Chapter 393: Sold Off?

Atlas’s eyes remained widened for a long moment after hearing those words. He could see tears escaping from his mother’s translucent eyes, and something inside him immediately stirred. His heart throbbed painfully as a surge of anger erupted within his soul form, spreading through him before he could even comprehend what he was feeling.

In an instant, the endless darkness surrounding them began to shake violently, as though the entire space was on the verge of collapsing apart.

A crimson-red aura suddenly emerged around Atlas’s soul form, releasing successive waves of energy that spread throughout the darkness. The intensity continued to increase, causing the entire space to tremble as though it could no longer withstand the pressure.

Yet, despite the violent disturbance, the endless darkness remained intact. Maerith immediately opened her eyes, her attention shifting toward Atlas as she realized what was happening.

"Atlas... Don’t! Don’t let your anger get the better of you! Never!" She hurriedly pulled his translucent head into her embrace, holding him tightly as though trying to bring his emotions under control.

Her voice carried an urgency that made it clear how important it was for him to listen to her. Without releasing him, she continued, "Listen to the rest of what I have to say!"

Her final shout seemed to reach Atlas, and the crimson aura surrounding him suddenly vanished. The violent shaking of the endless darkness also began to subside, returning the surroundings to their previous stillness.

Atlas blinked a few times, seemingly coming back to his senses as he realized what he had just done. He hadn’t even noticed how much his anger had affected the space until Maerith called out to him.

He slowly lowered his head before speaking in a quiet voice. "I am sorry. You can continue now." Maerith gently pulled away and looked at him, noticing that he had finally calmed down. Although a faint smile appeared on her face, the sadness in her eyes remained unchanged.

’...He really is our son, alright. His anger is just like both of us, but stronger.’ With that thought, Maerith continued explaining what had happened. "As I was saying, when I saw that, madness consumed me."

"And when that happened, I finally awakened the powers I was meant to possess. I turned all of ’them’ into smithereens in an instant and took your father’s corpse and you with me."

She paused, and her expression gradually turned painful once again. Even after awakening the powers, she was meant to possess, the situation hadn’t ended there. Atlas remained quiet, allowing her to continue without interrupting, although his attention had become even more focused on her words. He wanted to understand everything that had happened to them in that distant world.

"But just as I was fleeing, ’their’ reinforcements came in and almost captured me. They were strong, Atlas. Strong beyond anything words could describe, and I was helpless against them." Her voice carried a hint of helplessness as she recalled facing those beings. "At that time, when I had to choose between your father’s corpse and you, I didn’t think for a second before choosing to protect you."

Maerith briefly lowered her gaze before continuing. "I poured every last bit of my powers into making an escape route for you and immediately sent you through that route. I didn’t know where you would end up, but what I did know was that you were safe, and that was all I could ask for in my last breath."

She finished explaining, leaving Atlas to process everything he had just heard. He frowned slightly at her final words, particularly the mention of her last breath. His gaze shifted toward her translucent figure, and he couldn’t help but question what she meant. After all, she was sitting right in front of him, wasn’t she?

"Last breath? But you are still alive, aren’t you... mother?"

The final word immediately caught Maerith’s attention. For a brief moment, her expression changed, and she felt something she could hardly put into words. Happiness surged within her, accompanied by a deep sense of regret toward herself.

’It’s been so long... so long since I was called mother.’ She wanted to hear him say it again, to hold onto that small moment for just a little longer, but she knew this wasn’t the time to indulge in such a wishful thought.

Atlas, on the other hand, was experiencing something similar to the feeling of love. It was a feeling entirely different from what he felt toward Seraphiel, so unfamiliar that he was having a hard time believing such an emotion existed within him.

Nevertheless, he didn’t allow himself to dwell on it for too long. He dismissed those thoughts for the moment and focused on the explanation Maerith was about to give.

"I am alive, and that was thanks to what happened just when ’they’ were about to slice off my throat." Atlas immediately narrowed his eyes, listening carefully. Maerith continued, "Someone intervened when I was just about to die."

"Someone powerful enough to kill every last one of ’their’ reinforcements without blinking an eye. He was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even dare to lift my head to see his face."

She paused briefly before recalling what happened next. "He approached me after killing them and said, ’You should be proud of yourself. You birthed someone that interests even me, and as a reward, I will take you in as my disciple. Somehow, I can’t locate that child you sent somewhere unknown.’

’It must be because you are not with him anymore.’"

Atlas’s eyes narrowed to a slit as he listened to those words. He couldn’t help but wonder who this person was, someone arrogant enough to speak in such a manner after displaying power that could overwhelm the beings Maerith had described. However, he didn’t interrupt her to ask about him. There was still more to the story, and he wanted to hear the rest before drawing any conclusions.

"Nevertheless, I had no choice but to accept his offer. I was at death’s door when he saved me and even resurrected your father. The only price we had to pay was... you, Atlas." For a brief moment, Atlas froze. His mother’s words seemed to settle heavily within his mind, and he couldn’t immediately make sense of what she had just said.

Maerith, meanwhile, lowered herself onto her knees before him, unable to maintain her composure any longer. Tears continued falling from her eyes, yet not a single sound escaped her mouth.

"I... I am sorry, Atlas. That man said once we find you again, he will take you for himself."

Her voice finally broke, and she lowered her head further as the tears continued to fall. Her vision became increasingly blurry, and even her translucent soul fragment began to fade ever so slowly. She tried to continue speaking, but the guilt she had carried for so long seemed to overwhelm her. When she finally managed to speak again, her voice was weak and trembling.

"Th-This is why... I asked you to never forgive me. Never. Resent me to the extreme. I... don’t have the right to be called a mother anymore."

She struggled to continue but forced herself to explain what had happened afterward. "I-In desperation, me and your father formed a plan that the m-moment we find you, we will hide you from him at all costs."

"And we started searching for you with the connection between me and you through the same powers I had sent you so that we were the ones to discover you before him." Her weak voice continued to reveal the rest of the story, recounting what had happened after Atlas was sent away.

He had been no more than a three-year-old child at the time, and the decisions made by his parents had ultimately led them to the situation they were now discussing. Maerith could no longer bring herself to look directly at him as she reached the final part of her confession.

"W-We... sold you off to survive, Atlas. Never forgive us... never."