Darkness, endless darkness.

It was as if the darkness that would swallow everything up enveloped everything, making it feel as if one in it had been thrown into a universe without stars, where there was nothing but the infinite darkness.

It was as if something so heavy was pressed on his chest that he could barely breathe.

And in the midst of such oppressive darkness, only a deep voice was still muttering over and over again, and every syllable exuded the atmosphere of ancient vicissitudes.

What is that saying? Listening to the pronunciation of some sentences seems to be ancient Greek, but if you carefully distinguish them, there are differences, and you can't help but be confused.

However, the content of those words is actually secondary, because in the midst of these staccato syllables, another thought is extremely powerful. Yes, that's right, that feels like saying......

“…… Let me...... Get out. ”

It's some kind of will to survive...... No, it's not so much about survival as it is about wanting to be "free".

At this moment, a thought that was completely different from the muttering just now suddenly erupted!

"Strength!"

“…… Do you want ...... Strength? ”

In the empty room of requirement, Maca's eyes suddenly opened, and her breathing became a little heavier. As he adjusted his breathing, he looked at the bald old man who was still lying on the floor in front of him, not knowing what he was thinking.

After a long while, he exhaled softly, and seemed to have sorted out all the pictures and sounds that he had just felt from the old man's memory.

"I see, is this the 'prediction' of astrology?" Maca nodded and muttered to herself, "The centaurs are also good at seeing the future from the stars, I wonder if that's how it feels." ”

To be honest, from this horoscope memory, you can feel that it is a very strong negative feeling. Moreover, since the old man had already made predictions several times with his astrological circle, even Maca could clearly perceive that although the content of each prediction did not change, the pictures and sounds were becoming more and more real each time.

This may indicate that the moment in the prediction is probably getting closer and closer.

Because of this, Maca has reason to believe that the Philosopher's Stone or the strange dagger of pain may be the key to stopping the horror that is coming.

"Well, at least you can use it to protect yourself, right?"

Although even the old man in front of him only knew the strange power of those two things, as for whether they were useful or not, even he himself was not convinced.

Of course, the "powerful magic item" alone is more than enough for the reason - but don't forget, this bald head is also a capable wizard!

“…… No wonder this old man was in such a hurry. Maca thought for a moment, but frowned slightly, "But that feeling is really ...... What the hell is that? ”

He vaguely felt that the whispering voice in his memory seemed to be a little strangely familiar, but unfortunately, he couldn't remember it for a while.

"Anyway, let's get the things in front of us right! The Alchemy Contest is almost at its most tense, and when this most important competition is over safely, we will think about other things......"

With this in mind, Maca raised her leg and headed for the door, intending to discuss with Professor McGonagall how to minimize the negative effects of the commotion.

"Hmm...... Also, it's time to start thinking about what the way forward. ”

……

While Maca was walking towards the principal's office, Sarah, who had left the room from the room of requirement, was already lying down in the ward of the school hospital.

In fact, the vast majority of people were confused about the unexpected situation that happened at the school gate at that time. Even the onlookers, who have their minds imprinted on everything that happened at the scene, have no idea what is going on.

At best, they saw Maca's rampant activity, and after confronting the suspicious white-robed old wizard for a long time, they ran twice and cast spells at an incomprehensible speed, retrieving six kidnapped children in one fell swoop.

As for the crucial effect of Sarah's words, it can be said that very few people can understand it.

"Sarah, you...... Already confessed to Maca? ”

At the side of a hospital bed with a slightly bulging quilt, the big fat young master Noah was occupying two chairs. But because there was so much fat on his buttocks, that the two chairs couldn't hold it, and a lot of meat still fell off the edge softly.

However, compared to his grinning posture, he spoke with extreme caution, as if he was afraid of provoking the girl on the hospital bed.

However, his words were not answered quickly. After a while, when the bulging quilt moved slightly, the girl's voice came softly.

"Brother Noah," she said, "what do you think...... Will he really choose to help me? ”

For the girl's title to herself, the fat man is actually insensitive to gratitude. One can imagine how much it feels like a person to know that the girl who has always called him "brother" has used the same name to call his father once upon a time.

However, even Noah, the heir to the Hohenheim family, doesn't know all the details of Sarah.

The secrets of androids have always been known only to the head of the Hohenheim family. Even Noah just thought that Sarah might be a female ancestor who had fallen under some terrible curse.

"Uh...... Probably so, right? After hearing Sarah's inquiry, Noah pondered for a moment before replying, "At least, I think he's still a good guy, and if a friend encounters any difficulties, he should be able to help." ”

"Well," Sarah said as she lay on the hospital bed, her eyes slightly closed, "it's 'friend' again...... Is it? ”

A certain word in Noah's words apparently once again caused Sarah to fall into some kind of confusion.

In fact, if you want to say "can she and Maca be friends" - based on Sarah's observation and experience of the world over the years, she thinks that the two should already be "friends".

Because, just negotiated...... Or at the end of the conversation, she can put aside the fact that she helped Maca save the child and ask Maca for help, and also tell her about her past. Isn't this kind of act of confiding secrets only between good friends?

And Maca, on the other hand, did not explicitly refuse to help from beginning to end, and even agreed to help after listening to her account of the situation.

This kind of request and help, which both parties ignore the exchange of interests and only proceed from honesty, is obviously based on the closeness of friendship...... Friend-like behavior.

But if you want to ask what it feels like to be called a "friend", she can't say at all.

"Feelings between people...... It's complicated......"

Sarah muttered to herself, shrinking back into the covers so that Noah couldn't see her face at all. But even if he didn't look at it, he was already used to it, because when the two were alone, Sarah never had too many expressions to speak of.

"Oh, yes—"

The two were silent for a while, and Noah couldn't bear the silence, and couldn't help but speak again.

"It's hard for you to come out to school this time, so ...... How long will you be at Hogwarts? ”

This is indeed a problem, especially for Sarah.

"Four years at most...... Maybe shorter. She turned her back to Noah and replied calmly, "The last time I went to school, I only stayed for less than two school years, but this time I want to stay as much time as possible with him." ”

"Last time I went to school...... Noah scratched his scalp and said a little speechlessly, "I heard the old man say, the last time you went to school was when he was a child—"

"It's been long since you 'last time'." - He must not be able to say this sentence.

Just think about it, this is also a helpless thing.

Sarah's situation is destined to spend most of her life in a place where she does not have many acquaintances, because she does not grow and does not die, even more surprising than Nicol Lemay, who has the Philosopher's Stone.

Or rather...... It's curious.

Nicol Lemay was sought after by greedy wizards because he made the Philosopher's Stone and could refine the alchemical medicine that lasted his life, so that he had to travel around with his wife to avoid people's eyes.

If Sarah's strange state is discovered, won't she be harassed and threatened by countless people?

So even if she wants to come out and make contact with people, she must always pay attention to the state of the people around her, and be ready to leave before she causes trouble.

Seriously, this "subject" about friends given by Maca is really a bit of a good taste.

While the fake brother and sister were chatting casually through a thin quilt, there was a sudden sound of footsteps in the corridor outside the ward. The footsteps seemed to be hurried, and sounded ...... It seems to be running to this ward.

The fat man, who doesn't like to be quiet very much, actually can't sit still anymore, but his father has already taken care of him before going to the arena just now, so it's best to stay by Sarah's side for the past two days. Therefore, as soon as he heard this sound from far and near, he immediately came to his senses, and stood up in a hurry.

"Ah...... Who is this running in such a hurry? I'm going to take a look......"

But as he trotted to the door of the ward, before he could put his hand on the doorknob, the door was pushed open.

"Bang!" "Yikes!"

When I opened the door, I hit the fat man's ...... Well, it hit his big belly, and then the door that was opened was directly bounced back.

With an exclamation from outside, the door of the ward was closed again...... Closed......