Chapter 38: The Meeting in the Hall

  Fina was originally an escapee from the Witch's Mansion, and Alice even more so. As for the route to the Witch's Mansion, both of them were very familiar with it. Although this one-on-one match had not yet been decided, once the girls reached a consensus, they did not guard against each other, but instead silently sped along the road at full speed.

  The shadow of the witch's mansion soon appeared before their eyes.

  The other party unexpectedly broke the White Crow Formation in silence, and on the way, Alice had already made the worst preparations. However, when she really came back to take a look, the Fog Witch found that the formation still existed, not only did it exist, but it was also operating quite well.

  Mi Di didn't destroy the law array but found a way through it and went in smoothly.

  What does he want to do?

  Alice couldn't help but furrow her brow, but immediately afterwards, a savory aroma of beef and potatoes wafted over.

  The Fog Witch was stunned, and in an instant, her mind went completely blank.

  Right away, she suddenly remembered something - from last night till now, she hadn't eaten anything yet.

  No midnight snack, no dessert, didn't even have a sip of water, fought with growling stomach for the whole night, and missed breakfast time!

  Previously all her energy was focused on fighting, the black-haired girl hadn't noticed anything yet, but now this food's aroma had thoroughly stirred up her appetite.

  Alice swallowed silently and then quickly rushed forward, rushing into the house, and directly turned into the kitchen.

  The black-haired young man was wearing an apron and watching over a pot of beef stew that had been simmering for a long time.

  Sigmund is carefully baking bread in the oven while Lilian is peeling fruit.

  The steam rising from the pot makes the kitchen look hot and smoky, while the lightsaber, hand cannon, and fist guards have long been casually thrown into the corner of the distant hall.

  This is an everyday scene without any tense atmosphere.

  How did these guys get through the White Crow Formation?

  How did you find the fruit and bread hidden in the cellar?

  Where did you get the fresh beef from? I don't remember the elves contributing any.

  What kind of ridiculous game is this? Does that guy Midy think he can move himself with this?

  It's utterly absurd!

  In just a few seconds, countless thoughts, hypotheses and inferences flashed through Alice's mind, but even so, she still couldn't find the answer, and could only stand there blankly, staring.

  However, Fiona was already being impolite. The red-haired girl walked around the motionless Alice and went to the center of the kitchen, then clapped her hands loudly: "Midi, let's eat! I'm starving!"

  "It'll be fine soon." Middy smiled slightly and nodded at Alice.

  This sudden movement made it seem as if Miti was the master of this witch's mansion, busily preparing to entertain a guest who had just entered. A flash of uncontrollable anger suddenly appeared in the eyes of the Fog Witch, and with the provocation of the delicious smell of food and her empty stomach, this anger quickly surged up.

  "The buffalo is ours, the bread and fruit are yours, the cleaning and cooking are our responsibility, the kitchen is yours, everyone shares, shouldn't that be fair?" Having anticipated Alice's possible reaction, Middy walked forward, pulled out a chair, and made a welcoming gesture.

  Alice's first reaction was naturally to refuse, but before she could open her mouth, her stomach growled.

  "Ah" echoed through the entire kitchen in an instant.

  The black-haired girl's neck, as white as jade, instantly turned red. This redness continued to rise, passing over her cheeks and ears, all the way up to her forehead, turning Alice's pretty little face into a lovely red apple.

  Sigmund and Lilian bowed their heads in amusement.

  Fina couldn't help but let out a "heh" of laughter, then immediately turned her gaze to stare at the wall with a deep and melancholic expression.

  Mi Di just smiled and made a gesture for him to sit down again.

  This time, Alice sat down heavily at once.

  If she refused again, wouldn't it seem like the Fog Witch was so scared of these invaders that she didn't even dare to eat and fled in disarray? The girl's pride would never allow her to retreat at this point. Moreover, every floorboard, every window, and every corner of this witch's mansion were completely under Alice's control, so there was no need to worry about any tricks.

  Soon, a pot of steaming hot beef soup was placed on the table, accompanied by side dishes and bread.

  The beef stewed to perfection was rolling in the thick hot soup, the yellow potatoes were already flavorful, and the bright red tomatoes were even more appetizing. Adding the fragrant roasted bread, it was a fatal temptation not only for the girls who had been playing for four hours and leveled up, but also for Midee and others.

  There was no conversation, Fiona started eating with her head down from the very beginning. The red-haired girl still maintained the impeccable elegance of a noble, but this elegance contained a fierce and violent aura that was like a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds.

  Alice, who had been watching her opponent all along, obtained two pieces of information. First, the food was not poisoned, and second, this beef was likely to be delicious.

  Moreover, when you're hungry, anything edible becomes very delicious.

  Alice finally put down her reserve, picked up a spoon and took a small sip of the beef soup.

  Then another small mouthful, then another small mouthful, and then another small mouthful...

  The crispy toasted bread is also good.

  Braised beef? Essential.

  In the blink of an eye, Alice had become a second Fina, elegant but more ruthless.

  I hope that my sincerity can be conveyed to her heart through this food. Middy silently watched the black-haired girl who was drinking soup and eating bread and meat in small mouthfuls, and so hoped in his heart.

  The true master of the forest and four intruders gathered around the same table, without dispute or hostility, wolfing down their meal.

  Before long, the pot was seen at the bottom, and the bread basket quickly emptied. The fruit used after meals also dwindled. In the end, only satisfied eyes and sighs full of happiness remained.

  "Well then, let's continue what we didn't finish earlier." Alice elegantly wiped her lips with a napkin and glanced at Fiona.

  The meaning expressed by those eyes is naturally a continuation of the previous one-on-one showdown that has yet to be decided.

  "Wait!" cried Medea, rushing forward to stop her.

  The black-haired girl tried to resist, but unfortunately, she had eaten a bit too much earlier and her movements and reactions became much slower, unable to make any effective response, so she could only sit back in the chair. However, the anger revealed in those black eyes was undiminished.

  "Can't you just listen to me for a bit?" Midy asked with a wry smile.

  "Before I listen to what you have to say, there are a few things I need to confirm." Alice glanced at the black-haired youth and revealed a cold, charming smile. "Now that I think about it, didn't you intentionally give me and Redhead hints earlier? If you hadn't exposed my physical limitations and given Redhead hints, the one-on-one match would have been decided long ago, wouldn't it?"

  "That's right." Midei nodded with a smile.

  Just as the Fog Witch said, Middy revealed both of their strengths and weaknesses all at once in order to protect them both at the same time. As a result, both sides that were reminded would naturally be more cautious in battle, and the effectiveness of attacks would also be greatly reduced.

  Although it was just a simple sentence, it had a very good buffering effect.

  It was for this reason that Miti, who was extremely important to both sides, could put down the hanging heart and go hunting and stewing with peace of mind, then wait for their return with a smile.

  As for being pointed out now, Mi Di doesn't mind either way.

  "Hmph, pretending to be clever." Alice coldly commented and asked again, "Then, how did you break the White Crow Formation?"

  "Robin directly told me the location of the array gate lock." Midi replied, glancing at the wooden box in the kitchen corner.

  Due to being too noisy, the crow was eventually treated as a prisoner.

  "Robin? It doesn't know the real location of the lock." The Fog Witch gave Meddy a cold glance, "Do you think I would let that stupid bird, which can't even be taught anything, know the defenses of the Witch's Mansion?"

  "But I can get through that trap and work backwards to find where the real lock is."

  "Even so, the unlocked time is still too short."

  "That's because I have this." Mide replied finally, then he rolled up the sleeve of his left arm in front of Alice.

  Thus, countless mysterious and profound magical seals covered ghost hands were fully revealed under the wise eyes of the Fog Magic Woman.

  The simple yet elegant flower pattern exudes a sense of beauty, filled with magical pulses that perfectly harmonize with the flesh and deeply bind with the soul. Even for Alice Otterlop, who has seen it all and has an unparalleled high-end vision, this ghost hand and the ghost god dwelling within it are also full of mystery and power.

  At a single glance, the Fog Witch could determine that this was something she had never seen before, and it was very likely to be something newly born in this world.

  Alice gazed silently at the ghostly hand, forgetting to breathe for a moment. The next instant, her slender fingers involuntarily reached out to touch Midy's left arm.

  Skin-to-skin contact, before she could even feel the eerie atmosphere, Alice was already experiencing the boy's fervent passion.

  She hastily withdrew her fingers and slightly lowered her head, using her bangs to cover up her flustered eyes.

  Midi did not notice the black-haired girl's fluster at this moment, but finally knew that the other party's attitude was no longer as tough as before.

  It's just that, after all, this is only a relationship brought about by mutual needs on the level of interests, and it can't be considered as a bond at all. Therefore, Midy couldn't help but secretly sigh in her heart.

  But currently, he has no other choice.

  "As you can see, my Oni and the usual ones are quite different. If one could understand its power, it would surely bring a huge boost to magical standards." Miti said with a slightly bitter tone, "I can provide you with research materials, but at the same time, I hope you can provide me with military assistance to help me protect my territory. What do you say to this trade?"

  Transaction... what?

  Alice silently mouthed the words, unable to help but lift her head and gaze at the black-haired boy in front of her.

  Perhaps it was just a transaction where each took what they needed, yet why did the boy in front of him, called Midee, reveal such sincere and sorrowful eyes?

  He's obviously a clever person who excels at planning, and just from using one sentence to influence the outcome of a duel, it can be said that he is indeed so capable. Moreover, what is needed to break through the White Crow Formation is by no means just powerful magic.

  But why would such a clever person, when negotiating, so clumsily play their trump card, without haggling or having an ace up their sleeve, nor inducing or persuading themselves, but simply expressing everything honestly?

  The witch of the fog didn't understand, but she couldn't help feeling that those eyes seemed trustworthy.

  "Deal." Alice nodded.

  Of course, there is also a desire to study this powerful demon in it.

  But more so because of the delicious hot soup cooked by the young man.

  And these eyes that are still so frank and sincere even if they are suspicious again.