[Character: Abigail Williams]
[♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♡♡] (Current status is maxed out, please gift the item 'Bouquet' to unlock further limits)
[Favorite Gifts: Chocolate Cake, Pumpkin, (To be discovered)]
Stardew Valley, Farm, Year 3, Autumn 32nd (90 days per season).
Although he had some psychological preparation, when he actually saw this panel, Suke expressed that he was still a little uneasy desu.
Is this really okay, Mr. Star? Giving a bouquet to a minor girl or something.
(Bouquet: An item in Stardew Valley used to date romanceable characters)
Would he really not be instantly taken down by some mysterious force the moment he handed out the bouquet?
"Brother Suke~!"
Not far away, the little blonde girl ran over with some difficulty, holding a Gold Star Pumpkin that was quite a bit larger than her own head.
"Abi wants to make a Jack-o'-lantern, can you make one, Brother~?"
Well, there was good news at least; Abigail could freely enter and exit Stardew Valley again.
Moreover, the cross-border door leading to Salem, which had swallowed up a bedroom in Suke's main house, was also judged by Stardew Valley as 'Furniture' and could be moved at will.
Suke had moved it to the cellar of the main house.
"I don't know how. Go find your Sister Elysia; she's good with her hands."
After hesitating for a moment, Suke ultimately didn't ask Abigail to put down the Gold Star Pumpkin in her hands and switch to a regular one.
The child likes it, so let her be.
"Okay..." Abigail looked somewhat disappointed, and eyes seemed to blink within the keyhole on her forehead.
Brother's tone is so perfunctory. Even if you don't know how, we could have learned together with Abi...
I clearly just wanted to find a chance to stay with Brother a little longer...
"Mr. Farmer!"
Sakuraba Emma's voice drifted over, and Suke looked towards the sound.
The girl with short pink-white hair had her trouser legs and sleeves rolled up. Her delicate skin was stained with a bit of mud, making Suke hallucinate her as a puppy that had rolled around in a mud puddle.
"The grape trellis is already set up. Next, I just need to plant the seeds directly into the soil, right?"
"Yes, go ahead and plant them."
Although planting grapevines usually requires considering factors like composting and rooting, this was Stardew Valley.
It had already been four days since Sakuraba Emma arrived in Stardew Valley via the bus.
It was clear that she had adapted well to life here—or rather, Emma's personality was just like that. That extraordinary adaptability had always been the foundation she relied on for survival.
Learning to be good when following good people, learning to be bad when following bad people. Such a useful tool-person... Ahem, anyway, Suke didn't know why a certain Miss Nikaido would despise her.
Of course, even though Suke was currently using the pink-haired puppy as a farm tool, he didn't actually make her a 'Farmhand'.
It was more like a 'probationary period'—this was also out of respect for Sakuraba Emma's own wishes.
After all, one could live in Stardew Valley without becoming a Farmhand; they could simply choose an empty house in the town next to the farm and move in.
"Thanks for your hard work, Emma."
Having bathed enough in the autumn sun, Suke got up from the reclining chair and took off his sunglasses.
Seeing that Sakuraba Emma had finished sowing the grape seeds, he called her over to him:
"Is there anything you're not used to in your life these past few days? If there is, let me know promptly."
Currently, Sakuraba Emma was temporarily living in the same bedroom as Abigail, since moving into a Cabin would turn her into a serf.
"Although I, the Farmer, am not omnipotent, I will try my best to grant wishes that I can satisfy—especially for a child as diligent and obedient as you, Emma. I want to reward you fiercely!"
Suke felt like an old squad leader facing a new recruit who had just joined the army, speaking with earnestness and gravity.
Compared to that pink fat lady who acted like she was dying just from watering a little bit and was probably still sleeping in right now, Sakuraba Emma was simply a model of production!
"I... Hehe, being needed by Mr. Farmer and everyone, I am already very satisfied!"
Scratching her head, Sakuraba Emma was a little embarrassed.
Having done so many terrible things before she died, Emma actually always felt that her existence was incredibly sinful.
But if even someone as wicked as herself could be treated gently after death, what wish would she dare to hope for?
If everyone in the prison could also come here after they die, that would be nice...* This was the only extravagant hope Emma would occasionally think about.
Hannah, Sherri, Hiro, and Snow...
After all, people like them deserved such a beautiful ending far more than she did.
"Is there someone Sister Emma misses?" Abigail leaned in, sensing the change in Sakuraba Emma's thoughts.
"Abi can let Sister Emma see her original world, you know? Although only in the form of a bystander."
"Brother Suke's world is too special, so even Abi can't just go wherever she wants, but as a 'Rule', I can still use some of it."
Light seemed to shine within the keyhole on Abigail's forehead. As the Witch of the 'Key to the Gate', it was not difficult to locate the coordinates of Sakuraba Emma's original world based on her existence.
However, due to the particularity of this world Suke was in, named Stardew Valley, even the space-time authority of 'connecting all gates' would be suppressed by ninety percent.
That is to say, Abigail could at most open a 'window' for Sakuraba Emma, allowing her to watch everything happening in her original world through this window, even though she herself could not return.
"The original world..."
"There is nothing worth seeing anymore. Thank you, Abi..."
"Because my world has already been destroyed by my own hands."
Sakuraba Emma shook her head. The current her could already say these words calmly.
Destroying all of humanity after becoming a Witch, and then destroying herself—that was the ending of the girl named Sakuraba Emma.
Not worthy of pity in the slightest, not worthy of sorrow in the slightest.
The current Sakuraba Emma only wanted to cherish everything she had now and live on this farm with the new friends she had made.
The only guilt she had was for her best friends from before she turned into a Witch...
"Where is it that simple to destroy the world, Emma? You overestimate yourself."
Peeling a grape and tossing it into his mouth, Suke found the sweet and sour juice quite delightful.
Suke lazily picked up a bunch of mature, plump purple grapes and dangled them in front of Sakuraba Emma's eyes:
"This world, you see, is just like these grapes. Hanging cluster by cluster on the vine, yet every single grape is crowding against the others."
"In the eyes of ordinary people, the world is like one grape in this bunch; if it gets eaten, it gets eaten."
"But we all know that this single eaten grape is just a small sprig within that bunch."
"After all, grapes are sold by the bunch, not by the grain."
"Mr. Farmer? You mean..." Sakuraba Emma was stunned. Looking at the grapes in front of her, she seemed deep in thought.
"Judging by your look, you still want to meet your old friends again—and even rewrite the original ending, right?"
"I already said I was going to 'reward you fiercely', why don't you believe me?"
Spitting out the grape seeds and skin, Suke fumbled around in his bosom and finally took out a palm-sized purple key, making Abigail, who was standing aside, widen her eyes.
[Special Item: Iridium Key 1]
[A precious key condensed by purple stars responding to a wish. It can open a passage to the other shore that the heart strongly desires to reach. It can be used to open locked map sectors or for other purposes. Can be used up to 3 times.]
[The Silver Key that traverses all gates——okay, this is actually made of Iridium.]
Indeed, this was the item that burst out from the new Iridium Mystery Box rewarded by the achievement.
Originally, Suke planned to use it to open the 'Mines', 'Calico Desert', and the 'Wizard Tower' respectively.
But since Suke had promised Sakuraba Emma to reward her, the Wizard Tower would be put aside for now; there would be plenty of opportunities later.
"Brother Suke~ How come this key and Abi's key..."
Abigail incredulously took out the Silver Key she carried close to her body—this was the precious object her 'Uncle' had left her before leaving.
It was also the foundation for Abigail to be able to freely enter and exit Stardew Valley now as the 'Witch of the Gate'.
"This key of mine is male, and that key of yours, Little Abi, is female. Of course, the female one isn't as useful as the male one."
"Let's go, Emma. We're setting off to take a look at your world!"
——And casually check if there are any complete sets of modern automated agricultural facilities for sale, Suke silently added in his heart.
...
Calm down.
You must stay calm.
Don't let anyone else discover any clues.
Nikaido Hiro took a deep breath. She brushed back her long, straight black hair with its red inner highlights, standing in the cold draft blowing through the corridor in the morning.
The blood-red flower hair ornament—unknown whether it was a lily or a Lycoris radiata—quivered slightly along with the girl's waterfall-like black hair.
This young lady from a prestigious family had had enough of the insincerity and polite pretense with that disgusting Witch.
Always wearing the guise of a victim,
Yet immediately changing her face when the situation became unfavorable to her,
And able to sit by indifferently and coldly while her best friend died.
Such a person was inevitably the great enemy of 'Justice'.
Sakuraba Emma,
I will definitely kill you.
After breakfast ended, with a screwdriver tucked in her bosom, Nikaido Hiro walked alone toward the bathroom located next to the prison courtyard.
Her polite pretense seemed to have successfully deceived that Witch who liked to feign pitifulness and innocence, successfully luring the opponent into her plan.
Just thinking about that face, which loved to pretend to be pathetic at every moment, was enough to make Nikaido Hiro nauseous.
But none of that mattered anymore.
What she needed to do next was simply to take advantage of the present moment to go to the bathroom and loosen the screws of the sliding door to the garbage chute that led to the incinerator.
Then, when the girl named Sakuraba Emma came to the bathroom to meet her this afternoon, catch her off guard and give her a gentle push from behind.
Coincidentally falling carelessly into the chute, coincidentally falling into the incinerator and knocking her head unconscious.
Then, coincidentally, just in time for the incinerator's fixed weekly garbage burning program schedule————
What a perfect accident.
No one would suspect her, and she could eliminate such an evil cancer for everyone.
There was no better future than this, was there?
The morning bathroom was empty; apart from the sound of the black-haired girl's footsteps, there were no other sounds.
"Calm down, Nikaido Hiro, calm down."
"After killing Emma, as long as you wait for someone to present evidence that 'Emma's death was an accident', you can logically cooperate with the evidence to publish your 'deduction' and exonerate yourself."
"There is no evidence to prove you killed her... Next, hurry up and finish the preparations."
Repeating this process in her heart over and over again, the black-haired girl didn't even notice that her hand taking out the screwdriver hidden in her bosom was trembling slightly.
She squatted down, arriving in front of the trapdoor of the garbage chute, intending to turn the screws amidst the rusted iron stains————
"Hi... Hiro?"
But right at this moment, a voice that shouldn't have, and absolutely couldn't have appeared here, rang out.
Nikaido Hiro would never forget this voice in her life.
Sakuraba Emma, that naturally evil Witch!
——?!
Her whole body trembled as if struck by lightning.
Nikaido Hiro turned around almost instantly, casting her gaze toward the entrance of the bathroom—
Behind her was empty; it was still just that quiet bathroom.
Apart from the graffiti Jougasaki Noah had left on the bathroom wall earlier, there were no other objects.
Was it a hallucination caused by the guilt of imminent murder?
Don't joke around!
Nikaido Hiro gritted her silver teeth. She could feel guilt over killing.
But this guilt would absolutely not appear over Sakuraba Emma!!
'I must have not rested well last night.'
Nikaido Hiro narrowed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Indeed, being prison roommates with that Witch was too draining on her spirit.
If her roommate were Rhea or Nanaka, she might have already investigated the truth of this prison's situation by now.
"Hiro, what are you doing here? You look so pale."
When Hiro, feeling her spirit relax somewhat, opened her eyes again and prepared to continue her plan, the figure of a girl appeared beside her.
Short pink-white hair, a black beret, and those eyes that forever feigned pitiful innocence.
She squatted down slightly just like Hiro, sizing up the screwdriver Hiro was clutching and the trapdoor of the garbage chute, her eyes containing curiosity in addition to confusion.
It was also at this moment that Nikaido Hiro confirmed that everything that just happened wasn't a hallucination————
"Sakuraba Emma?!"
She blurted out the other party's full name almost immediately, and the screwdriver in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter.
"E-Emma, why are you here?"
But immediately, realizing her loss of composure, Hiro hurriedly adjusted her demeanor, forcing her expression to hold steady.
Kill her right here?
No, too hasty! I didn't bring a weapon in time, and making a big noise will attract people!
Numerous thoughts flashed through her mind, and Nikaido Hiro made a decision:
She didn't look at the screwdriver that had fallen on the ground. Acting as if she hadn't done anything just now, she stood up and reprimanded the other:
"You really gave me a start, Emma."
"Why are you suddenly appearing and disappearing like a ghost? Has no one ever told you that startling others like this is very rude?"
"Eh?"
"Ahaha... Sorry, Hiro. I was just worried about you too."
'It's really great... Hiro, you're still alive. Mr. Farmer didn't lie to me...'
Looking at the black-haired girl existing vividly before her eyes and speaking harsh words to her, Sakuraba Emma whispered in a low voice that only she could hear, a heartfelt smile appearing on her face.
In this case, even if she had become Mr. Farmer's worker, there were no regrets left.
She stared at her best friend just like that, as if wanting to etch her best friend's face into the bottom of her heart forever.
But Sakuraba Emma didn't know that her unblinking gaze was causing waves of creepiness to rise in Nikaido Hiro's heart.
Did she notice?
Impossible! I shouldn't have revealed any flaws...
Damn it, she really is an evil Witch!
"I passed by the bathroom just now and found the trapdoor of the garbage chute here had fallen off, so I just reattached it."
Lying with her eyes open; even though the other party hadn't asked, Nikaido Hiro explained on her own accord,
"If there's nothing else, I'll go first. Rhea and the others are going to rehearse a play later; I'm going to take a look."
Pretending to casually toss the screwdriver into the bathroom sink, Nikaido Hiro walked as fast as the wind, leaving the bathroom quickly as if fleeing.
She didn't look back, or perhaps she didn't dare to.
Damn, I can only look for another opportunity...
Sakuraba Emma, count yourself lucky this time!
____
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