I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

As Xi Wang thought this, she drifted off to sleep... Although it was difficult to escape even in dreams, at least... it would be a little more comfortable.

only……

"Bang bang~"

It seems someone is knocking on the wooden window again.

"Hello~"

It sounds like someone is greeting us.

"Bang bang~ Please pay attention to me, okay~ bang bang~"

This time, we heard it clearly: it wasn't someone knocking on the wooden board, but rather someone deliberately imitating the sound of knocking on the board.

Xi Wang knew who it was, but she didn't want to pay any attention to her.

"Bang bang~ Please, please~ How about you talk to me? I've just arrived here, and I might need a reliable guide~"

"Bang bang~ A cute girl is knocking on your window~ bang bang~"

"Speaking of which, have you really been locked up here all this time? You don't look like a bad kid."

"Bang bang~ Will you hate me for doing this? If you don't say anything, I'll take that as your consent~"

Even though she didn't respond, she could still talk on and on, not feeling bored or annoyed by Xi Wang's lack of attention. Moreover, her topics remained at a very subtle distance, so as not to annoy anyone.

"Where did you come from before? I heard from others that all the children here were brought back by the priests, and it seems like I'm the only one who came here on my own... So it seems I'm quite special!"

"Did you come here on your own?"

Xi Wang spoke for the first time.

"Oh! You finally answered me! I knew it~ How could anyone dislike a cute girl like me~"

She seemed very confident.

Xi Wang raised his head slightly and looked at her through the last remaining gap.

The brilliant sunlight outside shone on the tips of her pink hair, and her bright blue eyes had a strange pink tinge. Even just glimpsing a corner of her eyes, one could tell that she must be a lovely and lively girl. Just as she herself said, she was indeed a very lovely girl.

Xi Wang wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt like she was glowing, which made her subconsciously want to back away... Maybe the sunlight outside was too bright.

But there was also a longing in my heart, after all, she was so eye-catching, so dazzling... Maybe it was because the sunlight outside was too bright.

Xi Wang comforted herself, dispelling the subconscious fantasy that had welled up within her and returning to the cold reality before her.

"Well?"

The girl who noticed his gaze was pleasantly surprised, but then also puzzled, partly because of her question about him and partly because of him.

Especially his calm, water-like eyes; she seemed to see a faint golden glint in his dark pupils, like stars twinkling in the night, giving her the illusion that she had found a kindred spirit. But all of this vanished in an instant, like a hallucination.

However, she still remembered this vague feeling, and it solidified her belief that he needed help.

So she spoke:

"What's wrong? Is there something amiss?"

"...You'd better leave here as soon as possible."

In the end, that was all Xi Wang said.

"Leave here and go to a farther place."

"But I just came all the way from far away... Isn't it a bit unfair to send me away like this?"

"........."

"Ahem... I know you didn't mean it that way. I was just joking, just kidding~"

"I know."

Xi Wang's voice remained calm.

"But I'm not kidding."

He was very serious about getting the girl to leave.

“This is not a good place to stay. Don’t go to the police station here either. Leave here and find a safe place further away. If possible, find someone you know or can trust and tell them that there are children here who need help.”

He hadn't spoken at such a long time in a long time, so much so that his words became somewhat disjointed.

"...Um, actually I'm all alone, you know?"

"I know."

Because children accompanied by others don't come here.

"Actually, I'm pretty good too, you know?"

"Ah."

Because ordinary children can't run very far by themselves.

So you actually believe that I came from a very far place by myself, right?

She suddenly became very excited.

?

The topic jumped around so abruptly that Xi Wang was a little confused.

“Let me tell you, the other children don’t believe I came alone. I told them in detail about the scenery in other places and what I encountered, but they just don’t believe me. The nuns were the same; they were so perfunctory. The priest was the same; he clearly didn’t take it to heart and seemed to be thinking about something else.”

"You know what? I once walked through a winter forest all by myself! The white snowflakes covered the ground like a pure white carpet, and the snow-covered forest seemed to glow in the sunlight! Hehe... Although I almost got lost along the way, a kind person finally helped me out! His daughter was so cute! She's only a tiny bit shorter than me~"

"Another time, I found a huge flower field, it was so big! I thought no one was there, so I played there for a long time, but I got caught... Although they didn't make a big deal out of it, I still helped them take care of the flower field for a few days before leaving... It definitely wasn't because I wanted to stay there any longer!"

"Another time, I passed through a small lakeside town where the lake was like a mirror, reflecting the starry sky at night. You could even count the stars while looking at the lake! But I fell asleep halfway through... The people there were so nice! Everyone was very welcoming and even treated me to a special snack, kind of like a cookie topped with cream and jam, sweet with a hint of salt, but very delicious! However, when I arrived, the mayor was discussing something with someone, it seemed like they were going to renovate the town..."

"And..."

…………

She talked on and on, recounting many of the landscapes she had seen, the people and things she had encountered, vividly describing her journey.

She seems to be favored by heaven, encountering only wonderful people and things, and even when she faces difficulties, she always manages to overcome them.

Honestly, talking about the outside world with a kid who's "locked up" here feels strangely boastful, like saying, "Look, I can play outside, while you have to stay here." It's like deliberately reopening someone's wounds.

However, Xi Wang felt that she might not have thought that much about it; she simply wanted to share what she had seen and heard along the way with a child who was trapped and had never been out, just as she had told her story to a child who had never left the church.

So Xiwang didn't interrupt her, but emphasized it to her again during her break:

"It's time for you to go."

Whether she wanted to escape directly or rest in the church for the night, she should leave by now. She had stayed here long enough, and she must have said enough.

"Hey~ Are you going to kick me out after I've heard the story? That's so mean~"

?

"But thinking about it carefully, it really seems like it's time to go... Hmm, I'll come again next time~"

"I hope that next time we meet, you won't be alone."

"........."

Outside the window, she blinked, then her eyes curved like crescent moons, revealing obvious joy.

"As expected, you're not a bad kid~"

?

To be honest, Xi Wang couldn't quite keep up with her train of thought.

"Oh, right, since we're saying goodbye now, could you please tell me your name? Please, please~ That way I can find you next time~"

"........."

"Bang bang~ Please, please~ I'll tell you my name too~ After all, we're friends~"

She then deliberately imitated the sound of tapping on a wooden board, speaking in a light, joking tone.

No, we haven't reached the point of being "friends" yet, have we? After all, we've only been talking for a short time, and most of the time it was just you talking to yourself.

However, Xi Wang didn't care about that anymore. He just hoped she would leave quickly, whether it was to escape or stay for the night. Otherwise, things would get complicated when the priest came, since the free time was about to end.

"Xi Wang, that's my name."

He said softly, then urged again.

"It's time for you to go."

"【Hope】...what an interesting name~"

She seemed to have thought of something interesting, and her tone unconsciously rose. She clearly realized that the "dawn" he spoke of and the "hope" she had uttered were not the same word.

However, when she realized his situation again, she couldn't laugh anymore.

"As for me~ my name is Alicia, just call me Ali~ don't forget me~"

Her voice faded into the distance, and judging from her location, she probably still wanted to rest there for the night.

fair enough.

Thinking this, Xi Wang closed her eyes and began to rest.

Night is falling, and... it will probably be as long as before.

Chapter Six: Only that sweet scent lingered in my dream.

You've met a new friend, a lovely girl named Alicia.

You earnestly advised this lovely girl to leave this place, and she listened to your advice... perhaps?

As a child capable of traveling long distances alone, Alicia clearly possesses abilities beyond her apparent age and an exceptionally strong sense of autonomy. She skillfully deflects the priest's attempts to seduce her, to the point that the church truly becomes just another ordinary stop for her.

This greatly troubled the priest, especially after someone above took a liking to Alicia. The priest became even more irritable. As for how you knew? Naturally, it was from the additional wounds that appeared every night and the priest's whispers while applying medicine.

What's troubling you is that Alicia doesn't seem to have any intention of leaving for the time being. Although she goes out every morning and disappears somewhere, she always comes back in the afternoon to chat with you. Although she mostly talks to herself, she talks a lot and there's still a long time to go. Whether it's out of politeness or a genuine desire to persuade her to leave, you have to respond with a few words.

Every time she gets a response from you, she seems very happy, and then she jumps to a different topic to continue talking, which makes you feel helpless, and you can only persuade her to leave again and again.

Sometimes you feel like getting angry, so you emphasize your words in a stern and serious tone. After all, if things continue like this, you can't guarantee that Alicia won't fall into the priest's trap, just like you did before.