"Alright, maybe I'll start the story from..." Elexon began recounting Reina's life journey.
He shared that Reina had been kidnapped by bandits when she was still a child, during a time when the former queen tried to keep Reina away from the palace, which was in the midst of great turmoil. Reina was then raised in a harsh environment alongside Nils, Harzel, and Beile as laborers. They had to do hard work and endure various pressures and unpleasant treatment from those around them.
Hearing this, Lia's face began to change, growing sad as she realized that her mother's and uncles' journeys had been full of painful twists and turns.
"Will this be okay?" Nils whispered, glancing between Harzel and Beile.
"Lia is okay!" Lia shouted, trying to hide her sadness.
"Really?" Nils asked, glancing with uncertainty.
"Of course!" Lia answered firmly, though her voice trembled slightly.
"Alright, then." Nils grinned. "But if you cry, you'll have to treat us to food later."
Lia lifted her chin, though her eyes were still brimming with tears. "Then, if I don't cry, you uncles have to clean my room, prepare my school supplies, and take me to school for a whole month!"
Hearing the challenge, Harzel looked at Lia flatly. "This isn't going to end well. She'll lose. Just look, her nose is about to run," he said, pointing to Lia's flushed face.
"You're right," added Beile, chuckling softly and nodding in agreement.
Lia, hearing their comments, pouted in annoyance. "Bad uncles!" she exclaimed, though a small sob was still audible in her voice.
Elexon could only shake his head in amazement before continuing his story. He recounted how Reina had once been trapped in a raging fire and was rescued by King Turnia, who happened to be traveling at the time. The king not only saved Reina but also cared for her, even taking Reina, Nils, Harzel, and Beile in as his adopted children.
Elexon also shared how he finally found Reina, who had by then become part of the Turnia Royal Family. He then reunited Reina with her mother, the queen, who had long yearned for her daughter.
With the help of King Turnia, the king's friend, who was the head of Winterstell village, and strict training, Reina grew into a tough woman. Winterstell became the third home for Reina and her siblings, after the Turnia Kingdom and Lumina.
"In that village, Uncle Harzel met Aella, and their love grew. So did Sylvia's love with Uncle Beile, which only grew stronger over time," Elexon added with a faint smile.
Elexon recounted how, after long training, Reina finally decided to reclaim the throne of Lumina. She took advantage of the chaos at the palace and overcame many obstacles to regain her rightful place, even though she had to lose her biological parents.
However, Elexon intentionally left out the part where Reina's parents were brutally murdered by a palace confidant. That part of the story was considered too heavy for Lia. Despite that, just hearing the simplified version of the story, the little girl began to cry.
"Hey, don't cry. If your mother finds out you're crying, Grandpa might get beaten up," Elexon said while wiping Lia's tears.
Lia cried even louder. "But it's so sad, Grandpa. I didn't know it was like that. All the stories I learned in school weren't like this..."
Not even crying upon hearing the story Elexon had just told, the version of Reina's struggles in school already made Lia feel sad, yet proud. She felt she must be a good child going forward!
"I must be a good child from now on," Lia murmured, trying to strengthen herself.
Hearing this, Nils, Harzel, and Beile looked at Lia with flat expressions. Hadn't they already warned her to prepare herself? But look at her now, the little squirrel was crying like a waterfall.
"Didn't we warn you, Lia?" Nils, Harzel, and Beile asked almost simultaneously.
Lia wiped her tears while sniffling. "I didn't know it would be this sad!"
Everyone could only smile at Lia's innocent yet endearing crying.
"That's just your mother's version, Lia. You haven't heard your father's version yet. If you hear everything, you'll probably make a lake with your tears," Nils, Harzel, and Beile thought to themselves while looking at Lia with flat expressions. For some reason, they all had the same thought.
Meanwhile, Elexon could only pat Lia's back, who was now clinging to him even more tightly, soothing the little girl with warm words. In his heart, he whispered, "Grandpa will protect you all, no matter what happens, even if it means sacrificing my own life."
"You should have listened to us earlier," Harzel said with a sigh.
Nils grinned slightly. "You've lost the bet with us. So, you'll have to buy food for all three of your uncles later. With your own money, without asking Father or Mother for it."
Beile placed his hands on his hips. "Lia, you'll create an artificial lake if you keep crying like that. Besides, your uncles don't want to get a scolding from your mother. So, please stop crying."
Lia only cried harder after hearing her uncles' comments, making them exchange glances and shrug, giving up on dealing with the "lake of tears" forming in Elexon's embrace.
Elexon could only shake his head and sigh, then look at his three "devilish" children wearily. "Stop bothering Lia."
Lia, who was now upset, puckered her lips. "Next time, I won't lose! I'll win!" she exclaimed with determination. Then she added, "Let's just change it to a board game. The stakes are the same. If I win, you uncles must obey me!"
Nils looked at Lia from top to bottom lazily. Why did it have to be changed all of a sudden? Didn't the little squirrel want to admit defeat?
"I don't want to," Nils replied while crossing his arms. "You always lose at every game, including the bet earlier. So, you should keep your word."
Beile chimed in with a casual yet cutting tone, "Every time you lose, you always act like this. Or at least, it ends up with you complaining."
Lia, who was getting more and more upset, immediately asked Elexon to put her down from his arms. "Put me down now, Grandpa!" she demanded, kicking her legs in the air, trying to free herself.
Elexon sighed again but gently lowered his granddaughter. Lia, now standing on the ground, crossed her arms over her chest and said irritably, "Next time, I'll report to Daddy!"
"Hey, you can't report!" Nils called out in panic.
But Lia was already walking away quickly, her face full of anger. "Daddy, Mommy, Uncle is bothering me again!" she shouted while searching for her parents in her grandfather's garden.
"You also better not tell your mother that you heard Grandpa's story earlier. If she finds out, we'll all be in big trouble!" shouted Beile, recalling Elexon's earlier story.
Hearing that warning, Lia turned around. Her face showed a mix of indifference and mockery. Then, she walked away just like that, leaving the three uncles behind in stunned silence.
"Didn't she just say a moment ago that she was going to be a good child?" muttered Nils, half in disbelief.
"Apparently not," answered Elexon, the head servant, and Harzel in unison, glancing at each other while shaking their heads.