Paige Summers’ lips twitched as she slowly turned to look at him.

’So much for being a chatterbox; he’s a silver-tongued devil. And that woman didn’t look like she was just curious or in disbelief...’

But, well, she was still glad for his habit of smoothing things over.

She gave a faint smile. "Yes, everyone is like that."

The lady barely managed to suppress her unusual expression and leaned toward Paige Summers. "I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Wendy Lowell, and I’m a friend of Master Serenus from outside his order. You... you’re Paige Summers, right? I heard you just arrived in Central City not long ago. Are you settling in okay? You go outside the city often, isn’t that dangerous? Do you need..."

Just as Paige Summers was growing more and more alarmed by the questions, Sean Raines cut in. "Aunt Lowell! I can see you really like Paige, but she’s here to see Evie this time. You know how it is, Evie warned me over and over again to bring her there quickly, or else she’ll stop liking me as her senior brother! She’s the apple of the Master’s eye now, so I don’t dare disobey, haha! How about we let her chat with you some other time?"

Sean Raines’ playful interruption helped Wendy Lowell calm down, and she realized she had lost her composure. She gave Paige Summers an embarrassed smile. "My apologies. It’s just that you look so much like I did when I was young, so..."

Paige Summers replied politely, "My apologies, but I must take my leave."

Wendy Lowell froze for a moment.

In that short time, Sean Raines had already notified his master and was leading Paige Summers away.

The main hall fell silent once more. Before long, however, the sound of low, suppressed sobs could be heard.

Serenus sighed. "So you’re certain?"

Wendy Lowell sobbed, "It’s her. It must be her. The moment I saw her, I knew she was my daughter! It’s all my fault. If only I had been stronger back then and kept her with me. She... she wouldn’t be living such a precarious life! It’s all my fault!"

Serenus shook his head. "What’s done is done; there’s no point in bringing it up now. What do you plan to do?"

Wendy Lowell snapped her head up, her expression resolute. "I’m going to take her back. She’s my daughter. I’ll use everything I have to make it up to her, to make sure she’s happy every single day for the rest of her life!"

Serenus stroked his beard. "I’m afraid it might not go as you wish." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

A determined look appeared on Wendy Lowell’s face. "I’ll convince Reed. If he can’t accept it, then my daughter and I will move out!"

"I wasn’t referring to him, but to the young woman," Serenus said slowly. "We’ve met twice now. She is neither servile nor arrogant, and her conduct is proper. Yet, her politeness is laced with distance, a clear sign she has no interest in power or status. Furthermore, judging from her features, while she has an amiable disposition, she is also quite determined and stubborn... I advise you not to act rashly, lest you bungle things."

Wendy Lowell thought it over and had to admit Serenus was right.

Paige Summers’ attitude toward her just now was clearly one of respectful distance. She didn’t even ask a single question about Wendy’s obvious loss of composure... With eyes so perceptive, it was impossible she didn’t notice something was amiss, yet she didn’t even seem to have the slightest desire to know why.

’But my daughter, the one I’ve missed for twenty long years, is right in front of me. How can I just let her walk away! I want to see her, to hug her, to tell her so many things! I want her to know just how much I love her! A moment of weakness and cowardice back then condemned me to a life of endless regret! That was... the child I carried for ten months and gave birth to!’

Wendy Lowell’s hands were clenched tightly, her expression shifting indeterminately. She bit down hard on her lower lip. After a long moment, she shot to her feet.

"I’m going to wait for her outside. I want to see her again! I know I can’t rashly acknowledge her until everything is ready. But after that, even if she doesn’t agree, I will never give up!"

Clutching her handbag, she rushed out of the main hall, leaving only Serenus and his soft sigh.

Paige Summers’ doubts were far greater than last time, but on this occasion, she chose not to ask anything.

She feigned ignorance and followed Sean Raines to the Mind’s Courtyard, where Erin Quinn lived.

Sean Raines also remained silent. He kept wondering, ’Am I really doing the right thing?’

However, right or wrong, things were already in motion and would not change because of him.

So he could only put aside his inner conflict and push open the gate to Erin Quinn’s courtyard.

Erin Quinn was already waiting in the courtyard. Though she maintained a composed expression on the surface, the moment she saw Paige Summers, her whole face seemed to light up with a fervent glow. It reminded Sean Raines of a puppy he once had...

Without a word, Erin Quinn threw herself into Paige Summers’ arms.

"What took you so long!"

Slowly, Paige Summers felt her clothes grow damp. She smiled, and without saying anything out of consideration, simply stroked the girl’s head.

Then, the two of them left Sean Raines in the courtyard and went inside.

Paige Summers briefly explained what she had been doing, mentioning her plan to open a shop. She instructed Erin Quinn not to send any more Crystal Cores, not even by asking Sean Raines! After a moment’s thought, she picked the reason Erin would most likely accept. "You can already support yourself, let alone me. Do you not trust my abilities? Besides, where I live is nowhere near as safe as here. So why don’t you save them for now? If I need them, I definitely won’t be polite about asking!"

Erin Quinn wanted to argue, but seeing the serious look on Paige’s face, she subconsciously nodded obediently.

Paige Summers then asked about her studies and found that, just as Sean Raines had said, everything was going smoothly. They chatted about odds and ends for a while longer before Paige said, "Alright, I should get going. I’ll come again when I have time."

Erin Quinn was a sensible child. Though reluctant to see her go, she held back the words to ask her to stay, merely tugging on the corner of her clothes as she walked her to the door.

After leaving the Mind’s Courtyard and walking some distance, Paige Summers looked back and could still see Erin Quinn’s small figure standing at the gate. She smiled, gave a wave, and decisively turned to leave.

Sean Raines glanced ahead and said softly, "Aunt Lowell is waiting for you over there. It seems she wants to say something to you."

Paige Summers looked, and sure enough, Wendy Lowell was waving at her!

Sean Raines made himself scarce, and Paige Summers’ frown deepened.

Fortunately, she could still rein herself in...

She smiled at the approaching Wendy Lowell. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes, yes. I feel a special connection with you, and I was hoping we could talk sometime. I was wondering, could I have your phone number?"

"I’m sorry, I don’t have a phone. To be honest, I’m often out on missions, so I probably wouldn’t have much chance to use one."

"Oh, I see..." Wendy Lowell’s disappointment was plain to see.

But Paige Summers didn’t want to linger. "Excuse me, I have other things to attend to..." She nodded and walked right past her.

Wendy Lowell’s gaze lingered on her departing figure for a long time. Only after Paige had completely disappeared through the gate did she let out a long sigh and hurry outside as well.

’I’ll go find Reed right now and tell him about my daughter!’

’Oh, right. And the Lowell Family, I should notify them, too.’