Volume 2: Fleeting Light

After picking up Luna and the other two, the group left the Herbert estate in grand procession and returned to Celitia's new home.

The guards, having received rewards from Sophia, left with broad smiles.

The servants lined up at the door and bowed in unison to the returning group: "Welcome home, masters!"

Sophia and Celitia had no particular reaction, but Luna, Rebecca, and Gidi were quite flustered.

In their understanding, they should be among those servants' ranks.

Not being treated as masters by the servants like they were now.

Gidi was the first to react, hurriedly quickening her pace to join the servants' line.

Celitia was quick to stop her.

"Gidi, from today onwards, you are no longer slaves."

Celitia spoke gently, her expression extremely soft.

"Although I say this is your new home, if you want to leave, you can leave at any time. I will never stop you. You are free and can pursue your own wishes. If you had none before, then I hope you will have them in the future."

Gidi was stunned.

Her wishes?

Having been sold by her parents as a child and grown up as a slave, Gidi had truly never considered such things.

"My wish has always been simple."

Luna smiled and reached out to pat Celitia's head.

"I want to stay by Lily's side, watching you live peacefully, safely, and healthily, having your own happiness. That would satisfy me."

She tilted her head, looking at Rebecca: "Mom should feel about the same, right?"

Rebecca couldn't help but knock Luna on the forehead: "As long as you two let me worry less, I'll burn incense in gratitude!"

"But... I'm still not clear about what wishes I have..."

Gidi stood in place, nervously wringing her fingers.

"So, before that, could you share some of your wishes with me?"

Luna turned her head and smiled brilliantly at Gidi: "Of course."

"Oh my, I wondered why it was so lively—turns out the neighbors changed."

A lazy voice came from the doorway. An orange-red short-haired woman leaned against the entrance, carrying a black cloth bag.

"I was thinking of bringing some gifts over, in case I blow up my workshop someday and get hunted down by neighbors. But taking a closer look... isn't this my adorable little beauty?"

Celitia's mouth couldn't help but twitch: "Florence? What are you doing here?"

Florence jerked her chin toward the back:

"Your house backs up to my workshop. Is there anything strange about me coming here to look?"

Following her gaze, Celitia looked back and found it did seem familiar.

She had visited Florence's workshop once or twice, but never approached from this direction.

Florence's workshop entrance faced another alley, separated from here by just a wall. If not for her sudden visit, Celitia wouldn't have noticed.

After more than ten years of wandering around, she had actually become neighbors with Florence again.

Celitia's mood was quite complex—more precisely, she felt somewhat regretful.

What if Florence really did blow up her workshop?

This person not only couldn't afford compensation but would probably shirk responsibility!

Just as Celitia was considering whether to sign some kind of contract with Florence in advance, Florence suddenly walked over.

She casually put her arm around Celitia's neck and pressed the girl's head against her chest.

"...Florence! What are you doing?!"

The strong smell of alcohol rushed into her nostrils, making Celitia hold her breath on the spot.

Probably because they had been too familiar in the past, Celitia always lacked some wariness toward Florence, which was why she fell for her tricks so easily.

"Nothing much, just seeing you made me so happy that I wanted you to feel big sister's embrace."

Florence said with a grin, casually messing up her flaxen long hair.

"It's fine. Although yours are still a bit small, there's still room for development in the future. Maybe they can grow to be like mine?"

"..."

A hundred ways to kill Florence raced through Celitia's mind.

This woman was really becoming more and more hateful!

Besides, what was wrong with being flat-chested?

Being so big—wasn't walking tiring? Wasn't running troublesome?

Sophia watched in stunned amazement.

What?

A chest hug??

You could do that??

For some inexplicable reason, Sophia's jealousy and hatred toward Florence suddenly rose to a new height.

Sophia rushed over in two or three steps, placing both hands between the two and forcibly separating them.

She squeezed in front of Florence, like a fighting mother hen, firmly protecting Celitia behind her.

"Hey! What kind of person are you to be so rude?!"

Sophia's face turned redder than either of the parties involved.

What a joke!

This kind of thing, this kind of thing...

She had never even done it!

Celitia stood behind Sophia, arms crossed, snorting disdainfully through her nose.

"She's the alchemist I mentioned to you before who cooperated with me, Aunt Florence."

Celitia deliberately emphasized the word "Aunt" heavily, intentionally trying to disgust Florence.

Unfortunately, Florence had heard it too many times, and this level of attack could no longer break through her defenses.

Sophia was stunned: "The alchemist who made those strange pills?"

Sophia still vividly remembered the effects of those pills, and her gaze at Florence immediately became more wary.

"What's wrong? Those pills should have worked quite well, right? No one says my creations are bad."

Florence casually stuffed the cloth bag she was carrying into Sophia's hands: "Here, a housewarming gift for you."

Sophia instinctively caught it, then held it like a hot potato—neither throwing it away nor keeping it felt right.

This so-called gift wouldn't also contain some inexplicable curse, would it?!

Celitia mocked: "No matter how well you make them, it's useless. Aren't you still poor and destitute?"

"I don't like hearing that," Florence shrugged. "If you hadn't ruined my livelihood by exposing my work on fake gemstones, would I still not have earned enough money by now?"

"You have the nerve to argue when you're the one cheating people?"

"I'm telling you, don't set your moral standards too high, or you'll live very tiredly."

While the two were bickering, Sophia suddenly realized something, pointing at Florence with a trembling hand:

"It was you who created that fake 'Helms Magic Diamond' and almost made me spend a fortune buying it?"

"Ah—"

Florence quickly retreated several steps, flying to the doorway and flashing Sophia a big smile.

"You said 'almost,' which means I didn't actually deceive you, so it's not my fault. I'm leaving now! Also, my adorable Lily, don't forget our cooperation. I'll come find you again next time!"