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

somewhat adjust to her mother's personality. To be honest, she felt more like a sister to her than her mother, but it wasn't like she could do anything about

years old...huh, I can't believe my

flashed across Natasha's eyes as she said those words, but it left as fast as it came as she looked back at

were you

she was young and so she didn't know about the current world's circumstances. However, from what she recalled humanity wasn't on good terms with the elves. For what

Maylin perhaps tell her about her situation and brought

"About that..."

cut in and quickly told Natasha about the world's

had invited the humans into their domain and how they were contemplating the

recount of the situation,

"Such thing happened?"

"Yes."

head before putting both of her

here made it to the round

"She did?"

her daughter.

" rank?"

tender age of twenty, she was left stunned. Even she, who was supposed

at which Amanda was progressing, Natasha didn't doubt

so far in the tournament," Natasha said with a tone

of progress far outpaced the level of progress of humanity

suddenly remembered

you able to

as she knew, there was no cure for the mind-breaker curse. She knew best since she had spent countless days trying to find a way to remove it. In the end, after going through countless books and papers, she was unable to

wanting to be taken hostage and used as a bargaining chip for her family, she was

know gave

Her answer caught Natasha off-guard

it to

"Mhm."

"Is it a boy?"

sharp, but Amanda didn't seem to have noticed

"...Yes."

You are

the room and seeing that there was no one

is this

"...Eh?"

at her mother with a confused

do you want to know where

the one that saved me after all!" Natasha replied, her voice raising a couple of pitches. "If I didn't thank the person that was able to help me reunite with you, then what would the

"Oh."

of understanding. She simply wanted to thank Ren. Before she could reply,

the way, is this so-called boy also

"He is."

for Amanda before a small look of displeasure flashed across her

made it

so he's weaker than my girl, moreover,

she had been absent for over fifteen years, Natasha was still a mother

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

to hand her daughter to him on a silver platter. He needed to meet her

Ren had not made it past the round of sixteen, but before

"How is your dad?"

her question,

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 what had

tell her out of spite, but because

was already shocked enough about the fact that fifteen years had passed, if she found out

the worried look on her mother's face, Amanda