Leon Greyrat: The Second Son - Mushoku Tensei OC

Chapter 2 - Fangs of the Black Wolf

— Leon —

"Ah! I think he's waking up!"

Hearing a familiar voice, I opened my eyes, revealing the image of a beautiful girl with long blonde hair and kind blue eyes looking down at me.

She... she was the one with glowing hands, right?

The one who tried to save my mother...

"Shh~ It's okay, sweetie. You're safe now," she said, gently running her hands through my hair.

Where was I? What happened? Who are you?

All those questions that needed answers ran through my mind.

And it wasn't only the glowing hands girl.

Looking around, while I remembered the woman with animal ears, the rest were... complete strangers.

Completely unfamiliar faces.

A young man, or rather, a teenager, with a rugged yet handsome face.

Another shorter, middle-aged man, with a large orange beard and a war axe strapped to his back.

A man with a face like a monkey, with a large nose and a large pair of ears.

And then a beautiful young woman with long golden hair, as well as... pointed ears?

What... what was going on?

"Ung! Ang!" I babbled.

"Jeez... I can't believe you actually kept him. Can't we drop him off at an orphanage in the next city or something? I don't wanna take care of a brat," the handsome man said with a troubled expression.

"Paul! Don't be like that! T-That woman... I promised to take care of him!" the girl who was holding me said, gently rocking me side to side.

"Besides," she said, looked down into my eyes as her smile widened. "He's cute, don't you think?"

A finger made its way toward me, and I reached my hand up to meet it, quickly grasping her digit with as much strength as my little hand could muster, which was not a lot.

It wasn't something done with any meaning, but rather a more instinctual reaction.

Stupid baby body.

B-But... my mother...

So that... actually happened.

It wasn't a nightmare.

S-She... Mom... she was gone.

Feeling wetness begin to drip down my cheeks, the girl's smile twisted into an apologetic frown as she gently wiped away my tears.

"Leon... right? I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't save her. But I'll take care of you from now on, okay? I can be your 'Mama'," the girl said.

She would be my mother?

But... she was so young...

Why would she want this responsibility?

Was it out of some twisted sense of duty?

I... wanted her to be my Mama.

She felt... warm.

And I didn't want to be alone.

But my mother... Alice... she was actually gone.

Even if... even if this girl, or this group, became my caregiver, I... I would never forget my Mom.

For all the love and care she gave me... I couldn't ever forget her.

"Tch. We still shouldn't take him with us, Zenith. We're adventurers, you know? It's a dangerous job," the handsome man, Paul, said before turning to the pointed-ear lady. "Come on, can't you back me up here, Lina?"