Chapter 42 - Candy

"Why does my mother need to drink tea?... She's dead."

After Alexjin said those words, Geraldine pursed her lips and look back at him.

"Just follow what I told you Alexjin," She offered him a smile and turn her back against him, and used her body to prevent Alexjin from seeing his mother's body.

Alexjin didn't talk back and followed what his master asked him to do and put all his trust into her but the feeling of her mother's cold body remains on his senses.

After making medicinal tea in the kitchen, he took his time to go back as he felt his feet getting heavier when he got closer to where his mother is laying on the floor.

"Ma- master,"  He called out for her before coming out as a sign if she will let him in or there will be a new order.

"Come here Alexjin."

As soon as he heard it, Alexjin stepped out with his head facing down to avoid seeing the face of his mother.

"A - ale - Alexjin," The weak voice of Aurelie called out for her son, she was still laying on the cold floor as Geraldine is pressing her hand on her stomach to finished the mana transfer.

"MOTHER!" Alexjin nearly dropped the cup of tea in hand when he heard his mother called out his name. He really thought that she was dead as he didn't feel her heart beating.

He rushed over next to Geraldine with tears streaming down his face as he holds Aurelie's weak hand and put it on his cheeks, "Mother, I thought I'd lose you forever."

Aurelie just smile and took a deep breath before looking at Geraldine with a meaningful look and mouthed *Thank You*.

Geraldine nodded and stand up, "Carry your mother to the bed so that she can rest well, her body is weak as well as her soul and her mana is too little," She said as she went to the table where Alexjin put the medicinal tea and take it with her to the room where Aurelie will be resting.

"Yes, Master."

Putting his mother on the bed, Geraldine makes Aurelie drink the tea before letting her sleep and gestures for Alexjin to take care of her mother and come out when he was done.

Geraldine leaves the room to let both of them have their own time with each other, she was about to go to the counter to check for the remaining supplies when she saw that some customers didn't leave and keep on glancing inside the store which pissed off Geraldine.

"Ah, so nosy," She extends her arm and peeks at the back to see if Alexjin is there and when she confirmed that he's still with his mother, she called out the red lights to make a barrier inside the store so that the people outside won't be able to see what going on inside and also won't be able to see her moving around.

After the work is done, she came out of the shadow and venture towards the counter to check the supplies while hearing the complaints of the customers outside about how poor the store is managed and how they weren't able to buy the pills as they needed it the most.

"Hmm, now that I think about it, the contest is near," She said as she opened the pillbox.

"Yes, master."

Alexjin's voice surprised Geraldine and even makes her jump a bit.

"Ah! You surprised me," She put her hand over her chest to calm her beating heart. She didn't realize that Alexjin is in the same room as hers as she didn't hear any footsteps and his presents are so low to be felt.

"I'm sorry master, I should knock next time," Alexjin scratches the back of his head as he felt embarrassed for startling Geraldine. 

"I think you should," Geraldine offered him a smile and after that, both of them remained silent as Alexjin only looked at her who's busy checking the counter.

"Ma - master, I'm happy that you're ba - back!" Alexjin couldn't help but raise his voice as he bowed down before Geraldine, "And... and thank you for saving my mother!" At this point, Alexjin's knees gave out and causing him to kneel down on the floor.

"Alexjin!" Geraldine rushed over to him and help him stand up but his body didn't move, "Come Alexjin, don't kneel before me."

Alexjin shook his head, "Master, you've done a great help to us... I don't know how can I repay you for being so kind to me and my mother," he looked down to hide his face for Geraldine not to see him crying.

Geraldine smiled and ruffled his silver hair, "I really like your hair," she complimented which makes Alexjin blush, "And I know that you know what to do in order to repay my kindness. Well, I'm not in a hurry but I just want you to never forget about it."

After she said that, Geraldine pulled him to a hug as she continued to pat his head to give him comfort and also to make him trust her more so that he will become submissive to her, after all, Geraldine knows that he's still hiding some darkness inside of him.

****

Their store has been closed for a week for the reason that Aurelie which in their knowledge is the owner of the store is resting as she's not been feeling well for days.

It is indeed true that Aurelie is resting to gain back her health and body condition to function back to normal. 

As for Alexjin, the free time was used by Geraldine to train him again to see if he's ready to hold a real sword as she still has her high guard around him.

Currently, Geraldine is looking at the pink-colored candy that Aurelie ate before she passed out and causing her heart to stop beating. 

"He told me that Aurelie bought it to a merchant that was new to town," She mumbled and took out the candy from the wrapper, "It looks like a regular candy to me so why does her body react to like that?" 

She put the candy into her mouth and waited if she'll be feeling something else from consuming it. It was sweet strawberry flavored candy that melts into her mouth, it was addicting and wants to make you eat another one.

"This candy is good," She said as she took out the wrapper and read the words on it, "Heaven Candy, what a weird name," Then she saw some tiny words below the product name, "Contains holy magic that repels the evil elements."

As soon as Geraldine finished reading it, she instantly pukes out the candy and wipes away her tongue using her hand but it was not enough. She runs to the kitchen sink and rinse her mouth with water and even tried to make herself puke by putting her hands on the inside of her mouth.

"F*ck," She mumbled as she washed her face to help it calm herself, "That is a clever idea to find those who are practicing the black magic," Geraldine chuckled as her face twitches as she thought that there might be people who will look for Aurelie when they know that her body reacts to the candy.

Geraldine makes herself relax on the sofa as she observed her condition, after all, she herself is starting to practice the black magic but as time pass by, she's still fine which makes her conclude that the Light Element still weighs heavier than her black magic, this makes her happy as she didn't have to waste energy for another problem but this also means that she still has a long way to go to become a Black magic-user.

Peeking outside, she could see how Alexjin is still practicing on the scarecrow, it makes her satisfied to see that he is determined to win in the contest. Then, she went to Aurelie's room to check on her health if she still needed her mana or not.

Aurelie is still sleeping with her lips pale and dry and her complexion is not so good, this makes Geraldine give more of her mana to her but before she could, Aurelie's hand grasp her arm to stop her from doing so.

"Geraldine, yo -  you should not waste your mana on me, I'll be fine, don't worry too much," Aurelie's eyes slowly opened up as she gives a small smile.

"You're too weak Aurelie, if I hadn't arrived on time and transfer some mana, you could have died and leave your son too early!" Geraldine couldn't help but raised her voice as she felt irritated at how irresponsible Aurelie is.

"Yes but it would still be the end of me, death is near," She said and looked up the ceiling, "And besides, you are here to be with my son if someday I'll be gone from this world.. I don't have to worry much as I know that I can trust you."