บท 52: Finally back

A week went by quickly for Lilith, and she spent a lot of her time enjoying simple moments, like being with her mom.

In just a few days, more and more people started to believe in Lilith, making the total number of her followers go up to 54. This big jump was mostly because of Kenny. After getting better, he started telling everyone about how Lilith, a goddess, had healed him.

At first, when Kenny told his story, many people didn't take him seriously and laughed. But Kenny didn't give up. Things were going to change with time.

During this period, Lilith started to think of a way to help her family stack up on those bands. The idea, mostly suggested by Veda, involved a clever use of the lottery.

Here's how the plan was supposed to work: Lilith would figure out the winning lottery numbers ahead of time. Then, she would sneakily place the lottery ticket somewhere in her house, making it seem as though John, her father, had accidentally brought it home. The idea was that her parents, driven by curiosity, would check the lottery numbers and discover they had won.

If everything went according to plan, Lilith's parents wouldn't have to worry about money anymore and Lilith would be able to have a luxurious life with her parents.

"Honey?" John's voice echoed through the kitchen as he spotted a lottery ticket lying on the countertop. "What's with the lottery ticket?"

"Huh?" Lisa, in the midst of preparing dinner, looked up with a puzzled look. "I thought you had brought it home."

"What?" John's face mirrored Lisa's confusion. Picking up the ticket, he mused aloud, "What if this is the winning ticket."

The mere thought sparked Lisa's imagination. The idea of winning such a large sum of money opened up a world of possibilities, especially in supporting Lilith. The thought alone brought a surge of happiness to Lisa, filling her with hope as a mother.

"Let me check," John said, pulling out his phone to look up the winning lottery numbers.

As he started to compare the numbers on the ticket with those listed as the winners, a visible change came over him. His hands began to tremble with the realization of what was unfolding right before their eyes.

Lilith, watching the scene unfold from a discreet distance, couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.

'Exactly as planned...' she thought to herself, pleased with how her scheme was playing out.

"Honey..." John finally broke the silence, his voice mixed with disbelief and excitement. "Come take a look at this... we won... I think..."

"What do you mean...?" Lisa, pausing her dinner preparations, walked over to John, her curiosity piqued. As she glanced at the winning numbers displayed on the phone and then at their ticket, a look of astonishment crossed her face. "We... won?"

"Yeah..." The moment was surreal as they turned to face each other, their expressions a mix of shock and joy. They couldn't believe their luck.

"Maybe it was God," Lisa suggested, trying to make sense of their sudden fortune. Unbeknownst to her, it wasn't a deity from above that had blessed them, but their own daughter, Lilith, now a goddess. The idea that their daughter could be responsible for this miracle was far beyond their wildest dreams.

"We should find the owner," Lisa suddenly suggested a statement that took both Lilith and John by surprise.

"What do you mean to find the owner?" John asked, clearly puzzled by Lisa's proposal.

'Yeah...! What are you talking about, mother?!' Lilith silently echoed her father's sentiment, equally taken aback.

"I mean, we both didn't buy the ticket," Lisa pointed out logically, her sense of integrity coming to the forefront.

"Lisa... think about this. With this money, we could support Lilith without any problem," John reasoned, trying to sway Lisa by highlighting the benefits their newfound fortune could bring to their daughter's life.

"Hmmm..." Lisa pondered John's words. She understood the practicality of using the money for their family, especially for Lilith's future. However, the idea of keeping something that wasn't rightfully theirs conflicted with her values. After a moment of consideration, she found a middle ground that aligned with her moral compass. "We will make use of this money but make sure our daughter doesn't grow up to be spoiled."

"Of course," John agreed with a smile, relieved and supportive of Lisa's condition.

...

The family reached a consensus, planning to start looking for a new home the very next day, a decision made easier with their newfound financial security.

[Skills unlock in 00.00.00] [All skills unlocked.]

It was late at night, and Lilith's parents were asleep. Lilith knew she had to go back because people were probably worried about her. She also remembered she had made a promise to Suzuki that she hadn't kept.

Lilith used her skill to travel between worlds and suddenly appeared in the banquet hall. The hall was quiet and empty, except for one maid who was so surprised to see Lilith suddenly appear that she almost fainted.

...

For Lilith, it felt like only a week had gone by, but in her world, two weeks had passed. For Almace, these two weeks felt like an eternity. Each day without Lilith was torture, driving her closer to the edge of despair.

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open. Sivel, breathing heavily as if she had run all the way, brought urgent news. "She's here...! Lilith!" she exclaimed.

At Sivel's words, Azriel, who had been clinging to hope, leaped to his feet, his face lighting up. "Le-" he began, but he didn't get to finish.

In a flash, Almace, who had been sulking in a corner, looking worse for wear, appeared right in front of Sivel. Almace's appearance was wild, her hair unkempt, and her expression was that of someone who had lost everything precious to them. The intensity of her gaze was enough to frighten anyone, and Sivel was no exception, especially with Almace's face so close to her own.

"If you're lying, I'll kill you..." Almace's voice was a menacing growl, full of barely controlled rage. Without waiting for a response, she bolted out of the door, driven by the desperate hope that Lilith had truly returned.

Almace's frantic dash was abruptly halted, not by Sivel or Azriel, but by a figure standing directly in her path. Initially, the disarray of the figure's hair obscured their identity, yet Almace, with her bond as a soul weapon, instinctively recognized who it was.

"Waaa! Master!!!" Overcome with emotion, Almace couldn't contain herself and lunged at Lilith. She buried her face in Lilith's stomach, her momentum bringing both of them to the ground.

"Oof...!" Lilith grunted as she hit the floor, surprised by the sudden impact. Almace then proceeded to nuzzle and rub against Lilith with the affectionate fervor of a cat, her actions driven by overwhelming relief and joy.

"Master! Master! Master!" Almace cried between sobs, her words choked with emotion. "I missed you so much, sniffle... I hated every second that you weren't here!"

Lilith, finding herself unable to get up or stop Almace's effusive display of affection, simply lay there, letting Almace express her pent-up emotions. All Lilith could do was occasionally pat Almace's head, providing what comfort she could to her devoted companion who had clearly suffered in her absence.