People say happy time flows fast. It has been more than 5 years since Zeun was reborn in this world and from today, he is an elder brother.
Entering the room in the already dark night, Merry smiled upon seeing Zeun peacefully asleep near Helena's bed. Helena was feeding her newborn. Despite her quick physical healing as a mage, Merry understood that Helena was enduring inner pain.
Merry sat on a corner of bed passing the portion bottle.
*Sigh*
"Things never go as you plan right?" Helen's asked in a self-deprecating tone.
Merry couldn't help but sigh, "Who would have thought that those bastards would also put a curse on you!" Her hands clenched into fists, eyes reddened. A slight smell of burning clothes with wisps of white smoke started coming out of Merry's body, hatred and anger evident in her eyes.
"You shall wake him up...." Helena pointed at her son before Merry tried to calmed herself down taking a few deep breaths ,but her eyes were still red.
"....Listen, Merry, we can't change the past, right? Let's calm ourselves down and think properly. This unexpected turn of events has... ruined everything," Helena said with a deep frown, looking at the floor. She stopped in the middle as tears started rolling down like a dam had broken.
This time, Helena was truly broken, uncertainty grasping her. Fear and sorrow were evident in her expression as she worried about staying in the 5 Circle for the rest of her life. Hugging Merry, she cried her heart out, with suppressed sorrows, hatred, anxiety, fear, and a myriad of emotions overwhelming her.
After an unknown time Helena finally stopped crying.
"Drink the portion now, delaying anymore won't do us any good. Then we can take our time thinking a way out." Merry said as she released, Helena from her embrace.
Helena nodded as she drank the whole portion in one gulp.
Morning :
Zeun woke up and saw his mom feeding his sister from her breast. "She has the same look as me—black hair, red irises, a cute face, and small pink lips." I said out loud. looking at Mom with concern , "Does it hurt anywhere,mom?"
"I am very healthy now.Your Aunt gave me an expensive potion last night. Look, am I not looking beautiful?" She smiled brightly and replied with extreme calmness—a demeanor I had never seen in her before. There was a tranquility in her voice and every action, mature, precise, and graceful like a goddess. She truly looked exceptionally beautiful today.
Perhaps, the unexpected discovery of being cursed made Helena more mature and calm.
"Mom, what name will you give this baby?" I inquired, eager to know the name she already had in mind.
Looking at me, Helena smiled and with a tinge of playfulness asked, "Why don't you, as an elder brother start taking responsibility for your sister?hehe what do you think?"
"What do you mean,mom????"
" Why don't you name your sister?"
Zeun : "....."
"Me?" I pointed a finger at myself and asked to confirm. It was too abrupt to react...
Pondering for a moment , a name appeared in my mind .
"How about 'Shreya von Rosewood '?
"hmmm.... The name sounds good ,but what does it mean?" asked mom.
As the name was from back on Earth so to avoid being questioned I uttered some gibberish about how I went to library and came accross the word..... blah ...blah .... blah....
Before passionately started explaining the meaning," 'Shreya' is a name of a goddess that signifies qualities like good fortune, beauty, and excellence. I wish for my sister to be fortunate, possess an excellent mind, and inherit mom's and Father's beautiful looks. What do you think, Mom? Do you think I'm good at naming?" I asked with a smug face and a raised nose.
She smiled at my smugness and commented "Although I don't know which tribes goddess it is but its a unique and elegant name, combining cultural elements with a touch of nobility. It has a pleasant flow and sounds sophisticated"
"Yes then from today your name will be Shreya von Rosewood, okay my baby?" Mom giggled happily at my sister's sleeping cute face.
I went outside to train as usual.
Nobles' and Royals ' in Aisa continent held Naming Ceremonies to name their new born children. But neither did Zeun know and even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
Days went on peacefully..
---------------------------------------------
One day at breakfast table.
"I am planning to return to the city and reopen the inn, since Helena is completely healed. Even though few customers come, something is better than nothing, right?"
Me : "????"
.." mom!???" I looked at mom.
Mom nodded as she said, "The leftover money Merry and I have would barely sustain us for one year at most, that's without considering your elder sister Meyan's academic fees. Otherwise, six months at most."
I silently listened to them before asking, "Can you give me that money?"
Helena : "...."
Merry : "...."
"What do you need money for?" Both of them blurted out at once as if they have rehearse it for years before performing before me.
Surprised by their unexpected reaction, I couldn't say anything. They stared at me intensely, like hungry wolves. I felt if I made one wrong move, they'd pounce on me. I nervously gulped under their gaze before stammering, "I... I have a business idea."
They looked at me like I was some strange creature from another world.
"Speak your mind." aunt said
"I am not sure yet but can you buy me a bundle of lowest quality paper?"
They frowned, clearly intrigued. Mages are naturally curious beings; possessing an inherent curiosity and a hunger for new knowledge is essential to being a good mage.
Understanding this, I put on a tough and mysterious act, not wanting them to tell anything.I didn't want them to know the process because sometimes knowledge can be dangerous, and I didn't want to put their lives at risk.
They frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my reply. Aunt tried to put some pressure on me but Mom interrupts her ," Ok I get it. But atleast you can tell us what you would do with that paper right? You know that even the lowest quality cost a gold coin right? I should atleast judge whether it would be worth it or not when I have almost no amount of money."
Understanding that the money would be given by aunt, as we don't have a single gold coin left I said, "To make better quality papers".
Hearing my short reply mom nodded and asked aunt to buy lowest quality papers worth 3 gold coins.
Aunt couldn't say anything for a moment before nodding her head,
*sigh*
" It would take time, you should know that even the lowest quality are in high demands."
I thanked both of them before leaving for training.
As soon as Zeun left the room Merry asked,"Helena, are you not curious? Also 3 gold coins..."
Helen raised her hand, signaling Merry to stop. "It's okay, Merry. Even if he fails, it's time I let him face the world. Also, no need to worry about money or me. You too need to take care of Meyana, right? She'll be returning soon"
She took out a pouch from her storage necklace and pass it to Merry,"Thank you for taking care of me all these years. You are my sister and I don't want you to suffer because of me. Please take it as a gift from sister."
Merry hesitated, but when she opened the pouch and saw thirty shining gold coins, she initially refused. However, Helen insisted and firmly handed them to her.
Zeun is now Six years old. Meyana, aunt Merry's daughter will be returning from Arcane Knights' Academy soon as this was her final year.
So aunt went to the city to take care of the inn and her daughter.
I heard that she's a swordswoman's and a level 2 Aura User. She must be very strong, I still don't have any idea about aura users since mom and aunt doesn't speak about them . Whatever, I shall know about them once I get into Arcane Academy.
For last few months, Zeun has been trying to remember ways to make paper from wood. But it wasn't that his efforts were completely wasted. While trying various methods to make paper,he recalled how recycle paper and make better quality ones.
To determine its viability, he requested Helena to procure the least expensive papers. Months have passed, yet my aunt hasn't sent the bundle. "Are papers truly this scarce on this continent that even the lowest qualities are this hard to obtain?" I wondered.
In the evening, as I played with Shreya and Mom cooked dinner, a knock on the door echoed, followed by the unmistakable sound of the door opening. Aunt Merry's voice soon reached us.
"Aunt Merry, how have you been?" I eagerly jumped into her arms, burying my face in the softness of her big boobs' embrace. Even at six, I still cherish this playful act, and it seems Aunt enjoys it too—hehe.
"Fu fu fu...Our Zeun still loves this old woman's boobs fu fu..."She giggle seductively as she further presses my face deep into her cleavage...
Mom stood behind and watched us cuddle each other...
*sigh*
"Now atleast welcome your aunt inside the house or are you planning to make her say outside."
Realising what I did, I quickly pulled myself together and went to sister's side to play.... seeing my reddened face Helena couldn't help but smile...