WCMBI - Chapter 257: Mommy's Safest Arms

"Why so, Mel?" Lucía asked, her voice tinged with concern, as I abruptly rose from my seat, sensing the vibration emanating from my pocket. Retrieving it swiftly, I found a small amethyst-like gemstone.

The unease that had settled upon me, an aftermath of unforeseen and unavoidable events—beginning from the carriage accident to Adella's birth deprived of her parents' pheromones—seemed almost natural.

To erratically heed the possibility, I had given one such pair of gemstones to dear Dia, with the understanding that should any urgent need arise, she should clasp them and call for "Mom." Now, with the gemstone ringing, it felt like a plea from the child, requiring my presence for reasons beyond my knowing.

"My apologies, My Lady Marta. I shall attend to Dela," I said, my steps seamlessly transitioning through teleportation to heed the summons of the child.

In a fleeting moment, I hoped it was a mere jest, that Dia had playfully pressed the gemstone. However, my arrival was not within the manor or its garden.

Instead, I found myself in the wooded hinterland that I too had once lost my way in. There, seated beside a boulder, was the child, Dia, weeping.

"Dia!" I exclaimed, my heart contracting as I rushed to her side, lifting her gently to ensure she was unharmed. She embraced me, unharmed by the impact.

"Dear, why are you all alone in this place?" I asked, surprised and baffled at how the heir of the aristocrat could go missing like this. Surely, there would have been attendants, including nannies, assigned to her.

"Nabi... Ah! Mommy, I found flowers with eyes like mine!" Dia shyly offered, presenting the crumpled petals, unmistakably from a rose. Their purple hue, gently tinged with white, stood out against her hands.

"Thank you. But when I look at you, Dia, your eyes seem even more akin to the flowers," I replied, moved by her gesture.

"Really?" she questioned, giggling.

"Yes, indeed. Dia resembles Mommy quite profoundly," I affirmed.

"Is that so? Of course. Dia is just like Mommy," she said, her words seeping deep into my heart with warmth.

"Yes, Dia. It is only natural, for you and Mommy spent time together inside Mommy's womb," I said with a nod.

As I spoke, I brushed away the leaves and dust that clung to Dia's hair and then glanced around. Diapite being connected to the mansion, this wooded area was heavily obscured by dense trees, rendering the manor invisible from this vantage point.

It seemed as though he had climbed up to the middle of the mountain. I wondered how he managed to make it all the way here with that small frame of his, but more than that, I was upset. With so many servants in the mansion, what had that child been up to, coming all the way to this distant place? And what on earth was Ian, who had to manage all these people, doing?

After deciding that I must speak to Ian properly when we reached the mansion, I embraced Dia more tightly. It was late, and considering the exhausted child, I intended to use magic for swift transportation.

Taking Dia directly to his room might lead to misunderstandings, and I thought it best to prevent this situation from being disclosed to everyone, to avoid repeating the same incident. So, I marked a nondescript spot near the guest house as the Diatination and drew the magical circle.

As soon as we teleported, I scanned the surroundings. Fortunately, I recognized the familiar trail, so I started walking. Suddenly, I saw a silhouette rushing toward us at an incredible speed.

The flash of light from the magic allowed me to see him momentarily, but I soon became accustomed to the darkness and could recognize the person running towards us. It was Ian, who I had never seen so distraught before, running with an anxious urgency to embrace both me and Dia.

"Ugh, Dia, huh, Mel....," he said, his voice choking as he discovered us. He seemed like a Diaperate beast, trying to engulf us in his arms as if he had lost a baby.

Everywhere he touched felt as hot as fire, and tears hotter than that streamed down his face, neck, and arms.

The emotions I felt in that moment were indescribable. It was as if his sobbing had infected me, and my throat constricted, and my eyes welled up.

"Hoo, h-heu...," he struggled to speak amidst his incessant tears. I intended to gently step back after his tears had dried up, but he instead pulled me closer with even greater force, like a person hanging on a cliff edge.

Was this man always like this? Did he reveal his true self without caring about appearances?

Being near him, I could now see the things I had missed. His disheveled shirt and pants, the crumpled shirt collar and sleeves. This was a side of him I had never witnessed during our time together.