Alice's Persistence and Willfulness

Hill thought for a moment, then nodded decisively. "But I need to listen in, Alice. I can't possibly feel at ease letting you talk to him alone."

Alice smiled awkwardly. "There's nothing I can't let Papa Hill know.

But, Papa Hill, can you really promise not to rush out halfway through?

I don't know how Merkel will react.

Or whether he'll say something that upsets me, or even angers you."

"If I get angry, why should I hold it in? That isn't something that needs promising, Alice." Hill walked straight into his bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. "That's what he needs to worry about, not me."

Alice helplessly glanced at Martha. The Tower Spirit who usually kept such a close eye on her had very slyly drifted into a corner without saying a word, clearly with no intention of leaving either.

When Alice had been lying by the window and looking into the distance just now, she had found that streak of black light rushing in from the south strangely familiar. That was why she had accidentally knocked over her glass of juice.

Martha had been beside her all along. After noticing that Alice had been startled, she had looked outside too. She must have figured it out.

Wasn't Martha usually so insistent on etiquette and rules? Why was she suddenly keeping silent now?

Come on, tell Papa Hill that a girl was grown up now and needed to live independently!

Alice pouted at Martha in displeasure.

Martha merely gave her an innocent smile in return.

But Alice could only sigh and accept it. She understood that Papa Hill allowing her to negotiate with Merkel herself was already remarkably reasonable.

She had originally thought Papa Hill would skin Merkel alive first.

Ever since she had returned to Hill's side,