I Won’t Cater to Your Preferences!

One afternoon, Letia once again came before Lily.

Lily turned away with a cold “hmph,” refusing to look at her.

Letia said nothing, silently casting earth magic.

On the flat ground, a trench suddenly formed, two meters long, one meter wide, and one meter deep.

Letia filled it with steaming hot water.

Lily glanced at it with disdain, then smirked mockingly.

“What, did my filthy body ruin your mood?”

“Hmph, think whatever you like.”

Letia pulled a pure white dress from the void and tossed it onto the bed.

It seemed she had grown tired of Lily’s disheveled state and wanted something different.

But Lily would not play along.

“If you want to defile me, then do it. I won’t dress up for your amusement.”

“Suit yourself. It makes no difference to me.”

Letia turned to leave.

Lily eyed her suspiciously.

But after two steps, Letia stopped.

She did not turn back, only spoke coldly:

“In two hours, the child will hatch. If you want to witness it, then wash and prepare yourself. Don’t make me repeat it.”

“Huh?” Lily froze. “She… she’s about to be born?”

“Hmph.” Letia snorted and walked away.

Lily hugged her knees, unable to stop the smile forming on her face.

Her daughter was about to be born.

Though she had been laid as an egg, she would soon break free.

She must be clean, she thought. No germs must touch her child.

She leapt from the bed, her body stronger now thanks to days of food.

Her dizziness had faded. Her steps were swift.

She entered the bath.

The warm water soothed her whole body, bringing a faint smile to her lips.

She poured water over her shoulders.

How long had it been since she last bathed?

Her skin was grimy, streaked with old blood, especially near her stomach — still bearing traces from when Letia had cut her open.

At last, she could wash it all away.

The bath was blissful.

Afterward, she put on the white dress Letia had left.

There was no undergarment, but Lily did not care.

Her mind was filled only with her daughter’s face.

When she was ready, she went to the cave’s depths.

The dragon egg rested neatly in a nest of straw, black patterns twining like lilies.

Letia stood guard beside it.

When Lily entered, Letia greeted her only with a cold snort.

Lily ignored her and gazed at the egg.

Time passed.

The egg shook faintly.

“Ah!” Lily cried with joy. “It’s happening!”

Both she and Letia smiled in relief.

But when their eyes met, their smiles faded into hostility.

They both turned away with a sharp “hmph.”

The egg stilled.

Lily grew anxious.

She remembered — some birds suffocate if they cannot break free of the shell.

What if her daughter died inside?

Her fear was short-lived.

A shallow crack formed in the shell.

Something within was striking against it.

A tiny pink fist broke through.

“Ah! She did it!” Lily beamed. “Amazing!”

The crack spread wider.

Letia stepped forward, gently clearing fragments of shell.

Lily stretched on her toes to see inside.

The child looked about a year old, small and chubby.

She had long silver hair and bright red eyes.

Hair like Lily.

Eyes like Letia.

Lily realized — she was their child.

Not born of love, yet still theirs.

The baby was wet and sticky with egg fluid.

Letia summoned warm water to wash her.

Lily stepped forward to help, but Letia’s glare forced her back.

“It’s done. She’s born. You can leave now.”

“No!” Lily said firmly. “I want to see her more.”

“Suit yourself. But keep your distance.”

Lily bit her lip, feeling wronged.

She was the mother — yet she wasn’t even allowed to hold her.

Tears welled in her eyes.

“Tch.” Letia clicked her tongue, relenting.

“No touching. But you may look.”

“Really?” Lily’s face lit up. “Then I’ll look closely!”

Letia wrapped the baby in soft cloth.

Lily leaned close, gazing at her plump little cheeks.

The girl opened her red eyes and smiled brightly at her.

“She—she smiled at me!” Lily gasped.

“Newborns smile at anyone. It’s normal,” Letia said flatly.

“Hmph, no need to spoil the moment!”

“Oh? Sounds like you’d rather be sent back to rest.”

“You—! Don’t use the child to threaten me!”

As they argued, the baby suddenly began to cry loudly.

Both of their hearts wrenched at the sound.

“Why is she crying?” Letia fumbled, uneasy.

“Because you were yelling!”

“Hah? You were the one throwing insults!”

“Forget it! Give her to me, I’ll calm her!”

“You have no right—”

Before Letia finished, Lily had already taken the baby.

Strangely, the child stopped crying immediately in her arms, smiling again.

Letia moved as if to snatch her back, but hesitated at the sight of that smile.

“See? You’re too harsh. She’s peaceful with me.”

“Tch… fine. You win.”

“It’s not a contest,” Lily teased. “Don’t grit your teeth like that.”

She patted her daughter’s back gently.

Looking down at her, her heart brimmed with happiness.

“Emilia,” she whispered. “I am your mother.”

“What—!” Letia was stunned. “Don’t name her without permission!”

“You can’t stop me! My daughter will be called Emilia!”

The moment she spoke, a faint white light shone from the baby’s body.

Lily stared in awe, then looked curiously at Letia.

Letia’s expression twisted.

“The name… it’s already engraved on her soul. I can’t change it now.”

“What?” Lily gasped.

By accident, she had secured the name.

But that was fine.

Lily believed a mother should name her child.