CHAPTER: A DAY LIKE ANY OTHER (to read after the chapter 293 of the volume 5)

ROSE NIKITIS POV:

"Madam, your meal." 

"Ah, thank you. But I am not that hungry."

How much time has passed since I woke up? It must have been a few months now. All I remember from the past year is a foggy dream where I kept suffering again and again. Then there was only that light that cleared the fog and  I started hearing voices. Especially my little baby's voice. Speaking of which…

"Hey, mom." 

"Hey, sweetie. How are you?"

Every morning, my little Lanuvel makes an effort of coming here to see me. I have aleady told her that I am fine but she won't listen. Just like me, I guess. 

"You didn't touch your food again!"

And she is already nagging. How can we be so much alike when she is still so young?

"I am not hung…" The sound of my growling stomach sadly betrays me. Stupid body I have.

"…" Lanuvel fires such a glare  at me I am forced to eat that nasty soup of theirs. 

I know that it is good for me and everything with all the medicines they put inside but still, it is way too acid. I don't know how many lemons they put in there but it is too much.

"How is school now?" Let's distract her so that I won't have to eat all this.

"School is fine. The teachers are a bit worried about the war so the atmosphere is a bit tense. I even heard they planned on closing the school at the end of the year depending on the progress made by Syldavie and the eternal army."

"Don't tell me you will engage in the war as well." 

I cannot let you do that. I still remember the civil war we had to handle, Mark and I, when the king made a new decree about lands and it was awful. I can't let you experience that.

"No, I won't. Don't worry. I am not like some stupid blockhead who forgot even to tell me he is going somewhere." 

Once again, Lanuvel starts talking about her boyfriend. Kevin, you are a bad boy, you know that? But at least now, she isn't monitoring me so I won't have to eat this thing.

"You know, men are like this. They tend to wander off like nomads. That's why you need to lock them iin place once you have them reeled in or else they just leave again."

"Oh…And did you do with father?"

'Your father was a very simple man. Perhaps a bit too simple. Because he grew up already knowing he had to take on the responsibilities of the family, he had no expectations whatsoever about love and women. Nor did he have the knowledge to resist against them."

"But then he could have chosen others as well. I know that many nobles do take other wives." 

"Yeah, he could have…Let's just say I used a sure-fire tactic."

"What was it, mom?"

"Oh my, are you trying to get seduction technique from your old fashioned mom? Fufufu, aren't you silly."

"I-I was not! I just wanted to know!"

"Hm…I don't believe you. Isn't your boyfriend the same? He looks like the type of guy to forget about you after a few weeks."

"He is not." Suddenly, Lanuvel's face turns all serious. 

"Well, would you look at that? I didn't think you were so confident about him."

"N-no, it's not about being serious, it's just that he is…" 

Seeing my daughter smiles shily while her face turns so red is a pleasure I cannot thank you enough for. Wheverer you are, Kevin. Thank you.

"In any case, like I said, you should try to appeal to him if you want to make sure he stays with you. The best way is of course to find out what he likes and use it."

"Well, he is a pervert so..." 

"All humans are. Just not on the same degree. Some have really weird fetishes as well. i hope you aren't..." 

"I am not!" 

"You sure? So you don't any weird thoughts when you look at him?"

"Mom!!" She is bashfully hide her red face. So cute. "W-well, maybe a little bit. But it is just a little bit!! It's not like  I think about it all the time!"

My daughter is a bit of a pervert it seems. Well, it is not a bad thing. Ultimately, she will have to go there to get married and have children so it would be better that she isn't completely oblivious to it. 

"Fufufu. I hope so."

"Also, mom…"

"Yes?"

"Your soup got cold. I will ask them to bring a new one." 

"Ugh…"

***

The next day, for the first time since I woke up, I try to walk. Placing the first foot on the ground is the hardest part. I drag it down with my hands and when it touches the floor, the cold immediately reach my brain. Was the floor always this cold? 

Still, being able to feel the cold means my foot is okay. But since I didn't move it for a long time, I am truly rusty. But with the war going on, I have to get in shape as soon as possible. Lanuvel must not go.

I drag my other foot and then pushing with my hands, I stand up. 

"Sigh…So much for a veteran warrior and trainer." I can't even stand up properly. MY body sways uncontrollably and my legs won't move. I am sure I am not paralyzed since my toes are twitching when I try to move them. The only reason must be that my muscles are too thin now to move. I will have to get them some proper nutriments to grow back.

"Madam?!!" 

Shit, I didn't want people to see that I can  stand up already. Now, I won't be able to surprise Lanuvel.

The priest runs to me and help me go back to bed. I have to admit it now: I hate being taken care off like this. I feel like some piece of meat that is being nurtured until it is good enough to eat. It is unbearable. i am sued to take care of people. I am used to struggle. But being taken care of has never been something I was granted. 

"You can stand up at last. That's fanstatic news! I will inform the head priest and your daughter imme-" I grab her hand before she gets away.  I can't let her do that.

"Can you keep it a secret?" 

"What? Why?!"

"Because I want to surprise my daughter." 

"I see. But I have to inform my superior. If I don't, your treatment will remains the same and won't be as effective. Now that you can walk, we must change the type of food you will eat in order to build back your muscles and also organize reeducation session." 

"Okay, do it but don't inform my daughter, I beg of you." 

"I understand. Your secret will be safe with me. Don't worry."

She winks at me then takes the soup again. Ugh…Not again.

"Why is this thing so acid?"

"We have received a lot of lemons this year as donation so to not waste them…" 

You guys are absolute meanies. I would even say you are bullies. 

***

From the next day, the priests started bringing me more meat and vegetables in the afternoon. Only three days later, my toes are moving normally. I was really lacking a proper meal. But this is too slow. I know I shouldn't be pressed but I really have to get better as soon as I can.

"Mom, your colors are really returning." Lanuvel has come with some friends today. Well, I call them her friends but they are the heroes. To see her talking with the heroes so casually is still a bit unsettling. Miss Keltia Koersombre, a first degree  noble, is here as well. There are quite a lot of important faces here right now.

"She is right, madam. You really look more beautiful." Miss Keltia also follows with a compliment.

"My, thank you. Although my hair aren't growing back." 

"You look beautiful even without them." 

"Thank you, thank you." 

"You really act like a small chick with your mother, Lanuvel. If only the guys at the academy could see you."

"Meh! Like you don't do the same with the Saintess." 

Lanuvel starts a conversation with one of the hero: I think her name is Roxcia. I still can't easily discern between them.

"I am not!"

"You totally are."

"Yep, she is right." 

"Way too much." 

"Argh! Shut up! You are ruining my mood." 

You guys are really good friends. I am so glad you found such nice people to support you. I just hope they will be with you even during the hardest times. I also pray the Goddess that you won't encounter hardships that you can't overcome, ever.

"Mother?"

"It's nothing, dear. I was praying to the goddess that I would see my grandchild's face soon."

"WHAT?!!!"