Day Dreamers

--AN) 24+ advanced chapters on https://www.patreon.com/invayne--

Shizuku arrived on the scene to see Margret getting ready to cut the heads off of Sandy and Robert. She held her head and walked over with quickend steps. "Margret, stop."

"Why should I stop!? They dared to harm my daughter. I will kill them!" Margret yelled out in anger and raised her sword.

"Margret, I am fine. Put the sword down." Shizuku walked over and grabbed Margret's hand. She looked up at the woman who looked like a man and sighed. "Nothing happened to me. Nor will anything happen to me, so put the sword down." 

Margret blinked a few times before her eyes began to water up. "Shizuku!" She burst into tears, dropped her sword, and hugged Shizuku in her arms. "That the goddess, you are alive and well!"

"Mmm…. I am home. Sorry, it took a little longer than expected." Shizuku said as she patted Margret's back.

 Sandy looked at the heartwarming scene with wide eyes. "How…. How are you alive!?"

"Hmmm?" Margret turned and looked at Sandy, her eyes seemed to be staring into her soul.

"I-I-I-I…. I didn't mean that! I just said it in anger!" Sandy tried to make it seem like she had said those words out of spite and did not really mean them, but Margret knew better. 

"Little girl, it seems you need a proper punishment. But since Shizuku is home safe and sound, I will not be dealing it out. Instead…." Margret turned to Nora and grinned. "Nora, I leave her in your capable hands. I heard you need a model for that special armor line."

"Oh! You are right. That line…. Hehe…" Nora's evil grin made Sandy shiver, and for good cause. Sometime later, Sandy would be followed by a new kind of fan base who wore tight leather clothing and had red balls in their mouths that were held on with leather straps, calling her mistress Sandy. But that is a story for another time.

"We will leave then. Duglous, stop by later for some good food. I owe you one." With that, Margret dragged Shizuku back to the inn, with Mei hurrying behind them.

When they entered the inn, Shizuku was pulled to the back of the house where Margret lived. She was led through the dining room to a long hall and only stopped when they reached a certain room. "This here is my daughter Olivia's room. What I am about to tell you is something that happened in the past." 

Shizuku did not say anything and followed Margret into the room. The room itself looked very clean. There was a bed with pink blankets and stuffed animals on top. A desk and a closet for hanging clothes. The wall was lined with pictures of a young girl and a beautiful woman. The woman looked very happy while holding the young girl in her arms.

"The people in the pictures are me and my daughter. I never used to look like this. I was cursed when fighting the Day Dreamers. A cultist group that wishes for nothing but the destruction of this world. They were kidnapping children during that time and selling them off to not only fund their operations but also to cause distrust among the people. 

"They kidnapped Olivia, and I lost it. I went on a rampage and killed many of their members. In the end, not only did they use Olivia as a hostage, but they also cursed me to make me look the way I look today.

"The Day Dreamers are dangerous, so no matter what, stay away from them. Unless you are over level 200, I do not think you could ever take them down. Olivia…. Died before my eyes. They used the blood of my daughter to put a curse on me. To this day, I can only live in regret. Shizuku, I might seem strange, but I know I have been imprinting the image of my daughter on you. She would be around your age if she were still alive. So if I get out of line or cross a line that makes you feel uncomfortable, please tell me." Margret held Shizuku's hand and smiled softly, but Shizuku could tell that there was a sad aura around Margret. 

She also knew she could not become Margret's daughter, but to have someone like Margret at her side in this new world made her feel warm in her heart. "I can't become Olivia, but I do not mind being treated as your daughter. Maybe one day I can even bring down this cult for you. But one thing you will never have to worry about is me dying. I am pretty sturdy, you know." 

Margret looked at Shizuku's smiled and let out a soft chuckle. "You, dear, are really too kind. I am afraid one day, that kindness will get you in trouble. Now…. Tell me, where have you been all this time!? I was worried sick!" 

"I was in the dungeon. It's just that…." Shizuku hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and explaining things to Margret. The more she spoke, the more Margret's eyes widened before finally, she let out a joy-filled laugh. 

"Hahaha! Those idiots probably ran down floor after floor, not realizing you were not even in the same dungeon as them. This is wonderful! Very wonderful! I can rest at ease knowing you can dive into the dungeon without running into others. Maybe Goddess Yunni gave you a special skill that you do not know about. She might have bigger plans for you than we might think. This is good. But from now on, you can not stay overnight unless you have a communication stone so you can let me know that you are okay! I do not want to think that you might have died. I do not think my old heart can take it."