Free Web NovelChapter 326: Chapter 314: Lex Cross’s Voice
Just as Flora Bloom was reeling in shock, the phantom suddenly sighed. "So, you’re with the Cross family. With you as an ally, I can only imagine how many people will be green with envy."
"Senior Sister, do not harm her."
Suddenly, Lex Cross’s voice echoed from the void, laced with anxiety. It startled Flora Bloom. Hearing this voice also made the phantom’s presence soften.
"Junior Brother Cross? It’s really you! She is your... They don’t know yet, do they?"
"I hope Senior Sister will keep this a secret for me. Once I’ve recovered my strength, I will bring her to meet everyone."
The phantom sighed. "Fine. I’ll do my best to hide it for you. But I can’t keep it hidden for long. You need to be prepared."
"Don’t worry. When I return, I will be sure to repay you."
The phantom settled into the thatched hut in Flora Bloom’s space. Flora reluctantly wanted to say something more, but then she heard Lex Cross call out to her.
"Flora, are you alright?"
"Where did you go? When are you coming back? Why isn’t the communicator working?"
"I’m still in Argent, dealing with some things. My strength hasn’t recovered, so I can’t talk for long, but I’ll be back soon! Don’t worry about me. Also, my Senior Sister is incredibly powerful. If there’s anything she needs help with, give her a hand. It’ll benefit you in the long run."
After Lex Cross finished speaking, his spiritual presence suddenly vanished, and the void fell silent once more.
"My Junior Brother... already scheming against me for your sake."
"Lex, Lex? Hello!"
"Stop shouting. The rules of this world are restrictive. Using that kind of sound transmission has already cost him a great deal of vital energy. It seems my little Junior Brother is quite fond of you!"
Flora Bloom looked inward at the phantom in her space and shot her a glare. ’We’ll talk later!’
Just then, Jade and Cynthia Grant, each holding a baby gopher in their arms, were about to leave when Flora Bloom stopped them.
"Mom, Cynthia, wait."
"What is it? Don’t tell me you actually want to raise these two little things yourself?"
Flora Bloom had a headache just thinking about it. The two of them kept reverting to their original forms from time to time, which made them incredibly inconvenient to carry around!
"Why not just bring them into your space?" the phantom said from within Flora Bloom’s space. Flora ignored her, instead taking the two small, dog-sized gophers from them. "You two go on and get some rest. I’ll take these two."
Jade and Cynthia Grant exchanged a glance, both frowning.
"Flora, you’re a pregnant woman. It’s bad enough you’re not getting to bed early, but aren’t Bai, Vert, and the others enough for you? You’ve got the Three-Eyes ape, the crow, the raptors, and now you want to raise little kids who turn into gophers? Are you trying to open a zoo or what?"
Flora Bloom raised her eyebrows at Cynthia Grant, giving her a look that screamed, ’Hurry up and figure out a way to handle my mom.’ After receiving Flora’s message, Cynthia turned to Jade. "Aunt Jade, look, it’s so late. If we take these two little ones back with us and they wake up looking for their mother, won’t they make a huge fuss? Why don’t we leave them with Flora for now, and we can figure something out in the morning."
"What? Their mother? How can my Flora have two gopher children! No way! What if these two little things kick my granddaughter!"
Perhaps Jade’s voice was too loud, because it startled the two little ones who had been snoring in their sleep. After a series of "SQUEAK SQUEAK" sounds, they suddenly opened their round, gopher-like eyes.
The two gophers transformed back into human form with a shake and suddenly started wailing again. "WAAAH, MAMA!"
"Mama, hold us!"
Both little ones stretched out their hands toward Flora Bloom and started yelling, making Jade frown with worry.
"Mom, just leave them with me for tonight. They’re so little, they don’t know any better. Don’t let them disturb your rest. We’ll figure something out tomorrow morning!"
"That’s right, Aunt Jade! Leave them with Flora for now. First thing tomorrow, I’ll grab these two little guys and bring them to you!"
While chiming in with support, Cynthia Grant took the little one from Jade’s arms and handed him over to Flora Bloom.
Seeing Jade looking back at her worriedly with every step, clearly not at ease, Flora Bloom could only smile and reassure the older woman not to worry.
Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant each held one of the little ones, using cabbages to distract them, which finally quieted the two now-human children.
"Flora, are you really planning to raise them? What exactly are these two? One minute they’re gophers, the next they’re human. It’s a little too weird!"
Meanwhile, the phantom in Flora Bloom’s space spoke with a cold voice, ’My children are the last of the Divine Rat lineage. How dare a mere mortal girl like you make such baseless assumptions!’
Seeing the phantom’s form flicker with anger, Flora Bloom quickly tried to placate her. ’She who does not know cannot be blamed!’
The phantom said no more, so Flora Bloom said to Cynthia Grant, "These two little ones have a pretty impressive background, so don’t just say whatever you want." ’The phantom is their mother and Lex’s Senior Sister, so her background must be formidable. Besides, if a mere sliver of her spiritual power can enter my space without my permission, one can only imagine how powerful her true body must be.’
Cynthia Grant, holding one of the babies, said, "These two are as cute as little dolls. If you’re really going to raise them, should we give them names?"
At the same time, Flora Bloom was communicating with the phantom. ’Senior Sister, what are your two babies called?’
’The boy is Kael, and the girl is Sasha.’
Cynthia Grant thought for a long time. "How about we call the boy Star? And the girl Moon?"
"Star? Moon?"
"GIGGLE GIGGLE!"
"HEE HEE HEE!"
The two little ones seemed to love being teased by Cynthia Grant and both burst out laughing.
The phantom’s image flickered. ’Daring to change my children’s names? Is this girl tired of living?!’
Feeling a headache coming on, Flora Bloom watched Cynthia Grant having the time of her life playing with the two babies, all while trying to placate the phantom in her space.
"Cynthia, maybe they already have names. Why don’t we ask them?"
Cynthia Grant paused. "Good point." She patted the two little heads and fed them some nuts. "Hey, tell big sister, what are your names?"
The two little ones giggled, then tilted their heads and thought. "Name... s... s... Star."
"Ooh... m... mmm... Moon."
Cynthia Grant suddenly burst out laughing. She patted Flora Bloom excitedly. "See? They love the names I picked!"
In the end, the two little ones completely forgot the names Kael and Sasha, only remembering the names Cynthia Grant had given them, and laughed happily without stopping.
"Star?"
"GIGGLE GIGGLE."
"Moon?"
"HEE HEE HEE."
And just like that, the two little ones were successfully led astray by Cynthia Grant and had their names changed.
Flora Bloom finally breathed a sigh of relief when Cynthia Grant, exhausted from playing, fell asleep on the sofa with the two of them. The phantom in her space was now raging. ’You, you, you! You’re my Junior Brother’s woman, so I won’t hold it against you! But that girl—she and I are now irreconcilable enemies!’
Flora Bloom had no idea how to pacify this sliver of the babies’ mother’s spiritual power. She could just imagine how furious the phantom’s real body must be. If she were to come to Earth, Cynthia Grant’s chances of survival would be slim to none.
’Um, Senior Sister, our Cynthia isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. You’re the bigger person, please don’t hold it against her. I’ll help you change their names back!’
The phantom grunted sullenly, and Flora Bloom began the tireless task of re-educating the two little ones.
But...
"Kael, come here. Want a nut?"
"..."
"Sasha, want some cabbage?"
"..."
"..." Seeing the two little ones completely ignore her calls, even ignoring the nuts and cabbage in her hands, Flora Bloom gave up and tried something else.
"Star?"
"GIGGLE GIGGLE."
"Moon?"
"HEE HEE HEE."
The two little ones seemed to adore these names, tugging on the hem of Flora Bloom’s clothes and trying to climb onto her.
’Cynthia Grant!’ The phantom in the space viciously muttered Cynthia Grant’s name. But alas, she was just a sliver of spiritual power at the moment, incapable of even the slightest attack.
