Adoption - Chapter Five

She followed Erza's scent through the streets at a swift pace and soon found herself in a market place with various restaurants, shops, places to go to, you name it.

Just as Esdeath was about to walk to go look for her, she heard her sobbing in the distance and before you knew it the protective woman was quickly upon the depressed young mage.

She found her sitting in front of some type of shop. She stood looming over Erza as she sat with her head in her hands not looking up at her guardian from her position on the ground.

The General sat down beside the child as she pulled her into an embrace, wrapping her right arm around the girl's shoulder.

The little mage briefly struggled to no avail but she was unable to break away from the woman's gentle grip.

It did not take long for the child to fall into her belly face first crying while Esdeath massaged her head in an area that was not injured shushing her cries.

The blue haired woman was glad to know the child was not angry at her, as the scarlet haired girl leaned deeper into her lap and placed her head there resting.

"Hush. It is understandable that you do not know how to read very well dear. Since those vermin took you at five years old. I will remedy that however. I will be schooling you from now on…reading included. How does that sound dear?" The General offered tenderly as she rubbed the girl's hair pleased that she desired her lap so terribly to crawl in deeper for her love.

Erza was silent for a few minutes, simply basking in the simple pleasures that being in her mother figures lap offered.

"I'd love that. May I ask you something, Esdeath? Will you promise not to get mad?" The scarlet-haired child questioned in hope she would not cast her out alone in the streets.

Esdeath glanced down at her and wondered why she thought she'd be mad at her? She is the only person she likes to be around and other than Erza.

She is still the same cruel General with her creed on strong or weak just as she always had been. She will always be that person but she changes at times just for her little one.

"I shall never be mad at you, and I am all ears Erza. Speak freely." The General replied as she continued to pat Erza on the head.

Erza momentarily became speechless. This was easier said than done. Laying here in her guardian's lap she found herself too scared to speak her mind.

She recalls when Jellal nearly killed her that she pleaded for Esdeath mentally as her mother and…

Can she speak her mind?

"What is on your mind little one?" Esdeath cooed in an unnaturally kind tone as she parted the scarlet bangs upon Erza's small head while gazing down at the girl patiently.

"E-Esdeath you mean so much to me. You will always be this wonderful person who saved me from a life of slavery. I remember when we first met in my cell…I was afraid of you but despite that you coaxed me into talking and never raised a finger to me." The scarlet-haired child admitted as she rolled over from having her face in the woman's lap to gazing up at her.

She met General's gaze with tears streaming from her eye.

The blue-haired woman smiled softly as she wiped tears from the child's eye pleased by those words.

Quite pleased indeed.

"And I never would. Barring training to teach you how to fight. I will never abuse you." The General assured in a fond tone as she frowned somewhat bothered at the thought of abusing her little subordinate.

It filled her with disgust for reasons unknown.

"I know you never would. You would never hurt me. And I admire you more than anyone in this world." Erza spoke seriously as leaned affectionately into the palm of Esdeath as her caretaker rubbed her head softly much to her pleasure.

Esdeath glanced down at the child in her lap feeling those words moved her knowing that it was her that she admired more than anyone else in this world.

"Thank you, so much for your sweet words my dear. To have you think the world of me is enough. I am hated by all in my world, save for a few that are now dead. Despite my military service. It has only brought me vast distain. So…I am elated that you adore me little one." The blue-haired woman purred as petted the child's hair once more savoring her innocence.

"Why? I don't understand. You saved our lives. You may be scary at times and obsessed with fighting but that is no reason to judge you!" The scarlet-haired child cried out as she scowled angered by such logic.

Esdeath had been nothing but kind to her so she did not see how she could be a bad person. So, what if she killed evil slavers?

The General smiled at her little one's naivety. If only she knew.

No. She does not want her to ever know about her entire history.

'To think that I, the Empire's Strongest would one day dread the judgement of a child hearing of my actions in war.' Esdeath pondered as she gazed down at Erza who regarded her so highly she never wanted that to change.

It was one thing if Erza found out she killed all the Tower of Heaven guards.

It is another if she ever discovered her role suppressing entire nations, such as the Northern Territory and the Ban Tribes.

She felt no guilt over those two nations. She simply did not want to lose her young companion. She cared about her health and what she thought.

She had nothing to fear of as the Empire was long gone and everyone in it. This was the new future.

Esdeath was out of her thoughts by her Little Scarlet speaking again.

"Please don't judge me. B-but before I awoke my magic. I was attacked by Jellal. I called out to you. I didn't realize it at the time. At first, I called for your name. Then I asked where my g-guardian was." Erza confessed as she shamefully cried gazing away while Esdeath stared down at her in shock.

'She called for me? If it was anyone else I wouldn't care but this is Erza. I feel…guilty for not being present.' The blue-haired woman thought as she frowned tracing the child's uninjured head with careful fingers.

"But then I…asked myself where is my mother. I-I see you as my mother Esdeath. Can I call you momma? Will you be my momma?" The scarlet-haired child requested as she choked fearing the ultimate rejection from the cold warrior.

Tears welled up in her singular eye as she sniffled.

Esdeath widened her eyes hearing those pleasing words. It felt more rewarding than if Tatsumi had chosen her.

To hear her Little Scarlet chose her as her momma. She wishes to call Esdeath her momma? She is happy with this new development and she could see no finer child than her Erza.

While she was deep in her thoughts the little girl took it as a quiet no.

"Y-you don't want me, do you? You don't have t-to have me if you don't want me…I didn't think a slave girl would be a worthy daughter of a mighty General such as you…" Erza mumbled as she gazed off sadly rising as a strong grip forced her back into her guardian's lap.

Cold fingers grasped her chin as her head was raised upward meeting the eyes of her caretaker.

"Now then dear. You did not let me speak. I have already taken you under my wing as my little clan member…if I considered you unworthy I would not have done so. I think you are a splendid little child." The blue-haired woman explained as the little girl's eye brightened smiling happily up at her.

"Really?" The scarlet-haired child asked as she received a kind smirk in turn followed but a gentle head pat.

"Of course. And I would be honored to be your momma. My Little Scarlet, may I officially adopt you as my daughter?" The General proposed joyfully as she smirked when the child assaulted her belly in a fierce hug.

Who would have thought she'd fall for a child in such a manner?

"Yes! Of course, I want you as my mother Esdeath! I love you momma!" Erza cried out as she hugged Esdeath's belly from where she sat in her lap gazing up at the warrior with an admiring eye.

To which Esdeath smiled softy down at her as she gently hugged her back and made she not to press on any injuries.

Who would have thought the Empire's Strongest…could be gentle?

"I love you my little Erza. I will raise you to be a great warrior and school you in reading…in all scholarly topics. We have much to cover as we travel these next few years." The blue-haired woman stated affectionately as she gazed down at the joyful child in her arms.

"I am so excited…mother!" The scarlet-haired child admitted as she beamed up at her new mother eager to hear all that she had to say.

She loved all of her…even the battle maniac side of her.

"Me as well. I am looking forward to this time with you. Even more so with this new development. So, prepare to work harder than you've ever imagined, to train harder than you could ever conceive." The General warned as she gazed sternly down at the child with faint sadism as the little girl nodded speedily.

Eager to please…she liked that.

"Yes mother! I will work hard. I am not a slacker." Erza assured as she smiled up at Esdeath who grinned down at her knowing that is the truth.

"Good. Because I warn you daughter if you think because you are mine that I will coddle you then you are sorely mistaken. It means your training will be even harder." Esdeath declared as she smiled coldly unable to suppress her sadistic side fully.

"I don't want to be coddled during training and I want to grow up to be strong. So, I will do my best mother. You have my word. I promise I won't disappoint you." The scarlet-haired child spoke gravely as she nodded hoping she can become powerful to please her mother.

"Hoh, I see that you are serious Erza. You are clueless about the terrors I will put you through in training. I will treat you as if you were my first student…which you are. I am far beyond you in power but I will only press you enough to react and attack. I will never grievously hurt you." The blue-haired woman explained in a stern tone as the child nodded once more smiling even still.

"Understood mother, and I am honored to be yours. Thank you again!" Erza screamed once more as she started crying again from her left eye as she bottled her faint fear over training.

"From now on, you leave it to me, your mother to dry those tears is that clear?" The General commanded with a callous voice while her daughter nodded her head in agreement with that order.

"Yes mother." The scarlet-haired child agreed to the delight of Esdeath as she smiled down at her.

"Splendid, now why were you sitting outside this shop to begin with? Is there a reason? Did you come here randomly?" Esdeath questioned her daughter as she sat in her lap.

Erza looked at her mother with her one good eye, thinking deeply for a moment then she blushed as her stomach growled. Esdeath laughed lightly as she patted her head amused by her embarrassment.

"I came here to get some space as I was wandering through the streets. And then I saw some tasty treats through the window of this shop. Can I have some? Please momma?" The scarlet-haired child pleaded with a puppy dog face as she tugged on the woman's uniform gazing up at her with a sad eye.

It almost worked.

Being called momma and the adorable begging was piercing even Esdeath's cold heart but even so…

She stayed strong.

Esdeath just sighed as she exhaled a cold mist holding her face in her right palm as she faintly felt little tugs on her mid-section.

Sweet were what she wanted to feed her child after possibly days without a good meal.

"No sweets for you Erza. You need a proper meal. Now come. We are going to browse a restaurant with a healthy meal, for a growing girl." The General gently cooed down to the upset Erza as she patted her on the head once more before disengaging from their hug to stand up.

She set the small child down by her feet musing on where to take her.

Just as Esdeath got ready to carry her to a place to eat since her right leg was bad and she should not have limped here, which likely made it worse.

Erza sat there looking very sad and depressed. She wasn't crying or anything like a spoiled brat, as Erza is not that. But she was certainly sad.

"Cheer up my Little Scarlet, we will find a fine place to eat. You can have sweets another day, so don't be so down." The blue haired woman consoled here as she waited for a reaction and got none. She sighed once more and decided the child was going to be difficult.

"I just wanted some sweets…it would have been special today. I was captured when I was five years old. All I recall is I tried to go to the local sweet shop that day. I just wanted to share a moment that I had lost with you on my first day of freedom. Sorry momma." The scarlet-haired child mumbled sadly as she kicked at imaginary rocks with her good leg while the General gazed down at her feeling oddly guilty.

Now, Esdeath felt bad for trying to deny her sweets. She wanted it to be a special moment with her; it seems Erza thinks deeply on her actions.

Deciding that it would be most meaningful to eat sweets with her today as it was her first day of freedom and since she adopted her, she wanted to share it with her.

"I see my child. I misunderstood. We shall go inside then." The General offered as she bent down to pick Erza up in her arms and carried her inside smiling.

Esdeath entered the shop and glanced around, there was every kind of sweet you could imagine, many cakes of all flavors, pies, various deserts, ice cream, and you name it.

She had always enjoyed the sweet shop in the Imperial Capital…but she preferred the ice cream over the cakes.

It was a quaint little shop and there were some tables in the front of the shop were a couple was eating a slice of cake each. Also at another table a family of four was eating ice cream cones.

"Welcome to Roman's Sweets Shop! How may I help you and your daughter today ma'am?" An older man with black hair and green eyes asked from behind the counter with a smile on his face.

"I am here to get my daughter some sweets." The blue-haired woman replied to the baker with her usual cold expression but slightly less cold because she was here for her Erza.

Esdeath glance down at Erza in her arms and she was smiling glancing around, drooling like a starved dog, unable to decide what she wanted.

"Mother! Please put me down so I can look at all of the sweets." Erza half requested and half demanded.

Once again if anyone else demanded anything of General Esdeath they'd be bleeding profusely on the floor by now.

Amusingly enough, if they were back in the Imperial Empire and the war was still waging with the rebel army.

Erza's influence is so big, she could probably get the rebels to win just by asking her mother to take her to buy her cake for the day and Honest would have no protection from his biggest muscle.

Esdeath complied by setting Erza on the ground and stood behind her as she braced the child upon her should so she did not fall.

Erza limped up to the counter and viewed it front of the case. She could see various sweets, cakes, pies, ice creams, pastries, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, you name it, it was here.

Suddenly, as just as Erza pressed her face against the glass in wonder, her eyes sparkled as she saw what truly caught her eye. It was like perfection from the gods themselves, surely this baker must be gifted from the gods to make such a cake.

She gulped in anticipation and excitement, this cake is beyond all mortal work! What sort of cake is? She must taste its magnitudes of glory!

Erza was soon drooling and Esdeath was staring at the child in confusion. Is her daughter ill? Does she need medical attention?

"I believe she wants the strawberry cake ma'am." The baker smiled with a chuckle as he stared at the General with a smile on his face.

Several customers whom were sitting and eating peacefully started to stare at Esdeath and Erza at this point.

The General did not notice their stares just yet, or perhaps she was too busy focusing of her young daughter's wants.

Esdeath glanced at the man and turned back to Erza's... obsessed to say the least drooling.

She sighed having a feeling this would become an unhealthy habit.

"So, I take it this is the sweet that you want. You want a piece of that cake Erza?" The General inquired to see what her decision was.

Erza's mouth and eyes stopped focusing on the glass for the briefest of moments; she turned to stare at her mother.

"I do want strawberry cake but a piece? No, I want the entire cake. I do not want a mere piece. I thought I was getting dinner. I need to eat the entire cake to be full." Erza resumed staring at the cakes in admiration that rivaled her admiration for her mother.

It takes quite a lot to get a reaction out of General Esdeath, the Empire's Strongest but when she heard that. Her eyes widened in shock and she almost fell over.

She expected an entire cake for dinner in one sitting? Did she have an idea what that would do to her stomach? Absolutely not! Esdeath may but on coming but she won't give on this.

"You won't be eating an entire cake Erza. That is final, one piece only. You'll get a stomach ache." The blue haired woman reasoned as she stared down at the little girl.

The scarlet child narrowed her eye. Her mother was terrifying but she will challenge her for cake.

"Please, I want the whole cake. You said I was getting dinner. I have never had cake before it is looks so delicious! It must be the best food in the world mother! So, I want an entire cake!" Erza shouted as she hopped up and down on her good leg gazing into the casing smiling brightly.

She bounced with her eye sparkling as if she was already high on a sugar rush while her parent sighed.

More stares of people that stopped eating were directed their way as Erza continued her cake obsessed drooling session.

The General was holding her face in her hands. Not from embarrassment but simply because of how her child was supposed to eat a healthy meal and she was already eating cake. Now she wants an entire cake for her dinner!

It boggled the mind of the Empire's Strongest how a tiny sweet child such as Erza could feel the need for an entire cake in one sitting.

She was sure she'd be able to eat it all too.

Apparently, the child had no concept of a stomach ache. She decided to let her eat the entire cake just this once. Because it would make her stomach upset and she would learn her lesson.

She did not want her child to feel sick but if she had to learn just once that some things were done in moderation then so be it.

"I will permit the entire cake but only because you will get a stomach ache. Let this be a lesson to you little one. There is a limit to what you can put in that small stomach of yours. This is an important life lesson so take heed." Esdeath announced while patting Erza's head as her child ignored her words in her excitement.

She will learn shortly.

"Yes, yes, yes, thank you mother! I am so grateful! You can have a piece if you want. I'll share with you because I love you." The scarlet-haired child told her mother as she smiled up at her who stared down with eyes full of disbelief before the expression faded quickly.

It is not like she cared much. The General preferred ice cream over cake. And she had no interest in devouring half of Erza's cake. She just found it perplexing that she had not even tried the cake yet but when speaking to the person she loved most in the world she'd only give one piece.

Still she sighed fondly once more, such a strange child she picked up. However, the Empire's Strongest would not have it any other way.

Thus, she paid for the strawberry cake to eat inside. The man had the same reaction as she did, but also concluded she'd sadly get very sick. The more she pondered it, the more she realized she felt like she was hurting her.

The Empire's Strongest gathered the cake she paid for up in one arm, then her scarlet haired daughter in the other and walked towards a table to sit between a couple eating a slice of cake and a family eating ice cream cones.

Esdeath set the cake down onto the table with a slight smile on her face at Erza's sheer joy, as she had to admit how you could not find that adorable. She had not even tried it and she was so sure strawberry cake was best "food in the world'.

She sat little Erza in the opposite seat and seated herself opposite of her daughter. They both had two plates; of course, she would get real food after for herself. She decided to take her cap off for once and set it on the table, hoping Erza would not get strawberry frosting on it.

It was at this point that she noticed the stares of many eyes upon her and her Little Scarlet as her child grabbed at the cake with joy in her eye while she began cutting into it adorably.

She cut a large chunk that easily came to about four pieces of cake much to Esdeath's amusement as the young girl eagerly pulled her plate forward beaming.

She had begun to feel annoyed with all the staring as if her child was defective and she decided she would inflict pain upon them if they continued.

Erza's eye lit up from what one would call joy a state of pure bliss as she landed her first bite in her mouth. She would always remember this as the happiest day of her life.

She had gotten her two favorite things in the world, Esdeath and cake! Her mother figure accepted her as her own when she told her how she felt and she now got to finally try the cake she so desired for the longest time.

She moaned in pleasure which earned the little girl more stares despite her parent glaring coldly in their direction.

"Mother this is the food of the gods. I must eat this daily. It needs to be my daily diet. Please?" The scarlet haired child announced hopefully as she reveled in the joys of cake.

And then she gazed at her mother with frosting on her lips smiling.

She hoped her mother discovered the glory of cake too…it would make it easier to get daily cake.

Esdeath glanced at Erza and shook her head as an affirmative no…though she did look cute as hell with frosting on her face.

"No daily cake for you Erza. You'll rot your teeth and get lots of cavities at a young age. You don't want that now do you?" The General remarked as she smiled softly at the child who never faltered in her joyous eating.

"I don't care if I lose every tooth! I want cake every day. For the rest of my life. Mmm. Yummy." Erza squealed in delight as she just finished her huge chunk of cake.

Now she was devouring an even bigger piece that was two times the size. It was likely six pieces of cake and Esdeath simply wondered when her stomach pains would kick in.

And so, began the lifelong strawberry cake obsession of Erza scarlet.

Esdeath was holding her face in the palm of her hand watching the child and she could not help but smile. All was well, until some fool decided to open her mouth.

"Some parent you are! Letting your daughter eat an entire cake. Do you have any regard if she gets sick? Where did you get her anyhow a farm?" A random woman shouted snidely beside her family of four that were eating ice cream cones.

Esdeath's smile contorted into a callous expression and even Erza's joyful eating did not cheer her up.

The little mage noticed the declining mood and literal temperature, the air became frigid as she shivered not from the temperature change but more from fear.

However, she continued to eat her food of the gods. She was somewhere around 10 pieces of cake. She glanced up to curious who her mother was going to inflict pain upon.

"I suggest you shut your mouth, worthless weakling, unless you want me to permanently shut it for you." The Empire's Strongest ordered the woman in a chilling tone as she glared her way but it seemed the woman did not get the hint.

'How sad for her that she is going to die today. But not really.' Esdeath mused as she folded her hands somewhat amused in truth that a weakling is foolish enough to yell at her.

But mostly she was just annoyed.

"You must be one of those selfish mothers who neglects their children and simply gets off on ignoring them. I bet you find it amusing making your child sick! You are a disgusting person, to neglect your own daughter like that!" Screamed the woman failing to notice the subzero temperatures the sweet shop had now dropped to.

Erza now had eaten 15 pieces of cake and was in glorious cake heaven. She had only a third of her cake left as she noted with sadness. She only mildly paid attention to the drama.

"Honey maybe you should not criticize people so much, this woman seems to be a powerful mage and she doesn't seem to be taking your comments very well…" Her husband politely tried to warn her but was ignored.

"She needs to be taught a lesson! I don't care who she is. Trying to purposely poison your own child just for kicks is sick. Disgusting bitch! I should report you to Magnolia's child care services." The woman huffed with her arms crossed.

She missed her husband scurrying off under the malevolent stare of General Esdeath.

The rest of her family followed her husband swiftly so as not to share her fate. Her husband guided his two children out fearing the worst and he hoped his wife would get the picture soon.

If not, he'd be a single parent soon enough.

The couple had long since left in fear as well.

The baker watched with fear as the blue-haired woman caused the entire sweet shop to feel like an arctic waste land and he must say she was the most terrifying person he had ever encountered.

He wished that idiotic customer of his would just shut up. She was happily watching her daughter devour the entire cake and they may have become daily customers, now she was enraged at being insulted. He may lose his entire shop!

The baker decided to act, and to save his goods, as well as possibly his life.

The blue-haired woman glared at this insect of a woman now firm in her decision to kill her. She pondered the ways she would kill her. Shatter her in a thousand tiny ice shards?

Pin her head to the wall? Or perhaps dismember her? So many choices ran through her head.

Esdeath decided to dismember her, then pin her head to the wall after death as a lesson for others who insult her parenthood skills.

And to who dared say her Erza was from a farm, and then shatter her into a thousand pieces.

She will of course…kill her outside so as not to upset her child and do this away from the public eye.

The General stood up from her seat and walked towards the now terrified woman with a murderous visage on her face.

Just as she approached her and raised her hand a voice made her halt her aggressions in curiosity.

"Hey! Lady get the hell out of my shop! You are causing a scene! You are destroying a potential new customer relation that I may have with this woman with your insults! You may get my shop destroyed! Which I cannot rebuild! I only opened it last year, so get the hell out! Follow your husband out the damn door and don't let me see you back! I won't tolerate any of that here in my shop!" The baker roared as he waved his oven mitt in the air from behind the counter.

The General turned to gaze at him somewhat shocked.

Esdeath had been about to pick the pathetic woman up by the throat but she turned around and scampered out of the sweet shop as fast as possible.

"I don't want to come back anyway; it is full of brutes and a rude baker!" She shrieked as she slammed the door shut.

The General was not expecting for the shop owner to speak up in her defense. It was a new thing; the people were different here.

"I am sorry you had to experience that ma'am. I still hope you and your daughter got something out of today. It looks like she certainly did and she finished her cake already. I hope that means I will see you two back in the future to Roman's Sweet's Shop." Roman remarked with a friendly chuckle as he smiled gesturing in Erza's direction.

Esdeath pondered what he meant by Erza finished already and she turned to see that the large cake platter was empty aside from one piece set on a plate set aside for Esdeath on her side of the table.

"Mother strawberry cake and you are my two favorite things in this world. I have decided I must have both daily. May I have another cake now?" Erza requested hopefully as she adopted a puppy dog expression once more.

She licked the remainder of frosting off her face attempting to be cute.

The blue-haired woman crossed her arms over her ample bust and scoffed at the child for being so foolish at to think she could con two whole cakes from her in one day.

It was baffling that she did not get a stomach ache, she had a strong feeling this scarlet haired girl was going to love and eat cake every day of her life.

"No more cake for you today. If you think I will fall for that twice in one-day child. You underestimate the Empire's Strongest resolve." The General stated as she sat across from her daughter.

The woman then proceeded to eat her piece of cake with far more refined manners than her new child did.

Erza watched the General eat for a minute and then another minute. Finally, five minutes passed and the piece of cake was gone.

Esdeath placed the fork down and pushed the plate aside.

"So…mother? What is your opinion on the food of the gods?" The scarlet-haired child inquired as she puzzled her parental figure by calling cake the food of the gods once more.

She was eager to hear her mother's opinion. Was she as thunder struck as her.

Esdeath stared plainly at her child and blinked. She did not understand why the seven-year-old referred to cake as food of the gods.

Shaking her head, she simply decided that she was an odd one and lovingly she mused she is okay with that.

"It is pretty good Erza." The blue-haired woman responded casually with her face in the palm of her right hand.

She reached with her left hand to pick up her cap and sat it upon her head. She straightened it, facing forward.

Erza looked like she was going to cry, her mouth was open in horror and her single left eye started to water.

Esdeath's motherly instincts kicked in and were now in overdrive.

"Erza, my Little Scarlet what is wrong?" The General pressed as she leaned forward with a concerned gaze wishing to know what has upset her child.

Who she must kill to make her smile once more.

"The food of the gods is only pretty good? How can you defile the honor of strawberry cake mother! If I was older and capable of battling you I'd challenge you to a duel for saying the greatest food in this world is only 'pretty good'. Such disrespect for cake.'' The scarlet haired child huffed in offense as she crossed her little arms.

Esdeath was stunned that was what she had been sad about.

The blue-haired woman blinked in confusion, she's a strange one indeed. But as she said before she is okay with that.

She wouldn't change her for the world.

"Well! Someone loves my cake! I appreciate the high praise my young friend and I hope to see you and your mother back often. Please come back whenever you two are in Magnolia. My name is Roman." The baker greeted with a polite smile as he gazed at the General and the little girl.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Roman! I will be sure to have mother bring me every time we are near Magnolia." Erza stated in a joy filled tone as she gazed with a sparkling eye at her parent smiling just begging for her to say yes.

"I am sure we will be back many times. One can only hope I can get her to keep brushing and flossing so she does not lose her teeth." Esdeath declared while sighing as she shook her head listening to her child cry out in joy.

Which caused her to smile despite her misgivings.

She straightened her cap once more and stood up from her seat, then pushed her chair back in and walked over to pick her daughter up.

She lifted Erza up, balanced her against her chest and holding her so as that her head rested against her bosom. Furthermore, she was gentle in how she carried her and made sure she put no pressure on the bad leg.

The child was already fool enough to run all the way here and put pressure on it. She needed no extra damage because of that.

Just was Esdeath reached the door of the sweet shop, she did something she had never done before in her entire life.

Maybe it was because the bakery made Erza happy, or perhaps, it was also because the man stuck up for her motherly instincts and that earned him a few points in the General's book.

What the General did was she decided to thank someone she viewed as a weak person and offer services if he ever needed help.

She turned around to speak to the shopkeeper.

"Roman thank you for the cake you provided Erza today. You contributed to the happiest day of my daughter's life. Today is the day I adopted her, so it is a special day for her. I appreciate that the role this shop played in her special day." The blue-haired woman announced in a grateful tone unlike her as she smiled holding the little mage.

Erza was quite relaxed after eating so much cake as she reclined in her guardian's arms.

Roman listened quietly feeling glad he could make their day so special. Especially on the day a child had just been adopted, in a case like this…that is always indeed the most important day of a child's life.

"Now don't mistake me. You can even ask my daughter if I ever offer to help people. I don't. But due to the role this shop played in her happiness in the best day of her life so far. I offer you this. I, General Esdeath of the Imperial Empire will help you if anyone tries to harm you. Just tell me who, and where, and they will be dealt with." The General spoke as she gazed at the older man who looked surprised but smiled nodding his head.

"I appreciate the generous offer. Thank you, ma'am." The baker replied kindly as he gathered since she was a military woman and used to respectful terminology.

"Be sure to let me know if I am around and someone causes trouble. Farewell." Esdeath concluded as she turned back around to leave striding out of the shop.

Oddly…she liked the man. For whatever reason. How strange.

"I will let you know if there is trouble. You take care General Esdeath and you too little Erza! I hope to see you both back soon." Roman shouted as he waved as at Esdeath as she carried Erza off through the shop doors and walked off into Magnolia's streets.

He thought to himself, Erza the child who loved Strawberry cake and General Esdeath who claims to be from an Empire that he had never heard of in Earthland.

These two were an odd duo and he had a feeling, they would shake up Earthland for many years to come.

He also had a feeling that this little girl named Erza, would grow up to be a famous, mighty wizard. Call it a hunch but it was a feeling he had.

He also had a feeling this General Esdeath was an immensely powerful person and that she would raise Erza up to be a strong warrior herself.

One thing he knew for sure was he'd be seeing that kid back for strawberry cake many times.