Chương 60: Even crow doesn't give face

Thud!

Lireesa slapped the desk in front of her hard and inhaled a few deep breaths from losing control. She was sure Sena said this on purpose and realized her friend was testing the water. So, Lireesa ignored her last sentence and asked instead, "Is Alleria nearby? Give the device to her. I wanna talk with her for a moment."

Although Sena didn't receive a response, there was no denial and her dream was not hopeless, getting nearer and nearer to her goal with each passing day. There might be a chance to overthrow Lireesa on the bed. Sena gladly adhered to what Lireesa asked for and went to Alleria who was sleeping at the moment. She paused feeling unbearable to wake her up and told her thoughts, "Lireesa, Alleria is exhausted and still sleeping. Why not talk later when you come to us?"

"Alright! It's better for her to have a recovery sleep. For now, I'll be waiting for your lift; don't forget to send a dragonhawk back for me to ride." Lireesa said after discovering her daughter was sleeping and it worried her when her sight couldn't be on her daughter, thoughts raging from anxiousness toward Alleria's injury.

"Hmm. Stop whiny, I heard you." Sena voiced her annoyance. "Well, it appears your daughter has woken up. Her open eyes are staring at me now. Do you wanna talk with her."

It was just a rhetorical question not looking for an answer. Sena already gave the device to Alleria as soon as she finished but still used her own mana for communication since Alleria's mana accumulation was too low to sustain. With a hoarse groan, Alleria's sound came into Lireesa's ears relieving her previous tension, as if her daughter's presence only could assure herself. "Mom, I heard you want to talk with me?"

"Good morning sweetie, I'm sorry. Me and your Aunt Sena don't mean to wake you up." Lireesa said with a gentle tone completely different from the previous interaction. "I heard from your aunt, you fought with a stronger opponent and you won, but you needed to sleep to recover. Are you okay now, darling?"

"I'm fine, mother. It's just my mistake to misjudge that bastard's strength. But in the end, I won. Don't worry apart from being squeezed, there is no injury." Alleria comforted her mother straightaway to prevent further nagging. "And good morning to you too, Mom."

Lireesa's face went blank after listening to her daughter's understatement. Being squeezed wasn't an injury? Luckily, the situation didn't further deteriorate. Despite being told by Sena, everything was alright, in Lireesa's opinion, Alleria must be examined thoroughly by a professional healer to avoid hidden trauma from affecting her daughter's future. Being squashed by someone the same size or an average troll wouldn't faze Lireesa, but the culprit was a berserker-type troll according to Sena's narration.

Lireesa phrased her words inside before speaking: "Alleria, Mom is proud of your deeds; you never shame your surname. Even back in my youth, I didn't dare to be like you to challenge the unknown. Yet, you succeeded, even if it's through some luck. The important factor is your courage. To be frank, I'm really reluctant to let go of you at the moment."

Alleria was flattered and her sleepiness was gone; although Lireesa said nothing except for some compliments, it really boosted her confidence knowing her mother would always be behind her. She listened to Lireesa's speech and her lips curled more. Lireesa continued: "Based on your deeds and your display of strength, every guard already understands your character and willpower. You were born extraordinary as I have named you the same name as my mother who I looked up to till this day. You, my daughter, have convinced your future followers you possess sufficient capabilities to inherit my position in the future. The path which I've set beforehand seems redundant and even without my planning I believe you'll shine like gold anywhere. So, do you still want to resist inheriting my position? I'm only waiting for your words."

Initially, Alleria listened with glister to her mother's powerful support, but as she heard more, the topic tended to dwell in another direction where she resisted a lot in previous times. Even though she realized her mother's dreams and expectations, even after knowing about some future crisis, Alleria wouldn't relent on this issue and reckoned her second sister seemed suitable to become an heiress. When her mother asked this question on the device, black lines appeared on her forehead; she felt fortunate, this device only had voice function.

Yet immediately after her mother paused voicing her tentative inquiry about her thoughts, it seemed she heard crows cawing above her amidst the peaceful chirpy nature.

Cah! Cah!

Exactly like Alleria's mood, her imagination even perceived such a reply to her mother. She shook her head in dismay at why her mother hadn't relinquished this particular arrangement. And Alleria looked to her right, where Sena half-knelt beside her to deliver her mana to sustain this magic device. She discovered Sena bowed her head to the point even Alleria couldn't see her expression, but she saw Sena's body trembling in contrast to her dejection. Sena really enjoyed other sufferings.

What her mother said next stomped her into puzzlement.

"Did I just hear a crow's sound from your side or is it me hallucinating at the moment." Lireesa's voice appeared annoyed for no reason until Alleria noticed her mother's mentioning crows. She stopped what she was about to continue next and glanced at Sena beside her, who also returned the same gaze. Four eyes lingered on the glimpse and looked upward.

Cah! Cah! Cah!

The two discovered the culprit on the branch of the tree they rested upon, a crow gawked at them and tilted its head, swiveling its head to the side as if to mock them. Didn't know if they were thinking too much, this crow seemed to have rolled its eyes at them just now. Alleria's and Sena's eyes met again and the corner of their mouth twitched.

"Mother, maybe you thought too much, there are no crows on our side. It could be from your side though." Alleria hurriedly replied and her face became stern to warn the crow to not make a sound.

"Really?" A hesitant voice from Lireesa on the other side caused both of them to gloat inward and their shoulders wobbled nonstop. "But I also checked my surrounding and there is no crow here. It appears I'm too tired to even imagine a crow laughing at my words."

Perhaps because controlling laughter was extremely challenging for the current situation, Alleria and Sena sniffled and their slight sound was instantly captured by Lireesa's sharp ears. It was impossible for her to even have delusions their familiars were snickering at her. "Did you girls just chuckle? Prove me wrong though, I'm sure I heard it."

"No, Mom. You heard it wrong."

"Yes Lireesa, we're doing anything but what you said."

Both of them retorted to prove their innocence. But it didn't last long; even heaven disagreed with their lies and the two slapped their forehead giggling.

Cah! Cah!...Cah! Cah! Sena threw the device away as if she predicted everything and sure enough.

"Kill that bastard for me! Shoot it down!" Lireesa roared into the device after discovering there really was a crow near Alleria, ridiculing her statement, and closed the communication.

Sena watched the device and discovered Lireesa went offline. Her face beamed for having an opportunity to taunt her friend. It was rare she found the method without fearing Lireesa's wrath. Alleria also chuckled though she never once had an idea to bemock her mother. The two laughed out loud and rolled around the grass, capturing the attention of the rangers nearby, whose faces turned strange as if uncovering a new continent. The two were having fun together instead of the usual bickering. Sena then called one of them and ordered, "Send my command to the dragonhawk messenger: Pick up Lady Lireesa from the manor."

Enjoyment was what Sena spent her time mostly on but she was still responsible for important events. She couldn't help but notice her subordinate's more jubilant expressions after realizing their Lady Lireesa was going to fight alongside them. It appeared Lireesa's prestige was obviously better than hers and she couldn't help but tease: "Oh, it seems you girls like Lady Lireesa than me in charge of command."

Afterward, Sena waved her hands away in a dismissal after seeing the ranger's almost tearful eyes, frightened by her threats of reducing their salaries. Of course, she wasn't really implementing the idea and her idea was to banter around, although she herself had this power.

...…

Lireesa after shutting down the communication tools, exhaled in anger and slouched herself. Her eyelids remained twitching nonstop. Didn't know whether the cause was due to anger brought by the crows or embarrassment in front of her daughter. Naturally, she knew for a fact, they weren't really killing a crow. For elves who loved nature, it was rare for them to destroy the ecology of the forest, even if it was one vexing crow.

Lireesa mentioned the inheritance albeit having the knowledge of Alleria's resistance wasn't to impose such a position on her daughter; rather it was to remind her that as Windrunners they still had a huge responsibility in the future and told Alleria in a subtle way to grow up and became her help as soon as possible. Instilling these thoughts before maturity was horrendous to the eyes of onlookers but who knew her daughter was even older than their mother mentally though she wouldn't accept the age after memory fusion.

She signed in exasperation for the goodness done by the despicable crow disturbing her sermon. Lireesa went out and sat in the dining hall for breakfast, waiting for her daughters. Soon, Sylvanas and Vereesa came after washing up. They appeared strict, not daring to speak a word because of the gloominess exuded by their mother. Until Lina came in hopping on the chairs, Lireesa's aura dissipated and they were relieved.

Lireesa's glumness dispelled by Lina's lively glow, she thought her youngest daughter really deserved her pamper to even wash away her previous despondency. Her childlike chatter always failed to let Lireesa's mouth to remain stagnant but to smile more.

Lina asked curiously looking at her mother, "Are we leaving for Silvermoon today?"

Sylvanas and Vereesa forgot about the trip and watched Lireesa for confirmation, who patted Lina on the head and replied lovingly, "Yes, we're going today. Eat first and follow your sisters' arrangement."

Lireesa nodded at the maids beside to relay her order, who also responded by curtseying.

"You two also, prepare for a trip." Lireesa's eyes stayed on her two elder daughters. Sylvanas and Vereesa glimpsed at each other and said nothing.

Lireesa's plan was to send her family and other members who were following on this trip first while she solved the issues on Sena's side. Because travel was by carriage, the trip would take them about three or more days. She believed she had enough time to extinguish the legend threat on the frontline before regrouping with the tour. Perfect plan, she thought, forgetting the depression caused by the previous crow out of her mind. Lest she suffered a brain hemorrhage.