NoGift

HEARING her mother's explanation, Aurum's eyes lit up. This was something she really needed. With this, she could utilize her Gift more. "Can you put it on me, Mother?"

"Of course."

Aurum pushed her hair over her shoulder, so that her mother could easily put the necklace on her. She gave the velvet box to her mother and turned around, waiting for her to put it around her. 

Anthea took the necklace out of the box and put it on her daughter. Then she carefully arranged her daughter's hair behind her back. 

Aurum turned around. "How is it?"

Anthea looked at her daughter and smiled proudly. "Of course, my Aurum is very pretty."

Black said reluctantly, "You look okay."

Then Aurum glanced at Clay who quickly avoided her gaze. Aurum was about to feel annoyed by his reaction when she noticed the slight red tinge on his cheeks. Which showed that the other was simply being shy. So, she decided not to mind the way he acted. He was probably just embarrassed to say that she was indeed very pretty. 

Well, she was actually not quite far-off. Clay looked away because he was staring at the lotus pendant that was resting between Aurum's delicate clavicles. He only had one thought while looking at it. How exquisite the other's clavicles were. That's why he avoided her gaze like some kind of thief because of guilty conscience. 

He truly felt like some kind of pervert. He shook his head and pushed those thoughts away.

Next, it was Black's turn to give a gift. He walked near the table and picked up the white box on one of the chairs. He gave it to Aurum. "This is Master's gift."

Aurum then remembered about the gift that her brother entrusted to Black. She excitedly opened the lid of the box. When she saw what was inside, her amber eyes widened and blinked a few more times to make sure that she was not having any kind of hallucination. 

Inside was a small silver cat. Its length was probably just the size of her forearm. It was curled up inside, as if sleeping. 

"This cat is like Black and White. Master made it for Aurum. You just have to name it and its system will automatically activate," Black explained.

Aurum stared at the cat. She remembered how she asked her brother to make her a pet cat. She thought that Argent had already forgotten about it. Heck, with all the things that was happening, she also kind of forgot about it. It turned out that her brother still remembered it. 

She picked up the little cat and gave the box to Black. She looked at the cat's silver mane and a name quickly popped up inside her mind. 

"Starting from today, your name is Zilharr."

It was the old word for 'silver'. Which she thought truly suited the cat. She was glad that her brother left it to her to name the cat. Because if not, then the other would probably just give it a name on the same level as 'Black' and 'White'. At least, she was more creative. 

The moment she named the cat, the cat slowly opened its eyes. The color was similar to that of an amethyst gem. Just like the eye color of her brother. Aurum felt like she was looking at the cat-version of Argent. Her brother truly knew her taste. 

"Master," the cat called in a slightly cold and indifferent voice.

Aurum's excitement level just burst at that moment. She no longer stopped herself and hugged Zilharr. "You're so cute!"

"Master, please don't squeeze me, nyaa."

Aurum just felt like her heart was hit by an arrow when she heard that 'nyaa'. She raised Zilharr and rubbed her cheek on the cat's cheek. "How can you be so adorable?"

Anthea looked at the small cat that just spoke. And she was once again amazed at her eldest daughter's genius. She truly wondered just what was going on inside that head of Argent that she could make an artificial creature like this. Not to mention, Black and White who were both so human that no one would think that they were nothing but. 

But alongside the pride and admiration she was feeling, there was also worry. Because if people found out the real extent of Argent's genius, she was afraid that many would covet her for it. And there would definitely be people who would persecute her for making beings that were close to humans. They might even think that she was playing god by doing so. 

She shook her head. This was hardly the time to worry about such things. It was her twins' birthday. If she had to worry about something, then it should be because Argent was not with them now. She wasn't even sure how her eldest would spend her birthday. 

Clay looked at the silver cat in Aurum's arms. He was extremely shocked at first when the cat spoke. He thought he was having some kind of auditory hallucination. Especially since the other three were not reacting much. But when he heard it spoke again, he was finally sure that it was not an auditory hallucination. 

The cat truly did spoke!

But how? Was it some kind of magical creature? But he had never heard of such thing. Then he remembered what Black had said, about the cat being the same as him and White. Did that mean that Black and White were also some kind of creature as the cat?

Before he could think more, he saw Aurum turning to him. She was still holding the cat, but she reached out her free hand towards him and then looked at him expectantly.

"My gift?" she asked.

With Aurum's question, Clay temporarily put away the mystery of the cat on one corner of his head. He then took out a small box from his space ring. It was simply wrapped and tied in a red ribbon. 

"It's not much. Just something that I made." After seeing the necklace and the mystery cat, he was actually a bit embarrassed to give this to Aurum. He felt that it was too simple and cheap, not suitable for someone like Aurum. But he still dared to give it, hoping that she would like it. "Happy birthday, Aurum."

Aurum carefully put Zilharr first in Black's arms. Then she opened the box Clay gave. What she saw inside was a wood sculpture of a girl. She was sitting on a rock, wearing a long dress. Her long hair was freely flowing behind her back. Her hand was slightly raised and on his delicate finger perched a butterfly. She was so beautiful that anyone would be charmed by her. And to her absolute surprise and delight, the girl looked like her! 

Was this how she looked in Clay's eyes?

"You made this?"

Clay scratched his cheek. "Yeah. I'm sorry I couldn't afford something more."

"No." Aurum shook her head and hugged the small wood carving to her chest. She felt like her heart just became full. "I love it." She looked at Clay and smiled. "Thank you, Clay."

Clay felt like his heart suddenly skipped a beat seeing such a smile. But he didn't think too much about it. Because he was too happy hearing that Aurum loved his gift. So, a wide smile also unknowing spread on his face.

Anthea stared at this scene. She could almost see pink bubbles floating around the two. If Argent was here, she probably had already kicked Clay away from her sister.