It was a very Leticia-style response, but Melanie felt it was fine. Compared to a few days ago, this place had gradually regained its vitality since Leticia returned.
"If you have time, you could go chat with Eriko. I feel like she still has some doubts about us..."
"I know, I know. I can't be bothered with that stuff." Leticia waved her hand impatiently, signaling Melanie to get lost and stop disturbing her peaceful life... "You bastard, it's all because of you! It's all your fault!" A reprimanding voice, like dry wood, echoed endlessly in the dark space.
"Why is this happening? Where did Mother go?" A faint sound of sobbing followed immediately after.
"You are a jinx. It's all because of you... that... would..."
"No, that's not it!" The girl waved her hands wildly, trying to disperse the voices.
But her actions had no effect. On the contrary, they made the voices more numerous and louder.
Even covering her ears was useless; these voices seemed to ring inside her head, and she had no way to avoid them.
"Your heart is in turmoil." Just as the girl was kneeling on the ground, covering her ears and trembling, another gentle voice rang out. A warm embrace dispelled the fear in her heart. "Don't be afraid. You are no longer the person you were before. You are a new person now, and everything from the past has nothing to do with you."
"Really? Can I really escape everything from the past?" A single tear fell from the girl's eye. She was shaking; she was truly afraid that her current life was just a dream.
When she woke up, she would find that she had never left, and had never met that kind and enthusiastic girl.
"Of course you can, because I am... ah."
Yes, she was... "Remember, do not tell anyone who you used to be. You are Eriko now, and only Eriko."
"Yes, I am Eriko. I am only Eriko." A firm and unwavering light shone in the girl's emerald eyes. She never wanted to return to the past.
If anyone tried to make her go back, she would rather die... "Nothing much has happened lately. It's so peaceful, it's actually strange." Sitting on the sofa side-by-side with her sister, Leticia propped up her head, feeling a wave of sleepiness.
She had just eaten breakfast; this wasn't quite right.
Kira didn't notice anything unusual about her sister. She simply thought for a moment and replied, "Ever since Sister Bai Ling slew the various monarchs of the Foreign Races a few years ago, the world has generally stabilized. While there are still small skirmishes, large-scale warfare is unlikely to break out again."
No one dared to gamble on whether that god of slaughter would come back again. They didn't think their necks were any tougher than those of the monarchs who had been slaughtered.
The human race held a nuclear bomb in their hands, enough to keep all the Foreign Races from acting rashly.
"Sister, if it were a battle to the death, who do you think would have a better chance of winning, you or Sister Bai?"
"I would lose." Leticia yawned; there was nothing shameful in admitting it. "However, I could seriously wound her. If someone were there to land a finishing blow at that time, she would die."
Of course, if she were a bit luckier, she might be able to take Melanie down with her.
But that was the best possible outcome. Leticia never believed she had a chance of victory; in a life-and-death struggle against Melanie, she would absolutely die.
"If even Sister lacks confidence, then everyone else must be the same." Kira sighed. "The current peaceful situation only exists because of a powerhouse like Sister Bai who can suppress the entire scene. If one day Sister Bai were confirmed dead, the whole world would fall into the flames of war once again."
The sleepiness grew stronger, and a dull, rhythmic pain began to emanate from her lower abdomen. Leticia had a bad premonition.
Could it be that her 'relative' is visiting?
"Sister?" Kira finally noticed something was wrong.
"Help me call Candice and Luna over. I think... my 'relative' is here." Leticia stood up dizzily, wanting to walk back to her bedroom.
Kira quickly stood up and pressed her sister back onto the sofa, afraid her sister might take a tumble on flat ground.
"Sister, you should sit here for now. I'll go get Sister Luna and Doctor Candice right away."
A minute later, Candice, sporting a pair of dark circles under her eyes, came rushing over in her pajamas.
Luna was out shopping at the moment. Kira felt that even if she told her, the maid wouldn't be able to make it back in time, so she decided against it.
But with Candice here, there would be no problem.
"Yes, it's a normal phenomenon. Get plenty of rest, don't eat anything bad... Akira'er will surely handle that." After checking Leticia, Candice stated it wasn't a big deal, just a very common visit from a 'relative.' "Don't stay up late these next few days, and drink some brown sugar water or something."
"It's been a long time since I've had this experience," Leticia said with a helpless look, propping up her head.
In the past, she was tough and hardy, so she barely felt anything when her 'relative' visited.
This time, she was really suffering.
"Help Her Majesty back to her room to rest first. Generally, the reaction is only most obvious in the first few days. Once you get through these days, you'll be fine." Candice stood up and adjusted her monocle.
After helping her sister back to her room, Kira walked out and asked Candice, "Is everything really okay?"
"At most, she'll lose a little blood. Compared to what Her Majesty burned off herself, it's just a drizzle." Candice nodded. It was just a normal physiological phenomenon; there was no need to worry at all.
Hearing Candice's serious assurance, Kira also breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though she knew it was normal, she still felt a bit flustered when it actually happened.
Perhaps she could have Sister Luna buy some nourishing things on her way back? Kira thought... "Hmm?" The message from Kira gave Luna a thoughtful expression.
Nourishing things, and some more brown sugar?
Has Her Majesty's period finally arrived?
Calculating the time, it seemed about right.
"Ahem, Akira, can we continue?" Luna's distraction caused the green-haired girl sitting opposite her to cough awkwardly twice.
The girl wore a gray robe, her face hidden by a hood, with only two strands of emerald-green hair visible at the sides of her head.
"We're old acquaintances, why be so formal?" Luna smiled.
"There are many eyes and ears here. I'm not as inconspicuous as you." The girl glared at Luna and whispered, "Is there really no clue?"
"It's a lie. What's the use of you knowing?" Luna picked up the glass in front of her and took a sip of juice. "I remember you're one of the few Empress-faction members, aren't you?"
"Rumors are flying within the race now, and those old fogies are fueling the fire from behind, saying this Insect Plague was orchestrated by Her Majesty to seize power. How shameless!" The girl slammed the table indignantly. "Her Majesty is just a puppet held in the hands of the Elder Council. How could she possibly do such a thing?"
Indeed, the Insect Plague the Elf Race suffered was entirely a man-made disaster.
At this point, @Mastermind Miss Kira.
"You already know she's a puppet, yet you're still loyal to her?"
"I just don't want any good person to suffer an undeserved calamity, no matter who she is."