Carmilla's lips curled up slightly.
She walked to the flowerbed, squatted down, and looked at the flowers with her light red eyes.
"So beautiful."
"Um."
What are these flowers called?
"I don't know, neither does Sekhmet."
"Then ask Echidna?"
Typhon thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No. If you ask her, she'll definitely say things like, 'This is a certain flower from a certain family and genus, it's native to a certain place, it blooms in a certain month, and its color is determined by a certain gene,' which is too annoying."
Carmilla chuckled softly.
"Too."
The two squatted by the flowerbed, looking at the flowers.
Sekhmet lay on the bench, his crimson-purple eyes fixed on them.
"Typhon."
"Um."
Your smile is... beautiful.
Typhon paused for a moment.
"What did you say?"
Your smile is... beautiful.
Typhon's face flushed slightly.
"Sekhmet, when did you learn to compliment people?"
"Just now..."
"Why?"
Because... when you smile... I want to smile too...
Typhon looked at her, at the gentle light in her eyes.
Then, she smiled.
"Sekhmet."
"Um."
You're talking a lot today.
"Hmm... I'm a little tired..."
"Then why did you say it?"
Because... I wanted to say...
Typhon shook his head, squatted down again, and looked at the flowers.
Carmilla crouched down beside her, her light red eyes looking at her.
"Typhon."
"Um."
"It's so good to have you."
Typhon paused for a moment.
Then, she reached out and gently patted Carmilla's head.
"You're not bad either."
Carmilla's tears welled up again.
She just squatted there, letting tears slide down her cheeks and drip onto the flowers.
"Thanks."
Her voice was hoarse.
Typhon withdrew his hand and looked at the flowers again.
"Don't cry, the flowers will die if you cry too much."
"Real?"
"Fake."
Carmilla paused for a moment, then laughed, her laughter echoing through the Garden.
Sekhmet lay on the bench, his crimson-purple eyes looking at them, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Youth... it's so wonderful..."
You're not old either.
Typhon said without turning his head.
"Hmm... but... tired..."
You're always tired.
"Ugh... I'm always... tired..."
Typhon sighed and said nothing more.
The three of them stayed in the Garden, looking at the flowers and basking in the artificial sunlight.
Six o'clock in the evening, on the east side of the library, in the corridor.
Higashino Makoto stood by the window, his golden eyes gazing at the artificial sunset outside.
Reisen stood behind him, holding a notebook in her hands, her crimson eyes fixed on him.
"Owner."
"Um."
"The witches have all gone out today."
"Um."
"Except for Echidna."
Where is she?
"Still reading."
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment, then turned around and walked deeper into the library.
"Let's go take a look."
He walked through the corridors, through the common rest area, through the third section, and came to the deepest part of the library.
A door that was slightly ajar.
He pushed open the door.
Echidna sat at her desk, her long, silvery-white hair cascading over her shoulders, her dark eyes fixed on the book in her hands.
Her desk was piled high with books: books about the YGGDRASIL magic system, about race conversion, about the rules of small worlds, and about Higashino Makoto's reports on his explorations of New World.
She's been watching it for seven days.
They worked almost non-stop, without sleep or rest.
Echidna.
"Um."
She didn't look up.
"It's time to rest."
"Not tired."
"You're not in a soul state anymore. If this continues, you'll die. I don't want to waste my magic to revive you."
Echidna's finger paused for a moment, then continued turning the page.
"Wait a little longer."
"I heard from Reisen that you've been waiting for quite a while now."
Echidna put down her book, looked up, and stared at Higashino Makoto with her dark eyes.
She had faint dark circles under her eyes, her lips were a little chapped, and her long, silvery-white hair was somewhat disheveled.
Higashino Makoto.
"Um."
"Do you know? The knowledge from that New World you brought is more than I've accumulated in the last four hundred years."
"Then what?"
"I want to know everything."
"There's never enough time to learn."
"Maybe, but I want to learn as much as possible."
Higashino Makoto looked at her, his golden eyes devoid of any emotion.
"How greedy, Echidna."
"After all, I am the witch of greed!"
Seeing her shameless yet proud expression, he walked up to her and took the book from her hands.
"Higashino Makoto--!"
"Have a meal."
"I'm not hungry!"
"You're lying. Your stomach is growling."
Echidna looked down at her stomach.
It is indeed making noise.
Her face flushed slightly.
"That's a normal physiological reaction!"
"A normal physiological response is the signal that it needs to eat."
Higashino Makoto placed the book on the table and held out his hand.
He was considering whether he should also give Echidna a Nutrition Ring.
"Come on, let's eat. I don't want you to starve to death here."
Echidna stared at the hand for a long time.
Then she reached out and shook his hand.
Her fingers trembled slightly the instant their palms touched.
Higashino Makoto.
"Um."
"Speaking of which, why are you so good to us?"
I haven't been kind to you.
"And you--"
"I just don't like seeing my things break."
Echidna paused for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"You're really annoying when you talk."
"I know."
Higashino Makoto released his grip, turned around, and walked towards the door.
"Let's go, Daphne's making fish today."
Echidna stood up, straightened her skirt, and followed him.
"Daphne? She can cook?"
"No, but she's learning."
"Is that edible?"
"I didn't know, so I asked the kitchen to prepare an extra portion."
Echidna chuckled softly.
The two left the room and walked into the corridor.
The setting sun streamed in through the window, casting their long shadows on the ground.
In the distance, the sounds of Typhon and Carmilla laughing in the common lounge area, Daphne chopping vegetables in the kitchen, Minerva flipping through books on the shelves, and Sekhmet turning over on the sofa drifted from ear to ear.
Witches.
The most interesting souls of that era.
Now, they're all in this library.
As part of my own collection.
Higashino Makoto stood in the middle of the corridor, gazing at the artificial sunset.
He continued walking forward.
Reisen watched his retreating figure, a gentle light flashing in her crimson eyes.
She lifted her skirt and followed him.
Footsteps echoed in the corridor, gradually fading into the distance.
In the distance, Daphne's voice could be heard coming from the kitchen.
"Higashino Makoto —the fish is ready—come quick—!"
"They've arrived."
Higashino Makoto quickened his pace and stepped into the warm light.