[THIS CHILD is a de Moonasterio and a Solfrid, but he doesn't have a drop of Roseheart Blood in him.]
Neoma didn't know how she knew that, but she could just tell.
Vitu, a young boy probably aged seven or eight, had two-toned hair. The upper part of his hair was white, of course. But instead of pink like Neoma's strands, the lower part of his hair was purple.
[Just like Ruto's hair.]
Vitu got his ash-gray eyes and pale skin from Neoma, though.
[The child, as expected, looks more of a de Moonasterio than a Solfrid.]
Which means…
"You're beautiful, Vitu," Neoma said, bending her knees to meet the child's eye level. "Am I really your mommy? Did Ruto take responsibility for both of us?"
Vitu giggled at her questions, then his gaze went past him. "Mommy, should I take care of that for you?"
"Ah, no need, baby."
She raised her hand and grabbed the single arrow that Commander Yoan launched at her earlier without even looking at it.
To be honest, it was all instinct.
She only ran away from the arrow earlier because she had no reason to stop it. But now that the super duper cute baby was here, she didn't hesitate to break the weapon. She didn't want the beautiful child to get hurt, after all.
[Aw.]
As expected, she got electrocuted as soon as she touched the arrow.
It hurt as hell, of course.
But her entire body was already in a hella lot of pain, so there was nothing new.
"Gosh, your father is a sadist," Neoma said while breaking the arrow into two with her bare hands. "How could he launch a serious attack on the poor, fragile me?"
"Fragile?" Vitu asked, giggling. "Mommy, did you know that the arrow that you just snapped into two was something not even my grandfather could break in his prime?"
"Your grandfather…?"
"Emperor Nikolai de Moonasterio."
Pfft.
[Papa Boss would definitely react "violently" once he finds out he has a grandson.]
"Baby, this may come as a surprise to you, but…" Neoma said, throwing the broken arrow away. "I'm actually OP. Plus, I think I've surpassed Mama Boss and Papa Boss by now."
Vitu laughed out loud this time. "Mommy, who in the world doesn't know that?"
Oh.
[I like this child. He's so pretty and smart! I wonder who his mom is for him to be this beautiful and quick-witted.]
Oh, wait.
[It's actually me– I'm the mother of this perfect child.]
Hehe.
Vitu tilted his head to one side as if he was amused. "Mommy, why are you grinning like that?"
"How can I not when there's someone so lovely in front of me?"
"Mommy, you've become more expressive."
"Do you hate it?"
Vitu shook his head adorably. "I love all your different versions, Mommy."
'Versions.'
To this child, Neoma was just another version of the mommy that he knew.
[The Neoma of the first timeline is lucky to have this child.]
For some reason, that hurt Neoma's feelings a bit.
"Mommy, why haven't you put out the Eternal Flame yet?" Vitu wondered, tilting his to one side. "Isn't the Eternal Flame just your pet?"
[My what?]
"You used the Eternal Flame as my playmate," Vitu said excitedly. "The Eternal Flame is our family, Mommy. You don't have to fight it."
Hmm???
Neoma suddenly felt like this cute, adorable, smart, pretty, beautiful baby had just given her a major clue about how to 'tame' the Eternal Flame.
[I don't have to fight it, huh?]
"Vitu, I told you not to wander around."
It was Commander Yoan, of course.
Oho?
Neoma noticed that the commander had shrunk.
[He's around the same height as Ruto now.]
"Daddy!" Vitu excitedly called the commander, then the baby ran to his father. "Small Mommy broke your arrow like it was nothing! Small Mommy is still stronger than you!"
Pfft.
It was cute how Vitu was bragging about Neoma as if her achievement was also his.
[That child can do or say nothing wrong, so it's okay even if he called me 'small.']
Commander Yoan picked up Vitu and carried the baby in his arms. "Really? I only used 30% of my current strength, though."
"Is that a challenge? I think it's a challenge," Neoma said, her competitive spirit getting riled up. "Why are you being so smug, Commander? I put ZERO effort when breaking your stupid arrow. Thirty percent, my foot."
Commander Yoan and Vitu exchanged knowing looks, then the two laughed.
[Well, at least I can tell they aren't laughing at me.]
Plus, it looked nice to see the commander and the most adorable baby in the world smiling.
[Gosh, I want to take a picture of their pretty smiles.]
"Small Mommy also hates losing to you as much as my Big Mommy does," Vitu said, giggling. "Daddy, why do my mommies hate you?"
Commander Yoan cleared his throat. "They don't hate me, son. They're just competitive, and I just happen to be the only person in the world who can give them a proper competition."
"Gosh, why are being arrogant in front of the child, Commander?" Neoma complained lightly. "What will you do if that super adorable and very smart baby grows up arrogant? You have to raise him preciously."
"What's wrong with being arrogant?" Commander Yoan said nonchalantly. "Our Vitu has all the right to grow up entitled."
"I'm the greatest baby in the world!" Vitu said, raising his hands. "I'm Vitu de Moonasterio Solfrid! I have the blessing of the Moon, the Sun, the Life, the Death, and the Light!"
Heh.
[My spawn is a genius.]
But…
[Uhm, is my baby more awesome than me???]
"Look, Vitu," Commander Yoan "whispered" to the cutest baby in the whole wide world. "Your 'Small Mommy' is getting competitive towards you."
Neoma's face turned red, embarrassed by her stupid competitiveness.
"You haven't tamed the Eternal Flame yet?"
Hmm?
It was neither Vitu nor Commander Yoan.
[She's finally back.]
Neoma crossed her arms over her chest. "I've been waiting for you, Giant Neoma."
The 'giant' Neoma that she met earlier wasn't as big as she remembered, though.
[I think she's only a bit taller than me?]
"Mommy!" Vitu claimed happily while reaching for Giant Neoma. "Welcome back! Did you have fun?"
"I did," the Giant Neoma said, carrying the prettiest baby in the universe in her arms. "It was fun toying with a puny god who doesn't know his place."
Hmm?
"Did you shoo Helstor away?" Neoma asked bluntly. "Good job, me."
The Giant Neoma looked at Neoma indifferently. "Hurry up and get out of here, child."
Okay, that made Neoma nervous. "I-Is it that bad out there?"
"Not yet, but it's about to go down the hill," the Giant Neoma said indifferently. "I've already done my part, so do yours."
"I will, duh."
"Aren't you going to slap me or something when I return?" the Giant Neoma asked, obviously provoking her. "I can tell you wanted to do that before I left earlier."
"I would, but I do not want to be violent in front of the loveliest child in the entire world," Neoma said. "Our baby should only see and hear nice things."
"This is MY baby," the Giant Neoma said, glaring at Neoma with her glowing red eyes. "He's not 'ours.'"
Okay, that gave Neoma the chills.
For the first time, she felt truly terrified of the Giant Neoma.
[Why did she suddenly become so scary?]
"Mommy, Mommy, look at me," Vitu said, cupping the Giant Neoma's face between his hands. Then he gently forced her to face him. "I wanna go home now. Can we?"
The Giant Neoma's face instantly softened up, and her eyes returned to normal. "Alright, son. We're going home."
"I told you not to push yourself too much," Commander Yoan "scolded" the Giant Neoma in a gentle and loving tone while rubbing her back. "You must be tired now. We should head back and rest."
Aww.
[They're a picture-perfect family.]
But Neoma was quite confused.
[They're going home? Where? I thought they would completely vanish since the Giant Neoma broke the rules or something.]
Neoma's thoughts were interrupted when she saw what happened next.
Commander Yoan effortlessly carried the Giant Neoma in his arms– bridal style– while the Giant Neoma was carrying Vitu in her arms.
No wonder the Giant Neoma and Vitu laughed at what the commander did.
Neoma felt a pang in her heart while watching the family.
[They look happy.]
"See you later, Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio," the Giant Neoma said, calmly this time. "I left a present for you that you will only get to unlock once you tamed the Eternal Flame."
"Okay," Neoma said, waving her hands to the family. "See you later."
"Work on your speed, young princess," Commander Yoan said bluntly. "Your Light is supposed to be the fastest thing in the world."
Hmm?
[My Light?]
Was that the reason why the commander made Neoma run for her life earlier?
"The mommy I know doesn't move from her spot when she fights. It's really cool to see Mommy fight while sitting on her throne," Vitu said enthusiastically. "I hope to see you fight that coolly someday, Small Mommy!"
Okay, that was a little pressuring.
Nevertheless…
"I'll do my best, baby," Neoma said, clenching her hands. "I'll make you proud someday."
The Giant Neoma and Commander Yoan nodded at Neoma. "Goodbye, young princess."
"Goodbye, Small Mommy," Vitu said, smiling. "See you later."
Hmm?
Neoma was confused while waving goodbye to the happy family.
['Later?']
***
RUTO flinched when the color of the Eternal Flame suddenly changed.
The rainbow-colored flame had turned CRIMSON red.
It was the color of flesh blood and…
"The little princess' real test will finally begin," Drystan said while looking at the Eternal Flame. "She has probably met Vitu by now."
Vitu.
Ruto would always feel sorry towards the child they had failed to protect in the first timeline.
And yet, he couldn't help but wish that Neoma wouldn't have to meet Vitu.
"Neoma will lose her mind," Ruto said in a sad and bitter voice. "This time, her Lunacy might take over her sanity for real."
"Well, every de Moonasterio in the world has Lunacy as their problem," Drystan said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Unfortunately, there's no cure for it. They just have to overcome it every time an 'episode' occurs."
No, there was a way to completely get rid of the Lunacy.
But the answer was in the hands of "the boy who had everything."
Ruto clicked his tongue. "It's so annoying."
***
NEOMA FELT like she was wasting time there.
[I need to tame this damned Eternal Flame.]
On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel that her meeting with the Giant Neoma and her family was a bit anti-climactic.
[I feel like that's not the end yet.]
"Mother, I'm back."
Hmm?
Neoma turned around and was greeted by a familiar yet unfamiliar young man.
[Vitu?]
The young man in front of her was probably six feet tall.
His shoulder-length hair was two-tone: white on the upper part, and purple on the lower part. He also had ash-gray eyes and pale skin.
Most of all, he had the face that could only belong to a de Moonasterio.
[Yes, this is really Vitu.]
"You've grown up quite quickly, baby."
"This is my appearance when I was the same age as you, Mother."
[Ah, he's a big boy now. No wonder he calls me 'Mother' instead of 'Mommy' now.]
"But what are you doing here?" Neoma asked awkwardly. For some reason, Vitu's teenage version made her uncomfortable. "And why did you come alone?"
"I forgot to say something to you, Mother. Did you know?" Vitu asked, smiling creepily until his RED eyes had turned into little crescent moons. "'Vitu' doesn't really exist– he's nothing but a mirage created by the World to keep Neoma de Moonasterio sane."
[A mirage...?]
***
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