Purdica's figure had long since disappeared, and Minna was still standing in place, the more she thought about it, the more she felt aggrieved, and she couldn't help kicking up a few small stones, but one of them happened to hit an old lady passing by, and she nagged at the other side: "Whose child is so naughty?" How can you kick a stone indiscriminately? ”

Minna blushed and wanted to apologize, but when she heard the old lady muttering about some bad tutoring and lax discipline, she got angry again, and the anger just now flooded her heart, and she turned around and ran, without saying anything.

After running for a long distance, she slowed down, looked down at the money bag in her hand, and gritted her teeth: "Even without your help, I can go home by myself!" Thinking of this, she felt that there was no need to be angry just now. Originally, she had planned to use the slave trader's carriage to get to the city of Encore, and then find a way back home. Encore is different from Monri, there is a branch of the Xiao family, the steward is a kind old man, and the boatman Uncle Baodman also takes care of her, whether it is to return to China with the caravan from here, or to take a boat south to the magic capital to find Teacher Sauron and Uncle Hanlin, it is very convenient. It would naturally be much easier if Sarah's family were willing to take her away, but when she thought about it, she didn't know what country Sarah was a princess, did she? If they were Noga, what would she do? So, it's better to rely on yourself.

Thinking like this, Minna felt that she was in a much better mood, and now that she had money, it was not much different from the original copper plate, and she was much more confident. She looked left and right and saw that there was no one, so she looked down and counted the silver and copper coins in her purse, and felt that it was enough to hire a good ship to go south. Holding on to the money tightly, she began to think about whether to go to the people from the Xiao family's branch first, or go directly to hire a boat?

Someone seemed to be approaching quickly behind her, and Minna flashed to the side with agility. Then she saw a thin shadow pass by, and then the money bag in her hand tightened, and with a hiss, the bag broke open on both sides, and large and small coins fell to the ground, scattering all over the ground, and Minna was stunned. The word "thief" comes to mind.

The thief was a boy in his teens. He didn't look much older than Minna, and when he looked back at this situation, he was a little stupid, as if he couldn't believe that someone had avoided him, and he couldn't believe that he had not only stolen the money, but also ripped the money bag and stayed there for a while.

Minna came to her senses first, pointed at the boy's nose and shouted, "Thief! You're stealing my money?! Even the little ones are not spared. It's so shameless! ”

"I, I, I—" The boy stammered, but quickly reacted. Who... Who said I was a thief? Hum. Look at the clothes you are wearing, you don't look like a rich man, with so much money, I don't know if it was stolen back, I just... I'm just trying to get the victim's money back! People say, isn't it? ”

There were seven or eight voices of approval on the side of the road, and Minna realized that a group of boys had appeared around her at some point, the youngest was six or seven years old, and the oldest was a whole head taller than her. Surrounded by her. They all put on a "you're the thief" expression, obviously in league with the boy.

Minna was. She finally suppressed her anger just now, and now someone actually stole her money and scolded her for being a thief? Where can she hold back? When she was a child, she often fought with boys, and in the two years at school, although she became well-behaved under the influence of her grandfather, she was not a person who was willing to endure the bullying of boys.

Children fight, no swordsmanship and swordsmanship can not be cared about, purely to see whose fists and feet are fast enough and strong enough, after a meal, Minna's face is blue twice, and there are a few more blood marks on her arms, but the group of boys were beaten by her to the point that their noses were blue and their faces were swollen, and there were a few tearful eyes. And he took the people with him.

Minna snorted, "I'll beat you up next time!" Patting the dust on his clothes, he suddenly remembered the money he had just dropped, and hurriedly turned around to pick it up, only to find that there was only one silver coin and five or six copper coins left on the ground, and the others were gone.

Those stinky boys!

Minna gritted her teeth, cursing the group of thieves and robbers, wrapped the rest of the money in the rags of the money bag, put it back in her arms, and caught a glimpse of a boy on the corner of the street who was peeking at her, and when she saw that she had found herself, she turned and ran. Minna yelled, "Don't run!" So he hurried after him.

She clinged to the boy, no matter how many obstacles he had created along the way, not losing them, thinking that if she found the thieves, she would get her money back, and that she would have to hire a boat with it.

The boy had run around Encore City for most of the lap, and before he could get rid of her, his feet gradually became unsupportable, and his speed became slower and slower, and he staggered all the way. Seeing this, Minna was triumphant and shouted, "Stinky boy, why don't you stop?" Tell me where your accomplices are. ”

The boy ignored her and barely managed to turn the corner, and Minna snorted coldly and followed, only to find that his figure had disappeared. Looking left and right, I noticed that this road was a little familiar, wasn't it the same place where Persika had left her? The road was deserted, with only a few houses on either side, and on the left hand side was the small Temple of Light, the gate was closed, and no sound could be heard.

Minna looked hesitantly at the gate, and seeing that there was no movement, she turned her attention to the mouth of the alley diagonally opposite, which was narrow and dimly lit, and it was a good place to hide. Just as she was about to walk over, she suddenly heard a faint sigh from the gate of the temple behind her, which seemed to be the sound of clothes grinding, and then the low muttering of a child. Minna turned and took two steps in the direction of the temple, and the voice disappeared again.

She squinted her eyes, thinking that the door was really suspicious, and hurriedly took two steps up and pushed it, but it did not move.

Strange, the temple is supposed to be open to the outside all day, right? How can you lock the door in broad daylight?

Minna rolled her eyes, and then leaned closer to the crack in the door to look inside, only to see a faint shadow flickering, and then there was no movement. She became more suspicious and looked left and right. When she saw a big tree not far from the gate, with thick branches, and a few of them reaching into the wall, she immediately had an idea, ran to the bottom of the tree, and put the cloth bag containing the money, and climbed up the tree.

She has been very good at this kind of activity since she was a child. In the blink of an eye, I climbed up the tree. Climbing the thick branches, looking over the wall and looking in, I suddenly lost my breath.

The group of thieves from before, including the boy who had just disappeared, all hid behind the door, bent over, kicking their butts, and peering through the crack in the door. I was probably looking at where I went, but I didn't notice it when I looked left and right. Minna gritted her teeth in hatred: not only did she steal her money. also deliberately tricked her. ran so far with her in vain, and hid to see her jokes, she must teach these stinky boys a good lesson!

She grabbed a branch and jumped off the wall, shouting, "Thief! Bad apple! Give me the money back! The boys were startled, and when they turned around to find that she had actually entered the yard, they all opened their mouths: "Why did you come in?!" The tallest one looked at the branches that were still shaking, and suddenly realized: "It turned out that he came in over the wall...", and after a pause, he squinted at Minna: "Why do you say that we stole your money?" Ivan just accidentally knocked off your money bag, did you see us take the money inside? "Yes, that's right. You can't talk nonsense if you don't see it. The other boys chimed in.

Minna's face flushed with anger: "At that time, there were only you on the road except me." I'm done fighting with you. The money is gone, not who else are you?! ”

"Someone must have taken advantage of our lack of sight. I picked it up secretly, so we didn't take your money. The boy refused to admit it, and the others also bit it to death and didn't do it. Minna was so angry that her eyes were red: "You... Do you want to be beaten by me again?! ”

A hand was placed on her shoulder, and a hoarse voice came from behind her: "What's going on?" Who's going to beat whom? Minna shouted "Someone stole money and refused to admit that of course they should be beaten", and turned to see who was standing behind her, but was taken aback.

The man was wearing a coarse white robe, bald head, no eyebrows, pale skin, a collapsed nose and yellow teeth, and a pair of eyes with black and red eyes, staring coldly at the boys. And the boys who were talking back to Minna just now are now all aggrieved and obediently repentant.

Minna couldn't help but take two steps back, dodging the hands of this terrible man: "You... You... Who are you? ”

"I'm the monk in charge here, kid, did they steal your money just now?"

Minna swallowed and stammered yes, but there was an urge to run away. This man looks so terrible, that look, that expression, is like a devil!

Speaking of which, he seems to be a little familiar, has he seen it somewhere?

Minna pondered for a while, and finally remembered that more than four years ago, when she and her grandfather first came to the city, they met the priest outside the city, and the other party had given them a bottle of herbs and used healing techniques on her. I remember that his name seemed to be Riddle, and he was very ugly, and he had a conflict with his grandfather, who hated him very much and once said that he was not a good person.

Minna secretly watched him reproach the boys, and thought to herself, no wonder Grandpa thought he wasn't a good person, the other monks of the Cult of Light were very gentle and kind, he was the only one who looked so terrible, and he also raised a lot of thieves and robbers!

No, she has to leave quickly, this person is at odds with her grandfather, and I don't know if it will hurt her. She managed to escape here, and she couldn't afford any more accidents.

On the other side, Father Riddle's face became even more gloomy after listening to the boys' confessions: "Why are you doing this? Have you forgotten all that I have taught? He turned to the boy who had stolen something: "Ivan, you already have a place to work, and you will be leaving in a few days, why should you go back to your old business at such a time?" If your future employer knows about it, you won't want to make a difference in your life! ”

Ivan lowered his head: "I'm sorry, Father, I just... I just see you working so hard and want to help you. He whispered, "I'm also afraid of being known, so I specially found outsiders..."

The tallest boy interjected: "Father, this is all my idea, Ivan just does what I say, please punish me." We... I really don't want to see you running around every day, not even being able to rest properly when you're sick, and enduring the ridicule of others. ”

"So would you rather do evil things against my will?" Riddle puffed through his nostrils, "I took you into the temple and taught you to read, not so that you could be thieves and beggars again!" When I hold money in my hands, it is as uncomfortable as being burned by fire! Get the money out. He whispered the last sentence.

The boys looked at each other, and each other pulled money out of his pockets and put it in Father Riddle's hands.

Seeing this, Minna glared at each of them: "You still said that you didn't steal it, what is it?"

However, the boys did not notice her eyes, and they all bowed their heads in repentance.

Riddle looked at the coins in his hand with some surprise: "There are so many?" He turned to Minna, "Kid, it's all yours, right?" You count and see, is there any less? ”

Minna quickly counted the approximate amounts, picked it up and turned around to leave, but was stopped by the other party: "Slow, child, I can't let you go outside alone with so much money, what about your parents?" Why aren't they there? Don't have an elder with you? ”

Minna rolled her eyes and said, "My parents are passing through here with a caravan, so I'm going to look for them." ”

"She lied!" Ivan looked up suddenly and said, "Just now I saw a man on horseback leave her at the door of our temple and leave, and she scolded that person loudly, she must have been abandoned by her family!" ”

"That person is not from my family!" Minna angrily retorted.

Riddle asked, "What about your mom and dad?" Are they absent? Take me to them. ”

Minna looked at him warily, "Why are you seeing them?" ”

Riddle said, "You're still a kid, and you've got so much money with you, how can I leave you alone?" Now there are a lot of ill-intentioned people who specialize in beating up their children's ideas, you stay here for the time being, I will help you contact your parents, and when they come, you will go back with them. Tell me what's your name? What's the last name? Where are the parents? Do you know anyone in Encore? ”

Minna blinked, he didn't recognize himself?

In fact, it had been more than four years since she met Riddle, and she was not yet seven years old at the time. Now she was dark, thin, hoarse, and dressed in a Wisa garb, almost completely different from then, and Father Riddle had only seen her twice, and certainly did not recognize her.

Since you can't recognize it, don't let him know. Minna remembered her grandfather's teachings, did not believe the priest, dropped the sentence "Don't bother you", turned around and ran. Before he could reach the door, his body was suddenly frozen and he couldn't move. Minna was startled and tried hard to get her hands and feet moving, but she didn't succeed.

What is it? Is it magic? Or is it sorcery?

Thinking of magic, she tried to activate the magic in her body, and suddenly felt a burst of relaxation in her limbs, and she could move again, and she didn't care to figure out what was going on just now, she raised her legs and ran, but just ran two steps, there was a voice behind her, "Huh?" She was frozen again.

Who the hell did it?! Is it Riddle? She knew he could light magic.

Riddle walked over and led Minna back. Minna was shocked to find that her limbs seemed to be controlled, moving on their own, and no matter how much she tried to stop, they would not listen. Even though she was once taken advantage of by slave traders to break her leg and pour dumb leaves, she never lost control of her body. This feeling of powerlessness to resist being manipulated by others is really terrible, Minna was so anxious that tears rolled in her eyes, and although the eyes staring at Riddle were fierce, there was a faint pleading: "What do you want?" ”

"Stay here until your parents and relatives come to pick you up." Riddle's lips grinned, revealing jagged teeth, and his face became even more terrifying.