The next day, Gray opened his eyes to the repeated sound of "Peek-a-boo... Koo-ka-re-koo..." performed by a local celebrity, Nikolai the rooster. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, which were pierced by the morning rays of sunlight, Gray discovered that he was lying on his mother's bare chest. It had been a long time since he had slept so comfortably.
Realizing that her youngest child had woken up and was staring at her breasts with a fascinated gaze, Katerina whispered in a slightly cheerful tone in an attempt to tease him: "Fufu, dear, there is no "Look, but don't touch" rule here, if you want morning milk, just take it."
Gray, realizing what his mother was talking about, did not think twice, attacked the free nipple with his lips and began to suck greedily. Not expecting such an outcome, Katerina was slightly taken aback, but she smiled anyway, patted her son on the head and said in a loving tone:
"Darling, if you wanted your mother's milk, you just had to ask, you know, your mother will never refuse you, I just thought that since you are already adults, you no longer want to drink your mother's milk. Fu-fu-fu," Katerina laughed, wiping away non–existent tears.
Gray did not answer, he continued to selflessly suck her milk, which he missed very much, while doing this, he kneaded his mother's big breasts with his small hands. It was as if he was trying to vent all his sorrows and frustrations on his mother's chest, making it clear that he was sad and needed a lot of love right here and now.
Waking up to her brother's energetic movements and her mother's voice, Grace saw her brother vigorously sucking milk straight from the source. Deciding that it was time to have breakfast, Grace clung to the other nipple and began to make swallowing movements.
Capturing such a scene, Katarina smiled gently and continued stroking her children's silky hair."Fu-fu-fu... Mama didn't realize how much she missed this, my little ones."
Finishing his meal first, Gray got up from the bed and, with a practiced leap, jumped to the floor. He was completely naked, but that didn't bother him. Somehow, after sleeping with his mother in the village, he felt totally relaxed. The constant moving around, which reminded him of the events of that fateful day, had finally ended, and he felt rested and full of energy.
If he thought about it calmly, nothing had really changed. He still had no magic. He was still with his mother and sister 24/7. Sometimes, a full rest without extra worries really worked wonders for one's mood. Suddenly, life once again shone in bright colors.
Walking over to the wardrobe, he put on the last remaining clean outfit: a pair of white pants and a loose shirt. As he dressed, Katarina leisurely brushed out Grace's long white hair, which had become tangled overnight. When she saw that Gray was done, she called him over, handed him a lock of Grace's brushed hair, and ordered him to braid it.
Once their usual morning routine was complete, their mother looked at her children with a proud gaze.
The little girl stood in a snow-white dress with a floral pattern. Her white bangs covered her small forehead, emphasizing her large blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds. Her petite nose highlighted her plump lips, stretched into a cheerful smile with dimples in her cheeks. Two neat braids peeked out from beneath her silver silky hair, falling down her slender shoulders. She looked like a beautiful angel, pure and innocent.
The boy was dressed in simple white clothes. His equally blue eyes gazed at her calmly and lovingly, penetrating into the deepest corners of her soul and conveying tender feelings of attachment and devotion. His short, dark-as-night hair was stylishly tousled, and his slender face with a sharply defined chin bore the playful smile she had missed so much. He resembled a work of art—sweet and innocent, yet devilishly charming. He was so beautiful at his tender age that she seriously feared how many young ladies' hearts he would break when he grew up.
Smirking at her own thoughts, Katarina headed toward the door, where Cassia was already standing in her usual maid outfit, her black cat ears perked up in anticipation of her mistress's commands.
"Cassia, this isn't a hotel or an inn. This is our home. You don't need to stand guard outside our door. Please, rest in your room. You've worked hard, and I don't want anyone saying I mistreat my maid. Understood?" she said in a caring but firm tone.
"Yes, ma'am," the maid replied, blushing slightly.
"Good. Now let's go introduce the children to the villagers."
When they stepped outside, they were met by a lively scene where a diverse crowd had gathered around the elder's house, intending to greet Katarina and her children. Elder Mark tried to convince them to disperse and wait at home, but no one listened. Here and there, he was met with insults like:
"Old man Ma, get lost! I haven't seen little Katya in ten years, and you're telling me to leave?""Old man, don't block the path of this respectable old woman, or I'll bruise your dumplings!""If you don't move now, you won't get my booze or tobacco!""I heard someone mistreated our little Katya on the street, and you're still here. Shame on you, you old bastard!"
And so on. The whole scene resembled an angry mob bullying a one-legged invalid.
The scene fell silent when Katarina appeared, accompanied by her children. She was slightly taken aback by the crowd's enthusiasm but quickly gathered herself.
"Greetings, Elders," she began, bowing slightly. "This lovely girl is my eldest daughter, Grace."
"Hello, grandmothers and grandfathers," Grace sang sweetly in a cheerful voice, receiving a chorus of responses.
"What a darling, the spitting image of Katya as a child. Brings back memories.""Oh, how adorable. Come to grandma—grandma will get you something to eat. Look how skinny you are.""Like mother, like daughter. She'll grow up to be a beauty capable of toppling empires with just her smile."
"And this young gentleman is my youngest son, Gray. Please take care of him," Katarina introduced.
This time, voices didn't respond immediately. The elders took a moment to examine the boy as if he were an unfamiliar creature. But then followed the same chorus of voices:
"Aiya, what a handsome lad. Even at my age, my heart skipped a beat.""Eh, if I were a couple thousand years younger, I'd steal him just for myself.""Katya, have you despaired of this world and decided to create the perfect husband yourself?""Toned figure, confident gaze—he's the ideal warrior.""I hadn't heard that Adonis had reincarnated. Why didn't anyone tell me? How can a man be so flawless?"
Watching the reaction of the elderly, Katarina proudly nodded, encouraging them to praise her children even more. It was as if she were declaring to the whole world: Look, I created this! Yes, yes, these are my beautiful children. Oh, stop praising them already... Well, alright, keep going.
As the compliments continued, her radiant smile lit up the already bright day, making the villagers even more spirited.
Cassia, standing behind her mistress, watched the scene with a stoic face, but her tail, swishing back and forth, betrayed her true thoughts. She had watched the children grow, played with them, and protected them.
When the tragedy struck little Gray, her heart shattered. She had wanted to cry and attack everyone in the acropolis, but she couldn't. She stood, protecting her mistress. Later, when she stole Grace from that wretched woman Eva, helping her mistress reclaim her daughter, she remembered why she had sought strength in the first place.
Her tender feline heart had never beaten so fiercely.
In her mind, she vowed that she would always stay by Gray's side. She would be his shadow, his guardian, his friend—and if necessary, his wife. She would always protect him, even if he lived his life as a mortal.
She would never regret it. Hearing the crowd praise her beloved young master, a single tear of happiness rolled down her cheek.