Adoption. (3)

A warm pillar of light shines through the stained glass into the prayer room.

Aria knelt before it, clutching a cross tightly, eyes closed, offering up a prayer.

May the sick disappear, may the wounds of war fade, and may people be happy once again.

However, at the end of her prayer, there was always a sigh.

At the end of her heart, only sadness remained.

"... Kael."

The position of Saintess was nothing more than a duty to Aria.

She had prayed since she was young simply because she grew up in the church.

And because she was so full of divine power that it was hard to believe she hadn't been blessed by God from birth, she had been appointed as the Saintess.

She hadn't wanted it, nor did she want to do it.

In the name of God, she had to not ignore the suffering of others, and sometimes, she had to stain her hands with blood.

On the boundary between salvation and slaughter, Aria's prayers were always closer to resentment and a transaction with God.

That was simply the reason why the name 'Saintess' felt like a curse, not a blessing.

"... Please, grant me happiness too. Give me time so I can raise Kael well."

But now, it was different.

She had thought life was hell because she had always lived hypocritically, harming others.

She had thought that even her comrades were just bound by responsibility and duty, and not people who would truly understand her.

From the small boy who showed her constant, unconditional affection, Aria felt a sense of stability and happiness for the first time.

He had cut paper for over three months to make flowers, not for the Saintess, but for the human 'Aria'.

And he had chewed over words she had tossed out casually and didn't even remember herself, showing pure affection.

Kael, who had been part of a 'good deed', had suddenly become the only happiness in Aria's life.

Faith and earnestness now imbued the prayers she had always offered out of a sense of duty.

'Please, let our Kael grow up healthy and without pain-.'

It was a moment where Aria prayed as if pouring out her entire deep, deep heart.

"You are smiling while praying again today, Saintess-nim."

"Because I've finished the work that had piled up. I can rest soon, can't I?"

"Do you like that child, Kael, that much?"

"... Yes. That's why I'm worried. It's my first time being a parent. I'm worried that Kael might have forgotten me."

Many in the church had worried because Aria's expression was always dark, even though she was the Saintess.

But now that the war was over after she had stained her hands with blood, her face was full of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠happiness.

Knowing that the source of this was Kael, the child she had adopted from the battlefield, the Guardian Priest said with a smile.

"He won't have forgotten you."

"... I hope so. It's already been a fortnight since I've been able to see him."

"Isn't that something you can check for yourself?"

"Luti, are you teasing me? You know I can't go back yet...!"

"That is not what I meant, Saintess-nim."

The Guardian Priest walked behind the worried Aria and threw open the large doors of the church.

A pure white and warm light seeped into the church like a pillar.

And within that pillar of light, familiar faces were positioned.

Alicia, Laika. And, Kael.

A small bundle held in his hand.

Kael?

Aria rubbed her eyes.

She tilted her head, mouth agape as if she didn't understand.

She missed him so much that she rubbed her eyes again, wondering if she was seeing a hallucination.

"... Eh?"

The Guardian Priest spoke, pointing at Kael as if telling the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Saintess, who had finally found happiness, to go to him.

"The other mothers and your son have come to visit."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kael waved his hand.

"Mommy!"

"Aria, come eat quickly. Kael cooked this himself to feed us!"

At Laika's words that a mere six-year-old child had cooked himself, she felt an overwhelming emotion.

"K, Kael, cooked for us...?"

Aria covered her mouth with her hand to hold back her emotions, bowing her head low in case they caught her tearing up.

Since she didn't move for a long time, Kael trotted over and hugged the Saintess, who was covering her mouth, tightly.

"... Why are you crying, Mother?"

"... I'm sorry, Kael. I didn't know you missed me that much. I could have left the work alone for a bit... To adopt you on a whim and then make my son wait... I don't deserve to be a mother..."

Aria hugged the boy who was hugging her even tighter and sniffled.

Alicia pulled Kael away, as if slightly jealous.

"... Stop moping around and let's eat the porridge Kael made. Aria."

She said briefly.

...

Aria got angry at Kael for the first time.

While she was touched by the fact that he had made food for her, on one hand.

She had ended up seeing the blisters on his fingertips.

"... From next time, you must do it with Laika Mom, okay?"

It was because worry came first.

Fortunately, the Saintess's divine power healed the wounds, but it wasn't that they didn't understand the mothers' hearts.

Because one of the reasons for approaching the praying Saintess using their authority and status included the blisters on his fingers.

"I'm sorry...."

"Oh, um? It's, it's not something to be sorry for...."

"If you're done scolding him, let's eat quickly. I tried it first, and it's seriously super delicious!"

However, separate from being scolded like this, the simple meal of eating porridge while sitting in the church garden was harmonious.

Since Laika mentioned several times that their beloved son had made it himself while standing on tiptoes.

Even if it wasn't exceptionally tasty, the seasoning of affection contained within it tickled their hearts.

Sunlight poured down, and flowers of laughter bloomed under the shade of the trees.

However, they couldn't just laugh forever.

Kael lay down with his head on Aria's lap and fell asleep.

Actually, he wasn't truly asleep, but he knew he had to be.

Because Kael felt the harmonious atmosphere sink into seriousness at some point.

He didn't want to be apart, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but there were things they needed to discuss.

"Shall we take a little nap, Kael?"

Aria had patted his back as she said that.

"Ta-da, cute, right? These are the spirits contracted with Mom. Hug them tight and sleep comfortably, okay?"

Alicia had summoned spirits and shown an exaggerated smile, telling him to hug them and sleep.

Knowing that adults have things to discuss that children shouldn't know, Kael closed his eyes and pretended not to know.

Feeling the soft patting touch, he let out soft, sleeping breaths, pretending to be fast asleep.

Laika stroked Kael's hair.

Although his face looked peaceful under the shade, to her, it only looked anxious.

Kael's small shoulders, which looked precarious in some way, weighed heavily on her heart.

After hesitating for a long time, Laika opened her mouth with difficulty.

"... You know, are we really the right people to raise Kael?"

Kael was surprised, and Alicia and Aria were surprised too.

But Laika was serious.

Unlike her usual self, there was no playfulness in it.

"Did something happen?"

"Kael has nightmares every night...."

"Nightmares?"

"The day we saved him, the demons... made Kael's mother... like that. I think he's remembering that day."

"... Is that true?"

"It's not every day, but he cries every night when the full moon rises. Kael doesn't seem to remember everything, but his pillow is always wet. When I ask him if he had a nightmare, he shakes his head and forces a smile. Then he says, 'How could I have a nightmare when I sleep with you every day?' He tells me not to worry."

Laika wiped the corners of her eyes, perhaps feeling sad while talking.

The tears that had welled up in her eyes were wiped away.

"... Kael is only six years old. But he even cooks for us. He should be throwing tantrums, saying he wants to go play, like normal children. He should be bragging that his mom is a Saintess or a hero. He doesn't even talk about anything other than me. He looks desperate. For his own sake. I wish he would play like other children, but he looks for me every day. He makes gifts for me, and even massages my shoulders!"

Alicia and Aria's expressions darkened as well.

"I want Kael to be happy, but it seems like he's afraid of being abandoned. He can't even tell us when he has a nightmare. When I was Kael's age, I was screaming about how much I hated adults... I'm worried because Kael is too mature, you bad bitches."

"... Once the work at the Magic Tower is resolved...."

"When? Kael doesn't need a lazy mom like me, he needs smart and kind moms like you. You know we can't just dote on him and love him just because we're young. We need to be together. We need to spend more time and do more things together so Kael can open his heart."

Kael's heart pounded hard.

It was true that he had nightmares, but he didn't know Laika was worrying about it this much.

He never dreamed that his actions of reciprocating the love he received and wishing for his mothers' happiness would be perceived like that.

He didn't know that Laika, who was always cheerful and laughing and joking, was struggling so much.

He felt sad that he had caused her worry.

That wasn't his intention, they were just things he did because he wanted them to be happy.

"... It was like that today, too. After he cooked that porridge for me, he suddenly reddened his eyes. He said it would have been nice if he could have eaten with you guys. Are we really raising Kael well? He's this anxious. Isn't this abuse?"

"... Laika."

"Make time. Come home. Play with Kael, and sleep with Kael. He's so pitiful. It's so heartbreaking. I don't know what Kael did wrong to have to become an adult this early. Do you guys really think of Kael as your son? Do you even love him!"

Kael flinched without realizing it.

Laika, startled by that, covered her mouth.

Alicia was also surprised, and even the summoned spirits were startled and gathered around Kael.

It seemed they thought he would be able to fall asleep again because they were soft and warm.

Only one person.

Aria did not move.

She was making sure that the tears that had flowed from her eyes didn't touch Kael.

She was wiping the corners of her eyes repeatedly.

"... I didn't know... He's a mature child, so I thought he'd be okay...."

Alicia tried hard to hold back her tears.

It was because she had been the leader of the party that defeated the Demon King, so that habit remained.

However, even that was broken in an instant.

Laika's sadness was conveyed to Kael's heart, who was listening to the whole conversation while pretending to be asleep.

Because he had heard all of Laika's inner thoughts, which he had previously just vaguely thought were love.

Realizing that Laika was truly trying to raise him with love, sadness and emotion surged at the same time, and tears welled up in Kael's eyes.

Drip-.

They flowed down.

"... Huk."

Alicia covered her face with both hands.

Since all three mothers were crying, Kael couldn't hold back his tears either.

As if his body and mind had already become a child, he felt his parents' sadness deep in his heart and shared that sadness.

'... Ah, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I didn't mean for this to happen.'

Kael shifted his body slightly, just as he was while pretending to sleep.

And then, so they could be at ease, he spoke in a low, shallow voice like someone talking in their sleep.

"... Thank... you for becoming my mother...."

However, those words had the opposite effect.

It stabbed a long dagger into the heart of Alicia, who was barely holding back her tears.

It made the tears of the sobbing Aria fall down her cheeks.

And it made Laika feel deep pity and regret as she looked at Kael.

"... Alicia. I will pray so that Kael doesn't have nightmares and can sleep comfortably. Please cast a sleep spell."

Even while crying, Aria prayed to the heavens that Kael could sleep comfortably.

A pure white beam of light came down and enveloped Kael.

Soon, Alicia's magic truly put Kael, who had been pretending to sleep, to sleep.

"Laika, will you hold Kael?"

Aria handed Kael to Laika while still sobbing, then immediately stood up and walked away.

In place of Alicia, who was sobbing under the shade, Laika caught her.

"... Where are you going?"

"... To meet the Pope."

Aria wiped her tears and smiled at Laika.

"... I'm going to quit being the Saintess. Laika is right, what Kael needs is a mom. Not a Saintess, right?"

Then, she walked straight into the Grand Cathedral and headed toward the Pope.

As Laika watched Aria, holding the sleeping Kael in her arms, Alicia called out to her.

"... I'll open a portal, so go back home first."

She didn't need to ask to know what she was going to say.

"... What's the point of the position of Magic Tower Master, when I am the Magic Tower. I'll quit and come back."

Alicia created a portal and immediately stepped through it.

Laika stopped as she was about to leave for home with Kael in her arms.

Because the bowl that had held the porridge he must have worked hard to make with his small hands, even that empty bowl was precious.

Only after packing up the bowls did Laika finally head home.