Oath of the King-Chapter 2: The sorrow of a mother

As Alden opened his eyes, he found himself unable to see and felt as though his body had shrunk. He could hear people talking about him. "Ooh, look at him—he's so cute! I feel like I could eat him up." His senses told him that many people surrounded him, and among their excited voices, one could be heard saying, "Congratulations, Miss Hilda! It's a healthy baby boy!" Alden was taken aback when he heard the name—it was the name of his own mother. "Look at this little one—he looks just like you, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He's going to be a heartthrob when he grows up."

Two months later.

"I can now see, and it's not really that useful since all I seem to do is cry and soil my pants. It's truly disgraceful to be a baby," he thought. At last, he could accept that he had returned to infancy. I don't know why this happened, but I do know it's all that mage's fault.

"Miss Hilda, it's time to change Alden's diaper," came a gentle reminder.

She sighed, "In a minute."

Four months later.

"At least now I can crawl," Alden mused. "Man, it was boring doing nothing. I still wish I could talk, but it seems I'm a slow learner. The maids are all so kind to me, though my dad never once came to visit since my birth."

One month later.

"Now I can talk, but I need to dumb it down for them so they don't realize I'm a grown man trapped in a baby's body."

Three months later.

"Now I'm starting to learn how to walk. After spending the last ten months with my mother, I can confidently say she is the kindest and strictest woman I have ever met." As the head maid, she must always project the aura of a leader, especially since some of the other maids have been gossiping about me ever since I was born.

Two months later.

"Finally, I can move on from drinking breast milk and start eating solid food. I can't wait for the day I'm eligible to drink some booze!"

"Oh, and by the way, I am now officially one year old—I can walk, I can talk, and best of all, they no longer need to change my diapers."

One month later.

Alden lay on his mother's lap as she caressed his head. Though they had spent all this time together, both knew that soon it would be time to part ways. Being her child had been the best time of her life, but she had no choice but to leave him.

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"Alden," Hilda's voice broke through the silence. "Soon, Mommy is going to leave, and you may not ever see her again." Alden understood her meaning. What saddened him most was that he wanted to tell his mother everything, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. For this final encounter, he decided to act like the child he was, so that she might at least live the life of a mother a little longer.

"So, where are you going, Mommy?" Alden asked innocently.

"I am going someplace far away, and I may not come back," she replied. Alden began to cry and continued asking, "Where are you going, Mommy?" Hilda started crying too, wrapping him in a tender hug. They wept together until, after a few moments, Hilda said, "I am just going to live at your grandfather's house. If destiny wills it, we will meet again. But I need you to promise me something." She looked deep into Alden's eyes and said, "No matter what happens, never let yourself be stepped on by others. Stand tall and make me proud."

Still crying, Alden wiped his tears and whispered, "I promise you I will become the strongest Lionfelt in history."

Just then, someone entered their cabin. "Hilda, it's time," they called. With one last kiss on Alden's forehead, she whispered, "I hope I will see you again, my son."