Volume 5, Chapter 52 – Spreading

Time moved to the next day.

Although it was early spring, snowflakes were falling in the Cold Night. Coupled with the rainwater accumulated from last night freezing together, the ruts and mud pits on the ground became extremely solid. The slippery surface caused pedestrians and carriages to skid, turning the morning in the Cold Night into another lively scene—mainly traffic congestion, people’s curses, and vendors’ shouts, composing the morning symphony.

However, for those staying at home with nothing to do, the snow only brought joy. For Fia, who had rarely seen peaceful snow (frozen planets did not count), she would never get tired of watching it, especially while drinking hot tea, covered with a thin blanket, and snuggled up on the sofa for warmth—it was supremely cozy.

“I’ve finished this book too… Sister, where’s Sister Claire?”

Liti, who was also curled up on the sofa like Fia, looked up. She was currently wearing light home pajamas, her exposed fair ankles wrapped in high-quality pure white stockings, swinging back and forth. Because the pajamas were too thin, even her cute blue underwear with lace could be seen. If not for the fact that only women were present, Liti would surely have been mistaken by an unknowing person for a temptress luring outsiders.

But in reality, she had just woken up and had nothing to do. Several thin booklets were scattered around her on the sofa. These were all storybooks Ying had lent her. Although this world had papermaking, printing had not yet been derived. Coupled with the low education level of the people, storybooks were a luxury item exclusive to the nobility. Even in the main camp of the Holy Son Faction, they could only find five or six books for Liti.

Of course, this was also partly because no one in Nola’s group liked reading storybooks. Without demand, there was naturally no need to collect them intentionally. In the eyes of the beastfolk, having time to read storybooks was better spent gathering firewood, hunting beasts in the mountains and forests, or, if worst came to worst, sparring with others to improve martial arts skills was also a good choice.

Fia, also sitting on the sofa, looked up. Unlike Liti who was reading, she was writing. Her half-lying posture would certainly make it impossible for an ordinary person to write, but with [Telekinesis], Fia could hold a pen with her spatial hand and write on an invisible table formed by it, even while lying on her back.

These past few days, while sleeping with Liti, Milu, and Tilulu, she had told them fairy tales from the Human Alliance. She found that stories like Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Andersen’s Fairy Tales were very popular with Liti and Tilulu. After hearing the bedtime stories, instead of falling asleep, the two became even more energetic, wanting to hear the next story. So Fia decided to record these stories in writing to enrich the spiritual lives of the people in this world.

It was worth noting that Milu was not interested in fairy tales; she preferred myths and legends.

“Claire went to spar with Anastasia. She might also have gone to Ying’s place. Why do you ask, Liti?”

“I want to hear Sister Claire’s stories.”

Liti pulled back her curious head. She jumped off the sofa, apparently intending to change her clothes and find Claire.

“Claire’s stories? Do you mean when she was in the Dragonfall?”

Fia knew a little about Claire meeting a dragon princess. It was that dragon princess who had borrowed Claire’s sword.

“No, it’s the stories Sister Claire tells, just like the ones sister makes up. But the ones she tells are more real, like a girl who didn’t want to be king but ended up on the throne, or a human saintess who went to a vampire country to experience being a vampire queen, basically always about the experiences of the same group of people.” ¹ !?!?? this is… i know this reference =w=… waahh so they are the same world…. im excited

“Where did Claire see those? I’ve never heard her talk about them.”

Fia put away the paper and pen into her spatial backpack and sat up straight with curiosity.

Liti put her index finger to her chin, her face full of recollection.

“Hmm… I remember Sister Claire said she knew these stories from the moment she was born. She hasn’t personally seen the people in the stories. By the way, a few days ago, when she was talking about one of them, she suddenly became very hesitant and said something like ‘how could they be so similar,’ meaning she was very similar to one of them.” ² woa…

“Very similar to someone in a story? She probably didn’t sleep well?”

Though she said this, Fia did not ignore it.

It wouldn’t be too late to ask Claire when she returned.

Claire was a life form born unnaturally, similar to Milu. From the moment she gained consciousness, she had possessed some of the language and common sense of this world. The knowledge Milu knew was instilled by Laplace’s Demon, so who had given Claire her knowledge?

Claire would not speak without reason. Perhaps the stories she told Liti were indeed related to her origins. The Elf God had said that both she and Claire were not from this world. She was from the Human Alliance, so Claire should also be from another world. This could also explain why Claire’s magic was different from any magic system on the World Tree Continent.

However, did “another world” here refer to another planet, or another universe? It was puzzling.

“Then I’ll go find Sister Claire, okay?”

“Mm, I’ll stay here.”

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As Liti left the living room to change, Fia and Tilulu, who was sitting on the other side, were left alone. Unlike Liti who was reading, Tilulu was concentrating on weaving the fabric in her hands. Although she had engaged in a very intense battle last night, she showed no signs of fatigue now. As for the defeated Celesté, because he had been injured by the [Thunder Spear] explosion, he had been carried back by his attendant last night to recuperate.

This was also something Fia wanted to mention. Last night, when Celesté had rushed in front of Tilulu, the command she had given was actually [Flame Storm]. But considering that it was very likely to kill him, Fia had temporarily changed it to [Thunder Spear].

Tilulu was not unaware of the power of [Flame Storm]. It was impossible for her not to know that it would kill him. He was indeed annoying, but his crime was not punishable by death. In the end, this was not something Tilulu could have done.

At this thought, Fia glanced at Tilulu, who was sitting beside her with her head down, fiddling with her needlework. Nola’s residence’s living room was very bright. Coupled with the white light reflected from the snow outside, Tilulu, with her gray hair cascading down like a waterfall, looked exceptionally dazzling. Her pretty nose and focused purple eyes, paired with her gently trembling eyelashes, from any angle, this was an innocent beastman girl. The light shining on her fair skin gave her a bit more sanctity.

It should be about time.

“All done!”

Just as Fia was about to discuss things with Tilulu, she suddenly looked up and excitedly held up the thing she had been weaving. Now Fia could see what it was—it was an earmuff with a built-in frame, custom-made to her size.

“Don’t move, mom.”

Full of energy, Tilulu removed the sewing needle from the earmuff, then turned around, maintaining a kneeling posture on the sofa, and leaned towards Fia, carefully putting the earmuffs on her with her delicate hands, which were even smaller than Fia’s. At this distance, Fia’s face could already feel the warmth coming from Tilulu’s chest. Like a child, her body temperature was a little higher than an ordinary person’s.

The earmuffs, woven from white thread, fit perfectly on the sides of Fia’s head, adding a touch of winter charm to her simple nightgown. One could see Tilulu’s ingenuity. On the frame of the earmuffs, right above Fia’s head, was a pair of beast ears woven from white thread, just a size larger than Tilulu’s own, as if to tell outsiders that the person wearing them had an intimate relationship with her.

“Mm, the size is just right. What do you think, mom? Is it warm?”

Even though she’s about to become a queen, she’s been knitting earmuffs for me all these days. Fia’s raised seriousness had to soften. She touched the earmuffs covering her pointed ears. The delicate touch from her fingertips made her unable to put them down. She returned Tilulu’s smile.

“It’s very warm. Thank you, Tilulu.”

“Hmph, hmph, I’ve always been the one receiving from mom, and I’ve never given you a gift. I saw that Liti seemed very afraid of the cold before, so I thought of giving earmuffs to you as a gift. I hope you don’t find them superfluous.”

She probably noticed that Liti liked to cover her ears when going out, so she realized that elf ears are afraid of the cold.

Fia took out a mirror from her spatial backpack and looked at herself. Although the earmuffs were exquisite, they looked a bit comical on elf ears. She gave a wry smile.

“Now I have four ears.”

“Wearing such an accessory in the Cold Night will make you very popular. Everyone will surely think that mom is respecting everyone’s customs.”

“Is this a tradition of the Cold Night?”

She had never heard that wearing beast ears would make one popular in the Cold Night.

Tilulu’s expression stiffened, a faint blush appeared on her cute face, and her voice dropped a notch.

“No, I was just guessing…”

Then I definitely can’t wear them out, can I? If everyone wore them, it would be fine. But if only I wear them, I’ll look out of place.

Fia thought very realistically in her heart, but in reality, she praised her by patting her head. Tilulu’s ears twitched continuously, and her tail stood up straight, just short of rubbing her head against Fia. It would be unreasonable not to praise her.

“Thank you. The style is very cute. If Liti hadn’t left just now, she would surely be sulking and saying you’re biased.”

“Eh? Th-then I’ll make one for Miss Liti too later? But it won’t be ready before winter ends…”

Tilulu’s tense appearance, as if facing a great enemy, made Fia find it amusing.

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“I was just kidding. You don’t have to take it so seriously. And compared to your little aunt, you should make one for Mom Claire first.”

“Mom Claire…” At the mention of Claire, Tilulu’s ears drooped, and a hint of fear appeared in her expression. “Somehow, I feel Mom Claire is not easy to talk to…”

“Is she?”

Claire should be the easiest person to talk to among everyone.

Perhaps Tilulu meant that there was a barrier between her and Claire. After all, besides daily exchanges, the two had not had any deeper conversations. In the end, Tilulu was always by Fia’s side, and they had known each other for less than a month. It was normal to feel a faint barrier.

“After you spend more time together, you’ll know that Mom Claire is much gentler than me. Maybe then you’ll abandon me and stick to her all day.”

“That will never happen!” Tilulu tensed her body and emphasized with great momentum, “As long as mom doesn’t abandon me, I won’t abandon you!”

“I won’t abandon you, Tilulu.”

Fia dotingly kneaded her ears. This soft yet elastic feel was irresistible.

“I knew mom was the best.”

Tilulu closed her eyes, her mouth forming a satisfied ‘w’ shape.

Fia couldn’t help but change to a meaner wording.

“Then compared to Radric?”

“Radric is also very good, but he’s too controlling.”

“Meaning I’m better than him?”

“Mmm…”

As if pondering an extremely profound matter, Tilulu maintained her posture of being patted on the head, her brow furrowed.

It wasn’t until several seconds had passed that she finally came to a conclusion. She pouted and threw Fia a sulky look.

“Mom is too mean.”

“Puhaha.”

“Hmph.”

Tilulu snorted lightly and turned her head away, pretending to ignore her. However, her upright ears and tail betrayed that she wasn’t angry. Fia pretended to cooperate, thinking she was angry.

“Alright, alright, I shouldn’t have asked such a question. I can’t just accept your gift for nothing. What kind of return gift do you want? If you can’t think of something specific, just a general idea is fine.”

“Then I want mom to hug me.”

“Just a normal hug? Isn’t that too cheap?”

“It’s good as long as I think it’s good.”

Tilulu deliberately used a firm tone.

Having said this much, Fia couldn’t refuse. She scooted back, making room on her lap. And Tilulu, who had been pretending to be angry just now, immediately put on a joyful expression. The speed of her expression change made Fia want to take out a recording crystal.

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“Hah, it’s still more comfortable sitting on mom’s lap.”

Tilulu, who had been kneeling on the sofa, sat down on Fia with a ‘poof’. Perhaps because this was a “return gift,” or perhaps because there was no one else in the living room at the moment, her movements were more intimate than usual. Her elastic, soft buttocks pressed tightly against Fia’s thighs, and her entire back leaned tightly against Fia, as if wanting to stick to her chest. This also made the top of her head rest against Fia’s lips, a particularly ambiguous posture. If she were to look up at this moment, people would surely mistake them for a pair of lovers in love about to kiss.

So warm, and there’s a sweet smell.

Fia couldn’t help but think. Tilulu’s body temperature was already a little higher than an ordinary person’s. Now, with her soft and petite body leaning against her, coupled with the sweet fragrance lingering around her nose, Fia couldn’t help but feel the urge to bury her nose in her gray hair and take a deep sniff. If possible, she also wanted to lick her fair neck and see if her milk-like skin tasted as sweet as it smelled.

However, doing so would be too perverted and easily misunderstood. Fia had no choice but to resist the urge. She was only her adoptive mother, not her biological mother. She had to maintain a proper distance.

That being said, because both of them were wearing relatively thin clothes, the itchy and tingling sensation of their skin pressing together still made Fia feel a little strange. Tilulu’s tail had already slipped into her clothes along her chest.

If Milu were to see this, it would surely be very bad.

But Fia didn’t want to disturb the current Tilulu. The latter was comfortably squinting her eyes as if lying on a sofa, her slender little legs swinging back and forth in the air, and the corners of her mouth were raised happily, an expression of exceptional satisfaction.

Coupled with the bright light reflected from the snow, which enveloped her body in a faint white glow, she was like a favored snow fairy, irresistible.

If they were on a bed here, Fia would surely not be able to resist hugging her, lying down, covering themselves with a blanket, and taking a nap.

This went on for a full minute. Tilulu, humming softly, gradually opened her mysterious purple eyes. She looked up, observing Fia’s eyes, and said abruptly.

“Why didn’t mom use [Flame Storm] last night, but [Thunder Spear] instead? Did I give the wrong command?”

As if a basin of ice water had been poured over her, the leisure in Fia’s heart receded like a tide. She realized that she had been too relaxed just now, and the heaviness gradually returned to her heart.

She changed her previous cheerful tone and became serious.

“Tilulu.”

“What’s wrong?”

A hint of confusion appeared on Tilulu’s delicate features.

Fia continued.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t see your command at that time, but that I thought [Flame Storm] was too much. Didn’t you know that it would kill your brother?”

“Well…”

Tilulu’s gaze shifted away from Fia’s eyes. Fia could feel her body tense up, as if she were thinking about how to answer, or perhaps how to lie.

“He insulted mom. It’s what he deserved.”

“It was just a sentence. Even if he needed to be punished, it wasn’t punishable by death.”

If Mother Yulisha or Erin Slate had said this, Fia would not have been surprised. But the person who said it was Tilulu, so the problem was obvious.

“But he also wanted me to submit to him and take my place to cooperate with mom.”

“But don’t you lack the motivation to be queen, Tilulu? Being queen is actually irrelevant to you.”

Fia’s words made Tilulu’s eyes widen. She reflexively turned her head to look at Fia’s face. However, there was no emotional fluctuation in Fia’s reserved eyes; it was all hidden in her heart.

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“You told me that night, didn’t you? That all you wanted was to complete your revenge, and you had no intention of becoming queen. Although I said I could be your backer and clear the obstacles on your way, don’t you still lack the will to be queen yourself?”

“I…”

Tilulu moved her lips, wanting to say something, but as if hindered by something, not a single word came out.

Fia sighed deeply.

“Tilulu, you’re not becoming queen for me. Your destiny should be controlled by you yourself. This is my sincere thought. I cannot manipulate your life. Claire reminded me that I shouldn’t make you act according to my ideas. These things only have meaning if you yourself find them meaningful. Not becoming queen will certainly mean losing some things, but if choosing not to do it can bring you a life more in line with your expectations, then there’s no need to choose it.”

“If you give up becoming queen now, I will immediately go to the capital of the Cold Night, bring Chazo and those involved before you, and let you kill them yourself. If you feel you can’t do it, it’s fine for me to kill them for you. After that, I will take you and your followers back to Blossom.”

With those words, Fia stared at Tilulu’s face. Although from her angle, she could only see a small part of her profile, she could still sense her emotions through the changes in her body.

At this moment, she was not guiding her to make the right choice, but truly handing the choice over to her. If she really chose to give up, then Fia would stop all the groundwork she had laid and carry out her wish as promised, without any falsehood or lies.

However, Tilulu did not answer as Fia had imagined, but answered her question with a question.

“Can’t mom be the queen of the Cold Night? No… I mean, after I become queen, I still have many things to learn. Didn’t you say you would solve the problems for me when I need it? Then until I can stand on my own, you can stay in the Cold Night as the acting queen—”

“That won’t work,” Fia shook her head. “I can only come back to see you regularly. The path I walk is more difficult than you imagine, Tilulu. I can’t guarantee that I can always stay by your side, at least not in the next few years.”

In an instant, deep disappointment appeared in Tilulu’s eyes. She clenched her fists, and her head lowered. Her eyes, swirling with various emotions, made it impossible to know what she was thinking.

This choice is too difficult for her.

Fia quickly realized the situation she was facing. Thinking about it, it was true. An ordinary person would toss and turn in bed for several months just thinking about what to do after graduation, let alone a choice between becoming a queen and an ordinary person. To ask her to give an answer immediately, it would be difficult for anyone to make a perfect and rational consideration. If forced to choose, they would most likely regret it in the future, thinking, “Ah, if I had chosen the other option back then, my life would surely be much better now.”

She smiled faintly and gently stroked Tilulu’s soft gray hair.

“You can take your time to think about it, Tilulu. There’s no need to rush. And I have to emphasize one thing: even if you choose not to become queen, I will not abandon or despise you because of it. I will respect your choice. Get up first, change your clothes. Let’s go out for a walk. When Celesté wakes up, we should be able to go back.”

“Mm…”

Getting off Fia, Tilulu lowered her head and answered listlessly.

When Fia and Tilulu had taken off their pajamas and changed into clothes suitable for going out, they were met by Anastasia at the bedroom door. Anastasia had clearly just come back from the heavy snow, her golden hair still holding a few snowflakes. Something major seemed to have happened, as her expression was somewhat grave.

“Anastasia? You look anxious. What happened?”

Anastasia immediately bowed and reported.

“Your Highness, there’s news from the spies the Holy Son Faction sent out yesterday morning.”

“What news?”

If she remembered correctly, Nola had sent out trained wyverns to scout the surrounding territory because she had received Fia’s intelligence and felt that Chazo might have other preparations.

“Chazo’s army has already reached the southern border of the Fire Cat Tribe’s territory. It’s less than a day’s journey from here.”

Her azure eyes, filled with firm determination, stared into Fia’s. Anastasia emphasized in a low voice.

“The decisive battle is about to come early.”