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

"【[Coo coo coo... How's the investigation going, everyone? The Witch Trial is about to begin, and it seems one of the prospective witches is still unconscious. But thankfully, Ms. Nanoha Kaori, you've woken up, otherwise, with so many absences, it would be difficult for me to submit a report. Coo coo coo.]"

"Enough with the nonsense, let's get this over with quickly." Nikaido Hiro snorted coldly. The outcome of this trial was already predetermined; everyone was just going through the motions.

The more important thing right now is to find evidence related to the 'Great Witch Yuki'. After the witch trial is over, let's hurry to the library and see what that damned Great Witch has been hiding.

"Chang Rong—"

On the way to the courtroom, Kurobe Nanoka suddenly called out to the white-haired boy.

"What's wrong, Nanoha Kaori?"

"That was my first kiss..."

"Waaah, I'm so sorry... My first kiss must have been so..."

"So, I'm very happy, really, really happy."

Nanoha Kurobe interrupted Chang Rong's apology, blushing as she gave the boy a bright and satisfied smile.

Choosing you to be my 'accomplice' is the decision I've never regretted.

"—"

Chang Rong wanted to say something more, but they had already arrived at the courtroom.

After the warden's routine procedures, everyone moved on to the so-called debate.

After going through the motions of recounting the investigation results and using fabricated evidence to cover up Kurobe Nanoka's shooting of Kinosaki Noa, the voting process began.

Everyone was thinking, "Let's finish this quickly and call it a day," but when they saw the voting results, they were all completely stunned.

"【Oh dear...? Six votes went to 'No murderer,' but one vote went to 'Kurobe Nanoha Kaoru'... Although voting follows the majority rule, that's based on comparing 'murderers' against 'murderers.' With this vote count—Ms. Kurobe Nanoha Kaoru, you've been chosen as the witch to be executed this time by a narrow margin of one vote. *coo coo*..."

"What, what's going on...!? This is incorrect, this is absolutely incorrect!!!" Nikaido Hiro was the first to object, shouting that there was definitely something wrong with the results and that she wanted to verify the tickets.

"I voted for myself... I am really grateful to everyone... You really didn't vote for me, but chose to believe in me... Being able to become friends with you all has been the happiest experience of the past few years."

Nanoha Kurobe stepped forward and spoke softly to the crowd with a smile.

"Nanoha Kaori...!? You... why, why...!?" Chang Rong stared wide-eyed, her voice trembling as she questioned the black-haired twin-tailed girl.

"I'm sorry... I still can't accept my own actions. And... I know very well that I can't go back. Vision's magic is getting stronger and stronger. If this continues, sooner or later even you, Chang Rong, won't be able to control it. I will definitely turn into a witch again... I'm really... really sorry."

Nanoha Kurobe walked voluntarily to the execution platform, speaking softly to the white-haired boy.

"I'm so sorry, I can't continue working with everyone anymore, and I can't help you anymore... Actually, I've always known that I'll always be that cowardly fool who can't accomplish anything without the help of others."

The execution platform rose with a rumble, revealing a giant target pattern. In front of the target was a restraint chair, and in front of the chair was an overly grotesque machine gun.

When Kurobe Nanoha saw the machine gun, she swallowed hard, but she quickly suppressed her fear and sat down in the chair with her legs and left arm bound.

“If it weren’t for you all… I’m afraid I would never have had the courage to actually do anything. I would probably just be a lone wolf, accomplishing nothing and going around in circles. It was through meeting you all that I was able to move forward. But I killed Noah, who was working so hard, and killed Rhea, who was protecting me until the very last moment.”

The machine gun in front of them was loaded with ammunition belts. Judging from the number of bullets, it was definitely not a simple 'execution by firing squad', but a more twisted and terrifying method of execution.

“I’ve lost the right to continue… I’m sorry, but I tried my best to help everyone, so… so… I helped everyone, right?”

Kurobe Nanoha looked at the white-haired boy who had been restrained by the guards to prevent him from causing any more trouble, and smiled as she nodded to Chang Rong.

"And I'm going to prove it to you, Chang Rong... This time, I will absolutely not become a witch again. You're afraid of seeing your familiar companions become witches, right? I don't know if I'm qualified to be your companion, but... this time it's my turn to protect you. I will absolutely, absolutely not become a witch, Chang Rong...!!"

"Nanoha Kaori—Nanoha Kaori…!!!"

The boy's screams were easily drowned out by the sound of the machine gun.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble!!!

The roar of bullets instantly engulfed the courtroom. Most of the bullets barely grazed Kurobe Nanoha's body, but a few still hit her legs.

"Ugh...!!"

Nanoka Kurobe let out a muffled sound as she gritted her teeth and endured the pain.

This is the judgment I deserve... The pain Noah suffered when I pierced him, the despair of being betrayed, Rhea's determination to protect herself until the very last moment... Compared to them, this pain... is nothing at all.

"Hey, hey, hey, why are you holding me down too?! That's a foul, a foul!!!"

Sherry Tachibana was also restrained in advance by the rope that suppressed her magic, and everyone could only watch helplessly as Nanoha Kurobe was gradually eroded and swallowed up by the wave of bullets.

Just as the machine gun, along with the bullet trajectory, began to move upward—

"Puff puff puff...!!"

A series of sounds rang out as flesh was struck by bullets. Suddenly, the immortal remains stood between Kurobe Nanoha and the machine gun. The guard, who had lost his headband, stood expressionless as he blocked the bullets' penetration, with black fragments constantly flying from his body.

"Big sister...?"

Nanoha Kurobe looked at the wreckage in front of her, her face pale and trembling.

"That's enough, big sister... that's enough... I was just saying that in anger. I've never hated you, big sister—no, that's not right. It would be a lie to say I didn't hate you. After all, what big sister would use her younger sister's face to steal a man? And in the end, she even accidentally shot the stolen rabbit... Honestly, I never thought that big sister had a side that I didn't know at all... If there's an afterlife, let me be the big sister. That way, at least I can show you the right way to date... right?"

"—"

The wreckage watched as the girl in front of him gritted her teeth and smiled palely, as she finally pulled the controller off her head.

The next second, as the controller was detached, 'older sister' raised her scythe before the bullet pierced her body—and swung it down at her cutest and favorite younger sister in front of her.

The execution ended in a way no one expected—the girl's body was mangled beyond recognition, but her face remained etched with a resilient smile until the very last moment.

"【Coo coo coo... What's going on? In the program designed by Lady Meruru, it was supposed to have the guard take the hit to trigger Ms. Nanoha's witch transformation... Hmm... So it's already been scrapped? Oh well, as long as the execution didn't cause any trouble, it's fine. It's a good thing Lady Meruru has passed away, otherwise, if you failed to transform into a witch three times in a row, Mr. Changrong, you'd probably be marked on Lady Meruru's assassination must-eat list, coo coo...】"

The warden was somewhat confused by what was happening before him. He tilted his head, looking dazed. The repeated failures of his 'witch transformation' were indeed extremely rare. However, the warden didn't care whether the girls being executed would turn into witches or not; he simply prepared to finish his work and call it a day.

But just as the warden was about to put away the execution platform, the 'guards' suddenly took action.

"Watch out—Chang Rong!?" "Watson!!"

Hiro and Shirley were the only two who reacted immediately, realizing that the 'guard' was heading towards Chang Rong.

However, Nikaido Hiro didn't have time to rush to the referee's table, and Tachibana Sherry was also restrained and unable to move.

But Chang Rong showed no sign of panic. He watched as the 'guard' rushed in front of him, knocked away the low-ranking guard next to him, and then used his tattered and twisted arms to untie the ropes on his own arms.

"..."

"—"

The wreckage stood silently before Chang Rong, waiting.

Chang Rong knew very well what this wreckage was... she knew very well what 'sister' was waiting for.

"I'm sorry... I... I couldn't help you then, and I couldn't help Nanoha Kaori this time either..."

"..."

The wreckage stretched out a twisted hand and placed it on Chang Rong's hair. The twisted arm was gradually devoured and dissipated by Chang Rong's ability to absorb witch factors, but even so, the 'wreckage' still did not let go.

"That's not the real you, is it? The 'sister' I know would never do something like that, no... although some things can't be explained by the witch factor, like how you always trick me into bed..."

"But... if possible... I really hope to see the real you once."

Chang Rong finally reached out her hands and embraced the remains, giving her the end she had always longed for.

I really am a liar.

I told Nanoha Kaori that if she is the most important person to me, even if she becomes a witch, even if she is burdened with all the original sins, even if she has already become twisted—even so, I will still try to find a way to bring her back.

But... didn't I end up failing to salvage anything? What a complete fraud, Chang Rong.

The debris instantly dissipated like dry ice, and the dark substance was vaporized and evaporated, slowly peeling off the debris.

Within the black smoke, the silhouette of a white-haired girl slowly emerged, as ethereal as a rainbow after the rain, seemingly fleeting.

—Thank you, Chang Rong. My silly little sister, I seem to have caused you a lot of trouble… Of course, perhaps I don’t even have the right to say that.

—I have always been waiting for the day when I can atone for my sins against you and meet you again. This makes me so incredibly happy, even though I have become like this. But I am still incredibly grateful to be able to meet you again.

—However, it seems I messed things up completely, just like my sister… Not only did I fail to atone for your sins, but I also caused you to show such a sad expression once again…

—If I had the chance, if I could do it all over again…then I would probably still do it this way. I would still choose to pretend to be your lover. After all, what if the fake relationship actually turned into a real one?

—Xiaoxue has been running away, just like my sister and I… But if it were you, if it were Changrong, you could definitely get Xiaoxue to express what she truly wants to pursue. So… good luck, my love!

After giving Chang Rong a final smile, the girl in his arms vanished completely from Witch Island.

The witch trial, which should never have been held, came to an end. The witch chose to execute herself, wanting to prove that she was still human. The guard who had been watching over the witch also chose to leave with her.

Finally, everything settled down, and the two girls left completely, leaving only two intertwined hair ribbons in Chang Rong's palm.

The fake Nanoha Kurobe and the real Nanoha Kurobe, although they have different personalities, different actions, and different experiences—they ultimately made the same choice: to become the 'special existence' in the heart of the white-haired boy.

However... this 'protection' is just too, too heavy.

"【The trial is over... Hmm, aren't you all dismissed? Never mind, remember to get back to your cells before curfew. But that being said, thanks to Mr. Chang Rong, there aren't a single 'intelligent guard' left on Witch Island. Even if you run around everywhere, I can't control you... Sigh, anyway, everyone should go home as soon as possible.】"

The warden stood on the central pillar of the restored courtroom, flew around once, and found that no one wanted to leave. In the end, he could only grumble and decide to go home by himself.

Volume 1: Chapter 141. Kuhee hee, the Great Witch has been found!

"Why... Nanoha Kaori... Why...! Why did you choose to be executed for this...! Waaaaaah...!!"

The courtroom, which had ceased its 'trial' purpose, was eerily silent until Emma Sakuraba's sobs broke the silence.

After the warden left and the execution platform returned to the underground cryogenic chamber, Emma Sakura finally couldn't hold back anymore. She couldn't accept what she was seeing and burst into tears.

"Damn it... How could it have turned out like this...? Kurobe Nanoha... If I had told her back then about Chang Rong's constitution, which required witch factors to survive, would she have been able to stay...? But, but—wouldn't persuading her in that way have been torture for Nanoha herself? She never intended to live; everything back then was just an act, damn it...!"

Nikaido Hiro's face was ashen, cold sweat beading on her forehead. One hand rested on her chin as she pondered, wondering if she had made the wrong choice. But could that so-called 'right' decision really keep Nanoha Kaori alive? Nanoha Kaori's actions clearly indicated that she planned to accept execution after seeing useful information... Asking someone like that to continue living, even if it was to help Chang Rong, was it really the right thing to do...? She was completely confused.

"Idiot... He really is an idiot... That guy... He's such a self-absorbed idiot!"

"Everyone chose to believe you... why did you still do this...? Why choose this outcome! Was this all just wishful thinking on our part? Damn it, damn it...!!"

Both Hannah Tono and Arisa Shito were pale. Hannah had no strength left to even hold her fan or pretend to be a rich young lady, while Arisa slumped in front of the podium, pounding the table and cursing.

"Hmm... Why make this choice, Nanoha Kaori? I still don't quite understand... But if you leave like this... what will happen to Watson?"

Tachibana Sherry remained silent, pondering in her heart. She still couldn't accurately fathom what Kurobe Nanoha was thinking when she made her final decision, but she could feel the 'uncomfortable feeling' that made it hard for her to breathe. At the same time, Tachibana Sherry looked at Chang Rong beside her, her eyes filled with worry.

"..."

After witnessing the execution of Kurobe Nanoha and the 'guardian' vanishing into his arms, the white-haired boy stood silently in place, saying nothing. It was as if he had completely become a walking corpse... Just seeing him made one worry, afraid that he would turn into a broken puppet the next second, never to rise from the ground again.

After an unknown period of silence, Chang Rong sniffed and spoke softly:

"Let's go find the thing that Nanoha Kaori saw in her vision and see what clues the Great Witch has hidden."