Chapter 1044 – Mo Lan’s Child-Rearing Daily Life 10

However, there was one game all four of them could play together and thoroughly enjoy — the very same “hide-and-seek” that Sylvia had been interested in since her egg-baby days and still loved to this day.

In this game, the four little ones’ personalities were on full display.

Tessa always and forever wanted to be the seeker!

She seemed to treat hide-and-seek as a physical training exercise and search-and-capture drill. The moment the game began, she was like a wound-up little motor, whooshing back and forth across the entire yard — behind the bushes, under the flower trellis, even behind the blankets hung out to dry — nothing escaped her attention. She could run seven or eight laps without showing any sign of fatigue, growing more excited with each catch, her little face flushed red, her laughter echoing across the sky.

Dorella was the easiest to find.

Eight times out of ten, she would unhesitatingly choose to hide in the wisteria tree in Mo Lan’s front yard — her absolute favorite. She thought herself well-concealed behind the dense flowers and leaves, completely unaware that her dark green hair and emerald dress stood out conspicuously against the cascade of purple blossoms. Tessa could often “capture” her with virtually no effort at all.

Sylvia, on the other hand, was the undisputed “hiding master.”

Her little head seemed to contain a three-dimensional map of the entire yard and every detail of every object in it. Each time, she managed to find an unexpected hiding spot.

Inside an empty large flower pot, in the hidden compartment of a storage cabinet piled with soft cushions — and once, she actually squeezed herself into the bottom panel of Clack’s coffin.

She never hid in the same place twice, making Tessa’s search efforts a constant challenge.

Evelyn’s hiding approach was the most laid-back, though occasionally quite effective.

She would always find a comfortable yet concealed corner — behind a wicker chair bathed in sunlight, nestled in the folds of heavy, drooping curtains — and then… simply fall asleep.

No matter how much Tessa shouted and ran about outside, even passing right by her, Evelyn’s breathing remained steady, her body perfectly still, not making a single sound.

On several occasions, it wasn’t until the game was over and the mothers came looking for them for mealtime that she finally rubbed her eyes and slowly crawled out of her hiding spot. Tessa, who had searched in vain the entire time, would howl in frustration, while even Sylvia would concede defeat with genuine admiration.

After all, who actually falls asleep during hide-and-seek?

While the children played on their own, the four witch mothers — Mo Lan, Vasida, Sylph, and Lilith — would often gather in the wooden pavilion, sipping afternoon tea, watching the children’s antics with fond smiles, and sharing the little joys and worries of raising their daughters.

“Come to think of it, the children are all past their first birthday now,” Vasida took a sip of tea, her gaze tracking her daughter — who was tirelessly rolling about in the sandpit like a little prairie dog — and she rubbed her forehead with a helpless sigh.

“Shouldn’t we start introducing them to the 《Young Witch’s Primer》? Even if it’s just looking at the pictures. But seeing my little Tessa like this… I’m genuinely worried she can’t sit still long enough to look at even a single page. All she has in her head is running, jumping, and tumbling.”

Her words were full of a mother’s typical worries.

Hearing this, a similar look of resignation appeared on Sylph’s face as she gently stirred the honey in her cup.

“Evelyn actually crawled to the bookshelf and dragged down the 《Young Witch’s Primer》 on her own a while ago. But…”

She paused, her tone caught between laughter and exasperation. “I’ve observed her several times, and eight times out of ten when she picks up the book, she uses it to cover her face and block the sun so she can sleep more soundly. The times she actually looks at the pages are few and far between. Do you think…”

She lowered her voice, a hint of uncertain puzzlement in it. “Is it really completely impossible for Second-Generation Sorceresses to awaken a Manifested Gift? I keep feeling like Evelyn’s level of drowsiness goes somewhat beyond just ‘naturally quiet temperament,’ but all her health checkups come back perfectly normal.”

Lilith nodded in deep agreement, her gaze drifting to Dorella in the distance, who was carefully watering a wildflower.

“Dorella’s focus on and love for plants — especially flowers — it’s as if it’s engraved into her very soul. If she ever does awaken a Manifested Gift, I’d bet nine times out of ten it’ll be related to nature and plants.”

There was a note of anticipation for the unknown in her voice.

“Manifested Gifts have never appeared in a Second-Generation Sorceress before, so it’s still too early to be thinking about these things.”

“The children are barely over a year old. What matters most right now is nurturing their natural dispositions.”

“Boundless curiosity, abundant energy, a love of nature, even being a bit of a sleepyhead… as long as it doesn’t affect their health, none of these are bad things.”

“What we need to do is protect those natural inclinations and provide appropriate guidance.”

Mo Lan’s gaze settled on the small figure sitting at the fishing platform, chin propped in her hands, gazing into the distance.

She knew her daughter was watching Witch’s Town on the far shore of the lake again.

She had already told her daughter what that place was, what fun things there were to see, and had solemnly promised to take her there once she was a bit older.

Sylvia had obediently nodded at the time, and afterward simply sat there day after day, watching. Occasionally, when she spotted the silhouette of someone riding a broom across the sky, she would excitedly point and babble, yet she had never once demanded to go immediately, never once set foot on the little boat moored at the dock of her own accord.

This restraint and self-control, so far beyond her age, filled Mo Lan with both pride and an ever-strengthening resolve about a certain idea she’d been nurturing.

“Once Sylvia turns three,” Mo Lan set down her teacup, her voice clear and calm, “I plan to take her traveling. We’ll explore the Wilds first, then visit different parts of the Continent of Valen. Would any of you… like to come along?”

“Traveling?” Sylph looked up in surprise. “That plan you mentioned before — ‘building a mobile Witch’s home and seeing the world as you go’ — you’re really going through with it? And you want to bring Sylvia along? She’s so young!”

“It’s nothing like being at home out there. There’ll be times when you can’t watch over everything, and if something happens, regret won’t undo it!”

As a mother who had already raised two children, Sylph’s first reaction was concern.

“I did consider waiting until she starts school and going on my own…”

Mo Lan’s gaze remained tenderly fixed on her daughter, but her tone was resolute.

“But watching her gaze longingly into the distance every day, I thought — why not take her to see it now? Satisfying her curiosity is itself one of the best forms of education.”

“As for safety, I’ll make thorough preparations. The mobile dwelling will be the safest and most comfortable fortress, and every route will be carefully planned.”

“Besides, Sylvia isn’t a willful or impulsive child. Look — she’s longed for this for so long, yet she’s never once acted on her own.”

“I trust that she can follow the rules, and I trust that I can keep her safe.”

“It’s normal for children to yearn for the outside world,” Lilith joined in, offering her perspective — she leaned toward a more cautious approach. “But at this age, perhaps satisfying that curiosity through beautifully illustrated picture books would be more appropriate? The illustrations and simple descriptions of places around the world in the 《Young Witch’s Primer》 are perfect for feeding her curiosity — and much safer.”

(End of Chapter)