[Alarm clock ringing]

*Krrrng* *Krrrng*

“Good morning Ella. It's time to wake up,” I said while pulling her blanket away.

*Yawn*

“Good morning Mom. What time is it?”

“It's time for breakfast, I already prepared one for us.”

“Really? Thanks for always doing this Mom,” Ella said to me while smiling genuinely.

Seeing her happy makes me happy too.

I went ahead in the kitchen while I waited for her to wash up.

“I'm done, Mom! Squeaky clean! Tee-hee.”

“Come here sit beside me. I prepared your favorite food, Sinigang.”

Ella and I ate and had quality time together. After eating, we washed the dishes and sat in the living room to watch a movie.

“Mom, it's nice just sitting here with you. I'm glad it's the weekend and that it's your day off.”

“Me too Ella, I'm glad to just be here with you, enjoying the day," I replied.

“Oh, what are we gonna watch today?” I added.

“This movie is a banger Mom, I'm sure you'll love it,” she said while turning on the television.

“What is it about?” I asked out of curiosity.

“It's about girls who have no families. One day, they met this woman who was also sad and alone. They all went on a lot of adventures and enjoyed it. In the end, they realized that they were already a family and decided to never leave each other's side. Pretty amazing story right, Mom?”

...

“M-mom? Why are you crying? The movie hasn't even started yet.”

“Aah... Why did I forget?” I thought to myself as tears started pouring out of my eyes.

“Mom? What's wrong?”

“I just remembered something important. Before I tell you what it is, can I ask you something first?”

“Sure Mom, what is it?”

“This is not real, isn't it? None of this is real.”

It took Ella seconds before answering my question.

“It isn't, but you can stay if you want to.”

I finally realized everything after hearing her answer.

“Aah... I knew it. I died again.”

“Mom, are you happy here?”

“Of course I am honey. I met you again even though I thought I never will.”

“Even though I'm not the real Ella?”

“What are you talking about? For me Ella is Ella. You'll always be my daughter. I hugged her tightly to show her that my love is real.”

“Then does that mean you can stay?”

I pinched her cheek and smiled at her.

“I wish I could stay, I really do Ella, but right now those girls are in trouble, and they need me. I... I just wanna be there for them. I'm sorry, it's not that I'm choosing them over you so please don't hate me for it.”

“Mom, I would never hate you. You've already done so much for me, you should do the same for them.”

While we were talking, the room started fading away until the only one left was Ella and the door.

“Oh Ella, my sweet sweet Ella. I'm sorry but mama has to go.”

“I understand mom, please be careful out there and make sure you save my sisters okay?”

“I will, I promise. You take care on the other side too okay?”

I took my hands off her and walked away.

“Don't look back Ina, or else…”

I was about to open the door and enter it but I was just overwhelmed with so much emotion and I couldn't just take it anymore. I turned back once again to hug Ella tightly.

...

“Ella, I'm sorry for leaving you behind, I'm sorry for everything. Just remember that I love you so much. I love you so so much.”

I was crying nonstop. I couldn't keep my emotions in check. It hurts so much.

“Mom... I love you more,” Ella replied to me. She was also crying like a baby.

“Aah... Goddess, thank you for letting me relive this moment.”

As soon as we said our final goodbye, I opened the door with the number eight on it. Indicating that I only have eight lives left, just like a cat would have.

I entered the door seeking another chance in life.

I opened my eyes and saw myself falling from the sky. Below me was the Vermine Kingdom.

While falling, I can feel that something changed within me. It's like I'm a hundred times stronger than before. Remembering my past helped me a lot. I now also understand how this new body of mine works.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I can feel a lot of strong emotions coming from the kingdom. All of them were resonating with me. Each of them was as clear as day, that's why Identifying where they're coming from is easy.

“Let's see, who needs me the most right now?” I thought to myself while sorting out all the emotions I'm feeling from everybody.

I closed my eyes and focused.

“I see.” I finally decided where to go first.

I landed myself in the throne room where Keith is currently located.

“Hey there Keith,” I said while freeing him from being trapped. I absorbed the darkness that was binding him.

“M-Ms. Ina? I-It can't be! They told me you were dead!” He said with teary eyes.

“I was, but now I'm back,” I replied.

“Thank goodness, Oh right! Ms. Ina hurry! We have no time left, the girls are in danger!” Keith followed up.

“Don't worry, I already know. First I need you to take a deep breath and calm down.”

*Inhale* *Exhale*

“Have you calmed down now?”

“Y-yes.”

“Good, I'll be going to the girls then but before I go, can I trust you to destroy the portal's energy source?”

Keith stood up and was radiating with determination.

“That's why I came here from the start, you can count on me, Ms. Ina.”

“That's more like it!”

I was about to leave when Keith gave me something, it was a relic.

“Ms. Ina, I'm begging you, please save the prince too.”

I took the relic and made a promise to him.

“Rest assured, I'll save the prince no matter what!”

Meanwhile...

The girls including the princess and May got out of the palace to help the others. Demons are still pouring out of the portal that's why they were worried about the others.

“Everyone, please hold on a little longer,” the princess thought to herself. The others were also thinking the same thing.

They were about to cross over the gate when the prince suddenly arrived with an ominous aura. He wasn't hiding his killing intent that's why everyone got in a defensive position.

“W-what's the prince doing here?!?” Astrid asked worriedly.

“I don't know but this is really bad," Rein answered.

“Where do you think you're going little sister?” The prince asked.

“You’re not my brother! Stop this insanity already!” Princess Raya begged.

“I'll never stop, I'll make sure that this kingdom would be tainted in nothing but despair.”

Everyone was worried because there was not a single room for negotiation. The demon was nothing but pure evil.

“You girls have been a huge thorn in my side. I'm gonna let you join the cat on the other side so be grateful.”

“Everyone, get behind my shield,” May ordered.

The prince attacked them with a powerful spell. May block it but her shield got shattered to pieces.

“Ms. May!” Everyone shouted.

May was heavily injured after the attack.

“Struggle all you want but only doom awaits you.” The prince was about to attack the second time but I was able to arrive in the nick of time to save the girls.

With my whole body coated in my magic. I flicked the prince all the way to the other side of the kingdom.

“W-whao, I didn't know my attacks were that powerful even though I was holding my powers back,” I said while still trying to adjust to my newfound strength.

I approached the girls confidently but I was out of words. I don't know how to explain anything to them.

“Ms. Ina? I-Is that you?” Rein asked while slowly walking towards me. She looked like she was about to cry.

“Yes, it's me.”

“B-but we saw you die with our own eyes, are you a ghost?” Astrid followed up.

“I'm not, it's really me, look,” I said while letting them touch my cheeks.

Their confusion was replaced with so much joy after I proved to them I was real.

“Ms. Ina! It really is you!” The girls cried like babies and hugged me tightly.

“I'm back girls, I'm sorry for making you all worry.”

“We thought we'd never see you again. This is a miracle!”

The girls and I were having our moment when I saw the princess just standing from afar.

“What are you doing standing there? Come over here,” I said to the princess while extending my arms toward her.

The princess joined in the group hug while also crying.

“Ms. Ina, I'm sorry this is all my fault. If only... If…”

I can feel the genuine guilt the princess is feeling.

“Princess, I'll get angry if you keep blaming yourself. None of this is your fault. We were meant to meet no matter what, fate brought us together so don't ever regret knowing me,” I replied while patting her on the head.

We were savoring our short reunion when I felt the prince recover from my attack.

“I'm sorry girls but let's save the sentiment for later.”

“Ms. Ina, please don't leave us again,” Fae held my hand and didn't want to let it go.

I sat and patted her on the head.

“I'll never worry any of you again. For now, I have to go defeat the demon that's been wreaking havoc in this kingdom for years. I'll be back as soon as I defeat him, I promise,” I said to make their worries fade away.

“Promise?” The girls asked.

“Promise,” I replied while making a pinky promise to them.

“Now then, I want you girls to go to safety. I'll end this right away.”

“We'll be waiting for you Ms. Ina,” the girls said with complete trust in me.

The princess had a last request before they left.

“Ms. Ina, please save my brother in the process,” she begged with all of her heart.

“I will. Now go wait for me somewhere safe.”

As soon as the girls left, I went where the prince landed after I attacked him.

I flew in an instant and saw the prince had already recovered. He looked so confused and irritated.

“How are you alive? I took your very soul!” He shouted. He's starting to lose his cool and became irrational.

“About that, I forgot to tell you, cats have nine lives,” I replied brimming with confidence.

“I'm done playing! I'll kill you as many times as I have to.” He conjured hundreds of dark spheres and directed them at me. Just like before, I absorbed it with just the touch of my hand. I feel bad because it feels like I'm cheating but I guess he's just unlucky to have made an enemy out of me.

“Is that all you got?” I provoked him.

“Ha-Ha Ha-Ha! This is just great! Even if I'm outmatched by you, you still can't hurt me. Not when I'm still inside the prince.”

The demon was confident that I can't touch him but little did he know that I already had a solution.

“You're right, I can't touch you or else I'll be risking the prince's safety but that's not the case anymore, cause I already have a solution for that.”

I showed the relic to the demon and he immediately defended himself.

He knew that the relic would work if it was in my hands. I flew towards him and he defended himself while trying to gain distance from me. He was planning on running away. He coated himself in a barrier made of darkness while attacking me at the same time.

No matter what he does, he can't seem to shake me off. I just kept on absorbing and deflecting his attacks. As soon as I was near him, I immediately destroyed his barrier. I was about to use the relic on him when he suddenly smirked at me. He was waiting for me to get closer so he could use his strongest spell.

[Ultimate Magic: Absolute Nothingness.]

The surroundings instantly turned black and my senses were shut off. I couldn't see or hear anything. It's like I was stuck in the void itself.

He wanted to buy some time so he could run away but unfortunately for him, even if my senses were shut off, I can still feel the emotion of the prince inside him asking for help.

I followed the tiny ember that was moving away, my instinct told me it was the representation of the prince's soul. I used the relic on it and everything went back to normal. My senses were back and the very first thing I saw was the prince unconscious. The relic worked and I was successful in separating the demon from the prince. I carried the prince and put him somewhere safe.

“Now, all that's left is you,” I said to the demon.

“N-no! This isn't happening! I can't let a mere cat ruin all my plans!” The demon was panicking but he had nowhere to run to.

“You've already done enough damage to this kingdom. It's time to put an end to this. Get yourself ready, I won't be holding back anymore!”

Now that I've mastered the basics of magic, I'm pretty sure that I now have the ability to use the most powerful spell there is.

I focused and channeled all of my strength into my final attack.

[Ultimate Magic: A Mother's Wrath.]

I summoned two huge paws made of pure energy and crushed the demon with them. The demon disintegrated from the very core until none of him was left.

The looming threat has finally ended and the kingdom is finally free.

The atmosphere changed. After I defeated the demon, the hole in the sky also disappeared. Keith successfully destroyed the source of the portal and everything went back to normal.

The prince woke up and I approached him.

“Ms. Ina... thank you for saving the kingdom,” he muttered.

“P-prince, don't push yourself. Just rest for now so you can gain your energy back.”

I was comforting him when I suddenly realized something.

“W-wait prince, how did you know my name?”

“I was conscious and aware the whole time. I don't have control of my body but my mind was active. I witnessed everything that happened this past 5 years so I know every detail.”

“I see, It must have been terrible.”

I smiled at the prince to show him that everything was alright now.

“You don't have to worry anymore. The princess and the kingdom are now safe.”

“Thank you,” he said for the last time before he went back to sleep again.

I was about to carry the prince back to the palace when the girls suddenly appeared, behind them were everyone else. They were running towards me in tears and snots.

“Ms. Ina!” The girls shouted.

“Oh girls, wel-”

They jumped over me and hugged me tightly.

Princess Raya and Keith on the other hand rushed towards the prince.

“Ms. Ina, thank you for saving the prince and the kingdom. We are eternally grateful,” Keith said while bowing his head.

“Sheesh Keith, lift your head, that is so unlike you.”

“Ms. Ina, thank you,” the princess added while crying.

Amalia and Miguel arrived and saw me. They were shocked to see me alive but were very glad that I'm back.

Komraad was late to come. He slowly approached me with a shocked and confused look on his face.

“I-is that really you, Ina?” He asked. He looked like he was about to cry.

“Oho...did you miss me? You looked like you're about to cry,” I said to him sarcastically.

“Huh?!? Me, cry!?! There's no way!”

We looked each other in the eyes and smiled.

“Welcome back.”

“I'm back.”

“W-wait, did you just say my name for the first time?”

“No, you misheard me.”

After our short reunion, we went back to the palace to check on the others. All the demons were defeated and all the civilians were safe.

At long last, the kingdom has finally attained peace and freedom.