V2: Chapter 69: I Will Save You, My Child
Though reluctant, Octaville knew she had to let go of Liang Di. She couldn't let a moment of impulsiveness ruin all her years of hard work.
So, she hardened her heart and pulled Liang Di's little hands away from her clothes.
She stroked Liang Di's head, her voice unusually gentle, "Liang Di, be good. In a few days, in a few days, Mommy will take you home, um... take you out to play, okay?"
Liang Di looked at Octaville with teary eyes, but she believed that Octaville would definitely take her away from this place that caused her so much pain, because her Fu-Mama had always been so, so good to her.
"Okay."
"Alright."
Liang Di reluctantly let go of her little hands.
"Then, then you must come pick me up, okay..."
A hint of grievance lingered in her voice. Liang Di sniffled hard, then whimpered twice, looking pitiful as she touched the wound on her arm.
Octaville still couldn't bear it.
"Lord Tower Master, I think this child... no, this little monster's self-healing ability isn't very good yet. If it gets infected, it'll be difficult to treat. Let's apply some magic potion to it; the wound will heal faster, making it easier for us to conduct research, won't it?"
Hearing this, the Tower Master nodded noncommittally.
"Hmm, you have a point. Someone, get some medicine to apply to it." The Tower Master approached Liang Di, a hint of contempt and disgust in his eyes. "Tsk, this wound looks quite serious. Hmm… After applying the medicine today, let it rest for a while. We can continue the experiments tomorrow. Don't kill her."
"Yes, Tower Master."
"Good girl." Octaville ruffled Liang Di's hair again, reluctantly turning her head away. She was afraid that if she looked at Liang Di again, she would soften her heart again. "Be good, be obedient, and I'll take you out to play."
On the other side, Prescott was still trying to smooth things over, dealing with the Tower Master.
"Okay, Mama...."
But…
Liang Di waited for three months.
The child was truly young and truly had no memory. She only remembered Octaville saying she would take her out to play. So, she counted on her fingers, tilting her head to calculate, day after day, almost a hundred days passed.
"When will Mama take me out to play?"
"I've been behaving really well lately. I don't resist anything they do to me. I'm very good, very good."
Liang Di is smarter, more mature, and more lively and adorable than other children her age. It's precisely because of this that Octaville's heartache for her reaches its peak.
"Mama, when will I finally get to go out to play? I really want to go out and play. I don't want to stay here anymore. It hurts so much every day..."
This is the third time Octaville has secretly come to see Liang Di. She comes once a month, not daring to come too often, afraid of being discovered by the Tower Master or by any scheming magician.
Octaville's heart is filled with bitterness, and her mouth tastes bitter too, but she really can't help it; she truly can't do it.
Another three months have passed.
The turning point comes with a new round of torment.
"Aaaaaaah!"
A piercing scream tore through the air above the magic tower.
Octaville had a bad feeling. She had just returned from her mission, and just one glance into the hall made her heart stop.
Liang Di cried out, struggling frantically.
"That's…"
"That's…?"
It was a severed finger?
Her little finger, cruelly severed, lay helplessly on the table. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with fear and pain, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She cried out, her voice filled with despair and helplessness, each cry seeming to be torn from the depths of her heart. Her body struggled painfully on the table, trying to escape this endless agony, but to no avail.
Blood gushed from her wound, staining a small patch of the table crimson, a horrifying sight. Her little finger lay limply to one side; her once small and lovely hand now appeared so fragile and desolate.
The magicians around were startled by this sudden turn of events, but quickly dismissed it. It was just a little finger; it wouldn't kill her. As long as the bleeding stopped, wouldn't that be enough?
"What? It's just a broken little finger."
"She was screaming so loudly, I thought she'd lost her whole arm."
"Ugh, so monsters feel pain too. She looks like she's in a lot of pain. Let's stop the bleeding first."
"It's better to be quick."
"What's wrong? Does her crying make your heart ache?"
"Hehehe, don't disgust me. Me, feeling sorry for a monster? Are you kidding me? I just think her crying is so annoying."
Octaville's heart ached at seeing her adopted daughter in such a miserable state. She wanted to rush to her daughter, to offer her comfort in her arms.
Sure enough.
She couldn't resist!
"Get away!"
Veins bulged on Octaville's forehead. She shoved aside the magicians in front of her and ran to Liang Di's side. Her heart was breaking, and her hands trembled as she carefully cradled Liang Di in her arms. Blood still seeped from Liang Di's severed finger, each drop feeling like a drop falling on Octaville's heart, the pain almost unbearable.
She held her adopted daughter tightly, trying to warm her cold body with her own, trying to support her faltering life with her own strength. Her tears streamed down her face, mingling with Liangdi's.
"Ma, Mama..."
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Mommy is here."
Octaville choked back sobs, her voice filled with helplessness and despair. She didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do, she could only repeat these words over and over, hoping to bring a sliver of security to the poor child in her arms.
However, Liang Di's pain did not lessen. She continued to cry and struggle, trying to escape this nightmare.
“Mama Fu…”
“Good girl.”
“Mama.”
“Liang Di, Mommy will take you away from here.”
A tear rolled down Octaville’s cheek.
She hadn’t cried in a long time; this was the first time she had shed a tear in all her years as a magician.
She was a mother.
She was Liang Di’s mother.
No mother doesn’t love her child; no mother doesn’t feel heartache for her child.
“I’m sorry, Mommy will take you away now.”
Octaville picked up Liang Di, and amidst the shocked gazes of the many magicians, she tried to push past them, wanting to take Liang Di away from this place filled with pain.
“Octaville, are you crazy?!”
A magician reached out and blocked Octaville’s path.
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