Chapter 1025 – Mo Lan’s Laid-Back Daily Life 9

Dayla went over her daughter’s daily habits and things to watch out for in meticulous detail. Mo Lan listened attentively, nodding from time to time.

“Don’t be nervous,” Dayla said with a smile at the end. “I’ll be back to pick her up in about three days.”

“Don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll take good care of her!” Mo Lan promised.

They chatted a while longer before Dayla checked the time and stood up. “Well then, I’ll be heading off now. The sooner I get to the Witch Council, the sooner I can come back.”

She turned and went upstairs to say goodbye to little Leila.

Up on the treetop platform, little Leila had been “egged on” by Zhizhi into sitting on a swing naturally woven from Sentai’s thick vines.

The swing was charmingly designed, with a soft seat cushion and a scattering of colorful little flowers adorning the hanging vines on either side.

Zhizhi was beside her pushing, and though the swing wasn’t very high and its arc was gentle, it was enough to draw bright, bell-like peals of laughter from little Leila.

When she saw her mother come up, little Leila immediately had Sentai’s vines steady the swing, hopped off, and pattered over with her arms spread wide, wrapping Dayla in a big, solid hug, nuzzling her little face into her mother’s embrace.

“Is Mommy leaving now?” Her voice was muffled, tinged with a hint of longing.

“Mm-hm, Mommy has some things to take care of. I’ll be back in three days.” Dayla crouched down, smoothed her daughter’s wind-tousled curls, and kissed her forehead. “Be a good girl and listen to Moira while I’m gone. Get along well with Zhizhi, Clack, and Sentai, okay?”

“Okay!” Little Leila nodded vigorously. That trace of reluctance at parting was quickly swept away by the novelty of everything here. “I’ll be really good! Mommy, come back soon, okay? I’ll miss you!”

“Mommy will miss you too!” Dayla hugged her once more, then stood up, gave a nod to Mo Lan who was standing by the stairway, and walked lightly to the edge of the platform, summoning her broomstick.

She swung a leg over it and gave one last wave to Mo Lan and little Leila. Then the broom rose silently, carrying her swiftly into the azure sky until she vanished in the distance.

Mo Lan looked away and glanced down to find that little Leila had already run to her side and was gazing up at her, her small hand naturally clutching the hem of Mo Lan’s clothes.

“Big Sister Moira!” Little Leila’s voice brimmed with anticipation. “Can we swing together now? I want to swing really, really high, but I’m a little scared!”

“Of course!” Mo Lan happily agreed and naturally extended her hand to little Leila.

Sentai readjusted the swing—the vines became sturdier and more supple, and the seat cushion widened enough to fit both Mo Lan and little Leila sitting together.

Zhizhi had already claimed the “optimal pushing position” and was cracking its knuckles in eager anticipation.

Meanwhile, Clack had silently climbed onto a thick branch jutting out at an angle nearby, perching itself steadily upon it.

It was the perfect vantage point for overlooking the entire platform and the swing’s trajectory—the “best spectator seat.”

On its smooth cervical bone, a small, exquisite magical camera was perched neatly, its lens already trained on Mo Lan and little Leila on the swing at the center of the platform. The soul fire in its eye sockets burned steadily—the very picture of a professional photographer poised to capture the perfect moment.

The sunlight was just right, the breeze gentle and dry. Before them stretched the vast, magnificent Sea of Roses; in the distance lay the lush, rolling expanse of the Sunset Forest; and even farther, a glimmering line of sunlit ocean was visible on the horizon.

“Ready?” Mo Lan held little Leila and settled securely onto the wide, soft swing cushion Sentai had prepared. She positioned little Leila in front of her, her arms naturally encircling the small body—keeping her safe while still leaving her plenty of room to move.

Little Leila immediately grabbed the supple, sturdy vines hanging on either side with excitement. Her little feet dangled in the air, kicking happily, and she tilted her head back to lean against Mo Lan’s chest. “Ready! Big Sister Moira, let’s fly together!”

“Well then—” Mo Lan looked down at the excited little one in her arms, a smile creeping into her voice. “Hold on tight—we’re taking off!”

Zhizhi was already primed and ready. To better propel the swing with its increased passenger load, it had even temporarily enlarged itself a bit, looking more like a stout, muscular great ape.

It timed its move perfectly. When the swing arced backward to its loading point, Zhizhi puffed out its cheeks and, with paws now considerably more powerful, combined its force with the momentum of Sentai’s vines lifting of their own accord, and gave a firm, steady push forward!

“Waaah—!”

The swing carried the pair—one big, one small—soaring forward and upward in a high arc!

The sudden acceleration drew a short, delighted shriek from little Leila, which instantly dissolved into even louder, more joyful laughter.

The wind rushed against their faces with greater force, whipping their hair into disarray. Little Leila’s skirt fluttered and snapped in the wind. “So high! It really feels like flying!”

Mo Lan felt the wind and the sensation of weightlessness, and instinctively tightened her arms around little Leila, holding her more securely. Yet the smile on her lips only grew wider.

Clack sat high on its tree branch, the magical camera around its neck clicking away in rapid, lively bursts, precisely capturing every wonderful moment.

At the apex, the swing was nearly level with the platform. For just an instant, they seemed to truly hover above the sea of flowers and the forest, impossibly close to the sky.

Then, under the gentle pull of gravity and Sentai’s tender guidance, the swing whooshed back down.

“Again! One more time! Zhizhi! Higher!” Little Leila cried out, wanting more, her excitement undiminished.

“Yes! Zhizhi, Sentai, this time we’re soaring to the clouds!” Mo Lan, infected by the joy, laughed and called out in response.

Zhizhi let out a chirp to signal it had received the order, its little paws coiled and ready to spring. Sentai’s vines also wound around their waists, securing them with protective measures in place.

The second push was stronger, the arc higher.

Laughter, the rush of wind, the faint creaking of vines, and the subtle click of Clack’s camera shutter all mingled together. Mo Lan found herself feeling a rare sense of carefree abandon.

The swing soared high and drifted gently back down, over and over, who knows how many times. The initial excited screams gradually gave way to sustained, unending giggles. Little Leila’s breathing grew somewhat rapid, but the smile on her face never once faded.

Finally, as they eased back down from yet another peak, she leaned against Mo Lan’s chest and called out breathlessly, “Big Sister Moira… I… I’m a teensy bit tired… Let’s take a break and play more later!”

Mo Lan smiled and had Sentai and Zhizhi gradually ease off. The swing’s arc grew gentler and gentler until it finally came to a smooth stop at the center of the platform.

She lifted little Leila off the swing and gently smoothed her wind-tangled curls. “Did you have fun?”

“Super—fun!” Little Leila’s feet touched solid ground, and she wobbled slightly, still wanting more. Then her gaze was immediately drawn to Zhizhi nearby, who stood with its hands on its hips, chest puffed out proudly, wearing an unmistakable look of “Wasn’t I amazing at pushing the swing?!”