"Don't speak any further!" Cyndy raised her voice, then hung her head low and said a little weakly. "I don't want to talk about it!"
Although Cyndy had no clue how Luis knew about her past in so much detail. When she heard him mention that incident. Sad memories of that day flooded her mind, and she couldn't help but stop him from speaking further.
Luis also nodded and stopped speaking. There was no need to poke at her past wounds anymore. He just did that to see her reaction.
He showed a regretful expression, and with a slight bow, he uttered.
"If my words hurt you. I apologize Professor."
After hearing his sincere apology, Cyndy pressed her lips and turned back to hide her distress.
"It's okay. I must monitor Bonnie's state until she regains consciousness. So, I won't accompany you further."
Everyone understood she was just giving an excuse, but they didn't expose her.
Without turning back, she continued.
"Rura, you can tour them around the lab first. When Student Bonnie regains her consciousness. I'll send you a message."
Rura nodded and replied. "Yes, Professor." She kept looking at her until she saw her enter the operating room.
She sighed and turned back to look at Luis while rubbing her forehead.
"You guy. Why did you have to cause trouble here?"
Luis shrugged. "Don't blame me. It was you who started it. If you hadn't tried to embarrass me, it wouldn't have happened."
Rura gave him an annoyed look. "I just wanted to tease you a little, but why did you have to make the Professor sad?"
"I didn't know talking about her past would make her depressed."
"Really?"
Around the year 1274th of the 'Zolotian Calendar', that is 16 years ago, from the current year, 1290.
In the southern region of the Aiverson Empire, a pandemic spread out. Even the awakened individuals, who should have been immune to most diseases, were affected by it. Only the people above C rank were safe. The disease was new and the medicine for it hadn't been found yet.
Because of that, the royal family issued an order to wipe out several villages to prevent the pandemic from spreading any further.
Brenne, a renowned herbologist, along with the medical team, went to those key affected areas to help those patients. However, in the process, she herself couldn't escape the fate of getting affected.
Cyndy and the rest of the family were heartbroken when they got the news. Because of the restrictions set up by the royal family, they weren't allowed to meet her.
Weeks passed by before the news came out that researchers from the Esperia Kingdom had found the cure. The entire empire was in a jovial mood. The family members of those patients who were suffering from the pandemic were relieved, hoping for the recovery of their loved ones.
Cyndy and her family were also glad, thinking that Brenne would be able to recover. However, they were happy too early. Before the Aiverson Empire could receive the cure. The news of Brenne's death came first.
Devastated by the news, Cyndy couldn't bear the loss of her mother and fell unconscious. When she woke up, she became withdrawn, and her bright eyes became dull. Nothing interested her anymore, and she started speaking less.
A week later, when the surviving members of the medical team returned, they also brought Brenne's last letter to her family.
In that letter, she wrote a lot of things she wanted to do and mentioned her regrets. Among those words, there was one last message that Brenne wanted to send to her daughter, Cyndy.
The contents were:
[Dear Cyndy, don't hate Mom, okay? I know you want to become a chef, like your father. However, I believe that the cuisine you pursue shouldn't only be tasty but also nutritious. I am sure you could become a far better chef than your father, who makes the best healthy and tasty food.
My only regret is that I couldn't be with you to witness your growth with my own eyes. So, forgive Mom, okay?
Mom loves you~]
---
Tears welled up in Cyndy's eyes as she reminisced about her past.
'I miss you... Mom.'