As Livia was still lost in thought, Emma's voice rang out again, carrying a faint smile yet laced with complex emotions. "Originally, your mother just wanted me to be a happy princess. If I had accepted that path back then, perhaps we would be sisters now…"
Her gaze drifted slightly, as if recalling a distant time. "I remember back then, you were still very young, and Lianna hadn't been born yet."
Livia's heart stirred slightly as an image of her gentle yet resilient mother surfaced in her mind. She tried to imagine—if Emma had truly taken that path, what would their relationship have been like? Would they have been inseparable sisters, or perhaps a bond akin to mentor and student?
But Emma merely let out a soft sigh and shook her head. "But I didn't want that."
Her voice grew firm, and in her eyes, a sharp determination ignited. "I wanted to repay your mother. More than that, I wanted to prove myself. So, I chose another path—I joined the military."
She tilted her head slightly, a glint flashing through her eyes—one that only those who had endured the trials of life and death could possess. "My strength was lesser than that of men, so I trained relentlessly to surpass them in skill. I lacked the experience of seasoned soldiers, so I threw myself into the most dangerous missions. I gave everything I had, step by step, climbing from a nobody to the position of Legion Commander."
Her voice carried the weight of time, each word resonating with the firm conviction of her journey.
Livia listened in a daze, a faint sense of admiration rising within her. She could feel the sheer tenacity in Emma's words—the refusal to rely on charity, the determination to carve out her own place in the world.
Emma glanced at Livia, her tone softening just a little. "Your mother respected my choice. She didn't force me to stay by her side, nor did she stop me from walking this path. Instead, she gave me the freedom to choose."
A faint smile touched her lips, tinged with nostalgia and warmth. "And in the military, as I just said, she was not only my benefactor but also my role model—the one I've always been chasing after."
Her voice lowered, carrying a weighty emotion.
After a brief silence, Emma suddenly lifted her gaze to meet Livia's, the corners of her lips curving up slightly, carrying a trace of reminiscence and sentiment. "You know, when you were little, I even held you in my arms."
Livia's eyes widened slightly, momentarily caught off guard.
Emma let out a soft chuckle but quickly reined it in, her tone turning understanding and calm. "But I can understand why you wouldn't trust me. After all, from the moment I enlisted, I never returned to your home. I lived in the military, always on the battlefield."
Her eyes lowered slightly, as if carrying a trace of unspoken regret. "Even so, I never severed my connection with her. Until… I finally became the commander of the Seventh Legion."
Her voice paused for a moment, and a deep sorrow surfaced in her gaze. "But not long after that… your mother passed away."
Her fingers clenched slightly, and her voice became almost a whisper. "In the end… I never got to properly repay her."
For a moment, the air in the room seemed to freeze, and a quiet, invisible mist of silence enveloped them both.
Livia looked into Emma's sorrow-filled eyes, an inexplicable tightness pressing against her chest. She had never truly known the woman who was her mother, yet hearing these fragmented memories from others made her feel an unfamiliar ache in her heart.
She wanted to say something, but it felt as if something had lodged in her throat, rendering her speechless.
Livia simply gazed at Emma—the woman standing before her was strong and unyielding, yet the sorrow in her eyes was undeniable. She knew that the bond between Emma and her mother ran deep, perhaps deeper than she could ever fully comprehend.
After a moment of thought, she spoke, her voice unconsciously softening. "I believe… my mother would have been proud of you."
She paused briefly, her gaze steady and sincere as it rested on Emma. "To her, you were a daughter who made her proud."
Emma's eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected Livia to say such words.
For a brief moment, she was frozen, then, slowly, the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile. There was a glimmer in her eyes, as if something deep within her had been touched.
She lowered her head slightly, a complex mix of bitterness and relief woven into her smile. In a quiet voice, she whispered, "…Thank you."
Those two simple words carried the weight of countless unspoken emotions. Her voice, once resolute, now carried a rare trace of softness.
For so long, Emma had believed she was not someone to be needed—that her existence was defined by being a soldier, a commander, not someone to be cherished or acknowledged.
But now, Livia's words stirred something within her. Her efforts, her persistence, her gratitude and devotion to Celesta—they had finally been recognized.
She took a deep breath, lifting her gaze to Livia, and for the first time, there was warmth in her eyes. She smiled gently, and in that moment, the invisible distance between them quietly faded away.