Free Web NovelVieya had never felt time pass so quickly.
Just like half a month ago, she had never thought there would come a day when she would become a mother—no, a father.
Because the world was like that. No matter how carefully one planned, sudden, unexpected storms would always come crashing in... such accidents might be good, or they might be bad.
At the very least, at this moment, Vieya was grateful for this accident.
No. 66, Nicks Avenue.
Vieya sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly, but her eyes never strayed from the direction of the bathroom, where the sound of trickling water came from.
After leaving the tavern, she had barely walked a few steps before seeing a filthy little girl hiding by the corner of the wall.
The girl’s face was smeared with soot and dirt, but those heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one red—still shimmered faintly with light. Like a highly alert little cat, yet also like a fledgling bird taking timid last steps before returning to its nest.
She just crouched there by the wall, neither rushing into Vieya’s arms to cry out her grievances nor showing the slightest weakness on her face. Those round eyes never moved, staring straight at Vieya, as though waiting, expecting something.
In that instant, all the hundreds, thousands of apology drafts Vieya had prepared in her heart lodged in her throat. No matter how she turned them over, she could not say a word.
She thought—if only it were like those melodramatic short clips from her previous life, where a daughter who had never seen her father would burst into tears upon finding him, like a wronged three-year-old, then throw herself into his arms and pour out the hardships of all these years.
If it were like that, Vieya could have naturally picked up the thread and comforted her.
But this was not a short clip from her past life. Pressing her lips together, Vieya looked at the girl by the wall and did her best to show a gentle smile:
“Let me take you home.”
Rain pelted the windows, the soft hiss blending with the water in the bathroom.
Vieya slowly rose, pausing in front of the bathroom’s frosted glass door, then suddenly remembered she still needed to prepare clothes for her daughter.
The black cat slumped on the windowsill listlessly, its furry ears drooping. Only when Vieya left the bathroom and went upstairs did it lift its eyes, then let out a pitiful meow.
These days, even being a cat wasn’t easy... compared to the malnourished little Demon King, wasn’t she just a little fatter, a little cleaner? Was there any need to slander her as some selfish, stinking fat cat?
Thinking this, the black cat flopped back onto the sill, pretending to nap. She decided not to interfere in the business of this mother and daughter. After working so hard for so long, she deserved a little rest these days.
For a long-lived Helcat, mooching free meals here a while longer was nothing. She wasn’t in any hurry about demon matters anyway.
Elsewhere—
Back in her room, Vieya was struggling as she prepared a change of clothes for her daughter. Until now, she herself had always just worn whatever was convenient.
But now, she clearly could not keep doing that.
Looking at the wardrobe crammed full of clothes, her head spun. Because of her own circumstances, the closet had every size imaginable—from petite builds to full-grown female form, all included.
“This white one is nice. Mm... but would she like this color?” Vieya recalled the tattered black coat her daughter had been wearing, and hesitated, pulling out a black casual outfit instead. Her fine brows slowly furrowed.
This was so hard. Harder than fighting.
“Flaviel, can you hear me? Hurry up and pick something for your daughter...” Vieya muttered inwardly. But after a long silence, there was no response, as if all those earlier conversations had been nothing but a dream.
“Phew, forget it... I’ll just grab a few. As long as they fit, it’s fine. After her bath, I’ll take her to buy new ones.”
“...But I’ll need money in advance, and I don’t exactly have spare time for commissions right now. Should I ask Rotisha for some? If I’m helping her kill monsters and she can’t even spare that much, then she’s just being stingy.”
Shutting the wardrobe, Vieya picked up the clothes and went back downstairs, waiting in front of the bathroom.
The room was so quiet it made her uneasy. She wanted to talk through the door with her daughter, easing her nervousness while passing the time. But Vieya had absolutely no experience as a parent.
Thinking this, she set the change of clothes on the cabinet by the door and knocked.
“I left some clothes on the cabinet by the door. When you’re done, you can just come out with a towel and grab them.” freёweɓnovel.com
The sound of water inside paused. Just as Vieya began to waver, wondering if she should check, a soft, small voice finally answered:
“I know... mm, th-thank you...”
Suddenly—bang!
Together with a barely audible gasp of pain, it sounded like something had fallen inside.
“Are you alright?” Vieya frowned, hand already on the doorknob.
“N-no! It’s fine! Just slipped on the wet floor...”
Her legs?
Vieya recalled the girl’s difficulty moving her limbs, her frail, stunted frame caused by malnutrition. A chill sank into her ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) heart.
Was the treatment in the Demon King’s Castle really that poor? Or had she been injured while fleeing?
“You are my daughter. I’m not going to eat you. You don’t have to be so formal. Be bold, even if you’re rude, it’s fine.” Vieya sighed softly.
“...Okay... Mama...” came the tiny voice inside.
“...”
Vieya wanted to say more, but in the end gave up.
To her daughter now, she was probably nothing more than a stranger without even a blood tie.
She smiled bitterly at herself, turning away from the door.
Maybe after more time together, things wouldn’t be like this anymore?
Leaving the bathroom, Vieya sat again by the window beside the black cat, gazing out into the curtain of rain.
“Helcat, can you tell me about my daughter? I only recently learned that I even had one.”
“Meow?”
The black cat perked its ears, staring up at her in puzzlement. Did this lone remnant of the former Demon King truly inherit no memories at all? Or was she not the little Demon King’s mother?
No—that was impossible. Even if the little Demon King’s inheritance of authority was incomplete, there was no way she could mistake her mother.
Shaking her head like tangled yarn, the cat stood, padded to Vieya’s side, and sniffed. Yes—
There was a thick Demon King aura on her. No doubt about it!
Sigh. Clearly the previous Demon King had been too gravely wounded, leading to memory damage. The cat leaned in again, sniffing. Yes, exactly this aura! She’d stake her thousand-year monster life on it!
“...Are you a dog?”
Vieya frowned, pressing a hand against the cat’s head, pushing her aside.
“Meow!”
Shoved, the cat flopped onto the sill, propped on her forepaws. With a displeased mewl, she licked her whiskers.
“There’s plenty to say about the little Demon King. Once it was confirmed the former Great Demon King had completely died, the elders in the Demon King’s Castle couldn’t sit still. In our demon world, we not only have to guard against the inherently evil little human brats, but also against our own kind’s inherent savagery.”
“When those elders found the little Demon King, she was wrapped inside a huge golden cocoon. At first, they planned to wait for her to grow on her own... but midway, an accident occurred.”
