[An: Bonus Chapter 2/5]
"How's the taste?" Creige asked as he took a bite of the fish in his hands. Not only did he catch a bunch of fish, but he was also the one who cooked them.
Kana, who was sitting at this side nibbling on the fish she was given, gave Creige a bright smile as she said: "Very tasty. Creige, how long will you be here?"
"I will not stay long. I know this place is supposed to be training for you as well as leveling up. If I stay, I wouldn't be able to hold myself back from killing anything that shows even the slightest bit of aggression towards you. But when your time here is up, I will come to see you with a few sets of new armor that will morph to fit your body when changing elements." Creige did not want to leave, but he had to in order for his little wife to grow.
Kana pouted slightly, knowing Creige would be leaving her. She liked having him by her side. She felt safe with him around. But she also understood what he was saying. "Will you stay with me for one more night and leave in the morning?"
"Mmm… If that is what you want." Creige nodded his head. If his wife wished it, he would comply.
"I do!" Kana smiled and got up from where she was sitting, moved into between Creige's legs, and sat down, leaning the back of her head into his chest. "Creige, are you not mad about how I originally forced you into marrying me? I mean, originally, I had no idea what I was doing, but in the end, I still forced you into a marriage against your will."
"Didn't you already ask me this?" Creige asked.
"Mmm... But last time, you kind of glossed over it." Kana answered, lowering her head slightly.
"In the beginning, I was a little upset. But as I got to know you, I found being with you was not so bad. You can be childish at times and sometimes serious. Bashful and bold. Each of these things makes up you. Gradually seeing all these sides of you, I came to fully accept you and love you for who you are. You are my little troubling making wife who I will cherish, love, and protect for the rest of my life." Creige said as he hugged Kana. He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "So you do not need to keep asking me if I am mad or regretful."
Kana's cheeks grew hot as she hugged the arms wrapped around her. She caressed his muscular arm gently with her fingers as she bit her lower lip. She was trying to push back the tears that threatened to drop from her eyes. "Creige, you know… When I woke up in this world, everything was so very fantastic and new. Although some of it was dangerous and scary, I still found this place to be much better than where I originally came from. You might not believe me when I say this, but I once lived in a world where there was no magic or other sentient species except humans. That world was called Earth."
Kana paused and took a deep breath as she continued: "When I was young, there at the beginning of my life, I had a semi normal upbringing. I had my mother, no father… My mother did not know who my father was. I was conceived by a dirty means… But even still, my mother loved me dearly and did what she could to raise me..."
During the time when Kana could first remember, she was three years old and lived in a small apartment that only had a single room. There was a spot to cook and a toilet that barely worked, but there was no bath or shower. Her mother would use a bucket of warm water heated on the stove and wipe herself and Kana down every morning and night. For food, every dish consisted of rice and a single side dish. At the time, Kana never realized it, but her mother would only eat a few bites while saving the rest for Kana.
Kana had no idea how poor they truly were. To her, her mother was her world, and she loved her mother dearly. Her mother used to make some handicrafts at home, and when she had enough, she would box them up, dress Kana up in warm clothes while she wore just a thin set of clothing, and bring the box and Kana with her to a street market. They would then set up a shop where Kana's mother would do her best to sell the handkerchiefs and other little knick knacks she made.
Kana never caused a scene during these times. She sat in her mother's lap and played with the doll her mother bought her. Kana remembered some grannies commenting on how well behaved she was, which made Kana want to be even more well behaved so she could get praised more.
The thing Kana failed to notice was that her mother, who was doing everything she could to provide for the daughter she loved, was slowly beginning to lose weight. Her mother's cheeks began to sink in, and the color of her skin began to look sickly. Sadly even if she did know, Kana would not have been able to do anything. She was just too young at the time to understand what was going on.
As the years went by, Kana's mother began to teach her how to read and write. It was not until she was six years of age that Kana finally felt something was wrong. On this day, Kana's mother was given a start when Kana asked: "Mama, why do you keep coughing up red stuff?"
Even though she was in pain and knew she did not have much longer to live, Kana's mother put on a smile and answered as if nothing was wrong: "Dear, Mother is fine. I am just a little sick. It will go away in a few days."
Kana, not knowing any better, could only take her mother's word for it. That was until a year later when Kana knelt beside her mother one morning, trying to wake her up with tears flowing from her eyes... "Mama!? Mama, please wake up!"