Chapter 12 : A Change in Mama
Our nightly lessons had become a rhythm. Mama would bring a candle, sit cross-legged, and coax me through breathing exercises while sparks danced at my fingertips.
But lately… something was different.
At first, I thought I was imagining it. Her movements were slower, her breathing heavier. When she sat down, she always took a moment longer, one hand pressing against her stomach before she smiled at me.
“Alright, Rooga,” she said softly, guiding my hand over the tiny flame. “Focus. Feel the mana, not just the heat.”
Her smile was the same. But the shadows under her eyes were deeper. Her body seemed… tired.
Even my HUD seemed to notice:
[Observation: Subject’s mana flow is fluctuating.]I blinked at the text. A second life force?[Condition detected: Secondary life force present.]
I looked at her stomach again. Rounder. Subtle, but there.
It clicked. She’s pregnant.
As an adult in my past life, I’d seen it before. But now, trapped in this tiny toddler body, the realization hit differently.
I raised my small hand toward her belly. “Mama…?”
She paused, startled. Then her expression softened into something so tender it made my chest ache.
She placed her hand over mine, pressing it gently to the curve of her stomach.
Her voice dropped to a whisper, almost too quiet for even me to hear.
“You noticed, didn’t you…? You really are too clever for your age.”
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Her eyes glistened, and she kissed the top of my head. “Yes, Rooga. You’ll have a little brother or sister soon.”
For a moment, I just stared, tiny hand still against her warmth. A brother. A sister. Another life to protect.
Mama smiled wider, though her eyes were wet. “Don’t worry. You won’t be alone. You’ll grow up together.”
My HUD blinked faintly in the corner:
[New Family Bond Detected.]And in that moment, I made a silent vow.[Protective Instinct – Strengthened.]
I’d protect this new life too. No matter what.
The nights grew longer.
Mama still came to our lessons, but her hands often lingered on her stomach now, her breathing slower than before. She never said it aloud, but I could see it in her eyes—tiredness, and something else. Worry.
Because Father wasn’t here.
Darius Valemont had been summoned to the front lines again. Not against monsters this time, but against men. Another border conflict. Another noble’s pride spilling into blood.
I heard the servants whisper when they thought no one was listening.
“The Lion of Valemont still fights.”
“But slower than before.”
“He’s not what he once was…”
And each whisper made Mama’s lips tighten, though she never corrected them.
One evening, as I struggled to steady a spark between my palms, Mama reached out, guiding my fingers. Her touch was gentle, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Rooga,” she whispered, “one day… your father may not come home from war.”
Her voice trembled. She rarely spoke like that.
My tiny hands froze, sparks flickering out.
She looked down at me, tears shimmering in her silver eyes. “When I married Darius, I thought we’d live a quiet life after the wars. But… a Valemont’s blade never sleeps. And now, with this child…”
Her hand pressed against her stomach. She closed her eyes.
“I’m afraid, Rooga. Afraid of raising you all alone.”
Her shoulders shook, but when she opened her eyes again, she smiled. Bright, fragile, but determined.
“But then I see you. How clever you are. How strong you’ll become. And I believe… maybe you’ll carry us through this.”
I stared at her, stunned. I wasn’t supposed to hear things like this—I was only three. But she wasn’t speaking to a toddler. She was speaking to me.
I reached for her hand with my small fingers. She laughed softly through her tears and kissed my forehead.
“Don’t worry. Even if the whole world turns against us, I’ll protect you. All of you. Until my last breath.”
Far away, beyond the horizon, Darius’ sword was already clashing against enemy steel. He didn’t know it yet, but the curse had already begun to coil around his fate—waiting, patient, venomous.
And back at home, Selene carried two burdens: her unborn child… and the fear that one day, she’d face this world without him.