Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1254 Can I help you?
After Metien left, the people who came to see him off also dispersed and went back to do their own things. Only Lingge remained where he was, staring at the direction where his sister disappeared. No one knew what he was thinking. Perhaps it was the first time he was separated from his sister, and his mood was a little complicated. No matter how open-minded he appeared on the surface, he was still the elder brother. For most people in the world, the time this brother and sister depended on each other might not even be one-tenth of their lives, but how much emotion and weight they poured into it, only the parties themselves knew.

Even if this was Medien's own choice, even if she was accompanied by Miss Nevile and Miss Livia, even if she was only treating the wounded in the rear and did not have to go to the battlefield... these premises based on reality could never eliminate the uneasiness in her heart.

Saint Shallia noticed the young man's reaction and was about to say something to comfort him, but someone was quicker than her.

"It's only three people missing, but it suddenly became much quieter."

Ling Ge looked back and found that it was Xinuo who had come to his side without him noticing. She was also looking in the direction where Metien had left. However, unlike the worried young man, she had a faint smile on her face, as if she had full confidence in the fledgling girl. But was this confidence derived from her understanding of Metien, or from the optimism that was born in her own character?
Linger glanced at her and then looked away, saying, "Don't worry, it will be lively again soon."

After all, the person who was really causing trouble hasn't left yet.

Xino couldn't help but laugh: "Now that you mention it, I'm a little curious. Didn't Leticia and Shemi clamor to go with Metien? They are good friends."

They are inseparable. If they didn't have their own parents to look after them, they would probably want to stick together even when taking a bath or sleeping.

Only Lingge knew that it was not that they didn't want to, but that they couldn't.

In fact, Leticia and Shemi had made similar requests to their parents, but they were rejected. The reasons given by the Countess and the landlady were surprisingly the same: What can you do there? Metien is going to treat the wounded, and you two probably don't even know how to bandage someone, right?
Leticia said that she was also very strong and could fight in battle, and then she was hit hard on the head by her grandmother. The Countess, who had really fought in the bloody storm, knew that in the cruel battlefield, the little bat's personal strength was nothing, not to mention that her identity was so sensitive that once it was exposed, it would very likely trigger a chain reaction and ruin the current good situation. If it was just to assist the rebels, why didn't Lingge directly dispatch Yunjingkong Island?
The same goes for Sheimi. Although she swore that she was also very powerful, the proprietress still rejected her request with a smile and said that she would never let her participate in the battle until she completely mastered the fairy magic. This was for the sake of both Sheimi and her companions.

It is precisely because of the blows from their parents that the two are so eager to grow up. In this matter, they actually sympathize with each other. Unfortunately, neither Leticia nor Shemi has any intention of sympathizing with each other for the time being, and they are still arguing. Perhaps in the hearts of these two people, they actually regard growth as a competition. Whoever grows up first wins.

This kind of mentality is far from being that of a qualified adult.

But maybe it would be easier to be a kid.

Lingge thought of his past self, always hoping that his sister would grow up and have her own happiness, so that he would not have failed Mr. Yangke's last wish. Even if something unexpected happened in the future, he would be able to face his adoptive father calmly when he returned to the lightless sea in the sky. But when Metien really grew up and had her own thoughts and beliefs, he suddenly hoped that the girl could continue to stay in the stage of a child, continue to feel those beautiful fantasies and innocent wishes, instead of stepping into reality so quickly, insisting or compromising for some cruel things.

Insistence may not necessarily lead to good results, and compromise may not necessarily get you what you want. When she chose to grow from a child to an adult, had she already made such preparations?
The young man sighed silently.

When Xinuo heard the sigh, she turned her head and looked at Lingge for a while, then suddenly said, "No problem."

She smiled warmly at Lingge, "The war will surely end soon. Everyone's fighting and sacrifice are meaningful, and so are Metien. She will sprout new buds and bear fruit in this war, understand all the truths in the world, and finally return to her dishonest brother, telling him in a happy and proud tone what she has learned and gained. She is no longer the young flower that can only grow in a greenhouse, or the fledgling that needs your careful care, but she is still worthy of your pride."

She looked up into the distance and whispered, "Many years ago, in order to fulfill the oath and mission of the Gustaf family, my father went to the battlefield on a moonless night. At that time, my grandfather watched him go just like he does now. But I think the person my father wanted to see most, besides my grandfather, should be me. But because of my stubbornness, I lost the last chance to say goodbye forever. From that day on, I vowed not to let the same thing happen again. Although I sometimes doubt whether I can do it, I have never thought of giving up."

"I think Metien won't give up. That child has a stubborn spirit running through her blood. I don't know if it was inherited from her adoptive father or from you."

But the magical thing is that there is no blood relationship between the three people mentioned by Xino. This may indicate that family, destiny, ideals, and some more profound things are never inherited through blood, but through some kind of complex rituals.

"So, before Metien gives up," Xino looked back at Linge and blinked slightly, as if hinting at something, "You can't give up either, Linge."

Ling Ge didn't expect her to do such a playful thing. In everyone's mind, the young knight has always been the calm and reliable type, or is it that after getting along for a long time, she finally let down her guard and stopped hiding the true side of her character? The young man was silent for a while, and then he spoke faintly, "I'm not being frank."

Xino didn't expect that what he cared about the most was this. He was stunned at the time. After he reacted, he couldn't help but burst out laughing, and his laughter was even happier than before.

Lingge had a blank expression on his face. He was used to this kind of thing. Sometimes he was talking very seriously, but the other person would suddenly laugh out loud, as if he was deliberately trying to make her happy.

Saint Shallia, who had watched the entire conversation between the two, looked at Lingge on the left and Xino on the right. After a while, a thoughtful expression slowly appeared on her face.

I don’t know what she was thinking about.

……

On the other side, after a quarrel between Leticia and Shemi, neither of them was able to convince the other, so they threatened each other. One said that she had found the secret and would soon become an adult, and she would not play with a little kid like you anymore. The other said that she did not need any secrets, and that she would grow up in a short time by using fairy magic, and that she would secretly hide in the corner and envy me! The two looked at each other, snorted with disdain, and turned away. Leticia was a little angry at first, thinking that Shemi was really ungrateful and dared to compete with me. She must make her lose with conviction. But thinking about it, she suddenly felt relieved, because Shemi was still far from being proficient in using fairy magic. In the words of her sister, the boss lady Shesta, she would have to practice for at least another 20 to 30 years. The method she found was very easy. She just had to stay in Lingge's room every night. Even if it didn't work once or twice, she should grow up after more than ten or twenty times, right?

Xie Mi definitely doesn't have the patience to practice fairy magic for 20 or 30 years, but I have the patience to sneak into Ling'er's room dozens of times. If this continues, one will gain while the other will lose. While Xie Mi is getting weaker, I am getting stronger. Who will win in the end?
"Humph."

Walking to a remote corner with no one around, Leticia couldn't help but chuckle. The eerie laughter echoed in the woods, which was inexplicably scary. "It just so happens that my grandma won't be on the island for the next while, and no one can take care of me. I might as well move my bed to Ling'er's room to save me from running around every night. I don't think that stupid Ling'er will have any objection..."

If you have any objections, just reject them directly. After all, fools are not qualified to object!
Well, isn't it enough to just move the bed? I have to bring my favorite bunny doll with me. I can't fall asleep without hugging it every night. There are also darts for practice, dummies for simulated combat training, and a novel that my grandma left behind, which records the secrets of growth. That book must not be seen by Xie Mi, otherwise she will definitely come and snatch the ringer from me. Although there are many women on Yunjingkong Island, there is only this one man, and men and women can become adults only after spending a night together. In other words, ringers are a scarce resource and cannot be given away casually...

"What do you think?" Someone's voice suddenly came from the woods. Leticia, who was immersed in her grand ambitions, was startled. She never expected that someone would touch her side without her noticing, and she never expected that the other party would hear her conspiracy. Could it be that... he was going to kill her to silence her?
Perhaps influenced by some reading materials that are not in line with teenagers' values ​​(Note: what Alice likes to read), this was the first thought that came to the little bat's mind.

The visitor keenly sensed the little bat's murderous intent, but he didn't care. Instead, he smiled slightly: "Why are you so alert? I'm not your enemy, okay?"

"Since you are not an enemy, then show yourself!" Leticia stared at the direction where the voice came from, grinning: "What kind of hero is it to hide your head and show your tail!"

Uh, I think I learned this sentence from Alice.

The man hiding in the woods never thought that one day he would be called a "hero". He could not help but remain silent for a while, until the little bats became a little impatient, then he sighed softly and walked out leisurely.

Without the obstruction of branches and bushes, Leticia immediately saw her true face and her eyes widened immediately: "It's you——"

"Is it necessary to be so surprised?"

Princess Rorona finally showed up and looked at the little bat in front of her, trying to pretend to be surprised. She was a little speechless: "I heard that the vampires have very sharp hearing. You should have known my identity a long time ago."

"You don't understand!" Leticia scolded: "It's written like this in the novel, and Alice also said that it would be more atmospheric this way!"

Well, that’s typical childish thinking.

Rosa was immediately relieved and didn't bother with her.

She didn't care, but Leticia insisted: "You haven't told me yet, why did you hide in the woods and follow me secretly? Did you eavesdrop on what I said just now? What's your purpose!?"

She bared her teeth like a puppy seeing a stranger, trying to show her threatening side, but in Lorena's eyes, she looked very cute. Well, she had no deterrent effect at all.

Suddenly I remembered my sister Galene when she was little. She seemed to be the same, with thorns all over her body. Once stimulated by the outside world, she would curl herself up and only point her thorns at others. However, such people are usually similar. The tougher they look, the more fragile they are inside. Rorona knows how to deal with them. In simple terms, it is... obedience.

"I'm not following you." She briefly explained, "I'm just going back to the alchemy workshop, and this is on the way."

"Oh?" Leticia thought about it and it seemed to be true. Maybe she had misunderstood. Her expression became much calmer. Of course, she was so simple-minded that she didn't think about it at all. If it was on the way, why did Lorena hide her head and show her tail?
Princess Haixi did not give her any room to think and continued, "As for what you just said to yourself, I don't want to lie to you. I did hear it."

"!?" Leticia's face tightened and she instantly became alert again.

Are you really going to kill me to silence me? This is not my intention, she forced me to do it! The little bat was caught in a self-struggle of conscience.

“But that doesn’t mean we have to be hostile.”

At this time, Rorona's voice came again slowly. Leticia was stunned for a moment, raised her head and looked at her with a puzzled look, not knowing what she wanted to say. But Princess Umi was not in a hurry, smiled slightly, and said the plan that had been brewing in her mind for a long time: "On the contrary, we can cooperate."

"I will help you achieve that goal."

Give me some meow