Chapter 1282: Chapter 991: In Etienne Valley (2)
Next week, the committee mbers, much smarter than her, raised questions—they said she had no property deed, and even if she did, they were long outdated. No laws, kings, or organizations could prove Madam dusa had the right to occupy the Etienne Valley. Madam dusa was speechless.
Soon, the excavators and bulldozers ant to level Madam dusa’s house gathered at the valley’s entrance, and Xu Cheng rummaged through boxes, looking for his gun.
Laila wasn’t planning a shootout; she instructed Madam dusa to write to the Planetary Council and the New Witch Council. It was then that Madam dusa learned how to send emails.
The New Witch Council was stunned and even terrified upon hearing that Lady Farosa’s mother was being disturbed. If Farosa found out, millions on Terra would die. Over a thousand ships blocked the Gaul Committee’s doors that day, including witches from Gaul on the banks of the Seine River. They were heartbroken and scolded the committee mbers harshly. The Seine was crowded. Lacking a photo, people used portraits to depict Madam dusa as an ancient Gallic goddess. The Gaul Committee dissolved in sha and fear. From then on, all those coveting the valley kept silent—the borders were never crossed, and Madam dusa’s rights were fully respected.
Madam dusa had no knowledge of the outside world and noticed only that she hadn’t been disturbed for a long ti. She had won, defending her ho and land, and was proud from the bottom of her heart. The Planetary Council ended the review process, and later visitors were much more polite, delivering a new land deed, allotting her 10,800 square kiloters to pass down the Etienne Valley through generations.
Along with the deed was a detailed map, and for the first ti in her life, Madam dusa saw her ho from a satellite map; the Etienne Valley was so large—no wonder the committee was desperate to annex it. She felt sympathy for her failed enemies. Madam dusa then saw her house and orchard clearly captured by space satellite imagery, both amazed and afraid, and she stopped bathing in the creek.
She placed a sign by the mountain road and wrote “De Aquilia family” beside a mailbox. Three tis a week, friends and supporters sent mail and packages filled with morabilia, magazines, newspapers, trendy electronic products, and Chishiki’s weekly letters and postcards. She recorded her gas and gatherings, leaving spaces for Xu Cheng, Bubble, and Laila.
After the victory, Xu Yang continued to live there long-term, only leaving once when Nidelaide and Seeking Shadow, along with Vierre, decided to move together.
Many found Farosa quite impressive, but they hadn’t seen Madam dusa. Her voice and presence bestowed elegance upon Xu Yang.
Perhaps it was due to the image collected from Farosa’s mory, or perhaps it was her nature.
From Xu Yang’s experience, he believed it was her nature.
Sotis they stayed together. She didn’t want to disturb the children, so she always bit her lip and, with a pleading look, urged Xu Yang to hurry.
“This place can’t be without you.” Xu Yang said one day.
“But it’s still unusual.” Madam dusa replied with a confused and shy look that always made Xu Yang’s heart flutter.
“What’s unusual?”
“Things around used to be simple; relatives having children out of wedlock, beggars passing by the gate, the village people’s scandals, or the local nobles organizing sothing, and the tax officials wanting to take people away… Now it’s different, very different. The children teach to read the news, there are a million things happening in the world every day, and then there’s the committee from before.” Madam dusa said wearily.
“It’s all over now; what happens outside has nothing to do with us.” Xu Yang said. “Farosa isn’t here now; otherwise, she could talk with you more.”
“Ah, Farosa. I never imagined giving birth to a witch. In the countryside, having a girl is already troubleso, let alone a witch. Poor people fear, rich people fear; coming close to a witch ans death or injury. But when I saw Farosa, pride flowed from my head to my toes, and I knew I had to raise her.” Madam dusa smiled.
“I’m proud of her too.” Xu Yang nodded. “You know, many witches, upon just knowing you gave birth to Farosa, that one thing alone, is enough for them to revere you with awe and wonder.”
“I don’t care about that; having Farosa and our family is enough. I’m more worried about Helena; she won’t grow up.”
“Not growing up is a privilege in itself.” Xu Yang cared about Helena, she and Xu Cheng seed to have an unspoken connection; sotis they’d burst into laughter without a word, as if they thought of sothing amusing together.
“Perhaps this valley holds Helena back.”
“Helena’s smarter than Easter.” Xu Yang said.
“Easter cries alone at night, like a baby.”
“I hope she can move on; this valley is the perfect place for that.” Xu Yang said, “And what about you? Would you like to learn to drive? We could drive out together.”
Madam dusa gazed thoughtfully at Xu Yang.
“I don’t really care, everything about is properly settled. I haven’t read as many books as you, but I’ve heard a few poets’ songs, and they all end with sothing like ‘Mary and Roro lived happily ever after.’ Look at you, you’ve made many people happy, changed their destinies, and now it’s your turn. Settle down, you and Farosa should get married. ‘You and Farosa lived happily ever after,’ wouldn’t that be a good ending to your life?” she said.
“Okay.” Xu Yang said.
He didn’t know why he agreed in an instant. Maybe he himself admitted that the ti was ripe. Maybe it was because Madam dusa’s tone, like saying to her child, “It’s ti to grow up.”
It’s ti to grow up.
“I’ll go soon,” Xu Yang said, “but I want to stay here for a little longer.”
“Stay as long as you want.” Madam dusa smiled.
After that, Xu Cheng and Laila planted many vegetables, and Bubble planted sweet potatoes behind the hillside by herself. In autumn, they road the valley, collecting fruit and making a lot of jam, all neatly placed in the food cellar. They were dedicated to filling the cellar, so that when the ti ca, they could live off the mountain and still not run out for ten years.
Laila was the happiest because Farosa nad her Laila dusa. Now Laila finally could et her “grandmother” in person. She was strong and also very diligent. A few months later, Easter stopped crying, as if returning to her serene state as the Witch Empress.
Later, Xu Yang received a ssage that he had to leave this place and return to the Eastern Hemisphere, to the Northern Archipelago.
On the first day of winter, Xu Yang went to the mailbox at the valley entrance to receive a package. Among them was an airmail parcel containing a cara he had ordered. He took it to take group photos for everyone in the valley. Before leaving, he wanted to leave so mories, not just for himself, but for them, for everyone.
Madam dusa learned photography; she was stubborn and insisted on taking the photos herself, and never included herself and Helena in them.
“I’m afraid we won’t appear in the photos, as we are the ones who don’t exist.” Madam dusa was clever, knowing they should have vanished at the end of the tiline.
“No, you won’t.” Xu Yang assured.
“I don’t dare.” Madam dusa shyly smiled.
She continued taking photos of others. On the day Xu Yang left Etienne Valley, Madam dusa took a group photo of them, with Helena standing next to her, staring blankly.
Madam dusa pressed the shutter, and in the photo, Xu Yang stood in the center, in the pri of life; Easter held a bouquet of flowers with both hands, slightly turning her head and smiling; Xylophia stood like an ice sculpture; Xu Cheng made a “V” sign towards the cara, Laila raised her chin gracefully, like an exotic princess, and Bubble sat quietly, with her green hair draped.
After taking the photo, Xu Yang insisted on taking a picture of Madam dusa.
“Nothing will happen.” Xu Yang assured.
Madam dusa panicked but took a few minutes to calm herself down. Nervously, she sent Helena inside, then sat down on a rock by the river, brushing her hair aside: “How is it now?” she said shyly.
“Couldn’t be better.” Xu Yang positioned Madam dusa and took her picture.
When the cara clicked, Madam dusa shivered slightly, thinking she would die or disappear like this, but she didn’t. She suspected the cara could steal souls and kill phantoms. Luckily, she was alive, and living people didn’t fear caras.
Madam dusa took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and then opened them after a while, the world was still there, and the world acknowledged her existence.
Xu Yang showed her the developed photo.
He didn’t know whether it was because of Farosa that he loved Madam dusa more, or because of Madam dusa’s existence that he loved Farosa more.
Madam dusa took a deep breath, her eyes glowing with joy.
“So beautiful,” she said, and then she couldn’t help but cry.
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