She still didn't know her final evaluation.
"...He is responsible for the reconstruction of the Viscount Mansion, after all, the workshop is always used by him."
The mother was silent for a while before answering, her tone still calm, but a subtle change seemed to flicker in her eyes.
The Hero, upon perceiving this, instinctively shifted her gaze, guiltily looking up, only to see a distinct crack on the ceiling, her expression freezing instantly.
"Moreover, the matter of using Legendary Magic in the city also needs his personal explanation. No matter how you look at it, using such magic in the city is a bit excessive. If his aim was off, half of the Noble District would have perished."
As the mother spoke, her gaze followed the Hero's upward, and she too noticed the small fist mark on the ceiling.
A moment of silence spread between the two.
A few seconds later, the mother withdrew her gaze, as if she hadn't seen anything, and looked back at the Hero.
"But he said, you passed."
Saying this, she took out a delicate Magic Potion from her bag.
"This is your coming-of-age gift."
The potion bottle was intricately carved with patterns, the surface faintly emitting a soft magical radiance, yet it didn't reveal any aura of its contents.
Even just the bottle itself appeared valuable, and the Magic Potion inside was evidently more extraordinary.
[Is father a Magic Alchemist?]
[Is the crafting of this Magic Potion related to father?]
The Hero's eyes were attracted to the bottle in her mother's hand, showing a hint of curiosity.
"Your brother is ready to set off for training in the Western Realm. Once you've recovered, you can leave whenever you wish; I've already instructed the servants to pack your luggage."
The mother gently stood up, entrusted the Magic Potion into the Hero's arms, then returned to her seat, her movements as composed and graceful as ever.
Holding the potion bottle with both hands, the Hero examined the details of this high-tier Magic Potion with curiosity and concentration.
But after a moment, she suddenly had a feeling and looked up, noticing her mother's gaze lingering on her, carrying a hint of hesitation.
The Hero looked puzzled at her mother, who outwardly seemed not much older than herself.
"Mother, is something wrong?"
Facing the Hero's Emerald Eyes, the mother was silent for a moment, then let out a breath.
She slowly bowed her head, her voice soft and respectful:
"May I ask... are you willing to fulfill the mission of our lineage?"
Her action almost caused the Hero to jump off the bed, her tone changing:
"It's alright if you don't refer to me that way." Her mother continued with her head lowered, her voice calm,
"You should know, the Moon People in the city have long been unable to propagate through traditional marriage, so in Moon City, there has never been terrestrial family relationships; regardless of age, everyone is an equal compatriot.
"If you are willing to fulfill your mission, then one day you will become the queen of Moon City, and I am merely a subject."
Her tone carried neither humiliation nor reluctance, just a matter of course.
The Hero stared blankly at her mother's bowed head, her voice dry as she began to speak:
"Does it have to be this way?" she asked sadly.
"Of course, it depends on your will." Hearing the Hero's words, the mother finally raised her head, her eyes complex.
"However, although I did indeed give birth to you, and your brother, you must now understand that I have never given you any maternal love. It wouldn't even be called raising, but merely feeding.
"The Moon People are a species that coexist with filth. Deep in their lineage is an unremovable impurity. So the moment you awakened as a magician, I believed that one day you would be twisted by that pollution.
"Even if, by good fortune, such a thing did not happen, in my eyes, you also..."
Noticing the change in the Hero's expression, the mother stopped her words, lowered her head again, and let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Now you know, today's Moon People are such a species, though I have gone through some modulation, the essence is no different,
"My other compatriots may have their disguises, but your father doesn't care about my true self, so I have never concealed it in front of you.
"And to this day, even if I were to earnestly play the part, I could never become the ideal mother you envision.
Her voice gradually lowered, as if murmuring to herself: "We can no longer escape that mire on our own, so we can only search for the prophesied Hero, praying for salvation... Even though, even we ourselves are not sure if we need such salvation."
Fatigue floated across the mother's brows.
"My mission is accomplished, the Hero has been born. But I don't know if to you, that place you've never seen truly deserves you to—"
1. It's alright, leave it to me
2. You've done well enough♛
The Moon Person lowered her head, strands of multicolored hair falling on either side of her face.
At that moment, she suddenly felt a light touch on the top of her head.
She paused in surprise, slightly raising her head, only to see the girl with the Emerald Eyes stretching out her hand, clumsily yet gently caressing her.
"...You've done well enough, mother." The Hero's soft voice, like a feather brushing, entered her ears.
People cannot choose their birth, nor can they choose what kind of person they become.
Born a dreaded Demon, yet longing for the warmth of humankind; a Snow Woman; born inside the stomach of the Great Demon, only to be torn away, digested, and grown, a Moon Person; ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveIꜰire.net