**Aish's POV**
After my and Aish's souls and memories completely merged, I was shocked to see that the world I am in is based on a novel.
It is called Arcadia instead of Earth.
Arcadia is a vast world where lots of different races coexist together—humans, elves, dwarves, giants, vampires, monsters, beasts, halflings, and even dragons.
If you are wondering why I did not mention the demon race, that is because the Demon King DITAIL killed them all himself.
How & Why—now that is a whole other story for the end game, but yes, so everything is peaceful nowadays.
Except for some little skirmishes now and then, there has not been an all-out war in the past 1000 years.
Some fights still break out from time to time—cause of race differences, some profits, or simply because of ego and them having nothing better to do—but overall, if anyone transmigrated here, they could live peacefully.
If only they were not in the body of Aish Floren.
After pondering on that thought for a while and cursing my luck for the next time, I decided to finally open my eyes in this fantasy world, and I was excited to see everything in it.
(Will some beautiful maids be waiting for me, like in those novels—as soon as I wake up?)
After that thought, I opened my eyes by turning my face sideways, and what greeted me was not the face of some world-toppling beauty or some beastkin or something fantasy-like—no, it was the sunlight that came directly on my face.
(Damn, that is the same shit as Earth; what a letdown.)
I closed my eyes for a second and turned around.
I tried to get up and sit on my bed, but before I could completely do that, I felt like the Truck-Kun gave me one more visit.
I felt something crash on me, and then something squeezed my body tightly.
I was already feeling weak due to the curse placed on me and did not have full control or understanding of my new body, but I felt like I would just die before I looked at myself in the mirror.
I tried to free myself, but I was powerless, so I started squirming to free myself from those shackles that held me in place and were squeezing me.
Finally, after some struggles, I felt the grip on me loosen, and I was free to look at my assailant, who wanted to murder me as soon as I woke up.
In front of me stood a woman more beautiful than I could ever describe in words.
She wore a green-colored dress with golden line patterns that were shimmering in sunlight. She had black hair that fluttered in the wind and crashed on her shoulders.
Her black eyes were looking at me with such tenderness and care that anyone could just get lost looking into them. She had a smile on her face, and I was just mesmerized by that.
I was not thinking about anything bad or was like some horny kid who could not control himself.
No, I was simply lost in thought because I knew who she was—Artemis Raven Floren—Aish's mother.
When I looked at her, the memories Aish made—the emotions he felt and the love he had for her—came crashing in my brain, and without my knowledge, some tears started coming from my eyes. I simply could not control it, so I just hugged her back to hide my face.
**Artemis POV**
I was thinking about how to find all the Evil Scion's members and punish them all. When I felt something, I looked towards Aish, and I saw him opening his eyes.
At first, I was worried if he was okay or if the curse somehow affected him, but then a smile came to my face as I saw his face, which had a frown on it now due to the sunlight.
(He's fine)
With that thought, I stood up from my chair; I could not control myself, and the next moment I was hugging my dear son.
He is my only son, and the thought of losing him due to my negligence scared me more than I ever felt. I just hugged him tightly, hoping to never let go of him and just keep him safe always.
It was not until I felt him squirming in my hands, trying to free himself, that I realized that, due to fear and excitement, I did not control my strength properly.
I just smiled nervously and freed him.
I was looking at his face—he was the perfect mixture of both his parents, with hair as white as snow just like Agnus and eyes as dark as night just like me.
His face still looked cute and chubby in her eyes, and her skin was so smooth as jelly that I just could not stop pinching it.
Just looking at him for a moment had calmed my heart, and all the bloodthirsty thoughts from before were nowhere to be found.
I wanted to ask him if he was okay and apologize for not protecting him better, but before I could do that, I saw him crying, and then he just hugged me tightly.
Seeing the tears in his eyes, I was lost for a moment as my brain started thinking of all the bad results. The look from yesterday when he was squirming in bed came to my mind—that was the first time she had ever seen her brave little son in that condition, and I thought he was still in that pain.
I could still feel him sobbing; I knew he was trying to stop himself from crying; I did not know what was wrong or what I should do, so I hugged him back, trying to comfort him.
After some time, he stopped crying and was now just lying in my arms peacefully.
After that, I asked what was on my mind.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"If you are not feeling fine, I could call the high priest."
**Aish POV**
After crying in her arms for some time and feeling her hands caressing my head trying to comfort me, I stopped sobbing and tried to separate myself from her, but she just hugged me back.
So, I kept lying in her embrace—it felt warm and peaceful, even more so than the darkness.
I severed my connection with my parents on Earth soon after the accident happened. Though it had its reasons, and I thought it was better for them to be away from me.
But up until this moment, I had never truly realized how much I needed it—how much I missed it.
A mother's care, her love, and her embrace—I never felt it in the last 3 years of my past life, and so when she hugged me back, I just closed my eyes, hoping to get as much of this calm feeling as I could.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"If you are not feeling fine, I could call the high priest."
I heard her soft voice, and even though it was my first time hearing it, I could feel how much love she had for him.
Even in the novel, she was described as the person who loved Aish the most. Even after the entire world stood against him, she was there, standing in front of him to always protect him.
"I just had a nightmare."
"I am fine now. Do not worry."
I replied to her, and I could feel her tense body relaxing. She then ruffled my hair and kissed my forehead.
"Stay here; I'll get something for you to eat."
After that, she tried to stand up and leave, but I held her hand. She looked at me, waiting to see what I needed.
"Can you stay here for some time?"
I said to her while looking down. And when I looked up at her, I saw that she had a bright smile on her face.
And though I never met one in my life, I could say that she looked just like a goddess now. A pure bright smile that had no malice or any other emotion except kindness and happiness, with eyes full of love and care—is not that how a goddess should be.
"Of course,"
Breaking me out of my reverie was her sweet voice as she agreed to my request.
She sat on my bed and put my head on her lap.
Without any resistance, I just lay there on her lap pillow with my eyes closed as she caressed my head.
In that moment, nobody had finally found the peace he had always hoped for and accepted the fact that he was now Aish—Aish Floren, Son of Artemis Raven Floren.