Chapter 211: Chapter 47 Return to the Vatican_2
As tears welled in her eyes, Sasha said, "Yue Yue, my sweet girl, it’s good to have you back, it’s really good. Mommy won’t be angry with you. Come here, let mommy have a good look at you." She lifted Xuan Yue’s delicate face, wiped the tears off, and planted a soft kiss onto her forehead. "Ah! Yue Yue, you’ve lost so much weight, you look so haggard. It couldn’t have been easy for you."
Xuan Yue gently shook her head and said, "Mom, I’m fine. I didn’t have to go through any hardships. Let’s go home."
"Alright, let’s go home. Mom will make you something nice to eat. You’ve got to eat more! And don’t run off again. You’re my dearest baby. If anything were to happen to you, I don’t know what I’d do!"
Xuan Ye wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and spoke softly, "Let’s go, we’ll talk more at home." The family of three navigated through the majestic Light Magic Temple, making their way to the residence behind the Prayer Temple where the Red Robe Priest lived.
Seeing her mother again calmed some of Xuan Yue’s yearning for Ah Dai. Sasha held her hand as they sat on the bed. "Yue Yue, tell Mama what you’ve been up to while you were away. Did you come across any sort of danger?"
Sasha’s words triggered Xuan Yue’s memories. Recalling the events of past month, the storms she weathered with Ah Dai, brought a distant look to her eyes. She murmured, "Mom, what does it feel like to be in love with someone?"
Startled, Sasha glanced at her husband and asked quietly, "Yue Yue, what’s the matter? Have you fallen for someone?" She was all too familiar with the look of confusion in Xuan Yue’s eyes from her own days around Xuan Ye. Could her daughter, barely sixteen, have her first crush? She marvelled secretly at the change that had taken place just within a month’s time, and wondered who possessed such charm to transform her mischievous daughter completely.
Xuan Yue shook her head and said in a whisper, "Mom, I don’t know. I want to visit grandpa."
Xuan Ye frowned slightly and said, "Your grandfather is practicing Magic. It’s better not to disturb him." He too, was eager to meet the Pope as soon as possible and tell him about the events that unfolded at Tian Gang Mountain. The existence of Tian Gang Sword Sect was now a threat to the temple’s authority, and he needed to devise a strategy with his father. Decisions about such significant matters should be made by the Pope.
Sasha advised, "You should take Yue Yue to see him. The day before yesterday, father finished his refining session and has been in solitary meditation in the Prayer Temple. It’s been a while since you both have seen him, you should go."
Xuan Ye considered it, and then said, "Alright. Yue Yue, why do you want to see your grandfather? You wouldn’t normally want to see him." When Xuan Yue was born, the Pope applied a Divine Blessing to her and discovered she was born with a Light Physique. Her potential even surpassed her father, Xuan Ye, and so ever since she could understand, the Pope would invariably force her to practice Magic. Xuan Yue was born playful, and knowing her parents adored her, she would always slink away, causing the Pope to love her in frustration, unable to reprimand her.
Xuan Yue lowered her head and said, "Dad, I want to learn Light Magic with Grandfather."
Xuan Ye and Sasha were taken aback, and Sasha felt her daughter’s forehead in surprise, saying, "Honey, what’s happening here? You don’t have a fever! Why are you talking nonsense, have you changed your mind? Didn’t you despise practicing before? And why do you want to practice now?" Even if you wanted to practice, letting your father teach you would be enough."
Xuan Yue bowed her head again and said, "Mom, I’m okay. I just feel my own strength is too weak. I’m nothing on this continent! Didn’t Dad and Grandpa mention that a Millennium Catastrophe is looming? I want to contribute something to the temple too. Practicing with Grandpa, I might learn faster."
Xuan Ye was taken aback. His daughter was implicitly criticising his skills. He was the youngest Red Robe Priest in the temple after all! However, he was also excited that after going through trials and tribulations, she was finally willing to learn Magic. Maybe this could distract her from that foolish boy.
Sasha scrunched her forehead, her gaze flickering. For a moment she held her daughter by the shoulder, and said, "You’ve just returned. Rest for a day. Go lay down and take a nap. Once you are awake, let your dad take you to Grandpa, okay?"
In the midst of her mother’s soft voice, Xuan Yue gave a small nod and crawled into her comfortable quilt. Sasha tucked her in, gently stroking her long blue hair. Drowsiness overtook her under the familiarity of her mother’s warmth. The past few days had taken a toll on her, and within minutes, she was fast asleep.
Sasha stood up from her sleeping daughter, pulled her husband out of the room and into their own bedroom. Once the door was closed, she scowled at her husband, "That rascal! Next time you go find our daughter without informing me. And look at her, what happened these past few days? She seems to have changed a lot. Did she have to suffer a lot?"
Xuan Ye looked pitifully at his wife and said with a bitter smile, "Sasha, remember I’m one of the Four Red Robe Priests, so let’s not call me a ’rascal’. I went alone to find Yue Yue because I wanted to spare you from worrying. I initially thought of bringing you along but I didn’t want you to get tired from travelling. So, I went alone."
