The Witch and the Doll Swear

I used to be confused.

Feelings and love, fetters and life, life and death.

These questions that I have never thought about in my warm and peaceful hometown, on the journey of leaving my hometown and chasing the beautiful rainbow light that is almost out of reach, are like bubbles floating in the deep sea, quietly floating on the surface of the sea. Crack without a sound.

one--

If you compare your heart to the blue and beautiful sea of ​​tranquility, these questions that quietly surfaced in your mind were just tiny bubbles at first, like the whispers of small fish in the sea wrapped in the exhaled breath and exposed to the surface of the sea.

--again.

At that time, I didn't care.

But gradually, it was no longer those silver shuttle-like fishes whispering under the sea. I, who inevitably noticed those little bubbles in the calm waves, couldn't look away at some point.

a bunch of --

Is this the shoals of fish gathered together to scare away predators in the sea, or the sighs of dogfish, tuna, and beluga whales in the deep sea?

— Another string.

The Sea of ​​Tranquility also seemed to be boiling, the sea water was stirred by air bubbles, and there was no calm blue anymore.

I used to think that returning to my warm hometown, setting foot on the silver-white sandy beach and grassland by the sea where I walked with them again, and keeping a little distance away would calm the restless ocean, but it didn't work.

Lying on a cheap but familiar bed, the delicious dishes served by my parents are so delicious that people want to cry, and the hot dogs baked by the aunt who moved back to the renovated old city still make people want to swallow their tongues together.

But even after returning to my hometown where I had been away for half a year, when I gazed at the sea surface on the beach at night, the once calm sea surface was still filled with huge bubbles from time to time.

Huge to every bloom. Both made the same huge hole appear on the sea surface.

So I understand.

This is not something sighing and whispering. In the depths of the sea, on the seabed, there is a cracked scar. It is a deep and long trench, tearing the hardest and most difficult to notice heart shell.

I have heard that there are scars in the deepest part of the sea. It is said that it is the hottest and coldest place in the world. The scorching blood of the earth is churning under the cracked rock formation. The temperature of the magma makes the sea water gasify in the blink of an eye, but the heat is too late. Ascending, hundreds of millions of tons of cold sea water also press it back into temperatureless droplets in an instant, water and fire repeat this endless cycle, and the thunderous cry is extinguished in the depths of the sea of ​​tranquility, on the surface of the sea Not even a single bubble rises.

That is the deepest moat in the world. It is the world that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. The warmth of the family and the atmosphere of the hometown cannot overcome it, even——

These don't help.

Knowing this is in the last month of winter and the first month of the new year.

During the afternoon tea, I tentatively mentioned what I saw in the gossip tabloids. A certain baron daughter who had a fiancée secretly dated her female lover was chased by newspaper reporters, which triggered an interesting story among the nobles. . After listening to this, the father shook his head and lamented that the world was getting worse, and the mother told him that if she met a beautiful girl when she was young—like Miss Liliana, she would definitely not marry him.

But then she sighed again, saying that the girl will eventually marry the man she loves and become a mother. No matter how close the two girls are, they must have their own marriages in the end, because this is the reality.

this is life.

Then she talked about what happened in the City of Glory, the most beautiful city-state on the mainland. Although there was a terrible riot in that city last fall, her mother seemed to have no worries or fears at all. He even helped people who were in danger, and was rewarded by Guanghui Academy afterwards, a pure gold school badge.

They kept this extremely precious thing, saying that it is equivalent to the admission recommendation letter issued by Guanghui College, which can allow the holder to go to the oldest and best college on the mainland without trying for a year, which can completely change fate What they want to leave to their grandchildren or grandchildren in the future...that is, my children.

Then they talked about how they always saw handsome boys holding girls' hands in Guanghui Academy, and then they talked about the interesting wedding customs they saw in the northern country they traveled to later.

I don't remember what kind of expression I spent that time with, but probably, it was just an ambiguous smile.

That night, on the surface of Tranquility Sea, I saw an iceberg illuminated by moonlight.

It's tall and big, but that's just the part that floats on the water.

Although my father may not have noticed, I think my mother may have noticed something.

When I went to watch the most grand astrology ceremony of the New Year Festival with Ai Lifu, which is also the annual meeting for the assessment of astrologer apprentices, the crowd standing in the square in front of the city hall waited for the zodiac sign representing this year to rise into the sky and enter the sky. When interpreted by the astrologers, she asked Elif about the blind date.

This is the first time I know that Alifu is on a blind date. After asking her in surprise, Alifu just said that she has seen a few people and plans to date one of them. I want to ask why, but this Three words can't be said anyway.

Why?

why?

But Ai Lifu seems to have seen through my thoughts, saying that even if she restores the family's prestige and glory, if there is no heir, her family will come to an end. In order to continue the family's glory, this is what she should be responsible for. Responsibility is also her goal.

I thought of the solid gold school badge again.

This answer kept me in a daze for a long time until I was awakened by the screams of the crowd.

The constellations representing the new year rose into the sky, and amidst the noise, someone shouted, and the shout continued to be transmitted and became louder and louder.

— Wrong, wrong.

——All the astrologers and their apprentices in Salt Sand City made a mistake in their divination.

I looked up, and the constellations that heralded the new year had risen on the horizon.

It was a sword that lit up from the slightly blood-red night sky. It was still in the sheath, but there were two stars, bright and cold like steel.

The year of the scabbard · three points out of the sword.

The interpretations of the masters of astrology came out soon, but there was no need for it. The year of the scabbard did not appear several times in the history of the mainland, and the total number of times in the three eras did not exceed twenty. This is a special constellation. The six stars that make up its blade all shine like this moment, heralding the opening of the Year of the Sword.

In the long recorded history, the mainland ushered in three years of the sword.

In the first era, the influence of the Templar Alliance declined, and the era when all kings came together, the icy sword hung high in the night sky for thirty-six years, until the great dragon warrior, the dragon descendants unified the mainland, and established the Psychedin Empire, and then From the empire of the Dragonborn Emperor the empire of ancient magic arose.

In the second era, when the ancient magic empire, which represents the highest achievement of human magic, collapsed, this sword floated coldly above the floating city of the magic emperor, until the sky was no longer the glory of the magician, until the great emperors were all annihilated. dust of history.

Almost every era, and the most recent one was just three hundred years ago.

In the third era, on the eve of the Thirteenth Holy War, many sects fought sharply with each other. When the so-called holy war swept across the continent like a frenzy, this constellation just silently flashed in the sky.

The Year of the Sword, Calamity, War, Blood, Death!

And the year of the scabbard is a herald or a warning, announcing to everyone on the mainland that there is a danger that is imminent.

Because of this bad omen, compared with the past, Salt Sands City also has a melancholy atmosphere throughout Advent.

Perhaps for this reason, after returning home for a while, my mother arranged several blind dates for me. In order not to embarrass her and disturb her, I went, but the best progress was only with a businessman in Yansha City Single youths in an alchemy shop discussed elementary alchemy for half an hour...

Well, that's the limit.

After that, my mother never arranged blind dates, nor did she mention these things.

Just, on that night.

On the surface of the Sea of ​​Tranquility, I saw the iceberg.

Floating alone in the sea, neither growing nor shrinking. Shined brightly by the moonlight, it scatters beautiful, colorful light.

Before, I thought it was the light of a rainbow, but gradually, I realized that I was wrong.

That is not a beautiful rainbow that can be seen at the right time and in the right place, and can even be touched. It is on the cold snowfield, in the higher sky, and it will only be gorgeous at a specific time. that flooded the night—

--aurora.

Then, the beast walks the moon.

"It's really not necessary, Mom, it's not the first time I've traveled far."

"Why, what if the daughter is going to go far away, and the parents will send you off."

"And we are the airship three hours later, we will drop you off and wait directly."

"……Eh?"

In the first month of spring, the chill of early spring has not completely disappeared, only the winter jasmine and primrose, which are not afraid of the cold, unfold their snow-white and light yellow buds.

In this season that makes hay fever sufferers very distressed, I stood at the door and looked at my parents who had also changed out of their shoes, dumbfounded.

Did my parents wake up to a love of travel too?

"Are you going to travel again? It's not that the mainland is not safe in the year of the scabbard..."

"It's not safe to stay in Yansha City, have you forgotten the terrible fire dragon last year?"

"That's a lava dragon beast, not a fire dragon..."

"Anyway, they are all dangerous things. The City of Glory claims to be the safest city on the mainland. It's not the same as being... Feriden..."

"It's the Freedmen of Feriden."

As she was talking, her mother got stuck, and after her father reminded her in a low voice, she rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes, that's right," she said.

"A lot of people died even in the City of Glory, those who turned into human pus or something, all died, none of them survived, the beautiful houses were burned, and the demons were wreaking havoc, then I understood Now, there is no place on this continent that is really safe. Even if you hide at home, if another lava dragon beast flies out of the volcano one day, you may not be as lucky as last time. Since this is the case, it is better to take advantage of it You can still go around. On the last trip, we met a passionate shepherd. She invited us to take a look at the Sumi prairie led by the orcs in the north. It is different from the prairie you went to Tinna. It is said that There are a lot of sheep raised there, and when the orc tribes migrate, it's like a fluffy ocean moving across the grassland. Tina, you don't know, but my favorite animal is the cute little lamb!"

"..."

I can't keep up with my mother's logic. No place on the mainland is really safe, so I have to go around?

Seeing me blankly, my mother shook her head with an expression of "Why are you so stupid".

But she didn't say much, just pointed to the clock in the room: "If you don't leave, you may not be able to catch up with the airship."

After finishing speaking, she took my hand and said hello to Alifu next door. My father locked the door behind and gave her the key for safekeeping. Soon, we left the apartment.

The slight coldness of early spring is accompanied by the elegant fragrance, and the sun of Saigon shines on the street.

After stopping a carriage, I looked back at the apartment that has been engraved in my life for more than 20 years. Alif was still leaning on the fence, her blond hair was braided, like flowing gold illuminated by light, she looked at Me, speaking to me silently.

The sun was shining on her face, and Sylph's blessing did not bring that silent farewell.

But I still saw her mouth clearly, it was four words.

After finishing speaking, she shook her head slightly and went back to her home.

"Tingna, check your itinerary and airship receipt for the last time, if you find something missing, there is nothing you can do."

"Ah, yes!"

My mother, who had already sat in the carriage, urged me, and I hurriedly took out the receipts and itinerary, and double-checked that there was nothing missing.

I looked at the name of the last stop written on the itinerary, and stretched out my hand to stroke it gently.

Alexandra.

The ancient kingdom of sand seas, the capital of Sinai.

"...Please wait a little longer, I will pass right away."

"Tina?"

"Well, nothing, let's go."

Shaking my head vigorously, finally, I took a deep breath of home and stepped into the carriage.

I am still confused.

But the time is still very long.