122 I’m Sorry
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I moved near my mother, balancing on top of a large tree branch before reaching up to her.
I sat by her side as she looked at me with a bit of apprehension.
“Mommy?” I asked.
“Yes, Sylphy?” she asked.
“Answer me!” I said in response.
“I’m here... because I wanted to relax a bit. I’ve been looking at the moon ever since I was your age. Since then, I realized that it often calms me down,” she told me.
“Oh...” I could only say that as I nodded.
After that, I looked up at the skies. The dark night was pretty, devoid of clouds, with bright stars covering it. The moon was full today, like an enormous sphere of dim white light.
.....
“Are you feeling, okay? I’m sorry for upsetting you... I don’t want you to feel bad,” I said sometime later.
“...”
My mother smiled faintly as she held my hand before moving me more to her side, hugging me.
“I’m not upset, dear... I was a bit... exasperated there. But I’m fine now... you know I love you more than anything, right?” she asked.
“I... I do.” I replied.
“You’re the precious treasure of my life, Sylph... and that’s why I get so worried and stressed when something happens to you... our world is dangerous, lowering your guard can be fatal... I’ve seen others do this and... fall like flies one by one,” she told me with a sigh.
Although she didn’t seem to want to show her emotions that much, mother’s eyes were filled with such a deep sorrow that it made me sad deep down. It made me realize the pain of being someone who had a long life ... seeing so many people fall before her, all those friends and companions she had become acquainted with...
“I know... I’m sorry...” I said in response.
“You’ve said sorry more than enough times already. I just want you to realize the preciousness of your life to me and... your father as well. Don’t act reckless without having calculated the risks well enough, okay? I know you’re strong. You’ve already learned so much and you’re still not even five years old... I believe you will eventually surpass all of us... but for now, you’re still developing and growing. This is the stage where most people act recklessly and end up... falling,” mother said, letting out a sigh once more.
“I understand. I also calculated the risks... Furoh ended up being a good person, mommy. Do you want to speak with him?” I asked.
“W-With the demon?” mother asked in response.
“Yes, he’s willing,” I replied with a nod.
“...very well, show him to me.” Mother nodded after hearing that.
As she had agreed, I decided to summon Furoh outside of my Soul Scape.
However, because he would be too hideous in his normal form, and because it was tiring to summon him entirely right now, I decided to summon him in his “compact” form.
Soon, a small treasure chest appeared, floating in front of me.
It slightly opened as mother could see a few eyes inside. A few seconds later, a long tongue came out.
He was shy and disliked to show the rest of his body.
“So, you’re Furoh... you’re like a mimic?” she wondered.
“No... I’m actually not a mimic, I just... hide and pretend to be one,” Furoh replied with a sigh.
“Why?” asked my mother.
“Because my appearance... it’s hideous...” he said, sighing yet again.
“...”
My mother looked at the demon while squinting her eyes.
“I see. The innocence of this demon is genuine. He is, in fact, just a child... probably not so far from your age,” mother said soon after.
“Huh? That young?” I wondered.
“I-I’m actually 7 years old!” Furoh said all of a sudden.
“He joined during the last year of the war, and was born just two years before that, no?” mother said, shocking Furoh.
“H-How could you tell?!” Naturally, Furoh wanted to know.
“I have special senses. I can detect life and track their origins,” mother said with a calm expression.
“Y-Your mother’s scary,” Furoh could not help but say.
“No, she’s awesome.” I said in response.
“I-I guess...” murmured Furoh.
Furoh ended up being a bit older than us by 3 years. I was born some time after the war ended, so we’re not too far apart in age.
From the looks of it, his race grew up very quickly.
But what I was really surprised about was that my mother could tell so much. Her powers were amazing.
“Furoh, you better behave in front of my girl. Make sure to protect her with your strength,” she told him after some time.
“I-I will!” replied Furoh.
“There’s also that dragon... make sure to not fight with him too often. I’ve heard that demons and dragons actually don’t get along,” mother added soon after.
“Huh...?! Dragon?” I asked.
“Ignatius, the dragon you have,” mother responded.
“You know he’s an actual dragon?!” I asked.
“The very moment I glanced into him. His spiritual aura told me everything... I also know you have some sort of ability that lets you absorb souls or something. That’s how you got him, right? You have powers I’ve never seen before, Sylph,” mother said with a sigh.
So, my mother knew about it this whole time?! Ugh... well, she doesn’t know about the system yet. Well, at the very least, I still got that consolation prize.
“Sylphy... you’ve grown,” she told me all of a sudden.
“Huh?” I was confused.
“Almost five years since you were born, and you’ve grown a lot already...” she replied.
“Mom...” I muttered.
“You know? Before I met your father, my life always felt fleeting. No matter how much time passed, it all felt like it was going nowhere. Everything felt stagnant. There was no harmony to me, no colors, nothing... it was dull... all of it.” she murmured.
“...”
“But then I met the Heroes and then... your father... back then he was young, and he was cute... I acted as his teacher. Over the years, he grew attached to me, a lot actually... several times I told him that it wasn’t right, that he shouldn’t pursue me... that I was too old... but he continued anyways. He then told me... he always said that I... someone that sees life as something dull and stagnant, was his sun atop the sky...” she continued with a sigh.
“He really said that?” I couldn’t believe it.
“Mm... he captivated me and I gave up... and then, you came out of it. Even after living for so long, I realized that my life finally began when I married him and I gave birth to you... all these years of pure joy and love... It was something I’ve never felt before, something that filled me with such happiness... and many other emotions too...” she said.
“Mother...” I could not help but mutter.
“I’m grateful for you, Sylph... You’ve given me a reason to live like nothing else...” She looked at me before kissing my forehead.
“I love you so much, my daughter...” she said, giving me the most tender smile I’ve ever seen in my life.
I had never seen someone so genuinely show their love and affection like now.
Even my mother in my previous life never had the chance like my mother in my second life.
Without realizing it, I began to cry.
Then, I hugged my mother tightly.
“Mommy... I love you too!” I told her.
“Sylphy...” She let out a happy sigh, hugging me back.
At this point, both of us began to cry like dorks.
But then, I began to giggle a bit, and she giggled as well.
“Why are we crying so much?” she asked.
“Because we’re happy...!” I told her.
“Is... that so?” she asked in response, looking at me warmly as she caressed my cheeks.
“Let’s head back for now. Your father must be waiting for us,” she said soon after.
“Sure!” I nodded in agreement.
And like that, we went back to the tent, and enjoyed some dinner with everyone else.
This was such a long day... but like many other days, it was fleeting, and will be left behind... but I’m sure it will remain in my heart forever.
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