Chapter 12: Milestone
Receiving weird looks from those within the bustling market streets, Sarah continued steadfastly walking towards the Boar Inn.
It was an average inn that she knew was closest to the Maxwell Family and had planned to stay there for the night while Damian recovered, before they headed for Akegria Academy.
Walking into the inn she was receiving lustful looks from the drunk burly men drinking bear on the lowest level of the inn, but seeing the fire crest with the letter 'M' that she wore on her arm, they became scared.
The crests of the originator families were known to all and made them all lower their gazes, although they still continued to whisper to each other about her.
"1 room with two beds for the night please" she stated to the innkeeper as she placed 3 spirit coins on the counter before him.
"Head upstairs and turn right, room 7," said the innkeeper as he placed the 3 spirit coins in his pocket and placed a key on the counter.
"Take her up and help her with her luggage," directed the innkeeper to a young woman who was working under him.
Still carrying Damian in her arms and two large bags in her hands she walked up the stairs ignoring all the remarks and comments she could hear, while the worker ran after her with the key that she took off the counter.
The worker opened the door for Sarah, left the key inside, then scurried away, seeing the angry expression on Sarah's face.
Placing Damian gently on the bed and throwing their bags on the floor, Sarah had a worried expression as she began to check on his body.
She could feel his faint pulse was still beating and knew that after overusing his energy and Soul Spirit, his body would need time to recover.
"The older he is getting the less and less I seem to know about him" she mumbled as she went to the other bed opposite to Damian's.
After everything Sarah had to deal with throughout the day, she was mentally drained and tired as she closed her eyes and attempted to sleep.
While lying in her bed, she contemplated the mysteries around her son that she couldn't figure out.
Meanwhile, within Damian's mindscape.
"Utsusu I was amazing wasn't I" exclaimed Damian to the silver book floating in front of him.
"No, you idiot, if that was a battlefield you would have been dead," refuted Utsusu, striking down Damian's excited behaviour.
"You wanted to prove yourself to your mother and show her that she can rely on you, but all you did was show her that you are reckless and cannot be relied on," remarked Utsusu.
Each word was a blow to both Damian's ego and confidence.
Instantly Damian's joyous expression became one that was sulking as he slumped his body on the ground and realised that what Utsusu just told him about himself was true.
"Are you going to give up because of a few words, I told you this to tell you what you did wrong, but your use of skills and fearlessness was incredible and if you allow your will to be crushed by a few words and give up, you are unworthy of me" declared to him Utsusu.
Slumped on the ground, Damian clenched his fists and suddenly jumped up after hearing Utsusu's declaration.
"I will never give up" he roared driven by the will of his soul.
"That's the spirit kid," stated Utsusu.
"I will never have to rely on my mother or anyone else" he vowed to himself.
The vow was imprinted deep within his heart and soul and after his first battle had vowed that he always wanted to rely on only himself.
"You have been bought here through losing consciousness making time flow much faster in your mindscape so before you go I must warn you again to always be careful" reminded Utsusu.
Damian nodded in affirmation, and sat back down on the ground while digesting everything that had occurred to him since he had transmigrated into this new world.
After what felt like a few minutes he began to feel his soul form begin to be sucked back into his body.
"Utsusu I won't let you down," he stated as he disappeared and returned to his now conscious body.
Getting up, he could still feel an aching pain from his shoulder and saw that he was in a small room with two beds opposite to each other and their bags on the floor.
On the other bed, he could see his mother sleeping, despite the blinding rays of sunlight shining in through the window.
[She must be tired after everything that has happened, I will let her sleep] decided Damian remembering all the stress his mother had been put through over the past few days.
Trying to silently get off his bed, he gently placed his foot on the floor.
CREEK.
The floorboard creaked loudly and resounded throughout the silent room.
Instantly Sarah jumped up and was alert with her fists clenched and ready to battle.
"Calm down mother I am sorry I woke you" exclaimed Damian scared after sensing his mother's battle aura and seeing that she was ready to battle.
Seeing the situation, she calmed down and instantly her expression changed into one of happiness seeing her son was conscious.
"Damian" she screamed in joy as she appeared before him with incredible speed and gave him a big warm hug.
"Mother my shoulder" he uttered in pain trying to escape from her tight hug.
"Sorry, Damian I forgot," she said, letting go of him and scratching her head.
"But don't ever worry me like that again" she screamed at him as she slapped him in the face gently.
Damian was shocked and couldn't react even if he wanted to.
"I am sorry mother, I will try not to be reckless" he replied with his head lowered in shame as he accepted the slap from his mother.
[You have gone through so many horrible events and have sacrificed so much for me, and from now I will never let you suffer again].
With his past and mother as a drive, he felt that he had now gained a first-hand experience of life and had learnt to never give up no matter what.