Chapter 1026 - Rousing the Masses (1/2)

When Rhode opened the bedroom, the first thing to come into his view was Lilian’s thin, pale face. She wore thin pajamas, hugging her knees and curling up on the bed. She stared at the floor in a daze. No one knew what exactly she was thinking about. Or perhaps, she wasn’t thinking of anything. Christie and Bell accompanied her, but Rhode didn’t count on them to enlighten Lilian. At such a down period, it was always better to have someone by her side. If Lilian were all alone, the crazy thoughts could even lead her to commit suicide. Christie and Bell turned to the opening door and stood up after seeing Rhode.

“… Rhode…”

“…”

They went up to him, while Rhode gazed at them. He stroked their hair and asked, “How is Lilian?”

“…”

They didn’t speak, but Rhode had gotten his answer. Lilian continued to hug her knees on the bed, totally unaware of his arrival. She was like a sculpture, unresponsive to anything in the outside world. Rhode knitted his brows before smiling at the two little girls.

“Thanks for your help, Christie, Bell. Go and have a good rest. Leave the rest to us.”

“… Okay…”

Christie and Bell nodded, before looking at Lilian worriedly for the final time and leaving the room. Thereafter, Rhode led Sonia into the room. Sonia felt strangely complicated as soon as she saw Lilian. She exchanged looks with Rhode, went up to Lilian, and extended her hand.

“Your Majesty…?”

“…!”

Lilian shivered abruptly upon hearing Sonia’s voice. She looked up and the desolate pair of eyes reflected the image of Sonia. Her lifeless pupils gradually glinted like flares emerging in darkness. She raised her trembling right arm and reached for the young lady before her slowly. Then, she gripped Sonia’s clothes.

“Sonia…?”

“It’s me, Your Majesty. You…”

“Sonia? Sonia!”

Before Sonia finished her sentence, Lilian immediately pounced into her embrace and wailed. She buried her head into Sonia’s chest and whimpers came shortly after. Sonia presented a gentle smile, stretching her hand out to stroke Lilian’s hair.

“I’m… sorry… Sonia. If it weren’t for me…”

“It’s alright, Your Majesty. It’s all in the past. Everything is over. Don’t cry…”

Sonia consoled softly as she continued to caress the little girl’s long hair. Rhode stood aside, watching their moving reunion when suddenly, he twitched his brows. He finally understood why Lilian was so attached to Sonia. Perhaps this little fella had unknowingly treated Sonia as her mother. After all, the two archangels treated Lilian ordinarily, while Sonia accompanied her all day long. From morning when Lilian got out of bed to nighttime before sleep, Sonia was always by her side. For Lilian who had no parents, perhaps Sonia was the only kin she yearned for. Even though Rhode and Lydia treated Lilian well too, they had their own matters to attend to, after all, and couldn’t possibly accompany her all day. Judging from this angle, it wasn’t hard to understand why Sonia occupied such an important place in Lilian’s heart.

As for Sonia…

Rhode gazed at the young lady and suddenly realized that she had a unique temperament that she didn’t possess when she was with him. Could it be the so-called ‘motherly halo’? Sonia wouldn’t have treated and raised Lilian as her daughter, right? To be able to raise a Light Dragon… from a certain aspect, Sonia was truly impressive.

After a few moments, Lilian finally calmed her emotions under Sonia’s consoles. She sobbed, pulling herself away from Sonia’s embrace and shyly peered at Rhode who stood at the side. Lilian didn’t ask how Sonia was resurrected as she had heard the news from the church. But even so, she couldn’t forgive herself. This had something to do with her emotions. After all, no matter what, her stubbornness led to Sonia’s death and she couldn’t possibly think that it was no big deal for Sonia to die since she could be resurrected. If she did, she would really be a nasty brat.

“Thank you, Big Brother Rhode.”

After a few moments, Lilian and Sonia separated from each other. The little girl wiped her red, teary eyes and thanked Rhode for his help. Rhode looked at her in silence, before shaking his head.