833. A Wolf, A Moon, and A Mother

833. A Wolf, A Moon, and A Mother

A steep cliff face blocked her path now. The Star Child and the Little Frost had taken her to her final stop. They stood off the side and pointed up.

“Waiting! Up! Asteraceae!” The Little Frost lit up.

“Asteraceae... the flowers that bloomed once a year.” Cer saw those flowers along the walls of the cliff. “This is the same wall we passed every year. There should be a path around the left that’ll take me up, but... A shortcut wouldn’t hurt.”

Cer vanished from the ground with a great leap. She climbed the walls with the abilities of her current self as she recalled how much she used to struggle even walking a few meters up the steep slopes. The boulders that once gave her so much trouble was effortlessly blazed.

The bright, pale-blue light of the moon leaned over the cliff the higher she climbed. Vibrant Asteraceae blossomed in increasingly larger patches. Before long, she reached the top and was greeted with the most breathtaking sight.

A field of blue Asteraceae were in full bloom above the mountaintop, and the super moon encapsulated the entirety of the skies. She took a moment to bask in the moonlight. A cool breeze swept by, throwing petals and a sweet aroma into the air.

Then, she noticed a figure standing at the tip of a ledge further ahead.

It was another memory, no doubt. She approached the figure, the soft scrunches beneath her feet eventually stopping just meters behind the figure. Her back was the same as she remembered it.

“... There is a lot I want to say.” The Blue Dahlia began, her voice faded as though embarrassed... no, afraid to speak. “But I know there is so much more you want to get off your chest. Whether you do or decide to push me off this ledge is fine by me.”

Huh? Wait... when did this happen? What memory is this? I don’t remember this at all.

“As long as it’s what you decide then I’m more than happy to oblige. You were in danger. I couldn’t bear to leave you alone... You must be confused. Why would I help you, when all I’ve ever done was hurt you?”

This... it wasn’t Raoul’s memory!?

Cer’s hands hung loosely by her side. Her mouth split agape as she realized just whose wish was granted.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Cer. Or about anything while you’re here. No one will hurt you. I’ll stay right here, so don’t worry. I... selfishly wished to see you again. It’s perigean night, but all I could remember were the countless versions of you I erased hoping to find you.”

“Mom...” Cer couldn’t believe her eyes. “That’s you, right?”

The Blue Dahlia spun around, finally revealing herself to Cer. Her long, black dress sparkled with thousands of tiny crystal beads. The skirt of her dress bounced in the wind and emitted a soft jingle like there were bells hidden beneath.

That apparel was nothing like Cer had ever seen before, but she had heard how the Blue Dahlia did not wear blue despite her name. That part of her name was derived from the color of her eyes.

It was the outfit she wore as a Color, long before she had Raoul.

“Look at how much you’ve grown. You’re... so much taller than I remember.” She wanted to reach out towards Cer, but her hands remained seized behind her back.

An awkward air surrounded her. It was unbefitting for a beauty like her, but it couldn’t be helped. Cer could see how much this was weighing on her mother’s mind, to the point where she could physically see her burdens.

“I am.” Cer spoke softly. “Were you the one who called me here?”

“I was. I’m sorry if it was abrupt.”

“... why are you apologizing?”

“Do you have to ask?” The Blue Dahlia smiled, but it failed to hide the depth of her anguish. “... Ah... I should start from the beginning. Cer... I called you here because I wanted to see you again. I heard you were in trouble, so I had to help you. But maybe that was just an excuse to see you.”

The one up there? Well, there’s really only one person I can think of. That’s you Frost, huh.

“Frost? She’s the reason why we doing better now.”

“Frost. Such a cold name. Ahaha...” She managed to slip in a joke. “... I’m grateful. Eternally so... 30 years is a long time. Enough time for your father to find you. You can’t be hidden from him forever. Nor your sisters. But you... you’ll be wanted by him the most.”

She reached out towards Cer’s head, but hesitated.

Cer slowly lowered her head, inviting her mother to pat her.

“... Mm.” She hummed, delighted by Cer’s kindness. “If I had known you’d grow up so strong, or relied on Galia more, then there wouldn’t have been a need for this. Can I ask you something again, Cer? It’s... what I originally called you here for until I let my emotions take over me.”

“Anything. Please, ask me anything. I’m listening.” Cer obediently said.

“Are you Tempered?”

“They say I’m Tempered to the Second State.”

“Oh~?” The Blue Dahlia’s eyes sparkled. “You even know about the Emotional State?”

“It’s what Frost told me.”

“That Frost person must be just like Evelyn. She was the first person who taught me about the States. It was because of her that I was able to become a special kind of Color~ Cer, do you understand what the Light it?”

“We’re still figuring it out.”

“That’s good enough~ We, Cer, have enough Light where it was possible for me to lap up the waters of Lethe and take its power for my own. We’re like big, absorbent sponges. Looking back, that was probably where it all went downhill... What I mean to say is that you, your sisters, Raoul even – you have so much Light that there’s a lot of possibilities open to you... And you’re even Tempered.”

The Blue Dahlia removed one of her hands from Cer. She held out a finger, and just like that – a bright, tiny ball of Light formed at her fingertip.

“You can control your emotions even better than I can from what I see. You’ve grown so strong. A Moon of the Nexus... my own daughter. I’m so happy, but I know what you must have gone through to become one... Are you happy?”

“More than happy...”

“... Is Raoul happy?”

“He’s the reason why you’re...”

“... I’m aware. I won’t tell you stop what you’re about to do. Raoul... has always had trouble expressing himself. As a mother I can’t help but still love him, but...”

The expression the Blue Dahlia wore was one of longing. Longing for something beyond this world. Cer had seen that look countless times before, and she knew precisely what it meant.

Cer swallowed heavily. Her mother seemed to sense her unease, and so, she brought their heads close.

“Cer. Let me show you how to use the Light. What I am about to teach you will allow you to augment your Skills and weapons with it. We call it Absolution.”