Mother and Daughter (7K) (Continued)

Only...

"Judging from your expression, you seem to dislike your birth mother, don't you? Is it because of her status, that she was just a maid?"

"No! I've never thought that way!"

Kallen immediately denied it, then lowered her head in frustration.

"I never cared about her background, it's just because... my mother... was an idiot."

Despite her sharp words, Kallen's tone was filled with exhaustion.

"She's different from me. She's not recognized at all, and as a result, she's treated like a servant, bossed around. Because she can't do anything, she just laughs stupidly no matter how much she's mocked. She doesn't need to live here at all, but she insists on staying here and fawning over her former lover."

"So, because of this you hate and look down on your mother?"

"I just feel annoyed."

As she said those words, Kallen's expression returned to calm, without the slightest emotion, like a machine programmed to respond automatically.

Clearly, this wasn't what she truly felt.

But Mahiro had no intention of pressing the matter further, simply replying with a curt "Is that so?", thus lightly turning the page on this heavy chapter for Kallen.

He then changed the subject, saying:

"By the way Kallen, do you really know your mother well?"

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Kallen looked up at him, puzzled.

"Of course, I'm talking about your birth mother, not your stepmother, although she's been very good to you too."

Where did you treat me well?

Kallen wanted to respond loudly like that.

Prejudice and hatred towards Britannia were almost ingrained in her bones, so even her stepmother's discipline was seen as disgust towards her as a mixed-race person with Area 11 blood.

However, Kallen suppressed her feelings and answered his question.

"I know her well, because she's a complete idiot. Desperate to get her ex-lover back, she stubbornly stayed in that house, enduring endless humiliation but refusing to leave..."

When Kallen said this, she was both extremely angry at their lack of ambition and very confident.

But Mahiro shook his head slightly and said:

"I think you don't understand her at all, Kallen. Do you really think your mother stayed in that family just to get the head of the Stadtfeld family's attention back, and not for some other reason?"

"How could there be any other reason!"

Kallen stood up agitatedly and roared at Mahiro, "You've only just met her, what do you know about her!"

His words seemed to have touched upon some of Kallen's deepest memories, making it impossible for her to maintain her composure and serenity as a young lady.

Even so, Mahiro simply smiled.

"This is indeed the first time I've met her, and I don't know what that woman went through in the past. But I think someone like a mother is probably similar."

When Mahiro spoke, his eyes were filled with memories and reminiscence.

He thought of Maya Yotsuba, that woman.

The woman who, though not directly conceived him, poured out all her love for him in a twisted way.

However, seeing Kallen's intense agitation, he spoke calmly:

"I think you're smart enough to know the answer in your heart, Kallen, but you just don't want to admit it and keep denying it. Why don't you put aside your prejudices and find some time to have a good talk with your biological mother?"

"What do I have to talk about with her!"

"That's your own business; I'm just offering a suggestion."

Mahiro shrugged, then stood up from the bench, stretched, and said:

"Anyway, I've said what I needed to say, and it's getting late, so I should head back."

"If I get back any later, who knows what that damn pizza witch will be saying about me behind my back again..."

He muttered to himself as he walked away into the distance, leaving Kallen alone in the wind, lost in thought.

What could I possibly have to talk about with that woman?

And you say I already have the answer in my heart?

What is the answer?

On her way home, Kallen kept thinking about these questions, completely ignoring the maids' attempts to comfort her once she got home.

Although she couldn't understand it, the woman's smile inexplicably kept replaying in her mind.

This memory prompted her to linger briefly in the lobby on the first floor before heading towards a side corridor.

That was the most secluded spot in the mansion, a storage room for various odds and ends, and also the residence of her biological mother.

Kallen silently pushed open the innermost door and walked straight into the room she had never entered before.

But everything that came into view was extremely jarring.

This is a room about the size of a corridor or hallway. The air isn't very well-ventilated, but it's kept as clean as possible, without a speck of dust.

Even though the floorboards creaked a bit from years of neglect.

However, the walls on both sides were completely out of place with the clean and tidy atmosphere, covered with all kinds of graffiti, with obscene and vulgar language written in Britannia.

It's obvious at a glance that this was written by another servant.

Because the servants employed by the prestigious Stadtfeld family were almost all Britannia, her mother was the only Japan among them.

As a result, her mother suffered endless bullying from these servants.

For example, once, my mother fell off the ladder and broke the chandelier.

The broken edge on the ladder stool was clearly sawn off.

However, it was the mother who was verbally abused by her stepmother.

Kallen had seen bruises on her mother's face.

That was from being hit by building blocks, because he was too slow.

She was outside weeding when it rained.

Without an umbrella, I got completely soaked.

Kallen couldn't bear to watch any longer and told her to go back inside, but she wouldn't listen.

Because if you don't finish your work during the day, you'll definitely be scolded by the head maid.

She was wearing only thin clothes in the dead of winter.

Kallen had secretly placed a coat in her room. The coat was carefully chosen; it was the kind that wasn't conspicuous, and no one would find it suspicious if Eleven wore it.

However, Kallen had never seen her wear that coat.

Kallen angrily confronted her, only to be told that "there's a hole in it." In reality, it was less a hole and more a slit deliberately cut open with a knife.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Kallen can only imagine the immense malice and mockery she endured in places she couldn't see or was unable to see.

Even so, she stubbornly refused to leave.

At first, Kallen had tried to persuade her many times.

But no matter what happened, Mother refused to leave the villa...

Thinking of this, Kallen's heart was filled with anger, but also with a touch of sadness.

"I shouldn't have listened to that guy. What's there to talk about with her anyway!"

Kallen angrily opened the door, and just as she was about to leave, a soft call caught her attention.

"Kallen..."

"This title..."

Kallen turned around abruptly and saw a woman slowly rising from the dark crevice at the head of the bed.

She hadn't heard that title in a long time. Since entering the Stadtfeld family, her mother had never called her that, always using the disgusting word "Miss."

But now...

But Kallen quickly discovered the problem.

"Don't run around, it's dangerous, Kallen."

Her birth mother ran quickly through the narrow gap and crashed headfirst into the wall in front of her.

She fell to the ground, a bruise appearing on her forehead, but even so, the woman seemed completely oblivious, getting up again and running towards the wall.

Repeat this process several times.

"Stop right now!"

Kallen could no longer bear to watch and quickly spoke up to stop them, her body involuntarily moving as she grabbed the woman.

"What exactly do you want?!"

Kallen grabbed the woman's shoulders and forcefully turned her to face her.

But when she held it, she realized just how frail the woman's body was, as if she could break her bones with the slightest force.

The woman's gaze wasn't on her; instead, it was unfocused and empty, as if she were staring into the distance.

How so...

"You've always been by my side, Kallen, you've always been here with me."

With each call from the woman, Kallen finally noticed a metal syringe lying in the corner and syringes scattered in the open drawer.

"REFRAIN?!"

Kallen's pupils contracted sharply.

That substance was a contraband that had recently become a bestseller in the Tokyo Area.

Looking at her mother's appearance and the numerous needles covering her arm, Kallen finally understood.

His deep blue eyes were brimming with tears, and also with intense anger.

Unable to contain himself, he roared out loud:

"Are you really that unable to let go of the past? Do you really want to rekindle your old flame with your lover?! To even use such a banned substance, to even use such a banned substance... You're such a fool! You big fool!"

Her tearful scolding had no effect on the woman; even shaking her shoulders frantically was to no avail.

The person she was yelling at still had a gentle and happy smile on their face.

"Mother!"

Kallen couldn't help but utter those words she hadn't spoken in so long.

At that very moment, the woman's pupils seemed to refocus, and her gaze slowly fell upon her.

A withered hand gently landed on her cheek, helping to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Don't cry, Kallen, Mommy's here... From now on, you're Britannia... You won't have to suffer anymore! You can sleep in a warm, comfortable bed every day, drink delicious milk, eat your favorite bread, wear beautiful clothes, and dress up gorgeously! You can use the phone and travel freely!"

The woman gently stroked her cheek and spoke softly.

"And don't be afraid of the new environment, Mom is right here... No matter how difficult it gets, Mom will always be with you..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Kallen felt her head go blank, followed by a strong feeling of suffocation, so strong that she felt like she was about to faint.

She forced herself to stay on the ground.

Looking at her mother's gentle smile and her eyes full of happiness, even just a simple glance made Kallen feel her heart tremble.

Pain!

It hurts!

It hurts so much!