Black Ice ✓ | Deathsworn #1

Chapter 25 ∞ Return

The abbot, Master Len, decided to pass the time by playing a board game oddly similar to chess with me. It didn't take me long to know the rules, moving around my pieces and getting hilariously defeated. I could sense he was going very easy on me, but I couldn't help it! I was not very good at mathematics and this game sort of required that. I ended up scratching my head but still persisting, even though I was still quite bad at it.

It was fun, though. This might sharpen my dull brain a little.

"Evyionne," my mistress called, bursting into the tearoom and breaking my concentration. She looked a little worn out. "Come on, darling, we ought to go back already."

"So soon?" I pouted.

She sighed. "We'll come back again another day," she told me. "But for now, we must return to Venerya. Your mother will be dearly worried if we don't go back now. You know how she is."

Master Len stood from across me as I tried pulling myself out of a state of laziness that suddenly washed over. I willed myself to stand, but felt no motivation to do so at all.

"Thank you for indulging me on my request, Veronika. Please trouble yourself next time with another visit and do drop me a call once in a while. Should you need anything, I will be here to help you," the abbot said.

"Yes, Abbot." My mistress bowed deeply before him before walking forward to give him an embrace. "Thank you for today, and for looking after Evyionne."

"She is a very smart child," the abbot said, looking at me with the kindest eyes. "She reminds me of you when you were young."

My mistress smiled and held out a hand to me. I took it with no protest, considering I have been here for technically the whole day.

We then left the Temple of the Gods, bidding our goodbyes. Master Myrrh had gone off to confine himself in his room after the fight between himself and Mistress Veronika ended, so I was not able to thank him for his attempts of roping me into martial arts. I had fun with him, no matter how short our encounter had been.

The ride back had been quiet and uneventful. I immersed myself with the GV—geodevision—and all the things I could watch through it. I was glad the television version technology of this world finally got introduced, though I heard they still didn't have enough resources to produce stuff into watchable films.

Oh well, it wouldn't be long and they'd be having their own Hollywood.

When we landed on Venerya, I made sure to hoist my hood around my head. I was never too comfortable in directly showing my appearance at times, especially around here. People did indeed tend to stare.

"Evy!" Mistress Liane exclaimed upon seeing me. She ran forward and scooped me into her arms. However, she couldn't quite lift me, considering I wasn't the child I was once was. She looked at me in frustration and stuck with hugging me instead. "Agh. I missed you, little button! How have you been? Did you enjoy your time out? How was it? Your mother was quite not herself with you. I think I heard her crying last night."

Hellenia came forward, hitting Liane's head with a folded fan. "Don't spout nonsense."

"Ow! Did that sound like nonsense to you, Evy?"

I smiled and shook my head. I looked at my mother, saw the bags under her eyes and how weary she was, and dove forward into her arms for a hug. I missed her warmth and I missed her fussiness. It was just a day, but it felt longer. While I enjoyed having my time to see another place, I also felt more comfortable being home.

"Go get changed. I prepared your favorites," my mother lovingly told me, sweeping back my hood and caressing my hair. "I hope you had a nice time?"