Chapter 65: A Mother’s Love

  When Tessa wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, she froze. It was her home. Or maybe it was her old home now. She wasn’t sure which word fit anymore. For a moment, she didn’t open the door. She just stood there and hoped, quietly and desperately, that everything would somehow go well. That her mother maybe wasn’t home. That today, of all days, fate might give her a small break.

  Yesterday, there had been that fog in her head. Everything from her old life had felt blurry, and it had been hard to remember anything at all. Her life... She was dead now. But also alive. However that worked…

  Despite that, today she could remember even better than before. Details surfaced with brutal clarity. Things she’d pushed aside came back on their own, and soon it felt like she could remember everything that had happened in her life.

  Many things she’d repressed over the years. Many things she’d tried to forget.

  Flashes of memories rose up one after another. Her mother telling her it was her fault they lived in poverty. That Tessa had to repay her for being born. That Tessa was only a burden. That she’d ruined her mother’s life. Because of Tessa, her mother had been forced to end her promising adventurer career. And it had been Tessa’s fault that their father had left, because her mother wasn’t as beautiful anymore after giving birth.

  Yes. Those were the things Tessa had heard almost every day in her childhood.

  When she had been old enough to work and had received her first class from the gods at ten, she had been required to give everything she earned to her mother as repayment. That had been six years ago. Tessa had worked hard and later found a job at the Golden Swan Inn, where the owner paid her enough that she could save a small amount for herself. Even then, whenever something went wrong or life didn’t improve, Tessa was the one blamed for it.

  Why had Tessa not already married someone wealthy? According to her mother, it had to be because she was too ugly, too fat, and because she did not work on herself. Because she was lazy. After all, as long as Tessa was still young, someone should have shown interest in her, especially since she worked in a place frequented by rich people!

  Tessa had to buy groceries after work. Tessa had to bring food home. Tessa had to clean. And she had done all of this because she’d accepted the idea that she was at fault. That she had dragged her mother down. That her mother was not cruel, just bitter.

  Bitter because I ruined her life…

  All of it came crashing down on her as she stood there with her hand on the doorknob. Her new perception only made it worse. As a vampire, she didn’t just remember it. She relived it. Every word, every look, every tone came back with painful clarity, as if it were happening all over again.

  “Is everything ok? Is the door locked?” the elf behind her asked.

  Tessa flinched. Only then did she realize that she had been holding the doorknob without doing anything. She swallowed.

  “No, sorry… I… I was just thinking about whether my mother is home or not. So, it might be better to announce ourselves, since you’re…” she mumbled, feeling her lips begin to tremble. She tried her best to hide it from the Princess.

  “Yes, that makes sense.”

  A hand rested on her shoulder.

  “Family, hm?” the Princess said with a weak smile.

  Tessa nodded slowly. She drew a breath, gathered what little courage she had, and turned the handle, stepping inside.

  “Mooom? Are you here?”

  The house greeted her with silence.

  Tessa stepped fully inside the place she’d lived in for the last sixteen years. It was poor, but at least it had space. The front area split into two sides, left and right, while the kitchen lay at the back in a separate room. To the left was the bedroom, or what passed for one. Two beds stood there with cabinets beside them, separated by a thin curtain that served as a wall. To the right was the living space. The stove stood near the wall, close to their table and the mismatched chairs that surrounded it.

  “Mom?” Tessa called again, louder this time. “I’ve got a guest with me.”

  No answer came.

  She walked across the floor toward the living area, then reached for the curtain and pulled it aside.

  “Mom?”

  Relief washed over her when she realized her mother wasn’t there.

  She turned back toward the Princess, who had followed her inside without a word.

  “Ah… as I said, Lilithia,” Tessa said quickly. “It wasn’t really necessary that you sacrifice your time. My mom isn’t here anyway. Let me just pack a few things and I’ll be right back.”

  The Princess nodded. Tessa had the strange feeling she wanted to say something, but she didn’t, and Tessa didn’t wait for her to speak. She just wanted it to be over and to leave this place as soon as possible.

  Tessa turned toward the bedroom, pulled open the closet, and grabbed a worn bag. Her hands moved fast as she stuffed clothes and a few personal belongings inside. Things she thought she might need, and things she didn’t want to leave behind.

  When she was done, she returned to the living room.

  “I’m finished,” she said quickly. “We can go.”

  The elf stood near the center of the room, her gaze moving slowly over the space, over the walls, the furniture, and the stove, before she turned back to Tessa.

  “You know,” she said carefully, “we’re not only here so you can pack your things. I thought you might want to tell your mother what’s going on. Do you really want to just vanish?”

  Tessa hesitated.

  “It’ll be fine,” she said after a moment. “I’ll have enough chances to tell her later. Tiara isn’t that far away, right?”

  “No,” Lilithia replied. “I guess it isn’t.”

  Her emerald eyes rested on Tessa, calm but searching. It felt like she was seeing more than Tessa wanted her to see.

  Tessa shifted her weight and tightened her grip on the bag. She just wanted to leave.

  Her damn new, perfect memory kept feeding her more and more unwelcome scenes from her youth and childhood the longer she stayed inside the house. Things she’d pushed away for years came back without mercy. And on top of that, she didn’t like how it smelled.

  In her memories, coming home had always carried a certain warmth. A familiar scent that told you that you were home now, that you belonged here, and not somewhere else. But now it smelled wrong. Not just old or stale, but unpleasant in a way she couldn’t quite describe. Something sour lingered in the air, mixed with dust and neglect, and it made her stomach twist.

  She felt her face twitch slightly and forced herself not to flinch. She didn’t want to draw attention to it. She also didn’t want to be rude and push the Princess out, even though every instinct told her to get away from this place as fast as possible.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  To her relief, the Princess let out a small sigh.

  “Well,” she said gently, “since your mother isn’t here and we don’t know when she’ll be back, we should go. You’ve got everything?”

  Tessa nodded quickly. “Yes. I’m ready.”

  “Alright then.”

  The Princess turned and walked out of the living room toward the front area, already moving to leave. Tessa followed after her without hesitation, the bag clutched tight in her hand, more than ready to put the house behind her.

  The moment the Princess opened the door to step outside, a piercing scream rang out.

  “AHHHH! WHO ARE YOU? THIEVES! THIEVES! DON’T THINK I’LL LET YOU JUST ROB ME!”

  Tessa’s blood ran cold.

  Her mother had just arrived, probably on her way home, and had run straight into the sight of a stranger stepping out of her house.

  “MOOOM, STOP, IT’S…” Tessa shouted as she rushed forward, trying to squeeze herself between the doorframe and the Princess, desperate to block the situation before it could get worse.

  She barely managed to step in front of the Princess when the air suddenly tightened with pressure. A sharp burst of mana flared from her mother’s hand, and a crescent of compressed wind snapped forward with a loud bang.

  “[Air Slash]!” her mother shouted.

  In that moment, Tessa didn’t understand what was happening. Before she could react, a firm hand pressed down on her head, forcing her to duck. At the same time, the Princess lifted her other hand with an irritated click of her tongue.

  “Tsk.”

  She slapped the incoming blade of air aside with casual precision. It veered off and carved into the ground a few feet from them, dust and small stones spraying outward as the wind dispersed.

  Tessa froze, her heart hammering painfully in her chest, and a scream tore from her before she could stop herself.

  “Stop! Mom, stop!”

  Her mother’s arm was still raised, mana flickering faintly around her hand, her face twisted with anger and panic. For a heartbeat, she didn’t even look at Tessa. Her eyes were locked on the elf behind her, completely wide, as if she expected a counterattack.

  “What are you doing in my house?” her mother shrieked. “Who are you? Get out!”

  Tessa stepped forward, her heart hammering so hard it hurt.

  Please, please don’t make this worse.

  “It’s me!” Tessa shouted. “It’s Tessa!”

  Her mother’s gaze snapped to her, and for a second she looked confused, almost offended, like Tessa had insulted her.

  “Don’t lie to me,” she spat. “My daughter doesn’t look like that. Who are you supposed to be?”

  Tessa felt her throat tighten. She could see the blood moving under her mother’s skin and how fast her pulse was, and it made the moment feel even more unreal. Her mother wasn’t recognizing her because she only knew the old Tessa. The girl with dark hair, usually tied into a neat braid, and eyes that had never stood out in any way. Now Tessa’s hair hung loose in a curtain of snow-white, and two dark, blood-red irises stared back like polished rubies. Even her frame felt different, lighter and smaller than it had yesterday. No wonder her mother was looking at her like she was a stranger.

  “I’m your daughter,” Tessa said again, quieter this time, because her voice was starting to shake. “It’s me.”

  Her mother stared harder. Her eyes flicked over Tessa’s face, then down to her clothes, then back up. Her expression shifted, not into relief, but into something sharper.

  “What did you do?” she demanded. “What happened to you? And who is that woman?”

  The question snapped back to Lilithia, and the anger returned as if it had never left.

  “Why is she with you?” her mother screamed. “Why is she in our house? Are you stealing? Are you trying to disgrace me?”

  Tessa flinched.

  Of course that’s what she thinks.

  Before she could answer, her mother’s gaze dropped again. Not to Tessa’s face, but to the fabric. The clean stitching. The way the elf stood like she belonged in a palace. The way even Tessa’s coat looked too expensive for this street.

  The change was immediate. Her mother’s shoulders straightened, her voice softened, and her face reshaped itself into something polite.

  “Oh,” she said, breathless, forcing a smile. “My lady. I didn’t realize. I thought you were thieves.”

  The politeness didn’t reach her eyes. It was a mask she put on like a cloak. Then she turned that same look back toward Tessa, and the warmth vanished.

  “What are you standing there for?” she hissed. “Say something. Explain yourself properly.”

  The Princess stepped forward, calm as if nothing had happened.

  “It’s fine,” she said evenly. “This was a misunderstanding. I’m…” She paused for a moment, then continued. “I am Lady Lysaria Greenwood, and I am accompanying Lady Tessa Noze to her home to collect some clothes. The Princess, Lady Lilithia Nocturne, has taken Tessa as her apprentice due to certain circumstances. She is special.”

  Tessa’s mother blinked, then her eyes widened.

  “Apprentice,” she repeated, tasting the word. “You mean she’ll be working for the Princess who claimed the city yesterday?”

  “She’ll be learning,” the elf corrected. “She won’t be staying here anymore.”

  Her mother’s lips pressed together, calculating. Tessa could almost see the moment she decided what mattered.

  “And what does that mean for me?” her mother asked, her smile fixed on the elf, deliberately ignoring Tessa. “I raised her. I fed her. I took care of her. Surely that has value.”

  Tessa’s face burned. You didn’t take care of me. You used me...

  The elf’s expression remained polite, but something cold settled behind her eyes.

  “You’ll receive something for your trouble,” she said. Then, with a small motion of her hand, a pale silvery-blue coin appeared between her fingers, and she tossed it toward Tessa’s mother. Her mother caught it with one hand and gaped at it. Only then did Tessa realize what had just happened. The Princess had casually thrown a mithril crown at her mother.

  Tessa’s breath caught. “You can’t just give her that,” she blurted out. “That’s way too much.”

  Her mother turned on her like a viper.

  “Shut up,” she snapped. “For once in your life you’re useful. Don’t ruin it.”

  The words hit harder than the earlier screaming. Tessa felt her chest tighten, shame twisting inside her until it made her nauseous.

  The Princess’s voice cut through it. “This is all you’ll get,” she said. “You won’t see more in the future. Not from me, and not through her.”

  Her mother nodded quickly, clutching the crown like it was the only real thing in the world. “Of course, my lady. Of course. You’re generous.”

  Tessa stood there, bag still in her hand, feeling smaller than she ever had.

  So, this is how it ends, she thought. Not with a goodbye, just a price tag…

  “Alright,” Lilithia said, as if the last minute hadn’t happened at all. “We’ve still got a lot to do today, Tessa. Let’s go.”

  Her hand settled on Tessa’s shoulder again. The touch was steady, warm, and it pulled Tessa back into motion before she could sink into herself any further.

  Behind them, her mother bowed toward Lilithia, still clutching the mithril crown like it might vanish if she loosened her grip. Her gaze slid to Tessa, and it wasn’t motherly. It was sharp and strange, like she was measuring her. Like she was trying to figure out why Tessa had changed so much, and what she could get out of it later.

  That thought made Tessa’s stomach twist.

  They moved past her mother, and Tessa forced out a small, shaky word.

  “Bye…”

  Her mother didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at her properly. It was like Tessa had done something wrong again just by existing.

  Tessa swallowed, but the hand on her shoulder kept her walking, kept her from stopping and breaking apart right there on the street.

  When they were far enough away that Tessa couldn’t hear her mother’s breathing anymore, she finally spoke.

  “Thanks,” she said quietly. “But that was far too much, Lady Li… sorry, Lilithia.”

  Lilithia didn’t look back. She just kept walking with that calm, unbothered stride.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s some kind of hobby of mine, it seems.”

  Tessa blinked. “Sorry, what?”

  Lilithia’s lips curved slightly. “Spending a mithril crown a day.”

  Tessa stared at her, confused, and then realized the Princess was joking. At least she hoped she was, because if she wasn’t, then Tessa would have to talk to her about it later. After all, she still remembered that the Princess had said she needed someone with at least a bit of common sense, someone who could help her not be too outlandish. But for now, Tessa didn’t know what to do with that.

  Lilithia glanced at her and grinned a little wider. “No, don’t worry. You’re worth much more anyway. I got you for a steal.”

  Tessa’s face heated, and she didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or hide.

  Then Lilithia reached over and took the bag from Tessa’s hand. Before Tessa could protest, it vanished into Lilithia’s inventory like it had never existed.

  “Remind me later about your stuff,” Lilithia said. “Our day’s still long.”

  Tessa nodded automatically.

  The Princess kept talking, like she was already sorting the next ten problems in her head.

  “We’re going to visit the church first. Vessikar should be waiting for us there with a report, so it’ll only take a few minutes. At least I hope it will.” She exhaled softly, sounding tired. “After that, we’ll visit the city guard. And if the guy who was eyeing you so closely, Nathanel Veyth, already has an overview of the forces here, then we’ll deal with that too.”

  Tessa tried to follow. Her head still felt full, but she forced herself to listen.

  “Then we need to buy a few things while the market’s still open,” Lilithia continued. “And we’ll visit the guilds. And in the end, if it’s not too late, you might know where I can hire some staff.” She hesitated, the smallest pause. “I think since we’re two now, we need some things for the mansion. For cooking… and, well, normal life.”

  Tessa nodded again. It all sounded unreal, like she was listening to someone plan a day in a story. But this was her life now.

  After a short moment, she spoke again.

  “Lilithia?”

  “Mh, yeah?”

  Tessa swallowed. The words felt stuck in her throat, but she forced them out anyway.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For everything. I mean it.”

  Lilithia’s expression softened a little, and for a moment she looked less like a noble elf and more like someone who was just trying her best to keep everything together.

  “Don’t thank me too early,” she said with a faint smile. “Tomorrow we’ll finally start teaching you a few runes.” Tessa’s heart jumped slightly at that, and she nodded, walking at Lilithia’s side as the streets of Tiara swallowed them again.