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"I am her childhood friend, more than anything." I said, quickly attempting to calm down the woman. My relationship with Erika had yet to ever be approved by me. But knowing this girl, she always jumped into conclusions quite rapidly.
"Nice to meet you, Blake."
Naturally, Erika's mother calmed down the moment I told her I was only her childhood friend. It is better to not make any big impression on her that could hurt our future relationships.
"I see that you brought a lot of students as well." Cattalina said. "I suppose you've made yourself tons of friends back in that village…"
"Yeah, it is a long story, but they've been at my side for a while." Erika said. "Even when… my soul was within the other body."
"So your father truly did made you a golem body." Sighed her mother. "But, what happened to that body? How was this whole process even possible to begin with?" freeweb(n)ovelfreewebnov(e)l
"A lot of alchemy was used. Her father did most of the hard job, I only added the materials. It resulted that one of her father's old friends, Lord Ellergest, the High Priest held a special material within his treasures, one of them which he gifted to Erika once he… passed away in the tragic incident a few years ago." I said to her.
Remember the old man's death really made me quiet… sorrowful, even if my face truly didn't showed it. He had done more than I could have imagined for us, even after his death, he helped Erika regain her living body as well.
"Lord Ellergest was… a nice grandpa." Sighed Erika. "Papa too… They were friends. They said that my death was a conspiracy of the demon cultists, I was cursed… a curse that made my body deteriorate."
Her mother quickly was shocked by the news, her eyes looking down on her own hands.
"I had thought about it many times. I always thought it was unnatural… It wasn't a disease we could heal either… So my baby… My little girl died because of such a horrendous thing…" Her mother, who already looked quite gloomy, started to cry once more. "I'm sorry for going away… In that time, I was mortified by your father and how he took the situation. I was scared he had gone insane because instead of mourning you with me, he only continued researching… I ran away from the situation myself, without seeking another way to solve the problem."
"No, mom, it's fine…" Erika sighed, holding her hand. We were already sitting around the small circular table, as she was right at the side of her mother. "It must have been hard, my father was very stubborn, but I think any normal person would had reacted like you did. Father… never blamed you for anything, he was only regretful because he couldn't see your face again before passing away…" Erika was filled with sorrow as she recalled her father, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Oh, Gustav…" Cattalina started to cry even more, recalling her husband. "I am… sorry, Erika. I should had come to visit him. I… I am so foolish. Even now I've been thinking about him from time to time, he never truly left my heart… He was my first love, and perhaps the only love I'll ever have through my long life…"
"Papa was… a good father. He took care of all my necessities…" Erika said with a smile. "I know that… what papa did was morally wrong, I know it was… But even I… I also wanted a second chance. When I died, my little consciousness felt afraid of the cold that would had embraced me. But such coldness disappeared when father rescued my soul from passing away. I know its weird, I know its… bad but due to those questionable decisions, I have a new body now, I've been truly reborn… I hope you can forgive him one day, that's the only thing he wanted."
"…" Cattalina sighed, looking back at her daughter's eyes. "Of course… I've forgiven him long ago, in fact."
"Papa said… that he loved you even after all these years, and that… he hoped you could live a happy life." Erika continued in between tears.
"I see… Gustav… We were wronged." Sighed Cattalina.
"There's more to this story." I said, quickly interrupting the two. "Way more to it, but I don't know if we can freely talk about this in this open place. Especially the conspiracy revolving around Erika's death. Lady Cattalina, would it be alright for you if we continue our conversation about this topic in the house we rented once we are done here?"
"Oh… I see… I've also been researching myself, I've only found little clues, but never a culprit." Sighed Cattalina. "Very well, I shall go to that house. I also want to see the house my daughter's living in and her conditions. Now that she's back with me, I would even request a room there, if that's okay for you."
"Eh? Y-You can?" Asked Erika.
"Of course, I am a prestigious Academy Teacher after all. I can do mostly as I please here." Said her mother with a gentle smile. "Do you want to live with mama, Erika?"
"I do! I… do…" Erika continued sniffling as she cried more. "Mama…!"
She hugged her mother tightly, without wanting to let go of her.
Her mother hugged her back, giving her kisses all over her face.
"I love you so much, my little Erika… I'll make up for all I've wronged you, I'll take care of you from now on. I will give you everything I should had given to you when you were younger. I have to make up for all that Gustav has sacrificed…" Her mother said, caressing her daughter's long, pink hair. "Your hair is so beautiful and vibrant, just like your mama's hair… You're my living image, I can't believe how much you look like me."
"Hehe, papa always said I looked as beautiful as mama." Erika smiled back.
I couldn't help but smile myself, I don't think I've ever seen Erika so happy before.
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