Inside the cozy wooden cabin, Ian was wearing an apron, moving back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room. One after another, plates filled with delicious food were placed on the dining table.
Today was a special day—a joyous reunion, so Ian decided to show off his cooking skills.
Originally, Ur's cabin wasn't very large. It had only one room, and both the bathroom and kitchen were somewhat cramped. If it were just Ur and her daughter, Ultear, living there, it would be just fine. Even adding Gray and Leon, who were still children, didn't make it feel too crowded.
But with Ian included, things were different. After all, Ian was a tall and handsome man, and being around the same age as Ur, he didn't mind the idea of everyone sleeping under the same roof. Though the thought of the ensuing awkwardness at night made him reconsider.
Ian couldn't handle sleeping in cramped conditions. (Don't get the wrong idea—his relationship with Ur was purely platonic!) Therefore, one night he expanded Ur's cabin using magic. He renovated the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom, enlarged Ur's bedroom, and even built four new guest rooms.
Now, Gray, Leon, and Ian each had their own personal space. One of the remaining rooms was kept as a guest room, in case someone visited.
At this moment, that guest room found a new purpose. After finishing the meal preparations, Ian took off his apron and gently held Ultear's soft little hand. Leading her into the freshly cleaned guest room, he had used gravity magic to ensure it was spotless and inviting. Though small, the room had a warm, cozy atmosphere.
He rubbed her head softly and said, "See? No matter what happens, you'll always have a place in Ur's heart. This will always be your home, and this room will always be yours."
Ultear's eyes turned red as tears began to well up. One by one, crystal-clear droplets fell onto the wooden floor.
"Mom!" Ultear's longing for her mother erupted uncontrollably. She desperately wanted to throw herself into Ur's arms and feel her mother's warmth.
"Don't worry. Ur and the others went out for training and will be back soon," Ian reassured her, gently rubbing her head again. "By the way, Ur picked up two new apprentices. I'll introduce you to them later."
"Okay," Ultear replied, nodding softly. She shyly moved slightly away from Ian, just enough to escape his hand—any more head-patting, and she felt like her hair would be rubbed bald!
Time passed slowly, and about half an hour later, there was movement at the front door.
It was Ur, Gray, and Leon, back from town with the freshly baked cake.
As Gray and Leon pushed open the door, Ur walked into the living room with a warm smile, holding the freshly made cake in her hands. She looked toward the dining room, where Ian was already sitting at the table, the delicious food prepared and waiting. Ur smiled and said, "Happy birthday, Ian! Thank you for taking such good care of us these past months…"
But then, Ur's words caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon the adorable figure sleeping soundly beside Ian. Her body trembled uncontrollably. She widened her eyes, staring at the small figure sitting at the table, quietly napping.
In that instant, Ur's mind wavered. She couldn't be mistaken—that figure was the one she had longed for day and night. It was her precious daughter, Ultear!
"Ultear… is alive?!"
At that moment, nothing else mattered. She didn't even care about the cake in her hands, which she immediately tossed into the air. Ur rushed toward the table, wanting to hold Ultear in her arms. But as she reached out, she hesitated, afraid that Ultear was just another illusion caused by her overwhelming longing. Her hands hovered, unable to land, as she asked in a voice hoarse from crying, "Ultear, is it really you?!"
Ian intervened gently, "Ultear, wake up. Look who's here."
Ultear, having fled from the Magic Development Bureau and exhausted from the journey, had fallen asleep on Ian's shoulder after finally realizing that her mother hadn't abandoned her. Their rift had been nothing but a misunderstanding, driven by manipulative forces.
Not even the commotion of Ur's return had woken her. As much as Ur wanted to rouse her daughter, she couldn't bring herself to disturb Ultear's peaceful sleep. Ultear was the most precious thing in the world to her.
Ian, ever the practical one, reached out and softly pinched Ultear's round cheek, waking the little one up.
"Hmm?" Ultear rubbed her eyes groggily. When she finally saw who was standing before her, she leapt into Ur's arms without hesitation, crying out, "Mom! I'm home! I missed you so much!"
"Ultear, my sweet girl!" Ur sobbed, pulling Ultear into a tight embrace. "I missed you too! I'm so sorry, Ultear. I never should have left you alone at the Magic Development Bureau…"
As Ultear's small hands clung tightly to her mother's waist, Ur finally realized that this wasn't a dream. Her daughter was real and alive. She hugged Ultear with all her strength, pouring out her feelings of guilt and longing for her child.
"Alright, alright, let's eat first!" Ian interjected, holding a square box in his arms and sighing as he looked at the tearful reunion. Inside the box was the birthday cake that Ur had baked for him.
When Ur had thrown the cake in the air, Ian had quickly used his gravity magic to catch it, keeping it suspended in the air to avoid the disaster of it smashing into pieces.
"Yes!" everyone agreed, and they sat down to enjoy the meal Ian had prepared.
"Ultear, try this dish," Ur said, serving her daughter with chopsticks. "It's delicious! And this one—this is Ian's specialty. You'll love it!"
Ur's love and attention overflowed as she kept piling food onto Ultear's plate, as if trying to make up for all the time they had been apart.
"Mom, it's okay. I can use chopsticks and a fork myself," Ultear replied, her face turning red as she gently pushed her mother's overly enthusiastic hands away.
"My Ultear doesn't want me anymore… she's distancing herself from me…" Ur immediately put on a heartbroken expression.
"No! I love you, Mom! I always will!" Ultear exclaimed, leaning into her mother's embrace to comfort her.
"My precious Ultear, always so well-behaved and thoughtful!" Ur's eyes sparkled with joy as she held Ultear's face and planted several kisses on her cheek. She thought to herself, There's nothing cuter than my own daughter!
"Aah! I fell for it!" Ultear thought, fully aware of her mother's antics but powerless to resist.
After the meal, the tension between mother and daughter completely dissolved. Any lingering misunderstandings melted away, as they always do between a mother and her child. And when Ur heard of the hardships Ultear had endured over the years at the Magic Development Bureau, her eyes burned with anger.
For the first time in her life, Ur felt a deep desire for revenge. She clenched her fists tightly and growled, "I'm going to deal with that scumbag Brian! He dared to experiment on my daughter? Does he really think I'm someone to be messed with?"