The little girl asked nervously,
"What are you doing?"
"I'm treating you. Don't move. You'll be fine soon."
As Noah spoke, he took out medicine and carefully applied it to the wounds on the little girl's feet. Within moments, the cuts and scrapes closed, leaving her smooth skin unblemished. The little girl wiggled her toes in wonder.
"It doesn't hurt anymore!"
"Of course it doesn't. I healed it for you."
Noah clapped his hands clean, stood up, and asked her,
"So, what do you want to do now?"
The little girl froze, startled by the question. Then her eyes widened as she blurted out,
"That's right! I want to go find my mom!"
"Where's your mother? Tell me and I'll go with you."
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Let's go."
Following the girl's lead, Noah walked alongside her. Soon snowflakes began to fall from the sky, the temperature plummeting sharply. Seeing the child shiver, Noah quietly draped more clothing around her shoulders.
They entered deep into the snow-capped mountains, surrounded by endless white. Snow blanketed the ground and the trees alike, turning the world into a vast, shimmering expanse.
The little girl staggered forward, her small body weary from having run such a long way. Yet, even exhausted, she stubbornly pushed on, determined to find her mother.
Noah tried to persuade her to stop and rest, but she shook her head fiercely. All she wanted was to reach her destination as soon as possible.
Seeing how resolute she was, Noah couldn't force her. Instead, he quietly invoked his gravity magic. The pressure around the girl's body lessened, making her steps light and effortless.
The little girl blinked in surprise as her body suddenly felt weightless. She looked up to see a faint magic circle glowing above her head, then turned to Noah.
"Did you… do this?"
"Yes," Noah replied calmly. "Since you refuse to stop, I can at least make it easier for you."
"Thank you," the girl whispered, her eyes shining with gratitude. She turned back, renewed determination in her expression, and ran ahead. Noah followed close behind.
The girl led him into the forest, darting left and right between trees. Noah nearly got dizzy keeping up, but it was obvious she knew this place well. After weaving through countless trunks, they finally arrived before a small house.
Her hopeful eyes dimmed. The house stood silent and dark, no lanterns lit, no smoke from the chimney. No one was inside.
The girl hugged herself tightly and muttered, as if to convince herself,
"Mom must have gone out… yes, that's it. She must have gone out to train."
Suddenly, as though remembering something, her face lit up with renewed excitement. She spun around and dashed in another direction.
Noah almost called out for her to stop and rest, but when he saw the desperate hope burning in her eyes, he simply sighed, maintained the gravity spell, and followed after her.
The little girl stumbled up a small hill, clutching a tree for support before leaning forward to peer down.
Her eyes filled with anticipation only to collapse into despair at the sight before her.
There, standing below, was a woman of breathtaking beauty. She was slender and graceful, with a curvaceous figure, deep black eyes, and short dark-purple hair that fell to her chin. Loose strands framed her delicate face, partially covering her ears, while a thin lock of hair hung in front of her forehead.
She wore a short tan jacket with a dark brown collar and cuffs, with two pockets on the front. The jacket hung open, revealing her dark purple top and her bare midriff.
She had on a pair of black jeans, a belt with a metal buckle, and simple brown shoes.
She was smiling brightly as she spoke to two little boys who were shirtless, wearing only light underclothes.
One of the boys had black hair and dark blue eyes, while the other had silvery-blue hair and black eyes.
They were chatting happily together, but the little girl watching from a distance wore an expression that grew more and more pained. Tears streamed down her face as she stared.
Noah stood silently behind her and could only shake his head, dispersing the magic that had concealed their presence.
All along the way, he had cloaked their breath and magical energy to avoid being detected.
The woman below suddenly sensed the shift in magic. She quickly pulled the two boys behind her and faced forward with a sharp, guarded look.
"Who's there?" she shouted.
The little girl froze when she saw the woman's expression and actions. Her eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had been struck by a cruel truth.
Instead of stepping forward, she stumbled backward until she bumped into Noah behind her.
Noah steadied her by holding her shoulders and spoke gently.
"That's the person you've been looking for. Go and talk to her."
"No… no, she abandoned me…"
The little girl shook all over, her tears spilling endlessly.
Noah gave her a small push forward, but she suddenly jerked back, nearly knocking him over.
Seeing that she refused to move, Noah sighed, rolled his eyes, and stepped around her. He reached out with one arm, lifted her by the waist, and strode toward the woman.
The little girl shrieked in fright, flailing and pounding her fists against him as she cried out:
"What are you doing?! Put me down!"
Noah kept walking and turned his head to tell her firmly:
"I saw you hesitating and drowning in doubt. So I'll help you. Even if you feel she wronged you, you should hear the truth from her directly. At the very least, you'll know for sure."
"No… I don't want to go…!"
The girl still struggled in his arms, but Noah ignored it and carried her on.
The woman with the dark purple hair let out a small breath of relief when she realized it was only two children approaching. The tension in her shoulders eased.
A moment ago, she had been terrified. A sudden surge of powerful magic nearby made her think an enemy had come. Instinctively, she shielded the two disciples behind her.
But in the very next heartbeat, her relief vanished. Her eyes locked onto the little girl in Noah's arms. That familiar dark purple hair her exact shade pierced straight into her soul. She could never mistake it.
As Noah drew closer, the girl's struggles grew weaker and weaker. By the time they reached the woman, she stopped resisting altogether.
Her whole body trembled. She raised her hands to cover her mouth, tears spilling as a broken sound escaped her lips.
"You… you…"
Noah set her down gently, took hold of her hands, and lowered them so she would face the woman directly. He let go, stepped back a few paces, and watched. Seeing the two of them stand there, eyes locked on each other, he finally felt relieved.
Clapping his hands together, Noah said with a smile:
"I've brought her here. Whatever you need to say, it's best spoken face-to-face. That way, there won't be any misunderstandings."
The woman suddenly pulled the little girl into her arms, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. Her voice trembled as she cried out again and again:
"Is it you, Ultear? Is it really you, Ultear?"
When the little girl saw the woman crying so sorrowfully, she couldn't hold back anymore. She broke into tears with a loud wail.
Noah felt a wave of relief wash over him at the sight of the two one older, one younger crying together.
Good. Just cry it out. Once those emotions are released, talking will be much easier.
Noticing the two boys still standing there stiff and bewildered, Noah gave a small flick of his hand. Under the pull of his gravity magic, the two boys gently floated into the air. With ease, Noah guided them off to the side.