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

"Wait a moment!"

Chang Rong was about to leave with Meruru after putting the remaining pancakes into her mouth when Renjian Leia suddenly stepped forward and raised a hand to stop the two of them.

“I can’t ignore this situation, my fan Romeo! Have you forgotten what happened before? What if Meruru does something drastic again, and you suddenly have a relapse and can’t handle it properly? Wouldn’t that cause another uproar? So, I’ll protect you and prevent any more strange situations from happening!”

“Miss Leia… I, I actually… Waaah, that’s right, it was actually a failed confession…”

Upon hearing Leia's words, Meluru on Ice showed a troubled and weak expression. In many people's eyes, Meluru on Ice has now become an absolute terrifying landmine pervert, which makes Meluru feel very troubled.

She was clearly a respectable nun serving the Great Witch, yet she was judged to be a pervert simply because of some minor actions...

Although constantly calling Chang Rong's name in bed at night might disturb the neighbors, although I often get bumped into by others while following Chang Rong, and although I sometimes suddenly space out and happily enter a fantasy mode... I'm definitely not some kind of perverted woman! It's not like that!

Meluru on the ice was crying and dropping her little pearls, while the others, after hearing Rhea volunteer, thought about it and felt that there shouldn't be any major problems. Rhea Hasumi was indeed a relatively reliable candidate among them.

However, there is one thing to note—

"Since you're going to protect Meruru from doing anything stupid, there's no need to bring this, right?"

"Wait, Hannah... Waaaaah!"

Tono Hannah snatched the 'dog girl outfit' hidden behind Rhea and confiscated it. Rhea, who had just been looking like she had everything planned out, suddenly panicked.

"We're just going to pick up a quest item, Rhea-sama, you don't need to bring such weird stuff..." Chang Rong said with a helpless sigh.

"Well, how can that be! Wouldn't that make me less competitive?" Hasumi Ryoua muttered awkwardly, looking down. Even if she was slow to realize it, Hasumi Ryoua could tell that she seemed to be developing into a weird "good buddy comedian" persona, and she needed some external means to correct this mysterious impression.

"Don't say that about Rhea-sama. Your charm is already dazzling and adorable enough. Confidence is the secret to being an idol. Can you show me the most handsome, adorable, reassuring, and protective Rhea-sama in my heart?"

Chang Rong smiled at Renjian Leia and extended a hand to invite her.

"Chang Rong...I...I understand!"

Hasumi Ryoya nodded vigorously. Since her fans wanted to see her cool and heroic side, then let them see it!

Renjian Leia sneered, then stylishly placed her hand on Chang Rong's palm. The next second, she squatted down and rubbed against Chang Rong's chest, occasionally letting out a soft whimper.

"That's not what I meant, Rhea-sama!? Where's the handsome guardian?!" Beast tamer Chang Rong complained loudly.

"I'm playing a loyal Tibetan Mastiff this time! It's very protective, isn't it!"

"Why don't you play a human role instead!"

Chang Rong sighed helplessly at Leia, "This girl seems to have completely gone down the wrong path after developing path dependence, and there's no turning back..."

Who on earth turned our Léa-sama into this?! Come out here and have a go at me if you dare!

While enjoying petting the new breed of golden retriever and Tibetan mastiff, and listening to Leia's cute little whimpers, Chang Rong wondered, under Meruru's panicked, wailing gaze, who was so mean to turn the handsome, dashing, prince-like idol stage actress Leia into this state? "Look how wicked you are!"

Finally, seeing that another pink and white puppy was about to unleash its "Witch Killer" ability to clear the map with a single click due to jealousy, Leia reluctantly left Chang Rong's side.

In any case, the second Icebreaker Team was assembled on the spot. Since the group hadn't encountered any extreme situations that would cause them to explode during this first playthrough, they weren't particularly concerned about 'exploring the underground cryogenic chamber,' except for Arisa, who unfortunately didn't make the cut.

What the group was most worried about was whether the perverted nun Meruru would take advantage of the fact that no one was around and eat Chang Rong clean inside and out. However, the addition of the comedian Leia completely dispelled the worry that the two of them might get together, so they ended up with this inexplicable combination.

"Meiruru, although I'm not quite sure when you started to fall for Chang Rong, don't get too hung up on it. After all, it's better to take things slowly when it comes to feelings, right? For example, so many people have pursued me before, but I always just told them to calm down, because that's the truly responsible thing to do!"

On the way to the basement, Hasumi Ryoya is imparting her own views on love to Meruru.

"Take your time...?" Meruru looked up at Hasumi Ryoa, her expression somewhat resentful.

"That's right, we should take it slow and steady, and proceed with caution!"

“But… I’ve been doing this for hundreds of years… Miss Leia… You’re a star, right? If a star never gets a performance and then suddenly gets a job one day, what would you think? Wouldn’t you immediately rush to prepare as best you can?”

"Well, this..." Hasumi Ryoya blinked, unsure how to answer Meruru's question.

"I, I really tried my best to endure it, and just like that, little by little, day by day, countless years passed by... Slowly forgetting my past memories, slowly enduring my increasingly muddled and forgetful mind, slowly becoming someone who could only rely on empty faith, drugs, and hallucinogenic mushrooms to force myself to sleep, otherwise I could only keep having nightmares..."

Meru on Ice stood close to Rieya Hasumi, her eyes gradually becoming vacant and unfocused as she murmured, sounding like a female ghost seeking death.

"Although this is all my own fault as the 'behind-the-scenes manipulator,' no, if possible, I hope Miss Leia will stop making such sarcastic remarks. Facing Lord Chang Rong, I really can't continue to act so slowly...!"

"^q^ Although Meruru, you just said a lot of dark, heavy, and cruel things, isn't the core message you really trying to convey that you hope to push me away as soon as possible?" Chang Rong summarized from the side.

"Hehehe... Chang Rong is indeed different from my clumsy self, he's very smart...!" Meruru reverted to her usual harmless jellyfish mode, revealing a silly smile.

"But I refuse—Rhea-sama is doing this for your own good. Even if you want to argue, at least give me a way that's easier to understand." Chang Rong tapped Meruru on the head to indicate his refusal. At least in his sage mode, he was a pure Sigma man!

I came here to summon the Great Witch and lane against her in the mid lane; women are just a nuisance (?).

"As for Rhea-sama—although I know that Rhea-sama's intentions were good, and your sincere and passionate concern for everyone and desire to protect everyone has been demonstrated countless times, you have never once chosen to run away..."

Chang Rong turned to look at Leia, gently smoothing her short, falling hair at her sideburns as she spoke.

In the memories she retrieved, Rhea tried to protect Nanoha Kaori, who was on the verge of collapse, until her very last moment. For Rhea Hasumi, the words "I will protect everyone" were not just empty words, but a truth she truly lived by, even at the cost of her life.

“However, sometimes you unintentionally reveal your vanity and arrogance, like those strange behaviors you used to do to deliberately attract everyone’s attention. You need to correct that a little, understand?” Chang Rong said, shaking his finger.

"Woof... I, I understand."

Hasumi Ryoya nodded with her head drooping. Despite being an idol, she was being criticized and lectured by a fan. What's more, his criticism was even more insightful than she knew herself, leaving her no room for rebuttal.

"Lord Changrong, you seem to have become more mature... You're practically a real man...! You're even more manly than I knew you before!" Meru said excitedly to Changrong.

Although I don't know why, I feel that Lord Changrong seems to have become more 'manly'. If this is the case, when Lord Changrong abuses me in the future, he will definitely hit me harder and with more force... Hehehe... No, I wonder if I can tolerate it...?

The thought of being severely punished by Chang Rong in the future caused Bing Shang Mei Lu Lu's cheeks to flush uncontrollably again.

"Speaking of maturity, how exactly can one become more mature? I always try to act more like an adult in front of my mother, because I think... if she saw me capable of handling things on my own, she might feel relieved and at ease, and her illness might recover faster..."

Hasumi Ryoa's expression was somewhat somber. Many of her actions were for her mother's sake. If possible, Hasumi Ryoa also hoped to become a mature girl who would no longer cause her mother any 'worry or concern'.

“Hmm, Rhea-sama, your question is difficult to answer... After all, there are many criteria for judging so-called ‘maturity’. For example, Heero usually seems to be the most mature person, but after getting to know her a little, you can find that maturity is just Heero’s appearance.”

Chang Rong rested his chin on his hand in thought. The first thing he said upon meeting her was that this guy who was full of formulas was definitely not 'mature'.

But speaking of maturity... well, it seems that only by 'eating forbidden fruit' can one become mature!

After all, such things either need to be nurtured by time and slowly cultivated, requiring countless days and months to finally mature and bear fruit.

Alternatively, one can only choose to use some very 'special' and important behaviors to change a person's way of thinking, and clearly 'eating the forbidden fruit' is one of them.

However… speaking of which… during the previous witch trial, Xiaoxue seemed to suddenly become much more mature and composed starting one morning, almost like a completely different person. Could it be…?

No, it shouldn't be that bad... right?

"Well, um... actually, this kind of thing is quite easy to understand... as long as the bear's body is big enough, it's mature enough... right, Master Changrong...?"

On the ice, Meruru deliberately puffed out her chest, and at the same time, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest in a prayer-like gesture and asked softly.

Of course, the 'prayer' was just an illusion; she used this posture to pull her arms in front of her chest, making her already impressive pectoral muscles even more prominent.

"...No way! It's not like the bigger the account balance, the better. A mature and perfect size is one that conforms to the overall structural and aesthetic shape!"

Rhea Hasumi blushed instantly. Not to be outdone, she puffed out her chest. Although she was different from Emma Hiro, who would be taken to the police station for taking pictures at the airport, there was still an insurmountable gap between her and Meruru's huge treasure chests.

"Take your time, Miss Leia... You, you can definitely mature gradually too, it will only take a few hundred years—"

"Gurgle...!"

Ryota Hasumi never imagined that Meruru, this timid jellyfish, would be able to launch a boomerang at her from such an angle.

"Lord Changrong must think the same way, right... Hey, I, you can use me however you like, okay? Whether it's as a punching bag, a pillow, or a towel for washing your face... Use me as you please, that's proof of maturity, right?"

"No way! This size, which fits the curves better and can pull off a cool look while also showcasing the cuteness of a pretty girl, is the true mark of maturity! You agree, right, my fan, my Romeo, my owner!"

Meluru, who treats Chang Rong like her master, dribbles and bumps into him, then shoves him in the face without warning. At the same time, Ryota Hasumi, who has been raised by Chang Rong to be a purebred golden retriever, also clings to him tightly, not to be outdone.

Two 'servants' from different fields thus directly blinded Chang Rong to the truth.

What the hell?! Weren't we talking about 'maturity'? What kind of normal adult tries to suffocate someone with frontal armor just because they disagree with them?!

Chang Rong, who was originally planning how to confront Meruru after arriving at the underground freezer and how to help her emerge from the shadows of her past, suddenly found her mind filled with all sorts of mature thoughts.

However... on the bright side, at least the atmosphere of the 'ice-breaking team' heading to the underground cryogenic chamber this time was much more relaxed and comfortable, and Chang Rong did not scold the two too harshly.

After all, Chang Rong knew that this time it was impossible for him to cause any more trouble.

……perhaps?

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5 bonus chapters today, still need [32.5 - 5 = 27.5]

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I can't control myself! I promised myself I'd go to bed at midnight, but after watching a few strategy videos on how to catch cards, I feel like I can do it again.

Then, in Advanced Level 4, I controlled the warrior and wiped out enemies all the way until 4:30... but still couldn't successfully crawl.

I'm from the district, really.

218. The Elevator to Another World

On the way to the underground freezer, nothing else went wrong.

Thank goodness, Hasumi Rhea finally remembered that she came here to prevent the top-tier, century-old landmine girl, Ice-on-Meru, from failing to win Chang Rong's affections again and accidentally using her Whirlwind Witch Killer Potion on everyone, instead of brazenly engaging in a battle where the numerical disparity was too great and defeat was inevitable.

Therefore, Léa did not continue to discuss the ambiguous topic of 'the qualities a mature woman should possess,' but instead talked about her vision for holding a concert on Witch Island.

"Hmm... It sounds strange, but why do I always have this feeling that this stage play can never be successfully performed...?"

After rambling on about a plot so ridiculous that even the Border Collie shook its head, Hasumi Ryoya rested her chin on one hand, looking thoughtful, and muttered to herself.

"It must be because of the script, haha... Rhea-sama, you always strive for perfection and keep polishing the details of the script, which is why this kind of progress rollback happens repeatedly."

Chang Rong responded with a smile, while simultaneously reaching out to cover Meruru's mouth to physically silence her as she tried to say something. However, as Chang Rong covered her mouth, she noticed that the jellyfish started blushing and making soft "oh oh oh" sounds, so she quickly let go, not wanting the child to choke.

Since regaining her memories, Chang Rong has increasingly missed the old days of Ice Rider Meruru. Back then, although Meruru occasionally revealed her inner thoughts, she was at least a 'normal person' overall.

But now, Meruru, overwhelmed by guilt and yearning for redemption, has completely stopped pretending. She'll suddenly become emotional during normal conversations, she'll become emotional if you scold her, she'll become emotional if you hit her, and she'll even lose her little pearls and die if you ignore her.

Even if Chang Rongzhen yelled "For the dead veterans!" and pounced on Mei Lulu to grab her neck, all that would be heard would be the awful sound of her choking the child.

Is this reasonable, sis?! We always say that the evil one is three times stronger and the white one is three times weaker, but this is the first time Chang Rong has encountered someone like Meruru who turns into a wooden pillar after being whitewashed. It's quite an eye-opener. How about you roll back to the version from the time of the dark secrets?

"Pursuing perfection... Since Romeo, you've put it that way, then perhaps I should indeed try to reconcile a little—that's right, I no longer have a morbid pursuit of attracting other people's attention, so naturally there's no need to always strive for perfect, dazzling brilliance like before."

Listening to Chang Rong's advice, Renjian Leia nodded, brushing her short golden hair back with one hand, and a confident and elegant smile appeared on her lips.

Looking at Leia in front of him, Chang Rong couldn't help but smile.

No joy can compare to the happiness of 'losing something and then finding it again'. The girl standing before him had once been pierced through the throat in a warehouse while protecting others, and could never shine again. But now she was able to stand before him again, striking that cool yet greasy pose.

More importantly, those past tragedies were not meaningless. Even though Hasumi Ryoya, who is standing here now, has not been able to regain her past memories, she still has the courage to move forward with her head held high!

"Sure enough, they cut my screen time from 120 minutes to 110 minutes. As a mature idol, I really need to give others some room to shine!"