Shut up, brave man! I don't want to atone for my sins to you!

But Charles' answer was far beyond her expectations.

Charles said:

"Nothing, I just feel like I'm... lucky."

"Huh?" This was a very strange answer, causing a question mark to spin above Rachel's head. "What do you mean?"

Charles smiled and placed his hands on the backs of Laciel's hands:

"Have you forgotten? Or you said it yourself - only men understand what men are thinking. I think this sentence makes sense. It is precisely because you were a man before you became a witch that you understand me as a man better than any other woman."

"You know what I like, you know what I look forward to, and you can even guess what I'm thinking every time..."

As Ciel said this, he couldn't help but think of the speech that Lacele gave to him and the group of young elves before they faced the Matron in Lentiheim:

"That's what men are like. They always like to fantasize about unrealistic things. For example, they think they have an important mission, just like a cicada buried deep underground. When the time is right, they will break out of the ground, complete their last song, and then leave the stage like a shooting star."

At that time, Charles was still a little confused - he didn't understand why Rachel understood him so well, and understood the "men" she mentioned.

And now, the truth has come to light.

Charles couldn't help but hold Lacie's hand tightly, interlocking their fingers, and whispered to her:

“So, I am feeling lucky.”

"Being able to be with a special and considerate girl like you, I am probably the luckiest man in the world of Pangaea, right?"

He smiled from the bottom of his heart and exclaimed so.

[To be continued]

-

30. Meaningful

Lacele didn't expect that Charles actually thought so.

It's quite outrageous.

Before, she thought Charles would dislike her.

But Ciel's real reaction was...

"What? There is such a good thing?"

Is he optimistic? He is so optimistic that it is almost unbelievable to her.

It's outrageous, okay?

But if you think about it carefully, it makes sense.

Charles has always been optimistic.

Suffering and natural disasters gave birth to him and endowed him with qualities far beyond those of ordinary people. Perhaps it was because he was born in mud that he was able to grow into the hero of light he is today.

Light is born out of darkness, isn't it?

Thinking of this, Lacey felt a little sorry for Charles.

The gifts that fate bestows on everyone are secretly marked with a price. Behind these qualities of precocity, strength, and gentleness are engraved pain and loneliness...

Laceel suddenly leaned close to Charles' ear and said softly:

"Thank you for all the hard work."

Charles didn't understand why Lacie said that. He was stunned for a moment and asked:

"Ok?"

Lacele blinked and wanted to touch Charles' head, but her hand was held tightly by Charles and she couldn't get away, so she had to give up.

"Yes..." she said, "I feel that your journey has not been easy, so I feel a little emotional."

Charles didn't seem to think so.

After listening to what Lacier said, he just shook his head and replied in his usual calm tone:

"I have seen many people who are more miserable than me. My sufferings are nothing compared to theirs, but they still live tenaciously, so I probably have no right to complain."

"and……"

He suddenly turned his head towards Lacier, a slight smile flashing in his iron-gray eyes:

"I have found you. As long as you are by my side, I think I am probably the happiest person in the entire Pangaea."

"!"

Lacey was simply shocked.

She subconsciously looked away, feeling a little shy and unwilling to continue looking at Charles.

"He's actually quite good at talking," she thought, "Why can't I tell that normally? Or is he the type who gets carried away by a few sweet words and is easily conquered by accident?"

How can it be!

She...is not.

Lacey rejected this possibility in her heart.

Although the facts were already there - no matter what she thought, she and Charles were already an engaged couple, and the ring on her left ring finger was the best evidence.

According to Charles' plan, it's almost time to start preparing for their wedding. Maybe soon she will put on her wedding dress, exchange vows with Charles in the presence of Lao Deng, and officially become Charles' wife.

So there was nothing to be ashamed of admitting, she just liked Ciel, whether he was a visitor from another world or a native of the Pan-Continent, whether he was a witch or a priest, a man or a woman.

As long as Charles is willing to accept her as sensitive, inferior, contradictory and twisted as she is, she is willing to accompany Charles until the destruction of the world, until the end of time, no matter what the ending will be.

In that case, she had to respond to Ciel.

With her heavy feelings for the hero, Laciel successfully defeated herself.

So she bravely turned her head back and faced Charles, her face flushed.

"Me, me too!" She responded in a low voice, then closed her eyes and moved her cherry-colored lips closer, saying as if giving an order and also as if making a request, "Kiss... kiss me!"

Charles did not hesitate at all. He fulfilled Lacie's wish, closed his eyes, slowly moved closer and kissed Lacie's lips.

About the past, about the sufferings in the past, about all the experiences of the two of them...

The death, separation, conspiracy and sadness experienced by the hero; the loneliness, confusion, sorrow and anxiety experienced by the witch - perhaps both of them are actually a little bad at expressing themselves, but they both have a lot to say:

For example, after the witch faked her death, the hero even thought about following her more than once. For example, when she was in the hero's team, the witch herself hesitated whether to reveal her identity and tell the hero the truth...

But suddenly none of this mattered anymore.

It doesn't matter anymore.

The witch and the hero hugged each other and kissed passionately. At this moment, they didn't care about anything else but each other.

Because the hero likes the witch.

Because the witch also loves the hero.

To them, this is the only important thing.

That's it.

……

After a long time, after saying goodbye to Lacielle again and again, Charles, still a little reluctant, finally left the Forest Sea.

He would return to the White Tower alone.

Lacele even specifically asked him if he wanted her to go with him, but Charles told her no.

He said that he went to the White Tower only to deal with some not-too-troublesome matters. Once they were done, they could go to Conker to summon their former companions, rebuild the team of brave men, and go to Victoria as planned to seek justice from the king of Victoria.

Since Charles said so, Lacie had no intention of returning to the White Tower with him. Even if she went back, she would only be teased by Old Deng and urged to have a baby.

Obviously, the wedding between Ciel and her is going to be postponed, and they want to have a child... Although if Ciel really wants to have a child with her, she can consider it, but Ciel said that he should respect her idea, and her idea is that... She is not mentally prepared to have a child for Ciel yet!

Maybe I'll wait until I get back from Victoria.

Although it sounds a bit like setting a flag, this is the agreement between the hero and the witch:

After they successfully found out the truth about the death of the previous generation of heroes and successfully negotiated an explanation from Victoria, they returned to the White Tower to hold the wedding. As for whether to have children after the wedding...

we'll talk about it then!

They had already agreed on this anyway.

In fact, until he was sent to the White Tower by Lacille using a warp spell, Charles was still thinking about who to invite to the wedding.

"If only Uncle Elvis were still alive," he thought with a heavy heart, "If Uncle Elvis were still alive, he would definitely be willing to come to my wedding."

In addition to the previous hero Elvis, the people Ciel could think of were his few friends and several members of the team.

Assassin Xi Rui, wizard Godot, warrior Joseph.

Also, the elves might send messengers by then, and if Diesel had not been exiled to the depths of the starry sky, the great Emperor might also send representatives.

Of course, there is also Rachel's teacher, Lady Veridon, the Lord of the White Tower, who will witness their marriage.

Just as Charles was thinking this, he heard a familiar gentle and kind voice coming from in front of him:

"Access request? Let me see... Hmm, this magical aura... It's from my useless and stupid student. No, she's not here. It's you?"

Hearing this, Charles subconsciously raised his head and found himself in an unfamiliar room.

Everywhere were glowing spell prototypes, scrolls, and tomes. It was even more terrifying than the palace in Diesel's dream. Even the floor was piled with books. Charles could hardly find a suitable place to step. He could only stay where he was to avoid accidentally stepping on a precious document.

And among the mountains and seas of books, there is a simple and plain table, as if it had just been sawed off a tree not long ago, and it has not even been carved, and it still has branches, leaves and buds.

The Lord of the White Tower, the Honorable Lady Veridon, was sitting in an armchair behind the table, with a relaxed posture and a peaceful expression. A thick blanket covered her legs, and a fat cat was lying there snoring, its whiskers shaking from time to time.

There was a fairy-tale-like, wonderful atmosphere that made people relax and sleepy, spreading from the man and the cat, and permeating every corner of the room.

Only then did Charles realize that Lacielle had used the warp spell to send him directly to the room of the Lord of the White Tower.

He was inevitably a little helpless, but he quickly saluted the Lord of the White Tower and took the initiative to greet him:

"Hello, Ms. Verliden."

The Lord of the White Tower felt that this address was a little strange:

"You don't have to be so respectful. You can call me Lao Deng just like Laciel does. I don't mind."

Then she sighed to herself:

"Oh my goodness, my dear student actually likes a serious type like you. This really surprises me. I thought she would like a more... uh, lively man."

Charles really didn't know how to answer, as he had never been so reserved when facing Lacie as a child.

But facing the Lord of the White Tower, who in a sense could even be considered Rachel's teacher and mother, he felt rarely at a loss.

It's like being restrained.

As a son-in-law, I am completely controlled by my mother-in-law, which was not the case before.

"Is it because... I have finally confirmed my relationship with Rachel this time, and I am determined to shoulder the responsibility of her long life?"

Charles couldn't help but wonder.

Even though the Lord of the White Tower was kind to him, he couldn't call her Lao Deng as the Lord of the White Tower ordered.

So after hesitating for a moment, he said:

"I'd better call you Ms. Verliden..."

The Lord of the White Tower was obviously not satisfied. She sighed solemnly and shook her head:

"Oh, you are so old-fashioned, even more old-fashioned than an old man like me. I really can't understand what my dear student likes about you."

Charles felt a little embarrassed.

From what the Lord of the White Tower said, it seems that she is not particularly satisfied with him as a son-in-law? But even if he knew this, he didn't know what he should do next. Should he find a way to prove that he is worthy of Lacier's love, or directly tell the Lord of the White Tower what Lacier likes about him?

Just as Charles was struggling with how to respond, the Lord of the White Tower suddenly spoke again:

"Although I don't know why Rachel likes you, I have to admit that she has always had good taste. Many years ago, before the White Tower was built, she chose me, and now, she has chosen you..."

The old woman behind the desk had a trance-like look that only appeared when she was deeply immersed in memories, but it only lasted for a dozen seconds before her eyes refocused.

She looked at Charles and said half jokingly and half warningly: