Ceday’s POV:

When I was passing by to shop at the market, I crossed the lord who asked me to wish for something.

Of course, I wished for my son to be intelligent.

He laughed, and proposed me this:

“If you do something for me every now and then, I’ll give you books from the manor to bring to your child.”

He wasn’t very specific with the details, but I took the offer without hesitation.

Books were very expensive and rare to find in these parts.

There were no libraries in these poor towns and villages.

Most of Dunwich’s people are illiterate.

When I had the chance to get my child an opportunity to learn and have potential later in his life, I couldn’t let it down, no matter the cost.

The cost?

My body.

I was truly disgusted by the demand for me to pleasure him when I came around a second time.

But he threatened that if I left now, he’d conspire that I was a devious woman.

A woman who uses her body for other men so freely is surely to be condemned and damned by the people who follow the church.

This town has a small church near the eastern parts where they behead and humiliate townspeople who speak, or do anything against the church.

But maybe I was a devious woman because of the things I’ve done to get a hand on these books.

Every visit, I’d have to please him. It always ended in sex.

I loved Otis, and I would never do him wrong, as I hope he would think likewise.

But I was sure he’d understand if I was doing this for Alaric.

I hated every moment being in that damned manor…

I would do the worst things so that Alaric could prosper and live happily.

Sure, I was upset when I found out that I was pregnant at 24, leading to such an early retirement in adventuring (Otis didn’t handle it any better, but he had to take responsibility), but Alaric is something special.

He’s not just my child, I heard voices in my head.

It could have been Hyldum himself…

The voices told me that I would bear, and birth the world’s savior.

The voices told me to endeavor whatever harm comes his way, and give him an adequate position to grow.

In return, I will receive everlasting peace after death beyond heaven's gates…

Call me selfish, but I did sincerely love Alaric, and I would do anything for him and Hyldum.

I thought that Alaric was surely in an adequate position now.

He’s only 1 years old, yet he already has a knack for reading!

At least I think he does. He tends to his books quite often, and quite possibly, always.

My child has great potential, and I will ensure he pursues it at all costs.

Whatever savior he may be, if all for the name of Hyldum, I will always be on his side.

I’ve never seen a 1-year old be as dignified and mature as Alaric, so the voice must be true.

I boast about him everyday, to my friends, and even to Otis who’s out for a large portion of the day working.

However dignified and mature he may seem, he does become agitated when I disrupt his reading.

Surely, anyone would do the same.

But if the voices in my head spoke falsely, or it was just my imagination that has spoken to me, then so be it.

I would still do anything for Alaric.

He looks so much like his father…

Everyday I think of him.

I admire him.

Call it obsession if you wish so…

I’m sure my mother was like this, too, but certainly not as much as I.

Even if he’s just a normal person, so be it.

I can’t explain to you my love for him. I would die for him.

I would go through the worst to see his smile.

In my chest, I feel warmth and anxiousness for Alaric.

I’m thankful that I didn’t join the kingdom alongside my brother, and instead went to the guild and met Otis.

Otis is so reckless, it makes him cute.

He’s not as brash as the other men in the guild when they approach me, and he kind’ve didn’t know how to talk to women.

I felt as if I could build him.

I was wrong- because he’s still an idiot who really only talks to me about his past adventures (especially the ones we’ve been on together), like when we fought a baby dragon on Dragoness Hills.

Yeah, he saved me once or twice on those hills, but I saved him nearly 10 times.

A swordsman was no match for such a beast, anyway…

Well, enough of that.

I should go back to fantasizing the woman Alaric will marry in the future and have children.

I’ll be such a great grandmother, fondling my grandchildren's hair and telling them stories of Alaric’s past or the history of myself.

I’d be in a better home with Otis, with a better bed, better environment, better food…

Those things were things I could only wish for until I had Alaric.

Until that day, I’ll raise him the best I could…