"Taranis... is it really you?" Mother asked in a low voice, her gaze fixed on my face.
"Yes, Mother," I whispered, touching her hand against my cheek. "F-forgive ... I’m... I’m late."
"T-Taranis, my son," Mother murmured, tears forming in her eyes.
She slowly leaned forward in her chair and pulled into her embrace, both her hands moving across my face in a trembling motion.
"My son... my son... my son," she repeatedly murmured, sobbing heavily.
I gently wrapped my arms around her, my face resting against her chest as a tear rolled down from the corner of my eye.
"F-forgive , Mother. I have not been a filial son," I whispered in a low voice.
For the next five minutes, unstoppable tears surged from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks as she wept, holding with whatever strength her weakened body could muster.
---
"Wh-what in the heavens is going on?" Lily mumbled, utterly shocked and confused by the situation.
"H-her Majesty has moved for the first ti in seventeen years!" she exclaid. "I must inform Lord Robert."
Just as she was about to leave the temple, U coiled her fingers around Lily’s temple. A faint pink energy entered Lily’s head, making her faint instantly.
---
Once Mother cald down, I asked, holding her arms with both hands,
"Mother, how did you beco weakened to such a state?"
Her eyes lowered as her trembling hands wiped away her tears, and she whispered in a low tone,
"What woman could live when both her husband and son were killed right in front of her eyes? I had neither the reason nor the strength to live. If not for Nyria, I would have already—"
Before she could complete her sentence, I hugged her tightly and murmured, "Don’t say that, Mother. I’m here now. You must live a long and healthy life."
"Hm," she nodded, accepting my embrace.
Now that my heart had cald, my gaze fell upon the two wheels connected to either side of her chair.
"Mother, this..."
"My spine was pierced by the blade. I... I have lost the feeling in my legs," she mumbled, understanding what I wanted to ask.
Her revelation sent jolts of raw fury surging through . My blood boiled, my nails dug into my skin until blood seeped out as my entire body trembled with rage.
"Kharos," I muttered. "You will pay for every pain you inflicted upon my family."
"Taranis, I will not stop you from taking your revenge," Mother said. Her voice was still low, yet firm. "But do not let revenge consu your reason."
She was referring to what I had done in the Sentinel Line. She must be worried about the lengths I would go to in slaughtering Solaris this ti.
"You need not worry, Mother," I said, suppressing my anger before asking, "Do you rember what happened in the Sentinel Line after I fell?"
"I only have faint mories, as I myself was barely conscious at the ti," Mother replied, recalling the events.
"The last thing I rember was Nyria covering within an ice barrier. Just before I lost consciousness, I saw both you and your father’s... lifeless bodies."
"S-so that ans Father really..." I muttered, yet I dared not speak the word aloud.
---
"Son, what happened to your appearance?" Mother asked. "Were you reincarnated, or are you possessing soone else’s body?"
"N-no, Mother, what are you even saying?" I replied, facepalming. "I’m wearing a mask."
Moving my fingers to my neck, I removed the mask from my face, revealing my original appearance with black hair and golden eyes.
When Mother saw my real face, the sa facial structure I had seventeen years ago, her eyes grew moist once again.
"Y-you are still as dashing as your father," she murmured, gently brushing my cheeks.
"Your eyes have beco even more mysterious and beautiful," she added a mont later, referring to the dual pupils I carried.
"Mother, let check the condition of your body," I said, rising to my feet.
Touching her forehead, I asked inwardly,
"Vivi, perform a thorough checkup of her entire body and tell a thod to completely cure her."
"Initializing Host’s request..."
"Analyzing the body of the target..."
.
.
.
"Analysis completed!"
"Due to prolonged ntal depression, the target is suffering from extre malnutrition. The target’s spinal cord was also damaged, rendering her unable to exert strength in her legs.
Recomnded redies to completely cure her:
1. Since the target is at the Eternal Sage Realm, her body cannot gain nutrition from normal food. Consumption of high-tier Soul Stones is recomnded to cure the malnutrition.
2. Once the target regains her health, operate on her spine using divine Soulforce and the Eyes of the Fallen to repair the spinal cord."
"O-operation? But I’m not a doctor!" I murmured inwardly. "What is the success rate of the operation?"
"Thirty percent if the Host performs the operation. Ninety percent if the Beast Goddess performs it using the guidance of the Host’s eyes."
A ray of hope and relief appeared in my eyes as I briefly looked at U.
"Once again, I will be depending on her," I thought inwardly.
"Who is this beautiful lady?" Mother asked, noticing my gaze.
"Co here," I called to U.
"Mother, her na is..."
"I’m U Kitsune," U introduced herself with a slight bow, lifting her robe.
Her decision to reveal her true na took aback for a mont. She had never told anyone her na before, which was why I had been hesitant to ntion it. Yet now, before Mother, she introduced herself with her full na. She said nothing further, leaving the decision of how she was related to in my hands.
I grabbed U’s hand and said, "Mother, she is the woman I love and have promised to marry. She is my betrothed."
The smile Mother had been carrying until now vanished from her face.
With a worried and sharp voice, she asked, "What happened to little Nyria?"
Her concern was obvious, given the values and character she had instilled in . She knew there was no way I would marry another woman if Nyria were truly fine.
"Mother, Nyria is completely fine," I replied.
Taking a deep breath, I continued, "I will marry both of them."
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