V1: Chapter 84: Let's Die Together, Sister

Octaville was referring to Prescott.

When she brought Hilary and Liang Di to Prescott, Liang Di felt an instant connection to the middle-aged man, as if she'd seen him somewhere before, but couldn't quite remember.

"Prescott... Teacher, long time no see."

At that moment, Prescott was in the tavern, wiping dripping glasses. He didn't stop what he was doing, his voice still gentle, "Long time no see, Little Fu."

Although there weren't many customers around, there were a few scattered around. Octaville looked around, somewhat embarrassed.

“Teacher, could you come outside with us for a moment? There’s something we need your help with.”

Prescott shook his head. “I have nothing to do with the Magic Tower anymore, and I haven’t touched magic or anything like that for years. I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, I’m sorry.”

Octaville, though not present, had heard about Prescott being expelled from the Magic Tower by the magicians. The magicians said that Prescott was wasting his time, researching magic, spell arrays, and potions that weren’t actually for dealing with monsters.

When someone asked him why, he said, “If you all go and research how to deal with monsters, then no one is researching magic to solve human health problems or how to heal humans and small animals. I think someone should research something different. Dealing with monsters is important, but I think it’s also important for me to research other kinds of magic.”

His theory was incomprehensible to the magicians.

Basically, all the magicians were either taken in or bought. The young children, upon arriving at the Magic Tower, were instilled with the idea that "our mission is to fight the monsters across the sea."

"What a freak."

Although they didn't understand, no one paid much attention. Prescott was indeed talented, but he never used his abilities to study magic to fight monsters. The tower master and the other older magicians were frustrated and tried to persuade him many times, but to no avail. Eventually, they gave up on him.

Prescott was supposed to stay in the Magic Tower, becoming an ordinary, invisible magician.

However, he met a commoner girl who had no magical talent. There was an unwritten rule in the Magic Tower: magicians should marry other magicians so that their children would have the talent to learn magic.

Prescott broke this rule. He resolutely threw himself into the girl's arms and they had a lovely daughter.

When the Tower Master and the other older magicians learned of this, they were furious to see Prescott happily cradling the little girl in his arms. Prescott's talent was exceptional; if he were to marry another exceptionally talented magician and have a child, the child's power would be unimaginable.

"You're just wasting your talent like this!" the Tower Master said, pointing at Prescott.

"I don't think it's a waste, because this is my life," Prescott retorted, citing his own argument.

Fortunately, the Tower of Magic had rules against harming ordinary people; otherwise, the fate of that commoner girl would have been unimaginable.

It was at that moment that Prescott was driven out by the magicians who worshipped the Tower Master like a god.

"Prescott is a traitor to the Tower of Magic! He should be expelled!"

The shouts grew louder and louder.

The Tower Master made no response, tacitly acquiescing to their audacity.

Prescott left. He left the Magic Tower voluntarily. Before leaving, he told the magicians, "Sometimes, people need to pursue their own happiness."

The magicians didn't understand the meaning. They were content to dedicate their youth to the Magic Tower.

"Everyone's pursuits are different, Little Fu. Now that I've left the Magic Tower, there's no reason for me to help you." Prescott poured a glass of ale and placed it in front of a guest. "Please enjoy, sir."

They were thus turned away from the moment they arrived.

Liang Di, however, squeezed in front of the two.

Because she had been standing behind the two women, Prescott hadn't seen her clearly. Now, he finally saw her. His eyes lit up, and he looked the Tentacle Girl up and down before smiling with satisfaction.

"Little one, no, now I should call you 'Miss.' You've grown so much! When I first met you, you seemed like a little kitten."

Huh?

Hearing this, Liang Di carefully scrutinized the tavern owner, only finding him vaguely familiar, but unable to recall anything else. It wasn't surprising; she was only seven years old then, and in pain almost fainting, she'd only glanced at Prescott twice. To think he looked familiar was already a testament to her good memory.

"Uh, sorry, but I really don't remember who you are."

"You were so young back then, it's normal not to remember."

Octaville was completely bewildered. She looked at Prescott, then at Liang Di, and asked, "You two... know each other before?"

Liang Di was equally confused.

"I think I've met him before. I feel like I recognize him, but I just can't remember who he is."

Prescott then went to the cabinet to get some wine, specifically one of the more expensive varieties.

“If you have nothing else to do, you can leave. We can catch up another day, but as for anything else, I really can't help you.”

Octaville bit her lower lip.

“Teacher Prescott… this is my lover.” She took Hilary’s hand and raised it high. “Her sister is missing, she can’t be found. I can’t see her through the magic crystal. Normally, this is illogical. I suspect she was kidnapped by a wicked magician.”

Hearing this, Prescott finally put down his wine glass and looked seriously at the three of them.

“A sister is missing? A child?”

“Hmm… I guess so, she's only sixteen.”

“Sixteen, two years younger than my daughter, a very young child.” Prescott closed the cabinet door. “If it’s something like that, I think… I can give it a try.”

Octaville visibly relaxed.

“Let’s go.”

Prescott put down his work, asked someone to watch the shop, and followed Octaville and the others out of the underground tavern.

On the way.

“The process is a bit complicated, Teacher, let me explain slowly.”

“The Langwendi family has an adoptive daughter named Liang Lin.”

“Liang Lin?”

Prescott suddenly stopped. “You just mentioned Liang Lin?”

The three women also stopped at the same time. Octaville asked, “You know her?”

Prescott nodded. “I saw her in my tavern before. I even helped her with some things. She’s a very good child. But, I can see a forbidden aura around her.”

Suddenly, Prescott understood everything.

“Little Fu, that forbidden soul-swapping spell, you casted it, didn't you?”

Octaville nodded gravely.

“Whose soul did you swap Liang Lin with?”

Hilary spoke first, slowly uttering that long-forgotten name:

“Elijah Kronin.”

“Ah… that Marquis.”

Prescott took a deep breath.

“You guys are really being reckless… oh well, all young people are like this. I was the same when I was young, too impulsive, and I lost a lot.”

“Let’s go, just draw a magic circle, don’t waste time.”

This time it was Prescott’s turn to be anxious.

When he helped Liang Lin, he hadn’t thought much about it, only admiring this spirited and exceptionally skilled swordsman. Although there was a forbidden aura about her, he never imagined it would be cast by his old acquaintance, Octaville.

Who knew that after so many years away from the Magic Tower, he would still have such intricate connections to that place.

“This is probably fate…” Prescott sighed.

He later wanted to investigate the forbidden energy surrounding Liang Lin, but after that parting, she never returned to the tavern. Prescott was old; he no longer had much curiosity about things that didn't concern him. He figured it was better that Liang Lin didn't come; it would save him one more trouble.

"Teacher, are you confident?"

"Nonsense, even after leaving the Magic Tower for so many years, my magic hasn't declined!" Prescott said seriously, glaring at Octaville.

Good heavens, just now this guy said that after leaving the Magic Tower for so many years, he hardly used magic anymore and had completely forgotten it all, and now his face changes so quickly.

Seeing Prescott's confident look, Liang Di gradually felt a bad premonition rising in her heart, her face growing paler and her hands and feet turning cold.

Oh no, why am I so uneasy? I have a feeling that things are about to be exposed. This guy, could he really have broken the magic circle I set up?

Liang Di's expression was somewhat dazed; she didn't even hear Octavia calling her.

"Liang Di."

"Liang Di!"

"Huh?!" Liangdi suddenly woke up.

Octaville waved at her, "What are you standing there for? Come on over here, stand inside the magic circle so we can go back."

"Oh, oh..."

Liang Di stepped into the magic circle.

A dazzling white light flashed, and the four of them appeared in the backyard of the Langwendi Mansion. Liang Di walked in front, not wanting the other three to see her pale face.

Liang Di, she finally panicked completely; she couldn't keep up the act anymore.

What to do?

Should I take this opportunity to go back to the basement, observe the situation, and see what happens next?

If things really don't go well, then she and Liang Lin might as well die together.

Yes...

Yes.

Yes!

Then let's die together!

Dying together wouldn't be so painful!

"Die!"

A green light flickered in Liang Di's pupils, her irises turning a ghostly green again, vortexes reappearing in her eyes, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Breaking.

Miss Tentacle was on the verge of breaking.

She didn't even know how she climbed the stairs; she was completely dazed.

Upon entering the room and seeing the magic crystal sphere, Prescott didn't waste time any words. He immediately stood before it, raised his hand, and slowly placed it on the sphere, closing his eyes.

Time passed, second by second, seemingly unchanged, without any significant movement.

Liang Di watched this scene, her heart slowly beginning to relax.

Until—

"Ugh!"

Liang Di involuntarily groaned, covering her mouth. She could clearly feel something snapping in her mind, like a broken string, a connection severed with a "snap."

Hilary and Octaville didn't look at her, but Prescott suddenly opened his eyes, turned his head, and stared intently at Liang Di. His gaze was like that of an eagle eyeing a chick.

"Miss Liang Di... that thing, it came from you, didn't it?"

The magic crystal ball lit up at this moment, revealing Liang Lin's incongruous, dazed face. She was staring blankly at the teddy bear in front of her, looking rather dazed, which particularly disrupted the tense atmosphere.

Hilary and Octaville leaned closer to look.

"This is... inside a room? This room is quite beautifully decorated."

Octaville narrowed her eyes, her focus having wandered.

Hilary, however, keenly sensed something amiss within the magic crystal sphere.

Pointing at Liang Lin's neck, she exclaimed, "Fu! Look, it looks like she's wearing a collar! This... she's definitely been kidnapped!"

Liang Di, meanwhile, had already retreated to the side of the door, her hand subtly gripping the doorknob. She was ready to open the door and run out at the slightest movement from these three.

"Miss Liang Di, please release Liang Lin. She is not your property. I don't know what grudges you have, but please release her first."

Prescott's eyes were sharp as a knife, piercing Liang Di.

Octaville couldn't believe her ears. She didn't even understand the meaning behind Prescott's words—no, she didn't want to understand. She slowly looked at her proud adopted daughter, her breathing becoming rapid.

"Teacher, you, you mean..."

"I mean exactly what you think, Liang Di, release Liang Lin." Prescott was blunt. "Little Fu, she is the kidnapper you're looking for who kidnapped Liang Lin."

Octaville's brain went blank.

Hilary felt the same way.

She had suspected many things, and imagined many terrible scenarios, but she never imagined Liang Di would imprison Liang Lin.

"Liang Di... is it really you?" Octaville's voice trembled.

The next second.

The bright room suddenly darkened, and countless tentacles instantly lashed out, overturning tables and chairs. Countless sheets of white paper fluttered in the air, slowly drifting down, even overturning the sofa. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Liang Di flung open the room door.

She didn't run, but used her sticky tentacles to slide along, rushing towards the basement like lightning.

Along the way, maids screamed, throwing their laundry tubs into the air.

Some maids, while sweeping the floor, looked up and saw Liang Di with tentacles, screamed, their eyes rolled back, and they fainted. Others fainted without a sound, their heads hitting the ground.

It was a truly gruesome sight.

Hilary and Octaville followed quickly behind, while Prescott kept pace, knowing he couldn't be of much help to the rest.

"This is a real headache."

Looking at the maids who had seen Liang Di's true form, Octaville said to Hilary, "You go after her. I'll use a forgetting spell on them, otherwise, when they wake up, the Langwendi mansion will be in complete chaos."

Hilary nodded and followed closely behind Liang Di.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't catch up with the tentacle-covered Liang Di.

Liang Di rushed towards the basement, pushed open the door, quickly closed it, grabbed a quill from her pocket, and with lightning speed drew a magic circle on the door. Seeing the magic circle complete, Liang Di finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This magic circle should be able to hold off Octaville and the others for a few minutes.

Inside the room, Liang Lin was lost in thought when a sudden loud noise startled her. She looked closely and saw Liang Di in her tentacle form, scribbling on the door. A strange pattern appeared on the door in a moment.

"What are you doing...?" Liang Lin was baffled, staring at the pattern on the door, and mocked, "It's really ugly. Have you become interested in drawing again lately? Forget it, with your talent, you can't even draw a circle properly."

Hearing that familiar mocking voice, Liang Di instantly felt much more at ease.

"Sister Liang Lin, I really missed you so much!"

Liang Di threw herself into Liang Lin's arms, hugging her tightly.

What she was thinking was that after today, she might never have the chance to be so intimate with Liang Lin again.

How strange... But if it's Liang Di, then it makes sense.

"Hey, you're always trying to get handsy with me, you..."

Boom!

A loud crash came from the other side of the door.

Liang Lin felt the bed beneath her shake. She blinked a couple of times, completely bewildered.

Boom!

Then, another loud crash followed. The door seemed about to be smashed open, even teetering on the verge of collapse.

Damn it.

"Sister Liang Lin, we don't have much time left..." Liang Di grasped Liang Lin's hand, a sorrowful love in her eyes.

She gently kissed the back of Liang Lin's hand, then looked up again, solemnly saying, "Sister Liang Lin, I love you."

Huh?

So sudden.

Why am I inexplicably feeling shy?

Boom!!

Liang Lin felt a piece of ceiling debris fall and hit her head, interrupting her strange sense of shame. Confused, she asked, "Tell me first, what's happening? What's going on outside? Is an elephant ramming the door?"

Her sister, Hilary, who was outside hacking at the door with her longsword, and Octaville, who was trying to break the spell, would probably be furious if they heard this.

"No…there are people outside who want to separate us~" Liang Di's eyes glistened with tears. "Actually, I only found out today that they really wanted us to be together."

"Sister Liang Lin, I regret it."

"You hate me too, don't you?" Liang Di sniffed. "I know you hate me, sometimes to the point of wanting me dead."

"I know, I know it all in my heart. Sometimes, I'm just deceiving myself."

Boom!

Another loud crash.

The door was about to collapse.

Liang Di's tentacles emerged from under her skirt, and the room filled with tentacles reappeared. Liang Lin felt as if she were inside a bright red heart.

She still couldn't understand what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Sister Liang Lin, it was my fault, I'm so sorry," Liang Di broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

She was, after all, only a sixteen-year-old child.

Faced with the weeping Liang Di, Liang Lin was at a loss, unsure what to do with her hands. Sometimes she raised them to wipe away the tears, sometimes she wanted to pat the girl's head in comfort, but in the end, she lowered her hands. She really didn't know how to comfort people, she really didn't know what she should do, and she was helpless in the face of the crying girl.

"I said... can you stop talking to yourself all the time? Even if you want to apologize to me, you should explain what happened outside the door first, right?"

Even though she wanted to comfort her, Liang Lin's tone was still fierce.

The sounds continued to come from the other side of the door, but they were muffled, probably blocked by the tentacles.

“Sister Liang Lin… I’m so sorry.”

But Liang Di kept talking to herself.

Liang Lin was anxious and confused, but there was nothing she could do.

Until—

Sizzle!

"Ugh!"

Liang Di showed a pained expression, her face turning deathly pale in an instant.

Liang Lin looked towards the source of the sound and saw Liang Di’s severed tentacle on the other side of the door. A square incision had been made in that tentacle, from which a strange red liquid gurgled. Unlike blood, the red liquid was sticky, as if mixed with glue.

The next second, Liang Lin’s body stiffened.

“Sister... Sister?”

She couldn’t believe her eyes, rubbing her eyes hard. Then she confirmed that she wasn’t mistaken; standing outside the tentacle was her beloved sister—Hilary.

“Sister!”

Liang Lin shouted excitedly, jumping off the bed, wanting to run over and hug her sister. She took two steps forwarr before being pulled back by the iron chain behind her.

"Ugh!!!"

Because she was running too fast, the pull from the chain caused Liang Lin to fall heavily onto Liang Di's tentacles.

Just then, Liang Di hugged her from behind, holding her tightly, as if trying to meld her into her very bones.

Liang Lin felt a warm sensation on her neck; it seemed to be tears streaming down the back of her neck.

"Sister Liang Lin, let's... die together!"

Liang Di's desperate voice came from behind Liang Lin.