Chương 63: Chapter 63: Taking Care of a Child
"Hello there, little one." Solomon greeted as he walked through the portal, carrying snacks. Before him stood a little girl in a pink nightgown, her hair tied into two braids, peeking curiously at the portal. Her once trembling legs now stood firmly.
It was clear that she was quite familiar with this kind of thing, as she didn't show much surprise. In her mind, this glowing circular object from which people emerged was similar to the one that brought her here, though not as bright. So, she naturally assumed it was the same. However, as soon as Solomon stepped out, the little girl visibly deflated, disappointed that the person in front of her wasn't the one she had been waiting for.
She lowered her head and started tapping the ground with her rounded shoes, looking dejected. Not even Solomon's greeting could lift her spirits.
"Uh... I was called here by that woman," Solomon said, pointing toward Bayonetta, who was confronting the angels ahead.
"Keep an eye on that little one!" Bayonetta shouted without even turning around, seemingly trusting Solomon to handle the child effortlessly.
"Mommy!" the little girl called out in a soft, sweet voice. She looked up and asked, "Big brother, did Mommy ask you to take care of me?"
Mommy? Since when did Bayonetta have a child? From the looks of this little girl, it couldn't have been more than a few years ago!
Solomon felt incredibly awkward, not just because he was captivated by Bayonetta's combat skills, but because he had never taken care of a child before. This small being, barely reaching his thigh, was unlike anything he had encountered. Even the children of sorcerer families who came to train at Kamar-Taj were at least as tall as him. Holding a bunch of snacks in one hand, Solomon awkwardly waved his free hand, trying to explain.
"Is Mommy going to leave me again?" The little girl's big eyes filled with tears as she looked toward Bayonetta, then back at Solomon. Tears began rolling down her chubby cheeks as she pleaded, "Please, big brother, don't let Mommy leave me..."
"It's not like that, little one." Solomon's heart softened immediately. Who could remain indifferent in the face of such a tearful little girl? He squatted down to her level and said, "Once your mom finishes dealing with that thing, she'll come over to you. I'm just here to make sure you don't get hurt."
Judging the level of the angel, Solomon knew it wasn't a threat to Bayonetta. He felt comfortable reassuring the girl with a lighthearted tone, "That monster is no match for your mom."
"Then… we'll be okay, right?" the girl asked hesitantly.
"Of course, of course," Solomon quickly nodded.
"But… Cheshire…"
"Cheshire?" Solomon followed her finger and saw the tattered stuffed toy lying on the ground. "That… doll is yours?"
"Yes! Cheshire is my friend!" the little girl answered. "But they want to hurt Cheshire..."
"Okay, okay, it's back." With a simple trick, the doll flew into Solomon's hand. He stuffed a bag of chips, some candy, and the doll into the little girl's arms. "Now, it's your friend again. Come with me, little one. You'll get hurt if you stay here."
"It seems like you're not planning to hurt this little girl? You brought me here on purpose, so what exactly is your goal?" Bayonetta asked the angel, still facing it. At this moment, Solomon noticed another portal not far behind him—a trap, no doubt, designed specifically for Bayonetta! But what could a little girl do? Was she a hostage?
Despite everything, Solomon became a bit more cautious, keeping an eye on both the place and the girl, making sure never to turn his back on her again. He also sharpened his hearing, ready to catch any important information from the angel.
"I must serve as the foundation for the resurrection of the Chief God." The angel's voice remained as calm as ever, repeating the same vague message.
"Let's dance!" Bayonetta's long sword ignited with purple magical flames as she leapt at the angel, launching her attack.
Her initial strikes were parried by the Ardor angel, the clashing of blades ringing out sharply. But with her swift speed and power, Bayonetta soon found an opening and slashed her sword against the golden-red armor. However, even with this powerful weapon, no mark was left on the armor. Each strike only produced a shower of sparks.
Rather than feeling frustrated, Bayonetta seemed thrilled.
The previous enemies had been too weak to interest her, but this Ardor angel, though lower in rank than the Beloved angels, was much stronger than she had expected. Licking her lips, she said, "Looks like I'll be able to fully enjoy this!"
The resounding clang of clashing blades filled the rift, shaking the air and mingling with the frequent thunder.
Dust clouds erupted from the battlefield, obscuring the view of the onlookers. Even Solomon, who was confident in Bayonetta's abilities, couldn't help but feel a little anxious. The little girl beside him was even more worried.
"Mommy!" the girl cried out in distress. She hugged her doll tighter, dropping her snacks to the ground as tears once again flowed, far more than when she had first met Solomon.
"Step back, little one." Solomon dropped the snacks and stood slightly in front of her. Two orange rings of light formed in his hands. "If things go badly, you'll have to run."
When the dust settled, they saw Bayonetta holding her long sword, blocking the Ardor angel's massive golden blade. She had successfully parried the attack, but the ground beneath her feet had cracked under the immense force. Solomon let out a sigh of relief, not wanting the witch to make a mistake at a crucial moment. The little girl also stopped crying, her eyes fixed on Bayonetta, worried she might get hurt again.
"Are you really that eager to defy me?" Bayonetta gritted through her teeth. "Do you want to steal my power or something?" The ground beneath the witch crumbled further under the weight of the angel's attack. "Such a naughty child, looks like you need a harsh punishment!"
"Good children shouldn't listen to that!" Solomon quickly pointed at Bayonetta, whispering to the little girl. "Those are not nice words."
"Huh?" The little girl blinked, confused, looking up at the sorcerer.
Suddenly, Bayonetta leapt up, using the sword as a pivot to dodge the angel's blade. She kicked the Ardor angel in the beak with such force that it staggered backward, crushing the ground beneath its feet. Bayonetta's black leather suit absorbed the long sword, and she reached behind her, pulling out a massive black and red chainsaw. The handle of the chainsaw was shaped like a giant piranha, and it was roaring with the witch's magic.
This chainsaw was another of Rodin's masterpieces, crafted from the materials of the Hell Dragon Salamandra. The dragon's scales had been forged into the saw teeth, while its heart was used as the engine, giving the weapon incredible power.
"Come on! Come here! I'll make this fun for you!" Bayonetta taunted. "Let's dance, baby!"
By this point, Solomon had already covered the little girl's ears.
"Glory to Jubileus is with me!" The Ardor angel charged at Bayonetta, but she evaded its swing, jumping high and bringing the chainsaw down on the angel's head. The golden saw teeth spun rapidly, spewing brilliant sparks.
With firm and ruthless force, Bayonetta sliced downward, the sharp teeth cutting through the angel's armor and flesh, cleaving it in half diagonally. The angel exploded into a burst of golden light, and the resulting explosion even shattered part of the platform. Bayonetta stood at the edge, slowly retracting her weapon.
"Mommy! Mommy!" The little girl began calling out again as the battle ended.
"Phew!" Bayonetta sighed, covering her face. She slowly walked over to where Solomon and the little girl were. The girl's expression changed instantly from tears to a smile as Bayonetta approached, a transformation that made the sorcerer marvel at how quickly children's emotions could change.
"I think I did a good job," Solomon said, spreading his hands. "I didn't let her get hurt. By the way, when did you have a daughter?"
"She's not mine, but I wouldn't mind starting a family," Bayonetta winked at Solomon before turning to the girl. "Little one, what's your name?"
"Cereza!" the girl replied. "Don't you remember, Mommy?"
"I probably won't remember in the future either," Bayonetta waved her hand. "Why are you in this dreadful place? Not even a pumpkin carriage would come here."
"Daddy told me that if I were a good girl, Mommy would come to take me home," Cereza said.
"He left you here? Alone?" Bayonetta asked, shocked.
Could this little girl be part of Balder's trap? Whose child was she? Who was the "daddy" she spoke of? Solomon silently realized he was getting closer to the truth but stayed quiet, waiting for Cereza to reveal more.
"I'm not alone, Cheshire is with me!" Cereza retorted.
"But you were so scared you cried like a baby."
"Mommy, let's go home!"
"How many times do I have to tell you, little one, I'm not
your mommy," Bayonetta said. "Your dad will come for you soon."
"As long as I'm with Mommy, it's fine!" Cereza hugged her doll tightly and clung to Bayonetta's leg, showing no intention of letting go.
"This is quite a headache," Bayonetta sighed, realizing she would have to take care of the little girl for a while. She turned to Solomon. "Do you know how to cook?"
"I find it a bit challenging, but I have magic that can handle it," Solomon replied. "Why?"
The witch rolled her eyes. "Just open a portal already."
"Where to?" Solomon didn't bother asking why not use the golden portal. After all, no one would trust the enemy's magic.
"My place. You'll come too. I need to clean this little one up, and you'll be in charge of cooking."
The sorcerer put on his Sling Ring, preparing to cast the spell. "Alright, give me the address."
"I think this is starting to feel like a family!" Bayonetta teased.
"Ahem!" Solomon coughed loudly, the sparks from his spell momentarily disappearing.
Bayonetta seemed to enjoy his reaction. "Hurry up," she said, "I'm already hungry. And don't forget to fry some salmon."
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter
___________________
✨ Special Offer! ✨
Enjoy a 50% discount on all Patreon tiers until November 30th! 🎉
Use code EDE1A at checkout to unlock this limited-time deal.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực