appearance of many granulations in the rectum, what are the side effects of the physical change? ! Will it relapse? There is no evidence to prove this. I don’t dare to bet, and I don’t dare to be optimistic. I can’t lose any more important people!”

The man who staggered to his feet said this with a volume that could be called a shout. The old housekeeper helped him and let him sit down on the sofa. Perhaps it was the recalled past that completely tore the face of the so-called nobleman into pieces. He crossed his hands and supported his forehead.

"I can't lose anyone anymore..."

So murmuring and trembling.

"To be honest, I feel a bit pitiful..."

"So, what does Miss Tina think this is?"

The witch and the doll remained unmoved.

Both then and now.

"Eh?"

Upon hearing the witch's question, Tina said "Hey".

Then……

"...Is it a misunderstanding?"

Tit's story about his daughter came to an abrupt end on the first day of the starless moon. It was not until yesterday, when Ai appeared in the sky tower of the Magicians Association, that he finally found his daughter.

Ai also didn't tell Tina and Liliana the reason why she left home. She told Liliana the reason why she wanted to become an apprentice... Yes.

--【I have a dream. 】

It's a dream.

But why do we need Liliana’s power in order to realize our dreams?

Why is it that even though most people in the City of Thousand Towers don't know that Liliana A. Feilengcui is the seventh seat of Einsteins, this young girl finds her way here and almost restores Miss Witch's past?

"...It's too early to draw a conclusion now. Ai has already made a compromise. No matter what happens...it will have to wait until tomorrow."

Liliana, who finally returned to her most comfortable state, walked towards the door of the living room.

"Wait until tomorrow, okay..."

Looking at Liliana's back, Tina blinked.

——Ai's disappearance... I don't think it was you who helped. It was probably the child's plan. She didn't know anyone in this city. I believe it was no accident that she found you.

……so?

——Even you and me.

The man stood up and left, leaving only his half-sentence and his straight back.

That back view reminded the girl of another father she met during the journey.

...Now, have he and his little Moo lived a peaceful and stable life somewhere?

"...Ms. Tina, where are the texts that I got from the Sethi Lin Institute of Ancient Language today?"

"Ah, in the study room..."

Taking one last look at the carriage wheels, Tina stood up and walked towards Liliana.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The aftermath of a certain day:

"By the way, Mr. Teeter said that it is illegal for Miss Liliana to take on an apprentice without the consent of her guardian... Is that true?"

"……it is true."

"...Eh?" "Article 162 of the Education Law of the City of Thousand Towers. Before reaching a consensus with the guardian, a magician shall not recruit apprentices without authorization. Violators shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than ten years but not more than fifty years and one year's imprisonment." A fine of one thousand to three thousand gold coins, and if serious consequences are caused, expulsion from the city of a thousand towers is a very serious punishment."

"This, so serious..."

"Hmph, not every magician is qualified to be a mentor. There are many who use apprentices as experimental subjects, wantonly torture or even kill them. In the ancient magic empire, apprentices were even the private property of magicians like slaves... until the third chapter. Such laws were only established at the beginning of the Second Era, which protected many apprentices.”

"Why, why do you have to accept Ai even if you don't hesitate to break such a law!"

"...Yeah, why..."