Always wear Protection(1)

Talk - " "

Think - [ ]

System - ()

Author thought - [[ ]]

Action - * *

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[What the fuck? I'm too young for this,] Alex thought, staring in disbelief at the adorable little… deer...wolf girl hybrid clinging to Mika and repeatedly calling her "Mama." The girl looked no older than five, dressed in a simple white one-piece dress, and had buried her face in Mika's chest with love.

Meanwhile, Mika was frozen in place, her face beet red as steam practically poured from her head. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined becoming a mother, let alone at her age. Her mind raced with panic, already dreading what her parents would think if they ever found out.

"W-Wait, are you sure I'm your mother? I mean, you didn't come from me directly!" Mika stammered nervously. Despite her words, she couldn't deny the overwhelming sense of connection she felt with both the little girl and the cube. But the shock of suddenly being called "Mama" left her too flustered to fully process the situation.

"Yeah, I did! The mana you and Papa put into the cube made Emi. You don't love Emi?" the little girl said, her bright pink eyes trembling as tears welled up, threatening to spill down her cheeks. Her voice wavered, and her expression became heartbreakingly fragile.

"W-Wait, wait! Yes, I love you!" Mika blurted out, panic rising as she waved her hands. "It's just… it's… I've never taken care of a child before… or even had one! Please don't cry, Emi. Come here."

Pulling Emi into a deep, comforting hug, Mika gently patted the little girl's back, doing her best to soothe her. "It's okay. I'm here. I promise I'll take care of you," she whispered softly, trying desperately to stop the tears before they fell.

"Hold on," Mika said, frowning slightly. "You said Mama and Papa, but it's just me! Don't you only mean Mama? I was the only one who poured mana into the cube." Her confusion was evident as she gestured to the empty room around them.

Emi tilted her head and made a funny face as if Mika had just told a silly joke. "Haha, stop joking, Mama. Papa is right here, in my heart!" she said cheerfully, pointing at the golden cube… her true body.

"Papa is awake, but I can't hear him at all. He can see us, though!" Emi added, raising her arms and bouncing slightly, clearly asking for uppies from Mika.

Caught off guard, Mika leaned closer to inspect the cube, her brows furrowing. "What the hell…?" she murmured, wondering if the "Papa" Emi spoke of could really be the cube she was holding.

"Mama, that's Emi's real body, Papa is sealed in my heart. Look, papa in there" A crack formed on the cube, opening, showing Mika the golden core that was Emi's heart and soul. But that was it, other than the golden core, nothing else was there

Deep within Emi's heart was Alex, covered in countless seals and magical spells that rendered him practically invisible and unnoticed by the outside world. Emi could barely sense him.

Just as Emi felt a strong, unbreakable connection to her mother, she felt that same bond extended to the blue core nestled within her golden heart. It pulsed faintly, almost as if calling out to her, and she instinctively knew it was Papa, even if she was the only one who could see him. 

If Alex had not helped create Emi, he would have been completely unnoticed. Thanks to the bond he shares with Emi, she could sense him, but that was it. Alex couldn't talk or even give head pats to Emi, all he could do was release mana.

"Oh my god, I had a child with a completely unknown man. This is just like those dramas Mom and I watch!" Mika groaned, crouching down and clutching her head in utter embarrassment. Her face turned bright red as her mind spiraled into overdramatic scenarios straight out of her favorite romance novels.

In those stories, the heroine would have a one-night stand with a mysterious, ridiculously handsome man, only to end up with his child. Then, inevitably, the man would show up, sweep her off her feet, and deal with a barrage of ex-girlfriends and scheming family members before making her his wife.

"Please don't tell me I'll have to deal with exes and evil in-laws!" Mika joked weakly, trying to mask her panic as she processed what Emi had just told her.

But thanks to her amazing brain, Mika came up with the perfect solution:

"Yup, I'll just ignore the father and continue living my life. Problem solved!" she declared internally, completely clueless about how much more complicated things were about to get.

Picking up Emi, who had been asking for "uppies" nonstop, Mika cradled her daughter in one arm while holding the golden cube in the other.

"Here, Mama, let Emi help you," Emi said cheerfully. She closed her eyes, and her small hand glowed gold for a brief moment. In an instant, the golden cube vanished from Mika's grasp.

"Um, Emi, what did you do?" Mika asked, her voice tinged with anxiety as she glanced around the floor, thinking she had dropped the cube.

"Don't worry, Mama! Emi stored it in your soul," Emi reassured her with a proud smile. "Just think about holding the cube in your hand, and it'll appear. To store it, just imagine storing it, and it'll be done!"

Following Emi's advice, Mika imagined the cube in her hand. Sure enough, the golden cube materialized instantly. With wide eyes, she stared at it, then back at Emi.

"That's… actually really convenient," Mika murmured, impressed but still wrapping her head around the bizarre mechanics of having a magical cube linked to her soul. She was completely clueless about how it worked, but it was very convenient.

Making sure that she had everything on her, Mika walked up to the 2 giant marble doors and gave them a small push. Even though Mika expected that they wouldn't open, they did, in fact, open, with the old woman waiting right at the door.

"So, you've chosen the Orchidra. Oh, and you've managed to awaken its spirit? That's surprising," the old woman said, raising her eyebrows as her gaze fell on the little girl in Mika's arms.

"Orchidra? Spirit?" Mika repeated, her voice laced with confusion.

"Come with me to the training grounds. I'll explain what the girl is," the old woman replied without hesitation. Turning on her heel, she began walking briskly down the hallway, not waiting for Mika to follow.

Startled by the woman's sudden departure, Mika quickly hurried after her, struggling to keep up with the surprisingly swift old lady.

Clearing her throat, the old woman began to explain, "As I mentioned before, each of those artifacts once belonged to heroes of the past. They're incredibly powerful and practically indestructible. But they possess something unique that sets them apart from other artifacts, a true spirit. And that little girl you're holding is the spirit of the weapon you've chosen, the Orchidra, forged by the great goddess herself."

"Powerful weapons like yours hold so much latent energy that they can create true spirits. These spirits remain dormant until enough power awakens them, or their wielder is in grave danger. Once awakened, their form is shaped by the soul of their holder."

The old woman stopped at a large window overlooking the training grounds, where paladins, squires, and knights were hard at work, their shouts echoing through the air.

"That little girl you're holding is the Orchidra's spirit," the woman said, her gaze fixed on the scene below. "It's rare to awaken a spirit right away, but not entirely unheard of. The fact that you managed it speaks volumes."

Turning abruptly, she continued down some nearby stairs, gesturing for Mika to follow. "Come down there, and we'll test its power." As they reached the grounds, the old woman began ordering nearby servants, instructing them to prepare the area for the demonstration she was about to do.

—

Tanks 4 reding!

See what I did there. {^-^}

Anyway, I know none of you get laid because you are reading this, but make sure to wear protection. Don't end up like our boy, Alex.