Chapter 214: Rain, Rain, Go Away

"H...haa…"

Charlotte could not help but slightly let out a moan as she found herself floating in the darkness. She felt nothing in her skin, it was as if the darkness itself did not exist. It wasn't cold, nor was it warm.

And if her mind wanders even just a single second, it also felt like she didn't exist. The sound of her breath, the weight of her hair… there was nothing. But still, it was there.

"Where… where am I?", she stuttered, her voice filled with nothing but confusion as she turned her eyes across the vast and empty darkness. She called for her brother, she called for everyone that was in the room. But no one seemed to answer her.

The last thing that she remembered was Viel telling her that he was her son. He was telling her about the story of when he was taken from a dark alley, and that Charlotte was possibly there.

"!!!", a sudden pain jolted inside her head as visions appeared in front of her, memories that were hidden and thought to be forgotten forever.

She remembers all of it now. She was in that alley. Her whole body and her mind were completely sedated, she was barely alive and she couldn't even move a single finger, but she was there.

She remembered everything that happened that night. How she was struck from behind, how she bled all alone on the cold hard ground. She also remembered the pain in her stomach as something wriggled inside of her.

And most important of all, she remembered how Viel was formed with the blood that came directly from inside of her.

She knew it seemed impossible, but it did happen. And seeing Viel now and what he was capable of, it didn't seem so unlikely anymore.

It was so clear to her now, Viel was… no, Viel is her son.

All this time she had a son. A child that was left all alone in the world, crying for her mother to wake up. A child whose only family he had ever known died on the same day, with his grandfather being brutally killed.

A child that was isolated because of his powers, a child that was left alone for years… abandoned in an unknown world.

That child was hers. Even if his father was a monster, Li Zhao, it didn't matter. What mattered was that she had a family all this time in Taizhou, and she didn't even know it.

She knew that it wasn't her fault, she couldn't have known. But still…

She should have been there for Viel.

She should have been there to teach him about things.

She should have been there when he first took his first steps.

She should have been there to tell him stories about their family here in the West.

She should have been there to hug him whenever he felt alone.

Charlotte's chest tightened even further as the feeling of regret and sorrow clouded her entire body, almost crushing her into a ball.

"Is it painful?"

But before a tear could fall from her eyes, a voice whispered into her ears, echoing throughout the vast darkness.

"Who is there!?", Charlotte quickly released her breath as she quickly looked towards the direction of the voice.

"Now, now. No need to be so star-struck"

Charlotte could not help but squint her eyes as a man slowly stepped out of the darkness. His skin was born, and his slightly long black hair somewhat seemed to merge with the darkness.

"Hello there, earthling", the brown-skinned man then said as released a wide smile and waved his hand.

Charlotte, however, could only cover her eyes as the man in front of him was completely naked, "W… who are you!?", she stuttered.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Charlotte", the brown-skinned man continued to approach Charlotte, not even seeming to care about his current state of nature.

"My name is Rain", the man said as he bowed, "Universal Traveller and your friendly neighborhood Intergalactic Superhero"

"..."

"...What?"

***

"Why isn't she waking up?"

Duke Erik's trembling words silently echoed through the room as he stared at his unconscious sister. Charlotte was quickly brought to a bedroom as soon as she collapsed, with Sofia currently checking up on her condition.

"Her heart rate is steady", Sofia let out a small sigh, "Her breathing is calm as well, so there is nothing to worry about, Duke of Quinn"

"It might just be because she couldn't handle the strain in her mind. She would wake up soon", Sofia comforted Duke Erik.

Viel and Natalia were also there, watching on the side as Sofia continued to check on Charlotte's condition. Natalia, however, was more preoccupied with staring at Viel.

"So… what are you?", she could not help but ask, "Is your father some kind of demon?"

"...Eh?", Viel could only widen his eyes from Natalia's sudden question.

"Based on what I heard so far… You just suddenly burst out of Charlotte's womb like some kind of parasite", Natalia squinted her eyes as she continued to stare at Viel.

"Ehh… No idea", Viel just shrugged his shoulders in response, "Miss Lu Yi didn't really tell me who my father is"

"Hmm…"

"It would be best if we let Charlotte rest for now."

Before Natalia could interrogate Viel even further, Sofia's words reached their ears, "You should leave the room and let me examine her more."

"O… of course", Duke Erik quietly stood up as he nodded towards Sofia, "Thank you for doing this Miss… Sorry, I don't even know your name yet", he then slightly chuckled as he scratched his chin.

"Sofia."

"Then… thank you for doing this, Miss Sofia", Duke Erik said before he turned towards Natalia, "Let's let her rest for now".

Viel was also about to leave the room, but before he could do so, Sofia called for her to stay in the room. Duke Erik was a bit curious as to why, but he didn't really inquire as he and his wife left the room.

"I need to show you something, Vi", Sofia gestured for Viel to sit beside her.

"What is it?"

Sofia then gently placed her hand on Charlotte's face, gently opening her sedated eyes.

"What are you doing?", Viel could not help but whisper.

"Look at her eye", Sofia quickly said.

Viel was still a bit uncomfortable with seeing Charlotte's eyes being forcefully opened, but hearing the serious tone in Sofia's voice, the only thing he could do was follow her words.

Viel squinted his eyes, trying to focus on Charlotte's eyes. But as soon as he saw a green flickering light squirming in her eyes, he could not help but slightly back away.

"Ew…", he worded out, "What is that? Does she have some kind of virus?"

"You have it too, Vi", Sofia quickly replied.

"What!?", Viel slightly raised his voice, "Am I dying!?"

"...No", Sofia slightly hesitated with her answer. The truth is, she doesn't really know. But what she did know was…

"Whatever it is that is inside you, it would seem that your mother has it too", she said.

"R… really?", Viel slightly calmed down as he returned to his seat, "So does that mean that Charlotte has her own Mr. Vo…

...No, Mrs. Voice?"

"...", Sofia could not help but adjust her spectacles as she heard Viel's words, "I am not entirely sure. Unlike you, she does not seem to be hearing voices."

"Hmm…", Viel placed his hand on his chin as he stared at Charlotte.

"However…", Sofia's voice suddenly became full of weight, "...whenever the green lights appear, someone else controls your body, Vi…

...and you lose more and more of your memories as well."

"...Will she also lose her memories?"

"I… am not sure."

"I see", Viel let out a long and deep sigh, "I don't want her to. Losing a memory…

...It's very painful, Sofi."

"...Vi", Sofia could not help but touch Viel's cheek as she heard the sorrowful tone in his voice.

"..."

"..."

"When are you letting go of her eyelids though?"

"..."

"!!!"

***

"You're not truly asking me that!"

Back inside Charlotte's unconscious mind, her voice currently echoed throughout the darkness. Waving her hands as she stared at the man in front of her, Rain.

"Well, you can always do the opposite", Rain shrugged his shoulders, "The result would still be the same for me."

"He is my son!", Charlotte once again screamed.

"No, your son is dead."

"W… what!?"

"Whatever you think that thing is, it is not your son.", Rain let out a long and deep sigh as he sat in the darkness.

"Your son died as soon as your stomach was kicked by your mate around 12 years ago."

"My… mate?"

Charlotte could not help but stutter. Mate? Was he talking about Li Zhao?

How… exactly does this man know all of this?

He had been speaking nothing but nonsense for quite a while now. About how the dungeons were just other worlds that were billions of kilometers away from here.

About how he came from an even farther place, another universe that was separate from here.

He used words that Charlotte has not heard before, but for some reason… she could understand them.

But most importantly, one thing was lingering in Charlotte's mind.

How he said that he was here to save this world. No… this whole universe.

The man's words were hard to believe, impossible even. But for some reason, Charlotte believed him. He wasn't lying, and Charlotte could somewhat feel it. But Charlotte could also feel something different.

This man called Rain wasn't lying, but at the same time, he doesn't really care. Like he was just looking at Charlotte as some kind of… insect.

No…

It wasn't just Charlotte.

The whole world and everyone in it…

They were only insects in this man's eyes.