Surviving the Apocalypse: All I Want Is to Find a Husband-Chapter 154: A Quiet Baby (2)

He glanced at the sleeping child. "She hasn’t awakened her ability yet."

People became the Lost when their minds fractured under unbearable pressure, their abilities turning against them like a silent executioner from within.

Most survivors awakened their abilities mere days after exposure to radiation. But children born after the explosion? They took years.

But because of that, their bodies adapted far better than those who had lived before the apocalypse.

That meant Sierra still had time. Time to heal. Time to be saved from the abyss of her trauma—if someone could reach her in time.

"How long before her ability awakens?" Medeia asked.

Sister Jeanne hesitated. "It varies. Nico took eleven years. But some children... only one."

No guarantees, then.

"Let’s assume she has a year," Medeia murmured, tapping her fingers against her arm. "That should be enough."

Enough for what? To erase two months of torment? To mend something broken before it shattered completely?

She wouldn’t know that.

Medeia had spent thousands of years wrestling with her own pain, and even now, it still existed beneath the surface, waiting for a moment of weakness to drag her under.

But Sierra was different. She was a child.

Children forgot easily in their first years and that was their gift.

A year should be enough.

The real question was ... how?

How did one make a child forget pain so deep it had stolen her voice?

And more importantly ...

Why was she assuming this was her burden to bear?

She could walk away. Hand the responsibility to someone else. No one would blame her for it.

So why did the thought of leaving Sierra in someone else’s care make her chest tighten?

[Host, if you take care of her, the system will grant you extra points.]

[You’ll also unlock a new achievement, and who knows? A sponsor might send you a gift again.]

Medeia considered it for a moment. Extra points? A new achievement? And possibly a reward from a sponsor?

That sounded like a pretty good deal.

’I just have to take care of her until she cries, right?’

[That’s right, Host!]

The offer wasn’t bad, and this wasn’t the first time she had taken care of a baby. So ... maybe she should give it a try?

[So? What do you say, Host? Are you accepting the offer?]

’Accept,’ Medeia answered in her mind without hesitation.

"Sister Jeanne, would you mind if I took care of Sierra for a while?"

The room fell into stunned silence.

Then, as if on cue, everyone gasped—loudly and dramatically. Even Lucian.

It was no secret that children were naturally drawn to Medeia, but everyone also knew she had never shown any real interest in personally caring for them.

Sister Jeanne, in particular, was well aware that most of the children’s toys, books, and little gifts all came from Medeia. But handing out presents was one thing—raising a child was an entirely different matter.

"Miss Medeia, are you sure about that?" Sister Jeanne’s tone was careful, almost hesitant. "A newborn requires constant care. Perhaps it would be best to leave her with someone more experienced?"

Technically speaking, Medeia was the most experienced person here when it came to raising young children.

Though ... none of her children had ever lived past the age of three.

"Sister Jeanne, are you questioning my kindness?" Medeia let out a long, forlorn sigh before dramatically shifting her expression into one of pure sorrow.

"I just want to take care of her because ..." She paused, wiping at non-existent tears as her voice softened to a fragile whisper.\

"Her mother, Sharon ... entrusted her to me before she ... before she left this world. She wanted me to protect her, to keep her from becoming the Lost."

She even threw in a little sniffle for extra effect.

The room remained silent, but Medeia could feel the shift in their emotions.

She lied—Sharon hadn’t uttered a single word before she died. The transformation had been too sudden, too fast.

Sorry, not sorry for using your name, Sharon.

After witnessing Medeia’s tears, Sister Jeanne was immediately consumed by guilt.

How could she have doubted someone who only wanted to do a good deed?

She had never met Sharon personally, but she understood one thing—no mother would entrust her child, the one she had fought so hard to protect, to just anyone.

"Miss Medeia, that wasn’t my intention." Sister Jeanne’s voice softened with regret. "I was only worried that caring for a newborn might be too much for you."

Medeia sighed, shaking her head slightly, as if disappointed by the lack of faith in her.

"Sister, doesn’t God ask His followers to never stop learning?" Her lips curled into the faintest of smiles, a look on her face was so genuine, it could almost be called noble.

Then, without hesitation, she reached for Sister Jeanne’s hands, her fingers curling around them with the perfect balance of warmth and resolve.

"That’s why ..." Her voice lowered, gentle yet firm. "Will you trust me to learn how to take care of a child?""

... Was she overdoing it?

If she made herself look this determined, wouldn’t it be harder to hand the baby off to someone else later?

Ah, whatever.

Future Medeia could deal with that problem when the time comes.

"Miss Medeia..." Sister Jeanne’s eyes glistened with emotion, deeply moved by Medeia’s determination.

"Alright!" she finally said, nodding with conviction. "If you truly wish to care for her, then I will entrust the baby to you! I’m sure you’ll raise her well until she grows into a fine young woman."

Medeia’s eyes widened in pure disbelief.

Wait, what?

She had only planned to look after the child until she turned one, not raise her into a teenager, let alone a young woman.

To my future self... Please, fix this mess.

Medeia forced a smile, though internally, she was screaming. This wasn’t what she had signed up for.

Lucian, who had been silent all this time, suddenly chuckled. He leaned toward her, his emerald eyes sparkling with amusement. "Looks like you’ve just become a mother, love."

He still didn’t know all of her past, but he could see that Medeia would make a great mother if given the chance.

She shot him a sharp glare, whispering, "Shut up. She will be your baby too."

Lucian only grinned wider. "She is our baby, then."

Medeia paused for a moment. Our baby? That ... actually didn’t sound so bad.

She looked down at the little girl’s fragile face, her tiny hands curled into fists against the blanket.

The child was silent, as always. Not a single cry or whimper.

Medeia let out a tired sigh. Alright, fine. One year. I’ll take care of her for one year. freёwebnoѵel.com

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