Colen's cold voice echoed in the silence of the library. "Okay, that's all I can teach you for today."
Maxi frowned, unable to suppress his frustration. "What? We didn't even get to the main history yet."
Colen's gaze was as unflinching as his voice. "Yeah, because your foolish tutor didn't teach you the foundations of history first. You need to know this to fully understand the main history."
Maxi sighed, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "Fine, tomorrow then."
"Of course," Colen replied, his tone almost mocking. "For now, study up. Your test is coming soon."
Maxi's eyebrows shot up. "It's only the 16th of Elve. I've got plenty of time."
"No," Colen corrected. "Your test is on the 23rd. Seven days left."
Maxi's mouth fell open, but he sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."
Colen stood, his movements fluid, and began walking toward one of the towering bookshelves. Maxi, lost in his thoughts, remained seated at the giant long table. After a moment, Angelina, quietly joined him, sitting beside him with a soft sigh.
"Are you seriously going to study the rest of the day?" she asked, half-exasperated.
Maxi shook his head. "Not the rest of the day. I plan on seeing my mother."
Angelina's expression softened into a slight smile. "That sounds nice."
Maxi nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, but after that, I'm reading the rest of the day."
Angelina exaggerated a long, dramatic sigh. Maxi couldn't help but chuckle, returning to his reading. For the next two hours, he read through the books, finishing the first and making significant progress in the second. When he reached a stopping point, he closed the book with satisfaction, feeling the rush of completion as if he had eaten a hearty meal.
Looking over at Angelina, he saw that she had fallen asleep. He gently tugged at her red wolf tail, and she jolted awake with a small yelp, clutching her tail protectively. Maxi giggled, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"I've read enough. Let's go," Maxi said.
"Don't do that again," Angelina mumbled, her voice still groggy as she rubbed her eyes.
Maxi smirked but didn't say another word. He stood and walked through the vast, labyrinthine library, eventually finding his way to the exit. The corridor beyond led him up a spiraling staircase that smoothed into a wide walkway leading into the main castle.
"Angelina, where's the garden?" Maxi asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Opposite way of the library," she answered.
Maxi sighed. "Thanks."
"Your welcome, young master," she responded with a smug smile.
They made their way down another hallway, passing unoccupied rooms until they finally arrived at the lush indoor garden. The evening light bathed the space in a soft, golden glow. In the center of the garden stood a grand tree, its branches adorned with light purple flowers that shifted to pink under the sun's rays. Beneath the tree sat a graceful bench, carved from light-brown wood, and on it sat a breathtaking woman in a royal maid's dress—Maxi's mother.
Maxi's eyes brightened. He ran toward her, and before she could even register his movement, he was already in her lap. She jumped in surprise, but when she saw it was him, she smiled warmly and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"How are you, my sweet angel?" she asked, her voice tender.
Maxi giggled slightly. "I'm fine, mom. How are you?"
His mother smiled and picked him up, holding him closer. "I'm fine, but how did you know I'd be here?"
Maxi grinned. "Techxin told me. I asked him, since I hadn't seen you in a while."
His mother raised an eyebrow playfully. "Oh, so Techxin told you, not Angelina?" She shot a teasing look toward Angelina, who was standing off to the side with a knowing smile.
Maxi smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I missed you."
His mother chuckled softly, hugging him even tighter, nuzzling against him, which made Maxi laugh uncomfortably. He tried to say between laughs, "Stop, stop, okay, fine, I missed you a lot."
"Good," his mother said with satisfaction, her smile full of warmth.
Maxi couldn't help but think about how much more he was starting to enjoy this motherly love. It was a feeling he had never fully experienced in his past life, but it was something he cherished deeply now. He knew how much he had missed out on with his previous mother, but this new connection made up for everything. He then felt sad for his mother in his past life, but he also felt that he hated for things he didn't yet remember
Maxi spoke to her about the books he was reading—monsters, magic, and all the strange, intricate things that filled the pages of the books. His mother listened intently, asking questions and showing genuine interest in what he had to say. Maxi answered as best as he could, feeling a deep sense of fulfillment as they bonded. He hadn't had this with his last mother, and it made the present moment feel all the more precious.
After their conversation, Maxi sat on her lap, absorbing the warmth of her embrace. But as he sat there, a memory from his past life flashed across his mind. His father, in a suit and golden-rimmed glasses, stood over him. Maxi's bruised, beaten body—covered in blood and broken glass—stood before his father's cold gaze. His father spoke softly, and though his words were lost in the haze of pain, Maxi remembered the embrace that followed. His father had held him, patted his back gently, and Maxi had cried silently, feeling the weight of everything he'd been through.
Maxi's lips curled into a slight, bittersweet smile. "Thank you, Dad," he whispered quietly, his heart swelling with emotion.
Tears welled up in his eyes, but the warmth of his mother's embrace prevented them from falling. It was as if her love alone was enough to shield him from the pain of the past.
Angelina watched from a distance, a soft smile on her face. She saw the transformation, how the love of his mother had filled the empty spaces in his heart, offering him solace and warmth. It was a beautiful moment—one of joy, not sorrow.