Harem Stealer: Reborn with the God-Tier Sharing System Chapter 445 - Maryam

Upon Noah expressing his desire for a private conversation with his mother, Maryam responded instantly, manifesting a boundless realm of mist.

That was merely the beginning.

As he watched, the vapor shifted, hardening into solid earth before stretching upward to form a firmament. Life surged outward; air and physical space were born from the void.

Exhaling deeply, Maryam released thousands of souls from her lips. These spirits shifted into a sprawling garden of grey flora, illuminated by a tranquil sun that hung like a pale disc against a leaden sky.

The Soul Ruler then turned toward her child, reaching out her hand to Noah.

Noah offered a faint smile and met her gesture with his own.

They strolled in silence through the vast floral expanse, crossing beneath rivers that drifted through the air in transparent channels, surrounded by the melodies of birds and the soft movements of squirrels.

No words passed between them initially.

Each possessed a multitude of thoughts, perhaps thousands of things, they yearned to share.

Maryam longed to understand how his life had unfolded after her passing. She wondered about the Son of Emptiness and the nature of his reincarnation, fearing it had been a painful process.

She questioned if Selene had served as a proper mother, though she quickly realized the inquiry was redundant. Given the depth of affection her son held for Selene, the truth was plain to see.

It was a painful realization.

She hungered for his tales, wanting to know the details of his journey up to this moment. Maryam desired to truly know the man her son had grown to be.

To achieve that, she wanted to grasp every facet of his existence. Everything.

Her grip on his hand tightened as she fought back the tidal wave of emotion threatening to overwhelm her senses.

The effort was agonizing.

Nevertheless, she maintained her composure.

What she failed to perceive—or perhaps lacked the clarity to consider amidst her internal storm—was that Noah was experiencing the same turmoil.

The shocking truths and the situation regarding Selene had left him in a daze, struggling to process it all. Now that they were secluded, his raw emotions were finally coming to the surface.

He took a soft breath, tilting his head back toward the sky.

Their strides were perfectly synchronized, carelessly treading upon the blossoms beneath them and leaving a visible trail in the garden.

His mind drifted, descending into the depths of his consciousness to retrieve old memories.

He remembered his life on Earth with her.

He recalled her tenderness and her capacity for self-sacrifice.

She had always prioritized his needs over her own, doing her utmost to raise him within the indifferent chill of Paris, a city where everyone was consumed by their own struggles.

Maryam had brought him up with both dignity and love. Even though his birth had brought her immense sorrow and hardship... his devoted mother was never so cruel as to resent him for it.

Her affection transcended such bitterness.

Even after her life ended and she transitioned into the Spirit World, her devotion remained steadfast.

She had struck a bargain with a mysterious entity, sacrificing a vital fragment of her soul and risking her very existence among countless foes, all to ensure he was reborn with a protector by his side.

Selene Weaverheart.

A clone of Maryam who had developed her own unique heart and her own profound love for him.

Through her, Noah had known what it meant to be cherished. Now, he finally understood the source of that love.

Turning his gaze toward Maryam, he found her already watching him with a complex expression.

It seemed as though she still found it hard to believe that Noah was truly there, walking beside her and holding her hand.

She squeezed his hand harder, terrified that this moment might be just another of the countless dreams she had endured throughout her immortal span.

Noah stopped walking. Maryam immediately halted beside him.

He turned his body to face her fully, closing the distance in a single step before pulling her into a powerful, heated embrace.

Maryam went rigid, her pupils blooming. Her mind stalled, her arms hanging uselessly at her sides.

"I have missed you, mother," Noah murmured, his voice heavy with suppressed feeling. "I truly did."

Maryam’s eyes turned glassy, tears nearly falling onto the flowers at their feet. She pressed her lips together to hold back the sob.

"Did you really?" she asked in a raspy tone, slowly beginning to return the hug. "Did you forget about me?"

"How could I?" Noah replied gently. "You are my mother."

"You have another mother," she pointed out. "One whose hand you are ready to take. One who caused you to pull away when I first held you. One who made you fret over her safety instead of focusing on our reunion."

Her voice cracked, her breathing becoming labored as her chest heaved and her hands began to tremble.

Noah set his jaw and pulled her even closer.

Maryam wasn't finished.

"I have waited for you, Brandon," she choked out. "I waited for an eternity, with doubt eating away at my mind. I wasn't certain you would ever arrive, and I felt as though I died a thousand deaths fueled by those toxic thoughts."

"But I waited."

Noah felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He wished she would stop, yet he lacked the heart to silence her.

She needed to release the years of suppressed agony, frustration, and longing.

It wounded him. He felt ashamed for prioritizing Selene over the mother he had finally found again. Yet, deep down, Noah realized that if the moment repeated itself, he would likely act the same way.

He chided himself for it, bracing his heart against the weight of her words.

The words cut deep.

"I waited, Brandon. I waited through the pain, through the danger, through the uncertainty and the bitterness..."

She stopped, gasping for air. In that moment, she was no longer a formidable sovereign.

She was simply a mother who had endured eons for her son, only to find him preoccupied with someone else.

Even if that someone was a piece of herself, it didn't help. Ironically, it made the sting even sharper.

Maryam was furious, and she was heartbroken.

Yet her love was more powerful than her pain.

It was a devotion that had endured across lifetimes. It was the very force that had given life to Selene.

It was without peer.

That was the true nature of a mother’s love.

Despite her hurt, she held her son with profound affection. She fell silent, having unburdened her soul.

Noah remained quiet for a long moment, fighting the urge to withdraw in shame.

Eventually, he eased the embrace and looked Maryam in the eye. They were so close they could feel each other’s breath. They lingered there, drawn together until their bodies were pressed tightly against one another.

A flush of heat spread through Maryam. She shook, but she refused to look away from Noah’s captivating gaze.

"I am sorry," Noah said softly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Her ears were long and elegant, much like an elf's. "I am sorry for letting you down after everything you sacrificed for me."

"I did those things because I chose to," Maryam replied with a smile. "I did them because I am your mother and you are my son. It is my responsibility to look after you, even if it requires giving up a part of myself."

Noah’s muscles tensed at her statement. Maryam reached up, cradling his face in her hands.

"But that doesn't mean your actions didn't sting."

"I know they did," Noah whispered, his voice trembling as if he were on the verge of tears. "And I am so sorry."

It was all he could offer.

I am sorry.

Simple words, yet often they are the only ones a person can manage when the heart is full.

His mother witnessed the genuine remorse in his eyes, and it sufficed.

"I forgive you," she said, her smile widening. "I always do. Have you forgotten?"

Noah managed a small, weary grin. "Yes," he exhaled. "You always do."

The sight of his smile sent a jolt of intense heat through Maryam’s body.

She licked her lips. Noah noticed the movement, swallowing hard in anticipation.

The air between them grew thick and electric, charged with an unspoken, perhaps forbidden, tension.

Before the moment could shift further, Noah leaned in and pressed a gentle, loving kiss to Maryam’s forehead, channeling all his devotion and complicated feelings into the touch.

When he pulled back, his smile was bright.

"I love you, mother," he stated firmly. "Without you, I wouldn't exist, and I wouldn't be the man I am today."

Maryam seemed dazed, but a slow smile spread across her face.

"Selene is also my mother," Noah went on. "She is distinct from you, regardless of your similarities. I care for her, and my wives love her as well. Because of that, mother, I am asking you not to absorb her."

Maryam nodded, her fingers tracing his cheek. "I will not, if that is your wish."

She would simply live with the void inside her. She would endure it for Brandon. For her son.

"You won't have to feel incomplete," Noah promised, smiling. He took Maryam’s hand and kissed it gallantly.

"Mother,"

The Soul Ruler beamed at him, nodding happily. "Yes, my child!"

"Will you bind your existence to mine?"

Her expression turned radiant, feeling a sudden surge of authority surrounding her as he spoke the words.

She looked deep into his violet eyes and whispered...

"Everything."

She took a breath.

"Take every part of me and bind me to you."

So that they would never be separated again.

-End of Chapter 445-