Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

She cannot hear the voices of others because she has lost the patience and courage to listen.

She couldn't hear the concern from her companions because she had closed herself off emotionally.

Even the heartbeat and pulse have disappeared; those are the sounds coming from one's own body, but now they can't be heard at all.

The lamp swayed as it raised its head, watching Su Shi disappear into data fragments.

what happened?

Hasn't Su Shi already returned?

Why do we still need to...?

The lamp stared in bewilderment in the direction where Su Shi had disappeared.

Followed by.

The voices of countless people converged, turning into a roar that surged into the ear canal like a tidal wave.

Help!

[There's a monster! Someone, please save me!]

Am I going to die?

No, I haven't... I haven't gone back to my hometown with her yet...

I don't want to die!!!

I've heard that after death, souls enter the goddess's divine realm. Is that true...? If so, please save us..., goddess...

【Goddess...】

I can't die yet, my daughter is waiting for me to come home...

The jumbled sounds were like a radio broadcast with no signal, turned up to its maximum volume. Placed next to the lamp's ear, they were intermittent murmurs that bypassed the auditory system and resonated directly in the deepest part of her heart, as if they were not the voice of her own heart, but rather these sounds came from within her own soul.

Crying, roaring, screaming, some struggling, some praying, some reluctant... but the vast majority, the vast majority of the vast majority, almost all of their innermost feelings, only had one line.

"No! No way!"

The lamp covered its almost broken ears, knelt on the ground, and passively accepted the baptism of sounds from all over the world.

thump—

Dong-dong-dong-dong-dong

Thump th ...

My heart was pounding, the sound of my heartbeat was getting faster and faster.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

The lamp was curled up in a ball on the ground.

"No...please stop...I beg you...it hurts so much...it's so painful...I...I don't want to hear any more..."

sorry......

I was wrong... Xiangzi...

I shouldn't have disobeyed you, and just because I felt stronger than before... I shouldn't have plunged headlong into it. I shouldn't have presumptuously tried to save others. I shouldn't have...

sorry.....

Xiangzi......

I......

......

Her consciousness blurred, and she couldn't remember when she had passed out. She felt as if she were having a nightmare from which she could never wake up. In the nightmare, she fell into hell, where she heard countless agonizing cries and witnessed people enduring unbearable tortures.

At first, an executioner showed her around, saying that this was hell.

The lamp asked, "Are all the people in hell bad?"

The executioners denied it, saying they hadn't done anything and were just ordinary people.

The lamp then asked him why ordinary people have to endure such pain and torment.

The executioner said, "Life is inherently painful, and pain is life."

As he spoke, he tried to grab the lamp's hand and drag her into the torture device known as the Iron Maiden.

"How could you escape your due punishment?" said the executioner whose face could not be seen.

Lamp tried to struggle, but her strength was too weak to resist the torturer's restraints. She watched helplessly as she was dragged into the Iron Maiden, the sharp spikes getting closer and closer to her skin and eyes.

at this time.

With a thud, a figure in azure blue kicked the executioner into the Iron Maiden. The door of the Iron Maiden slammed shut, and a somewhat comical scream came from inside.

"To hell with your pain," the figure said.

The lamp watched the back of the man who had kicked the executioner away.

He opened his mouth slightly.

"Small......"

"Xiao...Xiaoxiang?"

......

"I'm here."

Amidst the chorus of painful cries, a sound as clear as a spring drifted in.

"I'm right beside you, light."

Xiangzi held the lamp's hand and placed it on his face. Feeling the soft, cool touch of the lamp's hands, Xiangzi whispered.

Can you hear my heart's voice?

Xiangzi tilted her head forward slightly, pressing it against the lamp's forehead, and grasped the lamp with her other hand. Now their two hands were clasped together.

"Focus your attention, don't listen to those distracting noises, come on..."

Xiangzi led the way.

Listen to my heart.

The Lost Story: The Lost Child - Chapter 424 Understanding

In fact, the light remained dim for a long time.

During this period, Xiangzi's mindset underwent a slight change because of a certain person.

......

"On the eve of the world's destruction, the world will be filled with the voices of suffering and pain. As the price for being able to hear these voices... she will have to accept all the suffering of the world."

The White Queen looked down at the lamp, which was in so much pain that it could no longer make a sound, and said softly.

Mental anguish is more unbearable than physical pain. Physical pain is a signal sent to the brain by the body when it is injured, but mental anguish has no basis in reality. Only the injured person can understand that kind of pain.

The sight of the broken lamp became the final straw that broke the camel's back in their relationship.

Xiangzi lowered his eyes, looking at the lamp curled up on the ground like an unwanted little animal... He sighed, shook his head, and turned to leave.

"Little Master!" Ai Yin's voice came from behind her, "Where are you going?"

"Prepare to leave here." Xiangzi turned his head, his voice full of exhaustion.

Since it's already the worst possible outcome, then we need to use the measures necessary to deal with it. It's not that she didn't have a contingency plan, she just didn't want to use it.

Miaomeng had already found out the real-world location of Fairy Tale Town. Since Su Shi had decided to take the most extreme measures, she would also use the most extreme measures to deal with it... Surely no one would blame her.

She has tried her best.

real......

We've done our best.

Xiangzi exhaled a breath of stale air, turned around, and prepared to open his barrier and forcibly create a crack.

but--

"Little Master, wait a moment!" Ai Yin tried to persuade her to stay.

"...What are you doing?" Xiangzi turned around and glanced at her impatiently.

“You want to go back to the real world…” Aine walked up to her and said hesitantly, “You plan to leave now, right?”

It seemed that just standing in front of Xiangzi required her to muster up her courage.

"Ah."

Xiangzi nodded slightly, his chin barely visible to the naked eye.

"Is there anything else? Please tell me quickly."

Looking at Ai-yin's frightened expression, Xiangzi suddenly felt so tired.

What Aine is about to say next is nothing more than some courageous questions: why she ignored the light, why she was so cruel to little Suze... What was the point of all this? In the end, she still gets strange looks from them. Who is she doing all this thankless work for...?

Xiangzi lowered his eyes, and the once dazzling golden radiance now appeared exceptionally dim.

She was prepared to be scolded.

result......

"Little Master, don't go yet." Ai Yin suddenly grabbed her hand. "You need to rest now."

Eh?

Xiangzi's eyes widened slightly at the completely different response he had expected.

"What...did you say?" Xiangzi raised his eyes and looked into Aine's eyes.

There wasn't a trace of resentment or blame in those pale green eyes, only concern and understanding for Xiangzi.

“You’re too tired right now. You need to rest properly, otherwise how will you face those powerful enemies… and Su Shi-sang too.” Ai-yin held Xiangzi’s hand and said seriously, “A day inside the barrier is only equivalent to an hour outside. It’s not too late for Little Master to rest for a day or two before leaving.”

"Aren't you angry with me?" Xiangzi asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

"I blame you?" Ai Yin blinked. "Little Master didn't do anything wrong, why would I blame you?"

what......

Xiangzi slightly opened his mouth.

Seeing Xiangzi's surprised expression, Ai Yin gave a slightly bitter yet understanding smile.

She was the first person to enter Fairy Tale Town with Xiangzi. Having spent so much time together, she knew exactly what kind of person Xiangzi was.

Saying one thing and meaning another, stubborn as a mule, sharp-tongued but kind-hearted, proud and aloof...

She already knew it.

“If I were in the position of the junior master, I definitely wouldn’t be as decisive as you. You’ve sacrificed so much for us… How can I blame you?”

"what......"

Xiangzi couldn't help but make a sound.

Although Hatsuka said the same thing to her, Muku, Hailing, and Miaomeng, everyone in Mujica would say the same thing to her, saying, "Xiangzi, you did nothing wrong, you did your best."

However, hearing these words from Aine's mouth evoked a completely different feeling for Xiangzi.

Because Mujica is family, family members can accept you without limits, family is her last refuge, while Aine... is an outsider.

Saying that might hurt Aine, but to be understood and acknowledged by someone you don't consider family... it's like a doctor who frequently experiences medical disputes failing in a surgery that snatches a patient back from the brink of death, and is dejectedly bracing for insults from the patient's family, only to be greeted with a "thank you for your hard work" from them.

My hardships and sorrows were understood by an outsider.

This feeling is rare.

Xiangzi touched his sore nose, suppressing the urge to cry, cleared his throat, nodded nonchalantly, and turned to ask Miaomeng.

"How long is the time left?"

"Well."

Miao Meng counted on her fingers and said.