Until Turing walked up to the piano, Goulding still couldn't call the security guard.

A chain of fate quietly entangled Turing's throat in the silent breath of everyone.

Tempting him, tempting him to approach the piano.

In front of everyone's eyes, Turing finally sat on the grand piano chair. The black and white keys that caught Turing's eye like the teeth of an elegant beast, nibbling on Turing's past memories

- A scent of wormwood rushed towards Turing's face.

——————————————————————————

"Sister Shepherd? What are we doing..." In the shadow, a pair of gentle arms tightly embraced the still young Turing.

In the huge warehouse, a small iron box secretly hiding the victims crackled as it was engulfed in roaring flames.

I think maybe fire is an external heat, internal cold thing.

- Otherwise, why, no matter how I pray in my heart, it never goes out even a little bit?

The thirsty flames wrapped around the broken warehouse, sparks from the warehouse roof exploded like raindrops. A cruel scene escalated with the silent consent of the gods.

"Sorry Miss... endure a little longer, promise me, endure a little longer, alright?"

The owner of these arms twisted her face, her brow furrowed. But she still tried to turn her face away, not letting Turing see her expression.

I don't know if it's tears or the clear liquid of sweat, gliding down the Shepherd's face, mercifully sprinkling on the burning iron plate, "sizzle" turning into vapor.

"Sister... it's so hot, so uncomfortable. I feel a bit dizzy, like I'm going to faint..." Turing's heart beats like a small drum, transmitting warmth from his chest to the Shepherd.

Although the heartbeat was showing a gradual weakening trend, the warmth that was different from real flames was keeping the Shepherd's remaining sanity intact.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, it's all Sister's fault, blame Sister... blame Sister. If Sister wasn't weak..." Crystal tears continuously poured out of the Shepherd's eyes, flowing into her clothes, collar.

"If Sister... Ha... Ha..." The Shepherd adjusted her numb right hand, subconsciously pulled it out from Turing's embrace, and propped it on the bottom of the iron box.

"Sizzle..."

In an instant, flesh and iron had already merged together.

However, at this moment, the Shepherd couldn't feel any more pain.

Feeling the completely unconscious thigh meat, stuck together with clothes and iron filings, the Shepherd sighed with relief, mustered up the last bit of magic power, and used it to maintain the protective shield that was protecting Turing.

"Come... Turing. 'Ode to Black and White,' let's review it again... and let me see your progress, alright?" The Shepherd suppressed her grief, her only movable left hand placed horizontally on Turing's chest.

Don't fall asleep.

Don't faint.

Give me a chance to prove myself.

Let the gods know, I truly have the courage to give everything for her, for Turing.

Turing shook his head dazedly, placing both little hands on the Shepherd's large arm, and began to lightly tap.

The still chubby little hands silently revealed the secrets of the black and white keys.

Whether he played wrong or used the wrong finger technique, the Shepherd didn't really care.

I just hope I can become a part of the Miss's persona...

I just hope that I am not meaningless in the Miss's life...

I just hope that my death will be worthwhile...

"You played really well, Miss... Miss?" Exhaustion engraved traces of suffering like tree rings on the Shepherd's eye sockets, her eyes sunken, making her look ten years older.

Turing had already fallen into a coma, his serene little face appearing as if he was sleeping.

"Please, Miss... please, don't fall asleep..." The Shepherd lowered her head, her lips kissing Turing's back of the head, allowing her hair to touch the floor, carrying the breath of the flames."Peng, Peng, Peng!" The burning warehouse had already reached a white-hot stage, with explosions resounding constantly, and the ceiling and beams shaking and about to collapse.

Iron rods and beams fell, sticking into the ground like tombstones, making the whole warehouse look like a giant cemetery. The temperature on site kept rising, to the point where even the small box that Turing and the Shepherd had taken cover in began to show signs of faint redness.

"Uh..." Flames slowly climbed up from the Shepherd's hair, gradually engulfing her once beautiful face.

But now, she didn't even have the strength to blink.

Suddenly, a creaking sound reached the Shepherd's ears.

"You taught Turing too much, Shepherd." A woman dressed in luxurious robes abruptly appeared in front of the Shepherd. The iron plate of the iron box was ripped in half by a strange force.

Mechanical and divine, all the flames in the warehouse seemed to fear this woman, and their momentum significantly weakened.

"Oh... Oh... Lady Oedipus... What about the scum outside?" The Shepherd wanted to stand up and bow, but then remembered that her legs were burnt and her hand was stuck to the iron plate.

"I killed them casually," Oedipus said.

"What about the {Ke E Bo} squad that protects Turing? Are you the only one left?" Oedipus didn't smile, nor did she show any displeasure. Looking at the charred corpses scattered throughout the warehouse, expressionless, Oedipus gave off an unreal beauty like a statue.

"Yes... I'm the only one left. The suicide squad formed by the five major families ambushed us with despicable traps..." Suddenly, darkness filled the Shepherd's vision, and no matter how much she blinked, it was as if a layer of haze shrouded her eyes.

Huh?

The Shepherd raised her right hand intending to rub her eyes, but suddenly realized that her right hand had completely turned into charcoal. With a slight pull, her entire arm was pulled off.

The chill from Death's scythe had already reached the Shepherd's neck, imposingly.

"Shepherd, you're quite remarkable, you know."

...Hearing Oedipus's voice approaching, the Shepherd couldn't help but swallow her saliva. It made people wonder if this person had the power to escape death.

"Some of the talents in Ke E Bo were not enough and they died."

"Some were not loyal enough and they were turned."

"But you not only have these two points,"

"The key is that you love Turing, which makes your protection of her a natural course of action."

"I only want you to survive, you have the qualifications for it. I invite you to continue protecting Turing - talent is always quality over quantity."

"But..." Oedipus took Turing's little hand off the Shepherd's left arm. "I don't want you to have this kind of behavior."

"Turing doesn't need to learn any musical instruments, and you don't need to teach her."

"From now on, Turing will not remember you anymore, and your value is not in this place. Do you understand?"

A tingling pain came from her calf, and the Shepherd had a slight spasm. Miraculously, her legs were already healed.

After a while, her hands were too.

"I won't treat your face, I'll give you a lesson, which conveniently allows you to focus on your work." Oedipus said.

"Remember, don't meet Turing again in the future."

Globs of swells twisted on the Shepherd's face. She tried her best to squeeze out a faint smile and nodded.

——————————————————————————

"It's the low-toned 'Black and White Ode', right? You played it really well." Gording said frankly. Several people in the bar even stood up to applaud Turing, and the atmosphere of joy was pushed to its climax.

"Alright, I admit I was wrong. May I ask how to address this young lady?" Gording walked up and asked.

"Oh, me, I..." Turing, who had just snapped out of her daze, looked confusedly at Merka.

【What just happened to me? It feels like I remembered something, but also like I didn't.】