Chapter 54

I nuzzled my head into Mama's trembling arms, which were tightly clinging to me as though I was the last shred of safety in her world.

"Mama? Bad uncles gone?" I asked softly, looking up at her with innocent eyes.

She didn't respond immediately. Her body was still shaking, her mind too paralyzed with fear to process what had happened. She held me closer, her arms a vice grip around my small frame.

I pouted slightly and leaned forward, wrapping my tiny arms around her neck as tightly as I could. Pressing her head gently against my chest, I whispered, "When Aleena was scared, Mama held Aleena tightly. So when Mama's scared, Aleena will hold Mama tightly too!"

The sound of my small, determined voice seemed to pull her back to reality. Her wide, fearful eyes softened, and a tear slid down her cheek. She cupped my face in her hands and pulled me closer into her embrace, her warmth enveloping me entirely.

"Mmm! Mm-mmm!" I tried to protest as she squeezed me tighter, but my complaints were muffled by her shoulder. My arms flailed for a moment, but her comforting warmth quickly lulled me into a peaceful calm.

As I drifted into her embrace, Mama finally looked around the hall. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the lifeless bodies of the assassins scattered across the floor. The sight was gruesome, but what caught her attention most was the figure of the injured woman who had fought to protect us.

She hurried over, still clutching me protectively, and knelt beside the woman. Gently, she checked for a pulse.

"Phew," she sighed in relief. "She's still alive."

She turned to me and softly asked, "Aleena? Did you see what happened here?"

But I was too far gone, already succumbing to the bliss of her embrace. My eyes were closed, my breathing steady, and all I could muster was a quiet, "Zzz..."

Mama kissed my forehead, a soft smile forming on her lips despite the chaos around her. "Hehe, Mama..." I muttered in my sleep, a tiny trail of drool escaping from the corner of my mouth.

Mama chuckled at my peaceful face, but her thoughts soon turned serious. Her gaze swept across the room again, and she whispered to herself, "Who saved us?"

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps. She turned just in time to see Papa entering the hall, his expression a mix of horror and urgency as he surveyed the scene.

When his eyes landed on us, his face instantly softened with relief. He rushed forward, wrapping both Mama and me in a tight embrace.

Mama, unable to hold back her emotions any longer, burst into tears. Her sobs were muffled against Papa's chest as she clung to him. He held her close, gently stroking her back and whispering soothing words.

"It's okay now," he murmured. "You're both safe."

---

Once Mama calmed down, she recounted everything to Papa.

"So," Papa said thoughtfully, "this woman realized the threat, fought off the assassins, but was eventually overwhelmed... Then someone saved you, but you didn't see who?"

Mama nodded, still holding me close.

Papa's gaze turned to the injured woman, and he walked over to her. Kneeling beside her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. A soft golden glow enveloped his hand, and the woman's wounds began to heal.

Moments later, she shot upright, gasping for air. Her eyes darted around the hall, checking her surroundings. When she saw Papa, she let out a relieved sigh.

"Mister Xavier?" she muttered, still catching her breath.

Papa chuckled. "I guess I'm quite famous."

The woman's eyes then moved to Mama and me. Seeing us safe brought visible relief to her face. She wiped the sweat from her brow and turned back to Papa.

"Are you from the Association? I think I've seen you before," she asked, her tone still sharp despite her exhaustion.

Papa smiled sheepishly. "Ah, Miss Woods, right? Thank you for protecting my family."

Maria pouted, crossing her arms. "Of course, I just did what I had to. But the real praise should go to whoever saved them at the end. That was no ordinary magic."

Papa nodded in agreement, glancing around the hall. "Indeed. It was... extraordinary. Whoever did this, I owe them my gratitude."

---

Later, as the moon shone brightly in the night sky, Papa turned to Mama with a gentle smile.

"We haven't had dinner yet, right? Let's go to a restaurant."

Mama hesitated, still shaken, but Papa's warmth and confidence reassured her. He turned to Maria and asked, "Would you like to join us?"

Maria smiled and shook her head, retrieving her weapons. "I'll pass. I have business at the Association. I need to investigate who targeted your family and why. This was no ordinary assassination attempt—it was meticulously planned."

Papa nodded. "I agree. Best of luck with your investigation."

He then turned back to Mama, wrapping an arm around her and holding me close. "Hold on tightly, dear," he said.

"O-Okaaaayy!" Mama stammered as Papa leapt into the air, carrying us both high into the sky.

Maria watched them leave, shaking her head with a small smile. "That's one hell of a family," she muttered before heading back to the Association.

---

At the Association, Maria recounted the entire event to Zoth.

"So... you received the help of my goddess," Zoth said, a bright smile on his face.

"Huh?" Maria blinked. "You mean those skeletons were—"

"Of course! Have you ever seen magic like that before?" Zoth replied, crossing his arms smugly. "My goddess must have intervened when she saw you in trouble."

Maria frowned. "If that's true, why can't I meet your goddess directly? She seems to have no problem helping me."

Zoth chuckled. "Every event has its time, Miss Woods. Just wait for yours."

Maria pouted, crossing her arms, but deep down, she was grateful. "Fine, but tell your goddess I said thanks... if she's really the one who saved me."

Zoth simply smiled, his faith unwavering.