Chapter 174: No, are you seriously trying to eat a parent-child bowl?

"Right, I almost forgot, my guardian, the Blue Knight·Azure, seems to still be on your person."

Sendou Aya seemed to have just remembered that there was still a tool existing here; she turned her head slowly and took a very calm look at Sendoaka Yuma.

But it was just a single glance, and she did not linger for even a moment longer than that.

"Blue Knight·Azure, return."

Sendou Aya said indifferently. The next moment, the figure of a knight wearing azure armor departed from behind Sendoaka Yuma, and along with the departure of the guardian, Sendoaka Yuma's power as a Witch also vanished.

After all, a guardian is both the guarantee of the contract a Witch signs with a Devil and the manifestation of that Devil contract.

Since a Witch's entire magical power comes from the contract with the Devil, naturally, after the guardian leaves, her own power disappears as well.

Sendoaka Yuma only felt her body go soft, and she collapsed, powerless; having a guardian stripped away is not a very pleasant experience for a Witch.

Nangong Nayue, who felt heartache for this niece of hers, hurriedly went to support Sendoaka Yuma.

But there is no greater sorrow than a dead heart, and Sendoaka Yuma was about at that point now.

Just as Nangong Nayue hadn't yet had time to say a few words to Sendou Aya, Sendou Aya showed no regard at all for Sendoaka Yuma's current weakness.

She spoke in a tone that was almost like giving an order.

"You are free, Sendoaka Yuma."

"No matter where you go or what you do, it is up to you. You never signed any contract with a Devil in the first place, and what you used was merely power transferred from me."

"The meaning of your existence was just to rescue me, and now that I have walked out of the Prison Barrier, your existence no longer has any meaning."

"Say, Aya, isn't that a bit too much? Even if you are Yuma's mother, you can't talk to her like that!"

Nangong Nayue emphasized the word "mother," reminding Sendou Aya that it was not too late to mend her relationship with Sendoaka Yuma.

Moreover, regarding her niece Sendoaka Yuma, while Nangong Nayue was very surprised, she was even more pleased.

She also hoped that Sendoaka Yuma could use her status as a daughter to change Sendou Aya's cold, aloof, and foul-mouthed temper.

Of course, looking at the current situation, such a thing was basically impossible.

It would be a good thing if Sendou Aya didn't kill Sendoaka Yuma with her own hands.

After all, a clone whose genes and magical power are exactly the same as Sendou Aya's is, in itself, a huge risk.

If someone were to use Yuma's hair to cast a Curse, there is a very high probability that it would curse Sendou Aya.

And given Sendou Aya's nature, she would not allow herself to have too many weaknesses; a daughter as a weakness is simply too obvious.

It's just that Sendou Aya hadn't expected that Yuma, whom she had gone to great lengths to create to help her escape, would lose the meaning of her existence because she had already escaped.

If Su Nian hadn't brought Sendoaka Yuma over, it's estimated that at some point, Sendoaka Yuma would have been played to ruin remotely by Sendou Aya.

Do not underestimate the strength of a Secretary Witch who has almost memorized all the Magical Books in the Library.

This was also the reason Su Nian fished Sendoaka Yuma out.

Sendou Aya turned her fiery red eyes, looked at Nangong Nayue, and frowned in displeasure.

"Nayue, you are being a bit meddlesome."

Even when they were on close terms in the past, neither side interfered in the other's private life, let alone now, when she and Nangong Nayue have not yet reconciled as before.

Besides, this is her family matter; what right does Nangong Nayue have to interfere?

Therefore, Sendou Aya made this accusation with righteous indignation.

At this moment, Nangong Nayue, feeling in the wrong, quietly poked Su Nian in the waist with her elbow, reminding Su Nian: you brought this kid back, you handle it yourself.

"Auntie, you seem to have gotten one thing wrong. Sendoaka Yuma is my spoils of war, isn't she?"

Su Nian said, looking at Sendou Aya with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"This is a trophy I obtained by personally breaking into the Library and defeating I don't know how many Witches and Magicians."

The Library, also known as the 【Library】, is a famous international large-scale criminal organization composed only of high-ranking Magicians and Witches.

It is named for possessing numerous Magical Books; they collect Magical Books from all over the world, classify and seal them, and only lend the books to those who have been chosen. They do not exist to develop the magical path, nor to protect the world's peace, but only to satisfy their own desires.

However, their strength is just so-so; Su Nian easily beat them into submission, and they knelt and surrendered much faster than the prisoners in the Prison Barrier.

Sendou Aya's expression turned very ugly all of a sudden, but facing Su Nian, she could only grit her teeth and swallow her anger.

"You should have heard it; I have already given this child her freedom."

Upon hearing these words, a strange look suddenly appeared in the eyes of Nangong Nayue and the hollow, spiritless Sendoaka Yuma.

Sendou Aya did not seem as cold and heartless as she appeared on the surface.

Taking back the guardian was merely to avoid the guardian harming Sendoaka Yuma because she herself could not fulfill the contract with the Devil.

Sendoaka Yuma could completely sign a new contract with a Devil and obtain her own guardian.

Taking back her own guardian would only leave Sendoaka Yuma weak for a few days.

As a clone of Sendou Aya, Sendoaka Yuma's aptitude is not much weaker than her progenitor, Sendou Aya.

She truly intended to give Sendoaka Yuma a real freedom without any constraints.

At this time, Sendou Aya seemed to notice that her tone was off, and her expression turned cold.

"However, if you want to, you can use this tool as you please."

But Su Nian said something heart-piercing at this moment.

"Including dressing her up like you and using her with you?"

What to do, she seems a bit tempted.

Sendou Aya was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Su Nian to be so utterly shameless.

Nangong Nayue, standing to the side, was even more dumbfounded and blurted out subconsciously.

"Hey, hey, this kid is my niece, you know."

Su Nian shrugged his shoulders without any pressure and said.

"But she isn't my niece, is she? And who says she is your niece? Yuma could also be your younger sister, couldn't she?"

After all, the ethics and morals regarding clones are not yet complete; Sendoaka Yuma can be seen not just as Sendou Aya's daughter, but also as her twin sister? Her Avatar? And so on.

This statement was flawless, leaving me unable to refute it... Nangong Nayue gripped her folding fan tightly in anger, her expression like that of a wife seeing her husband enter a massage parlor.

"If it makes you happy, please do as you please."

Sendou Aya said with exceptional coldness, fearing that if she didn't calm down immediately, she would lay hands on the man before her.

Once that happened, she might end up becoming an untouchable along with Yuma on the spot.

Instead, by acting like an ice block and pinning her hopes on Nangong Nayue's integrity and conscience, Yuma still had a decent chance of survival.

At the very least, Nangong Nayue would absolutely not be able to stand by and watch some guy who wanted to eat a "parent-child bowl," and would definitely try every possible way to obstruct him.

Seeing Sendou Aya looking like she wanted to hit someone but couldn't, forced to console herself, Su Nian curled his lips in amusement.

He lowered his head, reached out his hand, and stroked the head of Sendoaka Yuma, who had become incredibly weak after losing her guardian.

"Don't you think this child is like a microcosm of a Witch, being used by all sorts of people from the moment she was born?"

Sendou Aya's complexion instantly turned incomparably ugly.

"That's right, the one using her is none other than you, her mother."

At this moment, Su Nian's smile was like a sharp thorn, stabbing fiercely into Sendou Aya's heart.

"How does it feel? To go from a victim of the past to a perpetrator of the present, the feeling of a dragon-slaying hero becoming the evil dragon?"

Sendou Aya's face was pale, and she stood there unable to speak; her swaying figure looked as if she would be blown over by the wind at any moment.

"Do you still remember what the Devil contract you signed was?"

Sendou Aya seemed to have remembered something and slumped onto the sofa, not even realizing when the loose bathrobe on her body had slipped off a little.

"The contract I signed with the Devil was to create a world without the tragic orders of Witches, a heartfelt wish to clear away all Devils."

For this, she did not hesitate to create a real world where no magic power existed; without the existence of magic power, naturally there would be no Devils, and no Witches being persecuted or used.

"Aya..."

Nangong Nayue looked at Sendou Aya with a sense of empathy.

Just as she, after being born, was forced step by step by those who wanted to use her to establish the Prison Barrier and become a Witch.

The Secretary Witch Sendou Aya was, at the beginning, merely a tool created by the mages of the LCO Library to record dangerous Magical Books.

From when did the persecuted Witch also become a Witch who persecutes others?

Nangong Nayue let out a deep, heavy breath, then looked at Sendoaka Yuma and said.

"Give this child a little care; at least don't be like we were in the past."

"Suit yourself."

Sendou Aya said in a cold tone, then stood up, preparing to leave the room.

At this moment, Su Nian suddenly spoke up.

"Aya, what do you think if I let your daughter become your colleague?"

"You dare!!"

As soon as Su Nian's words left his mouth, Sendou Aya knew what kind of thoughts Su Nian was harboring, and subconsciously turned around to glare fiercely at Su Nian.

"Look, aren't you anxious now?"

Su Nian said to Sendoaka Yuma with an exceptionally cheeky expression (see the Jerry-is-anxious meme for details).

Although Sendoaka Yuma was extremely weak at this moment, she couldn't help but burst into laughter upon seeing Sendou Aya like this.

And Nangong Nayue also glared fiercely at Su Nian.

No, you really want to eat a "parent-child bowl"?

Sendou Aya did not reply, but turned her head to look at the bewildered Nangong Nayue beside her, revealing a mocking expression.

"Nangong Nayue, can you not even manage your own man anymore?"

Do you really think I don't want to manage him... Nangong Nayue's mouth twitched uncontrollably, and she pulled at her hair in some pain.

At this time, Su Nian lowered his head, summoned the power of the Eleventh Familiar, and while repairing Sendoaka Yuma's injuries, said.

"How do you feel?"

"I don't quite know how to describe it."

Sendoaka Yuma revealed a shy smile at this moment.

Suddenly being snatched over to see her mother who should have been imprisoned, the surprise of meeting for the first time, the panic of being abandoned for the first time, and now the joy of realizing that her mother hadn't truly abandoned her, but had her own hidden difficulties.

Having experienced such drastic changes within a single day, Sendoaka Yuma just wanted to rest well and ease her emotions.

Su Nian nodded slightly and touched his chin, saying.

"Get some good rest. For these few days, you should just stay by Aya's side."

"I reckon Aya wouldn't be at ease leaving you anywhere else."

Hearing Su Nian's words, Sendou Aya just crossed her arms and snorted coldly, her attitude remaining icy.

Only Sendoaka Yuma could feel that her mother seemed to have gained a trace of warmth.

Of course, this trace of warmth was only for Sendoaka Yuma; for Su Nian, Sendou Aya's expression would only get even fouler.

Not just Sendou Aya, even Nangong Nayue looked at Su Nian with a hint of vigilance and supervision.

"Mm."

Sendoaka Yuma nodded slightly, looked up at her mother with a trace of longing.

"Mom, can you take me to rest for a while?"

"Troublesome."

Sendou Aya said in a cold tone, but the actions of her hands were the exact opposite; she snatched her daughter back directly from Su Nian's hands and carried her into the room Nangong Nayue had arranged for her.

(End of chapter)