Maria imitated him with increasing frequency, despite his gentle discouragement.
Zhao Lun devised various strategies to divert her attention to activities she enjoyed, but Maria adeptly delegated these tasks to her minions.
Left speechless, Zhao Lun went to prepare breakfast.
Maria unearthed a cage, entrapping the small creatures found beneath the puppies' paws. She then supervised them in filling the holes they had dug before leading the puppies away to play. She tossed the cage, prompting the puppies to retrieve it. The frightened creatures squeaked, spinning frantically, and managed to escape, burrowing into the ground with astonishing speed.
"Huh?" Maria's wide eyes filled with disbelief.
The puppies barked softly, attempting to coerce the creatures out of their hiding place.
Once underground, the creatures vanished, leaving Maria helpless.
During mealtime.
"Brother, the creature escaped," Maria murmured, handing him the empty cage.
"It escaped? What happened? Tell me," Zhao Lun comforted her, stroking her head as he guided her to wash her hands before seating her at the table.
"It somehow unlocked the cage and fled," Maria explained, showing him the cage. "It burrowed away and disappeared." She described the event in detail, even dragging Zhao Lun to the hole, necessitating another handwashing.
"Let it be. We'll eat now," Zhao Lun decided, shelving the incident.
With the elegant tableware procured from House, the tension dissipated as they dined. Afterward, they brewed tea, shedding all worries.
Their treasure hunt at House's estate was but a whimsical diversion, enriching their daily lives.
Adorned with exquisite tableware, Maria indulged in an extra bowl of soup, followed by a pot of tea and a trial of coffee.
As frost descended and temperatures dropped, the children bundled up in extra layers.
The village buzzed quietly as each household adorned their homes with pumpkins, donned masks, and paraded in peculiar costumes.
It was then that Zhao Lun and Maria realized Halloween had arrived.
Maria watched the children wistfully, unable to join due to the villagers' exclusion. Neither would she lower herself to beg for inclusion.
Zhao Lun, intrigued, guided a despondent Maria and their maturing puppies to Triss Town, intending to purchase pumpkins, candles, masks, and costumes. They aimed to decorate their home festively.
The town bustled more than the village, with large pumpkins displayed and sweet pumpkin pie aromas wafting through the streets.
Zhao Lun bought some pumpkin pies, finding them delightful. They gathered their desired items and hurried home to decorate. The puppies merely accompanied them, exploring the town. The local pet shop owner, upon seeing the now robust puppies, marveled at their transformation, scarcely believing they were the same Labrador pups sold to Zhao Lun.
On Halloween night, the village glowed with pumpkin lanterns. Masked children, dressed as ghouls, knocked on doors, demanding treats.
Zhao Lun and Maria, donning masks and leading the puppies, joined the children in trick-or-treating, indulging in the festivity.
Some adults escorted children for treats, while others roamed the streets as ghosts, adding to the playful chaos.
Adults and children mingled, laughter and merriment prevailing. Time flew until late night, when the townsfolk dispersed. Zhao Lun and Maria, returning home, noticed familiar figures, prompting them to pause.
The puppies, recognizing the figures, prepared to bark.
"Shh, quiet," Maria hushed them, gripping Zhao Lun's hand, observing the ghosts intently.
These apparitions were more grotesque than House's—long tongues, mutilated heads, bloody bodies. Limbless and scarred, they embodied tragedy.
Maria stood stunned.
The ghosts passed by, unseeing, their movements stiff.
"These ghosts are pitiable," Maria whispered, thinking of House. "They're worse off than House."
"Indeed," Zhao Lun agreed.
Having encountered ghosts before, they weren't scared but reminded of House and his gifts.
House's generosity had eased their lives. Maria deemed him a benevolent ghost.
November came and went swiftly, bringing colder winds and morning frost, leaving the village quieter as its inhabitants delayed leaving their warm beds. Only Zhao Lun's courtyard consistently exhaled smoke from its chimney.
The villagers subconsciously ignored their home, seldom approaching. Those who did fled upon seeing Maria, treating her as a frightful specter.
After Halloween, Maria cursed the villagers for their rejection, and misfortunes befell them—slips, choking incidents, and severe accidents plagued them.
The villagers' fears grew, avoiding Zhao Lun and Maria's home, wary of invoking more misfortune. The families most affected eventually moved away.
Unaware of the curses' impact, Maria was oblivious to her powers, her curses mere mutterings, unknowingly manifesting harm to those harboring ill will towards her. Zhao Lun was equally unaware.
Winter intensified.
The puppies, Ivy and Shadow, now outgrew their infancy, their sharp teeth a formidable weapon. They grew rapidly, seemingly accelerated by the mystical spring. These Labradors no longer resembled their breed, appearing as a unique species.
Ivy's fur, once yellow and white, gleamed golden, radiant as sunlight.
Shadow's fur, sleek and black, shimmered with a reddish hue, reminiscent of a serene night.
They exuded an undeniable allure, captivating all who saw them.
Outside, frost encased the world, but the divine realm remained warm. Tended by the flower fairy, it transformed from barren to blooming, vibrant with flowers and thriving trees.
At the heart of this paradise, flowers flourished beyond their natural splendor, filling the air with intoxicating fragrance and dazzling colors.
The flower fairy, blissful, flitted among the blossoms, singing, collecting pollen and dew to craft her beloved floral elixir.
For the flower fairy, a world brimming with blooms was a haven, her joy simple and pure. This flourishing divine realm was her sanctuary, her paradise she would never forsake.
Gazing at the flowers, Zhao Lun pondered the idea of beekeeping, envisioning honey production.
Yet, his greatest joy was the revival and expansion of the divine realm, a sign of...