Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 1261 - 47 Vivian

Chapter 1261: Chapter 47 Vivian

"Hey, ha, hey," four little children chanted as they swung their makeshift weapons in the backyard, clashing and blocking with movements quite reminiscent of Catherine’s training sessions. Clearly, they had spent plenty of time observing Catherine sweating on the training field to mimic her actions so closely. Of course, it only looked similar in passing, as Catherine had never intended for them to become warriors, especially not for the sisters Michelle and Ansha. She wouldn’t actually teach them combat skills, so they merely mimicked the knight’s training maneuvers they observed. At the children’s feet, an excited white fox wagged its tail, darting around the kids, sometimes obstructively blocking their steps and rolling around with whoever it tripped, tumbling onto the soft lawn. The price it paid was to be embraced and have its soft fur ruffled by the child it tripped, leaving it disheveled. However, this wasn’t the main issue. The main problem was that the weapons in the four girls’ hands weren’t ordinary wooden swords or the toys of children, but... each held a stark white rib bone, clashing in the air and eliciting muffled thumps that brought out giggles from the girls.

Ever since returning from the Forest of Death, Little Deer had learned a new skill. This little one now was not content just to remove its skull and toss it about; it had learned to disassemble every single bone to entertain the sisters with. Missing pieces for playing cards or chess? No problem, just detach a handful of toe bones from its foot—perfect natural tokens. Need a pillar for building sand castles or block towers? No problem, use a leg bone, solid and sturdy. While feeling gratified that the four little ones were growing closer, Lina sometimes even started to worry, reflecting on whether she had done something wrong; she felt that Michelle and Ansha, whom she cared for like younger sisters, were becoming increasingly removed from what was considered normal. After all, she believed that a normal girl would never wave a pure human bone around and still laugh so happily.

But now, Lina could no longer be troubled by this, for she had fallen asleep, or rather, nearly all of the ladies had. The celebration held for the Mage girls had continued for quite a while. When the ladies, with their bellies round and full, jokingly came to the backyard, the usually composed Catherine was the first to suggest that such a joyful occasion couldn’t pass without some drinking. Everyone must have a sip; not having a sip simply didn’t count as a celebration. Thus, the three mages, who normally didn’t drink, including the oldest among the children, the servant sisters, were reluctantly made to drink a few sips of sweet wine, with Ava strictly excluded, of course.

Then, the situation got out of control. Nicole included, these ladies who had barely ever touched alcohol soon commented on how nice the juice tasted, questioning how it could possibly be alcoholic. Surely there had been a mistake; it couldn’t be alcohol. Well, if it wasn’t alcohol, then having a few more sips shouldn’t be a problem, right? Enticed by the fruit aroma of the sweet wine, more and more light wine made its way into their mouths. The more they drank, the more energized they became, the louder their laughter grew, until finally, close to midnight, they started dropping one by one, leaving only the four strictly forbidden children, still carelessly playing their games.

Even the original proposer, the best drinker Catherine, after her last cup of golden grape wine, gave a foolish smile to Pannis sitting atop a thick branch in midair, circled a finger around the fallen girls below, and comfortably closed her eyes without maintaining her usual alertness. After all, this is our home, he is here; with him by our side, home is the safest place in the world. Letting down her guard to rest her weary mind was surely okay. With such thoughts swirling in her head, the knight fell into a deep sleep with a sweet smile on her lips.

Pannis, of course, hadn’t slept. Soaked in alcohol for hundreds of years, a little wine couldn’t possibly fell him. He not only stayed awake but even became clearer with each sip, protecting the ladies down below and watching over the four joyously insane children, continuing to pour and drink in silence. Soon, the rustling sound began, and an activating rope formed by magic extended from the ground, carrying the petite Mage, Vivian, with it. Using her last bit of sobriety to climb the tree, Vivian heavily sat next to Pannis, involuntarily slumping into his embrace, comforted by his presence. She nestled in, finding a comfortable position to lie down, her eyes hazy, and intermittently said, "Pannis, you know, I’m so happy, really happy. I don’t feel empty or lost at all."

"I know, I know," Pannis gently stroked the young girl’s soft blue hair, his voice as soothing as a lullaby: "Have a good sleep. When you wake, greet the new day with joy."

"Hehe, hehe, I only know now that I was indeed wrong all these years." Vivian giggled and murmured, "I’ve always been afraid of dying silently and being forgotten by everyone. I forced myself to spread my name across the world, thinking that only then would I be happy, and only then could I leave this world in peace. Looking back now, I see that’s not it at all. What I truly wanted to pursue was never about these things."

"Yes, everyone actually understands." Pannis, like comforting a child to sleep, gently patted the girl’s back and softly said, "Catherine, Lina, Freya, they actually all know."

"Yeah, I think so too." Vivian said groggily, "I’ve finally figured it out. I don’t need the world’s approval; what I desperately strived for was just my beloved family patting my head and saying, ’Vivian, you’re wonderful, you’re our pride.’ That’s really all I want, just like those years before I fell ill as a child. Mom, Dad, I miss you."

"They are still here beside you, protecting you," Pannis said in a low voice. "They would be proud of you too."

"Hehe, so I am happy. Everyone is here with me, hehe, haha." The Mage girl giggled foolishly, gently clutching Pannis’s clothes, half-asleep mumbling, "Pannis, you won’t leave me, right? You will always be with us, right? We will always be together, huh, huh, huh."

"Always together, huh?" Pannis, with an arm around the girl in his embrace, suddenly drained his cup of wine, looked up at the three moons in the sky, and muttered to himself, "Who knows what the future holds."