If I Could Live Again

CHAPTER 29

The army went back to the castle after searching high and low for the princess. They have encountered alot of monsters but could not find a single baby. As time goes by, their mind drifted to a worse possible scenario.

"Have you found her?", Callahan weakly inquired.

"No, Your Highness", the soldier knelt down before the king and shook his head in despair.

"Where is Nero?", Callahan searched for him amongst the crowd of men.

"He is still in the forest, your Highness. We have sent the second batch to accompany him", he replied to the King's question. Callahan only nodded.

He dismissed the meeting and went back to his wife who slept through the night. The toll on her body seems to have manifested after days of sleepless night. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at her husband sitting next to her. Callahan was in deep contemplation while staring at the window. His mind drifted far and wide and wasn't able to notice that his wife was staring at him full of worry.

Nera softly touched his hand. They couldn't utter any words of comfort. Callahan laid down and hugged his wife. Their presence for each other was enough of a comfort.

****

The moon's light silently peaked through the window as if trying to watch over a feeble child sleeping quietly in a small worn out bed.

"I wonder where you came from?", Aurora sat beside the bed.

"You appeared out of nowhere. You don't look like a Hellion. Your mana reserve is smaller than that of our kind but there's something strange about you that I can't particularly point out", she slowly scanned the baby's entire being.

"Is it because of this? Why would you have something like this?", she saw the anti-magic amulet.

"What if you were abandoned by your parents and left you alone to die here? Poor child!", Aurora gasped in horror.

"Or what if they hid you in this forest to protect you?", She came up with another possible explanation.

"Or worst, you were kidnapped?", the oracle's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"I'm not sure what to do? Where to begin? But for sure, I can't take care of you, darling. I don't have anything to provide. You need someone to provide your need. You need milk and love. Alright! Let me help you find a loving family instead. You deserve it!", the oracle was enthusiastic.

"But for now, you need a good night sleep", Aurora kissed the baby's forehead and smiled.

The following day, the oracle went outside of her home for the first time. She concealed her identity while carrying the infant. Aurora thoroughly searched for a couple who will love her dearly. She came across a particular family and decided to observe them. When the family met the criteria Aurora set, she left the baby in their doorway.

"Dear, there is a baby outside!", the husband called his wife immediately. She rushed towards the door and took a peek.

"Oh, you poor, poor child! Were you abandoned by your family? How ruthless of them!", the woman cradled the baby in her arms and looked at her husband.

"Are you worried? It's okay.We can atleast provide her something with what we have", the man smiled and hugged her wife.

"Ma, what's that?", their son asked his mother.

"She will be your new sister", the woman knelt down for her child to see the baby.

"She's beautiful, ma. Hi! I'm your big brother!", the boy said proudly.

"Will you be okay with work tomorrow?", the man asked his wife.

"I'll be bringing them along. I don't think they will mind since I'm just assigned to do the laundry. Besides, I'm not an official maid", the woman assured her husband.

"Don't worry, pa. I'll protect them both", the boy claimed.

"Alright! I'm counting on you", the man ruffled his son's hair.

All of them went together the next day and arrived at the Duke's mansion. They separated their ways with the children being with their mother.

"I want you to stay here for awhile and watch your sister okay? Can you do that?", the woman placed a cloth under a tree and put down the baby beside the boy. Her child nodded in agreement.

"I'll be right back. I just need to report inside. Do not ever, ever leave!", the woman left in a hurry.

After awhile, the Duchess of Vand came across the two while walking towards the patio located in the garden and stopped.

"Who are they?", the Duchess asked one of her maids as she side-glanced to look at them.

"The boy's mother is one of your people assigned to do the laundry, Madam. However, it is my first time seeing the infant", the maid answered the Duchess while lowering her head.

"She's my new sister. She came yesterday", the boy answered the Duchess gleefully without her asking him directly.

"You, impertinent fool! To talk to the Duchess directly", the maid raised her hand and was about to hit the boy when the boy's mother came and knelt before them.

"Forgive my child for his rudeness, oh great Duchess! I will instead accept any punishment but please I beg you, not my child", she buried her forehead to the ground.

"Is that your baby?", the Duchess opened her fan and covered her face while talking.

"I adopted her, Madam. She was left in our doorway last night", the woman answered without hesitation.

"Bring her to me", the Duchess demanded. The woman got up and went to get the baby. She hesitated for awhile but still continued to bring the child.

"She seems okay. She has a unique appearance. Give her to me", the Duchess decided in an instant. The woman was left speechless.

"But ---", the boy was about to refuse but his mother covered his mouth.

"As you wish, Madam", the woman bowed her head. The maid took the infant and went back inside with the Duchess.

"Why did you do that, ma? She's my sister!", the boy was about to burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry dear. We can't do anything about it. No matter how much I want to see her grow along with you, don't you think she will live a more good life here than with us?", his mother was teary-eyed. Eventhough the baby was with them for only about a day, she can't help but feel attached to the child.

"But I still need to protect her. I promised!", the boy covered his eyes and cried.

"You already did, honey. You already did", they both hugged each other. The woman carried his child and left.