NOVEL NEXT Chapter 118
Blink blink.
How many times have I looked like a fool today…?
“So, Samaela… you’re saying you’re going to kill that woman? In the Demon Realm?”
“Killing? Mom isn’t that violent, okay?”
“Isn’t that exactly what killing means—”
“Elly?”
“Yes. To give her a lesson. You’re going to the Demon Realm to teach that Dark Mage a lesson, right?”
“That’s right.”
Guffaw– Mom laughed.
“I’m going to teach her a lesson, and punish the one who gave her that order… the bad one too.”
“…If it’s the bad one.”
My voice became a bit heavy. The emotions that had been swirling around settled down.
“What if that being is the Legion Commander…? Are you going to kill, or teach him a lesson too?”
“If necessary.”
Mom still spoke in a gentle voice.
How should I say this…? My position, of course…
“Can’t you not go?”
“Oh my?”
“It’s dangerous, you know? The Demon Realm. And if Muyeong is absent, Eustetia will also be in danger in many ways. So… can you go later, if you have to go?”
Swish swish– Mom’s long, delicate fingers grazed my ear.
“Are you worried about the Side Branch?”
I was startled again.
“…You really do know, huh?”
“Mom knows everything.”
“Then… you shouldn’t leave your position. Just stay.”
“It’s okay.”
Her fingers, which had been tickling my ear, pinched my cheek lightly. It didn’t hurt, it felt soft.
“Our Elly just needs to trust Mom and Dad and do well in the Academy.”
“…I’m not just a child anymore.”
“In Mom’s eyes, you’re still a little one, aren’t you? And that’s how it will always be. Hehe.”
If anyone else had said this, I would have immediately snarled and bared my teeth.
“…Do you really have to go?”
“I really have to.”
“Can’t you go with me later?”
“Parents’ job isn’t to pave the path for their child, but to go ahead and make it beautiful.”
“Then you could have just taught me directly instead of sending me to the Academy. You’re a Martial Artist… after all.”
Mom frowned slightly.
“Your words are right. I could have taught you without sending you to the Academy. But… that couldn’t happen.”
“Why not?”
The fingers that held my cheek poked my nose with a poke-.
“Blood smell.”
“Ugh.”
“The smell of blood to Mom. Elly smelled it too, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
The smell wafting from the ideation. The thick scent of slaughter.
That was Muyeong’s ideation. I still don’t know what kind of power that ideation holds. However, in both my past life and this one, I had never smelled blood quite like that.
“I can’t pass down such things to my beloved daughter.”
“…But there’s no guarantee that it will end up that way. It’s… based on the person wielding the power.”
“I didn’t want to leave any possibility open.”
“If that’s the case, right now. Right now, what kind of—”
“Elly.”
Mom cut off my words.
“The Academy has someone you’re looking for.”
“Someone I’m looking for?”
“Leona Meganberta.”
“…The Vice Headmaster? Me? I’m looking for the Vice Headmaster?”
“Leona was Arisa’s last disciple.”
“…Huh.”
I had kind of expected this. I figured she would be the last disciple. But hearing it asserted like this makes me a bit dazed.
The last disciple… Does Mom know that Arisa was a Martial Artist? She even knows about Leona’s identity. Just how much does she know?
No, then… how old could Leona be? She must be over 400 years old, at least!
“How does Mom know all this…?”
“I told you. Mom knows everything.”
“That seems unrelated to this…”
“If Mom says so, then it is.”
Mom giggled and popped a candy into my mouth. A signal to stop asking, I suppose.
“If Muyeong goes to Gebihenum, Leona will return to the Academy. After that, she won’t leave her position like this, so Elly can attend classes without worry.”
“…Is the Vice Headmaster in Gebihenum?”
“Probably?”
“They say the world is in a time of peace.”
“Do you believe the words of demons?”
“I don’t trust people’s words either.”
“Mom believes?”
“Of course… I believe in Mom, Dad, Uncle Kerian, and even Yurasia.”
A spark of interest flickered across Mom’s face.
“What about Stella? That child?”
“…Uh, well, she’s… let’s say it’s a bit backtalk, so I won’t speak too much about her. But she does… believe, I suppose.”
Stella is a bit of a scatterbrain.
So, it’s not like I can imagine her meticulously planning to betray me.
“Oh, and Pina. You saw that Squirrel Beastman friend, right? I trust her too. She’s connected with the Spirit. So, she can’t lie to me.”
Spirits, specifically, we made a pact with the World Tree.
Among several things, the most prominent is that we cannot lie to each other.
Actually, I’m not sure if that applies to me too, but if what Flora said is true and my soul remains the same… I think it would apply.
Hahaha. Yeah. The Spirit… giggle. Mom really did a good job raising our daughter.
“…Well, sure. You can brag about it wherever you go.”
I snickered back at Mom, who was chuckling.
But soon, Mom dropped her laughter and spoke.
“Anyway, I’m sorry. I think I won’t be able to meet Elly for quite a while.”
“…That’s mischievous of you.”
“What’s mischievous?”
“To say things like this… and then say you won’t meet for a long time.”
I looked up at Mom while scratching my cheek.
“You’re the only one who knows about my secret… No child in the world would be happy if Mom said she’s going to a dangerous place.”
Mom didn’t respond, only smiled quietly.
“If only I could have waited at least five years… I could have convinced you to stay.”
“Oh my? You plan to stop me with strength?”
“Do I look like an ungrateful child?”
“Hmm… No, our Elly is a good daughter.”
“…That’s right. Yes, I’m a good daughter. So, um, I’ll do some filial piety for a bit.”
Jumping down from Mom’s lap, I set down the A-Space Pocket I had hung at my waist.
Mom watched my actions with an intrigued look, twisting her hair.
“At first, I was planning to give this to you and keep one for Muyeong…”
“So you were?”
“Since this has happened, I’ll give them both to you at once.”
I dug into the pocket and rummaged.
First… a sword. I pulled out a one-handed sword.
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A sleek black blade. It resembled the sword Uncle Kerian used to carry at his waist.
The length and weight are slightly different, but it doesn’t matter much.
As long as the user lets their blood flow, it will adjust itself.
“This is Uncle Kerian’s.”
Mom’s eyes widened when she saw the sword.
“The material used for it is Mu-gang-han-cheol.”
“…Wow.”
“Mom seems surprised too.”
“…That’s because what came out surpassed my expectations by a long shot. And from a pocket belonging to my daughter…”
Seeing Mom’s flustered expression, I snickered.
“Here, if you let a few drops of blood flow from your hand on the pommel, it’ll adjust to a length and weight suitable for Uncle. Just five drops should be enough. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a sword sheath.”
Luna lost it in gambling.
I was determined to get it back, but the jerk that took the sword sheath was already caught by demons a long time ago.
So I couldn’t retrieve it.
“Next… This is for Muyeong.”
I thought a lot about this.
What does a Martial Artist need?
A blade-less shuriken… since a Martial Artist’s body is their weapon. Having excessive armor is only a hindrance.
After long consideration, I decided on…
A potion.
Actually, Muyeong… with Mom’s level, she wouldn’t need something like this.
It wouldn’t have much effect anyway.
But this isn’t the same.
“This is a potion made from dragon bones, skin, blood, and heart. What was it called… its effects include strong bones, toughened skin, denser mana… well, it’s similar to other potions, but Mom… this potion can still have quite a bit of effect on Muyeong.”
And it extends lifespan.
Keeps youth longer and is good for beauty too.
“Oh, and of course, I saved some for myself, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
Mom’s eyes widened even more.
Is filial piety this thrilling?
I never knew because I didn’t have parents in my previous life.
It feels really good.
Maintaining my smile, I continued with the next one.
“This was for you, Mom.”
I pulled out a new potion.
“Actually, this one overlaps a bit with the last one, but this one is a potion that’s certainly more effective for beauty. Honestly, even now you’re pretty enough, so I was wondering if you’d even need it… but it’s better if you become even prettier, right?”
Oh, and…
“There’s one more for you, Mom.”
Dig dig– I rummaged through again.
Feeling a bit awkward… I pulled out the next potion.
This isn’t just one bottle. It’s a set of ten.
Why was there this? Why is there anything?
In my previous life… I carried it around.
And now… even if I want to use it, I can’t… of course, I never got to use it in my previous life either. Damn it.
“…To say it’s for Mom is a bit ambiguous, but it could be for Dad? Uh… maybe… it’s something you both might like… or maybe not…?”
I cautiously placed it in Mom’s pocket.
And I whispered softly into Mom’s ear.
“…Oh my.”
Upon hearing its effects, Mom smiled brightly and said,
“I’ll have to come back quickly, then?”
…I hope Dad is okay?