Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1155 Do you want to become an adult?
When Lingge left Tianxin Church, he looked dazed, and he didn't even hear Metien calling his name behind him, which surprised the pink-haired girl. As a younger sister, she thought she knew her brother's character very well, but she had never seen him so absent-minded. Could it be that something strange happened in that small kitchen when no one knew about it?

She asked the other party, but only got a mysterious smile.

"You are still young." Saint Xia Liya said softly, "You will understand when you grow up."

Am I... still young?

Metien was confused. Although she was just a little girl when she embarked on this journey, two years had passed quietly, and the naive girl should have grown up long ago. Ling Ge always treated her as a little girl because in the eyes of a brother, a sister will never grow up, which is understandable. But sister Xiaoxia, haven't you witnessed my growth with your own eyes? How can you still say such cold words?

"I'm not young!"

The girl crossed her arms and said angrily, "I'm almost an adult. Even Sister Xie Liya told me that I'm old enough to drink. You can't always treat me like a child, Sister Xiao Xia!"

"Really?" Saint Xia Liya glanced at her gently and said gently: "Then I will repeat this sentence to Ling Ge truthfully, what do you think?"

"Wa ...

"If you know you are wrong, don't keep saying these things."

Saint Charity reached out her hand and tapped Metien's head gently. Seeing her covering her forehead with her hands and looking pitiful, she couldn't help but laugh: "Growth cannot be reflected by words, but by practical actions to convince everyone. Metien, if you really want Lingge and everyone to trust you, then take practical actions. When that day comes, Lingge and I will be proud and happy for you."

"Then..." Metien looked at her cautiously: "Can I drink then?"

"Why do you always think about this?"

"Because Sister Xie Liya told me that the wine tastes like adults." The pink-haired girl couldn't help smacking her lips, as if she was thinking about what adults should taste like. Is it sweet and sour like fruit wine? Is it refreshing and cool like ice water made by a bartender? Or is it bitter and astringent like potion? To be honest, she was a little curious and secretly looking forward to it. After all, if she could taste the taste of adults, then she would know what she should become to be worthy of being called an adult.

It turned out to be the case.

Xie Liya was really stupid. How could she say such things to a child? But thinking this way, she seemed to subconsciously put Metien in the position of a child. If she couldn't change this prejudice, then when would she grow up in her eyes?

Thinking of this, Saint Xia Liya's attitude softened slightly: "If...if you can manage the affairs of Tianxin Church well and don't need Miss Livia's help, I will allow you...well, drink a small glass of wine?"

Not the intoxicating kind.

"Then..." Metien's eyes lit up: "Ringer's side?"

"I'll help you convince him."

"Great!" Metien cheered, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Saint Xia Liya eagerly: "Sister Xia, we have an appointment, you won't lie, right? Do you want us to make a promise?"

Saint Shallia couldn't help but smile: "That's something only children would do."

"Hey, this..."

Should she make a promise by being a child, or should she not be a child and not get the promise? Is it not possible to get the promise without being treated as a child? Or will her promise be useless once she becomes an adult? It seems that adults are really cunning creatures.

Metien, in a dilemma.

"Um... Miss Metine?"

At this moment, a voice came from behind, interrupting her thoughts. Metien looked back curiously, only to find that it was Kadora standing there, looking at her a little embarrassedly: "I'm sorry to bother you, but, um, the time that Pastor Ling said... has come? We are all ready, so, um, when will you start preaching? We will definitely listen carefully this time, ah, Mitch also promised me!"

The young men and women of the Ash Guerrilla had already left the game area and sat down on the oak benches one by one, ready to listen to Metien's sermon, including Mitch. But when he heard what Kadora said, he snorted coldly and muttered, "I just don't want that guy to say that I don't keep my word."

Linger asked them to play the game moderately and not get too addicted. He also hoped that after they had enjoyed the game, they would be able to calm down and listen to the goddess's teachings. Obviously, Mitch and Kadora had firmly remembered the young man's words and were very conscious of fulfilling them, without even needing to be reminded by others.

"Go ahead, Metien."

Saint Shallia gently pushed the girl from behind and said softly, "They have fulfilled their responsibilities. Now it's your turn. Only by fulfilling your responsibilities well can you be considered a qualified adult, okay?"

Metien did not resist, and was pushed forward two steps, and subconsciously stood in front of the altar. In front of her was the goddess's scriptures, and below were pairs of sincere and expectant eyes. She saw Kadora's encouragement, Mitch's urging, and even the figures of Shemi, Leticia, and Sister Livia, who were also sitting in the crowd, as if they had become the objects of faith that needed to be listened to.

As she read, a bright, childish, but happy smile suddenly appeared on the girl's face. She reached out and opened the book in front of her. In a trance, she seemed to see a gentle, mature, intellectual and hopeful girl in the lines of ink-colored text. She knew that was her future self, a grown-up Metien. She already existed, and the girl just needed to find her.

"So," she told the audience, "let's get started!"...

After leaving Tianxin Church, the wind blowing through the Black Forest calmed Ling Ge down a little. In fact, he should have stayed to see if his sister had learned anything from his teachings. But when he came to his senses, he was already standing outside the door. Fate, maybe it's a terrible thing? He realized this belatedly, and after standing there for a while, he turned around and walked towards the woods.

The young man walked along the road while observing the movements on the roadside. Suddenly, he stopped, looked around, then bent his thumb and index finger into a ring, placed it on his lips, and whistled softly. The clear and loud sound soon echoed in the quiet forest. Just like the herdsmen on the Lessenwell prairie were accustomed to using whistles to call hounds and sheep to move to the next pasture, the young man was also calling someone.

About ten seconds later, the sound of horse hooves was heard in the woods. Then, a big snow-white head popped out from the shade of branches and bushes, and snorted happily at Lingge. The warm breath turned into mist, which gradually rose and dissipated among the green branches and leaves.

"Brandy."

Linger reached out and rubbed the thick mane on her neck, and asked, "Are you walking here alone, where's Shino?"

Brandy did not resist being touched by someone other than her master. She nodded gently, then shook her head. Strangely, Linger understood what she meant at once. Nodding meant that she was indeed walking alone, and shaking her head meant that Shino was not too far away, but she was not with her beloved horse.

Either she was honing her martial arts skills or she was cleaning the streets. Xino's life on Yunjingkong Island seemed to be the same as her life in Xiaduoli Manor in the past twenty years. She always faced all kinds of changes in reality, good or bad, with a calm and composed attitude.

"Then please bring her over here, or take me over?" Linger asked, "I have something to tell her."

Brandi was about to agree when her ears suddenly pricked up and moved alertly. She quickly turned her head and looked in one direction of the woods. Then, she heard footsteps and a slightly teasing voice: "I was wondering why Brandi disappeared without a word while walking. It turns out that she was abducted by you, Mr. Ling."

Then, the knight of the Gustave family, a girl with snow-white hair and red eyes, wearing a simple dress, walked slowly over with a big broom used to sweep the streets in both hands. Brandy shouted to her happily and aggrievedly, as if to say: I was not kidnapped.

Lingge also did not think that his behavior was abduction: "I am not a knight, and I have never been recognized by the Snow Mountain Divine Horse."

"Really? But she is very close to you."

Xino walked to her beloved horse and reached out to rub Brandi's mane. The strange thing was that her movements were almost identical to Ling'er's, even the position and feel of the touch were so consistent that Brandi actually thought that it was only one person stroking her from beginning to end.

Why is this? She tilted her head, somewhat puzzled.

Shino didn't notice Ai Ma's confusion. After a teasing, he asked, "So, what do you want to tell me, Lingge? If you want a hug, I don't mind. I hope you don't mind that I'm holding a broom in my hand."

After she finished speaking, she smiled and opened her arms to the young man, as if she wanted to imitate what she did last night and give him a friendly hug. This made Lingge very embarrassed, and he had to cough twice to show that I definitely didn't have such thoughts, and then Xinuo gave up. She also sighed: "I see that you are in a much better mood today, and I thought that the hug last night worked. Am I being too sentimental?"

"It can't be said that it has nothing to do with it... ahem!"

Ling Ge forced the topic back: "Let's talk about business."

He told Shino about his decision to cooperate with the Ash Guerrillas and asked for her opinion. However, after being told by Saint Shalia, the young man did not say anything else, such as "for long-term interests, to increase his own weight, to enhance his voice in the face of Paradise Assyria", but simply said directly: I simply admire Carson Borg as a person and the philosophy of the Ash Guerrillas, so I decided to help them.

Since he was so honest, Xino's answer naturally could not be rejection.

"This reminds me of the deeds of our ancestor Hiberton who followed the Saint Lady and joined the Holy Salvation Army." The descendant of the White Knight smiled and said, "Although times have changed, some stories keep repeating themselves. I don't know if I can do as well as our ancestor Hiberton, but if I want to contribute to the cause of justice and fairness, I should do my best."

"So you agree to fight for the Ash Rangers?"

"Strictly speaking, it's a fight for justice and fairness."

Xinuo paused for a moment, then continued, "But I have a condition, and I wonder if Mr. Carson can accept it."

"What conditions?"

"You should know that even if we escape to the East Continent, we are not completely safe, Ling. In fact, the military forces deployed by the Witch Society in the East Continent even far exceed those deployed in the West Continent. Almost every legion, every army and every war zone of the Axis Powers have their tentacles spreading deeply, and I think the Kingdom of Noah is no exception. If we behave too much, I am afraid that before the Axis Powers can react, the Witch Society will have sent people to chase us. Given their importance to us, it is very likely that they will send out witches and constructed mechas. If I fight the witches, I am not afraid, but can the already weak Ash Guerrillas and the scattered resistance organization in the Ansers region resist the power of the constructed mechas? Unless we move fast enough, so fast that the Witch Society cannot react; or stable enough, so stable that when the Witch Society reacts, it is no longer able to exert and save the defeat."

Linger listened carefully to Xinuo's suggestion. As he listened, his expression gradually became serious: "You mean..."

"Quickly, it's impossible. The Ash Guerrillas and other resistance organizations in the Ansers region do not have the strength to quickly annihilate the 17th Legion and recapture the City of Ash Hill. In this case, the only way is to win by playing it safe." The young knight said calmly, "To put it simply, we must continue to endure, continue to grow, and continue to accumulate strength until we launch a decisive battle. This battle will determine the fate of the entire Ansers region, and I—"

She raised her head slightly, her eyes bright, "It will be the sharpest and most fearless spear blade in that battle."

Give me some meow