Dorothy quickly released Celia, her heart overflowing with boundless joy. Celia calling her ‘Mama’ meant the resentment in her heart was gradually dissipating, perhaps even leading to a degree of forgiveness. Regardless, their emotional bond had taken a significant step forward.
Dorothy smiled at her, then urged, “Go take a bath quickly. Dirty clothes clinging to your body must be uncomfortable.”
“Oh.”
As she pulled away from Dorothy’s embrace, Celia’s fair cheeks were entirely flushed with a deep crimson. She allowed Dorothy to lead her by the hand, ascending the stairs one careful step at a time.
From the wardrobe, Dorothy retrieved several unworn nightgowns. She presented them to Celia, allowing her to pick one at random. After glancing at them, Celia’s blush spread from her face to her neck.
“Mama’s nightgowns are all so mature.”
“These are all I have.”
Dorothy had long since outgrown the age of preferring flashy styles, so her nightgowns were mostly simple. This made Celia, who prided herself on being mature, feel somewhat unaccustomed to them.
More than anything, it was the thought of wearing her mother’s nightgown that made her feel shy.
She randomly selected a nightgown that appeared somewhat cute, taking it in her hands. Then, guided by Dorothy, she arrived at the bathroom within the villa.
“Go on in.”
“Oh.”
Like a startled maid, Celia placed the nightgown down and firmly closed the door behind her, as if fearing someone might suddenly open it and see her body.
Dorothy knew this reaction stemmed from shyness. After all, despite being the eldest daughter of the Fiona family, not even her personal maids had ever seen her body, which underscored her modesty.
Thus, Dorothy chuckled softly, paying it no mind.
However, just as she turned to leave, a soft *whoosh* sounded from behind her. A small head peeked out from the bathroom door.
“Um… Mama, can you bathe with me? You’re dirty too.”
Her face was flushed with embarrassment, her gaze so fleeting she dared not meet Dorothy’s eyes. To extend such an invitation required immense courage from her.
Upon hearing the invitation, Dorothy’s face instantly lit up with pleasure, and she readily agreed. She didn’t even bother to check if her own dress truly had any dirt on it.
After all, her daughter wanted to bathe with her; how could she possibly refuse?
Having prepared the nightgown she would wear afterward, Dorothy opened the door and stepped into the bathroom. A white mist enveloped the space, making everything appear indistinct.
Upon realizing Dorothy had entered, Celia, who had already slipped into the large bathtub, instinctively shielded her private parts with her arms, her face so red it looked as if blood might drip from it.
This was her first time being so exposed to anyone, even if that person was her mother.
“If you’re really that shy, I can step out…”
“No need!”
Upon hearing Dorothy’s suggestion to leave, Celia became agitated. The water’s surface rippled significantly from the trembling of her delicate body.
Seeing this, Dorothy covered her mouth and chuckled.
“There’s really no need to be shy. When you were little, I’d already seen everything.”
“Mama!”
Feeling Celia’s indignant gaze, Dorothy quickly waved her hands, laughing, “Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore. If I keep talking, my daughter will get angry with her Mama.”
With that, she unfastened the buttons of her dress, revealing her fair, tender body. Celia secretly peeked a few times before turning her face away, appearing quite dizzy.
The large bathtub was spacious enough for two. Dorothy approached her side, gently touching the water with her tiptoes.
Though she hadn’t touched Celia, Celia shifted her body, trying to move as far away from Dorothy as possible. She also turned around in the tub, presenting her back to her.
She didn’t do this out of dislike, but purely from overwhelming shyness. However, once Dorothy entered the tub, Celia’s shyness was no longer her own to control.
Dorothy picked up a towel from the side and gently placed both hands on Celia’s back, eliciting a startled gasp from the young girl.
“Oh!”
“Let me help you wash.”
“This, this isn’t appropriate, is it?”
“Does my daughter not want Mama to help her wash?”
A hint of inexplicable grievance entered Dorothy’s voice. Celia, who had been about to refuse again, paused inwardly and stammered, “Th-then, alright…”
The look of grievance instantly transformed into a smile as Dorothy pressed close to her, gently wiping Celia’s body with the towel in her hand.
Gradually, the bathroom grew quiet. Aside from the splashing water, only their breathing remained.
The steam dampened their faces. As her body was slowly scrubbed clean, Celia no longer tried to hide the parts that made her blush, though the crimson on her face showed no signs of fading.
Not long after, as if remembering something, she cautiously asked, “Mama, Sophia… is she my other Mama?”
Dorothy’s scrubbing motion paused. She blinked, her eyebrows subtly arching.
“How did you know?”
She remembered only telling Celia that she was her mother, but had never mentioned anything about Sophia.
“A mentor performed a ‘Dream Recall’ spell to help me remember. The cost was a bit of my dream consciousness.”
Celia spoke this with a hint of apology. Hearing this, Dorothy resumed her actions, her mind, however, racing with thoughts.
She had heard of Dream Recall magic; it was mostly practiced by witches, and dream consciousness was similarly obscure.
‘But why would a mentor want Celia’s dream consciousness? She’s just a new student at the academy. What could she offer that mentor?’
“Who was that mentor?” she asked.
“Hmm, I think her name was Starshimmer…”
“Her?”
“Does Mama know her?”
“Yes, she was a student of mine once.”
“Eh?!”
Celia gasped in surprise, but Dorothy calmly continued to wipe her back, a slight wariness growing in her heart towards Starshimmer.
Though she didn’t know what Starshimmer intended to do with Celia’s dream consciousness, it certainly wouldn’t be anything good.
Simply recalling the issue with Starshimmer, Dorothy lost the desire to continue discussing her with Celia. Changing the subject, she asked, “So, what did you see in your memories?”
“…I saw Sophia and you discussing sending me out of the royal palace. I also saw you deceive you, and I saw the night you abandoned me…”
After a moment of hesitation, Celia recounted everything she had seen. These past events, now that she knew of her mother’s love for her, could no longer hurt her heart. She understood that her abandonment had a reason, and was not an act of coldheartedness.
“Sophia and I discussed sending you out of the royal palace?” Dorothy murmured, trying to recall this memory. Alas, her mind remained blank, unable to retrieve any related recollections. So much time had passed; it seemed time had caused her to forget this memory.