ocean-life Chapter 227 "Whew, That Really Wore Me Out"
Chapter 227 "Whew, That Really Wore Me Out"
Nivalis nodded as if she understood, then curiously asked, "So what happened after that? Did she teach you anything else?"
Rita replied, "After that, I didn't see her for more than ten years because she said she felt embarrassed to come back. She told me that since she chose to live for her own happiness and let go of traditional responsibilities, she shouldn't come back and meddle in my life."
A light seemed to go on in Nivalis's head, and she exclaimed with sparkling eyes, "Oh! So, is it like how elder dragons in the nest push their young ones away while secretly hoping they grow strong quickly? Is it one of those 'say one thing, mean another' situations?"
"Not at all." Rita crushed Nivalis's fantasy without hesitation. "She's not the type to say one thing and mean another. If she says it, she means it."
Young Rita hadn't understood this, but as she grew older, she began to understand Eleanor's mindset more and more — if she didn't raise or take care of me, she had no right to act as an elder and judge my actions.
In a way, they shared the same stubborn streak.
Rita knew Eleanor had never remarried; she had always known. Adults might underestimate the connections kids could make, but Rita had her own ways. A quick call to some friends in B City or the neighborhood grannies could get her the scoop, paid for with a bit of pocket money.
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Of course, she didn't actually care whether her grandmother had found herself a new husband. That was Eleanor's business, not hers. But she couldn't help being curious. If her grandmother had split from her father over finding a new companion, why hadn't she remarried and reunited the family?
"Yeah, why not?" Nivalis asked.
Years later, Rita could finally answer that question: "Because she didn't care about Samuel."
Nivalis continued, "So... does that mean she didn't care about you, either?"
Rita sighed, "I don't know. It's hard to say... I'm not sure. All I know is she never allowed herself to be wronged."
It was likely an instinct or innate talent of these creatures.
Rita didn't want to risk whether Black Jade shared that talent, so she decided to observe the Lopez family instead. Since her vision of the future had shown Rick still working with them, keeping tabs on their activities should provide plenty of insight.
Unfortunately, the Lopez estate was surrounded by a **[Veil Screen]**, so her little spiders could only linger at the perimeter.
She placed three spiders labeled **"Rick's Fiery Little Pets"** on the estate's iron gate, waiting for the right moment for an important Lopez family member to leave for a dungeon, so they could hitch a ride.
Swapping skill stones, delivering a stone to the past, finding and killing spiders (while keeping them intact), renaming them while giggling to herself, and sending the little spiders on their mission to the Lopez family...
Ever since she returned home, Rita had been bustling around with a head of gray hair, sometimes donning a helmet and changing outfits.
Meanwhile, Nivalis sat on the couch, sipping juice and snacking. Each time Rita passed by, she would pause to stare at her with a very peculiar expression.
Finally, around 3 a.m., Rita finished everything. Her disguise skill wore off just as she plopped down on the couch, her appearance returning to normal. She grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge, opened it, and took a long, relieved sip.
She was exhausted. Rita let out a long sigh.
At the exact same time, Nivalis also let out a long sigh.
Rita raised an eyebrow. "What's with you?"
Nivalis slumped over on the couch, wiping her imaginary brow with her tiny paws, and said, "Finally done! That really wore me out."
Rita: "..."