24 Do You Want to Come With Me?

This was a short chapter. I'm having a lot of trouble with this hot season. The temperature in one week decided to go from 'Okay, it's hot' to 'Holy shit, it's hot'. I'm constantly headachey and irritable, so this week was really hard to write something, sorry.

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Mavis was feeling very comfortable and sleepy. It felt like she was lying on a fluffy cloud in the sky surrounded by comfortable sunlight. Then, she felt a blow on her cheek and immediately woke up.

Opening her eyes wide because of the pain in her cheek, Mavis saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Eh? Where am I?" Mavis mumbled drowsily.

Mavis slowly got up and heard a light snore next to her. Turning around, she saw Zera lying next to her in a really strange posture, with her foot close to where her head was.

'Zera? Were we sleeping in this bed? How so?'

The bed where she and Zera were laying was a large king-sized bed, and it was so soft that it seemed to trap her little body in the wonderful feeling of comfort.

However, she couldn't just lie down. Her memory seemed a little fuzzy and hazy.

Using her two thumbs, Mavis starts rotating them on the side of her head, as if trying to get her brain to think better.

"Nunununu! Ah! I remembered now! We were fighting that evil man, and then Tiamat-san appeared. But I don't remember anything after that..."

Immersed in thought, Mavis didn't notice a person entering the room.

"Oh my...You are awake."

Mavis turned in fright toward the voice, and when she saw who it was, her eyes widened. It was Tiamat, but she looked...Different.

Her eyes still glowed a fuchsia color with an 'x' in the middle of them, and her hair and body also looked the same. However, her horns and scales were nowhere to be seen. She looked completely human, and she was wearing a casual outfit with an apron that said 'Best Mom in The World'. In her hands, she had with her a tray with a clay pot two small wooden plates, and two wooden spoons.

Before, in Mavis's eyes, Tiamat transmitted a mystical, practically divine aura. Now, however, she looked like a woman in her twenties with a loving and motherly vibe.

"Tiamat-san...Is that really you?"

"Of course I am...Sweetheart. Now, you must be hungry."

Mavis was still confused and wanted to ask several questions, but the moment Tiamat removed the lid of the clay pot she fell silent. A wonderful aroma reached Mavis's nose and her stomach immediately growled.

Not only did Mavis become hungry immediately, but also Zera - who had been sleeping this entire time - smelling the food, immediately got up groggily.

"Wha-Whe-Wh-Wha?! What is this smell?!"

Tiamat laughed in amusement as she saw Zera wake up in a mess. Sitting on the edge of the bed next to the two, Tiamat fills the two small plates with food and hands them to Mavis and Zera.

"Eat...This is meat soup."

"Meat soup? The meat of what? I've never smelled such a good smell before!" Zera exclaimed; Taking the plate from Tiamat's hands, she quickly began to eat.

Tiamat just smiled and didn't respond to Zera. After all, she doesn't think the two of them would eat it if they knew it was Yeti meat soup. Yeti meat is not only tasty but also very nutritious, but the Yeti itself is very ugly and can cause disgust. So she thought it was better to just smile and say nothing.

Mavis also took the plate and started eating, making Tiamat smile happily.

It took a while for the two to finish eating, as they both repeated the dish at least once more each. After eating, the two were lying face up on the bed; Their little bellies were swollen from eating so much, and they had satisfied smiles on their faces.

It was only then that something seemed to click in Zera's mind.

"Wait, what are we doing here? Weren't we fighting the Blue Skull Guild Master?" Zera inquired, then looked at Tiamat."And why are you no longer a goat woman?"

Mavis raised her hand shyly and said, "I would like to know too..."

Seeing the confusion evident in the children, Tiamat nodded. "One thing at a time...Little ones."

Mavis and Zera looked at each other, and as if making a mental agreement, Mavis turned to Tiamat.

"What happened to us after you arrived?" Mavis asked.

"I put you two to sleep."

"Eh? Why?" Mavis looked confused.

"Because...You two are very young," Taiamt responded somewhat cryptically.

Mavis and Zera were confused by the answer, but the look on Tiamat's face showed that she wouldn't say more.

"So...Where are we?" This time, Zera asked.

"We are in a little house...That I prepared a while ago."

"I see...And what happened to...You know, our home?" Zera asked hesitantly.

Tiamat smiled sadly and caressed Zera, who trembled slightly at her touch. Tiamat could see in Zera's eyes that she knew what happened. Her home, their home, no longer exists. Everything was destroyed and practically everyone was killed.

But she could also see the desperation in Zera's eyes, begging Tiamat to tell her that it was all a nightmare. Unfortunately, she can't do that. Even if she lies, nothing will change.

"I'm Sorry, child..." That was all Tiamat could say, but it was enough for Zera to understand.

Zera lowered her head and began to sniffle. "I-I see. So Everything...It was real...E-Everything..." Zera then began to cry and scream in pain. The pain of losing her home, her family, her everything.

Mavis, seeing Zera crying, also began to cry, both for her friend's losses and for her own losses. Tiamat quickly hugged them both.

"It's going to be okay, my children...It's going to be okay," Tiamat continued to whisper words of comfort and affection to the two, until an hour later, they finally stopped.

Zera and Mavis's eyes were completely swollen from crying. Mavis seemed fine, but Zera seemed half-dead, completely without feelings or will. The shock of losing everything from one day to the next was too much for such a young child to bear alone.

Tiamat's heart ached. If she had been faster, if she had obliterated that dragon project faster, maybe she would have made it in time.

Getting next to Zera, who was lying down with a blank look, Tiamat lightly stroked her hair, and said, "Little ones...Do you want to come with me?"

"Go with you...? To where?" Mavis, who was glued to Zera's side, trying to give strength to her friend, asked curiously.

"To a faraway place...Where will you have a new home...New friends...New family...A new life. A magical place...Full of adventures and fun."

Mavis seemed quite interested, and Zera seemed to have listened, but she was too deep in her despair to care. Tiamat sighed helplessly. It will take time and affection to heal Zera's heart.

"Do you two accept?"

Mavis was lost in thought for a minute, but finally, she nodded. On the other hand, Zera remained motionless.

"I'll take that...As a yes, Zera." Tiamat took both of their hands and then smiled mischievously. " From now on...Call me Mommy, okay?"

Mavis looked completely dumbfounded. She was internally happy, however. Even Zera, who was inert, had a reaction upon hearing that.

But before there could be any protest, Tiamat teleported to the World of Tensura, taking Mavis and Zera with her.

She finally found a good gift for Ramiris. After all, what better gift than two little sisters, right?