“Wait, stop Rua!” Kna’Ve resisted me dragging her down the hall.
Feeling her tug against me, I stopped, turning around to face her.
“Just calm down a second. We don’t even know where mother-in-law went,” she said.
“Of course, we do,” I replied. “She’s in her office.”
“Wha-?” she asked as I started to pull her along again. “How do you know that? There are so many places in this giant building she could hide. Why her office.”
“Well, she is my mom,” I grinned. “If I didn’t how she thought after this long, I would be a failure of a daughter. Now, come on.”
After a couple of minutes, we had arrive in front of the glamorous door of the Guildmaster. I didn’t even bother knocking. I barreled through the door, only to find an empty room.
“Haah. See, she’s not even here,” Kna’Ve sighed.
“That’s what she wants you to think.”
I made my way over to her desk, more specifically behind it.
Throwing away the chair, I ducked my head into the area that the chair usually inhabited.
“Aha!” I exclaimed, seeing the slime plastered against it.
With a poke, the slime dropped to the floor, and my mother reformed.
“How did you find me so quickly? This is the-” Mom started.
“The most unlikely place for you to be? Because it’s the most obvious, which retroactively makes it the least obvious?”
She nodded furiously.
“Because I know you mom,” I beamed.
I felt my smile transition into something more sinister.
“Now I think it’s time we had a chat.”
Shifting over to the sofas, I sat with Kna’Ve on one, Mom laid out on the other.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, I leaned in and snuggled up next to my girlfriend. Finally feeling comfortable, I began to speak.
“So, what’s the big idea Mom?”
“Whatever do you mean, my little nugget?” she asked as she averted her eyes.
“Don’t ‘little nugget’ me you old ha-gah!” I yelped as Kna’Ve elbowed me in the side.
“Be nice, Rua. For me?” She whispered into my ear, batting her eyes.
“Fine, fine. For you,” I conceded.
“My sweet, lovely mother. Could you please tell me the reasoning behind you making me the mentor of a super cute but unnerving girl?”
“Oh, so that’s what this is about?” she asked.
“What did you think it was about then?”
“Well umm… never mind.”
“...”
Mom cleared her throat.
“Ahem! Well to tell you the truth, I had been thinking about doing something like this for a while. So don’t think it was just some whim of mine. An opportunity that I was looking for arose, so I took it. That opportunity was Maua.”
“Huh? So not only have you been planning to inconvenience me, but you also involved an innocent third party? What a shrewd guildmaster you are.” I snarked.
“Even if you’re mad at me, don’t you think you’re being a bit too snappy? All parties benefit through this, but even that wasn’t the case, I’d do whatever I think is the best for my daughter.”
The genuineness emanating from her left me wordless.
‘So, she genuinely did this because she thought it would be helpful for me. The least I can do is hear her out. And I was being a bit too harsh.’
“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said, bowing my head.
“It’s okay, baby. Come give me a hug.” She replied.
I moved over to the sofa and embraced my mom.
She held me tight, rubbing my horns and patting my head.
“Hahaha. Now you’re not blowing fire at me, let me tell you, my reasoning.” she chuckled.
“First of all, you’re too stressed nowadays. Between the guild missions you take, administrating your dukedom, and everything else its too much for someone. They'll be stretched too thin. Yes, even you.”
“But I can’t just give up,” I replied, turning to look her in the eyes. “If I let up on all that I won’t have any time for what really matters.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Searching for him.”
“I probably missed so many birthdays. Heh, we probably traumatized him getting crushed in front of him like that. If I ever get to see him again, I make it up tenfold.”
“The other two had said something similar.” she nodded. “But you still need to take time off. You wouldn’t want him to see you at anything less than your best, would you?”
“Well…no,” I hesitantly agree.
“I thought as much. So just listen to this old hag and rest up for a while.”
“Okay, Mom.”
She rubbed my head again.
“Good girl. Now, you might be wondering why I involved Maua.”
I nodded.
“Well, the truth is, she reminded me a lot of you,” Mom said with a finger on her chin.
“Like me?”
“I can’t really place what it is, but I can definitely feel something there. On top of that, her life definitely hasn't been a cakewalk thus far. She grew up in literal hell. From the sounds of it, she has no family. She doesn’t show much of anything, but I think that little girl is hurting. So I thought, why not try to soothe both of your hearts at the same time? It’s at least worth a shot. If we can teach her how to harness her power and potential that’s a plus. ”
She started staring upwards absently.
“And something tells me she might just help you more than we expect.”
“Huh?” I asked.
“Never mind that. Just the ramblings of an old hag,” she replied, shaking her head. “Enough of that, don’t you have an apprentice to look after?”
“Oh, that’s right! I promised to take her and Mayari out to eat after they finished a tour of the Guild.” I exclaimed.
“They’re probably done by now, we should head back,” said Kna’Ve. “Mother-in-law, would you like to come as well?”
“Nah, I have some work that I’ve been putting off. So shoo, shoo, don’t leave the little ones waiting.”
Saying our goodbyes, we hurried back to the testing room.
Hmmmmm. A mysterious "him." Crushing. *Side eyes the prologue and something about a truck* ...Neah, probably just my overactive imagination. (*Totally not suspicious*)
Anyway, thanks for another great chapter!
Uh...yeah. Totally nothing suspicious here...ahaha.
But thanks for reading!
Got crushed and searching for him? I smell more reincarnation and she may very well be the solution rather merely helpful in the search
Hehehe.
Thanks for the chapturr~
“I probably missed so many birthdays. Heh, we probably traumatized him getting crushed in front of him like that. If I ever get to see him again, I make it up tenfold.”
Which one? Ms. Azalea, or Chrys?
Also,
Maua's previous life's crush was killed by a "mugger", possibly the 'caregivers' or bullies from the so called "orphanage". Where did she ended up? Did that 'enraged truck driver in his massive eighteen-wheeler' goes to hell? And did Maua's previous life's Bad Luck has something to do with "The whims of gods, and their bad taste of dark pranks", like some kind of Randy Random with a dark twist?
So many questions, but mostly unrelated. Don't mind me rambling bunch of misunderstanding questions.
Which one? I wonder.... actually there's a big hint to who it is a couple of chapters ago....
And for the other questions...I can't answer directly because of spoilers but I'll do some indirect non answers if that's okay?
Where did she end up? Somewhere where someone wants to visit. Did he go to hell? If he hasn't already, he will. And the bad luck has a reason, but no whims are involved.
@Lulla
Now that you've said that, I think I know who. For now, I'll just wait for 'the other two' to show up.
Before I forgot again, did no one wants to tell Maua about her T.A.T.T.E.R. T.O.T. result? I'll just assume that she mustn't know, for her own good, and others as well.
@GreenCat Nice. And yes, they’re withholding the information for the time being for those reasons.
Heh, we probably traumatized him getting crushed in front of him like that.
!!! Pattern recognized!
Okay, I had a feeling these people would be "them" bit it seemed kinda off. Fits it wasn't off after all. Besides... Literal f*cking truck-kun'd
Well it can't be the MC, because she was from earth. and this is not earth? right? unless it is a double reincarnation form this place to earth and back to this world.
also it sounded like He saw them being crushed, but the girls survived and are now looking for him who think the girls are dead.
me brain ow
Honestly I was hoping her previous loved ones would be here because this totally seems like reincarnation world. I do wonder if people have kids and the souls inhabit them or if they’re born and people just found family them. That said I do wonder if this is the mom or the moms best fr…. Never mind stupid question. It’s the moms best friend (crushed). That said I’m surprised she didn’t pick up on the ‘Ad…..’ part but guessing her mom did. Anyway this story is really interesting and I’m definitely hooked. Came in expecting a cute dryad story and now in a nine circles of hell afterlife.
The question about kids/ found family will be explained soon...so hold on to that.
Now, are you sure about that...they're were two people in the car that got crushed...
But anyways I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far. I hope we can sprinkle some cute dyradness in ther too.
@Lulla I'm leaning towards it being the sister and not the brother because the brother tended to be an instigator if I remember right and she seems fairly casual. Ironically I feel like the mom and the….let's go with uncle will lean more towards 'it will work out' and the aunt is gonna dwell on the logical dread of how is she. But hey I can be wrong too! . . . Edit; I also want to add that I hope her supreme cuteness is actually an ability. Considering the biblical terminology, being the tree, the apple and the snake. I feel like 'Serpents Temptation' would be a fitting ability; not necessarily anything crude but it'd be a good way to explain some of the absurd cuteness reactions.
@Milanda Sorry, don’t know how this comment slipped by but here we go.
Honestly, that’s pretty sound reasoning about their psyches. I’m impressed, but I sort of expect that from you. My only refute being death. It tends to have a profound effect on people when those around them pass away, so one could only imagine what someone own death would do to their mental.
Anywho. The idea about the cuteness being an actual ability is super cool. I’ve actually thought about it a bit myself. ‘Serpents Temptation’ is a super sweet name, but I feels like it would fit better with more of a forceful charm ability perhaps? But I’ll definitely let that marinate in my brain.
The name that I thought up was ‘The Apple of Their Eyes’.
@Lulla Hee I like brainstorming on good stories. And I can’t go too far; death absolutely could have changed personalities but I wouldn’t know that. Hence why it’s only a whim guess. Okay apple of their eyes is adorable especially with her tiny form. Could also do both too I suppose; Apple passively increasing affection and Temptation being an active charm affect that manipulates people. Anyway happy to help you consider a few new ideas and looking forward to what comes next!
@Milanda Always happy to hear those ideas. Please do continue to share as you have them!