The Two Wolves and Maria

"Another fifty years from now?"

"..."

Maria did not answer, but Celinina seemed to know something, and after a long silence, she slowly raised her head.

She looked at Maria and, almost unprecedentedly, made a request.

"Can I... hug you?"

"... Of course, girl."

Maria did not refuse the girl's request, who was on the verge of tears.

She took a small step forward and, like a mother, gently and intimately embraced the girl, stroking her soft hair with one hand.

Feeling that slightly trembling body.

Outside the quiet window, a faint silver-white shadow flashed by.

The long, gentle breeze extinguished the last vestiges of the setting sun's warmth and calmed the girl's wildly fluctuating emotions.

After hesitating for a long time, the girl reluctantly peeked out from that gentle embrace.

"Ms. Maria ..."

"Um?"

Will we meet again?

"Maybe yes, maybe no..."

Although Maria already knew that they would meet again in a few years, she still did not give the girl a direct answer.

If I had to give a reason...

It was because she found the girl's crying and vulnerable appearance rather cute.

"Yeah..."

Celinina kept her head down and didn't say anything.

Now that things have come to this, any further words would only add to the sadness; there's no need to say more.

Maria also stood up, gently stroked the girl's head, and offered her final blessing.

"Grow up well... girl."

She turned around and slowly opened the door.

"I hope that when I meet you again... you will have grown into a truly independent person..."

"Someone who can satisfy me..."

Chapter 243 The Twin Wolves and Maria

When Maria opened her eyes again, she was back in New Yharnam.

It was as quiet as ever here, and the eternal moonlight still hung high in the sky. The only difference was that the woman on the moon had slightly opened her eyes.

"You're back... the lazy Hunter?"

Right next to Maria, the Doll stood gently by, like a virtuous wife and loving mother, with a slight smile on her face.

Maria remained seated, quiet as if she had only rested for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, the Doll on the side remained unchanged.

"This time it will take quite a while..."

"I know."

Maria got up from her chair and stretched her body a little.

There was no stiffness at all...

A moment later, she took a small piece of Umbilical Cord from her pocket and handed it to the Doll.

This was also something she gained from Siracusa.

Although Rottish wasn't exactly a powerful Great Ones, it's clear that even the weakest Great Ones is still Great Ones, and his death could still bring Maria some benefits.

This small section of Umbilical Cord can provide even more benefits.

"I see..."

The Doll did not refuse. After taking the Umbilical Cord, it put it aside for the time being and its gaze returned to Maria.

Her gaze held a hint of worry.

Are you alright?

"I'm usually fine, Doll."

Maria didn't find the Doll's concerns unnecessary; after a brief examination, she confirmed that there was nothing wrong with her body.

That is indeed the case.

There really aren't many things in this world that could hurt Maria.

But...

Why would you ask that?

Maria was a little curious.

The Doll simply lowered its brow in worry.

"Because... your surname..."

"Cainhurst?"

Hearing the Doll's words, Maria knew that it must have seen what happened in the dream.

And that is indeed the case.

In the past, after killing the Great Ones named Rottish, she also dealt with the troublesome Sarkaz... In any case, she still has some connection with Salvadore.

Furthermore, with both Salvadore and Leonardo dead, the successor to Texas would undoubtedly be Celinina... For the sake of her protégé, Maria still took some time to provide her with a stable platform for succession.

During that period, Maria uncovered many things.

"I initially thought that what Agniel said about being the ruler of the Banshee Court was simply a responsibility I had taken on for some reason, but... now it seems that it might not be that simple."

Maria narrowed her eyes, slowly picked up the wine glass beside her, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

Maria is a very contradictory person.

She appears cold and aloof, but in reality, she values relationships exceptionally much.

She seems to be helpful to others, but there's always a limit to how much she helps.

As for her name... that's one of the few things Maria won't reveal.

It's not that the Cainhurst surname bothered Maria; it's mainly that... Maria has now become a new Great Ones.

Her name, too, possessed a terrifying power.

She could hear anyone calling her, anytime, anywhere... It was like an alarm bell hanging in Maria's ear.

As long as you call out, she will sense it.

Furthermore, some special spells, even if they cannot succeed on their own, can still invoke Maria's power simply by adding the name Cainhurst... although Maria generally does not grant such power.

And... there's another problem.

The names of other Great Ones are quite subtle, as it is almost impossible for human vocal organs to pronounce their real names. Therefore, various rituals are used to enhance or improve the voices they project.

But Maria, as a Great Ones, has a name that, while a bit strange, isn't the kind that can't be replicated... Countless people, in countless lives, will inevitably utter it a few times.

But Maria heard none of them... only Celinina's calls...

This is strange...

After Maria brought up the matter, the Doll beside her continued to add to the story.

"Actually... those calls do exist..."

"Hmm?" Maria turned her head and looked at the Doll beside her.

The Doll then showed a guilty expression.

"Those calls have always been there, but... I've blocked them out for you. I know you don't like people constantly bothering you, so I took the liberty of blocking them out for you..."

The gentle Doll spoke, a hint of unease appearing on her face.

Ultimately, she acted on her own initiative, and even a good-natured Hunter like her couldn't say for sure whether the other party would truly forgive her...

But clearly, she underestimated her importance in Maria's heart.

Maria was taken aback when she saw the Doll's self-reproach, then her shoulders relaxed slightly.

It seemed to be a bit of a laugh and cry situation.

"There's no need for that, Doll... I've always believed in you... It was like that before, it's like that now, and it will be like that in the future..."

She reached out and gently lifted that soft face, making her look into her eyes.

There was no blame in his calm gray eyes; a smile was revealed at the slightly lowered corners of his eyes.

"You don't need to feel any guilt about this... I trust your judgment..."

"Hunter ..." The Doll's eyes widened, a strange look appearing on its face.

She felt a lump in her throat, and that face so close to hers stirred her thoughts once again.

"However..." But the straightforward Maria didn't Doll chance to express her feelings, and turned to think again.

This Doll standing helplessly behind Maria, her face puffed up in anger.

"If that's the case... then I can understand why Celinina can call my name. Those three years of training have indeed established some kind of connection between us, although I can't make it tangible."

"But... I shouldn't have mentioned this name in this world before... So what was my purpose in writing it down in the language of the Banshees?"

Maria frowned, and unconsciously reached out her hand to write those ancient and mysterious characters.

(I will watch over you, my wife, my child, and when you call my name, I will return to you, loving Cainhurst...)

"That's strange... Hunter, do you have children?"

"Unlikely, Doll. I can't possibly mate with a human and have children... especially if the other person is also a woman."

Maria shook her head; her old-fashioned and rigid way of thinking still made it hard for her to believe that she would have offspring with a woman in the future.

Little Regret, however, had a subtle change in expression after looking at the text for a while.

Do you have any thoughts?

Maria noticed the other person's expression... To be honest, it was a novel feeling for Maria to be asked a question by someone who resembled her younger self.

"Um... well, actually... it's nothing..."

Maria's question suddenly made Little Regret nervous.

Of course, she wasn't nervous about Maria... Although they hadn't interacted much, she could sense that Maria wasn't some tough character who couldn't be talked to.

What truly frightened her was that guy who only acted like a timid, submissive woman in front of Maria...

"The Hunter is asking you... Don't overthink it, just tell me."

The Doll was smiling, and its crouching posture was approachable, but the hand stroking its head was enough to crush its skull...

This made Little Regret almost cry.

Maria, who was standing nearby, looked somewhat puzzled upon seeing this.

"She seems a little afraid of you, Doll... Do you know why?"

"Perhaps it's because I don't have your likable personality."

The Doll naturally wouldn't reveal what she had done to Maria before she arrived; she simply shook her head and continued looking at Little Regret.

His slightly lowered eyes said nothing, yet they seemed to say everything.

This frightening Little Regret made me quickly shake my head.

After a moment, she cautiously raised her head.