The head of the family, Immanuel, found the situation before him utterly unbelievable.
Then again, ever since the news of his daughter’s death in battle, when had he ever been able to believe that the world was still turning?
To him and Inna, Ariadne had never been merely a child.
Before they had finally gained that one precious child, Inna had suffered two miscarriages, and once, even after the shape of a baby had formed, the child had been unable to survive. Ariadne was an exceedingly precious life that had come to them when Inna’s body had already been damaged beyond repair.
They had told themselves over and over that they should give up on having a child, that such happiness simply wasn’t meant for them. Yet they could never truly let go, and day after day, the grief had left bruises inside their hearts…….
Then Ariadne had come to them.
She had been a miracle beyond miracles.
And after they had gained Kiraxus as well, they had felt as though they possessed the entire world.
After losing such a daughter, it was only natural that Inna had simply collapsed.
‘This was Inna, who said she wanted to die and begged us to leave her alone.’
Immanuel looked at his wife with tear-filled eyes. The woman he had loved deeply with all the years of his life was now burying her face in both hands and weeping silently.
Yes, she was crying.
At last, she was crying sorrowfully.
At some point, Inna had stopped even crying. As though she had extinguished every emotion within herself, she had simply withered away like that…….
Immanuel gently stroked the head of the white marten.
‘Thank goodness. Truly…….’
Perhaps Inna would try to live for tomorrow just so she could watch that video again.
Perhaps she would start eating again.
Perhaps she might even get back on her feet and go out into the garden she had loved so dearly.
That hope burned warmly in Immanuel’s chest.
“You found something so precious for us, so I suppose I should reward you. Is there anything you want?”
And so, his voice was softer than it had ever been before, smooth as silk.
The Iron Head of the Family. The Father of Demons. The Watchman of Hell.
If people who knew Immanuel in those forms had heard him now, they might have been so horrified that they would cover their ears and cry, ‘Begone, Satan!’
“I don’t know yet. Can I tink about it a wittle longer?”
“Of course. Being cautious is a good thing. I intend to give you a generous reward for this, so take as much time as you need to think about it.”
“Okay!”
The little white marten gave a bright little grin.
She looked so clever and adorable that Immanuel found himself thinking without realizing it.
Ah, I want to see this child take human form as soon as possible.
And then I want to pull her tightly into these arms.
***
That night.
After having dinner with my grandfather, the head of the family, and Lady Inna, and even taking a walk afterward, I returned to my room and found myself staring at a mountain of dolls, my mouth hanging open.
Bears, rabbits, puppies, turtles, elephants…….
Countless stuffed animals had been placed there as though they were all waiting to welcome me!
“What’s dis? What’s dis?”
“They are gifts His Excellency the head of the family sent about an hour ago.”
“Wow!”
My marten body was small, so even with just one stuffed animal, I could feel as though I were being completely wrapped up in its embrace.
I didn’t really know what it felt like to be hugged by someone, but I was sure it must feel very nice.
Among the stuffed animals, I chose a saber-toothed tiger with enormous fangs and patted the spot beside me.
“It looks wike Kitty.”
“Does this stuffed animal resemble Lord Kiraxus? Oh my, he’ll be so pleased when I tell him that.”
Linda giggled and placed a black-furred saber-toothed tiger stuffed animal beside me.
I had already brushed my teeth, and my tummy was nice and round from dinner, so it was time to sleep.
But perhaps because I was still excited, my eyelids refused to close easily. What had happened today had been nothing short of shocking.
‘Oh. I see.’
Lying wide awake and staring at the ceiling, I suddenly realized something.
‘I’m jealous right now.’
No wonder I couldn’t fall asleep.
I hadn’t been able to define the strange, painful emotion filling my chest, but now that I was lying quietly by myself, I finally thought I understood it.
‘I don’t have a mom who would cry for me like that.’
My relatives from my previous life came to mind.
They probably wouldn’t have been sad about my death at all.
They had applauded because I’d been hit by a reincarnation truck, but the truth was…… maybe that wasn’t really what I felt deep down.
Maybe what I had hated was the fact that there was nothing there at all.
‘……No, it’s fine. Even what I have now is more than enough for me to be grateful for. What more could I possibly want?’
But Kiraxus had said he would find someone who could become my adoptive mother.
Rustle.
As I tossed and turned beneath the blankets, I wiggled my toes for no particular reason.
‘Will she really become my mother?’
The easiest way not to get hurt was not to expect anything.
I had learned that from a very young age.
And yet, now that I had become a child again, I was getting my hopes up for no reason.
My nose suddenly stung, so I pulled the blanket up and sniffed softly before trying to close my eyes.
I didn’t like that my fur had gotten damp from my tears.
But it was right then.
‘What’s that?’
A gentle light appeared in the empty air.
Then I heard a scritch.
As though someone were rubbing their fingertip against the surface of a glass wall.
[Don’t cry when I’m not around, again.]
The message carried such a clear meaning that it drove away whatever sleep remained in me.
I shot upright.
Not merely raising my upper body—I actually stood on the bed on my two feet.
‘Mommy! What is this?!’
A ghost? A spirit? The future me?
Whatever it was, my heart was pounding like crazy.
And then, the single line of writing that appeared afterward, damp with tears, made my heart pound even harder.
[Don’t cry for a reason that isn’t me. I can’t even comfort you when I’m not there.]
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