Want to be human, but cube-like

As for Xiangzi's father, Toyokawa Kiyoko, according to Qiu Bi, he was arrested last night.

That's right, it was what happened before Xiangzi went home last night. Perhaps it was because of Alex's repeated obstruction of the familiar's actions that the familiar, which had changed its target, happened to find her father.

Whether there was a causal relationship between them, Alex didn't ask, Xiangzi didn't dare to ask, and Qiubi didn't say much either.

All they knew in the end was that, according to Kyubey, given the banker witch's current state, her father was safe, at least for the next few days.

However, this does not mean they can delay the rescue, because with Toyokawa Kiyoshi inside, there is no way to replenish food and water, and the familiar will not provide him with supplies. If humans are dehydrated, they could be in mortal danger if they stay in the water for more than three days.

"Too dangerous..."

Lost in thought, Xiangzi remained silent for a long time before finally uttering this one sentence.

"It's okay. Didn't I tell you? You just saw it with your own eyes. Death is no big deal to me. I can keep coming back to life."

Alex leaned close to Xiangzi and whispered something to her.

"don't want……"

But Xiangzi bit his lower lip and murmured softly.

"Xiangzi?"

The voice was so soft that Alex wasn't sure what she was saying, so she moved a little closer and called out softly.

"Don't... treat your life so lightly!"

Even in the hospital lobby, where she had to suppress her voice, Xiangzi still grabbed Alex's shoulders with a slightly agitated expression. Her voice trembled, but her tone was very heavy.

"Even if it's just to be able to come back to life... even if it's some other superpower I don't understand..."

She rested her head on Alex's shoulder, feeling the warmth of the other's body, her hair cascading down and falling into Alex's arms.

"If this continues, sooner or later you will become indifferent to all life..."

Xiangzi's voice was filled with sorrow and fear.

"I don't want to see Alex like this..."

…………

P.S. A witch who refuses to harm humans even in despair, and a familiar who deeply loves the witch and will stop at nothing to ensure her survival—who can say that such beings don't fit Bondori's benevolent worldview?

Of course, even with these habits, witches will act in accordance with their own characteristics. For example, the banker witch goes berserk once her gilded familiar nature is exposed.

Book 1: Chapter 58 A Goal of Higher Value

The surroundings remained as quiet as ever.

The girl in his arms had also fallen silent.

But Alex could still feel that her whole body was trembling slightly, and the small hands that were gripping her shoulders were still exerting more force.

The fear stemming from his imagination made Xiangzi so terrified that he almost forgot where he was.

Nurses were already looking this way.

"Will not."

After a long, long time, until Xiangzi's body stopped trembling, Alex gently stroked her back and whispered.

"Has Xiangzi forgotten?"

She whispered in the other person's ear.

"The deal we made."

Xiangzi could not forget that after that, almost all their interactions were based on this.

Whether it's helping Alex run the burger shop and teaching her common sense, or protecting Alex from the threats of witches and familiars.

"You also need to teach me how to get to know this world, how to survive in it, right?"

"If Xiangzi says that respecting life and not being able to die easily just because you can be resurrected is the rule to follow in this world, then I will absolutely abide by it... and the same goes for everything else. I will abide by whatever the rules are."

Alex spoke with unwavering conviction, as if she were treating Xiangzi's words as gospel truth.

"..."

Xiangzi, who had been keeping his head down, remained silent for a moment.

"Sometimes, it's okay to question things a little..."

She relaxed slightly, her hands gripping Alex's shoulders, and muttered a conflicted thought.

"……Why?"

Hearing this, Alex was somewhat puzzled.

Aren't you worried that I might do something malicious and deliberately tell you some wrong common sense?

Looking up, Xiangzi's expression was slightly strange, and her eyes darted around.

"Common sense errors...for example?"

As if she had no concept of this at all, Alex tilted her head and asked.

"For example..."

Xiangzi murmured, her voice gradually lowering. Her gaze fell on Alex's delicate and pretty face, then moved slightly downwards before pausing.

"Um...! It's nothing!"

Xiangzi turned his head to the side, averting his gaze, and ended the conversation.

"Alex...actually"

"My father's affairs are none of your business; you have no need to take any risks."

Taking a deep breath, she hesitated for a moment before returning to what the two had been discussing earlier.

Yes, in Xiangzi's mind, this should be his responsibility.

If she, as a daughter, wishes to become a magical girl in order to save her father, then it is perfectly reasonable for her to do so.

The wish can be anything, as long as it grants the power of a magical girl, then it will have the ability to save her father.

It doesn't mean she went against what she had solemnly expressed to Alex before.

That admonition: "Never make a wish for someone else."

"Xiangzi, do you want to make a wish to Cupid?"

Alex obviously guessed Xiangzi's thoughts immediately.

"I……"

He opened his mouth, but Xiangzi was hesitant to speak frankly.

After all, not long ago, she and Alex had made a pact not to make wishes lightly.

"Xiangzi said it before, you can't make wishes for others."

Looking intently into Xiangzi's eyes, Alex said.

"No, I... I didn't...!"

Xiangzi instinctively wanted to retort, but she immediately stopped herself from speaking.

"Regardless of whether the wish itself was to help others, Xiangzi's motivation for making the wish was for his own father, wasn't it?"

Faced with these words, Xiangzi fell silent; she felt guilty.

“If it’s to save someone important to me, then I have no reason to stop Xiangzi, but you clearly have a better choice.”

Gently grasping Xiangzi's small hands, which had already slipped from her shoulders and retreated to her lower abdomen, Alex said earnestly.

"Or is it that Xiangzi believes more in the power that Qiubi gave you than in me?"

With his lips pressed tightly together, Xiangzi knew why.

She simply didn't want to rely on him anymore.

From the day she left the band, a scale appeared in Xiangzi's heart, and she constantly weighed the value she created against her own gains.

To prove to her father that even if they had nothing left, they could rise again through hard work, she became like a hedgehog, refusing to accept charity or seek help. She firmly believed that as long as she persevered, she would eventually witness her father's transformation.

And this scale represents her perseverance.

However, in his relationship with Alex, the Libra side gradually slid to a point where he was unable to rebalance it.

She owed Alex so much that she didn't even know how she could ever repay it.

"In any case, leave this matter to me."

Finally, Alex ended the conversation with these words.

Not long after, a nurse came over and handed over a few forms.

"Take the form, pick up the medicine, and you can leave."

After saying that, the nurse's eyes suddenly looked a little strange as she looked at the two people's current posture.

"You can comfort your girlfriend when you get home; it's already quite late."

Xiangzi then noticed that the two of them were indeed in a rather ambiguous position.

Alex, who was half-squatting in front of her, held her hands, and the two had been looking at each other until a moment ago.

To outsiders, it might be called a loving gaze.

Thinking back to the scene just now, in front of everyone, he nestled in Alex's arms and whispered to her, Xiangzi's face immediately turned as red as a ripe apple.

She withdrew her hand and waited until Alex left with the list before looking around.

The old woman and the middle-aged woman beside her were both watching this side, just smiling, without making any other moves.

The girl in the couple seemed to be whispering to her boyfriend with some dissatisfaction.

As for the mother and daughter, the mother was covering her daughter's eyes, but the daughter was very curious and wanted to pry her mother's hands open to see them.

"I...we're not...!"

Xiangzi stammered as he tried to explain, but the nurse waved him off and turned away.

"Xiangzi, let me carry you back."

Alex, who was completely oblivious to the situation, had returned after retrieving the medicine and spoke to Xiangzi.

"...No need! I can walk by myself!"

Recalling the scene of Alex carrying her all the way to the hospital in a princess carry, Xiangzi immediately blushed and shook her head frantically.

……

Outside the hospital.

A tiny white creature was crouching on a building about 500 meters away from them.

Toyokawa Shoko's third attempt at a contract failed.

It quietly watched the silver-haired girl, then carried the blue-haired girl out of the hospital and into a taxi.

Even in the most difficult times, she refused to accept bribes, and when she encountered danger, she was saved by an unknown being named Alex.

The third attempt put her in danger and used familial affection and guilt to induce her to make a contract, but was interrupted again by Alex just as she was about to succeed.

Based on the conclusion that Toyokawa Shoko cannot form a contract before completely severing ties with Alex, this objective is abandoned.

However, through Toyokawa Shoko, a contract target with even greater value was discovered: Alex.

But why were they unable to use any means to observe or interfere after entering that shop?

The being named Cupid stood motionless, like a statue, watching the taxi gradually disappear into the night.

…………

Volume 1: Chapter 59 Tomorrow's Rest