"You can say I was closest to your mother." She twisted her words.
"Still, why would a friend of my mother treat me like her own child." He looked at her with eyes filled with suspicion.
"You're her shadow, Rio. You are her last souvenir for me. And, your question, 'Why would a friend of your mother treat you like her own child?' That's because I don't love you any less than my own child." She said with a loving tone.
"Why is that?" He scrunched his eyebrows.
"Get the top 10 ranking in the Military school Tournament next year and you will have your answers. You can think of me as your godmother. Now, go to your room and I'll bring you some food then you can sleep." She flicked his forehead with a warm smile and stood up to go out of her room.
He sat there for a little while then walked out of the room to go to the fourth room on the second floor. This was the room given to him by his second mother.
He opened the door and went to lie down on his king-sized bed on the left side of the room. Moonlight was reflecting on the Windows glasses which were behind the bed.
The room was lit up with an AI smart bulb that would turn on and off by a mere command and it brightened the room very well. It also had the option to change the color of light and brightness.
There was a desk and study table at the corner of the wall and a comfy blue couch with a round table on the right side of the room.
There was a white reclining chair in a pod shape with a head-mounting device that would cover head to eyes. It was a VR pod but it was more expensive than the one Rio had seen on TVs.
The bedroom had two rooms attached to it. One was a private portal capsule and the other was a bathroom.
A private portal capsule would require an average person a fortune to afford and they might not be able to buy it even after working their whole life but it wasn't a problem for a powerhouse like the Havenglow family.
After 15 minutes, his door opened and his second mother entered the room.
Behind her, was a maid, who followed along and looked to be in her twenties. Her brown hair came to her pale shoulder.
Rio ignored her appearance and focused on the cart that she was pushing.
Four bowls filled with food and two plates as well as silver utensils.
"Nancy, place them on the table near the couch." His second mother said.
Nancy pushed the cart to the table and set up two plates with silver utensils.
"Rio, come or it will get cold. I cooked it earlier so it's still hot." The blue-haired lady said while taking a seat on the couch.
Rio, who sat up on the bed by their sudden arrival, walked to the couch before asking, "Why are there two plates?"
"Madame hasn't had her dinner for three weeks since no news of yours came even after seven days. She was forced to have her morning meals by younger Miss Rose but Madame would still skip her dinner." Nancy blurted it out in a polite manner.
Her Madame glared at her to not speak what she shouldn't but Rio was taken aback by what he heard.
He didn't say anything and sat beside her. He would only get his answer if he got top ten in the next year's tournament.
Nancy placed food on both of their plates and they started eating.
"Food is delicious." He mumbled which caused a smile to bloom on his second mother's face.
After dinner, Nancy dragged the cart out of the room.
The second mother and Rio were left in the room. She was waiting for Nancy to leave so she could talk to Rio alone.
"There is something you need to know. It wasn't me who arranged your engagement with Nyla. It was my husband. He and Nyla's father are close friends but Nyla's mom had already arranged her engagement with her friend's son.
So when she found out that her husband arranged it with you, she berated him and he had no option but to break the engagement. It wasn't because you have no innate talent. The media has the nature to twist the news to make it spicier.
The Mailon Family can't reveal this news to outsiders as they fear the Oldman of our family. They will carry out their engagement after a year by the time my father doesn't value this matter much." His second mother explained.
"No problem. I don't really care about that marriage." He said with a mysterious smile.
'Does he already have someone he likes? That would be a big problem.'
The second mother raised her eyebrows seeing his happy expression.
"You must be tired from the struggle caused by that beast not letting you come back. Rest now, little Rio." She said in a loving voice and caressed his hair before kissing his forehead.
"I'm not a child." He complained as she kissed his forehead like a little child.
Although he complained Rio's heart felt warm as he saw her affectionate actions and motherly love in her eyes.
"You will remain a little child for me even after you have kids of your own age." She teased him one last time before leaving and closing the door behind her.
He was speechless but probably that's how his real mother would also do. So he gave up and accepted it.
Rio laid down on his bed and thought about the things that have happened since he returned.
He wasn't able to sleep as he slept in the land of asura and it was still day there.
He closed his eyes and tried resting. He could hear his heartbeat and breathing.
'I can finally sleep on a comfortable bed but I don't know why I'm missing that couch.'
He complained inwardly.
"Rio…" a familiar voice sounded.
"Lia???" He jolted awake and sat up on the bed and looked around him.
