Chapter 222 Feathers and Wings, Darkness and Death
Shu Xin was happy to learn that the acorns she had sown had grown into a thriving grove, but when she looked down at the small handful of blue feathers in her hand, she became somewhat puzzled:
"What are these feathers? Are they meant to be given to me as magical materials?"
Nono couldn't help but laugh:
“Your Highness, these are little gifts from the children. You can certainly use them as magical materials, but they would be even happier if you used them to decorate your wings.”
Shu Xin's mouth dropped open: "Huh?"
"Phifes, Phifis, will the Flower Fairy really like the feathers we offered?"
Cecilia asked somewhat nervously, with a group of flower fairies smaller than herself behind her. The children all flew over, both nervous and expectant.
Several blue-feathered birds, whose downy feathers had just sprouted but were already taller than the little flower fairies, hopped hesitantly around on the grass. The little fairies' aura was always pure, clean, and peaceful, while the big guy they surrounded had a magical aura that was both terrifying and approachable. The birds wanted to go over but didn't dare to, so they lowered their heads and pretended to peck at the grass a couple of times before raising their round, black eyes to look up.
Phifis was actually a head taller than the children, but still shorter than the blue-feathered bird chicks. She replied firmly, "They'll definitely like it! They'll definitely like it once they grow wings!"
"Liking to decorate wings" and "liking to decorate wings with feathers" are two different things! Xiao Feng, who came with Phifis, rolled her eyes, but unfortunately, her pupils were naturally white, so Phifis didn't notice at all.
Phifis was busy correcting the little flower fairy's way of addressing her:
"Mom's calling you home for dinner, Cecilia. Also, I'm older than you, you should call me 'older sister'!"
However, the little flower fairy insisted: "My mother had me first, and then you, Phifis, you should call me sister!"
The question of who the older sister was never resolved to a mutually agreeable answer, but the Flower Fairy's fondness for the beautiful feathers was quickly conveyed—
A patrol soldier brought over the Flower Fairy's return gift.
After learning about the habits of the Blue Feather Bird, Shu Xin was overjoyed. This meant that the ecological environment of the Land of Sin had entered a new stage, transforming the land from barren to a place of birdsong and fragrant flowers. There could be better news than this.
These beautiful blue feathers, which the children had collected or traded, left Shu Xin unsure of what to do with them. Putting aside whether she knew how to decorate the wings, the wings on her back didn't even have a physical form!
Anyone would feel uncomfortable if they suddenly had six pairs of wings on their back, all of them sparkling and shining, regardless of size. Shu Xin was able to get used to it quickly, thanks to the special nature of these wings being "visible but intangible".
To Shu Xin, these light and thin translucent wings looked like a 3D projection. Since they were on her back, she couldn't notice them at all unless she turned her head. Except for being too dazzling at night, they were practically invisible at other times.
The children's ideas were so cute and romantic. Shu Xin could imagine how much they would look forward to it—how wonderful it would be to see the beautiful feathers they had collected themselves on the fairy's beautiful wings!
Shu Xin also tried, but she really couldn't get the actual feathers onto her wings, which only had light and shadow effects. In the end, she had to refine some of the bright feathers and make them into small blue capes as gifts for the children.
The soldier in charge of the area brought over soft, light cloaks. Watching the children happily put on the beautiful blue cloaks and fly around like birds, she smiled and watched for a while before continuing her patrol.
If her eldest daughter were still alive, she would be about the same age as these children. Thinking of this, Lololi couldn't help but raise her hand and touch the magic wand tucked into her waistband.
The staff, made of blueberry wood, was entirely milky white and smooth, but a striking grayish-blue spot appeared at the tip. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an incredibly tiny magical ore. Strangely, it was not only an unrefined and unpurified raw ore, but also a piece of waste with almost no magical fluctuations.
This powerful flower fairy warrior, brimming with magic, was gently stroking the useless piece of ore with her fingertips.
This exquisite staff, specially crafted by the wand workshop for the patrol warriors, is a high-level weapon that Lololi could never have imagined in the past. But who could have imagined that a once lowly and filthy mine slave would become a glorious warrior after experiencing a drought? Even the most bizarre and absurd legends wouldn't have made up such a story.
Lolo was not born a slave. Her hometown was hit by a flood, and she lost consciousness in the overwhelming floodwaters. She lost everything: her family, her friends, her lover, her fields, her house, her free citizenship—all of it was taken away by the flood.
When she awoke in an underground mine where the magical fluctuations were so intense they stung her skin, she quickly realized that she had survived because she was pregnant—thanks to "the protection of the Flower Goddess."
Lolo didn't know if this was good or bad, just as she didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse from the gods.
She survived, and she quickly adapted to life digging for magical ores deep underground, as well as to injuries and hunger.
In the endless, nightmarish darkness, the tiny but real life inside her was so bright and vibrant. Lolo would wonder if the child would inherit her blue-green eyes or have warm, brown-red eyes like Popon's.
But where can sunlight shine into the abyss? Even though all the flower fairies in the mine did their best to take care of her, the pregnant woman, her first child still died shortly after birth three months later.
The tiny, tiny baby was so weak that it stopped breathing before it even opened its eyes, leaving no trace of its body as it vanished into the polluted air.
In that instant, she wished it was her who had died.
When Lolo Li awoke from her unconsciousness, facing the concerned and worried gazes of the flower fairy slaves, an endless rage suddenly erupted in her heart. What had her child done wrong? What had she done wrong? What had these poor slaves done wrong? Why did they have to suffer such pain and torment?
She could never get used to darkness and death!
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