SWWW Chapter 213: The Disappearing Witch
"Young Master, it's rare to be out traveling on the weekend—at least get up and walk around a little, won't you?"
Wanda, the Scarlet Maid, puffed her cheeks slightly. She crouched down and leaned in close to the boy's face, feeding him slices of peeled orange with her soft little hands as she spoke gently.
Xi Nian couldn't even tell if he was eating the orange… or the maid. Either way, the fruit was fresh, juicy, and delicious.
"Precisely because it's a weekend trip, I should be resting well! With such perfect weather and a peaceful setting, not taking a nap would be the real waste…"
Xi Nian didn't even open his eyes. Using Wanda's smooth, slender legs as a pillow, he let his mind drift and body loosen, his voice slow and dreamy like sleep talk.
Lately, his weekends had been spent either in fierce battles with aliens and mutants or outsmarting shapeshifting panther girls or green monsters.
Across the ocean, it was bioengineered island nations, ancient empires hidden ten thousand meters beneath the sea, or spider-themed villain alliances from parallel universes…
From Apokolips to Asgard, from Heaven to S.H.I.E.L.D.—
If it wasn't the most absurd thing he'd ever seen, it was only because something even crazier had already happened.
Was this really the life of a regular high school student?
Xi Nian had nearly forgotten what his weekends were like before he became entangled with the extraordinary.
"I agree with Xi Nian."
A clear psychic thought rang out. Inside the transparent glass jar, Jarro was comfortably sprawled, his colorful starfish limbs stretching upward.
"Fine, I'll go get things ready then—"
Wanda started to rise, but before she could, Xi Nian—still with eyes closed—reached out and gently grabbed her slender wrist.
A light tug.
Accompanied by Wanda's startled yelp, her scarlet hair swayed, the hem of her dress fluttered, and she fell backward onto the grassy field.
Her silky crimson hair fanned out across the boy's white shirt like a blooming flower.
"Young Master?"
Wanda blinked in surprise, lying there with her head resting on Xi Nian. Her soft red eyes reflected the blue French sky, making her delicate doll-like face look even cuter.
"It's not a workday. Lie down and rest!" Xi Nian said righteously.
"Okay, Young Master."
Though she looked a little hesitant and shy at first, a smile soon curled at the corners of her lips. Wanda curled her petite body slightly, resting her head against Xi Nian's chest.
On the ground nearby, the phone screen dimmed into sleep mode, occasionally flashing a floating "Z"...
Diana, watching the boy and girl, smiled knowingly. She gently brushed aside Xi Nian's bangs, and just as she lifted her head to gaze into the distance, a spring breeze swept past, blowing loose her long, dark hair. Her divine, sculpted face was as flawless as a piece of art.
"Meow!"
Not far away—
Little Crown, the young Flerken, had grown bored of the fragile butterflies and now turned her sights on the elegant, aristocratic Cloak of Levitation. Cat and cloak chased and spun in circles around the picnic area.
"Who am I, why am I here, what am I even doing?"
The symbiote Venom, still stuck inside Xiao Huang, questioned his very existence once again. But knowing his low rank in the household, he had no choice but to quietly go back to sleep.
Today was a weekend. The world was at peace.
Perfect day to do absolutely nothing.
…
By noon, the sun peeked through the clouds above the city, casting golden rays down on the streets of Paris.
A boy and a girl strolled leisurely down a pedestrian street.
The black-haired boy had a small orange cat draped across his shoulder, while the scarlet-haired girl wore a little red cloak, like a storybook Little Red Riding Hood. Together, they made a charming, eye-catching pair.
After visiting the Louvre Museum—
Diana wanted to stop by and visit an old colleague who lived nearby. They had worked together decades ago, and now the woman was practically at death's door.
Since the person Diana was visiting was a historian and relic collector, Jarro—ever interested in ancient human culture—tagged along too.
So the family split into two groups for now:
Diana and Jarro on one side.
Xi Nian, Wanda, Little Crown, Venom, and Alice on the other.
They agreed to meet back up at the park in an hour, then continue the trip with a visit to Hokkaido, Japan—for dinner and a hot spring soak.
"Wanda, is there anything you want to buy? Clothes, maybe?"
Xi Nian covered a yawn as he looked around the stylish, bustling street. Most of the stores were women's clothing boutiques.
Not that he was interested in wearing any of it himself—but he did want to buy some outfits for Wanda and his aunt.
"No."
Wanda's doll-like face looked troubled as she pouted. "Young Master, I already have more clothes than you. My wardrobe's almost full…"
"Girls should have plenty of clothes, of course."
Xi Nian smiled. He didn't care much about his own wardrobe—comfort was enough.
But buying clothes for Wanda and Diana was like playing a real-life dress-up game—
And honestly, wasn't that just the best?
In the end—
Wanda was still dragged into a clothing store by Xi Nian. They bought more than ten outfits of different styles, most for Diana and Wanda, though Xi Nian did pick out a casual set for himself too.
He had Alice pay for everything.
Then, finding a quiet spot, he stored all the purchases inside the Flerken's dimensional space, and walked out of the store with Wanda—now wearing a cute little red hood and cloak, looking even more adorable.
"It's almost time. We should start heading back toward the park."
Xi Nian glanced at his phone. Alice had already marked a reminder on the screen.
"Okay, Young Master."
Wanda blinked her jewel-like eyes. Everything about her—from her dress, cloak, and boots to her crimson hair—was a vibrant scarlet, except for her snow-white, baby-soft face. Just watching her walk tugged at the heart.
So cute.
Xi Nian had the sudden urge to hug her again—but feeling the eyes of passersby, he restrained himself.
…
The two left the shopping district and began heading toward the park.
Halfway there—
Xi Nian suddenly frowned.
Wanda, quick to notice, asked curiously, "Young Master, what's wrong?"
Xi Nian didn't answer right away. He looked down at his white shirt—where a faint, but unmistakable blue glow began to shine.
Ding!
The silver necklace hanging around his neck trembled, the pendant shifting slightly to point in a specific direction.
"This is…" Xi Nian's eyes narrowed.
The spatial necklace had activated on its own for the first time—something had triggered a resonance!
The Ancient One once said, only something of similar power could awaken the Space Stone—
Xi Nian's heart thudded.
No doubt about it!
Somewhere in this city, there was another Infinity Stone—one with a different attribute, not space or mind!
"Wanda, let's meet up with Aunt Diana first! Something's not right with this city—"
Xi Nian's words stopped abruptly.
Beside him, only the Cloak floated in the air.
There was no sign of the Scarlet Maid Wanda.
Wanda…
Had vanished!
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