Mother of Two

"Lady, do you think people are better at making laws than building logics?"

"What, Seraph? That's a sudden thought, isn't it? Well I think, people aren't any good either way. Even if they make laws full of logic, when they can't uphold laws like that then why make them in the first place? Maybe, they aren't so logical after all."

"But people shouldn't be allowed to do whatever they want, right?"

"And why not? If they can do something, then they should do that. Aren't we born free? Then if freedom isn't about doing whatever, what's the point of it?"

"You say that, Lady but isn't it true that you follow some laws as well?"

"Perhaps more so than anyone else. But then when did I say I'm free?"

************

"Deli-san, what...is this?"

"Seraph, if you keep freaking out at every single thing, people are going to think you are country bumpkin."

"But...I am a country bumpkin."

Deli sighed, "Well, do you have to show it?"

"But what am I-"

"Seraph, just settle down. This is just a train."

"This isn't just any train though..."

Deli sighed once more and then leaned back into her chair. We had left the capital behind and were now headed towards a distant city in a train. I might not have had a lot of experience with trains but when they came to our town, I helped build the railways. I did ride the train to the capital the first time I got here but it was not in first class. I didn't even know compartments like this are supposed to exist in the first place.

Deli said she'd book tickets for us on her own. We've been commuting mostly covertly so for her to book first class tickets all of a sudden is rather strange. I did inquire about this and she seems to think there is no other possible way to travel by train except through first class.

"Uh...Deli-san, we are going to see someone, right?"

"Yeah that's right."

"And you know this person...I mean Lady didn't send you to meet them, right?"

"Hmm, Lady doesn't want me to see them."

"Then why are you going? Even though Lady doesn't want you to, how can you go against her?"

"That's not true Seraph. If Lady didn't want me to go, I wouldn't be here. But she let me go, she doesn't like the idea but she knows it has to be done. Even if she didn't want it, she still needed it."

Deli then calmly sipped on her chamomile tea. Lady told me I'd die this time. Well, I had almost died once back then too. Wolfe...that's right. Maybe Chopper is chasing after him even now. And that Azag, I wonder how far he went. Will Chopper be okay all alone? Why is no one concerned about him? I wonder if Lady sent him somewhere again.

"Deli-san, I wanted to-"

"Seraph, you don't have to be so formal all the time", she grinned cheekily.

She was like a little teasing girl sometimes and that would make me blush. I am not the greatest around women like her. I knew an Amelia or two like her. Actually, most Amelia's in my village (and that's around 90% of the female population in my village) were teasing little girls, but they were so bad at it, I myself could have done better. Deli is on a whole another level. She is the woman among women. I may sound like Lubbock with the rate at which I sing her praises these days, but I cannot help but admire her so.

"Seraph, you were saying?", she brought me out of my daze.

"Uh...yes. I wanted to ask about that letter. What did it say? It was from Chopper-san, right?"

"Yeah...it was. It didn't say anything about him, if that's what you want to know. That letter had a single address on it and nothing more."

"An address?"

"That's where we're headed. Because Chopper sent that letter to me and that's why I know I need to go there."

"But what's in that place?"

"An orphanage."

"Eh...?"

"That's the orphanage where they're being kept, Seraph", she looked lost in a dream, "I'm going to see my sons."

She was smiling radiantly like a goddess but I was stuck as if by a Gorgon. My breath slowed down considerably, I bet my heart stopped somewhere in there too. "Sons", I must be hearing things. Deli...no way. How old is she? No wait, didn't Chopper mention she's older than him by a year or two? And Chopper's old...probably in his 30s. Does that mean Deli's...? Could such a pure goddess like her...? Though she is quite muscular and her kicks are out of the world. But what am I thinking?

"Deli...you are saying..."

"Don't be like that Seraph", she said in a very blunt and composed manner.

"Huh?", I looked at her face that was still beaming.

"I haven't seen them for so long. I can't even remember their faces. But I'm really happy I get to see them again. And I'm afraid too...that they won't recognize me anymore. My face...I've changed so much but...they'll remember my smell, won't they?"

I remained silent for centuries just examining the look on her face that was serene but also really anxious.

"I'm sure they would...Deli", I simply said what she wanted to hear.

How long has she not seen them? Her children...

The best part about first class, if you've never travelled in it, is that it is peaceful and calm and there is never any noise, aside from the occasional clang of teacups hitting the saucers and the ticking clock and sometimes the heels of the waling maids. I looked out the train window and noticed we were nearing a station. I looked at Deli who was now getting eager. Maybe this was our stop or maybe it was the next one. I could tell that she really just wanted to be able to see them. Maybe they won't recognize her, I don't even know how old they're supposed to be.

Why were they at an orphanage? Did Deli leave them there? It's hard to believe but...just what had her life been, I couldn't help but wonder. And I also thought of Chopper. Why did he know about this orphanage? Maybe, he isn't chasing after Wolfe after all.

I realized what made her superior to every Amelia I knew. Her children...and she was a beautiful woman.