âTitus-sama, I have something to request,â I said after the Loera family returned. I could feel my face was stiff with my seriousness.
Titus-sama sighed and said, âAs I said, drop the formalities with me. Well, I guess it canât be helped since you lost your memoriesâ¦â
â¦I could never get used to calling your name without any honorifics! And as if it mattered, Iâd be back in my original world soon, and Iâd have to call you Titus-sama over there.
Titus-sama closed the documents he had been reading until before I asked for an audience with him. He looked at me before he said, âWhat is it that you want to request?â
âThis is related to my memory loss. Iâve discussed it with Nicole before and Iâd like to try a way that can solve my problem,â I said, inserting a lie in it. But well, it could definitely solve my problem and if I were to return to my original world, that would also solve âmy memory lossââ¦technically.
âOh? You two found a way? Then, letâs try it out,â Titus-sama said without even asking me to explain what way it might be. I suppose thatâs a form of trust and eagerness to try out anything?
âYeah, we donât know if it will work or not, but Iâd like to try. So, I want to go to the Silent Forest thatâs near the Flugelâs residence,â I said.
âNo problem. We can arrange it for tomorrow, then. I think Iâm free tomorrowââ
âHold on,â I immediately stopped Titus-sama the moment I knew we werenât in the same page.
âIâm thinking of going there alone, actuallyâ¦,â I said as I let my words trail off. I knew that for convenience sake, I should be going alone to face the wolf beast.
âNo,â Titus-sama straight off denied me.
âWhy?â I asked, although I had an idea why.
âBecause itâs not safe. You were just injured, what if you were targeted and injured again?â Titus-sama asked.
ââ¦I can take care of myself.â
âThatâs what you said before, too.â
ââ¦But I believe I have to be alone in facing this beast,â I said.
âYou have to face a beast to do it? Then, all the more you canât be alone,â Titus-sama raised his eyebrows.
âUgh, yes, I think the beast can help me with it. But as I said, I think the rule is for me to face it alone.â
âDenied. At least bring some guards or knights with you,â Titus-sama said.
ââ¦The forest is safe, I believe.â
âBut you can be attacked in the middle of the journey.â
ââ¦Fine, then I shall be accompanied by some knights or guards during the journey, but when I approach the beast, I need to be alone,â I compromised.
Titus-sama went silent as he tapped his finger on the desk. Meanwhile, his left hand propped his chin. It seemed like he was thinkingâ¦
âIf you so insist about itâ¦But what about letting another monster follow you around for safety reason?â Titus-sama suddenly asked.
âA monster?â I raised my eyebrows.
âYeah, my Familiar. He canât talk, but he is to follow you and alert the others should you face any danger,â Titus-sama said.
âYour Familiarâ¦,â I muttered. It was true that my concern to having someone else follow me was that they might find out about things they shouldnât have, and I doubt the wolf beast would spare them. But if it were just another monsterâ¦
Speaking of which, itâs my first time hearing about Titus-samaâs Familiar!
âCome out, Damon,â Titus-sama snapped his fingers.
And exactly at that moment, a swirling black pulse appeared on the floor between us, the wind suddenly grew stronger that I had to close my eyes and cover my face with my hands.
After I felt the wind subsided, I slowly opened my eyes and there, I sawâ¦A monster that I wouldnât expect to be the kingâs Familiar.
Its appearance wasnât fitting at all, you see.
The monsterâs main body was like a ball, and in the middle of it there was one big red eye. Just right above the eye, there was a single horn in the middle. Then, there was a long tail extending from its body. Finally, there were four wings that kept the monster floating in the air.
And that monster was staring at me as it inched closer to me. I stepped backward instinctively but itâ¦stared at me with its eye! But that eye wasnât intimidating at all. I was scared for nothing. It was a curious stare as it seemed to tilt is head.
âDamon, she doesnât remember you,â Titus-sama explained.
The monsterâDamonâs eye was half-closed as it looked sadly at me.
âUhm, sorryâ¦Youâre Damon? N-nice to meet you again?â I said, unsure as what I should tell it.
ââ¦,â Damon only blinked at me.
âHeâll be accompanying you from the shadow. Damon, itâsâ¦as usual,â Titus-sama briefly commanded Damon.
Damon turned to look at Titus-sama and nodded.
It seemed like Damonâs tasks involved following someone from the shadow? So he was so used to it. I guess he was the perfect one for the task, too.
After that agreement, Damon returned to the swirling black area that suddenly appeared again from the floor. It happened so quickly as if I was dreaming. But I had been dreaming all this time, hadnât I?
âTitus-sama, your Familiar is interesting. Where did you meet him and why him? Also, how?â I asked out of curiosity.
âHeh, thatâs exactly the same words you told me when you first saw Damon,â Titus-sama chuckled.
My smile turned stiff. I guess some things never really change, huh?
âDamon isnât a Familiar I befriended myself. I inherited him. In other words, he is the royal familyâs Familiar.â
âEh? He is?!â I couldnât hide my surprise. This was totally unexpected, you see! If it was in the stories, Damon certainly wasnât the type of beasts to be the royal familyâs Familiar.
âHehe, still the same reaction,â Titus-sama chuckled again.
âDamon is indeed the royal familyâs Familiar. Heâs actually the founder of Rivieraâs,â Titus-sama explained.
âThe founder ofâhee?!â I widened my eyes in surprise.
In other words, Damon was the first kingâsâand in another word, heâs the heroâs Familiar!
âIs he like, secretly super ultra strong or something?â I asked, still in utter disbelief.
âWell, heâs not very strong, but the record stated that he became stronger during the time he accompanied the founder,â Titus-sama said.
âI seeâ¦Heâs indeed very loyal!â I was really impressed. Damon had been with the royal family for so long then!
âYes, indeed. Heâs reliable, so I will be rest assured with him by your side,â Titus-sama said.
âThank you, Titus-sama,â I said.
Titus-sama sighed, âFine, take your time. I hope after your trip to the Silent Forest, you can regain your memories.â
ââ¦I hope so.â
I didnât want to bother Titus-sama for too long, so I excused myself after I was done with my business.
After walking several steps away, I was caught by none other than Trevant. When I looked at the time, I came to understand that he was just done with his studies and training.
âUhm, Motherâ¦I happened to hear your conversation with Father,â Trevant cautiously said.
âYou did?â
âWell, I happened to pass by and saw you entering Fatherâs office. I was wondering what you were talking about and stayed a little bitâ¦Iâm sorry, I know I shouldnât do it,â Trevant apologized.
âItâs fine. So, youâve heard,â I said.
âYes! Mother, may I come with you?â He suddenly asked.
I was stunned.
âDonât you have any lesson or training tomorrow?â I asked.
âI have, but I can postpone or skip them,â Trevant said with determination.
âButâ¦â
âI want to help you, Mother!â Trevant said with very steady eyes.
When I looked at his determined green eyes, I suddenly had a realization that made me feel choked.
This good child in front of meâ¦Upon my return to my original world as Lyraâ¦He would no longer exist. Not anyone would even remember him.
Butâ¦
In exchange, there would be Shaula, Luca, and Leticia.
Also, Reinst would be no more, but Lyra would be there.
â¦In the first place, is this child called as âTrevantâ real?
Though this might as well be a dream, I somehow felt that everything was real. This child was too real.
I got to admit that I somehow had developed some kind of feelings towards Trevant as well.
Were those feelings simply this bodyâs feelings as that childâs biological mother? My bodyâs instinctual maternal feelings?
Although I couldnât say for sure that âI love this child so much Iâm willing to do anything for himâ or that âHeâs my son, I love him no matter whatââ¦I know that I
for him.
But, given the choices again, I would definitely go back to my original world no matter what.
I couldnât stay here and try to become a motherâsomething I knew that I wasnât. It would be cruel for this child too, if I were to force myself to be this worldâs Reinst. I wouldnât be able to become his proper mother, so I might as well go back.
Alsoâ¦
This world is scary. Itâs awful. The condition here is a lot worse than the world I know.
The Gamma cult rampaging, Altaireâs like another person, Clavis went missingâ¦The horrible things that I wouldnât be able to bear living with for the rest of my life.
Ah, butâ¦
Seeing the childâs innocent stare at me, I feltâ¦guilty. I felt as if I would be abandoning him, to live in this harsh world. Meanwhile, I would be living in a much better placeâ¦
As soon as this thought crossed my mind, I felt sympathetic towards Trevant and the burden he would have to bear in this awful worldâadd that he is the crown prince here.
My body unconsciously pulled Trevantâs body into a warm embrace.
âMother?â Trevant asked, he was purely confused.
ââ¦Iâm sorry I canât bring you with me,â I started to say.
ââ¦As I expected. Thatâs fine, really, Mother. Iâm also afraid Iâd be a burden again to you, so itâs fine! Justâ¦be careful, okay? And return safely!â Trevant said.
ââ¦You will neverâand you are never a burden to me, nor are you to your father, or to anyone else. You are a fine young man, a fine crown prince. Iâm sure you will become a good king in the future and Iâm proud of you. Iâm sure your father is proud of you, too. Please donât lose your kindness no matter what happens in this world. I know this world is at an awful condition at this moment, but thatâs exactly why you shouldnât lose the light inside you,â I started to pour in the words that I wanted to tell him before our parting.
All the important things that I wish he knew, that might be able to help himâ¦
âMother, whatâs gotten into you? Whatâs with this all of a sudden?â Trevant asked, completely confused.
ââ¦You are precious in this world and there are definitely the things youâonly you can do in this world. Never lose hope and donât resent the idea of living. You will surely find the things precious to you and if you canât, try to take a careful look at your surroundings. Who knows they might be so close to you, yet you fail to realize them all this time? Do what you want to do, as long as itâs not harmful to others. Donât regret anything,â I continued to advice him.
Actuallyâ¦those are the words that I wished to tell my old self. I couldnât communicate with my past self, but perhaps it would do him good.
Trevant then asked, âMother, you wonât be going anywhere far away, right? Youâll be back quickly, right?â
I choked up but I tried to hide it and said gently, âOf course, Iâll always be with you, dear.â
I knew lying wasnât good. I knew that I wonât be able to be a good mom with how I am right now, butâ¦I could imagine being in Trevantâs position, that would be the words I wanted to hear the most.
â¦Right. This would be the last time I am here, the last time I can see this person called as Trevant.
â¦â¦That is, if the way Nicole told me really works.
No, Iâm sure it will work!
Butâ¦
I looked at Trevant who smiled after hearing my words of reassurance.
â¦
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