Chapter 5: Family Freesis

"Daddy, we're back!" Yukina called as she, Clarith, and Riliane arrived at the monastery.

"Oh Yukina! Welcome back," Keel greeted his daughter, "I should tell you that your mother has awakened."

"M, mom? She's awake now?"

"Yes, though she is still feeling ill…"

"Can…can I see her?"

Keel sighed, "You can try…I tried talking with her but she doesn't seem to listen…"

Yukina understood perfectly. Mikina had already told her about what she had done during her confession. Mikina had almost let herself kill Yukina with her own hands if it weren't for Riliane and Germaine's timely effort to drive Abyss I.R. away. Yukina approached Mikina's door and knocked softly. Without waiting for a response, she opened the door slightly.

"Mom?"

"…Yukina…? Is it you…? Is it really you…?"

"Y, yes, mom…It's me," Yukina slowly walked up to Mikina's bed, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I guess…What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, mom. I'm not hurt."

"Thank goodness…"

Mikina looked pitiful. Her eyes are filled with emptiness.

"Oh Yukina… What if I did kill you with my own hands? I…I…"

"Mom! You are not responsible for what could've happened! I'm alright and so are you!" Yukina protested, "You're not a bad person…"

"I AM A BAD PERSON!" Mikina screamed, making Yukina retreat, "I DISOBEYED AND KILLED MY OWN FATHER! I LET THE VENOM SWORD BE SHOWN TO KYLE! I LET MICHAELA GET KILLED!"

Yukina got scared, "M, mom…!"

Mikina stopped. She realized what she had done. She yelled at her own daughter when she has done nothing wrong.

"Y, Yukina…! I…I…I apologize. I didn't mean to lash out at you…"

"Mom…"

"Listen to me, Yukina. I'll never be a wonderful mother to you. I'm nothing but a horrible mother…"

"No, it's alright," Yukina gave her mother a warm hug, "You are still my mother…and I love you."

That did it. Mikina started crying. Pained by this, Yukina started crying as well.

"U, Uu… I, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry…!"

"Mom…! Mom, please don't cry! P, please…!"

Both of them continued to hug and cry for a while. The wailing was so great that even Keel went up to see what's going on.

"Mikina?" Keel was at the door.

"K, Keel…?" Mikina sobbed.

"D, Daddy…" Yukina wiped her tears away. Keel silently sat by Mikina's bedside with Yukina.

"Keel…I…"

"Mikina, the past is in the past. Let me tell you something. It didn't matter if we were poor when we first left Marlon. It didn't matter if we had a terrible time earlier on. I love you, Mikina, no matter what happens," Keel then cuddled Yukina in his arms, "If I never had married you, we would never have such a wonderful daughter, who had risked her own life just for all of us. Pardon me for exaggerating but if anything, you are the greatest wife one can ever have."

"…Y, you…really think so?" Mikina sniffled.

"Yes you are!" Yukina cried, "And I need you!"

"We both need you," Keel corrected, "So please…don't blame yourself forever."

Mikina went quiet. Could she really go back to who she was? No. That is not possible. The only course of action is to move forward and never look back.

"…Okay. I may not be strong, but I promise to be a good wife from now on."

"Yay!" Yukina tossed herself into Mikina ecstatically.

"Now that's the Mikina I used to know," Keel hugged his beloved wife and daughter. Mikina, as if she had never done so before, smiled. At long last, the Freesis family had come together. Then, Mikina saw white hair from a corner of her eye.

"Oh! C, Clarith!" Mikina spotted her at the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Freesis. Sorry for eavesdropping," Clarith greeted and made her way in.

"Oh wow! Look at us!" Yukina looked around the room, "It's just like five years ago! All of us together and…oh wait…"

Not everybody. There is one person missing.

"M, Michaela…" Mikina whispered.

"Mom, there's something that you should know. I…I met Michaela."

"…W, what?" Mikina looked with disbelief, "H, how did…"

"Yukina? Would you mind explaining?" Keel asked.

"I just…met her…in the forest. She wanted me to tell you that 'It's okay. Though if you must know, I forgive you.'"

Mikina and Keel were stunned. Clarith merely stood there and said, "…I believe you."

"YOU DO?" Everybody turned to Clarith.

"This may sound strange but…I believe that Michaela wants you all to be happy, just as we have made her happy."

After some catching up on how everybody is doing, the Freesis family got ready to return back home to Marlon.

"As always, feel free to drop by at time," Clarith escorted Keel and Yukina to the door.

Keel smiled, "Of course we will sometime…wait. Where is Mikina?"

Yukina looked back, "There she is. She's with Rin."

Sure enough, Mikina finished packing and she rejoined her husband and daughter.

Mikina turned to Riliane, "Rin, I just wanted to let you know that I…"

"Mikina," Riliane interrupted, "I think it will be best if we both promise not to mention it…ever."

"…Right."

"Huh? What are you two talking about?" Yukina looked puzzled.

Mikina patted her daughter's head, "It's a long story. I'll tell you later, okay?"

"…Okay…" Yukina understood. After all, Mikina doesn't seem to be in the mood for talking.

"Well, I guess we'll be off," Keel announced.

"Take care, you three," Clarith waved goodbye. Keel and Mikina followed suit and walked away hand in hand.

"See you later, Clarith! You too, Rin!" Yukina cheerfully gave Clarith and Riliane a hug and followed her parents closely behind. The two nuns continued to watch the family until they disappeared out of sight.

"Clarith?"

"Yes, Rin?"

"You have such a remarkable friend. Yukina, I mean."

"…Yes. She is remarkable."

Mikina continued to watch the waves as the ship bound for Marlon moved across the Hawk Sea. She heard from Yukina early on that a giant octopus lurks around here. Mikina hoped that it doesn't attack. She then looked over to Yukina standing beside her and she couldn't help but smile at Yukina's happy face. Even if the whole world unleashes misfortune at them, Mikina promised to be there for her daughter all the way. Yukina was singing a song to herself. For some reason, that song sounded familiar.

"Yukina? What are you singing?"

"Eh? Oh um…"

"That song…it's one of the three pieces Michaela sang at the banquet five years ago, isn't it?"

"…Yeah…I am surprised that I still remember it. Um, I think it's called…'Maria'*."

"Maria…" Mikina echoed, "…Can you teach me the lyrics?"

"Don't mind if I do!" Yukina replied happily.

*Maria is a unique two-part song, sung by Hatsune Miku, featured in the "××× of Evil" Theater Play event, and part of the Daughter of Evil/Servant of Evil, -Serenade of Scarlet- Arrange Album. It is produced by Jounetsu-P, who frequently collaborated with Akuno-P. One of his notable collaborations is Red Shoe Parade.