After completing the sorting and redemption of the endless dimensional world, barely allowing them to maintain the status quo and prevent further collision, deterioration and destruction, little Anne naturally left it alone! She first ran to a certain world and took her bear Tiebs with her, and then began to wander through the endless dimensional worlds, and finally came to this world.

Queen Anne is very busy, and under normal circumstances, she is either eating or on her way to eat?

(*/?? ＼*)

So, of course, she was eating her dinner in a street bakery, a few pieces of bread that were a little not too fluffy, and her bad bear with her.

（...... ）

(??????????)

To be honest, Anne herself had to admit that the bread here was not very tasty, except for a layer of cream and a few slices of cheese on top, there really wasn't much special on it.

But

Given that the world seemed to be a backward world, and that it was a small town, there really wasn't anything too delicious on the streets, so she didn't mind too much, just barely ate some casually. Because it's been a long time since she's been able to hang out with her own bear like this, and wander around the world, eating and drinking.

“……”

( ̄~ ̄) Chew!

"Hey! Tibbs, would you like some bread? It's really delicious, it's definitely not a lie!! ”

o(灬?? ω?? 灬)o

After Anne ate a few bites, she looked to the side and found that there was no one in the shop, and she thought that she would not be discovered by outsiders, so she quietly handed the half-eaten cheese bread in her hand to her little bear's mouth, asking the other party to help her eat it.

(That...... Dear little master, of course you are not lying, how can you be lying? Little knows, you're actually lying to the bear!!

(●￣(??) ￣●)

- Although he hasn't been messing with this bad little master of his own for a while, how can he not know what kind of virtuous guy his little master is for a certain bear Tibers? If it was really delicious, how could she take the initiative to share it with it? ）

“！！”

(ー`?? ー)

"Whoa! Do you even eat it?! ”

（?? ╭╮?? ）

Little Anne straightened her face directly, and was ready to teach a bear a lesson at any time.

Don't think she doesn't know, this hateful guy, when she was adopted by that Lin Daiyu and the maid lady called What Goose some time ago, she ate what they fed every day! Now, when she came to feed it kindly, Queen Anne, it was so bold that it dared to refuse her kindness?

(Eat!) Of course! This is something that the greatest and most respected little master has given him, and how can the little one refuse it?

?????? ~??????

- A stirring spirit, taking advantage of the fact that no one around him noticed, Tibbs opened the bear's mouth, did not taste or chew, swallowed the piece of bread in one bite, let it enter the belly of its shadow flame body, and directly burned it to ashes and gas. ）

"Humph!"

o(｀^??) o Hmph!

"If you are reluctant, then no one will have to give you food in the future!!"

ヽ(￣へ￣)－C????; ◇;??

Anne knows, the current bear cub is no longer the little white bear before, without the body of life, it must not need to eat ordinary food, and there is no need for that? So, after discovering that a certain guy who had been raised by others for two years had the courage to burn the bread he had given him in disgust, Anne stood up and picked him up, and in a huff she was about to leave the broken shop and go out of the darkening street.

‘？？ ’

'Wait!! ’

'Hey! ’

'Wait! Little girl, where are the adults in your family? It's snowing again this big night, and you're alone now, where are you going? ’

At this time, in the bakery, the bearded man did not look like a good person, and in fact he was not a good person, and even dared to eat a few pieces of cream cheese bread and took her a whole gold coin, and the rude shopkeeper who did not look for money suddenly stuck out his head when he heard the movement, and after looking at the situation, he found that it was his little customer who was about to go out, and hurriedly shouted several times.

"Huh?"

∑(?? △｀)？！

"Where are people going, and what does it matter to you?!"

(???? ▽????)？

Anne said that it was a little strange, because she didn't seem to give the other party less money, so if she didn't leave now that she was full of food and drink, would she still live in his broken bakery?

"Hmm......"

"Little girl!"

"Judging by your accent and clothes, you shouldn't be from our town, right?"

The bearded shopkeeper, who had just been packing up his things and preparing to close at night, casually wiped the flour on his hands on his body, and began to look up and down again with great interest at the strange little girl in front of him, dressed in a thick blue-and-white plush dress with unknown animal fur, and a hat of the same style, a scarf around her neck, snow boots on her feet, and a stuffed toy bear in her hand.

He could see that the little guy in front of him was indeed not a native of their town, because he had never seen a little guy dressed like this in the town, and if he did, he would definitely recognize or have an impression.

Perhaps, this is some passing aristocrat or a child in a wealthy merchant? But the heart of the other party's family is inevitably too big, and he let such a cute little guy wander outside, you know, just now even he almost gave birth to the kind of heart that abducted the other party back!

"Isn't it what, Uncle Blame, are you trying to do something bad?"

（?????????? ）

Anne began to stare at the other party with suspicion and a slight wariness, she was already preparing for it, if the other party wanted to do her badly, or if there were other thoughts that he should not have, then she would definitely let him know what fear and cruelty were!

（…… ）

(●￣(??) ￣●)

"Hey!"

"Look at what you say, what else can I do?"

"Little girl, I just want to remind you that at night, especially on this snowy night, you must not go out alone, because it is very dangerous!"

Continuing to rub his hands on his clothes, and then taking a few steps forward, sweeping the crumbs of bread that the little girl had just eaten and left on the table to the ground, the shopkeeper, who seemed a little unhygienic, so much so that Anne regretted coming here to eat, continued:

"You're not from our town, you probably don't know yet, do you?"

"We have dangerous snowy nights here, and I tell you, at times like this, there is a little match girl who sells matches at night...... Those who are lonely, especially if a slow girl like you is touched by her, then it will be trouble!! ”

Speaking of this, the shopkeeper couldn't help but pause, as if he remembered something extremely terrible, and couldn't help but shudder, and then his eyes began to flicker, presumably he must have been frightened by some not-so-good rumors and things of his own.

"Anyway!"

"Little one, I advise you to wait in my shop first, and wait for your adults to come looking for you? Or, you can wait until I'm done packing up and we can walk together, and if it's on the way, I'll consider taking you to your family. ”

"If you live too far from here, then I can't help it......"

Under normal circumstances, he would not suddenly be so kind, and he would not have not returned so late in the snowy weather.

However, given that the little girl in front of him generously gave herself a heavy gold coin, and today was not the last night of the year, he felt that it would not matter too much to stay a little longer, so he patiently waited for the other party to eat enough and delayed until now.

"Say it!"

"Where's your family? When I lock the door, I'll take you there!" As long as she doesn't go out alone, the little match girl will definitely not be looking for trouble! ”

To be honest, if he hadn't just charged the other party dozens or even hundreds of times more money, so that he was a little reluctant to go, where would he be so kind and plan to give the other party a ride? Of course, he won't tell the other party that it's too late now, and he's muttering a little bit in his heart, so he wants to take the opportunity to find a companion to go back with him, so as not to run into that legendary terrible guy?!

"The little match girl?"

(???? ˇ?? ˇ????)

Anne frowned, feeling a little inexplicable!

"What's there to be afraid of the little girl who sells matches, people never play with matches!!"

(ˉ▽ ̄~) cut ~~

After staring at the bearded shopkeeper for a long time, and seeing that the other party did not seem to have bad intentions, but really wanted to send herself, and was a little worried about her own safety, she pursed her lips disdainfully and turned her head, indicating that she was not afraid of that strange little match girl at all!

"Goodbye, Uncle Weird!"

ヾ(￣▽￣)Bye~

"People kindly remind you that the bread you make is not good at all! In addition to the cream and cheese, you should add some jam, jelly beans or chocolate on top! What's more, your shop is dirty, it looks small and dark, and you don't wipe the stools, so people won't come back next time! ”

ヽ(???????? -)－C ??????????????

After saying that, after making a grimace at the other party, little Anne rushed out of the store without waiting for the other party's reaction, and disappeared into the snowy street outside, and disappeared after a while, leaving only a long series of deep and shallow footprints.

'Yes! ’

'Why didn't I think of that?' You can indeed try the bread with jam and chocolate, as well as jelly beans! In that case, it shouldn't taste too bad, but it's too late and the ingredients aren't available, so I can try it tomorrow......

‘！！ ’

'Hey! Little guy, you wait for me first, it's really dangerous out there!! ’

However, when the bearded shopkeeper muttered to himself for a while, he felt that the other party's idea was good, and finally reacted and hurriedly rushed to the door, on the slightly dark street outside, in addition to the vast white snow, where was the little girl carrying a plush toy bear, and at a glance he knew that it was the figure of a little girl from a rich family?

'Alas~! ’

'Forget it! It's so late, I just hope nothing happens to her......

Shaking his head, seeing that it was indeed not early, and the bearded shopkeeper, who had made a lot of money today, thought about it, he also hurried into the store, and after briefly packing up his things, he hurriedly slipped out and locked the wooden door of his bakery, and then took advantage of the fact that it was not yet dark, and hurriedly ran to the house on the east side of the street.

There are still snowflakes in the sky, and although there are still pedestrians on the streets, they are all in pairs, and very few of them are alone! So, if he doesn't want to make trouble for himself, it's best not to stay outside for too long on a snowy night?

……

In 1669 A.D., the German H. Brand extracted yellow phosphorus, and then, people used the characteristics of yellow phosphorus that it is very easy to oxidize and ignite, and dipped sulfur at one end of a small wooden stick, and then dipped in yellow phosphorus after rubbing and glowing this property, to create a magical ignition tool, that is, - matches.

Not long after, I don't know which guy likes to tinker and mixed yellow phosphorus instead of antimony trisulfide into the medicine head to make yellow phosphorus matches. This kind of match is easy to use, and the fire is sensitive, there is no need to use any special ignition device, only need to be directly rubbed on the dry ground or the wall of the house can be directly rubbed to ignite, and then this kind of match quickly became popular, and was wholesaled by large and small traders from large and small workshops and brought to the street for sale and retail, sold to those who need to start a fire.

As for the fact that yellow phosphorus matches are too sensitive and easy to cause fires, and in the process of manufacturing and use, they will seriously endanger people's health because of the highly toxic yellow phosphorus, etc., they are directly ignored by the people of this era.

However, in this town, there is a terrible legend that is not known to outsiders, and at the same time terrifies the people here......

reputedly

Two years ago, it was the last night of the year, and it was freezing cold and snowing, and it was almost dark like it is now?

And yet, on a cold and dark night like this, a little girl with long blond hair, bare feet, and thin, dirty clothes, walked aimlessly down the streets......

Speaking of which, she was still wearing a pair of slippers when she came out of the house, but what good was that? Because it was a very large pair of slippers, it was so big, and it had always been worn by her mother, so when she crossed the road, two carriages rushed over at a rapid pace, and she was so frightened that she ran away with her shoes.

One of them could not be found, while the other was picked up by a naughty little boy and ran away...... There was no way, the little girl had to walk barefoot on the snow, and a pair of little feet were frozen red and blue.

'Sold matches......

'Selling matches, who wants to buy matches?' Sir, do you want to buy matches? ’

She still had a lot of matches in her shabby apron, and even a handful in her hand, but it was a pity that no one had bought a match from her all day, and no one had ever given her a copper coin!

Because

The matches she sells are a little backward, and they are still the most worthless, flammable and highly toxic yellow phosphorus matches, which people don't like nowadays! Besides, the kerosene lighters and non-toxic safety matches are in vogue now, and the ones she sells are outdated.

But no one would kindly tell her about that kind of thing, just watching her sell the yellow phosphorus matches that no one would buy like a clown outside.

The night was getting darker, and there were fewer pedestrians on the road, and fewer people willing to stop or glance at her.

The poor little girl, cold and hungry, shuddered, and walked forward, and the snowflakes fell on her long golden hair, which was lightly curled and began to condense into ice slag along with the hairlessness, and looked a little desolate......

But she didn't have time to pay attention to that, and certainly no one else did!

At this time, on both sides of the street, there was a slight light in almost every window, and the sound of singing and laughter from the houses echoed in the street, and the fragrant smell of roast goose wafted through the street...... Because it was New Year's Eve, it was Christmas Eve, and she remembered that she had eaten that roast goose once when her grandmother was still alive, and she would never forget the taste.

At last, the little girl, who was cold, hungry, and tired, had to sit down in the corner of a house, and curled up in a cowering way on her frozen unconscious legs, barely hugging them into a ball.

The cold wind was howling, the snowflakes were drifting, and she only felt colder......

But she didn't dare to go home, because she didn't sell a match, she didn't make a single money, and her father would definitely beat her hard!

Besides, her house is as cold as the streets......

Because, their originally warm home was robbed by debt collectors, since her mother died of illness...... And the only roof of her current house is, although the biggest crack has been blocked with grass and rags, but the cold wind and icy snowflakes can still be constantly canned in, so she does not want to go back at all without selling it for money and not being able to buy food.

Soon, one of her small hands almost stiffened......

At this time, even a small match can bring her warmth, but she is a little reluctant, because she still needs to sell them for money, to give the family the one who has become self-defeating because of her mother's departure and family changes, likes to drink heavily, and always likes to beat her father for food.

Ultimately......

It may have been too cold, but she still couldn't endure the torture of the cold and biting cold on her hands, feet, head, neck, and whole body, and had to muster up the courage to take out a yellow phosphorus match and wipe it against the wall, and the light and flame finally warmed her frozen little hands and illuminated her dim eyes for a while.

Since there is a first root, then there will definitely be a second root, a third root......

She could no longer resist the warmth and hope they brought her, even if they could only give her a little warmth and a moment of light! She listened to the laughter and the fragrant smell of roast goose from the brightly lit windows of other people's houses, and relied on the matches she had to enjoy the humble happiness that belonged only to her in the cold corner.

……

On that night, no one knew, and no one wanted to know, how many matches the little match girl polished, and what she saw in the firelight!

But

In the early morning of the next day, when the sun shone down on the snow-white streets, when the people began to walk the streets to welcome the new year and the new day, they saw that the little girl was still sitting curled up in the corner, her cheeks were red, and there was a smile on her lips that seemed to be happy.

Unfortunately, her smile was hard and motionless......

Because, she's dead!

- On the last night of the old year, on Christmas Eve, frozen in the cold streets!

The sun had risen for the new year, and the warm sun had begun to shine on her petite and delicate body, and she was still sitting curled up with a smile, her little hands still clutching her matches, one of which was almost burned out, and there were some burnt ones scattered in the corners of the wall beneath her feet, and more unlit yellow phosphorus flames were still neatly stacked in the pocket of her tattered apron......

'Hah! You see, she's dead! ’

'Yes, dead. ’

She's supposed to be trying to keep warm with matches, she's stupid, she's supposed to use matches to light a bonfire!' What's the use of lighting a match, even if it's all lit? ’

It's cold and snowy outside, even a bonfire is of little use, so it's better to go home early, roast the hot stove, and eat the fat roast goose! ’

And the warm bed! ’

'Ahh That's right, the warm quilt, I slept really comfortably last night, I wish you all a Merry Christmas......

'Merry Christmas! ’

People were talking and laughing around her like that, celebrating the arrival of the new year...... Of course, Christmas is not a new year, but for the people here, and for the die-hard people on this continent, after Christmas Eve, it can be said to be a new year!

And beside the people, in the corner, the little match-selling girl who had been frozen was still curled up motionless, with a smile that belonged only to hers on her lips.

It's just that

No one here knew the meaning of the smile on the corner of her stiff red face, nor what beautiful and happy things she had seen in the light of that fire......

But no one cares if they know it, because that humble happiness doesn't mean anything to people who can stay at home and eat roast goose over the fire, spend Christmas Eve in the warmth of the bed, and laugh and cheer each other the next day!

It is also true that for the people who survived the cold winter nights and were able to celebrate Christmas the next morning, the death of a little match girl had nothing to do with them at all, and the matter passed away except to add some talking points to them, anyway, most of them thought so.

However......

They never imagined that not long after the little girl died, from the second year, terrible things began to happen in this town?

I don't know why, there are people who are constantly frozen and dying in snowy nights, and in their hands, without exception, they are all the kind of matches or a handful that is lit and burned, and they are smiling, frozen and lying straight in the snow, and then found by passers-by in the warm sunlight of the next day......

And so, a terrible legend began to spread wildly in this town, saying:

On the contrary, on a cold night when it is snowing or snowy, there will be a little girl selling matches on the street, and she is the little girl who sold matches on the street on Christmas Eve!

And anyone who dares to go out at night and accidentally bump into her will inexplicably buy a match or some matches and have to buy them, because if they don't buy them, they will die! And those who bought matches, if they couldn't stand the cold and lit matches, they would also die!

Because, they will find happiness in the match, and it is their soul that burns the match! The more they desire, the more happiness they see, the more they want from that fire, and the more they are not far from falling into hell.

The only way is to resist its temptation!

……

Of course, all of the above is a speculation about that kind of horror by the people of this town, and it is also a version of legend that most people recognize, and no one knows whether it is like that or not. Because, whoever touches the little match girl, no one will survive!

As for whether the only way is the way or not, no one has ever verified it.

Because human beings always have desires, no one can successfully resist the happiness that springs up from the fire...... Once they lit a match, they fell into it until their souls were burned and they fell to their deaths in the streets, where they were found in the morning light the next day.

'Lalala~! ’

???? (???? ｀??)??????

'Uh-huh-huh-......'

?? (???? `*)

However, a certain wretched little girl did not know the terrible legends that were circulating in this small town at this time, and she just took the words of the bakery owner as a scare to the children, and she did not listen to many words at all, let alone listen to them!

Besides, she is not an ordinary child, so she can still sing, jump, and jump on the streets on this snowy night with a big grin, just like this step by step on the snow street and run wild.

"Huh?!"

ヽ(゜Q。 )ノ？

"Hey! Hello, I want to ask you something, can you ......?"

o(?? ▽｀)o =3 =3 =3

At this time, Anne suddenly saw two adults with kerosene lamps coming out of the street on this cold and snowy night, and felt that it was necessary for her to ask the two of them about the location of the hotel, so she smiled and trotted towards them.

‘？？ ’

'Who's that?' ’

'It seems to be ......'

'Yes, a little girl?' ’

'Ahh Little, little girl?! ’

‘！！ ’

'It can't be, it's the little match girl, right?!' ’

'Wouldn't it?' ’

'Help!! Run!! ’

However, to Anne's slight surprise, the two of them shouted and directly dropped the kerosene windproof lamp in their hands, and then turned around and ran, not even giving her a chance to finish speaking?

“……”

Σ(?? д????)？？？

"Strange, Tibbs, did they recognize the wrong person? Also, what is there to be afraid of the little girl who sells matches, how can they look stupid here? ”

(lll￢ω￢)

Judging from the conversation between the two before they escaped, and the words of the bakery owner before, it is not difficult for little Anne to speculate that the two of them must have mistaken the person, and it seems that they mistook her for the little match girl?

You know, Tiebs of her family can testify to her, Queen Anne, has never sold matches! She had only sold arms, such as C-14 electromagnetic rifles, Lanzel mines, spider mines, widow mines, and shoulder-mounted 10-billion-ton equivalent super fireworks......

As for matches or something, the kind of thing that children who can't get on the table won't play anymore, how could she sell it?

“……”

s (???? ˇεˇ????) ゞ

"Really, people just want to ask a question, why should they be so afraid......"

ε=(?? ο'*))) Alas

There was no way, I just wanted to ask for directions, and little Anne, who wanted to find a hotel to rest for the night, had to sigh, and was ready to continue to move forward, past the kerosene lamp that fell to the ground and gradually went out, and continued to walk forward to see if she could find it herself or meet a more reliable guy to ask for directions......

Suddenly!

"Huh?"

Σ(⊙ω⊙`)？

She hadn't gone far, but when she had turned a corner, she had noticed something herself, and she couldn't help but turn her head curiously.

For, on the corner of the street, she seemed to see a little girl with bare feet, whose feet were red from the cold, and who was dressed in thin shabby linen clothes, and who had an apron with a hood, holding a match in one hand and waving at her with the other?

（…… ）

(￢?? ￢。 )

(Tibbs seems to have noticed something strange, but, after thinking about it, he didn't tell his wretched little master, for he thought that his little master would surely be able to find out, and it would be better not to talk too much.) ）

'Sold the fire......

'A long, bright fire...... Little sister, do you want to buy a match? ’

After discovering that little Anne had finally spotted her and looked at her, the little girl, who was still thinly dressed and barefoot selling matches on the side of the street in this icy night, spoke in a low, cold and trembling tone.

“……”

(°ー°〃)

Get!

Obviously, it seems that the two adults who were scared of something just now, and the little girl who sold fire paint that the owner of the bakery had said before, actually really came to her Queen Anne?!

"Matches, ......"

(?? _??)

"People never need and don't want to play with matches, but ......."

?? 乛?? 乛??

Since the other party pleaded kindly, and was barefoot in the corner of the snowy night sky on a cold day, wearing so few clothes, wouldn't it be a little too impersonal if she didn't buy a few?

"Okay, little sister, how are you going to sell these matches?!"

o(*^▽^*)o

So

After blinking, looking each other up and down, looking and looking, I really couldn't understand what was in the other party that could make those adults feel afraid, and after doing things like to get to the bottom of things, and always relying on strength to do whatever she wanted and fearless, little Anne smiled generously, and jumped towards the other party with her own bear Tibbs.

（…… ）

ε=(???? '●))) Alas

(After seeing the habitual smile on the corner of his own bad little master's mouth, Tibbs also habitually sighed in his heart...... ）

——————————

(*???? ╰╯`??)?? Asking for a ticket?? (???? ╰╯`?? *)