Chapter 17/1 – The Secret Mother's Day (age 5½)
The children accidentally discovered that Lysithea never had a mother (she was raised in the same orphanage as a baby).
So they decided to invent a Mother's Day just for her, in absolute secrecy.
Three weeks of planning:
Joker and Harley stole colorful yarn from the village and taught everyone how to make pom-poms.
Rina and Sylvara picked flowers that only bloom at night.
Astrid carried an entire log to serve as "Mommy's throne."
Marina made a crown out of shiny seashells.
Lirien composed an elven little song.
Kuroe used Loki's magic to make confetti fall from the ceiling without anyone seeing how.
On the appointed day, at 5:47 a.m., all eight children stormed into Lysithea's room shouting:
"MOMMY, WAKE UP! TODAY IS YOUR DAY!"
She opened her eyes and nearly had an emotional breakdown:
A log throne in the middle of the room.
A seashell crown on her head.
A giant hand-drawn poster: "To the best mommy we ever chose."
47 pom-poms glued to the wall forming a huge heart.
Everyone singing Lirien's song off-key but full of love.
Joker and Harley at the end, holding a folded piece of paper:
"Gift voucher: 1000 free hugs, valid forever. Signed: your 8 children."
Lysithea cried so much she needed three handkerchiefs.
Then she spent the whole day carrying the children on her back, one at a time, saying it was "the best Mother's Day in the history of the world."
Chapter 17/2 – First Christmas with Magical Snow (age 6)
Snow never falls in that region… until that year.
On Christmas Eve, Joker and Harley found an ancient crystal in the attic that "makes it snow indoors if everyone wishes together."
They gathered the children at 11:47 p.m., holding hands in a circle, and asked:
"Please, snow, fall just this one night for our family."
On Christmas morning, the entire orphanage was covered in 15 cm of fluffy snow that shimmered in shades of pink and gold.
No one understood how, but no one asked.
Handmade gifts:
Lysithea received a necklace with 8 different pendants (each child made theirs with their favorite material: seashell, Astrid's baby tooth, crow feather, etc.).
Mirella got an arrow decorated with drawings from all of them.
Graciela got a cookbook written by the children (most recipes end with "add love and done").
Each child received a scarf knitted by Lysithea over months in secret.
That night they had an indoor snowball fight (Graciela pretended to scold them, but threw snowballs back).
When everyone was exhausted, they sat in a circle with hot chocolate and sang Christmas songs in seven different languages (no one knew the lyrics properly, but it was beautiful anyway).
Chapter 17/3 – The Surprise "I Love You" Day (age 6½)
Harley had the idea:
"Let's tell Sister Lys 'I love you' in a way she'll never forget."
Plan:
Each child recorded a message on a magical seashell (like an old-fashioned recorder).
They hid the 8 seashells around the orphanage.
Whenever Lysithea touched a shell, she heard the child's voice saying something adorable.
Examples she heard throughout the day:
Joker: "You're the only person I'd let scold me forever."
Harley: "When I grow up I'm going to marry you… but only if Joker can marry too."
Rina: "You smell like warm cake and hugs."
Marina: "Thank you for never laughing when I get nervous and make steam."
Astrid: "You're the strongest in the world—even stronger than me!"
Lysithea spent the entire day crying in hidden corners, but with the most beautiful smile in the world.