Mai lifted her face toward the night sky, her eyes shimmering beneath the stars.
"The sky… it's beautiful."
Her voice trembled, then softened.
"Long ago, I used to watch the stars with someone very dear to me. Her name was Lan."
The cool, composed mask Mai always wore faded away. In its place was something fragile—something grieving. A faint smile touched her lips, but it did not last.
"She was Mimi's owner. We grew up together. Our families were close." Mai swallowed. "Lan had been sick since childhood. She could barely walk. I used to help her get to the AI Witch training center so we could volunteer with Ms. Phan."
Her eyes shone with memory.
"Those days were happy. We used to dream that one day we would become AI Witch trainers together—teaching children how to use AI Witches so they could keep up with this changing world."
Her voice broke.
"Then one day… Lan fell critically ill. She didn't survive. And Mimi… was marked for liquidation."
Long's voice was barely above a whisper.
"What does 'liquidation of an AI Witch' mean?"
Mai shook her head slowly, her gaze distant.
"I don't know the full process. I only know that when an owner dies, their AI Witch must be liquidated according to national regulations. Once it happens… no one ever sees them again. Witchiecoop takes them away. And they never return."
Silence pressed down on them.
Long's chest tightened.
The thought was unbearable.
Dreamy wasn't just an AI Witch. It had been Long's companion since childhood—taught simple protective magic by Mrs. Huong. Long didn't even remember where Dreamy had come from. He only knew that Dreamy had always been there—talking to him, protecting him, growing up beside him.
The idea of Dreamy facing the same fate as Mimi ignited something fierce inside Long's heart.
He stood up suddenly, hands planted on his hips, legs set wide beneath the stars.
"We'll protect Mimi. No matter what."
His voice rang with unshakable resolve.
Mai looked at him and smiled—truly smiled this time. She was beginning to understand the sincerity and fire that defined this boy from Hope Village.
Beside them, Mimi rubbed its eyes with one soft paw. Its bright blue eyes sparkled like gemstones in the dark.
"I still have a mission," it said clearly. "A mission Ms. Lan entrusted to me before she passed away."
Mai tilted her head slightly.
"What kind of mission, Mimi?"
Mimi hesitated.
"Ms. Lan ordered me… not to tell anyone."
Long knelt down to its level, his voice gentle but urgent.
"Mimi, if Witchiecoop catches you, they'll take you away for liquidation. And then… there won't be any second chances. Is that mission truly worth that risk?"
Mimi blinked.
"I only know… it is very important. But I'm not allowed to tell anyone."
The air grew heavy again.
They all understood one thing: Mimi's safety had to come first. But how could they protect it from something they didn't understand? A secret mission with no details was more dangerous than any known threat.
Mai clenched her fists.
If this was Lan's final wish… she could not ignore it.
After a long silence, Mai looked up, determination lighting her eyes.
"I have an idea. Tomorrow, we'll go to Lan's house—the Tran family estate. I'll search her room. There must be clues about the mission."
Long immediately nodded.
"I'm coming with you. I'll help."
Mai studied him for a moment, then gave a slight nod.
In her heart, she knew this was more than just solving a mystery. It was honoring Lan. And perhaps… it would also open a door for Long—into the world of the nobility, into the deeper secrets of Puresight… maybe even closer to the truth about the AI King Witch.
The next morning, guided by the spatial magic of Ms. Phan and Noddy, the group—Long, Mai, Dreamy, and Miki—stood before the grand gates of the Tran family estate.
For safety, Mimi had been left with Kiet and Uncle Lam in the Manualee district.
Long stared in awe.
Before him rose a magnificent castle of glass and steel. Its towering walls shimmered as they automatically adjusted to the sunlight. Above, AI Witches and their masters soared through the air like a living festival of magic.
A blazing red phoenix carried its rider across the sky. A colossal humanoid machine bore its master on armored shoulders. Some people floated freely, luminous butterfly wings beating behind them. A man vanished in a flash of light after activating a rabbit-shaped AI Witch, teleporting straight through the castle gates.
Long had never seen anything like it.
At the entrance stood two guards, rigid and imposing. Beside them prowled a lion and a tiger—both high-level AI Witches. Their cold, predatory eyes examined every movement.
Mai stepped forward confidently.
"We're here to visit Mrs. Tran Hoa."
One guard bowed slightly.
"Miss Mai. And who is your companion?"
"This is a friend of mine—and Lan's. We volunteered together at the AI Witch training center."
Just then, the lion AI Witch emitted a low, rumbling growl, its gaze locking onto Dreamy.
Dreamy startled and instinctively raised a shimmering blue shield.
Long frowned sharply.
"Dreamy! Don't waste my EN!"
Dreamy blinked in confusion.
"I thought you were in danger."
After a tense pause, the guards stepped aside.
The group was escorted into the main hall.
Sunlight cascaded down from towering glass panels above, scattering into reflections that made the interior glow like a crystalline world.
At the center of the room sat a woman in a large, commanding chair.
She was middle-aged, with short black curls and sharp, calculating eyes. Her lips were painted a deep crimson. She wore a fitted vest, no shirt beneath, revealing tattooed arms etched with intricate designs. Among them, one name stood out—Lan—engraved boldly, permanently.
A red cigar smoldered between her fingers, smoke curling slowly into the air.
Beside her hovered a massive white shark-shaped AI Witch—Sharky. Its presence was suffocating, its gaze cold and merciless. Clearly, it was a Superior AI Witch.
Mai stepped forward respectfully.
"Good morning, Mrs. Hoa."
The woman's piercing eyes shifted toward them.
This was Tran Hoa—Lan's mother.
And the most powerful figure in the entire Tran family.