In the neighboring room, upon hearing the knock, the young maid hurriedly put aside the cookbook she had been studying with such seriousness. She straightened the black-and-white maid’s apron on her body, smoothed her slightly frizzy sea-blue hair, then rushed out to open the door.
At this hour, both the mistress and the egg were already back. That ant the person knocking outside was, nine tis out of ten, the daughter the mistress had accidentally forgotten.
“Coming, coming.”
She pushed open the cottage door, and wind and rain rushed in head-on.
Outside stood Aislin, holding a black umbrella. Beside her, Jasmine was waving enthusiastically, greeting Isabelle as she opened the door.
Isabelle froze for a mont, then imdiately switched into professional maid mode, ushering both of them inside and closing the door behind them, shutting out the storm and the night.
“Fish-sis, where’s Mom? Where’s Mom?”
The mont she entered, Jasmine started looking around, sweeping her gaze across the entire hall.
“The mistress is still resting in her room. She should co out soon once she hears the commotion,” Isabelle said softly. “Please wait a mont. I’ll go warm so milk for the little mistress and this guest.”
Jasmine nodded, hopped down from the chair, and went straight toward the room she shared with her mother. She stopped at the door and raised her hand to knock.
But just as she lifted her hand, the door swung open.
Bang!
The suddenly opened bedroom door smacked Jasmine squarely on the forehead. She staggered, dazed, and plopped down onto the floor.
That idiot Mom! This was already the second ti she’d hit her head by opening the door! If she grew stupid later, she was definitely holding Mom responsible!
“Sweetie, why were you standing right behind the door without making a sound...?”
Vieya helped her daughter up, brushing the dust off her backside as she apologized,
“Sorry, did it hurt? Have you eaten dinner yet...?”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
Jasmine stood up and didn’t make a big deal out of being knocked over. Carefully, she said, “Aislin-sis brought back. She’s waiting outside right now. It seems she has sothing she wants to ask you.”
......
In the living room, the warm yellow glowstone lamps provided ample light, making the entire cottage bright and cozy.
After pouring the milk, the maid followed her mistress’s instructions and went to prepare dinner.
“If you’re free, you should stay and eat with us later,” Vieya said, taking a small sip of milk. She noticed that Aislin looked unusually serious today. “You haven’t tried Isabelle’s cooking yet, have you? It’s not as good as yours, but among Demon Kings, it’s definitely top-tier.”
Truly. Aside from Flaviel, the other two Demon Kings in the household were completely hopeless kitchen disasters. In this regard, Vieya could pat her chest and swear that her cooking was better than a Demon King’s—only just slightly worse than Isabelle’s.
Aislin said, “Then... thank you?”
“What’s there to thank?”
Vieya shook her head, glanced at her quiet, well-behaved daughter, and without overthinking it, asked,
“Jasmine said you had sothing to ask . Go on, tell —what kind of matter brought a rare guest like you over so late at night?”
“Rare guest? Not really, is it?” Aislin was about to explain that she’d actually co to help Jasmine ask a question, when she suddenly noticed Jasmine shooting her frantic looks from the side.
“What are you two doing? What’s wrong with your eyes?” Vieya asked suspiciously.
Jasmine jumped in shock. “Mom, the rain was too heavy! It blew into my eyes!”
Blew through the roof and into your eyes? Yeah right. As if I’d believe that.
Vieya gave her daughter a calm sideways glance. Jasmine imdiately shut up guiltily, shrinking her neck and curling in like a quail.
At the square little table, those drinking milk continued drinking milk. The silent exchange of looks between Jasmine and Aislin also ca to a temporary halt.
It seed no different from before.
But Vieya could feel it—the subtle shift in atmosphere among the three of them.
Just what exactly had those two been plotting? Could it be sothing so significant that neither of them dared to speak up first?
Clink.
Vieya set down her empty cup. The orange lamplight reflected on her face, giving it a faint flush.
At the sa ti, sounds from the kitchen drifted over—the maid chopping vegetables, lighting the fire, oil sizzling in the hot pan.
Those sounds diluted the strange tension in the air just a little.
“Little Vieya, how is that pig-dragon egg you’re incubating?” Aislin took a sip of milk, her tone light. “I’ve been quite busy these days, so I haven’t co by much. But if there’s any problem, you can always co to the palace to find .”
So it really was about the dragon egg?
Vieya shook her head and casually dropped a bomb. “The incubation is going smoothly. Once she hatches, if nothing unexpected happens, I can introduce her to you.”
“Introduce her... to us?” Aislin froze.
“Yes.” Vieya let out a soft sigh. “Just taking my word for it now, you probably wouldn’t believe anyway. Before the egg hatches, to avoid any accidents along the way, I won’t tell you too much.”
Then she looked at Jasmine and smiled. “And you, don’t overthink it. When the egg hatches, I ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) guarantee you’ll be happier than anyone.”
Of course. Once Flaviel ca out, Jasmine would have both parents, a complete and perfect life!
“Really?” Jasmine lifted her eyes briefly, then quickly drooped them again.
Happy? No way. Even if another sli mom hatched, the only one she loved was this mom who had raised her...
Besides, there was a very high chance it would hatch into so kind of half-sibling.
An unnecessary existence—one that would only divide her mom’s love.
Jasmine held her milk cup, untouched.
“Sounds like that egg has quite the background,” Aislin mused. “Where did you pick it up?”
“Co closer.”
Vieya crooked a finger at Aislin, her expression mysterious.
Unable to suppress the confusion and concern in her heart, Aislin leaned in.
Vieya moved close to her ear. Warm breath brushed against it, slightly itchy. The atmosphere turned ambiguous.
But the next mont, that flicker of flutter in Aislin’s heart was completely shattered.
“The World Tree,” Vieya whispered softly into her ear.
The World Tree.
In an instant, Aislin’s entire body stiffened.
A guess surged uncontrollably into her mind. The resurrection ritual of the World Tree had succeeded? And after a brief revival, it had fallen back into dormancy again due to exhaustion of its power?
She didn’t know what species Vieya’s forr partner had been. But she did know that when the World Tree revived the dead—or mammalian races like the elves—it would recreate an embryo and nurture it slowly.
As for oviparous races, it would instead nurture an egg and let it grow from scratch.
‘Little Vieya’s plan succeeded. She brought her forr wife back.’
The thought took root in Aislin’s heart. She felt she should be happy, should celebrate for the sli—but she couldn’t muster even a shred of joy. A sour ache welled up inside her chest.
“Are you... okay?”
Vieya reached out and poked Aislin’s soft, drooping pointed ear, asking curiously, “Why did you space out like that?”
“I—I’m fine.”
Aislin lowered her gaze and returned to her seat. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to say nothing, run out, and go ho to sleep it all off. But she restrained that impulse, pressed down her slightly trembling hand, and said calmly,
“That’s good, too. Little Vieya, take good care of your daughter from now on. Don’t make her feel uneasy again.”
Vieya nodded, completely puzzled. Had she ever made Jasmine feel uneasy?
...Actually, maybe she had.
“Huff.” Aislin exhaled, stood up, and said, “Since Jasmine’s been safely brought ho, I should be going.”
“Hey, wait. Stay for dinner!” Vieya said.
“No, I suddenly rembered I still have work to deal with,” Aislin smiled. “Next ti, when Mother wakes up, I’ll treat you all to a big al.”
“You still have work...”
Vieya said gloomily, “Don’t work yourself to exhaustion, or else your elf clan won’t have anyone managing things.”
“It’s fine. If I collapse, there are still the clan heads and elders.”
“???”
Vieya looked up at Aislin. “You’re really off tonight. Is that work so urgent that if you don’t do it tonight, the entire elf race will fall into ruin?”
Aislin hesitated, then shook her head.
“Then don’t do it. To hell with that bullshit work.” Vieya tapped the table, making a dull thud. “When I was an academy dean among humans, I also had tons of work. But if it wasn’t urgent, I ignored it.”
“So you should ignore it too. Stay and eat before you go.”
Beside them, Jasmine nodded vigorously in agreent. “Yeah, Aislin-sis. The rain’s so heavy outside—why not stay for dinner? Maybe by the ti we finish eating, the rain will stop. Fish-sis’s cooking is okay. It’s not bad.”
“There’s honey pudding too,” Vieya reminded her.
“......”
Aislin touched her ear. After a long internal struggle, she finally made up her mind.
No matter how awful life was, food wasn’t at fault. Eat first, fill her stomach, and worry about the rest later.
With that thought, Aislin turned back, embarrassed, and said,
“Then I’ll trouble you. But... there really is honey pudding tonight, right?”
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