Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

If Ciel dared to openly mock Chardo and fabricate all sorts of scandalous rumors about the older man, then he would absolutely not dare to act recklessly in front of the woman before him.

Alfia, the strongest living Orario, no, the world's strongest mage, reached level 7 at the age of 19 and personally killed three major commissioners. Even Hera showed her no respect.

She is the queen who has the final say.

Arrogance, neuroticism, and queen are her labels.

Although Charles spoke highly of his sister-in-law, any man who dared to tread on her territory would almost certainly be blown away by magic.

The sun quietly set, and night gradually enveloped the alley.

At this moment, the woman moved. She took light steps and slowly emerged from the dark shadows.

Her hat brim was pulled low, obscuring her face. Her long, flowing gray hair, combined with the eerie night air, evoked the word "witch."

However, Belle inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity, and her head began to throb slightly.

“That’s the question I should be asking you…” The eyes beneath the gray robe lifted, revealing strangely colored eyes, and the voice trembled slightly: “Child, could you please take off your mask?”

Chapter 97 The Witch's Wind Chimes

"!!!"

Belle trembled slightly upon hearing the familiar voice. When that voice, buried deep in her memory, echoed again, she couldn't be sure if it was a hallucination born from overwhelming longing.

Alfia, however, misunderstood Belle's situation, simply assuming that she indeed disliked children. Her demeanor would only frighten the child.

However, when Belle followed her conditioned reflex from her memory and slowly pulled down the mask, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to hers, her expression crumbled.

That was the exact same face as her sister, Metlucia! Alfia would never forget how she looked when she died. Except for those pesky red eyes.

“Metlujah… No! Who are you?! No, don’t look at me! You despicable bastard! Don’t try to fool me with this non-existent illusion!”

Alfia was certain of the child's gender and age, and under her violent supervision, the man would have no chance of going out and having affairs.

She was certain that she was still a virgin, and it was impossible for her to have any so-called illegitimate children, as Chardo thought.

“Mother Alfia?” Belle murmured, her movement of rushing forward halting.

"Don't call me Ogasan!" Alfia's icy emotions crumbled, the noise around her growing increasingly piercing, her magic churning:

【Gospel!】

The terrifying sound waves shattered the entire alley and sent Belle flying more than ten meters.

Alfia's face was full of anger. As someone who had stood in Orario for a thousand years and at the pinnacle of the Hera Familia, she knew very well how many miracles could be born in the lower realm.

It's not impossible that skills that cause hallucinations or magic that can disguise appearances will appear.

As for the even more unbelievable time travel, it was something she dared not even imagine, much less believe.

Belle crawled out of the mound of dirt. Having been ravaged countless times by the "Gospel," the feeling was familiar. The pain she felt was tinged with even a hint of pleasure…

"You...you're not a masochist, are you?"

"No, I'm just so happy to be able to feel Alfia's loving lashes again."

Charles didn't quite understand; he had never tried this in his entire life.

But he could sense Belle's joy. Perhaps only after losing someone can one feel this way towards a former friend. Even if she reappeared and scolded him, he would still be happy.

Belle rushed toward Alfia in a disheveled state.

What will replace it, of course, is the merciless "Gospel".

Gray shockwaves rained down on Belle, knocking her down and blowing her away time and time again, only for her to get up again in a disheveled state.

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"

More and more shelling poured out, accompanied by Alfia's increasingly chaotic thoughts.

Belle, who had been charging around recklessly, also began to dodge reflexively.

That was a fighting style that had been specially honed through years of being ravaged by the Gospel...

Alfia was extremely familiar with these combat techniques.

She knows me very well!

As a "monster of talent," she can instantly learn everyone's fighting style, so she naturally knows very well the conditions under which Belle would have such a set of techniques specifically for the "Gospel" and for developing her own moves.

That's something that can't be grasped overnight; it requires years of accumulation.

Alfia fantasized about whether, if she had a child, she would also use the gospel to discipline her disobedient child.

As Belle's injuries multiplied, the power of the Gospel waned with each passing moment. Alfia bit her lip, watching the girl run towards her with a beaming smile, like fledglings returning to their nest.

For the first time, she experienced the feeling of being a mother, having never conceived before.

"No, don't make that face like that..." Alfia lowered her head, her lips trembling.

"you win."

She stopped shelling.

If it were my sister... I wouldn't care if she died because of that face.

Alfia gently opened her arms, just as she always did when welcoming her sister, trying to embrace her. Then, her arms sank, and Belle, her face covered in bruises, crashed headfirst into the puffy air cushion.

"?"

What awaited Alfia was not a dagger, but a tight embrace. Her pure white hair rubbed against his chest, and tears soaked her clothes.

She hadn't cried in a long time. Ever since she decided to become a hero in place of her adoptive mother, even after undergoing hellish training, witnessing the collapse of the city, and never being able to see her companions again, she hadn't shed a single tear.

But seeing her mother again ignited Belle's emotions, and she vented her long-standing grievances and suffering on her.

Alfia was equally at a loss; she didn't know how to treat the child.

Not...the enemy?

Alfia sighed, resigned to her fate: "Still trying to deceive me? If so, then this body is yours to do as you please."

"Really?"

When she opened her eyes, she saw a cat with a smug expression, trying to massage her with its paw pads.

"What is this?! This is your true form?"

Alfia raised her hand and swung her Evangelistic Fist through Ciel, landing directly on Belle's head.

"Ouch! That hurts! Alfia, old lady!" Belle cried out, clutching her head. "This time you definitely didn't call me wrong!"

"You're not allowed to call me 'Auntie' either!"

"Yes." Belle buried her face in her clothes again, reluctant to leave.

Alfia, however, kept her attention on the cat licking its own head.

Within the mental space.

"Are you feeling lost? Do you feel like this child is a trap set for you?"

"Who are you?"

"We've met before, at the church. They took good care of me back then, now we're even."

"It's you! Chardo's... Ah~"

Alfia suddenly realized why the man had that stereotype.

"So, you're using this method to prank me?" Alfia's expression turned cold.

"A prank? No, you've got it wrong." Ciel couldn't suppress the smile on his face. "Belle is the real deal, you know, it's taken from your name, isn't it?"

"You mean...bell?" Alfia's memory drifted back to the time when her sister was still alive...

"If you were to name the child, what would your older sister suggest?"

"If I... really have a child, I still want to get the name from Alphia."

"—Bell wind chimes. I'll name it that whether it's a boy or a girl."

The same name as the magical bell that Alphia rang, the magic that Alphia considered dirty noise, was treasured by her sister.

Thinking of this, Alfia unconsciously hugged Belle tighter. This was the "bell" that Metlugh had left me.

Chapter 98 Chardo: How do you explain that? She called you Mom.

In the Room of the Mind, through Ciel's description, we roughly learned what kind of being Belle truly was.

After confirming Belle's true condition, Ciel was no longer of any use. He ignored Belle's inner turmoil, letting her rant in his mind.

"Did the tape hurt you?" Alfia squatted down and calmly wiped Belle's dirty face.

It was a face exactly like her sister's, but incredibly healthy and resilient. If I had to point out anything I disliked, it would be those red eyes.

"Could you close your eyes?" Alfia asked.

“Hi, okay.” Belle tore off a piece of her clothing and blindfolded herself. He seemed to have gotten used to moving around while blind.

The way he practiced it made Alfia's eyelids twitch.

"Forget it..."

"Eh?"

"I'd feel bad if you fell down."

"It's okay, I can see the road clearly just by relying on my ears now."

Charles grumbled on Alfia's head, "Even though I'm blind, it doesn't stop me from hunting down enemies, because I can smell their stench."

"It's so noisy."

The two quickly moved to a secluded intersection, at which point Alfia remembered the useless cat that had been perched on her head:

"Hey kid. Do you have any recovery potions?"

"What, you've remembered me now? Humph! No way!"