The Witch and the Doll Swear

Passing through the long tunnel in the mountains is the Holly Mountains. In the vast mountains under the sun, the lead gray train stops beside the shallows in front of the mountains.

This is a station of the train. The gradually widening river channel makes the torrent between the mountains and valleys become gentle here. Next to the shoal, a pier is busy with boats.

The train stayed here for ten minutes. Some people got off the ferry and got on the train from here, and some people got off the train and boarded the ferry with some barnacles attached to the bottom of the boat. Together with the wood and rocks, they disappeared. on the far side of the river.

When the last whistle disappeared among the echoes of the mountains, the train moved again.

Along the river, the track between the mountains extends in the other direction at the first bend of the river, and when you pass the railway track between the mountains again, the view ends.

The horizon suddenly opened up.

The winter sky stretches as far as the eye can see, the continuous mountains are gradually flattening here, the river is like a blue sharp axe, and the gods of the past swing gracefully, and a vast plain is opened up among the steep mountains. Towns, farmlands, orchards, like strewn jewels dotted the winding ribbons, glistening in the midday sun.

"It's amazing... The road ahead is obviously not only hills but mountains, but behind these mountains... there is such a vast and beautiful plain... No... This, is it a basin..."

Such a scene was never described in the books the girl had ever read. Tingna, who was sitting by the window, pushed open the window of the dining car with unspeakable emotion.

She lifts up the metal-framed glass, and the wind brings the fragrance of the river and the forest in. If you take a deep breath, you can still smell the fruity fragrance...

"Although it is a basin, because it is long and narrow overall, and it is located where the river channel widens, and the edge of the basin is still a mountainous area, it looks like a valley opened by a river among continuous mountains, so although it is a basin, no matter the map People still call this place the river valley.”

Sitting next to the open kingdom travel brochure, paying attention to the surrounding sight, the little doll is also looking at the same scenery as Tinna, the nun-style headscarf is blown up, and even the sunshine-like blond hair is blowing with the wind.

The robe decorated with gold ornaments similar to a nun's attire is the attire of the Sun Queen. As the "Sun Queen", Alice smiled lovingly at Tina, like a warm and bright sun.

"The surrounding high mountains block the water vapor, but the rivers running across the valley make this place not short of water, and there are long sunshine hours every year, so this place has become the largest grape producing area in the Kingdom. In Bean's country, this is one of the best wine producing areas."

"Holly Dale... Holly... what?"

People are grateful for the blessings of the river and named it after the color of the mountains. The wine here irrigates the entire vast land, so even the name of the province is "Holly River Valley".

There is Tina, the destination that Alice and Liliana are going to. Although this was not planned, but looking at such a scene, Tingna thought, maybe this is also very good.

...Well, "maybe", very good.

"Is that family running a famous winery here?"

"Yes, the Forster Territory is close to the Larollas River. The land is fertile and the water source is abundant. When Lily got this territory, they have always been some of the best brewers in the Holly Valley. Back then, Lily took the lord's The remit was given to the most skilled brewers of the day, and centuries later they must still be doing the same thing.”

"Speaking of which, what's the name of that winery? It's very long, so I forgot again...that...Miss Liliana?"

Turning his eyes away from the exciting scenery, he looked back at Ting Na, who was the only remaining travel companion, and unconsciously lowered his voice.

"Miss Liliana?"

"Lily, Lily—"

But the person concerned didn't seem to notice it, so Ting Na could only call her name in a low voice.

When Alice also looked at her little master with a helpless expression, after she also called softly several times.

"...?"

The witch who bowed her head in several charts raised her head, as if hiding her eyes from the starry sky, after looking at the girl in a suit for a second or two.

"...Yes, Masura Farah Deli Sucia Winery, it's a name that is not easy to remember."

Faintly said the long name of the winery that Ting Na could not remember at all.

Although she is as expressionless and beautiful as ever, the current Miss Witch is a little different from usual.

Tingna always felt that she could see the faint black aura emanating from her body, and her usually vicissitudes and empty eyes scanned the two pieces of paper that had been read many times since two days ago. Like a queen facing a difficult problem, she doesn't allow any interruption until she gets a definite answer.

This aura is so powerful that every traveler and train conductor who passed by their seats subconsciously lightened their steps. Even a mother who walked up to the witch an hour ago felt wow-wow in her arms. The crying baby also stopped crying as if he suddenly lost his voice.

"Miss Liliana who is serious... so majestic..."

Alice said that this is also a manifestation of Liliana's traits as a witch [magic charm]. The reason why Tina didn't realize it for a while was because she was always by Liliana's side, and the girl was almost used to it. .

Therefore, she didn't feel any restraint when she was baptized by Liliana's magical charm at such a close distance. She just wanted to kneel down and kiss the witch's toes... Cough, cough.

Only at this time did Tina have a little bit of real feeling that she had been traveling with the Witch and the Doll for so long.

"Is the winery in a bad business situation now?"

Coughing lightly, suppressing the messy thoughts, the girl leaned closer to Liliana's side.

"...From these charts, what we can know is that the sales volume of the winery increased sharply three years ago, but the sales volume of several wines has been declining since two years ago. Not only that, the wooden barrels ordered for winemaking , There are also some other tools that have become less, which means that not only their sales volume, but also their production volume has also decreased. As for what went wrong, and why... This can only be known when you get there. "

"is that so……"

Tina couldn't understand all the tables and numbers on the paper. Listening to Liliana's words, the girl couldn't help but recall what happened two days ago.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Olympian.

Someone once described this kingdom as the last beating heart of the Lion King. The vast empire built by Charlemagne, the once glorious Lionheart King, collapsed after his untimely death and was divided into three parts.

His most trusted general rallied his troops across the Channel to unite the islands as England.

His wife's family dominates the vast land, and they established the country as Lanxi in the name of the family.

But his direct blood, with the help of a friend, escaped to the border of the vast empire, and established Olympion in a small land.

Both England and Lanxi claimed that they inherited the will of Charlemagne, and denounced each other as rebellious. They fought endlessly for a hundred years, from the end of the second era to the end of the third era, until the 13th Jihad burned the mainland all over the country. be able to stop.

During this long period of time, the two kingdoms had a tacit understanding of ignoring Olympion, which is adjacent to the border of Lanxi, perhaps because they knew that the blood of this kingdom was the true successor of the Lionheart King. Maybe it's just that the land is too weak to compete with them, and even after the Thirteen Days Jihad, both countries helped Olympion rebuild from the ashes - maybe it's out of some kind of flattery, who knows .

Compared with them, the territory of this weak kingdom has not changed much. Only the catastrophe severely weakened the Einhart family as the royal family, and had to hand over the crown and scepter.

Now, those who rule this land are no longer the descendants of the Lionheart King.

After the airship docked in the capital Linlun, Liliana and Alice took Tingna to find the most expensive hotel in the city first, stayed in the most luxurious suite, and after grooming carefully, they visited a manor in the city .

Einhardt Estate.

The descendants of the Lionheart King who lost his throne are here now.

In order to dissolve Ai's marriage contract with a prince of the Olympian Kingdom, the support of the Reinhardt family must first be obtained. Only in this way, the witch who does not intend to reveal her true identity can negotiate with the royal family of the kingdom.

——In other words, Ai is actually a princess?

...The princess of the former royal family is not wrong.

Einhardt Estate.

Here is Ai's matrilineal family.

Although there was no appointment for the visit, after Miss Witch reported Liliana A. Forster's identity and handed over Einhardt's father's letter, the butler of the Einhardt family received them with a little awe and amazement. .

They were quickly brought to the reception room of the manor. Before the patriarch who was dealing with other affairs arrived, the witch in the reception room answered Tina's curious questions through a spiritual link.

It was Lin Lun's afternoon, the clear sky in deep winter was shining brightly, but in the old mansion built in an unknown era, the reception room was a bit dark.

Expensive firewood is stacked in the fireplace, and the exuberant flames bring warmth and unique fragrance, reflecting the simple and elegant wood color, everything here is gorgeous, but not vulgar.

Following Ai Lifu in Yansha City can be considered to have seen many nobles, but it was the first time for Tingna to come to this kind of ancient noble manor, holding a teacup that was said to be a famous kiln in the Eastern Kingdom in the second era, her body was tense of

——However, Ms. Liliana's contacts are really scary. She obviously didn't make an appointment, but she immediately received such hospitality just by giving her name... But, is First?

——After Charlemagne died, it was Lily who escorted the ancestors of this family all the way from the center of the empire to here. After the establishment of Olympian, they also gave Lily the title and territory of Earl, First Earl, this time Lily intends to use this identity to negotiate with them.

——Is it not possible to directly use the identity of the Supreme Council member of the Association of Magicians? In this way, for the sake of Ai's future, they will agree.

After Tina asked curiously, the witch answered with a long silence.

…Miss Tina has ever thought about the former royal family member’s termination of engagement with the current royal family member because she became an apprentice of the highest council member of the Association of Magicians. What kind of problems will this cause?

--Eh?

...Moreover, as the patriarch of a clan, the interests of the clan are more important than the future and happiness of someone in the clan. In the city of a thousand towers, there is a high tower and a magician in a private domain who can be equivalent to the prince of the kingdom, but since I am not often in the city of a thousand towers and Olympian, I need some more practical ones, which can Let them feel the real benefits. It happens that First is a good wine producing area. I believe they will agree after discussion. The problem lies with the royal family...

In order to dissolve the marriage contract between Ai and the prince—that is, the significant marriage between the former royal family member and the current royal family member—Liliana, as the proposer, needs to give both parties satisfactory benefits.

While explaining this to Tingna, who couldn't figure out how to deal with nobles, the patriarch, who had finished the business at hand, came to the reception room. He first expressed surprise and surprise, and then had a series of conversations with Miss Witch. Tina felt that there was something in his words But the greeting, which could not be heard, was just when Liliana led the topic to "I have one thing to ask for this visit".

"Speaking of which, Earl First lives in the city of a thousand towers, and rarely returns to Olympian, and he hasn't returned to the territory for a long time."

The old man with gray hair suddenly changed the subject meaningfully.

"I really miss the fine wine there, but these years, new wineries have emerged one after another, and the competition may be fierce. It has been a long time since you can't buy Rose Forster here in the capital..."

After he finished speaking, Liliana was silent for a while, and after chatting for a while, she didn't mention Ai's engagement at all, and left with Alice and Tingna.

After leaving the Einhart Manor, the witch went straight to the Merchant Association, and after showing the noble documents, she obtained several forms, and then thereafter.

Liliana and Alice took Tina and got on the train to the Holly Valley.

The voiceover of the Einhart family head's words was only known later on the train.

For the nobles, when negotiating with the nobles, making some deals, or asking others, unless they are too urgent to care about anything, they must first solve it—at least, conceal the problems of their own family.

This is not only polite, but also a behavior that can actually gain practical benefits. Those problems are like weaknesses. Once they are grasped, they will encounter various problems such as...

"Even if Lily brought up the topic of Ai's marriage contract at that time, it would have been rejected. You need to deal with your own family's problems before talking about these things, and Lily originally planned to use this family's winery as a bargaining chip. ..."

"Yes, is that so..."

"Usually, Lily doesn't really mind enjoying this unexpected trip, but now..."

To be honest, Ting Na, who is considered an aristocrat now, doesn't know much about such things.

But she can understand that such an episode suddenly appears when she can go to a place related to her own truth immediately, and this kind of unplanned thing will always make people a little unpleasant.

"...In short, it's better not to be troublesome, the sales decline, and they'd better give me a reasonable explanation, otherwise, I will re-evaluate whether they are still eligible to enjoy the free work without supervision. "

In the end, I folded those forms and put them back in the space storage ring, and the aura around me disappeared without a trace.

Looking at the sparkling river from a distance, Liliana, who has returned to her usual appearance, props her cheeks with her hands, leaning against the window, and Alice sits on her shoulders, wrapped in the winter chill, the holly forest The wind that blows makes the gradation and brilliant hair flutter beautifully.

...As long as Liliana-san and Alice-san are together, even unplanned trips are fun, or something.

In this case, I really can't say it...

"Miss Tina, what's the matter?"

"Eh, um, no, nothing, don't worry..."

Even if she was found staring at them, it didn't matter, but Tingna turned her head to look at the sky outside the window in a panic after the direction of her real gaze was revealed, hiding the blush on her face in the bright winter day among.

"...Speaking of which, why is Ms. Tingna looking at the airship timetable at the airport?"

"Eh? Ah, it's just that there's nothing else to read after reading that guidebook..."

Clang clang clang.

The colors of the mountains are quickly left behind, and the girl's flustered words are covered up. The steel wheels clang on the rails, and the train is heading towards the river valley, clanging and rattling.

Driving fast.