A warm beam of sunlight slipped through the gap between the doors, casting a soft glow on the dust particles floating in the air and illuminating Haruna's tear-streaked face as she sobbed quietly. She barely noticed the light, slowly turning her head toward the door.
In their simple village, no one locked their doors, trusting that no harm would come. Haruna assumed it was probably her older sister next door, coming again to offer comfort.
The sun shone directly on Haruna's worn and tired face as her eyes squinted. She soon spotted two familiar figures standing in the doorway.
Seeing their mother so exhausted and broken, Colt and Reina couldn't hold back their tears. The tears fell like pearls, pooling on the floor beneath them.
Overwhelmed with grief, they were speechless, filled with anxiety and unsure if their mother would even recognize them, after all, they now looked like monsters.
Haruna blinked, her pupils dilating as tears shimmered in her eyes. She suddenly crawled forward a little, disbelief in her voice as she whispered, "Colt? Reina?" Her call made their tears flow faster.
Words welled up in their throats, but none came out. Colt wiped his tears away and choked out, "How... how can you still recognize us?"
Haruna hurried over and wrapped them both in a tight embrace. "Because a mother is always a mother!" she said, her voice steady despite the emotion.
"You're Colt and Reina's mother. Welcome home, Colt and Reina."
Watching this tearful reunion, even Morel, usually a strong and stoic man, discreetly wiped away tears. Knov, standing silent nearby, showed in his expression how deeply moved he was. A mother who had lost her children and cried every day finally had them back, that sight was heart-wrenching.
"Everyone, look! Colt and Reina have returned."
"It's true, the children are back."
"It's so good to have them home again."
Hearing the movement near Haruna, the villagers gathered around. Though some were initially uneasy about the changes in the children's appearances, their hearts swelled with relief. After months of seeing Haruna's decline, it was a blessing to have the children back safe and sound.
The villagers all hoped the children would return safely. In the village, Colt and Reina were especially beloved, everyone admired these two well-behaved, sensible kids.
They often helped Haruna and the others, understanding how tough it was for a single mother to raise two children alone. To the simple villagers, no matter how the children had changed, they were still just children, that fact would never change.
But as Colt looked around at the familiar faces of the uncles and aunts, a sinking feeling settled in. Something wasn't right.
Wiping away his tears, Colt fought the sadness inside and gently pulled his sister away. They weren't meant to stay here; their presence could even bring danger to the village and the country. They couldn't risk dragging their mother and the villagers into trouble.
Watching Colt lead Reina away, Haruna collapsed to the ground, her face pale and drained of color. The cruelest thing is to give someone hope only to snatch it away.
She had survived countless lonely days, clinging to the hope that her children would come back. She had prayed endlessly before the statue, willing to give her life if only her children returned.
Now that miracle had happened, how could she bear to let them go again? "No! Don't leave, Mom!" Haruna cried, tears streaming down her face as she scrambled to hold onto them once more.
Before, she had no chance, but this time, she swore she wouldn't let them go, no matter what. Colt and Reina stood frozen, stunned. It wasn't that Haruna was actually holding them tight, she had lost so much weight after months of hardship, and Colt could see her thin, pale hands clearly.
Such fragile hands couldn't possibly hold back two chimera ants, whose strength far surpassed that of ordinary humans. They weren't unable to move; they simply didn't want to.
Seeing this, Morel's face crumpled with a sorrow he tried to hide, and the tears that had finally stopped spilled out again.
Even Knov, who was usually cold and composed, had tears in his eyes. Who could watch this scene without crying?
Even the villagers who had gathered couldn't hold back their tears when they saw the heartbreaking scene. The only one who remained composed was Larry, who had already made plans beforehand.
Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, he spoke loudly, "Colt, Rena, you don't have to go to Greed Island. Just stay here in your hometown."
Everyone was surprised.
"But didn't you say we were going to Greed Island?" Colt asked, his brows furrowed. "And if we stay here… won't that bring trouble to the village?"
He looked genuinely uncertain. Leaving had always been the plan, and if staying meant putting innocent people at risk, he'd rather leave with his sister than cause harm.
Larry reassured them firmly, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you if you stay here, I promise." His words carried weight and were easy to believe.
According to what he know from the original story, after the Ant King was defeated, the conflict between the nations ended. The Chimera Ant threat was no longer dangerous. Officially, they became a new kind of species..
As long as they don't harm others, they're free to live their lives peacefully. So there's no real reason to worry about the identity of the Chimera Ants anymore.
Most of the other Chimera Ants had their homes destroyed, so it made sense for them to stay on Greed Island. In the story, the shrimp-shaped Chimera Ant, Brovada, had sent Reina back here.
Haruna, heartbroken but relieved, recognized Reina as her child at first sight. The villagers around were not just happy to have Reina back, they even welcomed Brovada to live with them. Everyone was filled with joy.
"If that's the case, then Colt and the others really can stay here," Knov agreed after hearing Larry's explanation, allowing Colt and the others to remain in their hometown.
For Colt and Rena, just children, the bigger political games and the new rules were beyond their understanding. All they knew was that they could continue living in the place where they were born and raised.
Curious, Haruna smiled and asked Colt, "Who are these people?"
"Mom, they're the ones who saved Reina and me," Colt replied."Without their help, we might never have made it back."
Haruna quickly expressed her thanks to everyone. They were truly her family's saviors.
After some time spent calming down the excited Haruna, Larry even gave her a Happy Egg as a gift. Seeing her so overjoyed, Larry worried that she might suffer physically from too much excitement, so he acted quickly to help her.
After all, too much Happiness can sometimes be overwhelming. Meanwhile, the last three people were swarmed by enthusiastic villagers and had to make a hasty escape amid the crowd's lively greetings.
"It's wonderful to see them reunited with thir mother," Morel sighed as he walked through the forest, smoking a cigarette.
That touching reunion made even the scent of cigarette smoke seem fresher to him.
Then, Knov suddenly pointed out, "By the way, does anyone know where the Ant King went with his royal guards? Wouldn't they caused some large-scale destruction?"