This is some of the best Tragic Backstory EVAH. Almost nothing inappropriately hilarious! Bittersweet adherence to the Shonen Creed of needing a Precious Person to be Something To Protect! Women getting Epic Angst that can beat any man's and that does not involve being spirited off to Troy!

I have no defense whatsoever against the coolbit of hardened badass rediscovers own fuzzy humanity by going squishy over a baaaaaaaby Morality Pet, and Teresa & Clare (and by extension Clare & Raki) have earned a spot among my very favorites of the trope.

(How much do I love the statues of Teresa & Clare, Goddesses of Love & Beauty? SO MUCH. Especially in volume 2, when the church-yoma cuts at the statue where Clare's sword is hidden as Clare's holding it, and there's the beautiful shot of the statue protecting Clare.)