Chapter 997 – I Want to Be Called Traci

“Tree Spirit Mother said,” Mo Lan spoke softly, a wide smile spreading across her face, “Polly and Dominic’s little one is about to be born too!”

“Really?!” Celine’s eyes lit up. “Then…”

Before she could finish, little Vasida, who had been lying obediently in Mo Lan’s arms, suddenly began squirming. Her tiny hands gripped Mo Lan’s lapel tightly, and indistinct “ya ya” sounds tumbled from her lips. Her green eyes stared stubbornly toward the doorway, her meaning unmistakable: “I want to go!”

She suspected it was either Traci or Lilith.

“This child…” Lila couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “It seems little Vasida wants to be the first to meet her companion from back when they were on the tree!”

“Then let’s all go together!” Celine decided immediately, swiftly helping Lila and little Vasida into their outer robes. “Polly and the others surely need help too!”

When they arrived at Polly and Dominic’s treehouse, faint babbling sounds and the laughter of Polly and Dominic could be heard from inside.

“Does this mean… the baby’s already been born?”

Celine hurried forward and knocked on the door.

The door opened quickly, and Dominic appeared in the doorway, his face full of joy tinged with a hint of exhaustion.

“You’re here!”

His gaze fell on the little baby in Mo Lan’s arms, and his eyes brightened. “Your child has been born too?”

“Half an hour ago,” Lila answered.

“Our baby was just born too! Come in and let the two of them play together!” Dominic said.

Inside, in the cradle, a tiny baby who had inherited Polly’s hair color and Dominic’s eye color was making soft babbling sounds, accompanied by Polly’s gentle humming.

Polly heard the commotion and looked up. “Celine, Lady Lila, your baby has been born too?”

Celine nodded. “Our little Vasida is so clever — she already has her own ideas right from birth and even chose her own name!”

“That impressive?”

Polly curiously touched Vasida’s tiny hand. “Our baby is very well-behaved too. She seems to understand my singing! Moira, could you use advanced Wood Speech to ask her what she’d like to be called?”

“Of course!”

Mo Lan gently set the curiously gazing Vasida down into the cradle, placing her next to Polly’s child.

The moment Vasida was laid down, she eagerly turned her little head to face her new companion and babbled at her.

By now the Wood Speech on her had already worn off, so she could freely speculate in her mind about this baby’s identity.

Was it Lilith or Traci?

The baby beside her shifted her eyes slightly, glancing at the overly excited little “chatterbox” next to her, and let out a sigh that seemed far too mature for her tiny body.

For Traci, being turned into a soft-limbed baby who drooled when she tried to speak wasn’t the scary part — the scary part was having two old acquaintances right beside her.

Mo Lan stifled a laugh. As always, she snapped a photo of them first, then extended her finger, its tip gently touching little Traci’s forehead.

Advanced Wood Speech unfurled, connecting the babies’ minds with the adults around them.

“There, now we can understand what you’re ‘saying’!” Mo Lan winked at Traci. Traci understood immediately and carefully controlled her thoughts.

Everyone’s eyes focused on the two little ones lying in the cradle.

Polly couldn’t help but speak softly. “Little darling, tell Mama — what would you like to be called? It’s perfectly fine if you can’t think of anything. Daddy and Mama thought of one for you: ‘Allison,’ meaning ‘light of the forest.’ Do you like it?”

In the cradle, little Traci gazed at her Elf mother’s tender face, then swept her eyes over to her father’s anxious, expectant expression. A clear thought resonated through the consciousness of every Elf present:

“Traci! I want to be called Traci!”

Polly and Dominic froze.

“Traci?” The name wasn’t any of the ones they had anticipated. Its pronunciation was archaic and distinctive, carrying a quiet strength that was entirely different from the lively “Allison” they had envisioned.

“Traci…” Polly repeated softly, looking into her daughter’s calm eyes. A strange feeling suddenly welled up inside her — this name seemed to suit the child perfectly. She turned to look at Dominic.

Dominic slowly nodded, his large hand gently covering the back of Polly’s. His voice was low but firm: “Traci… is a fine name too. It’s her own choice.”

Celine couldn’t help but laugh from the side. “Looks like our Vasida isn’t the only opinionated little one! Polly, Dominic, congratulations — Traci is a wonderful name!”

Lila also nodded in agreement. “For a child to possess such clear self-awareness so early is a gift in itself!”

Mo Lan looked at the two little ones lying side by side in the cradle and said pointedly:

“Exactly! When I was first born, I was just like them — clear-minded but physically helpless. It took me a very long time before I could speak on my own or walk on my own!”

Vasida’s expression looked like the sky was falling.

A flicker of alarm passed through Traci’s eyes too.

Mo Lan chuckled softly and mischievously “reminded” them: “But don’t worry. Although we Elves have a rather long growth period — a full hundred years before reaching adulthood — that also means there’s more than enough time to build a solid foundation and experience the world!

Besides… the clan’s library will be finished soon.

When it’s ready, I’ll put every magic book I’ve collected inside. You won’t be bored!”

Traci’s eyes lit up with interest, and she thought: “I want to read them!”

If she was going to be lying around anyway, she might as well learn something.

Vasida covered her ears with her little hands. “I’m not listening! I’m not listening! I’m still a child!”

At an age where she couldn’t even hold a book, they were already trying to trick her into studying — how deviously wicked!

The two babies’ inner voices were laid completely bare, and Mo Lan and the others burst into laughter in unison.

Dominic was a bit exasperated by his bookworm daughter. He patted her tiny hand gently:

“Be a good girl, Traci. Those books can wait until you’re bigger. Little Elves should just play and have fun. When you’re a bit older, Daddy will take you into the woods to watch the wood sprites dance! But be careful — they’ll tug on your hair!”

Polly recalled their own childhood days and nodded in agreement:

“And if our little Traci finds the wood sprites too rowdy, I can take her to plant flowers and pick blossoms! Flowers are the most lovely things in this world!

Though of course, our adorable little Traci is even lovelier!”

Being cooed over by her Elf parents right in front of her two Sorceress juniors, Traci’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

But what she herself hadn’t noticed was that her bright, shining eyes kept drifting back to Mama Polly and Papa Dominic.

How wonderful — she had parents who loved her now too!

Mo Lan immediately raised her camera and captured this heartwarming scene.