Chapter 77

Kkadeuk—

In the quiet bedroom, only the sound of nails being trimmed could be heard.

“Ugh… ugh…”

With a short groan, Mother’s body trembled slightly.

And soon, her blue eyes, hidden beneath long lashes, slowly revealed themselves.

“Mother…!”

“…Did I faint or something?”

The moment Mother opened her eyes, my anxiously racing heart finally began to calm down.

“H-here, have some water…!”

I quickly poured hot tea into a teacup. After blowing on it a few times to cool it down, I carefully handed it to Mother.

Mother smiled faintly, gently stroked my head, and accepted the teacup.

“Are you okay…?”

“Of course. I feel so light after sleeping soundly for the first time in a while.”

Mother softly stroked my head, then suddenly her expression turned serious, as if she remembered something.

She looked at me with a stern voice and spoke.

“Tina, that headband is dangerous. Never show it to anyone else except in front of me.”

“Huh…? Yes, Mother, if you say so…”

To be honest, I had no reason to wear that headband in front of anyone else. I’ll just hide it well and put it up for auction in two years.

“Oh, right! Mother, wait a moment.”

The word “auction” suddenly brought back a memory I had forgotten.

I had originally planned to bring this up first, but I completely forgot after Mother fainted.

Leaving Mother with a puzzled expression, I quickly ran to my room.

Opening the closet door in the corner of the room, a large, heavy bag caught my eye.

It was quite heavy, but I struggled to carry it with both hands, grunting as I brought it to Mother’s room.

“Huh…? What’s that, Tina?”

“Hehe, don’t be too surprised.”

I placed the heavy bag on the bed, which Mother was eyeing curiously.

As soon as I turned the bag over, gold coins poured out with a loud clatter.

Enough to take a whole day to count.

Mother’s eyes widened in shock as she watched the mountain of gold coins spill out.

“Ti, Tina… where on earth did you get this money…?”

“Hehe, it’s a gift for you, Mother.”

“Wh, where did you get such money…?”

“It’s been a while, and I thought it would be okay to sell some of the jewels I received from the young ladies. I took out the jewels and got the money fairly at an auction.”

“An… auction…?”

“I had them separately processed from the originals, so there’s no chance of getting caught. So don’t worry, Mother.”

“…..”

“Hehe, and there’s still a mountain of jewels in my closet. If I sell them all, it’ll be a truly enormous amount of money.”

After two years of flattering countless young ladies and sharing laughs, I think this much compensation is only natural.

Just selling the jewels I’ve collected now would allow Mother and me to live the rest of our lives without worrying about money.

Of course, Mother would multiply that money several times over, so there’s no need to say more.

“Tina…”

But instead of the bright smile I expected, a dark shadow fell over Mother’s face.

Her hands trembled slightly, and her blue, sorrowful gaze pricked at my heart.

“Tina, I think it would be better to return this money.”

“…Huh?”

“Instead of paying them back with money, buy similar jewels and give them back as gifts to the young ladies. They’ll understand later.”

“Wait, Mother…”

“Making money like this isn’t right, Tina. It could cause big problems later. So even now—”

“Eit.”

Without waiting for Mother to finish, I climbed on top of her and firmly laid her down on the bed.

I felt my chest press against Mother’s as I lowered my head.

Smooch—

I left a deep kiss on Mother’s forehead.

“Hehe.”

“…Tina, you keep doing this.”

Mother tried to say something with a flustered expression, but before she could, I planted countless small kisses on her.

Smooch-

I carefully brought my lips to Mother’s long eyelashes.

As the soft sensation brushed against my lips, Mother’s breath hitched slightly.

Then, I slowly kissed the bridge of her nose.

Next, both ears, then her cheeks.

I left affectionate kisses all over her face, except her lips, and slowly moved down to her neck.

Finally, I left a deep kiss there, and Mother’s body trembled violently.

“Don’t worry, Mother. Nothing will happen.”

“…Tina, how can I not worry?”

“Huhu, you might not know this, but I’m actually quite amazing, you know?”

Perhaps the kisses had an effect, as there was no sign of her scolding me like before.

“Tina, you’re still young. Money isn’t something to be taken so lightly.”

Mother’s worried tone was becoming all too familiar.

I smiled lightly and replied.

“Mother, really, how long are you going to treat me like a child? I know everything now.”

I wanted to explain all the abilities I had.

With just a letter, I sent Viviana to the front lines for the rest of her life, and with a few light words, I drove the noble Saintess out of the social circle.

I wanted to brag to Mother right away, but for some reason, I held back, thinking she might faint again.

“Still… I’ll keep your words in mind.”

Finally, I left an affectionate kiss on Mother’s cheek and slowly got up from the bed.

I put the gold coins back into the money bag and carefully covered Mother with the blanket.

“Don’t work until you’re fully recovered. I’ll watch over you by your side.”

“…Alright.”

Mother reluctantly sighed and nodded.

“Use this money for yourself, Mother!”

With a bright smile, I left the room.

Leaving behind the warmth of Mother’s bedroom, the cold silence of the hallway enveloped me.

It felt like stepping into another world, the temperature inside and outside the bedroom so starkly different.

“Hehe…”

Recalling the warmth of Mother’s skin on my lips, I slowly moved my steps.

As I entered my room, a lonely atmosphere surrounded me.

Even the sunlight filtering through the window seemed gray, and the room, which I had hoped would feel fresh, still felt stifling.

“Ugh…”

As I was idly passing the time, a sudden headache overwhelmed me.

[Tina.]

A familiar voice echoed in my head.

I looked up and saw the large mirror in the corner of the room.

The woman in the mirror facing me had a bewitching smile on her lips.

[Is there really a woman like that in the world? Don’t you think so, Tina?]

Her voice carried a strange sarcasm, but I smiled brightly and answered her.

“Right, our Mother is the best.”

[Exactly. She doesn’t expect any reward, brings you money, and gives you affection without holding back. She’ll probably do that until she dies.]

“Hehe, our Mother is really kind.”

But at that moment, her voice turned cold.

[Even though we might have eaten her real daughter, you still say you love her? How funny is that?]

“…Huh?”

[Is there anyone as gullible as her? She’s literally a slave, a slave.]

The woman in the mirror’s gaze grew sharper, and her smile deepened.

[Huh? Why that face? You knew it too, right? How foolish and stupid that woman is.]

I forced a smile and retorted.

“Th-that aside, aren’t you curious about what I did? I actually drove the Saintess out of the social circle. And it was so easy-”

[If she finds out you killed her daughter, wouldn’t that woman hate you to death?]

My smile broke.

In contrast, the woman in the mirror’s laughter grew clearer.

[Tina, don’t pretend you don’t know. Why are you hiding it from me?]

“……”

[You’re just using that woman, aren’t you?]

“……”

[You’re giving her money because you know it’ll all be yours eventually, right? You know she’ll multiply the money several times over.]

“…I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”

I didn’t want to talk today.

But even as I tried to look away from the mirror, my body wouldn’t move.

It felt like someone was gripping my hair tightly.

[You’re giving that woman the love she craved for her daughter, making her dependent on you, and hiding behind her affection to live happily for the rest of your life, right?]

“Th-that’s enough…”

[But Tina. If you really cared about that woman, wouldn’t you have taken over her work instead of letting her overwork herself every night?]

“…….”

[Tina, there’s someone you have to meet, right? You haven’t forgotten, have you? You’re not really giving your heart to that woman, are you?]

I raised one hand high.

[Don’t be mistaken, the moment she finds out you’re a fake, that woman will try to kill you.]

With blank eyes, I clenched my fist.

[In the end, you can’t love that woman either.]

I brought my clenched fist down on my head with all my might.

Thud-

[The only person who will love you isn’t here.]

Thud-

Again, I struck my head hard with my fist.

Thud- thud- thud-

I couldn’t tell if the throbbing pain was coming from my hand, my head, or my chest.

I kept hitting my head until I couldn’t tell anymore.

Warm blood flowed down my cheek.

I stopped my hand and stood still, feeling the sensation of blood flowing from my head.

It felt just like when I slit my wrists in my past life.

A warm, comforting feeling that made me want to close my eyes.

I dipped a finger in the blood.

I pressed the blood-stained finger against the wall and drew a picture.

A circle.

And within it, a pentagram.

As soon as the shape was complete, a brief light flashed, and something emerged.

[Long time no see.]

She was a woman with black hair.

More beautiful than anyone on TV, with a charming smile that made my mind go blank.

[You finally called me. I was starting to think you forgot about me.]

She hugged me warmly. I leaned into her embrace and closed my eyes.

“Mom.”

She smiled gently.

[If that’s what you want, I’ll be your mom today.]

The only friend who has always been by my side. She took my hand.

[Mom will always be by your side.]

Unlike Artasha, her palm was completely cold.

Just like the hands of the mother I had touched countless times in my past life.

The blood continued to flow from my head, and my mind grew hazier.

Amid the fading sensations, only her cold palm felt clear.

“I… you know? I took money from countless young ladies and ruthlessly crushed the social lives of some.”

[I know, hehe, you’re quite something, aren’t you?]

“I used Viviana’s guilt to send her to the battlefield.”

[Yeah, she’ll probably die there. She’s still so young.]

“I even took the Saintess’s precious friend and drove her out of the social circle?”

[That really surprised me too. My daughter, you’re more talented than I thought?]

Mother’s proud voice tickled my ears.

Amid my fading consciousness, I asked her with a trembling voice.

“Then can I… go now?”

[No, not yet, Tina.]

My heart sank at her words.

Even after all this, it’s still not enough…

It felt really unfair.

[Don’t worry. Just a little more effort, and you’ll surely be able to go. If this life isn’t enough, there’s always the next.]

“…Really?”

[Yes. I’ll always be by your side to help you. So don’t give up, okay?]

“Mm…”

With her words, my vision darkened. A comforting feeling of losing consciousness enveloped me.

‘Someday, I’ll definitely find you.’

If I keep living like this, I’ll be able to go someday.

When that time comes, you have to smile at me.

So…

Let’s meet in hell.

Mom.

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