She is not an investigator.

Needless to say, even though she was still working hard to improve her cooking skills during this time, preparing to surprise Igris, when her masterpiece was served, Igris could instantly tell who the dish came from.

No matter how good the presentation is, for a food, the taste is still the most important thing.

"You've made great progress."

"Haha..."

The taste is definitely much better than before.

Olivia did put in a lot of effort to learn, but it seems that due to a strange talent problem, most of the food she made was not very tasty.

But at least it's edible.

As she spoke, Igris popped another piece into her mouth.

"...If it doesn't taste good, there's no need to force yourself to eat it."

"So you're planning to make me betray your feelings?"

Igris skewered a piece of steak and unabashedly offered it to Olivia's lips.

The latter paused for a moment, then blushed slightly, tucked her hair behind her ear, and gently bit into the steak.

"..."

Visibly, her complexion changed from a rosy hue to a deathly pale color.

They probably didn't expect their cooking to be this bad.

The Bizarre Stage Play – The Book of Secrets: Chapter Eight, What Lies Beyond the Sea?

"Alright, Iris, I won't disturb your date any longer. After all, I have some things to take care of... Of course, I'll come to see you when I have time."

After chatting for a short while, Olivia suddenly stood up and said goodbye to the two of them.

Igris simply nodded, without saying anything more or intending to refute the idea of ​​a date.

Sharti didn't dare to speak, and could only watch silently as Olivia walked away before gently poking Igris's arm.

"Your friend... is a little scary."

"You're mistaken. Olivia has always been a very kind person."

Igris put down her fork and wiped the sauce from her mouth.

Once she was full, when Olivia realized that what she had made wasn't really that good, she simply asked the waiter to bring out a new meal, including Sharty's.

And naturally, she paid for their meal, since it was her family's shop after all.

"And you didn't even argue with her. We weren't on a date."

Moreover, the little witch seemed somewhat dissatisfied, showing resentment towards Igris's inaction and lack of explanation.

In response, Igris simply patted the hat on her head.

"Then why don't you explain it yourself?"

"...Never mind, there will always be a chance to explain it later."

Shalti deflated, somewhat annoyed, and moved Igris's hand away, then touched the raven on his shoulder that seemed to have turned into a stone bird.

It only shakes its wings when touched; otherwise, it is eerily quiet.

"So what should we do next... Now that the mission is over and we've had lunch, it seems like there's nothing else I can do."

Xia Erti felt a little homesick, or rather, worried that her mother might really abandon her.

At least for now, she doesn't really want to lose her mother.

"I'll go back to the office and take a nap."

However, Igris seemed not to understand Sharti's concerns, and instead made a relaxed suggestion.

Taking a nap is a complete waste of time in Sharti's eyes, and she never thought she would do it herself.

So she shook her head violently and said with a reluctant expression.

"If you go back to sleep, what about me? Mom won't let me go home... I can't sleep with you."

"Why not?"

"..."

Shallty paused for a moment, then, as if struck by a sudden thought, abruptly pulled down his hat to cover his face.

"In short! If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. We should do something more meaningful!"

"Something more meaningful..."

Igris sighed helplessly, lifted the little witch's hat, and gently pinched her slightly flushed cheeks.

"Then, come with me to see the sea."

…………

Along the azure coastline, two figures strolled one after the other down the street.

This is the only street in the city with a view of the sea, and it's a popular spot for dates.

Although Igris didn't mean it that way.

"What's so interesting about the ocean?"

Sharti followed obediently behind Igris, clutching his hat in one hand to keep it from being blown away by the sea breeze.

Igris walked ahead, her long golden hair swaying gently in the salty sea breeze, making her stand out.

Although I hate to admit it, Igris is indeed incredibly beautiful, and sometimes even makes Sharty, who is a witch, feel a little inferior.

But there were only a few, after all, she was Sharti.

"It's nothing really, I just wanted to take a short walk with you here."

"……Oh."

Sharti gave a muffled reply and pulled his hat down even further.

She became quiet and simply followed Igris until they reached the edge of a bench on the street.

The person who designed this street definitely took this into account, so the benches naturally face the sea, allowing for a more relaxed appreciation of the horizon.

This wasn't her first time here. The last time she came, she was with Olivia, and she remembered it vividly because Olivia was definitely preparing to confess her feelings back then.

But she just punched him back.

"—"

What are you laughing at?

"nothing."

Igris pursed her lips slightly, her smile fading, and slowly sat down on the bench.

Sharti hesitated for a moment, then sat down as well, imitating Igris, and looked out at the distant coastline.

Igris remained silent and made no move, so Sharti could only secretly watch her while holding the raven on his shoulder in his arms.

Seemingly a bit too bored, she quickly turned her attention to the crow in her arms, carefully grooming its feathers while swinging her legs back and forth with ease.

However, the raven in her arms didn't seem to like her helping to preen its feathers. It quickly flapped its wings and hopped onto Igris's shoulder instead.

"what…"

Sharti watched the crow fly away from him, and withdrew his hand somewhat unhappily. However, not wanting to disturb Igris, who seemed to be thinking about something, he could only silently lower his head and kick his legs idly.

Igris glanced at the little witch beside her who had suddenly become depressed, then at the mirror demon on her shoulder who looked resistant, and finally grabbed its body without hesitation and placed it back on the little witch's hat.

The crow cawed softly, seemingly in protest, but under Igris's threatening gaze, it was forced to accept the fact and instead hopped into her arms.

Seeing this, Sharti happily stroked its feathers again, occasionally stealing a glance at Igris beside him.

It's clear she really loves these birds, which explains why she cares so much about her ravens.

"Hey... Igris, are we just going to sit here like this forever? It's so boring..."

"If you want to chat with me, you can just tell me."

"...No, it's not that, but chatting about something is better than just spacing out."

The little witch hugged the raven tighter, her lively legs stopped moving, and she cautiously peeked at Igris.

She noticed this little gesture, of course, but she didn't care. She just smiled slightly and said to herself.

"Since we're here, I'd like to talk to you about the sea."

"Oh, the sea..."

Xia Erti gazed at the calm ocean in the distance and stroked the raven in his arms.

“I grew up in Bayanka, and it would be a lie to say I have no feelings for this place. But I don’t like the sea. My mother told me that the beauty of the sea is an illusion, a disguise that attracts people to it. So I don’t like the sea, and I never really liked it.”

"Yes, Nolan is right."

Igris's eyes flickered, and even her smile lost its radiance.

"The sea... will always attract those who are willing to come closer to it."

A bizarre stage play – The Book of Secrets: Chapter Nine, So Happy

"My mother once told me that humans and witches rarely have a chance to control their own future, because the ocean in front of them, the endless ocean, blocks all hope and all possibilities."

"Did Nolan tell you this?"

Charles nodded, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Everyone knows that beyond the ocean lies a whole new world, a new continent, but no one has ever been able to reach it, even though many have tried."

"..."

Igris withdrew her gaze, her expression becoming somewhat dazed.

Indeed, many people have tried it. She was one of them.

In that sunless sea, on that route symbolizing exploration and new life, the silence that represents death has always lurked there.

She had been swallowed by the ocean, witnessed the towering waves, and experienced devastating disasters.

But more than disaster and death itself, the extinguished hope is what everyone should fear.