Chapter 158: Never give it up

I heard the news that my mother had collapsed.

At that moment, my mind went completely blank. I couldn’t think of anything. When I came to my senses, Blanc was already running toward the mansion.

“Mother!”

I roughly pushed open the bedroom door. I knew it was impolite, but my anxious heart moved my body before I could think.

“My daughter…”

My mother lay on the bed. Her face, much thinner than usual, stood out vividly in my eyes.

“I told you… not to overwork yourself.”

Wiping the sting from my eyes, I rushed into her embrace.

She smiled faintly and held me quietly. For a long time, I steadied my ragged breath in her warm embrace.

Her body, even thinner than the last time I saw her, pained me deeply.

The reason she had collapsed was overwork.

She was still pushing herself to the limit, sacrificing her health for work.

“I… I’ll earn a lot of money… So please, don’t overwork yourself…”

I buried my face in her arms and pleaded desperately.

The moment I heard she had collapsed, I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I was so afraid that something irreversible might happen to her that I couldn’t focus on anything else.

I can’t live without my mother. I have no strength to endure a world without her.

“Please… don’t push yourself… okay…?”

Meeting my tear-filled eyes, my mother showed a troubled expression.

“…I’m sorry, dear. When I work, I can forget about so many troubling thoughts… So it’s not entirely bad.”

At her quiet words, I lowered my head.

She was still suffering.

Her own daughter. The child who once inhabited this body. She couldn’t forgive herself for abandoning that child.

Her emaciated frame, the deep shadows under her eyes—it was clear she hadn’t been sleeping properly.

“You don’t have to worry about her, Mother.”

I could never forgive the original Tina.

I had heard everything from Nia.

She had made a contract with a demon to ensure that Artasha would live in suffering for the rest of her life, then left with her father.

And when she realized that place was hell, she changed her stance as easily as flipping her palm.

When I heard she was now trying to return to Artasha, disgust rose to my throat.

I would never allow it.

As long as I reside in this body, she will never return as Artasha’s daughter.

‘Artasha is my mother.’

“I can never give this up.”

I hugged my mother even tighter. In response, her embrace wrapped around me even more warmly.

“I’m… your daughter too…”

“Hm?”

“Right now, I’m your daughter… Can’t you pay attention to me too?”

I carefully acted spoiled toward Artasha. Whenever I stood before her, I always felt like a child.

“…You’re right. I was wrong, Tina.”

And as always, my mother accepted me warmly.

“Please don’t be sick…”

I burrowed into her embrace, murmuring softly.

I know this is a selfish request.

Tina before me was my mother’s real daughter.

Between a mother and daughter bound by blood, there was a high wall I could never cross.

But even knowing that, I wished my mother would forget her.

Aren’t I her daughter now?

So please, for my sake, return to full health as soon as possible.

“I called Lady Lillian. You must receive her treatment, Mother.”

“Tina… The Saintess is a busy woman. There’s no need to trouble her with this—”

“Mother is the most important to me…!”

Before I knew it, my voice had grown louder. My mother widened her eyes in surprise.

“So please… please receive the treatment.”

“…Haha, my daughter is such a filial child.”

She reassured me that she would accept the treatment, but I couldn’t take her words at face value.

“This won’t do. I’m staying here.”

If I left, she would surely bury herself in work again.

At the very least, I decided to stay by her side until her complexion returned.

“Tina, don’t you have your own duties?”

“I can pray… after you’ve recovered.”

The goddess wouldn’t be disappointed just because I took a short break.

And during that time, there was no way the Grand Demon would come looking for me here. According to Nia, I had at least five years of leeway.

“Mother… Do you not want me by your side?”

She flinched and waved her hands in panic.

“Of course not…! It’s just that I feel like I’m holding you back.”

“Don’t ever think that.”

A slightly cold voice escaped my lips.

That she was holding me back?

What kind of nonsense was that?

No matter how much she was my mother, I couldn’t stand to see her belittle herself like that.

“I’ll pray again once you’ve fully recovered, Mother.”

Divine power could heal physical ailments, but it couldn’t cure the wounds of the heart. If it could, Lillian would have already healed Mother long ago.

In the end, the only things that could heal her were her own will and the passage of time.

Until she overcame her illness, I would never leave her side.

“Tina, if you don’t offer your prayers… wouldn’t the goddess be disappointed?”

“Pfft, no way. Tens of thousands of people pray to her every day.”

Would anything really change just because my prayers were missing?

Mother was truly someone who worried too much.

***

Ten days passed.

Fortunately, my mother’s condition had noticeably improved.

The pallor on her once-gaunt face had faded, and the deep shadows beneath her eyes had disappeared.

“Mother, won’t you eat?”

“Tina, I think I can eat on my own now.”

“But… I want to feed you myself…”

At my earnest gaze, my mother reluctantly parted her lips.

I smiled softly and carefully brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth.

“Hehe.”

“Don’t you think it’s about time you returned to the temple?”

“Mm… just a little longer.”

Praying to the goddess brought me joy, but nothing was more important to me than my mother.

I would return to the temple only when I was certain she wouldn’t collapse again.

And even if I stayed away, it wouldn’t be much of a problem.

According to Lillian, what mattered more than praying consistently was how sincerely one prayed.

I had unwavering confidence in my faith in the goddess.

“Now that we’ve finished eating, you should take a bath.”

Mother stood up, clearing away the dishes.

Washing up after dinner was part of her daily routine.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t washed yet either.’

I looked at my mother, who had a gentle smile on her lips.

For the past ten days, I had done my best to take care of her. I wanted to ease even a little of her burdens.

She had told me multiple times that it wasn’t necessary, but in the end, she surrendered to my persistence.

Thinking back, I realized that I had never actually helped my mother with her bath before.

“Uh, Mother…”

I called out to her cautiously. Her affectionate gaze turned toward me.

“What is it, Tina?”

“If… if it’s alright with you…”

Feeling shy, I fidgeted with my fingers before finally getting the words out.

“Could I… wash your back for you?”

“Huh?”

Thinking about it, it wasn’t anything unusual. It was simply a daughter washing her mother’s back.

It was something that happened from time to time, and in my past life, it was a common form of bonding between parents and children.

“Your back must be hard to reach, right? Let me help you.”

I knew my reasoning was a bit forced. Even without me, there were plenty of people who could assist her.

“Is that… not okay?”

“Uh, well… that’s…”

Mother hesitated for a moment.

If she found it uncomfortable, I wouldn’t insist any further.

Her wishes were the most important thing.

“…Would you really be okay with that, Tina? Girls your age usually avoid bathing with their parents.”

“That’s because they don’t have a mother with a perfect figure like you!”

“Oh… T-Thank you for saying that…?”

“Then, does that mean you’ll allow it?”

Mother gave a small nod.

A soft warmth spread through my chest at the thought of spending this moment with her.

Come to think of it, had I ever taken a bath with my mother before?

I recalled doing so with Viviana and Lillian, but not with my mother.

“I’ll make sure to wash you thoroughly.”

“Fufu, I’ll trust you then, my daughter.”

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the mansion’s bathroom. It was much more spacious than when I first came here.

That meant the financial state of the Blanc family had improved significantly.

I slowly took off my shirt and hung it on the hanger.

The fabric brushed against my skin, making a soft rustling sound.

As I untied the strings one by one and removed my clothes, for some reason, I felt like I was the only one undressing.

I lifted my head and looked at my mother. She had averted her gaze, staring elsewhere.

“Mother…?”

“Ahem, ahem.”

She covered her lips with her hand and cleared her throat.

Looking closely, her face seemed a bit redder than usual.

Could she be unwell again?

She mustn’t… be sick…