Lucia has left.
It was something that had to be done so I had no complaints. Lucia told me that she would do everything in her power to finish early and come back. We parted reluctantly. The last time we parted was when I left, and now it was my turn to see her leave. However, I soon had to leave the elf nation too. After the full moon night tomorrow, I will have to return to the humans.
I only went through one event this month, but that one event felt like a lifetime’s worth.
Since Lucia left today, I had nothing left to do either. It turned out I was right. Everything I was asked to do previously was all to keep me from spending time with Lucia! Lucia is gone, and so is Mera. I no longer had any interest in leaving the palace. And so, I casually read a novel while sitting under a tree.
“What are you reading, my son?”
Just as I started feeling sleepy and was about to fall asleep thanks to the warm temperature in the afternoon, a gentle voice came from above. I placed the book on my face to a side and sat up. I looked at mom who was looking at me with a smile and replied: “Nothing, just a novel. But I was about to fall asleep before I could finish it.”
Mom smiled as she picked up the novel to flip through it and then said: “You’ve always been reading books since you were young which is why mommy has kept the drafts of all works in the library. Mommy really likes this habit of yours, since mommy didn’t let you touch swords and weapons from a young age. Reading a lot will also allow you to understand the thinking of the sages of old. Thoughts are a good thing. Flesh will die and rot, but thoughts will not.”
“I agree, mom.”
I sat up straight and leaned my back against the tree trunk. I looked up to the green tree leaves above and went into a daze. I don’t know if it was just my imagination or not, but I felt like the tree leaves had begun to wither.
Perhaps winter really is coming. This will be my first winter, but it must not be so nice for the elves. I wonder what it’s like for humanity. To be honest, winter reminds of New Year, and when I think of New Year…a strange nostalgic feeling of home comes over me.
“You must be starting to feel lonely here, right, son?”
Mom bunched her dress together and then sat down beside me. She intimately hugged my arm, rubbed my face and continued with a smile, “However, mommy feels like such days, being able to see you lead a peaceful life are very blissful. I feel even stronger about that after what happened during the deer hunting festival. I just want you to be able to live, son.”
I leaned on mom’s shoulder and looked at everything in front of me blankly. I chuckled and then said: “But mom, I feel like it would better if there is something to do. I feel like an elderly like this.”
“Then how about you come and do some work with mommy…? Ah… Mommy doesn’t have any work today either, but mommy has confirmed your wedding.”
Mom did some thinking and then said, “Next is preparing the clothing. Hmm, it takes longer to make wedding dress, probably around three months. I don’t know if you’ll be by mommy’s side or that bitch’s side when it’s complete. But regardless, I think Lucia will definitely go and search for you in humanity’s kingdom because elves must try on their wedding dress in front of their husband first when they receive it.”
“Does it take that long to make a wedding dress?!”
“It’s not that long really. It’s just that they need to collect lots of natural mana. Once they do, the wedding dress will be light and can fly. It’s a beautiful sight. It can even attract birds and butterflies. It will also carry a nice fragrance with it into the winds. When that happens, the girl will feel very blissful because it’s a one dress per person sort of thing. It’s a memory that they will keep forever.”
Mom looked at the sky nostalgically. She then smiled and said, “Back then when mommy got married with mommy’s brother, mommy wore a wedding dress like that. Mommy still has it. You were already in mommy’s belly by then, hehe… I’m so glad our family of three managed to experience such a blissful time.”
Mom hugged me and in a slightly sad tone continued: “But my brother didn’t leave many things behind for me. Even though we were in love, we only had a few years together. He left to go and subdue the large dragon in the Northern wastelands afterwards. Only his ring came back. After that, he never returned. However, mommy still has you….”
Mom took in a deep breath, wore a calm smile and continued, “You are the most treasured gift mommy’s brother left mommy with. Mommy’s final consolation was your smile. After mommy’s brother left, mommy has depended on you to get through the worst of times. And so, mommy is very grateful of you too. Son, you have lighted up my years. Having you in this lifetime of mine is truly so blissful.”
“Thank you, mom. I’m very grateful of you too.”
Mom hugged me happily and gently kissed me on my cheek. I was everything to mom. My birth completely changed the lives of a few people. While mom has inherited this kingdom, the only loved one she has left is me. Mom has done a very good job. She has done everything a mother should do. As her son, I am very happy.
I looked at mom and softly said: “Mom, you’re a great mom… I’m very happy. Honest….”
“Really…? Mommy is glad then, honest… Mommy can’t compare to mommy’s brother, nor has mommy accomplished anything significant… But knowing that you can grow up happily is the happiest thing for mommy. Well, mommy isn’t completely useless, right? After all, I have a son that I’m proud of.”
Mom let go of me and stood up. She looked at the palace and cheerfully said, “Everybody must die, but not everybody can live a meaningful life. Mommy managed to fulfil the responsibilities of a mother, so mommy has lived a meaningful life. Son, did you know that mommy’s lifespan is longer than an elf’s? Mommy has managed to accomplish something that will make mommy proud of herself of the remainder of mommy’s life.”
I stood up and went to mom’s side. Mom held my hand and then pulled me along as we walked towards the palace. She smiled and said: “Let’s go son. Mommy will make you a few dinners once we get back. You soon won’t be able to eat mom’s cooking for a month. That woman probably can’t cook, right?”
“Yeah… She can’t….”
I recalled the empress’s purple-rubber soup again. I almost passed out and died with just one mouthful of that. I must say, I have a great opportunity to get fat here with the elves, and then diet down when I get to humanity’s side, and then get fat again…. I wonder if Lucia knows how to cook. How about Nier?
Nah, nah, nah. Nier is the empress’s Valkyrie, so she probably can’t cook. You can tell she can’t cook with one glance. If the empress can’t cook, Nier wouldn’t have had a chance to try cooking. I reckon Lucia can cook, since she’s a girl after all. Mom can cook, so as a female elf, Lucia should be able to as well.
“Wow! Nier is the head chef today!!”
“That’s great! That’s great!! This is such a joyous occasion!! Nier’s dishes are the best!”
The Valkyries in the Valkyrie camp right now were as excited as if it were New Year. Cooking is a fundamental skill for the Valkyries who don’t have the help of outsiders and need to learn to feed themselves. As an instructor, Nier was naturally a superior cook too. And hence, whenever Nier cooked, the entire Valkyrie squad would be excited……
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