Sunset.

The people who attended the party had arrived.

Anchor and sail.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, this cruise ship, which is destined for tragedy, is slowly sailing towards the vast sea.

Ocean.

Some say it's the source of life.

There are many legends about the sea, such as mermaids and the like.

"Is there really a mermaid in the sea?"

On deck.

Ayumi, who was held in Qingqing's arms, asked.

It's not surprising that a little girl would be curious about these legends.

People should also be curious.

It is precisely because of the curiosity of various things that we will study, so as to promote the development of human civilization and the progress of science and technology.

So it's not a bad thing to have curiosity, although curiosity can easily kill cats.

But whether cats die or not doesn't seem to have much to do with people.

"Who knows."

Qingming did not give an answer.

Mainly because he doesn't know if mermaids exist or not.

It is very irresponsible to give a positive or no answer when you don't know whether something exists or not.

"Let's not talk about whether it exists, I actually prefer Jingwei to mermaids."

"Jingwei?"

"Well, the Jingwei of Jingwei reclamation."

Qingming nodded.

Jingwei reclamation is one of the many myths and legends handed down by the Chinese nation.

Mouth wood and stone to reclaim the sea.

How ridiculous and admirable is a little bird who wants to fill up the sea with small stones and branches by himself.

"Jingwei reclamation? What is that? ”

"How so...... It's the story of a stupid bird doing stupid things that I can't do, it's really stupid! ”

“？”

Ayumi looked at Qingming suspiciously, very puzzled.

Of course she wouldn't know.

Nowadays, even the Chinese people, many of them don't know these myths and legends that have been passed down since ancient times, let alone people outside of China, unless they specialize in research, basically no one will hear of them.

But Qingming didn't plan to explain too much.

"Jingwei ......"

If there is injustice in everything, why should you be miserable; Will be an inch long, and the wood will be in the end of the ancient times?

I would like to level the East China Sea, and my body and heart will not change; There is no time for the sea to be peaceful, and my heart is endless.

Alack!

You don't see, there are many birds in the West Mountain, and magpies come and go!

"That's good!"

Qingming sighed so emotionally.

Ayumi didn't understand, and originally wanted to ask, but someone came behind them.

"International student, gone."

The only one who will call Qingming this is Suzuki Garden.

Although she didn't know that Qingming was also coming back before, Qingming and Ayumi didn't have makeup, and after getting on the boat, they naturally recognized it at a glance.

So I thought about calling Qingming together.

Qingming is a very magical and powerful person, and calling Qingming together can also be more reassuring.

"Oh, let's go."

Qingming didn't talk nonsense, turned around and followed Suzuki Sonoko towards the cabin.

This time not to the room, but to the party scene.

The sun has completely disappeared over the distant horizon, and night is beginning to fall.

The party began.

Some people's performances also began.

……

Tokyo.

The lights are on and the neon is flashing.

At nightfall, most people are probably still at home enjoying dinner and enjoying the rest of their day after a busy day.

There aren't many people on the streets.

Not to mention the manor, which is a deserted place.

At this time, there is a car driving by, it is very conspicuous, and the light of the car lights at night is difficult for people not to notice.

It's weird.

On this side of the manor, there are very few guests in normal times.

But tonight, it seems that quite a few people want to visit the owner of the manor.

Although in reality it is not.

Anyway, there were still people who arrived first, stood in front of the gate of the manor, and rang the doorbell.

"Hey! This is Nami Shimogasa, who are you? ”

On the intercom, the voice of the maid was heard.

The woman stood in front of the door, smiling all over her face.

"Judy."

Judy...... Miss? Is there anything you can do? We are sorry, but we will not be allowed to come in if you are not a guest of the host. ”

"Oh, I'm just looking for a little girl."

"Little girl?"

"Yes, look for that little girl called, Gray Plains Mourning!"

“……”

……

on a cruise ship.

Not only is the exterior furnished like a pirate ship, but even the interior is furnished like a haunted house.

There is also a group of demons and monsters.

Werewolves, vampires, Medusa, mummies, zombies, and more, you name it.

"It's all from the west!"

Qingming sat in front of the bar, with his back to the bar, shaking the cup in his hand, his eyes scanning the others in the hall.

Just a regular red wine.

Ayumi sat beside him, her eyes wide open, looking at the cups on the countertop.

It's also a glass of wine.

Qingming didn't seem to mean to ask her for a drink, so he directly ordered the bartender to serve two glasses of wine, one of which was the one in front of her.

So she hesitated.

Since you asked her for wine, does that mean she can drink it too?

But she was still underage.

Drink? Don't drink?

The little girl looked at the cup in front of her and thought.

Sonoko Suzuki came over.

glanced at the cup in front of Ayumi, and then looked at Qingming, with a scum-like expression.

"I said, it's okay if you bring a little girl to this kind of party, how can you still give a little girl a drink?"

"Little girl? It's not small, it's grown up day by day. ”

Qingming looked at Ayumi.

Compared to when I first met, I have indeed grown up a lot.

But when I first met......

Well, it seems like a long time has passed, and it doesn't seem to be long, and every time I talk about this kind of topic, there is always a magical feeling.

Let's not talk about that.

"You guy, no matter when, it's so easy to make people angry!"

Sonoko Suzuki shook her head.

Seeing that Ayumi didn't seem to be planning to drink, she didn't bother to continue to dwell on this issue.

Just ask.

"Speaking of which, you know it's a costume party, why don't you put on makeup?"

"What do you do in disguise? Anyway, I just came to cooperate with the show, and tonight's protagonist is not me, so I don't bother to do those troublesome things. ”

Qingming shrugged.

He really just planned to watch the play, and he had been planning to do so from the beginning, and he didn't want to do anything at all.

Unless, some aunt has done something superfluous.

"Cooperate with the show? Strange ......"

Sonoko Suzuki pouted.

That's why she doesn't like Qingming very much, she always looks mysterious and weird, which makes people very unhappy.

"Forget it, don't talk about this, talk about my sister......"

"Shh

Qingming suddenly made a gesture of silence.

Turning his head, he looked at the other side of the stage, which had been prepared a long time ago, and a man dressed as a ghost captain appeared.

"Their show, it's on!"

……

There are always some bear children who are disobedient and like to leave with people they don't know.

For example, Gray Plains mourning.

Under the watchful eyes of the twin maids and Akane, Gray Yuan Ai left with Judy, for what specific reason, they didn't know, and Gray Yuan Ai didn't tell them.

It's a strange thing.

"Shopkeeper ......"

Akane thought of Qingming.

If you ask Qingming for help in this kind of thing, it is easy to come up with an answer, and the answer that the woman named "Judy" is not safe.

It's a pity that Qingming is not at home.

I wanted to make a call, but considering that Qingming was going to sea by boat, it was estimated that there was no signal, so I had to give up this plan.

I just still think it's weird.

"Why is this happening?"

She frowned.

Back in the villa with the twin maids, the twin maids went to do their errands, while she sat on the sofa in the hall, thinking.

She knows about Qingming and Ayumi going to a costume party.

Qingming didn't plan to hide it from them.

And Ayumi has been here before, and she has also talked about it, including the origin of the invitation.

Ayumi said that it was given to her by an aunt she didn't know...... Wait a minute! ”

Aunt?

Is Judy an aunt?

It's hard to say.

But if it's Ayumi, it's really possible to call Judy an aunt, mainly because I don't know if it's influenced by Qingming or by Gray Hara's mourning, and sometimes it seems a little poisonous.

If that's the case......

"Questions?!"

Akane stood up, seemingly a little panicked.

If the aunt in Ayumi's mouth is really Judy, then Judy deliberately lured Qingming away, and now she is taking away Ash Yuan Wai, no matter how you look at it, it looks like there is a conspiracy.

"Oops!"