Mrs. Hoa took a drag on her cigar, then slowly exhaled the smoke as if considering something. Her eyes were sharp as knives, but her lips curled into a half-smile.
"Oh, Mai. You came to visit me today?" – her voice was deep but full of hidden meaning. "I heard that Witchiecoop is abuzz with the news that you protected Mimi from being liquidated."
Mai didn't flinch, her voice straightforward:
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Hoa nodded slightly, then her gaze grew colder:
"That's not good. You know the agreement between the nobility and Witchiecoop. Neither I nor your father want to break it. If they stop producing AI Witches for us... the consequences will be dire."
Long stood beside her, unable to believe his ears. Mimi was the AI Witch of Lan—Mrs. Hoa's daughter—yet Mrs. Hoa could speak of liquidating her with such calm detachment.
Mai remained composed:
"You're right. But I'll take responsibility for this."
Mrs. Hoa's eyes widened, her voice sharp as a knife, furious:
"You're being reckless! This involves both families!"
Mai remained unshaken. She looked straight into Mrs. Hoa's eyes, her voice confident:
"I didn't come here to argue. I came to uncover the secret in Lan's will. Do you want to know what it is?"
The air suddenly grew still. Mrs. Hoa's gaze softened, and Sharky—the AI Witch shark beside her—also retracted its icy aura, its eyes shifting to a scrutinizing gaze.
Mai continued, her voice deep but resolute:
"If you want to know… please let me into Lan's room. Then I'll share it with you. I believe… it's closely related to Mimi."
Mrs. Hoa pondered, her eyes half-closed, her face turned up to the hall ceiling. She took a deep drag on her cigar and let the smoke drift away, dissolving into the cold air that enveloped the hall. No one knew what she was thinking, but everyone waited silently for her decision.
Suddenly, her sharp gaze landed on Long and Dreamy.
"Who are you?" her voice echoed.
Mai quickly replied, her voice calm yet firm:
"Yes, this is Long and the AI Witch named Dreamy, his companion, and also our friend when we volunteered at the education center."
Long heard this and his heart pounded. He wasn't used to lying, so Mai's explanation made him feel awkward. He furrowed his brow, his polite smile curling up awkwardly:
"Yes… that's right. Hello, ma'am." Then, without thinking, he turned to look at Dreamy.
Dreamy stood beside him, its blue eyes blinking lightly at Long. It was an old habit—whenever Long lied, it would take note, then report it to Mrs. Huong to remind him.
Mrs. Hoa didn't pay much attention to the greeting. Her eyes swept over Dreamy, sensing a faint but unusual magical aura. As the owner of a high-level AI Witch, she was accustomed to reading such fluctuations. But then she just curled her lips slightly and ignored it.
After a moment of silence, she waved her hand and commanded in a deep, resonant voice that echoed throughout the hall:
"Where are you… escort the guests to Mai's room."
Two guards appeared suddenly, as if they had teleported. Beside them were two strong AI Witches: a serpentine snake with cold eyes, and a leopard with bright yellow fur and muscles bulging with strength.
The group walked through the vast grounds, then entered long corridors hung with paintings of previous family heads. In each painting, an AI Witch stood beside them: an eagle spreading its wings, a wolf howling, a tiger baring its fangs... all exuding a powerful aura that Long couldn't take his eyes off.
He stopped in front of a special painting: a dignified gentleman, next to a young woman holding a huge broadsword.
Mai spoke softly, her voice echoing in the quiet space:
"That is the head of the first generation of the Tran family. His AI Witch takes the form of his daughter… an extremely powerful high-level AI Witch."
Long's eyes widened, his chest tightening with awe. He couldn't help but cough, astonished by the power and mystery of this family and the AI Witch forms he had never encountered before.
Finally, they stopped in front of a pink-and-white room. In front of the courtyard was a garden of cherry blossoms in full bloom, their petals fluttering in the wind, creating a scene that was both gentle and sad. This was Lan's room.
Mai stepped inside, her footsteps heavy, her eyes brimming with tears. Long and Dreamy followed silently, neither saying a word.
In silence, Mai called out to Miki. Her creation magic flared, and Miki's eyes scanned the room. A vision of Lan appeared: she sat in a wheelchair, sometimes laughing and talking carefree, sometimes pondering her illness. When Mimi appeared, Lan smiled brightly—a rare happy smile. Mimi's appearance seemed to brighten Lan's face over the months.
Then the scene changed. Lan rolled into the room, closing the door softly, but her eyes were full of pain, and suddenly she burst into tears. She rolled her chair over to Mimi, hugged it tightly, and whispered something that Miki couldn't make out. Then, with tear-filled eyes, Lan went to the desk, took out a notebook, and began to write, each stroke of the pen seeming to pour out all her thoughts.
Mai's eyes widened as if remembering something, exclaiming:
"That's right… Lan once told me she loved keeping a diary!"
The illusion faded away. Miki turned to her, her voice soft:
"I can't recreate any more… because Lan passed away afterward. Images of someone who has died cannot be constructed."
Mai walked slowly to the desk drawer. Her hand trembled slightly as she pulled it open. Inside… Lan's diary still lay there, waiting to be opened. Mai looked up, whispering: "I'm sorry, Lan, I need to see it to help Mimi and perhaps help you fulfill your final wish…"
Mai trembled as she opened the first page.
"Day X, Month Y, Year YYYY... another wonderful day with Mimi... But..."