The Author's POV

"A...Amanda?"

Natasha's voice shook, as she looked at the girl standing before her. She looked so much older than when she had last seen her.

She was fully grown up now.

Natasha couldn't really explain the emotions she was feeling right now. Thinking about how she had lost the chance to see her daughter grow up, she felt a deep sense of sadness. What mother didn't want to see their child grow up? ...She knew that this was inevitable, but she couldn't hide the sadness she felt when seeing her daughter.

However, seeing just how beautiful and healthy her daughter had turned out, she was more gratified than sad.

Placing both of her hands by the side of the capsule, Natasha tried to get out. But as she tried to lift her hands, she found it extremely hard to do so as she had trouble coordinating her brain with her hand movements.

"Wait up."

Maylin who noticed this, waved her hand and the capsule enveloping Natasha tore apart. A gentle white glow enveloped Natasha as she levitate in the air.

Waving her hand once again, Natasha slowly moved toward the ground.

As Natasha's feet touched the ground, she stumbled a couple of steps. Amanda did try to offer her a hand, but raising her hand, Natasha refused.

"Let me."

Taking two steps forward she was somehow able to stabilize her body.

Having stayed in a coma for over fifteen years, this sort of reaction was understandable. Her brain needed to get adjusted to her muscles once again.

"Haa..."

Taking a deep breath, Natasha finally stood straight. Then, staring at Amanda and getting a proper look at her, the smile on her face became extremely gentle.

"...You've grown up so well."

With a face mixed with many different emotions, Amanda lowered her head. A smile also blossomed on her face.

Seeing this, Natasha raised her hands and motioned her to come to her.

"Come here, let's get a better look at you."

Complying with her mother's wishes, Amanda slowly walked up to her mother who placed both of her hands on her cheeks and slowly started to pinch. Her next comments caused Amanda's face to turn red in embarrassment.

"Mhh, very soft and smooth, not bad, not bad."

Letting go of her cheeks, Natasha looked at her up and down and commented.

"You've also developed quite nicely in all other departments. Very good, very good. There must be a lot of boys chasing after you, eh?"

"...Uh?"

Natasha's sudden words caused Amanda to freeze on the spot. What in the world was happening? She had not expected her mom to be so bold!

"You must be around how old now?"

Without waiting for Amanda to speak, Natasha placed her hand on her chin and pondered.

"I left you when you were just about to turn five, so you should be around nineteen to twenty years old. Five years younger than me from back then."

Natasha's brows furrowed when she thought that far.

Amanda may have been her daughter, but she was only five years younger than her if you took into account the fact that she had been frozen for fifteen years of her life. Her mentality and personality were still that of her twenty-five-year-old self.

"You're around nineteen to twenty years old if I'm not guessing wrong?"

"Mhm, I'm twenty years old."

with a soft

To be honest, she felt more like

old...huh, I can't believe my daughter is so old

as she said those words, but it left as fast as it came as

you

about the current world's circumstances. However, from

Maylin perhaps tell her about her

"About that..."

Amanda could explain, Maylin cut in and quickly told Natasha

had invited the humans into their domain and how

situation, Natasha

"Such thing happened?"

"Yes."

both

made it to the round of eights of

"She did?"

flashed across Natasha's eyes as she took another look at her daughter. Sensing the mana revolving

" rank?"

was not hiding her strength, it only took a moment for Natasha to distinguish her rank. Once she realized that Amanda was rank at just the tender age of twenty, she was left stunned. Even she, who was supposed to be one of the most talented humans back then was only

didn't doubt that she would reach her strength

you were able to make it so far in the tournament," Natasha

far outpaced the level of progress

her thoughts paused there, Natasha suddenly

curse. How were you able to find

curse. She knew best since she had spent countless days trying to find a way to remove it. In the end, after going

used as a

know gave it

answer caught Natasha

it

"Mhm."

"Is it a boy?"

to have noticed it as

"...Yes."

You are indeed at that

room and seeing that there was no one else,

is this so-called

"...Eh?"

her head as she looked at her mother with a confused look on her

to know

all!" Natasha replied, her voice raising a couple of pitches. "If I didn't thank the person that was able to help me

"Oh."

sudden look of understanding. She simply wanted to thank Ren.

so-called boy also in the

"He is."

small look of displeasure

it past the round

didn't go unnoticed by Natasha who inwardly thought. 'Ah, I see, so he's weaker than my girl, moreover, Maylin seems to dislike him. I

fifteen years, Natasha was still a mother

someone that was courting her daughter, she definitely wanted the best for

going to hand her daughter to him on a silver platter. He needed to meet her criteria, and

had not made it past the round of sixteen, but before she had the chance to do so, her mother's next words caused her to

"How is your dad?"

at her question, Natasha's heart

something happen to

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Amanda closed her eyes for a moment. Honestly, she didn't want to tell her mother about

spite, but because her mother had just woken up from a

shocked enough about the fact that fifteen years had passed, if she found out that her father had been missing for over three years, she wouldn't know how

look on her mother's face, Amanda didn't have the heart