"Aishie... Aishie..."
As I sat in front of the inheritance gate with immense disappointment, I suddenly heard a familiar voice. It had been so long that I couldn't be sure, but I felt it. It had to be her.
"Mama...?"
I stood up and looked around, but all I saw was the dragon guy staring at the inheritance gate. I started to doubt my hearing as he didn't seem to have heard it, but I wanted it to be her. Even if this was just a dream, I wanted it to be her.
"I'm sorry. We've made you suffer."
At the apology I heard, tears suddenly began forming at my eyes. In order to become an adult, I stopped crying and tried to act like I was fine, but it was for nothing.
"Hic*...N-n-no, it's because I'm, I'm just a kid."
I thought I was okay with just hearing her voice, but once my tears escaped I was desperate for comfort. It was only a vague memory by now, but I still remembered how happy I used to feel when Mama hugged me.
I wanted to lose myself in that warmth, but of course I couldn't get that. I was just the kid who couldn't make her proud.
I kept crying, not minding the dragon guy who occasionally took worried glances. Once I was done I would return to my oath to become a splendid adult, I promised. I definitely would. But then I heard more.
"No, we're the ones who put too much on your shoulders. In our wish to ensure your survival we forgot how lonely you would be. For so much wxdgungaizzzz-"
"Mama?"
"Sorry, I have to be quick. Dig up the ground in front of the inheritance gate. You'll find the path to your freedom there."
"Mama! Mama!"
Sensing that she was leaving, I shouted with my vision completely blurred by tears. I didn't want to become an adult, I didn't need to leave. As long as she was here with me...
"We'll always be watching you. I love you, Aishie."
"*Sniff* *sniff* I love you too, Mama."
After that, I could no longer hear her voice. I thought I would cry some more, but strangely my tears stopped coming even though my heart was in so much pain.
"Um, are you okay?"
Dragon guy looked at me with concern, which I appreciated but I nodded and wiped away my tears.
"Dig up, ground here. We should find something."
I stepped forward despite my blurry vision, but he went in front of me. At first I looked up while being slightly annoyed, but that discomforting feeling disappeared when I saw the dirt at the gate vanish with a wave of his hand.
I thought it was a little cool but then I remembered the crater that he made.
'I should be careful around this guy.'
Moving my gaze to the bottom of the inheritance gate, I searched for the sign that my mom hinted on, and it didn't take me long to find it.
In a daze, I got closer to the lines that were at the bottom of the inheritance gate. Centuries had past but something about that writing was unforgettable. I couldn't remember when was the last time I saw it, but I recognized the handwriting instantly.
'Aishie, if you're reading this then the worst must have happened. We did everything we could to protect you, but it wasn't enough. That's why we were forced to leave you by yourself. I'm sorry, Aishie.'
"Dad..."
I felt my tears rising again, but recalling the stern face of my father gave me the strength to push back my tears. As I kept staring at the writing, it was replaced by a new set of lines.
'The space you're in was made to protect you but it won't last forever so you'll need to leave at some point. We all wanted to see you be the one to receive our founder's inheritance and revive the glory of our race, but you don't have to if you don't want to. Before you make your decision, leave. Travel, grow up into an adult, and make your own decision.'
"That's not fair. That's not fair!"
If I was always able to leave then, what was the point of my waiting? What was the point of my suffering?!
Even though it was my father, I couldn't help resenting him. This was likely something that I missed and got covered up over time, but still. How could such an answer pacify me?
Rather than relief and joy, I felt anger. I didn't need to become an adult, that was never my dream. I just, I just wanted to...!
As I became troubled by complicated emotions, the last set of lines appeared.
'I'm sorry me and your mother won't be there for you anymore. But we'll always be watching you. No matter what you do, even if you come to hate your heritage we won't blame you. After all, you're our only child, we'll always love you."
I could imagine him saying this with his usual straight face, but that only increased how much it impacted me.
"If you love me so much then why did you-!"
...
I didn't know how to feel or how to respond, I was just a mess.
"Are you okay?"
As I sunk into a sea of my turbid emotions, I heard his voice. He was a powerful stranger who I wasn't sure if I could trust, but thinking about it, maybe his presence was what allowed me to finally get some closure.
'If so I'll need to thank him. But first."
I pressed my paw on the door and held it there until the door lit up, but this time it didn't extend towards the entire gate. The blue light stopped a couple inches higher than dragon guy and then exploded.
!
I hastily closed my eyes from the blinding light and waited for the light to die down before hesitantly opening them again. The first thing I saw was a black hole that had appeared in front of us. I couldn't see anything inside that darkness but I screamed in joy.
"Yay!"
"Looks like we've found our way out."
When I looked at him, for the first time since I met him, dragon guy had a genuine smile on his face. I still remembered his cold gaze when he killed that other guy, but I felt like I could try trusting him.
"Give me your hand," I told him.
"Hmm? Why?"
"Just do it."
He seemed confused but he still crouched and stretched his hand out. Then, recalling the faint memory of the custom Mama taught me, I gently bit his index finger.
***
?!
'Huh? Why is this brat biting my finger?'
I could tell from the force behind it that this wasn't a serious bite but it was still weird.
'Is it a greeting or something?'
[Conditions have been met.]
[You have been designated as the parent of individual 'Aishie'.]
'Designated as what now?'
[A new title has been unlocked.]
Once the notices were done I quickly opened my status and was left bewildered by the title I now had.
[Strong Parent
A strong love for a child and a wish to protect them awakens this title. You will do whatever it takes to see your child grow up well.
Always be aware of your child's location.
Can teleport to their side with no mana cost (Once a day)
Can teleport them to your side with no mana cost (Once a day)
Can tell when your child is in danger
You will be able to surpass your limits when protecting your child in a dangerous situation.
If your child dies, your stats will down by 20% for the same number of years as the age of your child.]
From an objective perspective this was a dream title for any decent parent. But I wasn't a parent!
And that last line, wasn't this just a curse?!
'A strong love?! How the heck did I get this title?'
While subconsciously feeling that time had stopped, I pondered how I was able to get this skill.
'It happened when it bit me, but it doesn't look like it knows anything. Hmm, contact, contact, contact, cont-'
"Tch, so that's it."
I raised my sensitivity to souls and was able to confirm my guess. While most of the souls still gathered around the fox, one had also wrapped itself around me.
Furthermore, I didn't know if that bite was part of some ritual but it sealed the connection between me and this soul. In other words, I wouldn't be able to get rid of it with my current ability in Soul Magic.
'Damn it! Why do I have to suffer because you couldn't protect your own kid?'
I immediately thought about abandoning the fox in a way that would keep him safe, but then I realized something ironic about this situation.
'So his parents couldn't be with him even though they wanted to. Tch, I don't like how familiar that sounds.'
"What? Did it hurt?"
While I was in a daze, the fox called out to me in concern. I really hate unnecessary work but,
'I guess I'll take care of you for now.'
"It's nothing. Let's go."