Season 2, Chapter 12.
Unclear intentions!
Late at night, Millie lies in her cat form on the branch beneath the starry sky, her muscles feeling more at ease after the hot spring adventure. She opens her silver gaze and lifts her eyes to the moon.
"Well, I better get to it again; I have more places to mark," she mumbles to herself and stretches wide in her cat form before touching her bell to bring out her map. Some places are crossed off, and others are not. She touches her bell again to bring out a compass and adjusts it according to the map before she sets off in a direction. She puts the map away before bringing out her wings and flying off.
The hours pass, and the sun comes up before Millie returns and lands in front of the hideout again. The birds have already started to sing their songs, and the fresh morning air has made the land ready for the day. She hears Asta's voice shout from within the hideout. ("Working hard again, I see. He is so consistent," she thinks to herself as a friendly smile comes to her face.
She flinches as the door bursts open. "Wait, is it this late already?" she wonders as her eyes meet Asta's green gaze. "Oh Millie, wanna come and train with us today?" he asks with a big friendly smile. "oh Master Asta I, uh," she fumbles as her face drops. "Come on," he says and runs. She looks to him and watches as he runs past her, heading for the woods. Her eyes look in his direction, filled with confusion and curiosity; her feet waver for a moment before they just move.
Further into the woods, Asta runs to his favorite spot to train and stops. "Okay, all the chores are done, and I am ready," he gladly states before he turns around and smiles. "Oh Millie, so you finally decided to come along," he tells her, and she finds herself blushing a little as his words slip past her guard so easily.
Millie looks up at the tree that she is standing next to and jumps up high, transforms, claws into the bark, and climbs up to a branch. "Master Asta, today just felt like a good day, so you know," she speaks softly in a shy tone, looking away. She carefully looks at Asta's face, who only smiles. "Well, it is good to have you," he tells her, and her eyes widen for a split second before immediately bringing out her claws, digging them into the branch to ground herself. "Right," she utters before putting her butt down.
"Okay, now Liebe, are you ready?" he asks excitedly. "Ready, no, but I said I would do it, so," Liebe replies and gets into his full size, standing next to Asta.
Millie watches as Asta gets to the ground, gets in position to do sit-ups, and Liebe does the same. "Okay, ready! Go. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven," he rapidly counts upwards with each sit-up, and Millie takes a deep breath, calming down.
a moment passes and Meroleona's words ring through her ("You should figure out this war in your head before you drown"), and Millie lays down into a loaf position with a thoughtful expression on her face. ("Millie, let us start a new chapter,") she remembers Meir saying in her vision. ("Let us change together,") she remembers Sky telling her. "Change is never easy," she whispers to herself, looking up at the sky between the leaf-covered branches as a bird flies up ascending to the blue sky above.
She takes a deep breath, breathing in the fresh morning air before her gaze goes to Asta, and her mind wanders for a moment before resting her eyes. Occasionally, she opens an eye to look at Asta's training.
Time presses on, and the sun gets further up in the sky. Back at the hideout, Vanessa is going through her things. "Okay, I will need more sheak ointment for counteracting poisons, some lavender oil, and I will need a refill on shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Hmm, and my little stocks of... right," she says to herself, writing it down on a note before getting dressed and heading downstairs.
She enters the living room and stops, seeing Noelle reading over a note. "Oh Noelle, you need something at the capital too?" she asks. "Meow," the red cat on her shoulder says. "Well yes, but first I need some breakfast," she says and flicks her hair behind her shoulder.
"Good, we can eat and head to the capital together. It will be a girls' day out," Vanessa offers. "Well, sure, I can give you the honor of bringing me along," Noelle replies with her nose in the air. "Great, it will be just us two girls today. That will be fun," Vanessa says, taking an arm over Noelle's shoulder, bringing Noelle along into the dining room.
A few minutes later, in Haze's room, Haze rummages through his backpack. "Rope, lock-picks, crowbar, gloves... it is all here," he thinks out loud and adjusts his clothes. "Great, off to take a crap, and I am off," he mentions to himself.
Outside, Asta is finishing up and stands up straight, stretching to the sky. "Man, that felt great, right Liebe?" he asks and looks at Liebe, who lies flat on the ground. "If you say so," Liebe says before going into his small form, and he flies up to Asta's shoulder.
Millie raises her head and looks at the two before she transforms and sits on the branch before she jumps down. "Ready to head back too, Millie?" he asks, and she silently nods in agreement. He begins to walk. ("Why did you not speak? You are so far from 5 years old; you are 218 years of age, so quit this already," she scolds herself as Asta walks, and she silently follows behind, watching his back as they pass. Her hand goes to her brooch as tender emotions carefully float forward.
Asta looks to Liebe on his shoulder and notices that Liebe is watching Millie walk behind him. He turns his head and looks behind him, seeing Millie walk with her mind being somewhere else again. He mentally makes note of the current relationship between the two before his gaze turns to the path ahead again. ("What will need to happen for them to get along better?") the question goes through his head for a moment as the hideout comes into view in front of him. He sees Goash, Gordon, and Grey leave on their brooms. Although he cannot hear their words, he can tell there is friendly banter between them as they leave, and he looks to Grey, remembering that she is getting over her shyness little by little. He turns his head to the side, seeing Millie in his peripheral vision, and he knows that Millie is slowly opening up too. He looks to Liebe, who still has the same view of her as the day they met.
He looks ahead and puts a finger to his chin as he thinks it over. He walks through the door to see Noelle, Nero, and Vanessa walk into the main room from the dining hall. "A girls' day out sounds great; it is rare that we get to bond just us girls, right?" Vanessa asks. "I suppose so," Noelle replies, and Asta stops in the middle of the living room, pointing to them. "I got it!" he loudly states, and everyone, stops in their tracks. and Asta feels a small thud against his back "Huh?" he utters and looks behind him to see Millie rubbing her nose where her face collided with his back. "Sorry, master," she utters.
"What do you got?" Noelle asks, and Asta's gaze turns back to the girls. "From the look of it, I think his brain just malfunctioned again, caused by too much thinking," Nero remarks.
"What? No way! That is not what happened," Asta defends. "What is going on then?" Vanessa asks. "Meow," the cat on her shoulder questions. "Well, you see, I thought-" and the door bursts open from the hallway. "Hi numb-skulls, here you all are," Yami says.
"Uh, did you need something Captain?" Vanessa asks. "Well, a mission for you three girls," he says and hands Vanessa the details. "But we were planning to go to the capital to do some shopping today," Vanessa complains.
"Not without asking me first, you don't, and you all know that." "But we really need to fill up on certain essentials," Vanessa elaborates. "Don't care, get someone else to do it if it is such a rush," he tells them, and they all look at Asta.
"Uh, sure?" he says. "No way," Yami says. "What, why?" Asta asks. "Do you seriously not remember it is your turn to hold the fort, kid? Now where is Finral; I have a captains meeting," Yami asks. "He is in the dining hall, Captain," Vanessa says. "Good, now-" he says, and the door behind him opens, and everyone looks at Haze, and he stops and looks at everyone's faces. "Uh, what is it? Why is everyone looking at me?" Haze asks.
"You can shop for us," the girls say. "Hey, that isn't half bad of an idea. Besides, I need to refill the supply for meat for my pets," Yami says and grabs a piece of paper from the table and writes down the amount, handing it to Haze, and the girls hand him each their notes too. "How am I supposed to get all this by myself? Besides, I have other plans since I have no missions today."
"Right now, this is your mission, got that?" Yami says with a threatening glare, and Haze gulps as cold sweats go through him. "Yes, Captain Yami, sir," Haze nervously replies. "Good, now if you need help to carry stuff, just ask Asta's pet to help you out," he says and points his thumb at Millie in the room. She straightens up and looks at them and at Asta. "That is a great idea," Asta says, and Millie looks at the group before she walks over to Haze, who casts a small glance at her. "Fine, just hand me the money that is needed for all this stuff, and I will get it," he says.
"Good, now I will be getting my wheels, and I am off too," Captain Yami says, tossing Haze his wallet and scratching his head as he begins to head to the dining room. "There is a captains meeting today; apparently, the wizard king has a lot on his mind today, meaning it will last all freaking day," he complains as he disappears into the dining room.
"Well, it was a change in plans, but this will work out; we still get a day with just us girls, right?" Vanessa says, digging through her satchel and brings out her coin purse, handing it to Haze.
"I suppose so," Nero says and does the same. "Well, it is fine by me," Noelle adds, handing Haze the wallet, and Haze brings his backpack around his shoulder, putting the purses into it, and he sticks the notes into his pocket.
"Take care now, you guys, and see you in the evening," Vanessa says as the girls head out, grabbing their brooms by the door before disappearing through the door, and Asta blinks for a moment. "Right," he says as a light-bulb goes on in his head. "Huh, what is it?" Haze asks, seeing Asta begin to walk over to the bar and grabs a note.
"Let me guess; you have something that you need as well?" Haze asks. "Yep," Asta replies, scribbling down what he needs on the paper and going into his satchel. He hands Haze the note and money. "Fine," Haze replies. "And Liebe can come with you as well," he states, and Haze, Millie, and Liebe look at Asta dumbfounded.
"Come on, nothing ever happens here anyway, and it might be good for you to get out some, Liebe," Asta states. "What kind of dumb idea is this?" "Come on, just go along with Millie; spending some time together will be good for you two," he explains. "That is the dumbest thing I have heard you say every since this stupid contract," Liebe retorts. "Come on, what is the worst that can happen?" Asta asks. "Besides, Henry is still here, as well as Charmy. As far as I am concerned, this is a great idea," he pushes.
"You are dead set on this," Liebe utters. "Yes, I am," Asta says with a straightening of his posture as he proclaims it, and Liebe sighs heavily. "Fine, don't come crying to me if your head gets chopped off while we are away," he says before flying over to Millie's shoulder, and they both exchange a confused look before looking at the two human teens in the room. "It will be fine," Asta reassures.
"Haze mutters, hiding his annoyance as he finishes zipping his backpack closed before slinging it over one shoulder and securing Asta's note in his pocket. 'I'll get Finral's help, getting to the capital, I guess,' Haze utters in a slight grumpy tone.
Seeking Finral's assistance, he strolls toward the dining room, only to find the portal already closed. 'Great,' he mutters, mild irritation crossing his features. ('Wait, not even Charmy is here, and she's always around?') he wonders, shrugging. He turns to Millie, who quietly follows him. Sighing, he walks past her, heading back into the living room. As he enters, he catches a glimpse of Asta disappearing through the door into the hallway of the base.
Resolute, Haze strides to the main entrance, retrieves his broom, and mounts it. 'Here we go,' he mutters before kicking off the ground and, using his magic, ascending into the open sky.
Millie blinks a couple of times as she watches the teen leave, her wings unfurling gracefully as she takes flight in pursuit of Haze.
Above, the sky teems with life—birds soar, butterflies flutter, and bugs hum in the brisk air. The ambient chirping surrounds them as they soar high above the treetops.
Perched on Millie's shoulder, Liebe observes Haze leading the way on his broom. Glancing at Millie, Liebe's expression falls to a look of indifference (''This is stupid''). Liebe reflects (''But I guess watching her from this close will let me learn more about her, something Asta keeps encouraging for some reason''). Liebe gazes at Millie, her expression once again inscrutable (''which will be easier said than done''). He muses and releases a resigned sigh.
He shifts his eyes to her as she turns her gaze further up, and she starts to ascend higher. ''What are you doing?'' he asks, and she freezes up as she is reminded that Liebe is on her shoulder. ''Getting higher, Sir Liebe,'' she softly utters, stopping her ascent. ''What is the point of that?'' he asks. ''It is... more quiet and peaceful up there, sir, with fewer birds, bugs, and things,'' she softly utters, and he sees her blush a little as her eyes fill with a sense of longing.
(''She flew really high up when we went to the beach that day''), he thinks to himself. ''Sir, do you wish to stay at this altitude?'' she asks, turning her eye to Liebe. ''Do whatever,'' he says in a tone without care, and Millie's expression changes to confusion as she tries to catch Liebe's body language to see what he prefers.
''What is it?'' he asks, and she stiffens. ''I, uh, I am not sure what to do, sir,'' she softly says in an accommodating voice with a slight hint and mixture of nervousness and confusion.
''What do you mean you don't know? I just said to do whatever,'' he tells her, and her eyes widen for a split second before looking ahead. Her expression falls back to being nothing for a moment, and he looks at her as she double blinks. He looks down and sees her touch her brooch again. She descends back down to the same altitude as before, and he notices her take a breath before letting go of her brooch and heads on after Haze. Her expression falls to being unreadable again.
Liebe watches her closely (''what is her deal?'') he wonders inside of his mind before taking a breath as he reminds him self what the point of this day even is for ''I suppose I do get a different perspective on her from this angle''), he thinks to himself as the group flies towards the capital.
After a good while, Millie looks at Haze landing on a street in the capital, and she lands a few steps behind him.
They both look at Haze as he seems to be thinking something over before he turns his body completely to Millie and he goes into his pocket and hands Millie the notes. ''Millie, could you start on these. I have something I need to do, and I will be right with you,'' he orders her nonchalantly, and she accepts the notes with the shopping lists.
''Yes, as you wish, sir,'' she gently replies. ''See you later,'' he tells her and heads off. ''Right, sir,'' Millie says, seeing Haze leave and turns the corner of the street ahead, leaving her view before looking at the notes. Liebe looks at her for a good moment before...
''Hey, wait,'' he Liebe says, and the chain becomes visible around Millie's neck, forcing her to the ground. She lets out a small yelp in pain that she suppresses as much as she can. (''My hands are acting up again''), she thinks to herself. ''Yes, sir, what is it?'' she asks, looking up at Liebe who flies down to her eye level in his tiny form.
''Haze forgot the money that is needed,'' Liebe explains. ''That is all right, sir, I can pay,'' she softly replies. ''Huh? You have money?'' Liebe asks. ''That I do, sir,'' she answers, and Liebe looks at her expression carefully before looking behind him. He sees that Haze is gone.
''I suppose we will have to,'' he says and turns his head and looks at her face. ''Let us get going, then,'' he tells her. ''Apologies, I cannot do that right now,'' she tells him, and he cocks an eye at her. ''Why not?'' he asks, and she pushes her head up from the ground, only for the chain to pull her closer to the ground before she looks up to him.
''Right,'' Liebe says, seeing what she means. ''How long will that last?'' he asks. ''For about a minute, sir,'' she replies. ''A whole minute?'' he asks in surprise. ''Yes, sir,'' she answers gently.
''Why that long?'' he asks. ''Those are the rules, sir,'' she softly replies. She thinks for a second and takes her hand to her bell, and it glows for a split second. The book of the contract comes out and opens on a page as it falls to the ground. He looks at the book and at her.
''Why aren't you using your mana to hold it up?'' he asks. ''I can't use Mana while the chain is activated, sir.'' ''Then how did you get it out of the bell?'' he asks. ''I used my soul's energy, sir. Although I can only use a tiny bit like this,'' she explains. They lock eyes for a second, and she can tell that Liebe is still skeptical. She points down at the page, and his eyes fall to the page where the same things that she just explained stand in writing. He reads the consequences for attempting to do otherwise, and his eyes narrow.
''What does being scorched and exiled mean?'' he asks, looking at her face as she looks away and her eyes turn empty. ''That is a long story, sir.'' Her voice is still soft, but the kindness in her tone has left her being, and it draws Liebe's face into slight surprise.
''Tell me anyway, what does it mean?'' he asks once more, and her face turns to him. ''If one were to disobey or force against the chains, one's soul will be set on hellfire, lasting 3 days, and one is to walk the path alone for the rest of days, and one will be left cold and left open to the world's darkest forces. This is a disobeying nekomata's fate,'' she replies emotionless. Liebe looks at her closely, her change in demeanor and behavior send cold through Liebe's being.
(''What is this? It is like a part of her has gone, and there is nothing left but an empty shell, like a hollow doll'') Liebe thinks to himself as his eyes dart between her hollow doll like expression.
The moment falls into a heavy silence, prompting Liebe to see Millie more closely. He observes subtle twitches in certain parts of her body, so delicate that one must keenly observe to detect them. As he looks, he wonders about the enigma unfolding before him.
He ponders the paradox: Millie's body appears to twitch, suggesting pain, yet there is no apparent source of distress. The contradiction perplexes him, especially as Millie seems to disregard the occasional passing by on the street right outside the alleyway.
Liebe's thoughts races as he is putting together previous events of what he has seen of Millie goes through his mind ('' The way the contract restrictions on her leave her clearly vulnerable to whoever is her contractor. Her body is adorned with deep scars, and various burn marks, the unease in social interactions, and the flinching response to touch for some reason'') his mind keeps pondering but her hollow expression remain unchanged.
('' who exactly is this plain-looking girl who came out of nowhere offering assistance. At first, I was unsure of her, but I put it aside as she did not appear to pose much of a threat initially. However, she actually said that she will help Asta become the Wizard King if she got to fight the devil Devea alone. She even managed to slay a Devea. She was a devil not far away from Zagred's level. How a creature like her got that kind of power and strength is far beyond me. That aside, I have seen the lengths someone is willing to go to when plotting something just to hurt someone who inconveniences them, Liebe thinks to himself, memories of the underworld flooding his mind, as well as Lichta's death.
''Millie?'' he asks. ''Yes, sir,'' she replies, her soft voice still lacking a heart. Liebe looks at her, and her current demeanor and voice give him chills in a creepy way right now. He looks down at the page, re-reading the consequences for disobedience, and then looks up at her. Meanwhile, a mother and child walk by. ''Mother, I can't open this,'' the kid says.
''Okay, let me help you out,'' the mother replies, and the life in Millie's eyes snaps back. ''Help?'' she quietly whispers, turning her head towards the two humans walking by, and she sees the mother opening a bottle and hands it to the child. Liebe watches Millie's expression soften, and almost melting for a short moment before the chain around her neck disappears. She sits up more straight, and he sees that her heart returned to her eyes.
She softly turns her head towards Liebe. ''Sir Liebe, did you ask something?'' she asks softly and with her kindness returned, her words sound like honey compared to earlier.
(''I believe Asta is wrong, spending time with her more closely only gives me more questions'') he thinks to himself and seeing her patiently wait for his reply.
''Let us just get to the lists,'' he tells her. ''Right, sir, of course,'' she kindly replies and looks at the notes in her hand while she stands up and reads through them. Liebe flies up to her shoulder, and he looks at the notes, and he looks at her again while she looks through the pages. ''Well, the soaps, we can gather in one location for all of them so, uh,'' she softly says and looks around and walks in a direction.
''Wrong way,'' he tells her. ''Right, sir,'' she says and changes direction. ''It is that way,'' he corrects again and points. ''Oh, thank you, sir,'' she replies and obliges. (''Is she for real?'') he wonders as she walks.
Moments later, she is walking through a shop scanning the shelves for the right bottles until she finds them. She checks them off the list one by one and occasionally looks off in the same direction before going back to what she is doing.
She moves over to a shelf with oils, and she sees a couple of men seemingly in their mid-thirties talk with each other in a hushed tone, and something about them seems sketchy. ''We are supposed to get the orders today, you know,'' the skinny guy says. ''I know, I just gotta grab a few things and we are off,'' the taller one says. ''You know if we get in trouble for dawdling about, I am blaming you,'' the scrawny one says.
''Whatever, the guy is always late anyway,'' the man says, and Millie shakes her head to tune out their conversation and looks off in a certain direction before looking back at the shelves. She finds the oil that Noelle asks for on the note and puts it into the basket and moves on.
She purchases the items and looks at Vanessa's list. ''Counteracting poisons, we will need to find an alcemist,'' she utters and walks off. ''The shop she usually uses is that way,'' he tells her and points. ''Oh, thank you, sir,'' she replies, and he looks at her. ''How do you even get around on your own?'' he asks.
''I, uh, I find where I need to go, sir... eventually,'' she replies gently. (''That must take forever'') he thinks to himself.
Later she heads into the alchemist and looks through the shelves. ''Ointment for bruises,'' she gently utters. She looks at the bottle, turns it, and reads the label on the back. She raises an eyebrow. ''Weird,'' she utters before moving on, unknown to her that she has grabbed the shopkeeper's attention. Millie proceeds and puts the ointment in the basket and moves on to the counteracting poisons. She looks at the price on that one as well.
''Why this price? The ingredients are so simple and easy to come by,'' she utters. ''What do you mean?'' Liebe asks, and she looks to him and back at the shelf. ''Oh, if you remember, I told you that I used to work for an apothecary way back, and-''
''Is there anything that I can assist with, little one?'' the lady clerk asks. ''Uh, no thank you, ma'am. I am not sure if you are aware, but the prices on these items don't seem fair compared to what is on the back, and the mixture is so simple and easy to make as well. So if you are getting the ingredients at a high price, I believe you are being ripped off, ma'am,'' she utters, and the door opens, and someone walks in, and the store clerk looks to the new customer and back at Millie. ''I believe you can lower the prices if you can get the ingredients at a better price-'' Millie utters, and the lady grabs Millie's hand and Millie slightly flinches which Liebe catches despite her attempt to hide it.
''Oh really, well, is there anything else you need in here?'' the clerk asks. ''No, ma'am, I just-'' she utters. ''Oh well, let me help you out here then,'' the lady says and leads Millie to the counter where the lady begins to ring up the items. ''It is such a wondrous and fine day today, yes, and the kingdom seems to be really peaceful these days. It is a relief,'' the lady busily says until the other customer in the store seems to be ignoring them.
''But ma'am, the price-'' ''Yes, yes, this is a good place to get these mixtures,'' the lady tells Millie, who looks back at the lady perplexed, and the other customer in the store looks to them.
''Yes well, the economy has been crazy lately, I agree miss. Now I will help you out with these for you; we are all doing the best we can,'' the clerk states loudly and whispers the price to Millie, who looks at the lady confused.
''Ma'am I-'' Millie utters softly in a small voice as the lady's behavior is making her confused ''No, no, I insist on that amount I can't do any better, sorry,'' she says. ''But I-'' Millie says, and the clerk brings out her hand for the payment. ''Come now, we don't have all day,'' the lady pushes. ''R-right,'' Millie utters unsure, and Millie touches her bell, and the amount comes out and lands on the counter.
"Thank you for your purchase," the lady says, putting the money into the register. She comes around the counter and leads Millie to the door, chattering away. "But, ma'am, I..." Millie utters before getting pushed out the door. "Ma'am, I am trying to..." she continues, but the clerk interrupts, saying, "Now, don't come back," and closes the door in Millie's face. "I...eh, I am confused," she says, looking to Liebe on her shoulder.
"I am confused... what just happened? Did I say something wrong?" she softly asks. Liebe rolls his eyes at her ("she seriously does not get that the store clerk lady intentionally jacked up the prices...") Liebe thinks to himself, watching Millie's expression slowly go from confusion to concern and worry obviously directed towards the store clerk and what just occurred in there.
''She may not have caught me saying that she is being overpriced on the ingredients'' Millie thinks out loud and Liebes eyes falls to comedic indifference at Millie's logic. "you seriously do not get it?" he asks, and she looks at him, confused for a moment. "I am confused, Liebe sir, what am I not getting" she asks, him and Liebe only cocks an eye at her, leaving her to think things over. "I should apologize for my behavior and explain things more clearly'' she thinks out loud and turns her back to the door.
"No," he tells her. "Uh, I apologize ,sir. The lady seemed flustered about something. I should apologize, and explain myself" she continues, moving her hand to the handle and opening the door.
"Millie, just leave," Liebe orders, in a more serius tone and Millie stiffens for a second. "Y-yes, sir," she softly replies and closes the door. ("I can come back and apologize later; it might be better to come when the lady has gotten a chance to calm down a bit anyways.") she thinks to herself and walks as she brings out Vanessa's list again.
She stops in her tracks as she sees a couple of men nearly scuff her. she looks to them as they pass by. ''those guys were in the store where they sell shampoos and things earlier'') she notes and thinks little off it and goes back to Vanessa's list.
"Get the package from Vern? Who is Vern?" she asks. "Someone who owns a store in the black market," Liebe explains. "The black market, sir? Where is that?" she asks, and Liebe points in the direction. ("I doubt she would find it even if she has been there before.") he thinks to himself and lets out a sigh, watching Millie walk past him before he flies over and lands on her shoulder, and the two continue onwards.
Eventually, Liebe points her down a dark alleyway, which she walks down. "Liebe, sir, there is nothing here," she utters. "There is. Now go straight ahead and walk into that stone wall," he tells her, pointing at it. Millie looks at him and at the wall. "What? I am confused, sir. What do you mean, sir?"
"Just do it," he orders her, and she looks at the wall. "Yes, sir," she replies and walks towards the brick wall. She brings out her hands in front of her, closes her eyes right before the impact of the wall, only to stumble forward as she goes through it and falls flat on her face on the other side.
She pulls her head out of the dirt and looks to the street in amazement. "H-how long has this been here? Liebe, sir." she asks, seeing a long street between tall buildings where sheets and cloth hang between the buildings to create a roof. Each side of the street is filled with vendors with shop fronts in front of their respective houses.
"I don't know how long this has been here, only that Asta and Vanessa and the others have been here on a few different occasions," he explains as Millie stands up and dusts herself off.
She begins to move through the street, seeing magical items, necklaces, bracelets for sale, as well as wands, potions, and different kinds of crystals, and funny-looking foods and weird toys. She looks at the bustling streets with people from all walks of life, rich, poor, weak, and strong, some shady and others better off. She even notes a couple wearing magic knights' robes.
She looks on in awe and curiosity as she passes. She stops and turns her gaze towards a part that seems rather packed, every table filled with people playing card games. (''Are they gambling?'') she wonders, and she sees an old lady walking past with a big bag full of money, her winnings. Millie looks to her (''Someone has won big'') she thinks to herself before her face turns to curiosity. ("That lady's soul seems so familiar, almost exactly like King Julius's...")
"Tsk, this is just crap!" a guy harshly states, walking past her, looking annoyed and bumps into her as he passes her, which snaps her out of her thoughts. She blinks before shaking off the encounter and moves along, further into the marketplace.
She sees a store adorned with dream catchers hanging from the carpet made roof overlay and crystals with engravings of spells luminescently flow over their glimmering surface and transparent shine. As the path down the street takes her closer, she notices a deck of tarot cards and fortune stones on a desk relatively close to a table with two stools for chairs on each side, with one of them pretty close to the busy street. Her eyes follow the wall adorned with magic stones, crystals, and dream catchers on display. As her eyes follow the wall, they meet an open door, and her eyes fall on a lady with big curly hair in a purple robe-like dress looking at Millie intently as she takes a deep inhale from her cigarette. A couple of seconds pass, and the lady seems to be looking quite intently at Millie as her head slightly turns as if she is listening to someone telling her something, but the lady never breaks her gaze of Millie's presence.
Millie awkwardly smiles as she walks past the lady and shakes it all off and goes back to focus on the mission, bringing out the note.
"Where is this guy's booth?" she asks and reads the note. Liebe is about to answer as an elderly hand touches her paper. She looks up at the lady from before.
"You look like you may have something interesting in your future," the lady says. Millie looks at the lady, blinking in perplexity. "The future? Sorry, I believe there is not much in the future for me, and even if there is, I would like it to be a surprise," she softly replies.
"Oh, are you certain? What if there were things that would be good to know?" the lady asks in a pushy tone. "I do not think that there is," Millie utters. "Nonsense, I bet the Wheel of Fortune is on your side," she says and grabs Millie's hand. Millie slightly flinches as her hand twitches.
"Apologies, you must be mistaken, Miss. The Wheel of Fortune hates me, I swear." "Nonsense, there is no one the wheel hates. Now, step right up," the lady tells Millie, pushing her onto a chair in front of a table with a purple cloth covering it. On it is a hexagon-shaped mirror with mana-words engraved on the edges around it, a small round circle in the middle carrying a strong spell, along with crystals on each side representing fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark. Small stones between each crystal create a wall and a bridge between all the elements.
Millie's worry grows as this is legit stuff, and words are being used. "Miss, I should really go," Millie says, standing up. "You really don't want a reading? Come on, all you have to do is touch the mirror, and if you don't like what you see, it will be free of charge for the first round," the lady explains, adjusting her glasses.
"It's not that; I just..." Millie says, and Liebe looks at her as she stands up. Her eyes glow for a half-second, slowing her movements down and throwing her off balance a little bit before someone passes behind her and bumps into her back, forcing her to catch herself on the table.
Her index finger touches the mirror, and her eyes light up brightly. The lady's eyes also light up for a moment as she stiffens, and a surge of energy passes between them. The stones, mirror, and every crystal in the shop glow, the light intensifying brightly before they begin to shake vividly. The mirror, the elemental crystals, and every single crystal in the entire store shatter into a thousand pieces and shoot off in every direction.
People in the street stop and cover themselves. "Hey, careful over there!" some yell, and the threads keeping the dream-catchers and ornaments hanging all snap and fall apart before hitting the ground. Millie's eyes stop glowing, and the lady looks at her with evident fear in her eyes. Millie's eyes show concern. "I am so sorry; I really did not mean to touch-" The lady leans over the table towards Millie, grabbing her wrists.
"Listen, Nekomata," the lady says. "This is new. How do you suddenly know what I am?" Millie asks. "Please, Nekomata, for the sake of this world, choose life," the lady says over and over, frantically as her grip tightens on Millie's wrists. "Choose life," the lady mutters.
"Miss, please let go, your amazing grip is starting to hurt me," Millie gently and calmly asks, swallowing the lump of worry in her gut. The lady's grip tightens until her knuckles grow white. "Choose life, Nekomata," she frantically says again, and Millie's heart pounds in her chest. "I don't know what you mean, miss. Please get a hold of yourself," she asks carefully. ''Not until you make a Promise that you will choose life'' the lady says loudly, ''A Promise?'' Millie asks and notices that people are looking at the two, but the lady shows no interest in letting go.
"I am so sorry, miss," she says and transforms. Her arms change into small paws, freeing her from the lady's grip. She stands on the table in her cat form, touches her bell, and brings out a big purse of money, leaving it between them on the table before the lady begins to move towards her again. "Choose, life, Nekomata, choose life, choose it, choose it," she speaks and grabs for Millie, who jumps back from the lady. She turns to the street and jumps to the dirt road, beginning to run. "Choose life, Nekomata, choose life," the lady yells.
Millie runs past a different elderly lady who is Julius in disguise. The disguised Julius is left watching Millie run away and casts a look at the other lady's booth, who seems to be calming down. "Now, who would have known that these turn of events would occur?" king Julius says in his disguise as an old lady.
His eyes turn after Millie, seeing her keeping up her pace as she moves. "Millie Millenty, my hunch seemed to be correct. There is more to you than meets the eye, even more than you yourself know, it seems," Julius utters in the elderly lady disguise.
King Julius, still in disguise moves over to the lady in the booth as she sits down into her seat with a vacant expression on her face. "Are you all right, my dear? I had no idea that this would happen," he says in the elderly lady tone, looking at the lady as she stares out into space. "You all right, dearie?" he asks, touching the lady's hand. She blinks quickly and looks down at her table and around herself. "Oh my, what happened? Why is everything broken?" the lady asks. Julius's eyes narrow. ("This isn't a memory wipe, but something must have happened for her to lose her recent memory like this.") he thinks to himself, looking in the direction where Millie went.
She keeps running with the lady's words ringing on repeat. "What was all that?" Liebe asks. Millie's face draws to confusion as she finally slows down. "I really do not know, sir Liebe. The Wheel of Fortune has just never been a fan of me," she says, her voice faltering at the end as fear leaks through the cracks of her being. ("The Wheel of Fortune has always done this sort of thing; it is more like the Wheel of Misfortune when it comes to me.") she thinks to herself and keeps going, dodging human feet and boxes in the way. ("I need to get out of the street.") she thinks to herself and turns a corner and runs down a dark alleyway.
She stops and pants heavily, looking around herself as she slowly calms, working hard to slow her breath. "Meow," she hears, turning her head further into the alleyway where she sees an orange cat walk up to her and sit down in front of her, beginning to purr. "Maybe you could tell me where I may find Vern?" she asks, and she looks behind the orange cat, seeing one cat with white fur underneath its belly and on her back is different fur with different color patterns of brown, red, black, and gray on her back, then another that is black and white fur walks up to her. "You know Vern?" she asks again, and the orange one licks her kitty nose before it stands up and heads into the alleyway.
"So you know?" she asks. "Meow," the orange cat replies, and Millie begins to follow it, the other two cats following shortly behind, both purring. "Don't they seem rather overly friendly towards you?" Liebe asks. "no sir, I am a spirit animal linked to the cat," Millie utters. "So?" he queries. "So they know that as long as I am around, they are around, so helping each other out is a part of the deal, sir," Millie explains, and Liebe looks at the cats around her as they begin to climb a wall and Liebe flies over to Millie and perch between her shoulder blades as Millie follows shortly behind the Orange cat.
They climb to a ledge going around a building and they get a view of the blankets and carpets making a colorful roof over the humans walking below it, which are sometimes seen between the blankets. they keep going and stats to climb once more and they walk on a rooftop behind a building, and they climb down on the other side of the building. They walk on a street that is way less crowded, where only a woman walks, seemingly preoccupied with her thoughts. The orange cat stops and sits, and the lady looks at the cats, stopping. The four cats look at each other and back at the lady, who then looks ahead and behind her, seeing no humans around before turning towards the cats again. "Meow," she quietly utters, and Liebe raises an eyebrow, watching the lady leave. The four cats watch as the lady leaves the now-empty street.
"Why the heck did that happen?" he asks. "Not sure why, but that kind of thing happens more often than one would think, sir," she explains. "What seriously?" Liebe asks, looking to Millie. "Yes, sir," she replies, seeing the orange cat begin to walk again. She and the rest of the cats follow along.
Millie walks with long, careful steps the entire rest of the way, and soon they arrive at the area. They all stop and look at a stall. "Thank you, mister," she says, and the orange cat rubs up against her before leaving her behind. The other two cats follow the orange one as they make their leave.
Millie transforms and walks up to the counter, where no one is standing. She looks at a bell. "Please ring if you need help," she reads silently and does as the sign asks. She looks up and sees someone peek out of the door. A big man in his early 30s with a thinning hairline looks at her and smiles as he steps up to the counter. "Yes, and who do I have the pleasure of meeting today, little one?" he asks.
"Oh, hello, sir. My name is Millie Millenty," she softly greets and gives a graceful bow before she gracefully lifts her head back up and folds her hands neatly in front of herself. "I am here on behalf of Vanessa Enotecca, sir," she says, touching her bell and bringing out the note. "I am not sure what she wants me to get; it just says talk to someone named Vern and ask for the usual, sir," she explains, and the man takes the note out of her hand. "Give me a look," he says and reads the note carefully. "Well, Vern would be me, and this sure is Vanessa's handwriting," he says, looking at Millie.
"Hmm, so you are Millie, huh? Vanessa has talked about you. My, she is right; you really are all doll-like in face and movement. Gerry sure would go crazy if he saw you," he says.
"I, uh, I am sorry, sir. What do you mean?" she asks gently, and the man walks around the counter. He takes his hands in front of him, creating a box within his fingers that he looks through at Millie.
"Yes, yes, I certainly see it," he says and walks up to Millie, placing a hand on her back. "Now, why don't you step right inside?" he tells her, pushing her along. "Well, sir, I, uh," she utters, unsure where this encounter will take her. A moment later, she gets a harder push and steps with rushed steps inside the door.
Millie stops in the middle of the living room. "Sir, I really have more to the mission to get to," she explains.
"Yes, it will just take me a moment to get the things," he says and clears his throat. "Hey, you guys, Vanessa was right about the new one. Now come say hello," he says loudly, and Millie looks to an open door that seems to lead to a living room, where a couple of guys' heads peak out.
"Oh, I see. It is always fun to meet another of Vanessa's friends," the one with light brown hair says and walks up to her, grabbing her hand and beginning to shake it. "The name is Henry, by the way. Nice to meet you. Now, take a seat," he says.
"Sir, I, uh," she utters.
"Come on, I insist," he says, and before Millie can say anything, she is plumped down on a chair in front of a coffee table. The other guy with orange hair walks up to the two. "You are being too much again, Henry," the man says. "Pah, she'll be fine, Ferin," the light brown-haired guy says and clears his throat.
"Hey, Garry, get down here," Henry yells, and Millie hears steps from the stairs. She looks to it, and a big guy comes walking down into view of the dimly lit room. Garry stops at the bottom of the stairs and looks at Millie. "My, my, blackheads really are my thing, and you seem to have a certain grace about you," he says, walking up to her as the other two guys take a seat around the table. Garry stops in front of Millie, who looks up to him doe-eyed as he leans forward to meet her eye level. "Yes, a doll like you would work nicely. Tell me, what would you say to trying on a few things for me?" he asks.
"A few, what things, sir?" she asks perplexed.
"It isn't anything too vulgar, I swear, and I will pay you well," he tells her.
"I must decline, sir," she softly tells him.
"Ah, too bad. I would really like to. How does 200,000 yuell sound?" he asks.
"I am confused, sir," she utters.
"Uh, okay, confused about what exactly?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow as he stands back up, unsure where this will lead.
"I already declined your offer, sir, so why do you keep asking me this?" she asks him.
"Well, you know, it is what people do when, you know."
"When you do not get the answer that you wished for? Please, sir, I must ask you not to insult yourself like that. It comes across as a lack of self-respect, the way you handled that. So, in the future, do refrain from this kind of behavior regarding this kind of subject," Millie replies.
("Where did being this lady-like come from all of a sudden?") Liebe wonders to himself.
"But, but it is not like that, you see, I, uh," Garry fumbles over his words, and the other two guys chuckle a little. "That is the best no I have ever heard that you have gotten," the orange-haired guy says.
"Oh, shut it, you two," Garry tells them all flustered.
"Come on, Garry, she already said no, so leave it be already," Henry says, and Garry scuffs and folds his hands together.
"Calm down in here, you guys," a lady's voice is heard as a lady in her mid-30s walks into the room with a tray with cups, small plates, a plate of cookies, and a small vase with a flower inside it that Millie looks at as the tray is placed on the table.
("A white Rose again") she thinks to herself, and her hand calmly goes up searching for her brooch. Millie looks to him. "So tell us about yourself; it is always fun to meet one of Vanessa's friends. My name is Heather; nice to meet you," Heather says, and as she is done speaking, the table is already set.
"Tell about myself?" Millie asks with a confused expression on her face.
"Yeah, who else? Come on, spill the beans. You know Vanessa is very popular around the black market district in here," Henry says.
"She is. How do you guys know Vanessa?" Millie asks. "Well, it is a funny story really," Heather says, and the group around Millie tells them about a story when Vanessa, Vern, and Henry met at a bar and how they got into a brawl. Later, they were kicked out, and they were about to have at it before Heather intervened. She made them make up, and after that, they met in the house that they currently are in.
"Yeah, Vanessa swings by the black market fairly often, so she knows a decent amount of people in here," the orange-haired guy says.
"That is an amazing story, everyone," Millie utters.
"Yes, well, enough about us; you have yet to tell us about you. So what is your background?" Henry asks.
"Well, there is not exactly a lot to tell," she says.
"Aww, don't leave us hanging. I am sure you can tell us something, like where you are from?" Henry asks, and Millie shivers for a second and looks away, thinking the question over. "It is a simple question, you know," Henry says with a slight laugh to his tone.
"Well, I was born in a mountain near Clover Kingdom, where I grew up, and, well," she utters.
"In a mountain, what had you get to the kingdom, or rather, what is your favorite part about Clover Kingdom?" he asks.
"You aren't worried about me not being born in the kingdom?" Millie gently asks.
"Nah, Vanessa and a few of her witch friends are from the Forest of Witches, and those ladies are great, so we do not really care. That is the good thing about the black market," the orange-haired guy says.
"But you didn't answer my question. What is your favorite part about the kingdom?" Henry asks.
"My favorite part," she utters as her expression changes as she looks into her memories where a hazel-brown guy comes to mind. "My favorite part must be Meir, from Mozo village, sir" she softly utters as her mind goes through her memories of her dead friend from so long ago.
"Uh, is it your boyfriend?" Garry teases.
"No, sir," Millie replies simply.
"Who is he then, and what is he doing now?" Garry asks with a slight tease to his voice, and Millie's face falters as the memory of the life leaving Meir's eyes as he lay bloody in the grass.
"Hey, what is with the lack of response all of a sudden? cat got your tongue?" Garry asks, and Heather scoffs his arm. "What?" he asks.
"Can you seriously not see that you are making the girl upset?" the lady says, and Millie looks to Heather. "Sorry about these guys; they are idiots." Heather tells Millie who comes back to reality.
"It is all right, Miss... Well, Meir is no more. He died a long time ago," Millie voice falters as her mind trails off to the past again. "How did he die?" Henry asks, and Heather slaps his arm. "What?" Henry asks.
"You are supposed to say sorry," Heather corrects him.
"Oh, right. Sorry," Henry says.
"Eh, yes, sorry-" Garry adds.
"I am confused," Millie utters as her mind is more present with the group again.
"Well, you know about what happened," Heather asks.
"I am confused. Why would any of you be sorry?" Millie asks genuinely, not understanding why they are apologizing.
"Well, you know, it is just-"
"None of you were responsible for his death, so there is no reason to shoulder any amount of sorry feelings towards me, so please," Millie utters.
"Wait, did someone kill him?" Henry asks.
"By who?" Garry asks.
"You two," Heather says annoyed. "Oh right, by whom," Garry corrects himself ''correction of correct grammar of speech was not the issue'' Heater tells him. "It was done by Mal and," her voice grows smaller and quiet, and Liebe looks at her as she whispers, "and a Devil," and Liebe sees her eyes are beginning to water but she snaps out of her state and shakes it off (''the heck is wrong with me, every since I got back to clover kingdom, I blabber about things that I have kept shut about for two-hundered years now,'') her mind questions. "Uh, sorry," Heather asks, and Liebe notices that Millie is shaking as she looks to Heather and the group. ''No-no please sirs, and miss I eh-'' (''Meroleona was right about me, my head and heart is all over the place. damn she is too good at reading mana'') Millie thinks to her self seeing everyone waiting for her to finnish her sentence.
(''wait, did I forget to finish the sentence? I really am loosing it'') she internally screams she akwardly gives a soft smile.
"Ah, the box of things is ready," Vern says, and Millie jumps to her feet and bows neatly. "Thank you all for your hospitality. You have all been amazingly lovely to have given me the honor and pleasure of speaking to," she neatly says, doing her best to hide her stress as she stands up properly and walks over to Vern and hands the man the money before grabbing the box and heading swiftly towards the door that swings open.
"Hi, everyone," a lady says cheerfully with bright brown hair and a perky voice. "Code," Heather and the rest cheerfully greet, and Code steps aside, seeing Millie walk towards her with a box. "Oh, hey there," Code greets.
"Hello, ma'am," Millie quietly utters before she walks past Code. But she does not notice the girl standing behind Code that watches Millie carefully as Millie leaves the house.
The black-haired girl narrows her eyes as she watches Millie walk away. "Who was that?" Code asks. "That was one of Vanessa's new friends." "Oh, shucks, I should have gotten to say a better hello then," Code utters, and the black-haired girl turns to Code. "Remember, we are not here for a pleasure trip," Mariella says.
"Aw, party pooper," Code says. "You can chat with random people later," Mariella says, already bored. "Fine," Code says, and the group does their greetings.
Millie turns the street corner, putting the box inside her bell. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and Liebe watches as she slowly opens her eyes. The hint of nervousness quickly disappears, and Millie looks around, her face more confused than usual.
"What is it?" Liebe asks, and she looks to him and looks away. "I am trying to figure out the way to the exit," she utters softly, sighs. "If that is what you wanted, then you walked the wrong way when exiting the store earlier," Liebe tells her and points. "Oh... thank you," she gratefully says and walks.
As Millie walks the streets, Liebe sits on her shoulder and looks at her. He sees her mouth slightly quiver before her hand goes to her brooch, clenching it tightly. "Meir was the best person that I ever got to know and was killed by a man named Mal and a devil," her words go through his mind as he thinks of Lichta. "A devil... so is she like me?" he wonders as they leave the black market and is back on the street.
Liebe looks to her as she walks the street and stands by a lamp-post, and she brings out a note, and reads it. He sees her squint and blinks twice, looking at the page. "What is it?" he asks in a bored tone.
"I am having difficulty understanding what this note is saying," she says, and he reads it. His eyes drop to a comical indifference. "That is Asta's handwriting," he thinks to himself. "Does it say 'Merrco berkies' or 'marron berries'?" she asks. "Uh, I believe it says 'meloni berries,'" he says. "Oh," she utters. "It is something new he added to the mogre-leaf juice to get a better flavor," Liebe tells her.
"Uh, does that work?" Millie asks with a confused expression on her face as she looks to Liebe. "Nah, it is still gross," he tells her. "Right, so I need to find a herbalist," she utters, and Liebe points to the left. "Thank you, sir," she utters, putting the note away. Liebe looks at her as she seems to clear her mind, and she walks, DING! A metallic noise rings through the street. Millie grabs the metal pole to the streetlight and drags her face off the metal post.
"What did you do that for?" he asks. "I forgot the pole was there," she says, rubbing her face where it collided with a pole. "First of all, how did you forget, and secondly, you walked in the opposite direction of the herbalist," Millie looks up to Liebe, and she looks up and down the street. "The herbalist is that way," he repeats and points. "Right, sir."
"How can you forget?!" he asks. "I do not know, sir," she replies in an apologetic tone. ("Never mind, me, and this girl is nothing alike,") Liebe thinks to himself as he facepalms and flies back to her shoulder. "Let us just go," he says with a sigh. "Right," Millie says and turns. "Wrong way," he tells her. "Right, I forgot," she utters.
"How can you forget it was two seconds ago?" he asks. "Right, well, I do not know," she says, fumbling with her words. "Just go," he tells her. "Right," she replies, moving along.
Time passes, and soon she has completed the shopping lists. She looks over Captain Yami's list, which consists of primary meat, booze, and toilet paper. "The amount of meat he is asking for is no joke," she utters as she turns her head up, seeing the sky turning a shade of amber as the evening greets the land.
("It is this late already, where is Haze?") she wonders and looks at the street in front of her. She hears running footsteps approaching from behind, and she turns her head to see Haze run with everything that he has.
"Haze, sir, what is—" "Come," he orders, grabbing her hand and running ahead. They round a corner and head into an alleyway. In the next moment, Millie finds her mouth covered as Haze holds her close to him with her back towards his person. She looks up at Haze behind her, leaning against the wall, panting hard. She sees the men from earlier run past their hiding spot. She turns her gaze up to Haze behind her again as he is completely focused.
She slowly brings her hand to his, which is covering her mouth but he holds her face firmly as Haze is still focused on looking at the street for the guys who ran past.
after a second he lets go of her face and he runs his hand through his hair frantically trying to calm down and think as he leans a little further out focusing on seeing where the men went.
"Sir," she gently asks. "Shh," he tells her still focusing on the street. She looks towards the street and listens for the guys before looking up at Haze again. "Sir?" she gently asks, but he is too focused on the men that he does not register her words. She looks at him and waits for a slow lasting moment before she speaks once more.
"Sir?" "What is it?" he asks in a hushed and slightly stressed tone still looking at the street.
"I kindly ask that you please remove your hand away from my right boob, sir," she asks gently, and Haze's face turns red as he suddenly feels the soft ball in which his hand is holding on to. He lets go of her and takes a step away. "S-sorry," he says in a panic, looking at her with his hands up showing that he means no harm.
"What is going on, sir?" she asks him while her eyes dart between him and the street behind him. "Oh that, it is nothing, just a small misunderstanding is all," he tells her as he pulls his backpack to the front of him and zips it properly closed.
For a second, Millie sees a linear small box with gold-like paper encasing it inside the backpack before he zips it completely shut. He throws it onto his back and looks behind him. He looks at her, grabs her hand, and pulls her further into the alley heading to the other side of the alley.
She looks at her hand as he pulls it. "Owch," she whispers to herself, and Liebe looks at her as she is tugged along. Once they are out on the street and Haze sees no sign of the men, he stops and turns to her.
"How much is left of the lists?" he asks. "Only Captain Yami's list remains, Sir Haze," she explains and touches her bell, bringing out the note that he snatches out of her hand and looks at it. "Of course, the butcher is that way," he utters to himself.
"Sorry, sir, is there something the matter?" she asks, trying to gather what is wrong. ("Of course, they went in the same direction as the butcher,") Haze thinks to himself, gathering his thoughts. "It is nothing, let us just go," he says and walks past her. As she watches him for a moment, her face turns, and she looks to Liebe for a second before she begins to walk after Haze.
Together they head for the store. Millie is walking a step behind Haze, trying to get a sense of what is going on with Haze. "Is there something the matter, sir?" she asks, and he looks at her for a moment, his gaze tired. "No, I'm fine," he utters simply, clearly wanting silence.
(It looks like he has been awake all night again,) she wonders and sees a kid run past them with something small in his hand wrapped in a golden wrapper.
She looks some distance away at a square area of the city where she sees the men from earlier talk to people, seeming to be asking around. "Did you see it or a small package?" they ask.
Millie slows her pace as she is getting a bad feeling and she looks ahead and sees Haze pull on his backpack a little and looks ahead, pretending not to see them.
The street is nearly empty, and it won't be long before they turn the street lights on.
As the kid runs past the men, one of their eyes widens. "Hey, you there, stop this instant," they yell with a rough order to their tone, and the kid freezes in his tracks.
"Y-yes, sir," the kid replies as the men walk up to him. "What do you have in your hand there?" he asks.
"A-a present f-for my mother, sir," he stutters in fear. "Likely story, kid. That bastard probably gave it to you so you could give it to him at a rendezvous point once he has gotten away," the man says.
"W-what? No, it really is a gift for my mother," he says and begins to shake a little.
"Right now, give it," the man says and goes for it, but the kid flinches and pulls himself and the gift away. "Stand still!" the man orders, grabbing the kid's arm.
"No, let go ow- ow," the kid squeals and pulls back. But the man lifts him up and grabs the package. "No, you can't have it; I spent every last penny on it," the kid cries out.
"Not buying it," the man says and looks at his buddy, who pulls the kid's arm and squeezes tightly. "No, stop OW!" he begs as the pain has him let go of the gift. And he drops it in the man holding his hand.
"No, give it back!" the kid cries out. "We should probably check that this isn't a decoy," the man says, and another nods. "No, don't!" he cries. And the other man rips up the paper. "No, don't!" the kid cries out.
"Shut it, kid; you will get a beating if this is a decoy, you hear," the big guy threatens with a glimmer in his eyes before he turns his head towards his buddy holding the package.
'What the, this isn't it,' the buddy says, and the man holding the kid gets pissed. 'Why, you little, where is the real one?' the man demands, igniting a flame in his hand. 'Please, I beg you, no, stop,' he cries. ("Too late, kid,") the man says, putting the hand holding the flame closer towards the child, and the kid's face draws into fear. He grits his teeth, trying to be brave. "No, let go; you hear," he demands in a weak voice. "Too late, kid," the man says as his hand gets close to the child, and a hand is placed on his arm.
'What is the reasoning of resorting to harassing a child like this?' Millie calmly speaks.
'Listen, girl, stay out of this, or you will be harmed too,' the man warns. 'That is right, you will get it from all of us,' the rest of the guys threaten her.
'Unhand the child,' Millie demands, her voice still gentle.
'Or what?' he asks, and the guys around them ready their grimoires. 'You do not need a threat to unhand a child who has done nothing to you,' Millie says.
'Huh? Are you stupid or something? It seems you don't understand the situation here,' the man tells her, and the guys around them laugh, readying each of their respective spells.
Millie looks around, counting the men. There are ten of them, and some stand closer to each other than others.
"As you wish, Unhand him or be on the ground in 8 seconds," she softly warns. "What? Was that supposed to be a threat?" the man laughs.
"No, just a fact," Millie says. "Now, eight," she utters. The man feels his feet weaken, and the kid falls to the ground. She catches him and puts him in the middle, and he sees the guys fall one by one.
"Zero," Millie utters, and the kid looks ahead, seeing Millie a few feet in front of him. He looks to the men who are pulling themselves together. "What did you just do?" the main guy asks.
"Nothing really, just years of training," Millie tells the man. "Now, please leave," she tells them.
"You little brat, we will teach you a lesson," the man says. "Please do," she tells the man, and his eyes widen for a second before his face draws into a frown. "Don't be funny with me, little girl, or I will have to break your legs and still those elegant moves of yours," the man says annoyed.
("Elegant? This guy should have seen the way Millie's her face met the lamppost earlier,") Liebe thinks to himself, watching the situation.
"You will need way more than this to still my movements," she utters. "Tsk, think you are all that, huh? Well, come at me for a round two then, and this time we are ready. Besides, with the pathetic amount of mana that you have, you have no chance of winning," the man mocks, and the men ready their grimoires again with a triumphant chuckle. "So, you think that a battle is determined by the amount of magic, huh?" Millie touches her bell and brings out a needle. "Of course, everyone knows that in this world, magic is everything," the man chuckles, and Millie grips the needle tighter ''I wonder about that'' she utters and Liebe looks to her and the men before Millie infuses the needle it with magic and throws it into the ground slightly behind her.
"It has been a while since I have done this kind of training," she utters quietly and brings her hand to the cog around the gem on her belt. She spins it counterclockwise, and all the men stop in their tracks for a second.
"What the, where did your magic go?" the man asks. "It is just blocked for now," Millie explains, and the kid behind her gets worried. "Miss, that is a bad idea," the kid says worriedly, and the men laugh. "Even a small child knows that this is lunacy, hehehe, fine, come and get it," the man laughs, and spells of fire, water, earth, and wind are hurled at her.
She takes a deep breath, crouches to the ground where the rocks lay about, and just before impact, she jumps over the spells and the men. and the kid worries as the spells does not stop and he closes his eyes bracing for impact, but he slowly opens his eyes as the impact didn't come and he sees a surge of mana eroding from the needle that Millie threw into the ground earlier and he sees the white tinting glow of the shield keeping him safe.
the kid sees 3 of the men down already as Millie spins and kicks the 4th man's grimoar away and lands before jumping up high over another spell doing the same to the next guy. As soon as she does so, the 6th guy catches up to her and launches a spell at her. She crouches down, throwing a pebble really hard, with the help of Ki knocking his grimoire away from him.
The man turns his head in surprise, and as he does, she launches for him, kicks him off his feet, and moves on to the 7th guy, knocking him to the ground as well. The main guy grits his teeth, launching fire towards her while she runs up to the 8th guy who looks at her in surprise, sending water her way. She runs keeping an eye and ear on both spells, she miss calculates the speed of the fire and she stumbles in surprise but forces her self to fall forward and she catches her self on her hands and her arms give in beneath her. and she falls to the ground.
(''damn it, my hands are acting up today, they hurt to much for this kind of battle'') she panics seeing the spells getting close and she gets to her feet feet gripping the dirt before she jumps up way high and she sees a flash and she sees lightning come for her mid air. ''Ha there is no way to get out of the way mid air'' the 9th guy yells.
''I never forgot about you sir'' Millie utters throwing dirt his way. ''ha like that will help you'' the man laughs blasting the dirt away and a second later the lightning continues forward.
(''I just needed a moment to let gravity take me out of the way'') she thinks to her self as she leans away from the lightning as she barely manages to evade it. upon landing she bolts ahead before the dust settles and with a flying kick she knocks the guy to the ground and with a powerful spin she forces more dirt and dust into the air.
the 8th man whith the water sends another wave of water for her and Millie jumps over him and his spell continues for her and the main man is angered as he finally sees her again ''Stand still all ready, fire magic spiraling vawe'' he yells and Millie smiles up as the flame come straight for her and she moves a little and waits for the perfect moment before she jumps off to the side while the spells are canceling each other out. and the water and fire mage watches for things to settle and the fire mage looks in surprise seeing his buddy fall.
''how is she this fast without any magic'' he mumbles before he is knocked of his feet and sent away a few feet. the man gathers himself and sees Millie calmly walk in front of the kid and the shield keeping him safe.
she calmly walks back to the kid and stops in front of the needle. She turns to the men to see them get to their feet. "What is with this girl?" they mumble and complain as the guys are slowly getting back up and walks to their grimoars or are dusting them selves off. the main guy gets to his feet and he wipes dirt off his face. "You crazy bitch, someone ought to put you on a leash," he tells her and Millies face goes to a perplexed state.
"I am confused, sir" she says seeming genuinely unsure about what was just said, and the guy cocks an eye at her. "I already am on a leash, sir," she tells the man, and Liebe on her shoulder looks at her. "Well, actually, it is more of a chain than a leash, but it works the same," she explains with her tone never changing ''well you can use it the same it is both physical and made of magic, it is kind of complicated and complex to explain into short terms but-'' she keeps explaining her self fumbling over her words.
"What, are you talking nonsense for?" the man asks. "What, there is no need to get upset just because you can't pull on it to make me stop," she tells him and the man looks more weirded out and confused as he gets to his feet. "Not that I would ever lend that ability to a guy like you," she says, looking down at her hand as Liebe watches their interactions.
''the hell are you on about, what do you mean a guy like me... you know never mind that you will be thought a lesson right here and now, and you will be sorry you ever crossed the great Saruto the-''
"No, it is not that; guys like you are just not worth the energy," she tells him. "Huh what are you on about now?'' the man asks and Millie keeps looking to her glove covered hand ''but I suppose if you insist on not backing off I will use my mana on you'' Millie explains, turning her gaze to the man as his goons has gathered again.
"Why, you little, you will pay for your arrogance. Shoot her, men," he says, and they all fire off offensive spells at her. Millie lets out a disappointing sigh, spins the cog on her belt, and utters, 'Life Shield Magic, primary shield.' Her shield comes up, and the spells burst along the shield's edges for a moment as Millie keeps looking at her glove-covered hands as they slightly twitch in pain.
Memories float to the surface, recalling Mal killing Meir, with a black chain, flashes in her mind. thoughts move forward in time to her throat getting forced to the floor by the bell's chain. Nervously and frantically, she breathes hard the crackling sound of fire is heard behind her from the fire pit.
"Why don't we have a little fun," Mal's cold voice spoke, and her terrified expression looks up to Mal's freezing gaze. "Black Chain Magic," he said, and black chains bound Millie's hands, forcing her to lay on the cold floor on her stomach. "Please, Master Mal, sir, I am sorry," she pleads. "Silence," he says and chuckles as the fire in the fireplace keeps crackling. "Sir, please, what are you?" she asks, turning her eyes to see a red glowing iron getting pulled out of the fire pit by Mal's black chain. He moves the burning hot iron closer while another chain lifts the back of her shirt.
Millie's mind floats to the present as she sees their spells have run their course, and the guys look at her calmly standing there.
"Sir, I would never call someone who is ganging up on a child a man, not in this or any century," she tells them all. "Damn it, we are ten against one man. With her puny amount of magic, she will run out long before us," he yells. "I still do not see any men in front of me, just cowards," she calmly states, her voice still soft, seeing everyone redo their spells again, making them ready. Millie looks at the shield that has not sustained any damage. "Do as you wish," she utters as her mind flashes to Mal bringing the burning hot iron close to her and firmly edged into her back, running it across it. "No one raising their hand against someone weaker than them just because they can is no man," she utters, and the child behind her looks up to her. Liebe glances up at her as well before turning his gaze back to the group of guys.
But Millie is still in her memory for a moment longer, remembering Mal's words after the torture was over. She lay shivering in pain and cold sweats on the floor; the smell of burned flesh lingered in the air as her back felt like it was still burning, emitting small sizzling sounds from her bleeding back. "Hopefully, the tea will be perfect next time. What is the point of a slave that can't even make tea?" Mal scoffed, and shivers went down her being as his hard footsteps walked across the hardwood floor.
'What seems to be the problem here?' a male voice says, and Millie comes back to the present and she turns her gaze to see magic knights in their red vermilion cloaks. The guys puts away their spells. 'Magic knights, oh, and of the house Vermillion too,' one of them says. 'There is no problem here, sir,' the man says.
'Oh, it seems to me you are the ones holding up offensive spells right now, and aimed at someone with a shield' the man says. 'Wait, that is their vice captain Randall Luftair at that,' another says.
'Well, these two were causing trouble, and' the man says and points fingers at Millie. 'What? 10 strong and clearly competent men pointing their spells at one person with little and with her amount of mana how much damadge could she possibly have caused you?' the wise captain asks.
'Well, she, you should have seen the way she moved. It wasn't anything from this world,' the man says.
'Right, and the kid with a bruised arm is bad too?' the Randall asks.
'Well, I' he utters. 'Seems more like someone got harassed, and a brave girl stepped in,' Randall asks turning is gaze to the child ''Or what do you say my child'' Randall asks.
'Y-yes, s-sir,' the kid stutters, and Millie casts a glance behind her at the kid and back to the mage.
And the vise captain sees Liebe on Millie's shoulder and smiles.
'Not surprised. Now, if you guys could come with me to the HQ,' Randall says and hints to one of his men who walks up to the thugs. ''Now please refrain from resisting, and we will be able to reduce your jail time. I must say I have been eagerly awaiting for you goons to do something dumb so that I can arrest you, and now I finally can take you in for disturbing the peace and engaging in battle without permission on capital grounds and outside any arenas or designated areas,'' Randall says in a pleased tone, seeing the guys grunting in displeasure as they are moved along.
'And little Miss, I will have to ask you to give a statement as well about what has occurred here today,' he says, and Millie nods. 'Of course, sir, in just a moment,' she says and turns towards the kid. Randall nods, letting Millie do her thing, and he witnesses her walk over and crouch down to the kid who looks at her with a mix of wonder and confusion.
'You were really brave, mister. Here,' she says and gives the item to him. 'Thank you, but I didn't do anything,' he says.
'You may not have been able to do much, but you still stood against them, even if it was just a little, and that takes courage,' she explains with a smile. 'It was really brave of you, for protecting what is important to you,' she continues.
And the boy looks at the gift in his hand with a torn up wrapping. 'That was a gift to someone special to you, right?' she asks, and the kid nods. 'You were protecting their happiness, and there is no braver cause,' she says with a gentle and friendly smile, and the kid blushes and looks at her.
"Y-you really think so?" he asks. "Yes," she utters. "But the packaging is all torn up," he says looking at the gift again.
"I believe we can fix that together," she tells him and brings out a bit of paper from her satchel. (Usually, I use this to package the meat until I get to dry it, but I can always get more,'') she thinks to herself packing the gift.
"There, good as new," she says and touches her bell and a red ribbon comes out and she ties it around the package. "There, I am certain she will be very happy and proud to have a son as brave like you," Millie says. A tear comes to the child's face that he dries away.
"You mean it?" he asks, and she gives an approving nod. "Thank you," he says and looks at the gift and at her. "Thank you so much." He quickly leans forward, and Millie flinches as he hugs her. Liebe notices her stiffening up again.
"Of corse, I am always open to help, always. ... take care now," she tells him. "I will, thanks again," the kid says and runs back to his path. Millie waves him off.
and Randall smiles in approval before clearing his throat to speak "Right, if you could come with me, miss," the man says, and she gets up ''yes sir'' she quietly oblige. "And since Liebe is here, I bet you are with Asta's group," the Randall says.
"She is," Liebe replies, and Millie jumps to the side. "Liebe, sir, when did you get here?" she asks.
"What do you mean? I have been here the whole time," he tells her. "I am confused; I thought you went with—" she says and looks around. "Where did Haze go?" she asks.
''How can someone be this aware and completely oblivious at the exact same time?'' he asks her rhetorically and Millie looks to Liebe with a doe eyes expression on her face ''I do not know sir'' she replies and Liebe's face falls into comedic indifference ''the question was rhetorical'' Liebe tells her and they share eye contact for a moment ''Oh'' escapes Millie's lips as another moment of silent in sues (''She is unbelievable some times'') Liebe thinks to him self.
"Miss," she hears. "Right, sir," she says and goes with Randall.
Later at HQ, she gives them her statements, and whatever else they need and once she goes outside, it is dark and she sees the street lights have a flame within them now giving the city light. she looks up to the starry sky and moves along (''where is Haze?'') she wonders walking down the street.
"There, took you long enough," she hears and looks a head to see Haze standing with kegs and cases of wine, beer and a big pile of meat.
"Apologies, I got sidetracked, sir," Millie says. "It is fine; we can head back now," he says and, using his mist magic, encases everything in mist and hovers it above the ground.
"Let us go," he says.
"Right," she says and flies after him in, and Liebe sits on her shoulder in his small form seeing Haze fly some distance ahead and he looks to Millie who holds her gaze fixed ahead and after a moment he looks up longingly before she slightly shakes it off and looks ahead and keeps going.
Back at the hideout, Haze lands in the grass and dismounts his broom and carries it with him as he heads inside with the meat and everything. Upon entering he sees a portal open up. "Man, that meeting took way too long," Yami says, walking out of the portal stretching his hands to the roof as Finral comes through behind him.
"Oh, you guys are back, awesome," Asta says, covered in dirt and he looks over seeing Millie standing in the doorwa of the entrance to the hideout and Liebe flies off her shoulder and to Asta. "Liebe, you are back! I missed you terribly," Asta says. "Urgh, I missed you too," he blushes as Asta takes hold of him and hugs him in his small form.
"Haze and Millie, how did it go?" he asks. "Nothing I couldn't handle," Haze says and places the food and drink in the middle of the living room. Millie places the bags on the table and walks over to the window and looks outside.
"Damn Grey, get off of me, will ya?" they hear as the door opens, and Goach, Gordan, and Grey come inside, covered in slime.
"Oh my gosh, what happened to you guys?" he asks. "Urgh, I don't want to talk about it; I need to wash off this filth so I can go back to worshiping my sister," he says as Grey lets go of his shirt. "Yes, well, the whole event was so humiliating," Gray fusses.
"Actually, I thought it was great, had a good chance to get a lot of this stuff for my," Gordon mutters.
"So Asta wants to see," Gordon asks. "Uh, I'll pass, thank you, now please get washed up," he says, and the two continue on into the hideout.
"Wow!" Crash!
They hear from outside. "Hey! What was that for, lightning boy?" Magna is heard yelling. "Hahahaha, you should see how scared you looked," Luck laughs as they go through the entrance to the hideout.
"Wow, how are the two of you getting back at the same time as us but are already this loud?" Noelle complains.
"Ah, the rest of the girls are back, sweet," Asta says. "Barely, I need a wash," Vanessa says and heads further in. "Me too, actually," Noelle says.
"Haha," Nero laughs. "Hey, just because you had it easy getting out of the way does not mean you get to be this spunky towards me; I am royalty," she says.
"Hello, everybody, do not worry for I, Charmy Pappitson, has arrived with a whole lot more snacks for everyone to munch on," she says. "Great, dinner will be done in time for when we are done with our baths," Vanessa says, grabbing the bag with her stuff in it and continues inside.
"So Asta, it must have been nice having the hideout all to yourself all day, so what have you been up to, huh?" Magna asks. "I got a whole lot of training done; every muscle in my body is now in peak condition," Asta says, flexing his muscles.
"Great, that means you have a need for a bath too," Magna says. "Sure do, I am all sweaty," he says.
"A bath, huh," Millie thinks to herself and leaves the window and walks outside.
Later, the Bulls are gathering around the table, and Asta heads into the dining hall. "Everyone is here, great," he says, and Magna and Luck walk in behind him ''Hmm'' Asta ponders looking around.
Outside a leaf falls from a tree branch as Millie walks into the clearing, seeing the lights on in the hideout. She the black bulls through the window of the Mess hall gathering for supper.
She looks up at the tree branch where she usually sits.
And she is about to go to the three when the door opens. 'There you are, are you coming?' he asks. And Millie looks to Asta's friendly smile before she respectfully nods, gripping her own hand. 'Yes, Master,' she utters and walks over to him and he keeps the door open for her to walk inside.
Moments later he has her sit down next to him, and she is given a portion of food.
She waits until everyone has started eating before she gracefully takes a bite.
It does not take long before the table is surrounded by the black bulls friendly banter and laughter and Millie's eyes soften a bit watching them all (''this group is still so friendly and warm'') Millie thinks to her self grabbing her glass of water.
(''She seems to be shaking a little less lately; she must be getting used to eating together with everyone,'') he thinks to himself with and smiles.
'Asta, do you have bricks in your ears? Pass the salt already,' Magna says. 'Right, Magna,' he says.
'Now, be careful already,' Noelle says on the side of him. 'What now?' he asks. 'It is just, you nearly, never mind just shut up,' Noelle blushes.
Liebe looks around the room (Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought the future held this for me), he thinks to himself. And he hears a glass being placed down, and he looks to Millie, who has finished eating and is waiting patiently with a good posture. She is adjusting her gloves before neatly folding her hands neatly into her lap.
She flinches as a sheep cook takes her plate, and she watches it leave. She grabs her brooch and breathes.
(She is so different from earlier today; I still don't get what has her so jumpy in a setting like this), he wonders.
'Right, Liebe,' Asta asks. 'Huh?' . 'Don't huh me; we totally had that mission the other day, you know where we went past the hills near Mozo Village' Asta says, and Liebe thinks it over. 'Right, you lost the item 5 times,' Liebe replies, realizing what Asta is talking about.
'Seriously, when did you get butterfingers?' Magna teases ''Hey that magic stone thing was all slimy'' Asta defends. 'Magna you really are in no position , mister, I can't keep a pot in my hand right,' Luck teases. 'Shut it; that magic burning pot was way too hot for anyone to handle. If it was anybody else, they wouldn't stand a chance,' Magna defends.
'Sure you are,' Luck laughs. 'Why, you little,' Magna says, sending a flame Luck's way but Luck jumps away from the table. ''you will have to do way better than that to catch me'' Luck teases. ''Oh get back here you little twerp'' Magna yells running after Luck into the living-room.
'I guess everyone has had their fill,' Vanessa smiles as Liebe places down his plate. And Millie gets up. 'Oh, and Haze, was there any money left from the shopping trip of yours?' Yami asks.
'Oh, right,' he says and gets into his backpack. 'Here is Yami's coin purse,' he says and hands it to their leader.
And he looks further into the backpack. 'And here is Noelle's, Vanessa's, Finral's, and Asta's,' he says and places them on the table. 'Sweet,' they say.
'Hold on, this is the exact amount we gave you this morning,' Asta says. 'What?' Haze asks, and the rest checks as well. 'You are right,' Vanessa and Noelle say.
'You didn't have to buy the items for us; we would be more than happy to pay for them ourselves. Don't get me wrong; we are happy you did,' Vanessa says.
'Well, I didn't really—' Haze utters. And Liebe turns his head in time to see Millie leave silently out the door and a the table shekes from a sudden smack and everyone turns their attention to Yami who has looked over the amount of money in his coin purse.
'Hold on? So you pay for theirs but not mine, what is the deal with that?!' Yami asks and grabs a hold of Haze's head. 'Well, I never really—' Haze stammers. 'No excuses,' he says.
'shut it, since you enjoy treating me differently then the rest then You get the privlidge of scooping poop and cleaning their cages for my pets for a long time,' he says. 'But wait I never—' Haze utters. 'You heard me,' Yami says, not giving the mage a moment to say anything.
'But I really don't have time for it,' Haze says. 'Oh really, last I checked, I was still your captain, and when I tell you to do something, you make time, got it?' Yami states, squeezing the mage's head further.
'Yes, got it, ow, ow,'
(This actually seems fair after him causing whatever that was in town today, and then fleeing responsibility; it evens out), Liebe thinks to himself.
Later, the Black Bulls are in the living room, and Millie is on the windowsill reading a book while the rest are being their rowdy selves late into the night.
'Man, it is time to hit get to bed; I will need to be well-rested for tomorrow as I will be visiting Mari. Yes, my angel, your brother will be there soon,' he says, walking out with a picture in his hand.
Then, little by little, they all head into the hideout to get their rest.
soon the hideout goes quiet and Millie looks up from her books seeing Asta head intot he living room with Charmy.
'Thanks a lot for helping out, Asta,' Charmy says. 'No problem,' Asta says proudly after helping her in the kitchen.
'Oh, people have gone to bed already,' he says and looks at Millie silently reading. ''Well it is really late, time to sleep so I have the energy to eat jummies all day tomorrow'' Charmy proudly states before running into the hideout ''you go Charmy'' he cheers her on as she leaves nad the door closes behind charmy.
'Well, time to hit the hay too I presume,' he says and stretches. 'Ready, Millie?' he asks. And she looks up at him and. 'I, uh,' she utters, and her eyes dart between him and Liebe ''huh wha is it'' he asks perplexed.
'Yes, Good night, Master,' she says in her. 'you don't want to come?'' he asks and Millie looks away not wanting to answer. (''I really want to not be alone but I better not push it, Liebe seemed to be more at ease with me after today. not that he has to be at ease around me but it is better fr him and everyone to be at ease around people that they are spending a lot of time with'') she thinks to her self as her eyes grows more attentive. ''well Good night then,' he replies and walks into the hallway of the hideout.
moments later he stops in his tracks 'Wait a minute,' he says and heads back. 'It was written all over her face that she wanted to come along; I will ask her what is going on,' he says.
And Liebe looks away, remembering the first day she came here as Asta goes into the living room where the lights are turned off. 'Where did she go?' he asks and goes to the main entrance and looks outside, but there is no sign of her.
'Did she go for a walk or something?' he asks. 'Probably,' Liebe says.
('I will stay out of your way') Liebe remembers her saying...
As Asta finds no trace of Millie he heads inside and later he is in his bedroom and gets into bed and relaxes while remembering her at dinner the same night, and he remembers her at the beach house and her body language there. (Maybe she just needs a little more time) he tells himself and turns and lays to sleep.
time passes of Liebe thinking over the days events and soon he hears Asta's snoring.
Liebe sighs before he flies over to the window and looks outside at the moon in the sky. some time passes and he looks down seeing Millie walk over to the tree and jumps up and sits down on her usual branch to relax.
(Hmm, she does seem to have her own little routine) he thinks to himself and sees someone come out of the hideout. (It is Haze, what is he up to?) Liebe wonders and sees him walk over to Millie and pointing a finger while telling her something. Millie gives a bow and replies something before Haze heads back inside, clearly annoyed.
Authors Note:
E thank you all for waiting so patiently over the holidays, Happy New Year everyone 3
this chapter was so much fun to write. What will happen next?
what is the deal with Millie's occasional glowing of her eyes?
what is Haze really up to?
and why did king Julius seems to want more about her future?
what do you think of Millie as a character so far?
do you have any questions please let me know.
I am honestly struggling a bit about a few things regarding Haze's story but I will figure it out.
E please leave a comment or DM me even if you just want to say Hi for the sake of saying hello, it makes me super happy and I am always up for a chat3
