family gathering (part 1) (part 2)

It's been 6 months since Luna showed up. 5 months since Seraphina and Fren showed up. Today after Eva left my home we we're going to gather some friends and have a little celebration on Luna staying with us. Of course since only Lilith knew that Seraphina and Fren were here meant they wouldn't be joining us. "Huh? Oh I shall be taking Fren on a little adventure for today" said Seraphina.

And like that, Seraphina and Fren went off for the day.

As I walked around my house, I could see Lumina sitting at the table with her mom, Lilith, teaching her how to read and speak. Lumina is now able to form vocal cords.

Although Lumina still hasn't learned how to look like an actual human, she's just a human-shaped black slime.

Lilith was a great mom. Since I never met my parents, I viewed Lilith as a mother figure. I remember when I was little, I asked her if I could call her mother. "You may only call me that when it's just us, alright?" That was her response.

"Good morning Master" Lilith said as she spotted me from across the room. As I walked closer to looked at the book Lumina was studying. I was the human tongue.

"So you're teaching her the human tongue?" I said, leaning in.

"Yes, I am, Master," Lilith said, ruffling Lumina's hair.

Since I'm here, I may ask her a question I've had for a while. The thing is, I wonder why my hair changes and why she said it was like my father's.

"Lilith, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may, Master," she said, smiling at me.

As soon as she said yes, I sat down at the table with them, I stayed silent for a moment. I only have some memories of my parents, although it was only what I remember from when I was 5.

"Lilith, I was wondering, when my hair changed, why did you say it was like my father's?" As the words came out of my mouth, Lilith stayed silent for a few seconds. She put her hand on her chin, thinking about the right words to say.

"Well, how do I put this..." she kept thinking.

I wonder what she was going to say. Maybe after she answers that question, I could ask her about the curse I got.

"You never researched what Cursed Mana is, have you?" she said as she turned to me.

Actually, now that she said that, I haven't. All I knew is that I can't use magic, so I'm very limited in fighting, though I heard there is an artifact that turns cursed mana into regular mana.

"No, I haven't," I replied, wondering where this was going.

"Curse mana isn't actually a curse; it's a disease," her tone still stayed stern.

A disease? If that's true, why haven't I gotten sick?

"Before you were born, your parents discovered that your mana is cursed, so we had to conduct a ritual on your mother. I poured my own mana into you, enough until you were an adult, so I put in 15 years' worth of mana."

"Is that why my hair was black?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"Wait, but what does this have to do with my father?" She still hadn't explained what she meant by saying I was like my father.

"Your father also had cursed mana," she revealed, and as I received the information, I sat in silence.

"So my hair was black because I had your mana in me?" I was trying to articulate my thoughts, still pondering the unfolding revelation.

"You could say I'm your second mother, Master," somehow she anticipated what I was about to say.

"And second grandmother, since I did the same ritual on your father before he was born."

"And second grandmother, since I did the same ritual on your father before he was born."

"I have a final question for you," Lilith waited for me to ask my question.

"Why did you ask me to train my mana when I was little?" As I said that, she left the table and went to her room. Moments later, she returned with a box.

"Since you no longer have any drop of my mana, it means I can finally give you this." As she opened the box, it contained a bracelet. It was golden with a red gem in the middle.

"This is an artifact your parents kept just for you. They wanted me to wait until you were an adult so I could give this to you. Please put it on."

As I put it on my left wrist, Lumina was looking at the bracelet, marveling at the gem. Considering this is probably older than me, Lilith must have been keeping it clean.

"You can now use magic, Master," she said with a smile.

"Thank you, Lilith. Just... thank you." Who would have guessed the day when I would be able to use magic?

"Master, it's not a problem. I'm just following orders from your parents."

"Master, you should go to town with Luna to get her dress." Oh right, we ordered a dress for her so she could wear it. It wasn't a fancy one, but it was a nice one.

"Oh, yes, of course." I got up from the chair. Before I left, I remembered she did say she was technically my second mother, so this, I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

"Well, see you later, Mother."

"Master, I said only use that when it's just the two of us." She may have been pouting when she said that, but I saw a slight smile on her face.

Before I left, I saw Lilith give Lumina a tight hug.