The mist dissipated.
The small boat jolted with a 'thump,' a soft bumping sound coming from the bottom of the hull.
We've reached the shore.
The exhausted group supported each other as they went ashore. Jonathan smacked his lips and glanced at Nagini.
"That was a beautiful song, lady. Have you considered coming to Britain to be a—"
"Brother."
Evelyn weakly interrupted her tactless brother. "Could you help me carry the suitcase?"
Whether it was Evelyn, who had observed Nagini closely, or the experienced OConnell, both could vaguely hear the disappointment and helplessness toward the World in the woman's melodious sighs, and could also feel the hope and rising tone at the end of the song—
In that wonderful song with its ups and downs, she sang of the woman's past.
At a time like this, if you are not someone very close, it is best to remain silent.
—Jonathan lacked that self-awareness.
The man picked up the suitcase, still chattering incessantly, occasionally turning back to call out to the silent Nagini: "I'm very familiar with dance troupes, Evelyn knows, that little taylor, Crooked-mouth Taylor!"
"I can find a way to pull some strings... as long as there are those little yellow shiny things..."
Evelyn felt a bit embarrassed and quietly covered her forehead; OConnell pulled Evelyn and quickened his pace, too lazy to deal with his sweetheart's brother's nonsense toward Nagini.
Except for Mori Tsukisa.
The young girl raised her hand with a face full of wonder: "You even know people from dance troupes?"
"How can you say 'even'? I'm Jonathan, Gold Finger Jonathan, who on the whole street doesn't know me?"
Evelyn suddenly turned her head in a rage: "Jonathan! Do you think it's an honor that the whole street knows you're a thief?!"
"You've brought criticism to the family! And now, are you going to lose face in front of my sister and her maid?!"
When this lioness roared, the male lion could only politely tuck his paws away.
Besides, Jonathan wasn't really a lion. At most, he was a primate climbing expert who liked to wear suits.
"I know... I knew it... you're always shouting at me." The man muttered, lowering his head and walking quickly for two steps to pass Mori Tsukisa. His wide hat brim hid his face. Judging by his voice alone, there was indeed a sense of dejection: "I won't say anymore. I'll shut up, okay?"
"My sister is going to climb over her brother's head..."
Evelyn was about to say something more in annoyance when OConnell, beside her, pulled her arm, indicating it was best not to scold Jonathan in front of so many people.
"Jonathan, if I find out you're plotting against Little Forest's wealth, I'll... I'll..." The huffing Evelyn really couldn't stand her brother's constant attempts to trick money out of Mori Tsukisa—
That was her sister. How could she let Jonathan swindle all those little gold coins and jewelry?
"That's her money, she has the right to decide for herself..." Jonathan argued in a low voice, glancing up at his sister, then quickly looking away, making him look extremely comical.
In any case, Mori Tsukisa couldn't stop laughing.
"Yes, yes, she has the right to decide for herself, but that doesn't mean deciding it all into your pocket!!" Evelyn patted OConnell's shoulder: "Help me keep an eye on Jonathan. If you find him tricking my sister out of her money, then..."
"Beat him!"
Evelyn shook her fist.
OConnell, carrying the rescued cylindrical backpack, looked at Jonathan with a smile and turned to agree: "No problem, Princess, My Lord, I'll keep an eye on this gentleman."
...The group walked for forty minutes before finding the camp—the group of Americans was nowhere to be found. According to OConnell, they would likely meet at the final location.
That is, the final stop before entering the Sahara. There, they could buy camels, portable dry rations, and water skins. This was the only way into the desert, so they would inevitably meet and travel together.
"I hate them." Evelyn sat sideways in the tent, using a wide comb to brush her curly hair. After all the commotion, not only was her whole body uncomfortably sticky, but there was also a lot of sand and dust in her hair.
OConnell was nearby, maintaining his firearms and tools.
He didn't care. His original purpose was just to survive—to let the naive young lady spend money to save him from prison; later, his purpose was to protect this girl he had some feelings for.
Now, his purpose was to fulfill her wish and help her find the sun golden scripture.
As for those Americans—
Oh, he didn't like egomaniacs (they both thought that of each other).
And... Benny.
That bastard who abandoned his teammates.
His thoughts gradually drifted. Outside the few tents, the boundaries were clearly marked.
The locals never approached the territory of these outsiders; they only took money and provided necessities... Mori Tsukisa sat cross-legged in the tent, sending Arrietty out to look one moment, and having Nagini open the tent door to peek out the next.
"Is he here yet? Is he here yet?"
The girl was so excited she hadn't even changed her clothes, sitting on the small cushion in the center and waiting.
"He's so slow, or... could he not find us?" Mori Tsukisa remembered what Dumbledore had promised: "I still need him to help me open the loot."
The small pouch swayed on her index finger.
"Eat something." Nagini brought a bowl of sweet soup with some spices sprinkled in, and a few slices of white bread were placed beside the plate.
Mori Tsukisa didn't take it. She raised her hand, and a blank card condensed in her palm.
She seemed to detach another personality from her originally curious expression, looking solemnly at the young woman in front of her who was preparing to serve little Arrietty her meal.
"Nagini, you've already made up your mind, haven't you?"
Nagini didn't know what a Planeswalker was, nor did she understand what the card made of magic in the girl's palm was, but she could vaguely feel that this answer... was very important.
"I..." Nagini looked at Mori Tsukisa, whose little face was set sternly, and nodded with a smile: "Of course I've made up my mind. I've thought about it for a long time, my..."
"Master."
Arrietty gave a small 'ptui' sound.
She had been quite happy all along: Her Majesty had gained another Attendant—in the Wabi-Sabi Courtyard where only sprites lived, they were finally going to welcome a new guest. This should have been a double happiness.
But when Nagini uncharacteristically stopped being cold and instead began to highlight the soft and charming side of a snake; when she began to affectedly call Mori Tsukisa—Master.
The Little Sprite began to feel displeased.
'Only I should be the one to call her Her Majesty,'
'You can call her Tsukisa, Miss Sen, Mori Tsukisa... just pick one, okay?'
'Okay... then... Master.'
'No!!'
—To think I was so keen on boasting to Her Majesty about how much she needed a new Attendant...—Scene-stealer.
No one knew Arrietty's mental journey. Perhaps Nagini knew?
But she didn't care.
Now was the most important moment.
"Come, Nagini." The card in Mori Tsukisa's hand slowly floated to Nagini's side. As it approached, the light-colored card's color gradually changed.
Spell Power... is draining!
—Compared to the mass production of sprites, Mori Tsukisa found that this card-printing process was relatively much more difficult: she could sense her Spell Power flowing into Nagini's body through the card in front of her.
Very, very slowly, as if confirming her will.
—If she were unwilling, a single thought could cut off this magical flow, leaving the woman who could have gone further stuck at the current boundary.
Hmm... Mori Tsukisa thought for a moment and held Nagini's hand: the purple void pulsed and contracted, and bands of silver light spots slowly transferred from the girl's wrist to Nagini's body.
The gold thread on that pinky finger also quietly split off a segment, burrowing into Nagini's arm and traveling up the woman's fair arm toward her neck... After a while, in the void.
A black card gradually took shape.
Black background, gold-edged patterns.
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