The long winter had finally passed, and spring's footsteps followed closely behind. The signs of the earth's renewal were especially vivid in the vast Northern Desert. The thick snow that had blanketed the land had melted away, and creatures that had slumbered through the winter began emerging from their burrows. Fresh green sprouts broke through the soil, vibrant and bright, painting the earth in lush green hues, quietly basking in the first warm rays of early spring.
The weather was still somewhat chilly, but no one wanted to stay indoors. After all, spring marked the beginning of the year, and basking in the first rays of spring sunshine heralded the promise of a beautiful year ahead.
The peach blossom garden in the Spring Courtyard, east of Moore Manor, was bursting with life and bustling with activity. It was the best time of year to admire the peach blossoms, and most of the clan members of Moore Manor made time to visit the garden, captivated by the thousands of branches adorned with charming, delicate pink blooms.
Mia had come to the peach blossom garden at Tina's enthusiastic urging, but she hadn't expected so many people to be there. Besides Solar's daughter Sophie, his refined second son Mike, and his twelve-year-old youngest son Harry, even Solar's wife, Emma Miller, who rarely left the house, had joined them.
Solar, Henry, and Arthur were in the parlor discussing manor affairs, so when Mia saw them, she joined the group to admire the peach blossoms. After all, she was now a part of Moore Manor.
The peach blossom garden was vast, and for those who grew tired while strolling, small pavilions were scattered throughout for rest. When Mia and her group finished their walk, they settled into a spacious, comfortable pavilion to relax.
Once seated, the conversation flowed, and soon it turned to the topic that had been weighing on Mia's mind the most.
"It's simple," Tina said. "If you drink the leader's blood, Sister Mia, you'll gain the same lifespan as him."
Ever since their wedding night, when Mia had expressed her willingness to become a hybrid—neither fully human nor fox—to spend her life with Arthur, he had acted as if she'd never mentioned it. He avoided the topic entirely. At first, Mia thought he was waiting for the right moment or needed to gather external forces to combine with his magic to make it happen. But an entire winter had passed with no progress. Every time Mia tried to bring it up, Arthur seemed to sense it and would deftly change the subject before she could speak. Once or twice, she could chalk it up to coincidence, but after so many instances, it was clear: Arthur didn't want her to bring it up again. He either wasn't taking it seriously or was actively avoiding it.
Well, fine. If she couldn't get any answers from Arthur, she'd just ask someone else. Jenny and Tina had both played dumb and claimed ignorance. But today, with the whole family gathered in the peach blossom garden, Mia decided to ask them. They should know something, right?
As Mia hesitated, mulling over her question, Miss Sophie answered without a second thought.
Seeing Mia's confused expression, Mike, the second young master, smiled and said, "Yes, that's right, Mia. You just need to drink the leader's blood. That's it—nothing else required. It's that simple!"
That simple? Mia found it hard to believe. She had always imagined that becoming a half-human, half-fox hybrid would be a long, arduous process, filled with pain. She thought she'd have to endure months of training in a deep forest, unable to eat, drink, or even move.
"Sister Mia, you're so adorable!" Harry burst out laughing at her words, nearly collapsing with amusement. "Not eating, not drinking, not moving—what's that about? What kind of nonsense is that?"
Being called adorable by someone younger than her—especially a little boy—irritated Mia. But right now, she wasn't focused on Harry's teasing. She was thinking about what Sophie had said.
If it was really that simple, could she just sneak a sip of Arthur's blood when he wasn't paying attention? Hmph, she'd do it first and see how Arthur could keep dodging the issue then.
If Harry had known about Mia's plan, he probably would've laughed himself unconscious today. Arthur, of all people? Haha, how could anyone sneak his blood without him noticing? The moment Mia even thought of such a plan, Arthur would likely already be onto her.
However, Mia didn't learn this too late. After her fourth attempt to draw a bit of Arthur's blood, she realized that without his cooperation, it was utterly impossible.
Whenever she approached Arthur with ulterior motives, he could see right through her. "Mia, is there something you want to tell me?"
Mia, who had secretly hidden a small dagger borrowed from Tina and was about to stealthily slice Arthur's hand, jumped in fright and stepped back. "N-No, nothing!"
"Really?" Arthur furrowed his brows skeptically. "But you look like you have something to say."
Hearing this, Mia instinctively touched her cheek. "Y-You must be seeing things."
"Is that so?" Arthur's furrowed brows didn't relax—instead, they tightened further. "If it's nothing, then don't hide a dagger in your sleeve. You might accidentally hurt yourself. I'd be heartbroken." With that, he deftly pulled the dagger from her sleeve with a bit of force and confiscated it.