“We’re back!”
“We’re home!”
“Yaho!”
Snow and Tiltue return from the divine beast people’s village, and raise their voices energetically as they come in.
Apparently Luna is here too, and their amused voices brighten up the house.
Reina and I smile at each other, and welcome them in the living room.
“Welcome back. I know it’s sudden, but I have a present for everyone.”
“““Present?”””
All three tilt their heads.
Each gets a square wrapped in wrapping paper.
Reina insisted on that wrapping paper.
Kids aren’t going to remove it carefully, and it’s just going to end up in tatters.
“Oh…”
Snow is the first to raise her voice.
She’s always made this sound when she doesn’t know what something is but she’s curious.
She holds a rectangular bottle with both her small hands.
Inside is clear magic energy liquid and a flower with a pale silver light.
“Pretty… Mommy, what is it?”
She spins it, looks at it from below, and looks all over.
“It’s called a herbarium. It’s a way to keep dry flowers cute.”
“Ooh…”
I didn’t know how they were made, but I guess they’re made with dry flowers. I just thought they were regular ones.
When did she dry them?
I made one in school a long time ago, but it’s fuzzy… Aren’t we supposed to hang them upside down for a few days?
I assume she used magic, but it’s still impressive.
“Mommy made them while thinking of everyone, so take good care of them.”
I say to Snow, who looks at her herbarium again.
It’s just like Snow with its main pale silver color, and came out beautiful.
“Hey hey, is this Luna’s!?”
“And this is mine! It’s cool!”
Luna and Tiltue see theirs that match their colors too, and happily show them to each other.
Reina really is good. They’re made with flowers, but they really bring out their characteristics.
“Let’s place them all in the same place.”
“Yes. I already have a shelf for it.”
“You really work fast…”
I didn’t notice it, but a shelf that had trinkets is empty, so we line up our herbariums there.
We also place mine, Reina’s, one that looks like Elga’s, and others. The shelf is now really vibrant.
“And let’s do this…”
Reina traces the wooden shelf with her finger, and a lot of really small wood golems appear.
They hold the herbariums, sit down, and support them so they don’t fall.
“Cute!”
Says Snow while grabbing one with her fingers.
It is cute when it flaps its arms and legs, but it looks troubled.
I think Snow understands it too, because she quickly puts it back on the shelf. And it joins the other golems in doing its job.
“Now they won’t fall.”
“Yes. They’re attached to the shelf, so we don’t have to worry even if the girls bump against the shelf. And the bottles were reinforced with magic, so they won’t break unless they’re hit hard.”
“Ooh…”
Snow pokes them, but they don’t move one bit.
Once they’re all lined up, Luna points at a couple happily.
“Ah, this is Elga and Livia!”
“Mumumu, then this is Reina, and this is darling!”
“Correct. And who’s this?”
“Katima!”
Reina made over twenty.
She couldn’t make everyone we met on this island in one day, but it’s still a lot.
And yet, it’s immediately clear who they’re supposed to represent. It really is great.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, my eyes stop on something made with a beautiful green leaf.
This is my mother’s.
The personification of Yggdrasil.
She’ll pout if I don’t call her mom, but she really is the mother of this body, even if it’s a little embarrassing to say out loud.
She can’t move from Yggdrasil, but…
“…Now she won’t be lonely.”
The shelf Reina made represents the friends we made on this island so far.
Suzaku and Wil still remember and talk about how a lot of races used to kill each other a long time ago, and I don’t think that’s wrong in itself, but…
I think it’s better for the island if people get along and become closer instead.
I’m sure my mother is watching over us thinking the same thing.
“All right… I’ll keep doing my best.”
◇ ◇ ◇
Tonight, I have one of those dreams again.
One of those where my consciousness is clear and I see the top of Yggdrasil.
I immediately know this is my mother’s doing and head straight to the big tree. And I see someone running this way very fast.
“Mom is…”
“Wai!?”
“Very happy!”
She yells and dives towards me, and I rush to catch her.
This is what Snow does!
“Yay!”
“Mom! This isn’t proper!”
“But! But! Your fiancee is such a nice girl! I’m so happy!”
She displays this happiness by holding me very tightly.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt, but I can’t shake her off at all.
I guess it’s fine… I think as I give up.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Of course I do! Who had that idea?”
“Reina. She said it was so you wouldn’t be lonely.”
“Wonderful! Full marks with a flower seal! That girl is now my daughter too and I won’t let anyone have her!”
“No, Reina’s my fiancee.”
I’m not letting go of that.
And that flower seal is something from my world.
“Mumumu… Fine. I guess your fiancee is my daughter anyway.”
She says as she finally releases me, with a big smile.
I think it’s nice that Reina’s feelings reached her.
And that my mother knows how wonderful she is.
“And thanks to that, mom can watch over you all.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Yes! Just around your house.”
Normally, if you bring a branch or leaf from Yggdrasil home, it will turn into something from a normal tree with time, so she wouldn’t know anything that’s happening outside unless the great spirits told her.
But being inside a liquid with Phoenix’s magic energy means it can maintain its power, and she can see what’s going on outside too.
Just as Reina intended.
She really is a great mage, and thinker.
“Of course, talking with Miriel and the others is fun too, but… I’m really happy to be able to watch over you.”
“…”
She hasn’t been able to move this whole time, so she means it.
“…I hope I can talk to Reina and the others too one day.”
“You will. I’m sure.”
“Arata…?”
“My goal is to hold a banquet with everyone on this island. And of course you’re included.”
“…I see. Then mom will watch over you expectantly!”
She says with a smile, and my consciousness suddenly starts fading.
Ah, I’m waking up…
“I can’t talk to them yet, so… Thank Reina for me.”
Got it.
I say to myself, and my mother hugs me tightly again.
I lean towards that warmth, and slowly close my eyes.
Thanks for the treat.