Miss Witch, please don't leave your fragrance everywhere

"Woo..."

Mia opened her mouth. She had obtained Noenila's memory through the clay statue, so she naturally knew that Noenila and the "Black" witch were friends. Considering the bad influence of the "Black" witch on Albion Island, Mia made some changes when pretending to be Noenila's reincarnation, ignoring the existence of the "Black" witch. Anyway, the history of the Elf Island also did not record the relationship between Noenila and the "Black" witch.

Mia never expected that the "black" witch herself would appear in front of her.

"I'm not someone who likes to meddle in other people's business. If you don't pay me, I don't care what the curse will do to you. But Noyniara is my friend. Even if Noyniara is no longer in this world, she will always be my friend. You got Noyniara's memory through the cursed magic item. I can't just sit back and watch. Unless you give me a convincing reason, I will definitely destroy it."

Angelica confronted Mia in a calm tone.

The room fell into deathly silence, with only the sound of Mia's breathing gradually becoming steady.

"You are such a good person...Okay, I will tell you why I need it."

Mia gently raised her right hand. The years of drawing the bow had left indelible marks on her hands.

——Before Mia got the cursed clay statue, she was a highly regarded hero in the town of Carlisle.

The high elves in the north have an event called Flowing Light, which is similar to the Olympic Games. Each town will send an elf to participate in the competition. The content of the competition is closely related to the traditional culture of the elves: bows and arrows. The specific rules are as follows.

The elves will choose a river, place driftwood on the river, and let the driftwood float downstream. The participating elves need to stand on both sides of the river and shoot the driftwood on the river with arrows painted with colors representing their respective identities. They are not allowed to use magic.

This is a competition of pure archery skills. The target is a moving one, and the archers themselves have to keep moving with the driftwood. There are even obstacles on the way. Coupled with the influence of the river speed, it has a very high technical content and is very popular among the northern elves. Sometimes it even attracts high priests to watch the game.

Elves are a race that loves honor. It goes without saying that elves who achieve good results will be the center of attention, and the towns they represent will also share the glory. Some towns will even hold preliminaries within the town in order to compete for the only spot in the competition.

Carlisle Town is one of the lesser-known towns participating in Liuguang. In the hundreds of years of Liuguang's history, the best results of Carlisle Town's representatives have only been in the top 32 twice. Some people may think that it is not easy to squeeze into the top 32 among hundreds of participating towns, but the elves of Carlisle Town are eager to go further.

Mia, who was born in the town of Carlisle, has shown an amazing talent for archery since the first time she touched a bow and arrow. Her archery skills have stunned many participating elves. It can be said that she is not on the same level as her opponents.

Mia was also very interested in archery. As time went by, the elves in Carlisle realized that an archery genius had appeared in their town. Mia could definitely represent Carlisle and have the name of the town engraved on the trophy of the Streamer Competition for the first time.

There is an age limit for participating in the Streamer Contest. Mia has not yet reached the age to participate, but she can easily beat the contestants from Carlisle Town. The elves from the neighboring town came to challenge, but were also defeated by Mia. The excited Carlisle Town elves tilted all their resources to Mia, giving her the best bow in the town and providing her with the best training ground.

The house where Mia lives now was also built during that period, and it carries the hopes of the entire town of Carlisle.

278 Geneva refund

However, the elves in Carlisle Town have never thought about one thing: Is Mia really interested in the Streamer Competition?

In the eyes of the elves, there is no need to doubt this. The Flowing Light Competition is the most grand competition for the northern elves. Unless they are southern elves who came from the countryside, how could a native northern elf not be interested in the Flowing Light Competition?

Nothing is absolute. If we ask each northern elf whether they have enough passion for the Streamer Contest, the answer is probably not 100%. Unfortunately, Mia happens to be one of them.

Mia was admittedly a little interested in the Streamer Contest, but she wasn't crazy about it. She felt more like she was being held in the spotlight by the elves of Carlisle. The closer it got to the time when Mia would be old enough to participate, the more pressure she felt.

Every day when she goes out, the first words from her neighbors are not greetings, but rather asking about her recent condition with eager anticipation; the house is filled with all kinds of health products, and no elf asks for material rewards, but only says to Mia, "I hope you can win the championship and make Carlisle famous in Albion."

Even... Mia inadvertently noticed that the elves in Carlisle Town were a little proud and complacent. Elves have never liked a humble race. Although their mobility is poor, there are occasionally elves walking around in various towns. The elves in Carlisle Town tell everyone that we will be the champions of the next Flowing Light Competition, so you guys wait and congratulate us.

They boasted about it everywhere. After all, the Flow of Light was a competition where everyone won. If the elves from Carlisle won the championship, it would be equivalent to all the elves from Carlisle standing on the top of Albion.

Unconsciously, all the towns of the participating northern elves knew that Mia from Carlisle Town had already secured the championship of the next Flowing Light Competition. However, the rumors about Mia were too dazzling. An elven archer who could easily defeat the contestants before reaching the competition age was rare in the entire history of the Flowing Light Competition.

Mia was surrounded by heavy pressure, but time waited for no one. When Mia reached the age to participate in the competition, Carlisle Town held a grand celebration, which was called opening champagne in advance in human terms. The elves planned to hold a grand celebration on the day Mia came of age, and then celebrate again on the day she won the championship.

Although the atmosphere was filled with joy, Mia could not feel it at all. All she saw were pairs of eyes full of expectation and enthusiasm.

In order to respond, Mia also began to practice more, but as the saying goes, haste makes waste, Mia's anxiety became a burden, and her finger was injured during training. Mia did not dare to tell anyone, she prayed to Mithra, the sun god, praying that she could recover during the Liuguang Competition.

Mia's cry failed to reach the great god Mithra, and the Streamer Competition came as scheduled. Her finger had not yet recovered, so she had to go into the competition despite the injury.

What can be confirmed is that Mia is indeed a rare archery genius, and she still managed to win all the rounds despite hiding her injury. The elves in the same town not only did not notice Mia's abnormality, but instead showed off their prowess at the competition site and belittled the elves in other towns.

It all ended in the semi-finals.

Mia failed, she failed to make it to the finals and won the third place.

Logically speaking, Carlisle Town's best result jumped from the top 32 to third place, which was a historic breakthrough, and Mia should have become a hero of Carlisle Town.

However, she was overrated from the beginning.

When Mia returned to the town, what awaited her was not a celebration party for her historic achievement, but the cold and angry gazes of the elves in the town. They did not think they were at fault, and blamed Mia for all the ridicule and taunts they had suffered at the competition after her defeat.

We are so disappointed! Are you worthy of us?

It's over! Why didn't you win?!

We put our all in you, and you gave us nothing in return!

The angry elves took away Mia's luxurious home and drove her out. They wanted to trample Mia down as much as they had praised her before.

Mia couldn't accept that the elves in her town who had been welcoming her with smiles had suddenly become different people. She wanted to swear on her life that she would win the next Flowing Light Competition. It made sense. She had made it to the semi-finals even when she was injured. After she fully recovered, Mia would still be the top favorite to win.

However, Mia's concealed injury backfired on her. The body will not lie. Going into battle with an injury and not receiving treatment will only make the injury worse. The injury on Mia's hand rapidly worsened, causing Mia to feel a needle-like pain in her heart when she drew the bow. It was impossible for her to shoot the arrows accurately as she used to.

The elves in the same town who found Mia injured did not understand her at all. They thought that the injury was purely a punishment given to Mia by the great god Mithra and that it was the suffering she deserved.

"...I became a sinner in Carlisle. At that time, I thought that maybe death was the only way out for me."

“But you can’t.”

Angelica listened to Mia's story. She knew that the belief in reincarnation could not accept the idea of ​​self-destruction. Sinners should live and suffer. Giving them death was an escape.

"Yes...but——"

Mia stared at the clay statue in Angelica's hand.

"The Great God did not give up on me. I got it... got the gift that the Great God gave me."

"It's not a masterpiece of God. It's just a product of a magician's failure."

While Mia was telling her story, Angelica was fiddling with the clay statue. Even though the witch was multitasking, she was able to figure out the origin of the clay statue while listening to Mia's narration.

Magicians always study something unique and novel. For example, Angelica once studied the magic of "Resurrection of the Dead", but failed in the end. However, the failed products are sometimes left behind in strange ways.

Angelica deduced that the clay statue was a magic item with a life-eroding curse that was accidentally created by a magician who failed in his study of magic. Judging from the strength and effect of the magic, as well as the location where it appeared, Angelica could basically conclude that it was the masterpiece of the "Blue" witch who lived on the island of Albion.

The "Blue" witch failed in her magic research and discarded the cursed magic item, which ended up in Mia's hands after many twists and turns. Mia's subsequent narration also proved Angelica's guess.

Mia, who was ostracized by her entire hometown, was disheartened and had to live in the forest outside the town. She was not even allowed to pick fruits around the town of Carlisle and was only allowed to find food in steep terrain.

One day, Mia continued her life in a daze, and accidentally found a clay statue in the cracks of the stone.

279 Future Overdraft

High elves would never take the initiative to pick up debris in the wild. Perhaps sleeping in the wild had changed Mia's state of mind, causing her to feel a little sympathy for the clay statue in the cracks of the rocks.

Have you been abandoned too?

Thinking this, Mia picked up the clay statue. Then a memory that did not belong to her entered Mia's mind, and she instantly realized that the clay statue was actually a magic prop.

It seems to carry someone's memory. Although the picture is very blurry, it can clearly record what someone did and when.

To Mia's surprise, the owner of these memory fragments is a familiar name to Mia: Noinila. In the elf island of Albion, this name is well known to all the elves. She is a great hero who rebuilt the elf island after the disaster.

After a brief moment of confusion and surprise, Mia soon realized that she could return to Carlisle Town as the reincarnation of Noyila. As long as she had the memory of Noyila carried by the clay statue, Mia could completely pretend to be the reincarnation of Noyila, and no one would be able to see through it.

In fact, Mia did so. She carefully kept the clay statue, abandoned her identity as an archery genius, and returned to Carlisle Town as the reincarnation of Noyniara. The elves in Carlisle Town believed Mia and welcomed her back to Carlisle Town after discovering that Mia could answer any questions about Noyniara.

It didn't take long for Mia to find that her physical condition was getting worse and worse. The clay statue was cursed to erode the owner's vitality, but Mia was still unwilling to give it up. Every once in a while, Mia would secretly take the clay statue to the outskirts of Carlisle to collect magic to ensure its activation.

"So... you actually know that it is constantly eating away at your life?"

"I've been in poor health since I got it. You don't have to guess why."

"…What's the reason why you don't want to give it up?"

Angelica had a vague idea of ​​the answer, but it would be better to confirm it from Mia.

"Because I don't want to give up my original life." Mia's expression was inevitably a little lonely. "I'm used to being surrounded by people. I can't accept returning to mediocrity."

Anna was slightly startled. She listened to Mia's story from beginning to end and thought that Mia was a poor elf who was kidnapped by the public opinion of Carlisle Town, forced to stand in a position that did not belong to her, and then was thrown down. But Anna overlooked one point. It is always easier for people to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Mia has enjoyed a life of being worshipped like an emperor. It is difficult for her to return to the life of an ordinary elf at the beginning.

Therefore, Mia accepted the curse of the clay statue and would rather sacrifice her own life to return to Carlisle Town. To be more precise, she wanted to take back the life given to her by Carlisle Town, which regarded her as a god before the Liuguang Competition.

It is natural for Mia to be afraid of Angelica. At the beginning, Angelica caught Mia charging the clay statue and an accident happened. Later, she was desperate to find that Angelica was actually Noyniara's friend: the "Black" witch. Because the memory picture given to Mia by the clay statue was very vague, Mia could not recognize Angelica at all.

The elves of Carlisle Town did have unrealistic high hopes for Mia, but on the other hand, Mia also enjoyed the favorable conditions provided to her by the elves of Carlisle Town.

"Please... don't take it away...!"

Mia begged Angelica, saying that if she lost the clay statue, she would be exposed sooner or later. By then, Mia would definitely lose her luxurious house, the admiration and respect of the elves, and she would be left with nothing.

Angelica just played with the clay statue, deep in thought.

"Well, forget it. Whatever you want, we're leaving tomorrow anyway and we won't be coming back."

Angelica threw the clay statue away casually, and Mia caught it in a panic, holding it in her arms in ecstasy.

The next morning, the witch and her servants set out on their journey again. As she had said to the elf yesterday, Angelica was not interested in continuing to pester Mia, as she had other things to do.

Mia didn't do it for Angelica. She wished Angelica would leave immediately and never see her again.

"Master, are you really giving up on dealing with that cursed magic item?"

"Why do you ask?"

Walking on the road to St. Johnston, Angelica and Anna began to chat.

"Anna thinks... the master will not turn a blind eye to the magic item that carries the memories of past friends."

Anna dared to express her thoughts, but Angelica seemed to do nothing and directly returned the clay statue to Mia.

"I will not allow a cursed object with Noyniara's memories to go around and ruin Noyniara's reputation. I have readjusted its magic formula before returning it to Mia."

On the surface, it looked like Angelica was just playing with it, but the difference in magical attainments between the witch and Mia was too great. Angelica adjusted the magic items in a playful manner, but Mia was still completely unaware.

"I bound that thing to Mia. When Mia's lifespan reaches its end, it will trigger a self-destruction program. Really, Qing's habits are still as bad as ever..."

Angelica sighed depressedly. After all, it was probably not Qing's original intention that the clay statue would carry Noinila's memories. It seemed that the story of Noinila had always been sung on Albion Island, and the magic prop that caused the failure of Qing's research accidentally reproduced Noinila's records.

However, Noenila has a bad habit: fetishism. Some people will develop feelings for something after using it for too long, and will be reluctant to throw it away even if it is no longer useful. "Qing" is even worse in this regard. She is reluctant to destroy even something that is cursed.

"So, how long will Lady Mia live...?"

"Oh, less than a year left."

Anna's pupils trembled slightly because Angelica left without telling Mia.

"She knew that the magic item would carry a curse that would erode her life, but she still chose to use it. I think she was ready to sacrifice her life. Some people believe that dying of old age is a kind of happiness, while others are willing to overdraw their future lives in exchange for present luxury and splendor. Either way makes sense."

Angelica had no right to make corrections, at least that's what she thought.

【Witch TIPS】

To use a game analogy, the "Green" witch likes to collect rare and precious props in the game, but after collecting them, she will put them in a backpack or warehouse and is reluctant to use them. In the end, the number of consumable props will increase.

280 [Witch and Nun]

The north of Albion Island is the territory of the High Elves. Since the High Elves are a race that demonstrates xenophobia to the fullest, outsiders often have difficulty moving forward in the north of the Elf Island, and it is difficult to even find someone willing to show the way.

Unless guided by a traveler who has experience in the north of the Elf Island, newcomers will know the place where they can really get help in the north of the Elf Island: St. Johnston, the only human town in the north of the Elf Island.

St. Johnston is a typical religious town. Most of the people living in St. Johnston are monks who have come here from afar. After all, only a few people are willing to leave their homes and settle in the distant Spirit Island.

St. Johnston is a town that the elves allowed humans to build in the north of the Elf Island, where every inch of land is valuable, in order to commemorate the great contributions made by a missionary named Johnston in the past. However, St. Johnston is not an autonomous city. If humans break the law, they will still be restricted by the high elves and will be expelled from the Elf Island. At the same time, St. Johnston is not allowed to expand.

"When we arrived at a human town, the atmosphere suddenly became different."

Angelica sighed like this. She liked the beautiful girls of the elves, but the atmosphere in the human territory was indeed more suitable for her.

"Monks can be found everywhere... Iris-sama must be here."

"You know, a pilgrim can't just stay for one day and then go back. Since she is a devout believer, she will definitely stay for a while longer."

St. Johnston is where the remains of saints are buried and is considered a holy place by religious believers. Angelica was sure that Sister Alice would never leave easily, so she chose to meet Tiamat and Aleister first.

Since this was a human town, Angelica threw away her reserve and asked a man dressed as a monk.

"Hello. Is this the blessed land of God, St. Johnston?"

"Yes, you two are pilgrims who have come from afar. God blesses every devout believer. Your safe arrival at St. Johnston is proof of that. The saint's coffin and holy relics are in the central hall. Blessed are the two sisters who have gone through so much hardship."

St. Johnston built a large hall where the remains of Saint Johnston were buried, and displayed the collected holy relics here. Compared with the churches in human territory that are often influenced by the secular world and the desire for power, the believers in the distant St. Johnston are much more pious. There is no charge for displaying the holy relics, which are open to believers free of charge.

Angelica and Anna came to the main hall in the center of St. Johnston. In the north of the Fairy Island, the main hall of St. Johnston is also one of the most majestic buildings. With white sculptures and painted glass, anyone can see that it is the spiritual home of the monks of St. Johnston.