Whose youth romance story begins with a witch's trial?!

"It should be the witch mother who has a promising future."

Xiaoxue gently tapped Alice's head, then sat down next to Chang Rong and leaned against his chest.

"Oh, oh hoo...!"

Chang Rong, who used to rarely react when combing Xiao Xue's hair while she was only wearing underwear, almost let out a sound she couldn't hold back.

Could it be that even if you're just playing house and taking care of children, as long as you make it real, you'll definitely improve your femininity? Chang Rong increasingly felt that Xiao Xue's 'femininity' was gradually emerging, and even had the illusion that 'Xiao Xue, setting aside her housework skills, is a perfect wife, loving mother, and ideal woman.'

"Ah... Chang Rong-san...!"

On the other side, Ice Melulu, who was picking flower tea, also noticed Chang Rong. The girl in the nun's habit immediately poked her head out from the flower field, happily and somewhat blankly waving to Chang Rong and running over.

"...Seriously, Rong, when did you and Meruru secretly become so close? Your relationship has become so intimate?"

Seeing that Merlu on the ice almost ignored her and ran happily towards Chang Rong, Xiaoxue pouted and complained softly.

"Haha, well... it just happens naturally," Chang Rong replied somewhat awkwardly, rubbing her hair.

"Hmm...but it doesn't really matter. I haven't seen that child look so happy in a long time. It's good if Meruru is happy..." Xiaoxue didn't criticize Chang Rong too harshly. She was just a little jealous, but quickly whispered to herself.

"Chang Rong-sang! Xiao Xue, Alice... Well, since everyone's here, I'll go and prepare some flower tea for everyone."

"No need, come and rest for a while."

"Huh? Xiaoxue... um!"

Xiaoxue tugged at Meru's sleeve on the ice and pulled her to sit down beside her. At this moment, Xiaoxue leaned against Chang Rong, gently stroking Alice's face with her left hand and running her right hand through Meru's hair.

"Xiao Xue always has a very, very familiar scent that makes me miss her so much...!"

Mei Lulu, who was being hugged by Xiaoxue, rubbed against Xiaoxue obediently, with a happy expression on her face.

"Hehe, being with Rong, raising two children with completely different personalities..."

"Hehe, together with the Great Witch, I'll introduce Chang Rong-san to her as family when the time comes..."

At the same time, Xiaoxue and Meruru's eyes went blank, and clear saliva gradually flowed from the corners of their mouths, as if they had fallen into some non-existent fantasy world at the same moment.

Despite their completely different heights, temperaments, hair colors, and clothing, the two were now caught in a fantasy mode, giving the impression of being like a mother and daughter, two small fry.

"Um... Dad, actually, Alice is a bad child."

As the Great Witch and the Great Dark Curse were lost in their fantasies, the blonde girl in Chang Rong's arms suddenly spoke softly.

"Alice actually came to the city with her parents in a special way. Later, because her parents went into debt, they were picked up by someone in a car and never came back. From then on, Alice had to live alone and learned how to survive. The most important thing was to learn to be considerate of other people's feelings."

Alice blinked and looked at the white-haired boy.

"Alice actually sensed it then, she sensed her mother's hostility, and she also sensed the young lady's hostility. If Alice wanted to survive, she had to find a way. So—Alice called her hostile mother 'Mom,' and Alice remembered that her father had helped her in the drawing room before, so she became 'Dad.'"

—Is it because she is 'naive' like an animal that she is called that? On the contrary, is it because her overly mature personality made Alice know how to survive here, so she deliberately made this choice and was called that?

"Alice took advantage of her parents' feelings—wait a minute!?"

Before the girl could finish speaking, Chang Rong interrupted her by ruffling her hair. The white-haired 'father' neither scolded nor got angry; he simply ruffled the girl's hair and pinched her nose as 'punishment for lying'.

"There's no need to talk about these things. Alice, just tell me, do you regret the decision you made back then?"

"...No, Alice loves her mom and dad the most. This is the most correct and happiest choice Alice has ever made."

After a brief silence, a naive and happy smile appeared on the girl's face as she spoke to Chang Rong. These simple words even brought Xiao Xue, who had been briefly lost in a hallucination, back to her senses, her face showing disbelief, panic, yet also a mixture of joy.

"That's enough. Xiaoxue has been working incredibly hard lately to become a qualified 'mother.' Everyone is moving forward seriously, so things will get better, right?"

“…Yes, as expected, Dad is Dad.” Alice nodded earnestly to Chang Rong.

"Mom...it really has to be Mom. I don't want a younger sister...I don't want a older sister...it has to be Mom..."

After hearing Alice's words, Xiaoxue seemed to have grasped some new key words and fell into an even deeper fantasy.

In this wonderful moment when a family of four is enjoying quality time together—

"Hey! Rong Xiaoxue! Oh, Meilulu and Xiao'ai are here too, perfect timing to come together~~ Waaah, why did you suddenly kick my shin again, Xiaoxue! Shouldn't you be a virtuous wife and loving mother right now? Waaah %￥%￥%!"

Suddenly, Ronfet popped out excitedly, but before she could finish speaking, Xiaoxue kicked her leg hard in a fit of rage. Ronfet seemed to want to ask something, but was immediately choked and knocked out on the spot by the ruthless witch.

"Anyway, I found a roll of film in the corner of the recreation room! Now my camera can finally be put to good use!"

After being "punished," the newsboy cap girl held up her small roll of film, hands on her hips, and said proudly.

"Rongrong, don't you have the [Mind Writing] magic? Why are you so obsessed with film?" Chang Rong asked curiously, rubbing her hair.

"Hey, this is an artist's resistance against the impact of the AI ​​industry. It's my great Don Quixote spirit of never compromising on my pursuit of art. What do you know, Arong! You'll understand when you meet another artist like me who's being tortured by AI!"

"How could we possibly run into that kind of artist..." Chang Rong sighed helplessly, while everyone was herded into the reception room by Fu Te like sheep.

Once Futter got his hands on the film, he was like a chubby older brother who had just gotten a scythe, like a meticulous future guardian who had just drawn a card, like a purple man who had just gotten a red ability card. He was so excited that he insisted on taking a picture of everyone.

"Ah Nai, Ah Nai! You're here too, come quick, come quick~~!"

"Uh?"

Even Kurobe Nanoha, who usually gets through, was dragged over with a bewildered look on her face, and before she could figure out what was going on, she was also included in the composition by Futter.

"By the way, this is a rare opportunity, I'll call everyone over—"

"No need, no need, that's too much trouble, and it's almost lights out and curfew time. Let me just take one picture to satisfy my craving first, and we can prepare a proper group photo tomorrow~"

Chang Rong took out her phone, intending to call the young ladies over for a group photo, but Fu Te waved her hand, saying that she had only gotten her hands on film and was itching to take pictures, so she just decided to take pictures for everyone on a whim.

Futter crammed the film into the old-fashioned camera, then set it up on the living room monitor as a makeshift tripod, framing the viewfinder around everyone.

In the very center of the picture, Xiaoxue and Changrong sit side by side. The smile on Xiaoxue's face doesn't need any guidance or prompting; it's natural and happy enough on its own. The hint of nervousness and anticipation mixed in her smile adds to the girl's cuteness and endearing qualities.

"Then, three, two—"

"Wait, wait a minute...!"

Just as Rong Fute was about to press the shutter, Xiaoxue suddenly remembered something. She quickly got up from beside Chang Rong and walked somewhat flusteredly to the camera.

"Huh? What's wrong, Xiaoxue? Are you going to the toilet? — Waaah!"

"No, I just want to... experience it for myself."

Xiaoxue kicked Futt, then walked to the camera without saying a word, indicating that the newsboy cap girl should take her place while she took the photos.

"Well, if it's a newer camera, it can take photos automatically at set times... Anyway, this is the shutter button, just press it."

Although Froth was a little annoyed that she left her first roll of film to Yuki, Yuki, despite having become much more docile recently, was still the terrifying witch who could spit in her lens at heart. Therefore, Froth could only obediently submit to the witch's tyranny.

"So... 3, 2, 1—click!"

As Xiaoxue pressed the shutter, the moment of the preparation witches and the white-haired boy was captured.

"How is it... Waaah, I really hope to see the finished product soon. I haven't felt this happy in so long...!"

Melu quickly stepped forward on the ice, only to realize that this wasn't a reading or writing exercise but a proper 'photograph,' so she knew she could only wait for the photos to be developed before she could see the results.

"Every time we don't have much of a chance to talk, we start helping each other out... I'm really happy to be able to become friends with everyone like this...!"

Meru on Ice mustered her courage and smiled at everyone in the reception room.

“Me too! Although there’s hardly anything good to do here and we can’t take pictures, I’m still super happy to be able to make friends with everyone!” Junfut said with a smile, raising her hand.

“Alice too.” The blonde girl yawned and nodded sleepily in agreement.

“Indeed, although it was only for self-preservation at first, it’s really a wonderful thing to be able to become friends with everyone.” Kurobe Nanoka stared straight at Chang Rong as she spoke.

—When you say something like that, at least take a moment to look at the other person to make your point more convincing, Kurobe-kun…!

"..."

Seeing the somewhat noisy and chaotic scene before her, the white-haired witch's lips curled up slightly in a smile.

Humans... are not beyond redemption. Although they are not as perfect and lovely as flawless beings, they are not all sinners burdened with original sin.

My revenge, perhaps...

"Aa ...

Junfut's screams suddenly interrupted everyone, and everyone immediately looked at the girl wearing a newsboy cap, who was kneeling on the ground in despair, holding the camera in her hands.

"What's wrong, Rongrong!?" "Are you alright, Fute!" "Waaaaah... What, what happened?"

Chang Rong and Kurobe Nanoha Kaname Ruru immediately went over to ask.

"Why, why are you taking pictures continuously, Xue! How did you manage to take 33 pictures in one go?! You know, this roll of film can only be used 34 times in total!!" Fut pointed at the old-fashioned camera in her hand, her expression as desperate as a righteous ally who had just shot down her mother with a Stinger missile.

"...Why, why?"

Faced with the girl's tearful accusations, the Great Witch tilted her head slightly and discovered that the walls of the reception room were incredibly solid. Was it ever this solid before?

Regardless, the girls' commotion and noise were indeed captured and remembered at that moment.

However, after that day—

Two prospective witches have disappeared.

The countdown ticked away relentlessly, eventually leading to the devastating midnight hour.

Volume 1: Chapter 117. A Corpse Lies Buried Beneath the Cherry Blossom Tree

Good morning, Rong.

"Hmm... Good morning, Xiaoxue."

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Xiaoxue's overly fair, dreamlike, and even somewhat ethereal face.

Chang Rong had occasionally been woken up by Xiao Xue before, but most of the time it was because Xiao Xue suddenly had a whim to eat something strange, or suddenly wanted to go to the zoo to see a certain animal, which would disrupt Chang Rong's biological clock and wake him up. That kind of morning greeting was really far from 'elegant'.

But at this very moment—Chang Rong lay on the cold, hard bed in his prison cell, a snowflake-like girl nestled in his arms. The girl was obedient and quiet in his embrace, and after realizing that the boy's breathing had become more pronounced, she looked up at him and gave him a serene and extremely gentle smile.

Whether it was the feeling of his arms encircling and stroking her silky smooth hair, the occasional stirring in his chest from the girl's breath, the faint scent of pine and lemon in her nostrils, or most directly, the incredibly cute girl's face that his eyes were fixed on—everything told Chang Rong that he was indeed embracing a girl named Xue as she fell asleep.

"Rong's sleeping posture has become more and more stable lately, which is great."

Xiaoxue, nestled in her arms, smiled and whispered, genuinely happy that the boy had been able to emerge from the shadow of the witch's execution.

"It's probably because Xiaoxue can bring a sense of security that no one else can match... Um, Xiaoxue, you've really changed a lot lately, what's going on?"

Chang Rong gently embraced the girl in his arms. Before being taken in by this witch's prison, the two had lived together for a period of time, but they had never been this intimate. Sometimes, Chang Rong would even have a fleeting thought that if it weren't for this undeserved 'witch's trial' incident, he might never have been able to truly enter Xiao Xue's heart.

"Hmm... change? I'm actually very resistant to change because the price I have to pay for it is too high. However, I am slowly starting to want to try to change. Don't worry, Rong. I'll tell you everything soon, and then... hehe, what kind of expression will you have then? Shock? Happiness? Or surprise that I can do something like that?"