Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

615  An old friend

[Zoe's POV: ]

This butterfly… it was the same familiar that belonged to mom. The same one that had been with her for a long time and though she she seemed to have told him that it had died, the one before him that I could feel this strange longing connection with, was undoubtedly a creature connected to my mom.

And, it knew about me as well. It was calling me master even though we had just met and it even knew this was my new form, or more like it was me but it was mistaking me for mom.

It was strange how this creature that big brother knew for a fact had passed away was before me right now… but, what it said was true as well.

We should finish the familiar bonding process before continuing with the further task. It will be helpful to have that unique connection big brother and sister Elle talks about…

"Alright then. Let us finish that."

[{ Very well. }]

This being was strange. But, in a way, it was the first creature to ever call me master that sincerely. I don't like it most of the time but this felt different. It was pleasant.

-Ooooooooooooooooong!

A unique light came out of the butterfly and surrounded me, and, the same way, a red-orange light came out of me and surrounded the little one on my arm as well.

[{ Oh great being, my savior, my lord, my everything, my soul… do you accept this old friend, this lacking but, an eternal devotee yours, as your familiar, once again? }]

"I do, but… it looks like you are mistaking me for my mom. I'm a different person than all the things you have said, or known perhaps.

[{ No. I know who you are and she knew it as well. Well… it is more appropriate to say that you are her greatest wish that she wanted to fulfill more than anything else.

My existence here is the proof that she was able to go back peacefully, and your existence, my dear master, is the proof that she achieved that wish of hers and found someone capable enough to entrust you to them. }]

…what?

"She knew something like what happened would happen already?"

[{ No. I do not know what happened to her or who the chosen one, her successor is. However, her singular greatest wish was to have you, her child into this sorrowful yet beautiful world.

All she had was hope, a thread of light that she had clung to forever, even during the time she lived in her mausoleum, and continued living that eternally painful life of suffering all by herself.

She believed, with all her heart, for all the time I had been with her and even after that, and… perhaps one day, her prayers were heard by Mother Nature and a miracle greeted her.

That miracle became her light and she gave that light all she had, before breaking their heart, and leaving them behind with a request to be with you, my new master, and protect you just the way she would have.

She waited for that one miracle for I do not know how long. But, she found it. And you came to this world. With that miracle by your side. }]

"…"

21:38

Mother…

"…"

Mother…

She just clung to that one imaginary 'hope' and endured all the pain by herself. She continued believing and having faith in her one last wish, thinking that someone would definitely come her way if it was meant to be. She must have searched and searched and searched relentlessly for the one who could grant her everything before she decided to take her last stop in that forest and make that tower where she rested until her last days.

She must have done many things just to get out of that miserable loop that repeated endlessly. The life, the death that was never the end. The same reputation in the same but changing world. Seeing people she had even the slightest bit of attachment die before her.

She must have gone through many terrible things. Perhaps, I will have to go through them in the future as well. Perhaps. I don't know what will happen to me once I die.

She didn't know either, not in that much detail. Even someone like her wasn't capable of knowing this ever-changing future.

She just had a hope and a wish that 'I' would be able to see this world that, though filled with many dark things, was in fact filled with many different colors and pretty things as well.

She wanted me to see these pretty things, things like Big Brother, our Celes, little Anna, or this school.

'I have seen many pretty things during my time until now. Many bad things as well, but, what I have seen in this little life until now, is more than enough to give me faith in this world.'

I liked it here, and I'm grateful to her for everything she did, for everything she endured alone to bring me here. And I'm thankful to Big Brother even more, for helping her with everything he did. For everything he had done and for everything he could have done if they had stayed with each other a little longer.

'She was selfish and stubborn, just like him. That's why, I could never hate either of them.'

They helped each other heal their wounds and fulfill their wishes, and though wounds were left on both ends, things ended positively, and I was able to be here, at this moment, in this great school with so many great people all around me.

Thanks to all of that, I was able to meet this old friend and partner of hers. And though I don't know how this butterfly was here yet, we will know soon.

We are going to be together from now on anyway until at least I die for the first time. And perhaps even after that. We will see how it goes.

-Oooooooooong!

The red light from me and the white light from this butterfly intertwined and became one. And soon after, the simple-looking white butterfly returned back to its original form.

-Zhrrrrrrrrrr!

[{ Your mother was an amazing person. I have many things to tell you about her, and many things to tell the person who succeeded her. She had many things she must have wanted to tell you two, but, perhaps she might not have been able to.

We have many things to talk about now, master and we have time to do so this time.

I will be with you, master, forever until the day fate allows it. So, please… give me a name and allow me to be by your side as well. }]

The crimson fire around us intensified as the butterfly that had looked like any other white butterfly one could find in the garden, to something so astonishing that every single eye that had been on us until now, was left wide open and awestruck.

His wings became larger than even Celes's, far larger than any other butterfly I had seen until now, and, they were on fire.

They were crystal-like as well, indicating her identity as a [Crystal butterfly], and, the butterfly body that was white until now, had become as blue as my eyes. Pretty, and unbelievably attractive.

He was gorgeous, something one of a kind. I had never seen a being like him until now. And, he had been with mom as well, so, he was an old friend of ours.

'He is mine now though. So, there's one name that suited him the most according to me.'

"Ray."

[{ The protector, the friend, and the light. I like it. You are different from her in this regard. }]

"I will call you Rayray though. It's cuter~."

[{ That… is acceptable as well. }]

The light around us had vanished after I gave him his name and a large familiar mark resembling his outline covered half of my arm.

It was bigger than the one big brother or sister Elle or perhaps even dad had. It just meant this creature, this being that I just bonded with, was more special than any of them in a certain way.

And, if he was my mom's familiar, he must really be one of the most amazing, special, and unique creatures existing in this world at the moment.

Perhaps, he was stronger than most other creatures in the garden as well, just like Celes.

Perhaps, I will find that out soon. But, we had a huge problem to deal with before we did any of that…

"Hey… did I see that right?"

"A-a-a Crystal butterfly! She summoned a crystal butterfly!"

"This is big! This is biggg!"

"Everyone! Inform the media! A new crystal butterfly master has appeared!"

"Everyone! Listen! This is hugeeeeee!"

"Ahhhhhhhh! A crystal butterfly!!"

Everyone below the stage was going crazy while on the other hand, there was an internal discussion going on among the headmasters and the teachers.

There was a large common toon on the way as well, there were things that we will have to do now that we had finished bonding.

One could count the people who had a crystal butterfly as their familiar on two hands and that was also including the speculated people who were unknown to the public.

And now, I was another one that had a crystal butterfly as my familiar.

And, everyone here knew it. Which obviously meant the entire world would know it soon as well.

Things will get difficult soon… so, there were many things we had to deal with first. Starting with this crowd of students and... creatures who were respectfully bowing to us.