Chapter 67 - Convince

Coincidentally, Fily was also thinking the same as Venedette. And since she was now aware of her connection with her mother, she was trying her best to not learn anything new about their research and get away as much as possible when her friends were talking about important things.

She couldn't risk being the group's loophole again. And as much as she was aware that Halma was on their side. She still could not trust the lady whose sole purpose of existence was to spread despair to her surroundings.

Either she'll have to cut this connection with her mother first or cover her eyes and ears whenever there's new information being shared through their meetings.

Just like what happened earlier when Gem was talking about her experiences with Solitude, and how there was a new training manual called 'Astral' inside of it.

"What have I done?" Fily complained to Petunia after the meeting where Venedette was now on her way back to Von. And Gem was outside of the library, stalling Halma so Petunia could have more time with Fily inside the library.

"Firstly, beg your mom to not tell this information to Halma just yet.." Petunia advised her.

"Okay," Fily said, rushing to contact her mom through the stat-hut but realized how her mom could watch her every movement anyway so she just went in front of a mirror and started begging with her puppy eyes.

"Please don't tell that information to Halma, please mom. Halma promised Venedette she wouldn't do anything to harm Gem anymore but I'm afraid if she gets wind of this information, she might not stop herself from killing her again!"

"And there's one more dose of Dandeloin soul in her pocket, which means she can try and hurt Gem again with it. So please don't tell her about the Astral training inside Solitude yet. Not until Halma gives me that one dose of Dandeloin soul first to secure Gem's safety, pretty please?"

*Ding!*

A notification appeared in Fily's personalized red and black stat-hut interface.

"A message," Fily whispered to Petunia which indicated a go signal for her to connect Fily's stat-hut so they could both see the message in real-time.

[Riveth: You girls are silly. What makes you think I'll betray the Queen for you?]

Fily's mother started a conversation with her, which meant she was actually spying on them since the beginning of the meeting!

[Fily: Because I'm your daughter? And parents would do anything for their child.] Fily tried to reason.

[Riveth: Well, you know, I'm not a normal parent like everybody else is.]

[Fily: Then don't you love me?]

[Riveth: Of course I do! But professionals know how to separate their work from their personal lives, so stop this now or I'll report you to the Queen in this instance!]

[Fily: Fine! Report me then! I'm just trying to save my friends here.]

[Riveth: Come on, we all know how that girl is unable to die, so you're not actually saving anybody here.]

[Fily: I am!! Petunia needs that Dandeloin soul for her transformation! If Halma uses that thing to kill Gem again instead of giving it to Petunia then we'll both be doomed!]

[Riveth: I'll just tell her to use a different method then.]

[Fily: She won't be able to touch Gem anyway because of her promise to Venedette!]

[Riveth: Then what are you so worried about?! Stop this nonsense now lady, I am in the middle of work.]

[Fily: How do you spy on me anyway?! Isn't that violating my privacy?!]

[Riveth: I'm your mother. That much should explain it.]

[Fily: But mothers aren't supposed to spy on their kids and know every single thing about them!]

[Riveth: Well, that's not my problem anymore child. Now go. I won't reply anymore.]

[Fily: Promise me you won't tell Halma please?! Or I'll cut my connection to you so you wouldn't be able to hear from me ever again!]

---

"Nothing?" Petunia said.

"Nothing," Fily replied in despair.

At the same time, Halma came strolling through the library's 2nd floor where their meeting room was located to pick up Petunia… which made the two girls stiffen after their failed attempt to convince Fily's mom about Gem's discovery with the new training manual.

"You girls." Halma's English accent boomed across the silent room.

Subsequently, Fily and Petunia's hearts started beating at a faster rate than normal.

"Look! I got it, Halma!" Gem's jolly voice suddenly interrupted the tension in the air which Petunia and Fily were so thankful for.

They thought they were going to die of a heart attack at that instance. Thinking about the response of Fily's mom to their request, they immediately assumed that she would report everything to Halma immediately.

But thank goodness Halma was still unaware of their conversation with Riveth at that moment.

Instead, she was busy teaching Gem how to play that glowing rolling thing with string which apparently was called a yoyo.

"Good job!" Halma clapped excitedly for Gem after seeing her maneuver the thing back and forth from her hands skillfully using the string, after just one or two series of explanations from her.

Fily and Petunia on the back clapped nervously along with Halma after that. They were still worried about Halma's reaction if Riveth would actually pass on to her that piece of information, regardless of Fily's begging, which was why they couldn't sit or move properly in her presence.

"What are you doing back there, girls?" Halma asked them casually which made them jump out of instinct. 

Fily and Petunia intercepted her words as a threat rather than the simple question that she was intending to ask them since earlier.

"Oh, uhhh… nothing much. Hehe. We were just, uhmm…." Fily stuttered while looking at Petunia with teary eyes for help.

"We were just looking at the design-"

"Of the wall. Yes, the wall. Hehe." Fily completed Petunia's sentence which earned her a threatening glare from Petunia for saying something very nonsense with her level of intelligence that was supposed to be above average already.

"You could've said something more meaningful!" Petunia complained while shaking her head at Fily who just shrugged the whole thing while still walking nervously towards Halma.

Oh, how they wish they could just escape this suffocating room safely and without any foreboding questions.