Chapter 4491: Moment of Silence (Part 1)

"Don’t talk like that, Grandma." Lith replied. "Val also named the camellia as mother’s flower, so it has to be intended as dedicated to all mothers. Especially Tyris, since it carries the silver of her eyes and she’s known as the Great Mother."

"That’s true." The Guardian said, the icebergs in her eyes thawing.

She was unaware Lith had just drawn a target on her back, and now the rest of the women were glaring at her.

"Oh, my. Look at the time." Lith said. "We really have to go, or we won’t be able to visit even one museum. Bye!"

A snap of his fingers Blinked him and Kamila before the Warp Gate, and from there they returned to Deshia.

"That was brilliant." Kamila chuckled. "Aren’t you worried they’ll realize your trick and make you pay for it later?"

"They were going to make me pay for it anyway." Lith shrugged. "Also, I doubt their anger will last until tomorrow. Not with Val showing off his flower to them and probably saying something adorable that will melt their hearts.

"Something like, ’It’s as beautiful as you, Grandma’."

"That would indeed get at least three women off your back." Kamila smiled. "What’s our destination?"

"We need to distance ourselves physically and mentally from the children, or we won’t be able to enjoy our night. We’ll start with an adult, not lewd snack." Lith replied, making her blush and many Association clerks snicker.

"Did you have to say that out loud?" She whimpered. "They’ll think I’m some kind of pervert if you had to clarify the last point!"

"You are a pervert, and I love you for that." Lith shrugged. "We both know what you would’ve thought without enough context."

He brought her to a nice tea house where they enjoyed hot and cold beverages and could talk about anything without the Guardians butchering their words. The cherrywood furniture gave the establishment warmth, while the many colorful paintings gave it a refined ambiance.

Lith ordered a strong tea for himself and a rose tea with plenty of pastries on the side for Kamila. The low murmur from the adjacent tables was silence compared to the constant squeals of the children during their friendly squabbles.

"Gods, I didn’t know how much I needed this until this moment." Kamila leaned back and sighed in bliss. "I can feel my ears healing. I can hear myself thinking."

"I’m glad you like it." Lith nodded. "Is there anything you want to talk about now that we don’t have naïve third wheels around?"

"Yes." She nodded, enjoying the silence for a few more seconds before speaking again. "I want to apologize for panicking and throwing you under the carriage. It was cowardly of me."

"Apology accepted." Lith replied. "There are few things in this world as scary as my mother, and you got two of them glaring at you."

"Also, how could you say that snack thing while we were still in the Association?" She flushed at the memory. "That was embarrassing!"

"That was just me being spontaneous, Kami." Lith replied. "If I have to think before being playful and flirty and wait for the right moment, it would be a chore. I didn’t say anything inappropriate. I was just teasing my wife.

"Are we just married, or are we still in love?" His question hit her like a punch to the gut.

"In love!" She slammed her fist on the table, drawing attention to her. "Forget that I asked, but please try being more mindful of where we are in the future."

After two cups of tea and a bit of chit-chat in the quiet of the tea house, Kamila was ready to face the bustling commercial districts of Deshia.

"I had enough of art and culture for today. I’d rather do some shopping than visit another museum." She said.

Lith spent the whole time with the Eyes of Menadion on his nose, hoping to find a mystical tome or a lost artifact in the city’s small antique shops. Alas, life rarely is so easy.

At the end of the tour, Kamila had five new hairpins, three new sets of clothes, and three pairs of shoes to match with each outfit, while Lith was lighter by several coins.

"Did I buy too much?" She asked. "It’s been too long since I last went on a shopping spree, and maybe I got carried away."

"Don’t worry." Lith dismissed the issue with a shrug. "It’s been months since the last time we went out, and even though my stinginess can lead you to believe otherwise, I’m rich. This much is nothing. Even for me."

"I know." She giggled. "I didn’t want you to think I’m taking you for granted."

"If you really feel that way, we should buy you this, this, and this." Lith picked three skin-tight cocktail dresses with short skirts and ample cleavage.

"Lith! I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something like that in public!" Kamila only had to look at the dresses to turn a deep shade of purple.

"Who said anything about wearing them in public? I was thinking more about a private show." He replied.

"Well, since it’s your money, sure." She replied with a flirty smile.

After the inevitable purchase and storing everything inside the pocket dimension, the couple took an aerial tour of Deshia. They visited bell towers, the spires of the tallest buildings, and admired the sunset from the city walls.

The crimson light of the dying sun painted the nearby forest red, making it look as if it were burning with a cold fire. They stayed there, hand in hand, until the stars became visible and the silver light of the crescent moon illuminated the night.

"Did you really need silence so much?" Lith asked.

"Gods, yes." Kamila replied. "I swear, if someone so much as asks me to pass them the salt at dinner, I’m going to shove it down their throat! Present excluded, of course."

The city guards didn’t know whether to feel included in the dinner invitation or offended for being blatantly ignored.

The couple had been sitting in a restricted area for quite some time, but shooing someone wearing the white and golden robe of the Supreme Magus was universally considered a major blunder.

Lith and Kamila returned to the Dryad’s Garden, and he was surprised by Kamila’s plan for the night. She insisted on going back to their suite and ordering room service for dinner.

"Leave the cart outside the door after knocking, please." She told the concierge.

"Do you already know what you want to eat, or would you like to carry a menu to your room, milady?" Anxil asked.

"I remember it from lunch." She proceeded to order a full-course meal for herself and Lith. "Did I guess your order right, or do you want to change something?"

"I’m speechless." Lith replied. "From appetizers to dessert, you didn’t make a single mistake."

He had booked the Royal Suite, and Kamila took a long appreciative look at the place before changing her clothes and freshening up.

There was a bedroom almost as big as the one they had in the Mansion, a spacious bath with a hot tub and shower, a luxurious dining room, and a hobby room with books, couches, and a pool table.