Chapter 74: Peiya Is Too Complicated for You to Handle
“N… no, I didn’t…”
Anna stuttered, her eyes unable to stop avoiding Elise’s gaze.
“If you’re going to lie even to me, then I don’t think there’s any point continuing this conversation.”
Elise turned around, ready to leave. Seeing that she was really about to go, Anna panicked.
“Wait…”
“What is it?”
“It’s me! It’s me, alright?!” Anna shouted loudly, as if trying to squeeze out the last bit of air in her lungs.
Elise took a step back.
“Sister, if I remember correctly, you came to ask me for help. So why does it feel like you’re trying to pressure me instead?”
Anna raised her head blankly. Only then did she realize, her younger sister had already grown into someone she barely recognized…
“I’m not. I just want to know what you would do. Please, Elise.”
“Is she really that important to you?” Elise looked into Anna’s eyes.
Anna shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s just that… after he left, I started to feel uncomfortable without him.”
“Then he is important,” Elise said calmly. “I’m not good at social things, so I don’t fully understand this. But I do know that relationships are complicated. Even you, sister, might not be able to handle them well.”
Anna looked up blankly, her eyes slightly red.
“I… can’t handle it?”
All her life, Anna had never looked this miserable.
She was the eldest daughter of the Anthony family, how could she admit defeat so easily?
But hearing Elise say this, she hesitated for once.
“Yes. Recently, I also made a very good friend. So I can understand your feelings a little.”
Elise imagined Peiya standing beside her and finally understood her sister’s emotions a bit more.
“I see… then what should I do to win him back?”
Even though Anna didn’t want to admit it, she asked this question without thinking.
“Don’t win him back. You’re the rising star of the Anthony family, the rightful successor. What kind of person wouldn’t catch your attention? If one is gone, just find another. After all, you’re the young lady of the Anthony family, everyone wants to get close to you, right?”
Elise repeated the very phrases Anna often used herself.
Anna’s face turned red in embarrassment.
“Be serious. I’m asking honestly.”
“Then why ask me? You can’t even figure it out yourself, what’s the point of relying on others? And sister, do you really think I’m someone who’s good at handling relationships?”
Anna: …
Elise wasn’t any better than her when it came to social skills.
“I understand now. Anyway, thank you for talking to me. I’ll go back first.”
Anna didn’t stay long. Before leaving, she sighed and said,
“But since you talked to me this much, I’ll give you a small piece of information. That person I used to partner with really liked honey candy. Maybe your friend has similar tastes. If not, just ignore me.”
“Honey candy?”
Elise was a bit surprised. She didn’t expect her proud sister to say something so… human.
Thinking carefully, Peiya did seem to like sweet things.
This suggestion might actually be useful.
But… she didn’t know how to cook.
If she just bought it, it wouldn’t feel sincere enough.
Elise felt a bit troubled, so she put the problem aside for now. Holding a feather pen and a map, she started marking and drawing on it.
Her main purpose for coming today was to explore the area. While Peiya was asleep, she wanted to finish the work early. Otherwise, Peiya would be exhausted again tomorrow checking materials.
After putting away the map, Elise returned to the campsite. She stood outside Peiya’s tent for a while, listening to the sounds inside. After confirming nothing unusual, she went back into her own tent.
…………………
The next morning, at dawn.
The sky in the distance began to brighten.
A thin layer of mist covered the hills, and the air carried the fresh smell of dew. The camp was quiet, with only a few bird calls breaking the silence.
Peiya rubbed her sleepy eyes and walked out of the tent. A cold breeze hit her, waking her up a bit more.
At that moment, she saw Elise not far away, crouching beside a flat stone, focused on something in her hands.
In front of her were some grass vines and a few flowers. Her fingers moved skillfully between them.
“What are you doing?” Peiya yawned as she walked over.
“You’re awake? Last night, I dreamed about this, so I tried to make it.”
Hearing that, Peiya became fully awake. She looked at the small grass ring in Elise’s hands and asked in confusion.
“It’s just a normal grass ring. Don’t tell me this is what you dreamed about?”
“I don’t remember clearly. I just know I was weaving a grass ring, and then…”
Elise placed the grass ring on Peiya’s head.
“Then I put the finished ring on your head.”
Peiya adjusted the ring on her head.
“What kind of strange dream is that? And I feel like it’s not just a simple grass ring, right?”
After what happened a few days ago, Peiya couldn’t help being cautious. She wondered if Elise was trying again to secretly play with her emotions, making her show those shy and awkward expressions for fun.
Even though she didn’t dislike it anymore… it still felt like she was being toyed with.
A bit annoying.
“That’s all. The dream just stopped there. Let me take it off for you.”
“No need.” Peiya held the flower ring in place, quickly coming up with a plan in her mind.
She couldn’t always let Elise take the lead. This time, she would take a small step forward too~
Peiya covered her mouth with her fingers and smiled softly.
“Actually, you haven’t fully woken up yet. I’ll help you finish the rest of your dream now. How about it?”
Elise looked at her in surprise, then her lips curved slightly.
“That’s an unexpected answer, Miss Peiya. Are you serious?”
“Hmph, of course I am. So, what do you want to eat for breakfast? I’ll make it now. After we eat, we’ll go challenge the Ice Bear King.”
“Just make something you like. I’m not even sure what I like to eat. Or rather… I like whatever you make.”
Elise pushed a basket forward, it was filled with vegetables.
“These vegetables still have dew on them. Did you pick them this early?”
“Yeah. I learned a bit from watching you pick vegetables yesterday. Take a look, are these usable?”
Peiya checked the basket.
“Of course they are. You got almost everything we need. Good job. Ahem… I mean, I am the god of your dreams. Do you want any reward?”
She placed the vegetables on a portable cutting board and looked at Elise, who seemed a bit stunned.
“A reward?”
Elise saw that Peiya was seriously playing the role of a “dream god.” She normally wouldn’t be interested in such childish roleplay.
But since it was Peiya…
She decided to indulge her just a little.