Apart from the matters concerning Xu Yang, on the other side of the yacht, Xu Cheng pushed Chishiki to the dining area to drink milk, hoping that it would help Chishiki grow.
"Nutritious, grow tall!" Xu Cheng got an entire bottle of milk from a machine and fed it to Chishiki in the baby carriage, who eagerly sucked on the bottle.
Seeing such a Tiny one, Xu Cheng was sincerely happy.
The area was illuminated by huge bright lights, showcasing the enormous central swimming pool. At the moment, others had gone swimming, joyfully competing in their swimming skills, enjoying the best services offered by the Joy Number cruise ship.
Zina Tenjouin sat in a deep red swimsuit by the poolside, looking at Kirino Reisei, who was also sitting by the water.
"Aren’t you going to swim? You should know how to swim, right?" Zina Tenjouin asked.
Kirino Reisei looked towards the pool, where Nanase Kizuna had already transformed into a little fox, swiftly swimming in the water.
"I am already too old," Kirino Reisei murmured.
Witches maintain their youthful appearance, only revealing signs of aging when they are about to die, and now Zina Tenjouin, seeing the white hair appearing on Kirino Reisei, also felt a sense of empathy because she herself was already 95 years old.
In human years, Zina Tenjouin was middle-aged, while Kirino Reisei was indeed an Old Witch.
""Siphon!" ended so wonderfully. I’ve never seen such a good manga before; great beginning, superb middle, and an exciting end, everyone got a happy conclusion, but the protagonist’s future is still worth imagining, ah... the aftertaste is endless," Zina Tenjouin changed the subject.
"Yes... After much thought, I managed to draw such an ending scene, referencing so many classic anime endings, finally providing readers around the world with a satisfying conclusion," Kirino Reisei sighed.
"Siphon!" had finished serialization successfully after a year and a half, scoring 9.9/10, becoming a global bestseller and an entry into anime history.
"I heard you are using all the Funds you will receive for public service," Zina Tenjouin recalled these rumors.
"I estimate I have only 10 more years to live; no witch can break through the 200-year lifespan limit. Even if Lady Farosa is willing to extend my time, I feel that life should come to an end," Kirino Reisei said indifferently.
An era had ended, and the era of Kyoto Infinity had given way to the era of Nestor Corporation. Zina Tenjouin thought to herself. Kirino Reisei no longer had a place to use her martial skills, only wishing to exit with the previous era.
However, before she died, she left a classic manga like "Siphon!", which was without regrets. Zina Tenjouin pondered whether she too should leave a mark in history?
"All readers did not want "Siphon!" to end; they are left wanting more of such a great manga. For them, reading a new episode at a scheduled time had become a lifestyle habit, even a kind of ritual! In this dark era, people need more comics that can uplift spirits, extremely fascinating ones," Zina Tenjouin exclaimed.
"Manga must come to an end, just like people will eventually die; there will always be a time to finish," Kirino Reisei said, "But I want to ask you, after all these years have passed, you’re still... always concerned about the manga industry. Don’t you ever think about your personal life?"
"I am already this old, I had no plans of starting a family when I was young, and now it’s even less likely!" Zina Tenjouin said.
"But what difference is there between you and a youthful and beautiful Witch? Look at your own beauty," Kirino Reisei shook her head.
Zina Tenjouin stood up by the swimming pool, hands on hips, looking at her reflection on the water surface. She had fair skin, a perfect figure, and for some reason, the cruise ship only offered especially attractive outfits, thus her red swimsuit also outlined her curvaceous figure.
"You still have 100 years of time, step out of your cabin, try to retrieve your youthful vigor," Kirino Reisei reminded.
"Are you talking about dating?" Zina Tenjouin was puzzled.
"Of course, in the prime of life, would you just live it out with anime? We are the producers of anime, we weave it, it doesn’t mean we have to be addicted to it," Kirino Reisei said naturally.
Zina Tenjouin shivered all over.
She immediately remembered when she was young and scolded by her family for staying at home and reading manga. As a Witch from the prestigious Tenjouin Family, she faced many restrictions, and such teachings always made her feel tense, and even with the passage of time, that reflex-like reaction had not disappeared.
So, under the astonished gaze of Kirino Reisei, Zina Tenjouin scrambled and ran off, out of breath.
On the way, she passed by Xu Cheng, who was looking for available adults, and then she was stopped by two quacks from Xu Cheng.
"What... Taking care of children? Just do it like in the manga," Zina Tenjouin recalled the manga’s episodes about childcare, and she lifted Xu Qianshu from the baby carriage, rocking him in her arms.
At that moment, a cheerful party was taking place in the swimming pool. Both 101 and 102 were swimming here, agile and swift, but the fastest swimmer amongst the Witches was the Wolf Girl. Mizuiro Yoshioka could not swim, and Tsuchigumo was teaching her.
Others were resting on the lounge chairs or playing with their phones. Only Du Qianqian had accidentally cut her hand while slicing oranges and then locked herself in her room, refusing to come out no matter what anyone said.
The Mouse Witch Sally snuck in quietly, and only after realizing that no one was giving her any special attention did she feel relieved and sat by the pool, paddling her feet in the water.
"Quack quack." Xu Cheng was pleased to see so many Witches playing together; those she knew and those she didn’t. After this voyage on the Joy Number cruise ship, they would all become good friends.