Free Web NovelAfter a long while, Vieya finally came back to her senses.
She glanced at the thing in her hand and decided to destroy the evidence.
“Cat, aren’t you going to ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) curl up and sleep?”
“Two Demon Kings are downstairs. We’re not going, meow.”
“I sent them out to the courtyard today. They’re not on the first floor.”
“Still not going.”
The black cat sighed. Ever since those two Demon Kings arrived, she had felt uneasy all over—like a student in class, afraid to fall asleep under the gaze of two teachers at once.
“Can I sleep with you guys next time...? I promise not to bother you, meow.”
Saying that, she wrapped her paws around the white-haired girl’s ankle and rubbed against it, letting out a few spoiled, mewling sounds.
“Do what you want. Just remember to leave the door open a crack. I still have things to do.” Vieya pouted. How had she never realized this cat was such a coward before?
She was the master here, yet instead of fearing her, the cat was scared of the two prisoners downstairs.
“Shoo, don’t stick to my feet, you’re annoying.”
“Meow... then I’ll wait in the room, meow.”
The black cat twitched her ears, padded across the wooden floor with soft thuds, and ran off. At the corner, she looked back once toward the white-haired girl—
—but the figure had already vanished from her eyes.
Vieya casually slipped into an empty room. The usable clothes were folded neatly and placed to the side. Her gaze naturally fell upon a small wicker basket covered with a layer of floral cloth.
Lifting the fabric revealed a jumble of random things stuffed inside—but not all of them were toys.
The ones taking up the most space were two little yellow ducks, one big and one small, both ridiculously silly-looking and adorably ugly.
They were what Jasmine had bought from the toy market for a single copper coin; the smaller one had been a free bonus with the larger.
“I should keep these... Jasmine will probably be sad if she doesn’t see them during her bath next time,” Vieya murmured, picking up the two ducks.
She squeezed them absentmindedly, and they let out squeaky quacks.
She suddenly realized that ever since Jasmine had started living with her, the child had never really asked for any toys. Even the dresses she wore were things Vieya bought for herself, with a few children’s outfits added as an afterthought.
“Sigh... Sometimes I just wish she’d be a little more mischievous, a little more lively.”
Vieya set the ducks down and continued pulling out the other odds and ends that were still usable. Then, with a snap of her fingers, yesterday’s homemade device turned to dust.
“There. Much better now.”
Her mood lightened instantly. She put everything else back where it belonged and placed the two ducks—one big, one small—back into the bathtub. ƒreewebɳovel.com
As she passed Aislin’s door, the faint light seeping from beneath it caught her attention.
Still awake at this hour?
Vieya wondered. By elven standards, Aislin was about a hundred years old—an age that would seem long to humans, but among elves, it was equivalent to about thirteen or fourteen years old.
What was strange, though, was that elves held their coming-of-age ceremony at one hundred.
Basically, like a human’s tenth birthday.
An elf who had gained recognition from her tribe could choose to venture out into the world, like Aislin, or stay home under her parents’ protection and live a sheltered life in the forest.
“What a fascinating race...”
After hesitating a moment, Vieya stepped up to the door and knocked.
Toot!
Toot-toot!
“Who is it?”
“It’s me...”
“Hmm? Vieya? You can come in, the door’s not locked—you don’t have to knock.” Click. Aislin opened the door, blinking her curious eyes at the white-haired girl standing outside.
Had her words earlier somehow hurt the child’s fragile heart?
“Want to come in and sit for a while?” Aislin invited with a gentle smile. “If I still had my accordion or flute, I might even play you a tune to calm that restless heart of yours.”
Vieya stepped inside, her gaze drawn to the papers and quill pen on the desk.
“I’m planning to turn all the things we’ve seen and the stories along our journey into poetry,” Aislin said softly, her eyes shining with quiet excitement. “When I save enough money to buy a new flute and accordion, I’ll spread these poems among the bards. As long as they’re sung among living souls, our stories will never be forgotten...”
“You really love being a bard, don’t you?” Vieya asked.
“Hmm, I think I answered that before! Silly, did you forget already?”
Aislin pretended to pout, but her tone was gentle. “If I didn’t love being a bard, I would never have left my home forest. Without love, all the hardships I faced would’ve made me give up halfway and run home crying, straight into my parents’ arms for comfort—instead of making it this far.”
“That’s wonderful...” Vieya rested her cheek on the desk, eyes narrowing comfortably as she murmured like she was half sighing, half thinking. “Aislin, when you go back, will you become the queen of the elves?” frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
“Yes. When that happens, I’ll invite you to my coronation ceremony. You’d better come.” Aislin’s voice softened with a teasing smile. “Otherwise, I won’t refund your rent for this time.”
“You’re my friend. No rent,” Vieya said seriously. “Just make sure to send me a letter in advance. I’ve always wanted to see the Elven Forest, but without a guide it’s hard to enter... It must be beautiful there, right?”
“Of course it is.” Aislin said proudly, “When you come, I’ll personally show you around. The whole forest—it’s all our territory!”
“Should we pinky promise?” Vieya suddenly asked mischievously.
“The human children’s contract ritual? How interesting...” Aislin thought for a moment, then extended her right hand and hooked her pinky finger forward, her eyes sparkling. “Is it like this?”
“...Yes.”
“Then—pinky promise, hang for a hundred years, no take-backs!”
“...”
“Liars are puppies.”
...
After leaving Aislin’s room, Vieya covered her forehead. She hadn’t expected the seemingly mature big-sisterly Aislin to have such a childish side.
No wonder she got along so well with the little ones.
Back in her own bedroom, Vieya saw that the door had been left open a crack.
She pushed it gently and looked up—meeting Jasmine’s quiet gaze.
“Still awake...” Vieya blinked in surprise, closing the door softly before asking with concern, “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep because you’re afraid of the dark?”
“I’m not afraid. I was waiting for Mama.” Jasmine stretched out her little arms, her voice soft and sweet. “Mama, can you hold me?”
After a pause, she added, “Since Mama got sick, you haven’t held me once.”
“Is that so?”
Vieya changed into her nightclothes, moved the black cat lying across the blankets down to the foot of the bed, then slipped under the covers and wrapped her arms around her daughter.
Under Jasmine’s wide, innocent gaze, she kissed the girl lightly on the forehead.
“Good night. Sleep well.”
