The Mother Who Loves

BAAM! SWING ~ SLAM!

A woman who was deeply asleep was awoken by a loud noise caused by the door. "What, what, what?!". To her surprise, it was not a burglar that she saw but someone very familiar as she lifted her upper torso to protect herself.

"Mama!". a child yell with an exhilarated expression on his innocent face. The woman wanted to be angry at him but she calmed down when she saw her son's lovely face.

"What is it Austin – what happened?" The woman asked as the boy hugged her tightly. She can't believe that her child who is usually silent, came to her expressing happiness of this level.

The boy started to open his mouth to tell her something. "Hahhh!" But unexpectedly, the child just gasped instead and looked at her with worried eyes. She came out of bed and moved closer to the child.

"Why, what is it, you were so happy a minute ago, Austin. Why do you look so worried now?" She pondered until she realized, "Wait, what did you do, Austin?" The woman crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. Due to her reaction, the boy's eyes started to swell, and his hands clenched.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I only wanted to play with those kids. I'm sorry for not listening to you." He confessed. His clenching meant that he said this with all the courage he had so the woman just smiled and bent down to his level of sight as she wiped his tears.

"It's okay, it's okay. Now, now, you're fine, you went out, correct?". She knows that it was not Austin's fault, the nature of her work has left them isolated from everyone else so she would always tell him not to go outside.

She sat down on the bed and invited him to sit down beside her. Her soft and warm voice stopped the child's cry and looked at her with relief. He sat down beside her with a calm face. His eyes then turn excited again. "So, what happened?"

The child's head bobbed up and down with unrestrained enthusiasm, "Yes, yes, yes." His eyes started to express strong emotions and began telling his story. "I went out because I wanted to play with the other kids but no one wanted to get close to me and then their mama came out and told me something like a..." He tried to remember what they said, "Ah yes, pathetic child, and..."

"Wait what?!" The woman thought that it was supposed to be something to be excited about, in fact, the boy's expression is still excited. She thought for a second before saying, "Yes, continue?"

"Yes, they called me a pathetic child — Mama, what is a pathetic child?" Austin cuts himself to ask curiously.

"Umm, it means that – you..." The woman looked around the room as if seeking help from someone and bit her nail.

"..."

When he looked back at her son, she saw his eyes filled with patience. This surprised her and wondered how a five years old could express such eyes.

"Mama?" Austin tilted his head.

She took a deep breath and tried to be as honest as possible. "... it means that they don't like you." She thought that he might be a child but he needs to accept reality early on as baseless confidence can only destroy his future.

But contrary to the woman's expectation, the boy nodded without expressing a hint of hurt. "I see. So that's why. Yes, and then one of the other kids' mama slapped me..."

"WHAT?! Who slapped you?" She yelled as she held her son's shoulders. At this point, she snapped which stunned Austin. Seeing her angry mother, he started to worry and his eyes became teary again.

"Mama?" The woman saw this and panicked.

"No, no, no. I'm sorry to startle you. Yes, continue, what happened?" She checked both sides of his cheeks but there was no swelling, not even a scar.

"Umm, yes," Austin tried to calm fown ans wiped his eyes, "There's this other kid. It's my first time seeing him even when I was only looking at the other kids playing from our window..." This squeezed the woman's heart and apologized to her son internally. Due to her lack of courage, she destroyed the social life of her son.

"...After what happened, Fai greeted me and we became friends..." hearing this, she realized why he was so excited. It's his first time having a friend, and the way his face light up even more is proof of how happy he was that he did.

Austin started to tell her mother about what happened the whole afternoon while she was asleep. The games they played together and things they talked about. It was to the point where she even doubted if it was all true.

"It sounded like you had a great time with your friend, Fai, was it?" The name sounded like a foreign name and wondered if it was an alias. To make sure that his son was healthy, she asked, "Next time, invite your friend to dinner, okay? I will cook your favorite dish".

"Really? You'll cook Fried Chicken?" He asked drooling.

"Yes, I will. But look at how dirty – tsk – go take a bath now while I cook dinner?"

"Okay, okay. What are you cooking?" He stood up as a response to her mother's command.

"Since you did not listen to me and went out without permission, I am going to cook mixed vegetables tonight."

"What?" He wanted to retaliate but he could only keep it inside. He understood that this was his punishment so instead of receiving a worse one, he accepted it. "Okay." His shoulders dropped as if to admit defeat and went to the bathroom disheartedly. The woman softly laughed at his cute son who went to take a bath.

The mother went to the kitchen and started preparing the ingredients. She started with boiling quail eggs and the rest were done afterwards.

She thought about that woman again who slapped Austin and gripped the knife she was holding tightly. She is thinking about the best way to stab that woman.

Where could be the most painful parts? Neck? No, it will give her instant death. Should I cut off her fingers one by one? This thought swirled in her thoughts as the sound of the chopping board and knife in contact with each other slowly echoed in the whole kitchen.

tack tack tack, she wanted to tie the woman up so she couldn't run or scream. "Hmmm," she continued preparing as she planned the most vicious murder ever committed in history while releasing a soft devilish laugh.

"Well, whatever, may karma serve her well." When she started to immerse herself in her cooking, she slowly forget about all the bad things she was imagining and focused on her goal, it is to receive a compliment from her son regarding her dish.

She knows that she is not a perfect mother but in this way, it will validate her hard work and role. Nothing can make her feel fulfilled more than the smile and the compliments she receives from her son. She might be hard on him sometimes, but it is because she wanted him to learn what was necessary.

After she was done with preparing the ingredients, she lit a fire using magic in the fireplace and placed a skillet on top of the burning wood. When the pan was already hot, the woman placed butter in it and waited for it to melt. Once it did, she sauté the minced garlic in until golden brown then added the onions. Once the aroma was good enough, she added the marinated chicken that she cut into tiny cubes, she then added a bit of salt, and covered it.

Most commoner households use salt to preserve meat but since she knows more arcana arts than the average, she can conjure ice to freeze meat and other preserved goods.

She slowed down the fire using pyro-manipulation, enough to heat the pan and not burn the spices, and waited. She remembered about Austin and went to check on him. "Austin, are you done?"

"Ah yes, yes, yes! I just finished, Mama." Austin went out of the bathroom and stared at his mother with longing eyes.

"Ah, good job, good job. Now wipe your body with a towel before you get cold." Austin obediently did.

She could use arcana arts to dry him up in an instant, but she's teaching him independence, and she thought that the result was good. She saw that he was learning well, so it would be best to let him do it himself. But even if that's the case, She started to manipulate the temperature in the air to make sure Austin was not cold.

She waited until he was able to dry himself and added, "Okay, go change now in the bedroom."

"Alright, Mama." She watched him go to the bedroom as she also went back to the kitchen.

When she got back, she opened the closed pan again, intensified the fire, and stirred everything using a steel turner until the chicken became golden. She then added the carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn in succession and added another bit of salt. She stirred for 2 minutes, tasted it once in a while, and added the boiled quail eggs.

By the time she covered the pan again and lessened the fire, Austin arrived in the kitchen and started to prepare the plates on the table. The woman observed her son as if she made an accomplishment. "Are you hungry?".

"Yes. The vegetable smells good" Austin replied instantly. He was playing the whole afternoon so it was obvious that he would be starved. That may be the reason why he is helping since he can't wait.

The woman smiled and looked for a serving plate and serving spoon. Once Austin finished preparing two plates, glasss, and a pait of spoon and fork, he sat down at the table and waited patiently. This made the woman giggle. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Don't worry, it's almost done." She looked back to the pan, opened it, and put out the fire.

"WOW! You used magic! Mama, can you please teach me?" The woman transferred it to the serving plate she placed nearby, used the serving spoon to scoop all the remaining in the pan, and walked towards the table.

Austin was so amazed by the appetizing smell that he started to drool as he stared at the serving plate in his mother's hands. It was vegetables but his stomach did not care. She placed the ready-to-serve buttered mixed vegetables in the center of the table.

She thought that it is best to serve vegetables to a picky eater who's starved since they'll eat it no matter what.

She glanced at the impatient face of Austin. "I will, after you awakened, okay? But remember what I always told you?" She replied as she waved her hand to conjure water in each glass that Austin prepared.

"Not to tell anyone that you can use magic." Austin recited like a speech written in a script.

"That's right..."

"But why, Mama?!"

"Okay, let's pray, Austin." His mother said, ignoring the question question. With this as a signal, Austin instantly stopped pestering, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together. He is too hungry to mind other things. The woman looked at him intently and waited for the contents of his prayers.

"Dear, Papa God. Thank you so much for giving me a friend today. I am so happy that I played with Fai and I hope that he will come again tomorrow to play with me. I know that I was being naughty for not following what Mama said but I hope that you can forgive me just like Mama did. You know that I love her from the bottom of my heart. Tonight, when Mama goes out to hunt again, please protect her so that she can come home healthy and cook yummy foods for me again, okay? Bless us, Papa God, and thank you for the food. Amen." When Austin opened his eyes, he saw a tear from his mother's left eye which worried him. "What happened Mama? Did you cry because I was naughty? I'm sorry Mama." He stood up from his chair and went closer to his mother across the table.

"It's okay, these are just sweat from all the heat when I was cooking." She excused.

"Teach me how to cook, Mama. Once I already know how to cook, then I'll cook for you." He declared.

"Yes, Austin, now go back to your chair before the food gets cold."

"Okay." He obediently went back and sat down in his chair. The woman wiped her eyes while Austin was not looking and he started to eat a spoonful. "Mmmmm - mmmmm - mmmm"

"What is it Austin?" The woman asked as Austin made a big gulp. This warmed her heart.

"Mama, is this vegetables? Why does it taste like chicken? It's so yummy! Nom, nom, nom" He said as he continued to eat. The woman did not know if Austin was just trying to be polite since she knew her son so much and he was not a fan of vegetables or if he was just hungry. But it is enough to make her happy.

"Thank you, Austin. Should I cook the same thing tomorrow?" She started to eat as well and the night went on.

"No, thank you." The woman softly laughed at the fast response.

After they finished eating, the woman washed the dishes while Austin brushed his teeth in the bathroom. After he was done, he went straight to the bedroom and prayed again. Her mother entered the room carefully to grab a dress in her closet, she made sure not to disturb her praying son and proceeded to bath in the bathroom and get ready to go to the night district.

By the time she is done with her makeup, she checks Austin and finds out that he is already in deep sleep. She covered him with a blanket and kissed his forehead. "I'll be back, Austin. Sweet dreams." She whispered.

After her hometown was destroyed by war, she desperately sought different ways to support herself. She couldn't take on a proper job, like becoming an adventurer, because using her powers would attract attention — and attention only spells death for her. She tried her hand at being a helper and attempted many household services like laundry and cleaning for establishments but her lack of experience meant these efforts failed.

This lack of skill also made it difficult for her to maintain the run-down house where they lived. Although she was learning, her abilities were only sufficient to manage the house for themselves, far from being good enough to offer as a service.

After many failed attempts, she ended up working in the night district, relying on her elegant physique. She considered quitting countless times but felt trapped, as her body had become addicted to the pleasure. Eventually, she became pregnant, though the father remained unknown.

She stopped working in the night district for a year with Austin in her womb and started working as a dish washer that pays below the average salary. Initially, she resented the fetus in her womb, believing it had destroyed her worth, but as she matured, she realized her mistake. After Austin was born, it was him who gave her the strength to carry on.

During this time, she remembered about a protection spell from the goddess of all mothers from her homeland, which could be easily activated through an ancient prayer. Every night, she would go out once Austin fell asleep and return before he woke up to make breakfast. She would then clean the house in the morning and sleep after lunch. She also made toys for Austin, though she suspected he had grown bored of them.

Austin had become the focus of her efforts and the reason she could stay sane amidst all the hardships. Believing that God had not abandoned her, she continued to fight. This routine has been their life for the past five years after she started working again in the night district.

I am just glad that Austin met a friend today. I'd want to meet this kid named Fai to see if he's a good influence on Austin. When she closed the front door to leave, she looked around if there was anyone looking.

It was already silent in the slums so she proceeded with clasping her hands together, closed her eyes to bow down her head, and took a moment of silence.

"ᜇ᜔ᜓᜌᜓᜐ ᜅ᜔ ᜋ᜔ᜄ ᜁᜈ| ᜊᜒᜄ᜔ᜌᜈ᜔ ᜋᜓᜅ᜔ ᜉ᜔ᜍᜓᜆᜒᜃ᜔ᜐ᜔ᜌᜓᜈ᜔ ᜀᜅ᜔ ᜆᜑᜈᜈ᜔ ᜃᜓ..."

She has been praying to the 'Goddess of all Mother' for five years already, and she thought of continuing to do so until Austin has grown older to protect himself. She is planning to teach Austin the mystical arts once he was finally awakened to become a Magian. But for now, she will do her best to protect him through this prayer.

"...ᜀᜃ᜔ᜓᜌ᜔ ᜈᜈᜈᜎᜅᜒᜈ᜔ ᜈ ᜐᜈᜌ᜔ ᜁᜎᜌ᜔o ᜋ᜔o ᜀᜅ᜔ ᜀᜃᜒᜅ᜔ ᜀᜈᜃ᜔ ᜐ ᜃᜉᜑᜋᜃᜈ᜔..."

When she first prayed for protection, her hand would glow in response, as a sign that her prayer was granted. And just like now, her hands that were clasped together glowed giving her a sense of relief as the goddess would protect her son while she was away.

"...ᜀᜋᜒᜈ᜔."

She has been using this ancient language called Alibata to pray to the goddess since it was taught back in her homeland that Deities tend to listen more to ancient languages than the common tongue. And she learned to believe this fact six years ago.

She knows that despite imperfections and unconventional methods, ways will always reveal itself to protect the most precious jewels. She knows this truth deeply because she experienced the powerful love that comes with motherhood. What she didn't know was that the prayer she used does not work that way.