RIN

Inside a small hut within the town's village, a woman silently crafted a gold and red embroidery onto a palm-sized silk cloth.

Gently smiling at her work, she raised it up toward the lit furnace for a better look.

However, suddenly breaking the peaceful silence in the small hut, was the faint sound of rushing footsteps approaching the door.

Bang--!

"Mommy, I did it! I beat up those boy's asses to a pulp!"

Sighing at the sudden disruption, the woman sets down the piece of cloth in her hand before looking at the dirt-covered child standing in the center of the door.

The young child bounces towards her mother with a satisfied grin, she puffs up her chest.

"Those twerps dared to pester me, so I decided to inflict on them a beating!" The young girl's voice huffed.

"En." The woman sighed while furrowing her sharp eyebrows. "Look at you, you're filthy."

Using her long dress sleeve, the young girl's mother lightly wipes away the dirt on her delicate round cheeks.

Looking up at her mother as she wiped away the filth on her face, she stared with confusion.

"Mommy, are you mad I beat up those bullies?" The girl pout. "I put my martial arts to use! It was self-defense!"

"I'm not mad," The woman smiled. "I'm delighted you stood up for yourself. However, did you try using your words instead?"

The young girl went silent. Her big, droopy eyes cast down towards the floor. Seeing her daughter become silent, raised curiosity in the woman.

"They called mommy a barbarian..." The girl's young voice mumbled through the miniature hut.

Hearing such words caused the woman to raise an eyebrow before lightly chuckling.

She bent down to carry the little bun in her arms, before sitting down in a wooden chair near the lit furnace.

"Rin, do you think mommy's a barbarian?" The woman softly spoke while resting the child's small head on her shoulder.

Abruptly raising her head, the girl shook her head vigorously.

How could her mother ever be a barbarian?! The woman was an absolute goddess!

With long golden hair and light emerald eyes, anyone catching a glimpse of her would think she was nothing but a magical fairy that descended from the heavens.

Giggling softly at her daughter's reaction, she strokes her soft dark hair. "Mm, that's good then. If little Rin doesn't think so, then whatever others say won't matter."

A sudden spark flashes through the girl's eyes at her mother's words.

Staring at the loveable expression on her daughter's small round face, the woman felt the urge to pinch her soft pinchable cheeks.

Leaning down, she pecked the small birthmark under her child's right eye.

Rin felt her heart skip a beat as she flushes at her mother's affectionate actions. Feeling embarrassed, she buries her head in her mother's bosom hiding her blushed face.

That day she merely wanted to stay in those warm loving arms forever. She wanted to grab onto those loving memories for as long as she could.

For as long as the vengeful gods would allow her.