"Who are you?" Muku woke up groggily. Having been in outer space for too long, she was a bit dazed, but she still had her basic vigilance. She had only sealed her sense of loneliness, not her intelligence, so she could still communicate.
"As one of your own, haven't you recognized my identity?" Kuesumi looked at the dazed Muku with amusement. She didn't even try to sense her identity immediately. If Kuesumi hadn't had any ill intentions, this child would have been in big trouble.
"Is there something you need?" Muku said calmly, but Kuesumi's ability immediately saw through her slightly lowered guard.
"Would you like to have some tea together?"
Kuesumi activated her AT Field and set up a tea party in outer space.
"Drink! This is an exquisite tea I brought from Italy. And these pastries all taste good, try them!"
Seeing Muku sitting there, hesitant to move, Kuesumi smiled and explained the items on the table to her. Slowly, Muku relaxed. She picked up the cup and took a small sip, and the calm expression on her face instantly changed slightly.
"Delicious!"
Kuesumi looked at Muku's expression, feeling pleased. Little rascal! Could the tea I personally brewed not be delicious? Plus a little powdered dried golden apple, which can evoke beautiful emotions in people's hearts. Dealing with a little girl like this is effortless.
"Tasty, delicious."
Muku, with her mouth full of sweets, was as adorable as a little squirrel, making one's heart lighten.
"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."
Gently wiping away the crumbs from Muku's mouth, Kuesumi exuded a maternal glow. This stirred a tiny memory in Muku's heart; her older sister used to treat her with such gentleness at home.
"Nai~~, do you want to be my friend?"
Kuesumi clearly sensed the fluctuations in Muku's heart. With the intention of helping this poor child, Kuesumi's demeanor became increasingly gentle, coupled with her peerless beauty, doubling her aura of kindness. This impact struck the seal deep within Muku's heart, causing it to loosen slightly.
"..." Muku was silent. She wanted to nod in agreement, but a voice told her to refuse. Fear of being hurt again, fear that this was just temporary kindness, fear of her heart being wounded again, fear... So much fear.
"You don't have to agree right away. Would you like to listen to some music?"
Clearly sensing Muku's resistance and fear, a hint of pity flashed in Kuesumi's eyes. She took out her violin and asked Muku.
Not being forced by Kuesumi to answer, Muku clearly felt relieved. She nodded, accepting Kuesumi's invitation to listen to her play.
Smiling at the adorable Muku, Kuesumi took out her violin.
After a quick warm-up, Kuesumi began to play.
Beautiful and soothing violin music resonated in this unexplored space. String after string of elegant notes playfully entered Muku's ears, bringing her an unprecedented feeling. The seal on her heart was completely unable to block the intrusion of the notes. They permeated Muku's heart, calming her inner agitation. Completely different from the 'Requiem' Kuesumi played last time, this time Kuesumi played a song from her previous life. A song called 'Like You,' Kuesumi played it with a feeling of intertwined longing and love, pouring her yearning and love for Athena's dozen children into it. She completely 'demonically altered' a love song, making it entirely without lyrics. Muku didn't hear anything amiss, only feeling her inner emotions slowly swell.
What parent doesn't love their child? Even if Zeus was forced to have offspring, this doesn't affect her love for her children. The children are not at fault; the fault lies with the scoundrels who got Zeus pregnant. If she could solve Gaia's problem, Zeus felt that living with her children wouldn't be bad. As a failed 'mother,' Zeus's current predicament is basically her own doing.
If she had properly increased her strength from a young age, she wouldn't have been pressed onto the bed and rubbed by Gaia in one encounter, nor would she have had to appear in various disguises, fleeing everywhere to gain strength later on.
The emotion of the music transformed into a warm sensation that emerged from the depths of her heart, flowing through her limbs, warm and comforting.
"Pl-please... please, don't... don't enter my heart anymore, okay? It makes me, it makes me so uncomfortable." Tears streamed down Muku's cute face, but as her heart slowly warmed, her resistance became powerless. She was completely unable to stop the notes from entering. She knelt weakly on the spot. Her mouth involuntarily hummed along with the music, and finally, her seal shattered.
"Phew~~" After finishing the song, Kuesumi stopped.
Muku, who had been crying a river, also came to her senses from the melody of the music.
"What is this song called?"
Muku asked, choking back sobs.
"'Like You,' that's the name of this song."
Smiling at Muku, Kuesumi said the song's name. She also loved this song very much. When she was grinding a certain academy game, she would listen to this song and cry while getting ten consecutive draws of only materials. 'Like You' for no reason. 'Willing to spend until death for you!'
"Nai~~, come with me! I will be your family, accept you, and cherish you! I will give you a warm home."
Walking in front of Muku, Kuesumi extended her right hand. With a brilliant smile, she invited Muku.
Looking at Kuesumi's smile, Muku's hand unconsciously reached out slowly.
"Eh!" Without Muku even realizing it, her body instinctively moved. It tightly grasped Kuesumi's right hand, like a drowning person grasping the last straw for survival.
"What is this feeling? Is this warmth? Is this love?" Muku stared blankly at her hand, which was holding onto Kuesumi, as if a warm current was flowing from her hand to her heart.
"Sigh~~!" Before Muku could think further, Kuesumi pulled her up from her kneeling position.
"Good child! No one will hurt you again. Come home with me!"
Holding Muku tightly in her arms, Kuesumi, like a doting mother, stroked Muku's small head.
"Why? Why is this person's embrace so warm? Why can't I stop crying, even though I don't want to? Why, why?"
In Kuesumi's arms, Muku, treated with such gentleness, completely let down her guard. Her seal was fully released. Now she was like a child clinging to her mother, seeking comfort in her mother's embrace after being bullied. She cried sadly, but her voice carried a hint of joy.
Kuesumi gently held Muku and slowly flew towards Earth.
This search has come to an end, but the tragedy is not completely over.
"I will eventually get justice for you." Kuesumi thought, hugging Muku tightly. The two returned to Earth.
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