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

"Miss-"

Looking at the elegant yet distant young lady before him, Chang Rong opened his throat.

'We will definitely be able to leave here'—this lie has no meaning when spoken aloud. Both Chang Rong and the young lady know very well that this moment is more like the final moments before waking from a dream, when everything will eventually dissipate, leaving only the survivors carrying hazy memories to continue their journey.

Here, there is neither the option nor the need to use false evidence; therefore, the only thing I should say is—

"If you are the young lady, no matter where you go next time, this pride and confidence will surely continue to protect you."

Chang Rong responded with a smile.

"As expected of a commoner's answer, it's really not fancy at all."

The young lady's smile grew even brighter. If she hadn't been tossing a piece of wreckage around, the scene might have truly resembled a beautiful and captivating shoujo manga.

"Phew... Although some audience members have gradually left for their next destination, our concert has only just begun!!"

As another song ended, Léa stood on the stage, microphone in hand. Although her forehead was covered in sweat, she showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever.

"Leya-sama, how are you feeling?"

After confirming that all the 'high-risk targets' had been thrown outside the gate and instantly eliminated, Chang Rong looked at Leia on the stage and asked her a question.

"It's amazing...! So many spectators, so much support, I feel so light, I feel like I can keep singing forever, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore—"

"Alright, let's stop now."

Chang Rong extinguished the flag for Renjian Leia. It has to be said that he is a legendary comedian. He managed to create a death flag in a place like this.

"Well... I'll leave the rest to you, Alice, to finish up."

"Ah."

Chang Rong looked at the girl holding her hand beside her and said softly.

Meruru has already freed the most docile and mild-mannered remains, while the more aggressive and restless ones have been elegantly given the opportunity to recite haiku by the young lady. Now, the remaining remains are basically the most 'mediocre' existences.

They can be swayed by a more enthusiastic atmosphere and will take the same actions as guided by it.

"dad"

"What's wrong, Alice—"

Alice softly called Chang Rong's name, and as Chang Rong turned to look at Alice, the girl suddenly jumped up and hugged Chang Rong's shoulders.

Gravity caused Chang Rong to lower his body, and in that instant, Alice withdrew her hands from her shoulders, slid them to Chang Rong's cheeks, and gently tiptoed forward—

Alice and Chang Rong were pressed tightly together where their hands were covering their faces.

"This is... to obtain the Witch Factor, so that Alice can use more powerful magic..."

Alice landed on her feet again, letting go of her hands, leaving only her flushed, fair cheeks, confirming that the little girl's 'rebellious' act just now was not in vain.

"Alice..."

Before Chang Rong could say anything, the scenery around the stage suddenly changed. Countless dazzling streams of light transformed into lines that swirled around Leia and the stage, enveloping everyone in this rainbow-colored vortex.

"Then, the next song—!!"

"A rainbow appearing after the rain, and flowers blooming majestically~?"

Léa's voice rang out again, but this time, accompanied by starlight that could no longer be explained by science, the concert's atmosphere reached a new peak.

"—Now, Miss Alice!"

Chang Rong timed the atmosphere perfectly. The moment the restlessness of the wreckage reached its peak, the vines that had been binding and securing the wreckage, as well as the psychedelic and hypnotic flowers, instantly vanished.

"Hiss hiss hiss—!!!"

Without restraint or weakening, the remains rushed towards 'Chang Rong' almost simultaneously.

"Hiss... hiss!?"

The first piece of debris that rushed forward thought it could obtain One Piece, but the moment it touched the 'white-haired tonic', it only felt an incredibly warm wave enveloping its entire body.

"Hiss hiss hiss—hiss hiss... hiss... (Children, run! This isn't home... Ahh, I... I'm at peace now...)"

"It's you! It really is you! You told me that if you shine in the darkness, you can become the starry sky?"

Accompanied by Leia's singing, the wreckage surged toward 'Changrong' one after another, only to realize at the last moment that it was actually a gate that had been refracted and concealed, and all of them emitted light and turned into stars.

Normally, although these remains lack intelligence, they still retain a certain level of intelligence, and they will stop upon noticing the 'phantom'.

However, the atmosphere had already reached its peak. These 'mediocre remnants' who had been selected had no chance to discern Chang Rong's true location under the starlight, nor did they have time to stop. So they all rushed in, leaving the edge of life and death as if they were grabbing eggs.

"The hope and unease they hold tightly in their hands will surely become the light that guides them forward—?"

As the song ended, the rainbow around the stage gradually faded. The previously dark mass of debris also disappeared.

"..." "..."

The crowds and noise of just now seemed like a dream. Now, only tranquility remained on Witch Island, a tranquility so profound that one could hear their own heartbeat.

"Hmm... It suddenly became so quiet... Seriously, this was such a ridiculous concert..."

After confirming that it was over, the young lady, utterly disheveled, plopped down on the ground, adopting an elegant posture with her legs together and bent to one side—this was the last bit of pride she could muster as an elegant noblewoman.

"Wow... Wow, that's amazing... It's really amazing... Especially the end, it felt like a clogged toilet—"

"Give me a better way to describe your stupid scheme!" the young lady yelled at Meruru, then collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"Alice...feels nauseous...but these lips just kissed Daddy, so she has to hold it in..."

Even Alice covered her mouth, her face turning ashen, desperately suppressing her urge to produce rainbow candies on the spot.

"Hmm... Everyone, you've all really worked hard. I'm so grateful that you're all willing to stick with my ridiculous plan. And Rhea-sama, as expected of my idol, even the remains of hers are obsessed with her—hmm?"

Chang Rong walked to the edge of the stage and smiled at Leia. Before he could finish speaking, Leia suddenly walked to the edge of the stage, grabbed Chang Rong's hand, and pulled him onto the stage.

"After a thousand years of time, we have finally met~?"

"Look, so that we don't lose each other again, please never let go of each other's hands—"

There was no accompaniment, no microphone, no lights, and no audience. Ryota Hasumi simply held Chang Rong's hand and sang that plain and ethereal ballad.

“This is… exclusively yours, Chang Rong.”

Ryoua Hasumi tightly grasped Chang Rong's hand with her fingers interlaced. She couldn't suppress the smile on her face, and the light in her sparkling eyes was even greater than when she was at the concert.

"Indeed, no matter what kind of gaze, no matter how many gazes... without you, everything would still become dull and lifeless. So—"

Leia pulled Chang Rong to her side, pressing close to the boy until they could hear each other's breathing.

"Could you continue to accompany me in the future...? I'm sure I'll still be reckless, just like this time, doing strange things to attract everyone's 'attention'. But as long as I can feel your gaze, I will never feel afraid."

"My number one fan, my Romeo, my idol, my...favorite."

Ryota Hasumi leaned forward slightly and offered a tender kiss to the person who was now occupying her entire gaze.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle—"

"W-what's wrong? Are you going to become a corpse too?!"

Alice, who had just been gloating over secretly kissing 'Daddy,' exploded upon seeing this scene, yelling "There's a cow!" The young lady, left alone, looked terrified, thinking that Alice's replication of Noah's verbal tic was a sign that she too was about to become a cripple.

"—I just can't do anything with you."

"Ugh...!?"

Chang Rong suddenly pulled hard, turning Leia into his arms. He held Leia in one arm and held her tightly with the other.

"Then I will protect you, Your Highness, the world's number one princess—"

"Wait a minute! I'm the world's number one princess, aren't I?!" The young lady next to her suddenly bristled and interrupted.

"No, no, no... there's a difference between 'young lady' and 'princess,' isn't there? You should be called the world's young lady (real)!"

Chang Rong quickly explained to Li Hua.

"What does that parenthesis mean? Does it mean there's a fake one that should be listed first too?!"

"This...wow, this stage really is a stage...Awoooo ...

Chang Rong tried to change the subject, but Alice, who had climbed up, attacked her calves.

"Alice, you're the world's number one Cyclops! Aaaaaaah!!!"

Thinking that Alice's outburst was due to an unequal distribution of spoils, Chang Rong hurriedly tried to make amends, but unfortunately, his attempts were not very effective and only exacerbated the impact on her calves.

"Sigh, I guess I really need to find a private, one-on-one opportunity to put on the dog costume..."

Watching the scene gradually descend into chaos, Hasumi Ryoya sighed and rubbed her hair as she thought to herself.

"It's really... really quiet now..."

Meanwhile, on the ice, Meruru looked at the now silent castle and murmured to herself.

Ryoua Hasumi [99/100]

[An idol on stage] — → [An idol who belongs only to you]

Today's 14K, [19-5=14] chapters

It seems like I'm almost done paying off the debt. Maybe I can even get some monthly passes at the end of the month?

224. Since things have come to this, how about we have a go?

The flower fields on Witch Island have always been a rare and relaxing place in this man-made prison where one can unwind. Watching the clouds under the clear sky surrounded by a sea of ​​flowers, even if it's just an escape, one can at least find a moment of peace.

But this sea of ​​flowers seemed even more 'special' today—huge parasols were spread out in the flower field to shield people from the sun. Picnic blankets were laid out next to the tables for people to rest, and the tables were filled with all kinds of exquisite snacks and desserts, steaming teapots, and teacups that looked very expensive.

There was even a small oven baking bread right next to it, wafting out the aroma of wheat and butter.

Anyone who sees this scene would probably think it's someone's wealthy backyard, and that they're having a picnic here because of the sunny weather.

"I highly recommend this herbal tea... It has a refreshing feeling when you drink it, it's really wonderful!"

"Miss, please try the freshly baked walnut brownie—although I still couldn't replicate the addictive essence, I've at least replicated the taste to a 6 or 7%, so it should be palatable."

"You're quite thoughtful—but speaking of which, when did bread start having 'addiction' indicators...?"

Beside the parasol, the young lady sat on a chair, picked up a transparent teacup filled with Merylene flower tea, and slowly put it into her mouth. Then she cut a slice of bread, asking Changrong Bread what 'purity' meant, and elegantly put it into her mouth, immediately revealing a satisfied but feigned reserved smile.

Alice, standing next to her, was holding a cookie in both hands, slowly nibbling at it. Although her eating efficiency made Emma Sakura sigh, she looked incredibly cute, making one want to pat her head.

"This warehouse is getting more and more amazing. I didn't expect it could actually roll out grills and charcoal. It can even provide picnic kits with one click."

While temporarily cosplaying as a butler, serving tea, water, and snacks to everyone, Chang Rong marveled at how complete the facilities were in this place of life and death, to the point that she even wondered if Doraemon had died inside.