CHAPTER 231: CHAPTER 231: DO YOU REMEMBER?

"Don’t disturb me again. How many times are you all going to break–"

Cassias’ words stopped in his throat. His eyes went wide before a smile blossomed on his face.

"Zizi!"

He immediately took a step back and scooped up the little fox from the ground. He was so happy, rubbing the soft fur he had missed so much against his cheeks.

It was a rare instance where he showed such a childish side in front of her. Usually, he would act like nothing in the world could influence his emotions.

"How have you been? You have gotten thinner," Cassias muttered in disapproval. "Did your–"

Zerra hurriedly covered his mouth with her paws. She already knew what he would say; it involved a dangerous entity called her mother. Now, she kind of accepted the tiger as her mother already. In the real world, the tiger had already adopted her as her cub anyway.

Especially after what she saw in the body owner’s memory.

"She has been refusing to eat, all because she wants to meet you." The tiger snorted unhappily, glaring at Cassias.

Zerra turned her head away, embarrassed. Why did her mother expose her like this in front of Cassias?!

Cassias stared at the tiger in surprise. He had the look of someone who had just realized she had been there the entire time. The tiger sneered and rolled her eyes. She resisted the urge to snatch Zerra back and returned to their nest.

"Your Excellency, I will take care of her meals," Cassias suddenly said.

Zerra’s mouth twitched. He was really fearless, challenging her mother like that. Wouldn’t that be equivalent to calling the tiger she couldn’t feed Zerra?

She dreaded her mother’s anger. Her eyes stared at the tiger unblinkingly, waiting for her to suddenly jump at Cassias to teach him a lesson. However, the tiger unexpectedly nodded. "Well, help me fatten her up then."

Zerra’s temples throbbed when she heard that. What did she mean by fattening her up?

"But don’t get cocky, you stinky cub. I will only let her stay here for a day and pick her up again by night," the tiger reminded.

The pleasant surprise on Cassias’ face cracked when he heard that, but he was quick in adjusting his emotions. His face was all smiles again. "Of course, Your Excellency."

"Take care of her well. If I see a strand of her fur missing..." the woman stopped, making a slashing motion with her finger. "I will make you responsible for it."

"Mother!" Zerra’s cheeks burned red in shame at this moment. Luckily, they couldn’t see it because of her thick fur. "Don’t make such an unreasonable request."

"Hmph." The tiger snorted. "This is only reasonable."

"Alright." Unexpectedly, Cassias agreed. He was still smiling. "Don’t worry about it."

After making sure Zerra remembered all the warnings she had told her, the tiger left them. Not before taking one last look at the fox cub.

They both watched as the tiger disappeared into the woods. After that, Zerra insisted on covering her little face with her paw. "Don’t listen to my mother, Cassias. I always shed fur every day, so it does not make sense. She was just joking..."

Although she doubted her mother was the type who liked to joke.

She was truly fierce, like the king of the forest. Compared to Nerith, who still had her soft side, the tiger was truly like a stern and strict professor.

Cassias nodded at her words, but it was unknown what his true thoughts were. He turned around with her in his arms and closed the door.

"You are finally back, Zizi!" He exclaimed like a happy eight-year-old, hugging her deeper to his chest.

She pursed her lips. "Didn’t I promise you? I always keep my promise unless something comes up and interrupts me!"

Cassias hummed in response, rubbing the top of her head. He put her on a new chair he had just recently made. The chair no longer looked like a failed product, and now between the chair legs were more in balance.

Zerra folded her legs. Her eyes followed his figure curiously. As soon as he disappeared into the kitchen, she closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she let out a sigh. Her mother had brought her to a competent healer–a turtle spiritual beast.

For a few days, the turtle gave her a medicinal bath, making her become a wet fox for a long time. On top of that, the medicinal dregs had colored her fur green.

Even her head became green.

This green color didn’t suit her, of course. It belonged to Laziel!

Besides the medicinal bath, the turtle also gave her some bitter medicine. She almost threw up a few times if not for her mother threatening she had to take it how many times she threw it up. So, she ended up swallowing it back no matter what!

She didn’t want to suffer her ruthless tigress mother’s tyranny repeatedly.

Although she still suffered a lot, she did indeed magically remember some of the body owner’s memories. Thinking of these memories...

"Zizi, eat some fruit." Cassias emerged from the kitchen, bringing a few baskets of fruit.

Her eyes widened. "Why so many?"

There were five baskets of them, and the two of them wouldn’t be able to finish them, surely.

Cassias pursed his lips. "Just pick whatever you like to eat the most."

Since Zerra wasn’t with him, he had gone out a few times to find these fruits. He even went to faraway places, only returning when it was already dark. He didn’t know why he was doing that either.

Probably because he didn’t like how quiet the house was without Zerra. It just magnified the feeling of loneliness. Before he knew it, he had gathered tons of them.

"It’s such a pity if the majority of them will go bad." She scrunched her little face.

Cassias was silent for a moment before he opened his mouth again. "We can share with the other cubs too. You should also bring some back home for your mother."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "Let’s go find these cubs now."

He pressed his lips together and nodded. They prepared to go out.

Zerra refused to be carried away by him, and she walked with her short legs, humming on the way.

"Zizi?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember your memories now?"