Chapter 1522: The Weight She Carries in Silence ( 1522 )

Liana waved her finger gracefully, and several large items materialized around Buddy in a soft shimmer of light. A portable magic grill, a tall parasol, a massive umbrella, and several plush beach chairs appeared one by one, along with a few foldable tables and a large cooler.

"There we go~" Liana said softly, her voice calm and melodic. "I need you to lift all of these to the beach where we’ll be relaxing. Can you manage?"

Buddy glanced around at the items, his head turning from side to side as he inspected each one. His beak curled into a smug smirk, and he puffed his chest out with pride.

"Cuquawked?" (Only this?)

Before Liana could respond, Buddy let out a low, rumbling squawk. A soft, shimmering aura of magic enveloped the items, lifting them effortlessly into the air. They floated behind him in a neat, organized line.

Buddy glanced at Liana, his smug smirk widening as he flapped his wings once, wiggled his butt side to side in a playful little dance, and puffed his chest out even more.

"Cuquawked~" (Easy peasy, ooo~ so breezy~)

Liana let out a soft laugh, a warm, melodic sound that carried on the ocean breeze. She continued walking along the path toward the beach, her steps graceful and unhurried. Buddy followed behind her, his usual bouncy, confident stride carrying him with pride, the floating items trailing behind him in a neat, organized line.

"Cuquawked!" (Make sure I get plenty of that sauce over my meal later!)

Liana smiled, her eyes fixed on the path ahead as she walked.

"Anyway, Buddy?"

"Cuquawked?"

"Have you happened to see Young Master anywhere?"

Buddy quickened his pace slightly, moving up to walk beside her. He gave her a side-eye, wiggling his eyebrows with a sly smirk on his beak.

"Cuquawked~" (You’ve been with him since the day he was still a baby. You’ve watched him grow, fed him, cared for him, and warmed his bed for years. And yet you still can’t detect where he is? Want me to help you find him? It’ll be easy~)

Liana reached out and slapped his wing lightly, her expression calm but carrying a hint of amusement.

"I know how to find Young Master. Especially with my detection magic. But Young Master sometimes needs his privacy. Or perhaps he just wants some time alone. Especially with how busy he’s been lately." She paused, her voice softening. "I was just asking. Opening a topic for casual conversation."

Buddy let out a low, knowing squawk, his smirk never fading.

"Cuquawked~" (Yeah, right~)

They both walked in silence, their slow, unhurried paces matching the gentle rhythm of the waves in the distance. The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and flowers, rustling through the palm trees as they made their way along the sandy path. The only sounds were the soft crunch of Liana’s footsteps and the heavy thud of Buddy’s talons against the sand.

Buddy broke the silence first, his head tilting toward her with a curious squawk.

"Cuquawked?" (Worry about something?)

Liana smiled softly, her silver hair swaying gently with each step. She shook her head, her voice calm and light.

"No. Not really~"

Buddy’s gaze drifted toward the tall hill in the far distance, its peak barely visible against the bright blue sky. He let out another low squawk, his voice carrying a knowing tone.

"Cuquawked~" (If you’re worried about where Master is, he’s at the top of that hill.)

Liana chuckled softly, her eyes following his gaze toward the distant hill. "I know. He’s there. Probably setting up something. Since the whole Armand family is here, he’s been a little anxious about it. Even though he knows his father, his mother, Sir Alf, and Mrs. Erinette are strong."

"Cuquawked~" (Yeah. After those filthy Abyssal Seven appeared, I’m sure Master is busy~)

Liana’s brow furrowed slightly, her steps slowing. "Abyssal Seven?"

"Cuquawked~" (You know~ The seven entities related to the sins. We pekkos call them the Abyssal Seven. Pride, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony, Envy.)

Liana fell silent, her smile fading slightly as she stared ahead. Buddy glanced down at her in confusion, his head tilting to the side.

"Cuquawked~?" (What’s with the silence, my beautiful elf witch~?)

Liana glanced up at him, her smile returning, soft and gentle. Buddy smirked and shook his head slowly.

"Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~" (If you’re worried about that big guy from before, you don’t need to be~ That big guy was Gluttony. Master handled him easily. He’s not a threat.)

Liana smiled and shook her head. "I’m not worried about that."

"Cuquawked? Cuquawked~" (Really? Then what’s with the silence~?)

Liana let out a long, slow exhale, her shoulders rising and falling with the breath. She walked in silence for a moment before speaking, her voice quiet but steady.

"I know Young Master will make sure I’m safe. He’ll protect me, and he’ll protect everyone. That’s just who he is. But..."

She paused, her eyes clouding with something unreadable. "What if one day, Young Master faces something he can’t handle alone? What if there comes a moment when he can’t save us? Will I be strong enough to protect the others?"

She glanced down at her hands, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Especially after the recent encounter with one of the Abyssal Seven. I don’t even know if I can fight them. Young Master appeared before I could even try my magic."

Buddy’s beak curled into a thoughtful line. He walked in silence for a moment, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

"Cuquawked?" (That’s what makes you worry?)

Liana fell silent again, her lips pressing together as she nodded slowly. Buddy glanced at her, his eyes softening before he let out a low, confident squawk.

"Cuquawked~ Cuquawked~" (You don’t need to worry about that. I know your power is on another level now.)

Liana smiled, her voice carrying a hint of gentle teasing. "You’re just saying sweet things to make me feel better."

"Cuquawked. Cuquawked." (No. What I said is true. We pekkos can see aura and power levels from any being if we wish to. And I’ve seen yours. If Master hadn’t been there to save you that time, you could have defeated that Abyssal Seven yourself. You have the strength. You just haven’t had the chance to use it yet.)

He puffed his chest out with pride, his voice carrying a smug edge.

"Cuquawked!" (And besides, all the pekkos would surely assist you. We pekkos and the Abyssal Seven really hate each other. Especially that big guy, Gluttony. He can’t stand us because he knows he can never catch us. So if you ever need help, you won’t be alone. You’ll have all of us.)

Liana smiled warmly, reaching out to gently pat Buddy’s wing. Her fingers brushed against his soft feathers, and she gave him a light, affectionate squeeze.

"Thank you, Buddy."

"Cuquawked~" (Don’t mention it, witch~ Just make sure that sauce is ready when we get to the beach~)

( End Of Chapter )