Chapter 875 AND THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER
"SMALL MOMMY, I'm going to miss you."
Neoma had to swallow the lump that formed in her throat to stop herself from crying. "I'll miss you, too, baby," she said in a cracked voice, hugging Vitu tight. "Be a good boy, okay? Play well, sleep well, eat well. Don't do anything dangerous like saving the world. All you need to do is to protect yourself. Don't worry too much about your mommy and daddy since they're OP. It's okay if you grow up arrogant and entitled as long as you don't hurt other people. And always remember this: I love you. Ruto loves you, too. You are dearly loved."
"Thank you for saying that, Small Mommy," Vitu said gently, wrapping his arms around Neoma's neck. "I'll wait for the day when we can finally meet again."
At least ten years.
Neoma wanted to have a child once she was in her late twenties or early thirties, so Vitu had to wait for at least ten years.
[But time flies quickly, so we'll meet again before we know it.]
"Vitu, come here," Neoma unnie said. "My little sister and her commander need to go now."
Aww.
Neoma didn't want to let go of Vitu, but she also didn't want to make her unnie upset. Hence, she reluctantly handed her baby to her real mother.
Of course, she instantly felt lonely.
Fortunately, Ruto stood by her side and put a hand on her waist in an attempt to console her.
"Neoma unnie, I'll fuck them up for us," Neoma said in an emotional voice. "I swear it on my self-proclaimed title as the Visual Goddess."
"I'm looking forward to it," Neoma unnie said, smiling. "My little sister."
"I'll make sure that your eyes and ears in the outside world will only deliver good and exciting news to you, unnie," Neoma said confidently, then she turned to Commander Yoan with sharp eyes. "Commander Yoan, you don't need to be overprotective of my unnie because she's stronger than you."
Ruto had to fake a cough to hide his laugh, while Commander Yoan only flinched as if she was intimidated by Neoma's threat.
[But I'm not yet done.]
"All you have to do is to continue making my unnie happy," Neoma said, still glaring at Commander Yoan. "Don't ever think about saving the world or any similar shit. Just focus on my unnie and Baby Vitu, Commander Yoan. Don't worry about the outside world. My Ruto and I will do all the dirty work from now on."
"Neoma, saving the world isn't "dirty work,"" Ruto scolded her lightly. "It's a noble job that will earn you good karma points later in life."
"Ruto, at this point, I should be the one handing out those good karma points. I'm worth all the gods in the Upper World combined when it comes to competence and efficacy, am I not?"
"Yes, you're right," Ruto said, taking her side right away. "I'm sorry. I misspoke."
"It's okay, babe. You're forgiven."
Ruto just gently squeezed her waist in response.
Commander Yoan, on the other hand, cleared his throat before speaking. "I've already learned my lesson the hard way, Princess Neoma," he said gently, then he wrapped an arm around Neoma unnie's shoulder. "My priority is my family."
"Very well," Neoma said, nodding. She was satisfied by Commander Yoan's response. "I trust that the three of you will continue living happily in this world."
Neoma unnie and Commander Yoan both smiled and nodded.
[Yep, they're going to live happily ever after.]
"Don't worry, Small Mommy," Vitu assured her in a cheerful voice. "I'll make sure we are always happy!"
That was all Neoma needed to hear.
***
[THIS IS IT.]
Neoma knew this was her last chance to be with Neoma unnie alone.
Vitu, Commander Yoan, and Ruto were waiting for them at the portal.
But even though Neoma was given another chance to spend time with her unnie alone, she knew there wouldn't be much to say between the two of them.
They were already past that point.
[Unnie already told me everything I needed to win the war, and I've already told her the things I knew she wanted to hear.]
Oh, there was one thing that Neoma wanted to make sure, though…
"Little Neoma."
"Yes, unnie?"
Neoma unnie smiled brightly. "I know it now," she said as if she could read Neoma's mind. "I was loved. I AM loved. Moreover, I'm no longer alone or lonely."
"Are you happy here, unnie?"
"The years I spent in this little world with Yoan and Vitu were the happiest years of my life," Neoma unnie said, her smile getting brighter. "And I know I'll continue being happy with them in this little world."
"I will protect this world for you and for your happiness, unnie," Neoma promised firmly. "I promise."
Her unnie smiled again, then she opened her arms. "Can you give me a hug, my little sister?"
Instead of answering verbally, Neoma just pulled her unnie for a tight hug.
"Neoma, my little sister, thank you for everything. And I'm sorry I have to leave everything in your capable hands from now on," Neoma unnie whispered. "Let me tell you something that you might like as a parting gift."
Of course, Neoma listened to what her unnie said carefully…
… and then blushed so hard that Ruto later said she looked like red chili paste.
***
IT WAS a meaningful goodbye.
Neoma of the first timeline sent the young Neoma and the young Commander Ruto off with a smile.
Her heart was finally at ease.
"Now it's just the three of us here again," Yoan said, putting an arm around her waist. "What do you want to do now, honey?"
Hmm.
Neoma turned to her husband, and then to their teenage son who was standing in front of her with an expectant look on his face.
Look at this big baby.
[He went back to his original form now that his "Small Mommy" and "Small Daddy" aren't here to pamper him.]
"We've been in this world for a little over forty years," Neoma said. "Since we are gods, forty years were short. Moreover, since we were living happily here, time flew faster than it usually does."
Their little family was sent there after Yoan reset the time.
However, the first time he did, Neoma was taken to a different world and lived as a different person.
[That explains "my" change in attitude.]
Ruto had to bring back Neoma into this world.
And that was how they met the fierce little Neoma with a foul mouth.
[She's young, but she's dependable.]
Neoma smiled and held each of Yoan and Vitu's hands. "Forty years passed by shortly, but I'm already tired," she said in a tired voice. "I feel like I could finally take a peaceful rest now."
She could see that Yoan and Vitu both understood what she truly meant by that.
No wonder her husband suddenly carried her the way he did the day they got married in this little world.
Neoma could only laugh while wrapping her arms around Yoan's neck.
"You deserve a long and peaceful rest, honey," Yoan said, smiling warmly at her. "Of course, I'll join you."
And then her husband brought her to their room.
Yoan tucked Neoma in bed before he laid down next to her, letting her use his arm as a pillow.
[Like he always does.]
Vitu, who was sitting on the chair next to the bed, smiled despite the tears in his eyes. "Mother, Father, I'll sing you a lullaby."
"That would be lovely, our precious baby," Neoma said. "Thank you."
"Don't be a crybaby, you little ruffian," Yoan "scolded" their son affectionately. "You will have better parents once you get born in the real world."
"That may be true, Father," Vitu said in a cracked voice. "But you and Mother will always be irreplaceable in my heart. I may not remember you once I get reborn, but please know that I am and will always be grateful to be your son in our little yet happy world."
Neoma had never cried once, not even tears of happiness, ever since she was sent to that world.
Not until that moment.
"I will never regret tainting my hands with blood for you, Vitu," Neoma said, her tears rolling down her cheeks despite her efforts to smile. "Thank you for being our son. And I'm sorry that your father and I will have to sleep first."
"Take care of yourself, Vitu," Yoan said in a cracked voice. "We will always be proud of you."
"And we will always love you," Neoma added gently. "We love you, son."
Vitu laughed while crying.
Then, their son sang them the lullaby that Neoma used to sing to her baby.
[Ah, this is really the end.]
Neoma knew that she was just a piece of the real Neoma's soul– a piece only meant to guard the Eternal Flame until the new rightful wielder appeared.
Hence, she had always known that this day would come.
Although she was sad that her peaceful life in this little world with her small family had finally come to an end, she was still grateful and happy that it happened.
[I'm getting sleepy now…]
Neoma cuddled with Yoan, then she closed her eyes– her heart light and swelling with contentment. "I love you, Yoan," she whispered. "Thank you for making me happy all this time, and thank you for creating this small family with me."
"No, none of this would have been possible without your sacrifice, honey. So, thank YOU," Yoan whispered back, then he kissed the top of her head. "You've done more than enough, my princess. Please take a rest now. I'll stay with you until the end of time. I love you."
No matter how many times she had heard it, she would never get tired of listening to Yoan say that he loved her.
[I love the life that I built with Yoan and Vitu.]
Hence, Neoma would leave the world without regrets.
[We've done enough, and we did well.]
"Mommy, Daddy," Vitu whispered in a broken voice, calling them affectionately the way he did when he was a toddler. "I love you."
Neoma and Yoan both smiled, both happy and finally at peace.
"Good night, Mommy and Daddy."
***
RUTO noticed that Neoma had fallen silent ever since they left the Eternal Flame's domain.
[Is she thinking about what Princess Neoma said earlier?]
To be honest, he was curious as to what could possibly make Neoma blush that hard.
"Neoma, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but may I know what Princess Neoma said…"
He trailed off.
Ruto stopped talking when he realized that Neoma was crying silently. "Neoma…?"
"They're gone, aren't they?" Neoma asked in a cracked voice. "No, don't answer that. I don't want to know the truth."
Ah.
[She knows.]
Ruto had always known that Princess Neoma and Commander Yoan would disappear as soon as the Eternal Flame found its own master.
He didn't tell Neoma because Princess Neoma asked him not to say anything.
[But, of course, Neoma would know. After all, we would feel it if a piece of our soul suddenly disappeared.]
"They will live happily ever after in the little world that they created," Neoma said between sobs. "That could be the only acceptable ending for Neoma unnie and Commander Yoan. I will not accept anything other than a happy ending for them. They have to be happy."
"Neoma, they ARE happy," Ruto said in a cracked voice, then he gathered Neoma in his arms. "Princess Neoma and Commander Yoan will finally enter their eternal rest in peace. Together. That's a happy ending."
Princess Neoma had done so much good in the world.
It was time for the princess who saved the world to finally rest in peace.
Hence, even though it wasn't the happy ending that Neoma had in mind, Ruto knew it was the ending that Princess Neoma and Commander Yoan deserved.
"They are together until the end," Ruto said. Just like Neoma, he was also crying this time. "And that's what matters most."
Neoma only hugged Ruto tighter and cried hard in his chest. "They're happy, right?"
"They are, Neoma– they are."
And soon enough, Ruto was already crying with Neoma.
***
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