During the day, while Kaika was at the Clock Tower studying as if nothing had happened, Valo spent her time considering various ways to escape, including several that ended with her own suicide.
Eventually, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the shroud of night enveloped the dormitory cottage shared by Kaika and Fini, she arrived at a helpless conclusion.
The only answer was this: if the plot moved toward the “Confinement Revenge Ending,” she didn’t have a single chance of escaping her daughter Kaika’s grasp.
Click
The sound of the door opening echoed from outside the bedroom—Kaika had returned alone.
Why wasn’t Fini with her?
Could that Knight Princess, Ayn, actually manage to calm Fini down?
Could the Hero’s [Justice Value] drop a bit once she regained her composure?
Valo was dying of curiosity, but she couldn’t afford to worry about anything else right now.
Because… it was about time.
“I’m home, Mother.”
The elf girl’s voice was calm, appearing entirely indifferent to the conflict between Fini and the Great Sage that morning.
The girl stepped into the room without turning on the lights.
Her purple eyes, glowing faintly in the cool darkness, immediately locked onto the restless Valo sitting on the bed like a predator spotting its prey.
“It seems you’ve been a good girl and waited for me here.”
Valo’s gaze shifted to the [Nurturing Panel].
Seeing Kaika’s still-maxed [Blackening Value] completely shattered any lingering hope in her heart.
A chill ran down her spine, making her entire body shiver.
The current situation perfectly matched the script where Kaika would forcibly take her away for a life of confinement and revenge!
‘No, it’s not over yet! Just like when I first transmigrated, as long as the Bad Ending hasn’t been triggered, there must be another possibility!’
Valorant was a triple-A nurturing masterpiece; she refused to admit defeat!
“Chaika… I…”
However, just as Valo was about to struggle for words, her daughter Kaika—the very person who could knock her unconscious and imprison her at any moment—was the one who…
Apologized first!?
“I’m sorry, Mother. I’m afraid I caused you a lot of trouble this time in my search for you.”
The elf girl knelt on one knee before her.
“After I realized you were missing, I briefly thought the Hero was responsible. To force her to tell the truth, I… I utilized the Holy Relic, [Fel Flower].”
“What…”
Holy Relics were rare “artifacts” in the game used to nurture daughters and enhance the player’s own abilities to trigger certain special routes.
Not everyone could use a Holy Relic; they were, to put it simply, “exclusive soul-bound equipment.”
But because of this, the moment a specific character revealed or used a Holy Relic, their identity, history, and even their political stance would be laid bare.
For example, if the Great Sage or someone of her caliber discovered Kaika possessed the [Fel Flower], they would instantly realize that Kaika was definitely more than just Valo’s daughter!
By extension, Valo’s true identity would also be practically exposed.
‘Chaika! Don’t go making it impossible for your mother to stay alive!’
However, despite Kaika being the one apologizing, Valo wouldn’t dare reprimand a girl whose [Blackening Value] was at its limit, even if she were given a hundred times her usual courage.
At this moment, her only choice was a “gentle offensive” to see if she could lower that value before the “Confinement Revenge Ending” occurred.
And so…
“Ahem. It was indeed inappropriate of you to expose a Holy Relic that represents our identity so casually, Kaika.”
Valo cleared her throat, pretending to be deep in thought.
“Fortunately, Fini likely won’t report us. Considering you did it out of concern for my safety, Mother forgives you.”
Then, suppressing her nervousness, she reached out and patted the elf girl’s head.
In the quiet, dark room, the sound of Kaika’s breathing suddenly became distinct.
“…Sss, Mother…”
Head-patting—a common and effective way in the game to increase a daughter’s affection.
“Are you… praising me?”
“You never used to do things like this before. You’re becoming more and more interesting…”
Kaika didn’t pull away or swat Valo’s hand.
The kneeling girl looked up slightly, her purple eyes shimmering as she murmured strange words through shaky breaths.
Valo wasn’t in the mood to listen.
She was anxious.
If Kaika wasn’t resisting the head-pat, it meant the tactic should be working.
So why wasn’t Kaika’s [Blackening Value] on the [Nurturing Panel] dropping?
As she sat there in tense confusion, the next second…
Kaika’s sudden movement gave her the answer.
“Mother, since I’ve apologized… it’s your turn.”
The elf girl suddenly grabbed both of Valo’s wrists and pinned her onto the bed behind her with effortless strength!
The moonlight spilled into the room, and the girl’s dark purple eyes were inches away.
Their breaths intertwined, and their chests pressed against one another.
For a moment, Valo’s heart skipped a beat.
‘Is Kaika finally making her move!?’
But Kaika merely held her wrists and pressed a knee between Valo’s legs.
Her heavy, ragged breathing suggested she was teetering on the edge of sanity and madness.
Her actions toward her “mother” felt more like an assertion of her existence and status, as well as…
Proof of a certain fact.
“Mother, shouldn’t you be a bit more aware of your own weakness?”
The girl whispered with a light chuckle near her lips, their noses almost touching.
“Don’t you have only me to rely on? Anyone in the Empire could easily control you.”
“If I hadn’t found you today, do you think the Great Sage would have given up on sending you away just because you objected?”
‘Actually, I was the one who wanted to cut ties with the “mother” identity and run away…’
Valo didn’t dare speak.
That was a fact she could absolutely not mention in front of a Kaika with a maxed-out [Blackening Value].
Her daughter was one step away from rebellion and imprisoning her mother.
Fortunately, Kaika didn’t press for details.
She just blinked.
“I hope you’ll be more careful from now on.”
Then, tilting her head, she made a request.
“Also, Mother, since you don’t intend to blame me for using the Holy Relic… don’t you plan on giving me some kind of reward?”
This sentence finally provided the breakthrough Valo needed to lower the girl’s [Blackening Value]!
‘Forget about cutting ties with Kaika for now. I have to avoid the “Confinement Revenge Ending” first!’
“Fine, I suppose I can agree to that.”
Valo struggled to maintain an air of being in control.
She was Kaika’s mother, after all.
Even if she was currently pinned to the bed by her wrists, she couldn’t lose her momentum!
She couldn’t let Kaika realize how terrified she was!
Who said the person on the bottom was the submissive one?
It could just be a tactical position.
“Kaika, I can grant you one request, provided it isn’t too excessive. Speak.”
“♪”
The girl’s eyes instantly lit up with excitement!
At the same time, as if her walk on the tightrope had paid off, Valo finally saw it: Kaika’s [Blackening Value] on the [Nurturing Panel] slowly dropped from its maximum to 90%.
It seemed her forgiveness and the promise of a reward had more or less soothed the girl’s dark, blackened mood.
However, before Valo could breathe a sigh of relief, Kaika made an outrageous demand!
“Mother, the Great Sage has a guilty conscience this time. She will definitely compromise with us next.”
“So, when that happens, I will make a request to her on your behalf: I want you to enter the Clock Tower as well, Mother~”
The girl wore an expression of intoxicated bliss, closing her eyes as she nuzzled against Valo’s chest.
“That way, you can live by my side, and no one will ever be able to take you away from me again, right?”
“…Mother, you’re not unwilling, are you?”
‘Is Kaika still planning to settle scores with me later? Is tonight just a stay of execution?’
Furthermore, if she entered the Clock Tower and stayed close to Kaika, how was she supposed to cut ties and drop the “mother” identity?
Unfortunately, Valo had no choice.
“Err… haha, sure. I suppose that’s fine.”