In the twilight as night approached, a Wind God Winged Dragon soared from the depths of the Morosde Great Snowy Mountains towards Skawag Fortress.
The outcome, of course, need not be reiterated. In a duel of swordsmanship, Lin had no chance of losing. Zach was defeated by Lin in one move, and then Lin took her desired prize... no, the girl, and left the Balutes Tribe's territory!
"Modica's tent is over there."
When Lin, guided by the Balutes Tribe chief, found the tent where Modica and her daughter lived, a small figure with ice-blue long hair was sitting with her head down on the wooden steps at the entrance of a small tent, swinging her little feet that couldn't reach the ground, completely absorbed in carving a snow-maple woodblock with a small knife.
Teaching a three-year-old child to use a knife, you guys are really something!
The Little Girl seemed to sense Lin's approach, looked up from her focused wood carving, and cheerfully called out:
"Mother, you're back... Eh? Who are you?"
Lin, dressed in a black military uniform, was clearly a complete stranger to the just three-year-old Little Esdeath, but she felt an immense sense of closeness from this stranger, as if a silent call from her bloodline was summoning her. That's why Little Esdeath subconsciously thought her only relative in the world had returned.
But in fact, it wasn't, and the mother she was waiting for, sitting by the tent entrance, would never return.
Lin crouched down and carefully observed the Little Girl in front of her. Ice-blue long hair, ice-blue eyes, even her delicate eyebrows and eyelashes were ice-blue, pure and innocent like an ice and snow spirit from a snowy mountain. But even at the tender age of just three, her delicate, oval-shaped face revealed an undeniable sharpness. This child was born a sharp sword capable of taking life.
Even without asking, Lin was 100% certain that this child was Esdeath.
"Esdeath?"
Lin questioned symbolically, and the confused Little Girl nodded in response.
"Mm, why do you know my name?"
"Your mother told me. She... won't be coming back."
Lin said to the Little Girl with a hint of regret in her tone.
"Won't be coming back? Is she not coming back today? Did Mother go to ambush a very big and strong prey?"
No matter what kind of person this child would become in the future, she was still just a child, unable to understand the meaning of Lin's words, and asked Lin with innocent curiosity.
"No, she is, never coming back."
"And then you brought her back."
Suzaku looked at Little Esdeath behind Lin with a speechless and bewildered expression. The three-year-old Little Girl was looking around fearfully, her expression clearly screaming, "I want to go home."
"Well, after all, she is the daughter of my old friend. Before her death, she specifically entrusted her daughter to me. Even out of past affection, I couldn't leave her alone. Of course, I had to keep her by my side and take good care of her."
Lin said casually, as if it were the most natural thing.
"But you look like you forcibly took someone's child from their home! Kidnapping a child like this is illegal, and the Balutes Tribe are also citizens of the Empire, protected by Imperial law!"
"Mama, that's too much, Suzaku. Are you planning to send me to prison to eat prison food?"
"I wouldn't dare..."
Lin's victorious smile left Suzaku helpless, so she could only give up and let Lin have her way. Lin crouched down and picked up the trembling Little Esdeath, gently stroking her ice-blue hair to give her some sense of security.
No matter how much bloodshed the name Esdeath would cause 20 years in the future, it couldn't change the fact that she was currently just a three-year-old girl not much different from other children. She had just learned of her mother's death and hadn't even processed it before being forcibly taken away by a sudden stranger!
When she came to her senses, she was in a completely strange place. There were no tents, no snowy mountains, and no tribesmen dissecting Danger Beasts. Although this square house was quite warm, for a three-year-old child, not crying hysterically on the spot was already strong enough.
However, the person holding her unexpectedly made her feel close. Even though this person had forcibly taken her from her tribe's land, she didn't feel any aversion. A call from her bloodline emanated from this stranger, even more intense than when she was with her mother. This feeling of blood being thicker than water, and for the Balutes Tribe who stopped holding children after they learned to crawl, such an embrace was too gentle.
In fact, Lin could also feel Esdeath's sensation. This was the call of Demon God's Descent - Essence of the Devil to Esdeath. Now, the Ice Phoenix's blood had completely melted into Lin's body, and these calls from the bloodline would naturally emanate from Lin.
Lin smiled while holding Little Esdeath:
"Esdeath, at the request of your deceased mother, from now on you will live with us."
Little Esdeath blinked her big eyes, half-understanding, and nodded. The person holding her now gave her a feeling of closeness even greater than a relative, so living together didn't cause much aversion. And after seeing Modica's remains, it no longer mattered to her who she lived with.
"Then what should I call you?"
"Hmm, what to call me... If you don't mind, you can call me Mama. It means the same as Mother. From now on, I will take Modica's place in caring for your future."
Little Esdeath murmured hesitantly:
"Ma... Mama..."
"Yes! That's right."
Lin felt a little giddy being called that by Little Esdeath. You know, this was Esdeath! No one who liked akame ga kill wouldn't be awed by this S-rank queen, and now and in the future, she would call her Mama!
Lin had barely enjoyed her triumph for a moment when she suddenly felt a resentful gaze fall upon her. A sudden chill inexplicably made Lin shiver all over. Lin followed the direction of the gaze and saw Little Najenda looking at her from a slightly opened door crack, her little eyes resentful and on the verge of tears, like a pitiful abandoned pet.
"Just in time, Najenda, come here quickly."
Lin smiled and motioned for Little Najenda, who had just woken up in the inner room, to come to her side. Lin also put Little Esdeath down.
"Now, Najenda, from now on she is your younger sister. Her name is Esdeath. You are both my dear daughters, so get along well, okay?"
"I understand, Mama."
She said that, but after Little Najenda ran out of the inner room to Lin's side, her small face was filled with displeasure. Her fluorescent blue eyes stared intently at Little Esdeath, and her tense expression made it seem like she wanted to eat Little Esdeath.
With a "whoosh," Little Najenda suddenly hugged Lin's leg next to her, hanging on completely, as if declaring her ownership of Lin to Little Esdeath. Unfriendly signals rushed towards Little Esdeath.
As a daughter of the Balutes Tribe, even at only three years old, she possessed an inherent stubbornness and refusal to admit defeat. Moreover, with her mother gone and in this completely unfamiliar environment, Lin, as her Mama, was her only reliance. How could she easily let go!
"Whoosh!" Little Esdeath hugged the other side of Rin's leg, glaring back at Najenda with unwilling eyes. In a trance, it was as if electric sparks collided in the gazes of the two Little Ones, neither willing to give an inch.
"Ah~ It seems a harmonious scene is still a long way off."
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