Book 13.5: Chapter 1
“Oh, so you’re the new Valkyrie. It’s a rare for Her Majesty to favour anyone. I hope you’ll earnestly work here, since you’re trusted and possess the competence. The Valkyries are Her Majesty’s bodyguards, and a squad embodying honour and dignity. I hope you won’t embarrass the squad.”
“R-Roger…”
Nier was quite shocked when she saw the petite and short woman in front of her. She was a little perplexed as to how a petite woman no different to a kid was able to lead the squad. However, she judged her doubt to be rude, so she didn’t ask. Nevertheless, the woman seemingly read her mind. Perhaps, everybody who met her for the first time wondered the same thing. As such, the woman nonchalantly chuckled, “Nier, I know what you’re thinking, but you must bear in mind that even I can pierce your heart if you add the length of a sword to the equation. Therefore, don’t underestimate the sword of a child. Moreover, I’m around Her Majesty’s age.”
“Understood… Sorry…”
Nier felt guilty, since she never expected to be read. Fortunately, the woman wasn’t mad; otherwise, she’d have lost her chance as soon as she was reborn.
Nier had always been kicked back and forth. It was as though her birth was a mistake. She didn’t know if she ever had a blissful life. Her life consisted for all sorts of abandonment ever since she was born. She didn’t know what she did wrong. Her father already passed away. The last glimpse she had of her father was her father’s thin legs, which was a result of lots of legwork. Her father could never pat her on the head with his large and warm hands again. Even so, her mother still used particular stones and dyes to make herself look fancy, and then returned with the stench of wine.
Nier lied next to her late father’s cold body and would sit up to eat the stuff her mom brought back from somewhere. She felt a little more comfortable in winter.
Nier and her late father watched her mother head out every day, come back, sleep and leave again and repeat. Had her father’s corpse not attracted flies and had he not start to smell bad, perhaps her mom never would’ve realised her husband was dead.
“It’s all your fault! You’re a burden to me!” That was what Nier’s mother most often said to her. Her mother really wanted to abandon her, but she had nowhere to go; thus, she just followed her mother’s every step and couldn’t leave. She just staggered along behind her mother despite her mother shouting in her face and beating her.