In the lounge, Sebek was busy finishing up his homework with a smile on his face when Malleus noticed the green bracelet around his wrist. It was a beautiful thin jade bracelet wrapped with a beautiful wood carving around the green bracelet. Malleus looked on with a look of surprise, "Sebek, did Lotus gave you this bracelet?"
"Ah, yes, young master!" Sebek responded resolutely as per usual.
Seeing his usual demeanor back, Malleus wore a relieved smile as Lilia chuckled, "Looks like the two of you reconciled without any problems. He even gave you an interesting gift."
Sebek heard this and wondered in confusion why they were so surprised by this bracelet. However, just the fact that Malleus noticed the bracelet on him made him feel really happy to have been recognized by him! Ah, today is definitely the best day he's had this winter holidays!
Seeing his smile, Lilia wore a dry smile as he watched Sebek trying to force Silver to wake up. He whispered to Malleus who was sitting next to him, "To think that child can give him a gift this valuable..."
Rather perplexed, Malleus wondered nervously, "Hm... Have you seen those materials before, Lilia?"
Rather hesitant, Lilia shook his head subtly trying to keep the conversation low, "I've never seen anything like it. However, even you can feel the magic radiating from the wood. How powerful do you think it is?"
"I don't know..."
Lilia looked to Malleus in surprise when he heard this as the dorm leader continued, "However, the wood is attached to him..."
Lilia's face was no longer light or cheery, but he tried to remain calm since he knew that this child was the grandchild of an old friend. Coupled with the fact that Lotus never did any harm to others, so she wouldn't actually put Sebek in any harm either, right?
There was more that Malleus wanted to say, but he decided not to continue since it wouldn't be too good to continue to speak of others behind their back all the time. However, was this also really all right? Seeing Sebek rather satisfied with the results, he decided not to intervene.
.....
"Ah, big sister! Big Sister!"
Behind the white veil of her straw, Lotus looked up to see the familiar seen of the girl with brown hair running over to her with bare feet and a black cape.
"Look at this beautiful cape!" The girl looked up to her with eyes a beautiful pair of green eyes as vibrant as a sprouting seedling.
The girl danced around with glee upon seeing the new black cape dance behind her.
"See how beautiful it is?" The girl marveled upon the beautiful silk cape.
"It truly is beautiful." Lotus's mouth opened on its own as a smile naturally graced her pink lips, "There's also a purple shade under it. If we give you a purple phoenix eye shadow and green jewel ornaments, it would truly bring out the beauty of you and the your beautiful cape."
"Aren't Phoenix eye shadow a fashion of make up?" The girl said in confusion, "But, you said that I don't need it right now."
"Of course, you don't." Lotus smiled softly and brushed aside the messy brown hair, "Your current beauty is more than enough. Once you're older, a little touch of make up won't hurt your beauty because the purpose of make up is to enhance the beauty, not turn a new leaf. This, with your cape and, hm..."
The girl wore a small weary smile, "Here you go again, Big sister. Can't you just compliment my cape with me?"
"Aren't I complimenting it?" Lotus looked to her in confusion.
"Are you complimenting me or the cape?" The girl questioned curiously with a smile hiding a teasing meaning behind it.
Lotus could easily see through it, but not what she was teasing her about as she could only stifle a smile, "Am I not complimenting you? Haha... With your beauty, you look wonderful in all colors of the seasons."
"I always knew that big sister was meant to be a sweet talker!" The girl pouted in annoyance.
"Oh, but aren't I complimenting you?" Lotus wanted to laugh but couldn't.
"That's what a sweet talker is, Sister." The girl sighed in disappointment.
This time Lotus managed a light chuckle and softly reached out to pat her head that was almost her height, "I know what a sweet talker is. However, you know I can never lie to you, A-Li."
The girl was still pouting through the stiff look on her face as Lotus could only heave a small sigh before taking something out of her ring, "All right, all right. Let's not pout anymore. Come see what I have for you."
The girl looked to her in surprise with a light blush on her face as a smile once again graced her face, "You got me a present?"
Lotus nodded and softly nestled herself onto the soft grass of the green pasture. Carefully, she brought the delicate jade porcelain container out from behind her white veil. The sight of the content of the container delighted the child as she touched the flower daintily with her soft fingers while whispering in all, "It's beautiful..."
"This child is a first of their kind." Lotus responded with a wider smile upon seeing her reaction.
However, a thought flash across the child's mind as she looked up to her worryingly. Seeing this, Lotus knew what she had been imagining. However, she smiled back to her with a soft smile touching her delicate porcelain face as she responded, "Rest assured. I did not break any laws by raising this child. You could not have forgotten that raising these children are my responsibilities, did you?"
"Th-then, can I?" She stammered nervously which wasn't like her at all.
"Of course." Lotus smiled wide as she responded, "They're yours to keep."
The girl took the bouquet of flowers into her arms with glittering eyes much of that a child should have around her age. Seeing her so in awed by it, Lotus was pleased that her efforts were not in vain to grace the child with a bright smile on her face.
"What shall you name it?" Lotus pondered curiously upon the sight of the flowers in the girl's thin arms.
With the wave of awe over, the girl looked up to her with a tooth grin and smiled, "Roses as black as the night sky... Of course, it'll be black roses!"
She sat down on a rock placing the jade porcelain of black roses on another as she stared at it in awe, "This is my first time seeing natural black roses... Those humans in the villages don't have black roses and, when they do, it's all red or white. I like black roses better. It's beauty cannot be matched by red or white."
"But, I always wonder why it is that you dislike the other colors?" Lotus questioned her curiously.
"The reason isn't all that difficult to comprehend." The girl gave her a toothy smile, "The red roses remind me of human blood and I despise the stench of it. I do not understand why the humans desire such a horrendous color for roses."
"What harsh words..." Lotus giggled softly.
"Did you not say that I may speak and act as freely as I like in here?" She questioned her curiously.
"Of course." Lotus smiled wider, "I just wonder what our other sisters would think if they hear you use such language towards the humans."
"But, like yourself, big sister, I also do not want to lie in front of you." She responded with a sigh, "Humans society are just so stuffy, while speaking with you and our sisters are much more relaxing."
Lotus nodded her head silently, "I also enjoy such luxurious times with just our sisters together."
"You also think the same?" She responded with a wide smile, "Then, let us go sabotage-. I mean... Let us go 'greet' elder sister at her wedding early next week!"
Hearing this, Lotus was surprised. However, the girl did not let her go as she continued, "Come, Big sister. I know you find her fiancé unpleasant. Rather than just letting it go, why not let us tackle the matter together? We shall use magic to turn ourselves into horses and pull her carriage into your territory. The ceremony is very close to your borders, after all!"
However, Lotus had her doubt and pondered nervously, "But, do you not recall the last you used magic to transform us? You had turned the both of us into mewling black kittens and forgotten to prepare tools to transform ourselves back. We even dragged second sister into our plot and remained as kittens for three months after eldest sister finally found us..."
"Th-That was only once and I was still only a fledgling during then!" The girl stammered nervously, "I was just so excited I had forgotten to prepare our antidotes to turn us back. If not for that, eldest sister would not push forward the wedding to next week... At least, my first attempt did not turn us into chimeras..."
"That was also your first attempt?!" Lotus gasped in shock before she sighed in relief, "I retract my statement. We are very fortunate to not have been hunted down by others compared to being found by eldest sister..."