Chapter 90 Lilly (5)

Sometime later, Lilly's eyes shot open, a cold sweat ran down her back as she panted heavily, seemingly waking up from a nightmare.

She was somewhere where she expected to be, in her room inside her bed. But, it seems the nightmare she experienced is continuing in real life.

She did what she does every morning, look around her room. But, the first thing that she saw, terrified her to the point she nearly passed out again. It was the old woman, who is casually sipping tea in her room.

As the old woman sipped her tea at the small table, Lilly began crawling towards the exit, not even attempting to stand for she knew her trembling legs won't catch her.

Just as she touched the door and hope glimed in Lilly's eyes, the old woman placed her cup down onto the table, causing a gentle tap, before she asked calmly. "Where are you going, Lilly?"

Lilly froze up, for she knew that voice and that exact question, she was hunted down while getting that yelled at her afterall.

With fear and desperation on her face, Lilly tried to open the door, to no avail. Hopelessness filled Lilly's heart, causing her entire body to go limp.

Seeing Lilly just lying there, the old woman stood up while saying. "Excuse me." As she stood up from the table.

She casually walked over to Lilly before she ominously stood over Lilly, who seemed to have lost all hope in her life. 

With a swift and gentle motion, using strength that should not be possible for her age, the old lady picked Lilly up with ease and placed her on her shoulder.

She made her way back to the table where she gently sat Lilly on the opposite side of the seat she took right after. She picked up her cup before sipping more of her tea.

Lilly, seemingly revived, sat awkwardly on the opposite side of the table, squirming in place as she looked away from the old lady with a terrified face.

"Aaahh~" The old woman breathe out the hot air from the tea. She placed her mug down onto the table before picking up the kettle.

She noticed Lilly just sitting there, doing nothing. She then asked. "Do you drink tea?"

Lilly, seemingly surprised and afraid at the same time, frantically shook her head, causing the old woman to back away and pour herself another cup.

Before she began sipping at her tea once more, the old woman slipped a piece of paper across the table, catching Lilly's attention.

She stopped sipping her tea for a moment to say. "It's a letter, for you. She told me that you can read, so I'll let you at it yourself." Before returning to her tea.

After a while, Lilly reluctantly picked up the letter before reading it. She opened it and began to read it's contents as the old woman just kept herself busy.

After setting the letter down onto her lap, tears flowed freely down Lilly's eyes, drenching the letter in her tears.

The old woman did nothing and just waited for Lilly to finish crying. And after she stopped crying, the old woman then asked. "Did you understand everything?"

"*nod*"

"Very good." The old woman said as she returned to her tea.

Her eyes red and her throat sore, Lilly stared blankly at the letter that got destroyed by her tears. She then asked with a low, hoarse voice. "Why does it have to be this way, Madam?"

The old woman placed her mug onto the table as she focused all of her attention to Lilly. She then replied with a straight expression. "I do not know."

"Also, you can call me Grandma." The old woman added.

"Got it, Grandma... Why did she have to leave?"

"She didn't mention it to me."

"Will I ever meet her again?"

"Unlikely."

"Okay...."

"Do you have any other questions?"

"No...."

"I see. Then." Lilly's grandma then offered her a hand, to which Lilly only stared at. Lilly's grandma then continued. "How about you stop crying and get yourself together?"

"Okay, I guess...." Lilly replied with her face still red and down. Lilly's grandma then took her hand and gently guided her to the door.

And with a swift and powerful motion, the old woman headbutted the door with the help of her curved horns, instantly destroying it.

Lilly didn't react much at this, seemingly deep in thought. She mindlessly followed her grandma, who guided her through her daily activities.

After cleaning up and eating breakfast together, Lilly's grandma led Lilly through the halls. Lilly then asked with a low, nearly inaudible voice. "Where are we going?"

The old woman, barely able to hear her voice, then replied with a gentle tone as she continued to walk. "This place is too cramped. We are going outside."

Like what she just said, the old woman led Lilly outside to the courtyard. And since it was nearing afternoon, the two made their way underneath a tree by the pond.

They sat in it's shade while facing each other. The old woman stared silently at Lilly's lifeless expression. She formed a frown as she closed her eyes, seemingly reluctant in her thoughts.

She then opened her eyes and eased her body, making her feel more approachable. She then asked Lilly with a gentle tone, very opposite of what her initial actions. "What's wrong, my granddaughter?"

It took a while for Lilly to reply, but when she did, her voice was barely audible. "I-Is it my fault that she left?"

The old lady formed a forced smile, not that Lilly was able to see it since she is looking down onto the ground. She then said with a soothing tone. "No... Maybe a little."

"Okay...."

"Is it possible that father ordered her to leave?"

The old lady's smile disappeared as she said with a serious expression. "Yes."

"Okay...."

Lilly looked like she was about to cry again as she asked. "Does father... hate me?"

The old woman replied with silence.

"I-Is it because my hair is white?"

"...."

"Is... is it be-because my eyes look like flowers?"

"...."

"*sniff* I- *sob* is it because I couldn't be better?"

The old woman formed a conflicted expression, but in the end, still answered with silence.

"Is- *sob* *sob*" Lilly could no longer finish her sentence, as tears and sobs are the only things that can come out of her.

"I-Is- *sob* I-Is the reason I'm here because... father no longer wants to see me?*sob*"

Lilly's grandma could no longer stay silent, she then said with a resolute tone. "Who cares about what he thinks?"

"Bwaah!" Lilly's sadness could no longer be contained with just sobs and tears, she began to cry her uncontrollably, her sad cries shattering everyone's heart that is able to hear it.

The old woman's face distorted and lost composure. She then said with an awkward smile. "L-look, granddaughter..." She grabbed her hair.

"Look, my hair is also white."

"Bwaaah!"

"U-umm. Look, my pupils are also unusual, see?" The old woman then pointed at her elongated pupils.

Lilly then held back her tears, seemingly relieving the old woman, who breathed a sigh of relief.

With her tear-filled eyes, Lilly hugged herself as she looked up at her eyes directly. She then asked with a low, wobbly voice. "D-does grandmother hate me as well?"

The old woman, looking extremely shocked and surprised by Lilly's question, frantically replied. "W-what makes you say that, granddaughter?"

Lilly then slowly raised her arm and pointed it at the top of her head. She then said. "I-I don't have horns like you."

The old woman seemed taken aback, looking like she doesn't know how to reply. Lilly saw this and said in a low voice. "S-so *sobs* you do hate me."

Lilly then curled herself into a ball as she hugged herself tightly, crying to herself.

The old woman, looking completely unsure of how to comfort and explain herself to Lilly. She extended her arms to the side, looking like she was about to enter a hug.

But at the last moment, she stopped herself. She sat up straight and took a deep breath, all the while Lilly is crying even more.

As a shadow covered her face, the old woman moved a bit closer to Lilly. She extended her arms to the side once more.

And within the span of a second, the old woman slapped Lilly on the cheeks, made her look at her before screaming down her face. "SHUT UP!!!!"

"AAAA!!!!" Lilly, met with the old woman's screaming face, fell backwards onto the ground.

As Lilly stared up at her with teary, slightly red, and confused face. The old woman gripped her fist as she yelled while wearing a serious face. "I won't comfort you like Nekonna! I won't ask more out of you like that bastard Sai! I only know how to act like myself!"

The old woman then began stomping her way towards Lilly, who upon seeing this, began crawling backwards with a terrified expression.

The old woman continued as she walked menacingly. "I do not know how you feel! I do not know how you think! All I know is, YOU are yourself!"

As the old woman caught up to Lilly, who felt afraid more than ever, the old woman then took a deep breath as she extended her arms to the side.

Lilly saw the familiar movements and tried to get away, but it was too late.

The old woman then screamed as she smacked Lilly's cheeks, making Lilly stare at her directly with wide open eyes. "SO, STOP COMPARING YOURSELF!!!!!!!!"

"AAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" And like before, Lilly screamed as she met her grandmother's yell.