Mother is…

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We bid farewell to Glast and headed back home. The sun had set, and darkness would soon envelop the sky.

Examining my body, I noticed the dirt covering my skin and several small scars, cuts, and bruises. My sister, Marie, was in a similar state. However, Father and Glast were unscathed.

I really wanted to cleanse myself and quickly go inside. Father took the horse to the stable, and within a few minutes, he returned. We were about to enter the house through the front door, but Father suddenly halted.

“Is everything okay, Father? Let’s go in.”

“Dad? You don’t look well.”

“N-no, it’s nothing,” he muttered in a trembling and hoarse voice.

Father’s appearance was concerning. He seemed unwell and his reaction was alarming. Typically, he was a composed and dependable figure, but his current demeanor reminded me of a frightened small animal. Something was undoubtedly wrong.

“Let’s go inside,” I urged.

“Hm? Y-yes,” he responded, his voice still quavering.

Marie and I exchanged perplexed glances. We could view the living room and kitchen beyond the entrance hallway.

“I’m home.”

“Mom, I’m back!”

Mother was cooking dinner, and she noticed our return and rushed over.

“Welcome back!” Mother exclaimed.

However, her expression abruptly transformed. It was difficult to describe, but her smile lacked warmth and seemed forced. My sister and I shared our confusion, unsure what was happening.

Meanwhile, Father stood behind us. When we pivoted, Father’s eyes were swimming with fear. Could it be…?

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Before the cause of his fear was revealed, Mother interrupted with a low voice.

“Could you come here for a second?” she said, her smile still present but with an underlying anger.

It was unsettling. My sister and I felt the ominous aura and shrunk back.

Father appeared more frightened than we were and advanced as ordered, and they vanished into the guest room.

Just as I was about to inquire what was going on, Father’s scream reverberated throughout the house.

“Ahhhhhhh! Stop it! Calm down, Emma!” Father shouted.

Simultaneously, a loud thud resonated in my ears, and the tremor reverberated throughout the room. Father’s voice could be heard again.

“I-I’m sorry! Please, spare the candlestick corner! Calm down! It’s not too late! AHHHHHHHHHH!”

My sister and I stood in shock, unsure of what to do. Afterwards, the wailing continued incessantly for several minutes.

Suddenly, the screams ceased. Silence fell upon us. It was like a scene from a horror movie; the sudden absence of sound caused our eardrums to ring. Overcome with fear, Marie and I looked at the door of the room…

Then, the door creaked open, and there stood our mother, smiling. We were speechless at what we saw behind her. Our father was lying on the ground, twitching. He was still alive, but he clearly wasn’t okay.

As our mother closed the door behind her, Marie and I stiffened with fear. Could we end up like our father?

“W-we went too f-far. We were selfish, even though Mother was so generous!” I blurted out.

“A-Are we going to be k-killed too…?!” Marie added.

That thought seemed impossible, but at that moment, fear had taken over, and I couldn’t think rationally.

It’s really scary when someone who is usually calm suddenly gets angry.

“Sit there,” Mother said, with a soft smile on her face, but with no joy in her eyes.

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Although her voice was calm, we trembled with fear and sat down as we were told. It only took a moment for Mother to sit in front of us and let out a soft sigh.

“I heard what happened. You all went to fight monsters, didn’t you?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Mother sighed again, which was unusual for her. She usually responds by laughing in a troubled way or saying it’s okay with a smile. Father might say something, but Mother hardly ever speaks up. Of course, we’ll get scolded if we do something too selfish. But when she gets angry, it’s in a gentle way, like “That’s not good, dears,” or “You shouldn’t do that, okay?”

So, we were confused by her reaction and felt a sense of guilt in our hearts for what we had done.

“I’m not trying to blame you two, so there’s no need to be scared,” Mother said, flashing her usual gentle smile and dispelling the tension in the room.

Marie and I both let out a sigh of relief, realizing that she wasn’t angry at us.

“Your father told me what happened… I wasn’t sure if you were going to fight a monster or do something dangerous, so he went to check on you. Don’t worry, it’s not unusual for children your age to go monster hunting. And since your father was there to watch over you, everything turned out okay.”

“Then w-why…?” I said, struggling to express my thoughts.

“Oh, my dears, it’s not normal for you all to come back all bruised up and completely exhausted like that. I understand that Marie wants to become stronger and Theon wants to study magic, and fighting monsters may seem necessary to achieve those goals. But let’s not forget that you’re still children, even if you’re mature and have good judgment. As parents, it’s our duty to look after you and make sure you’re safe.”

Marie and I looked at each other and checked our bodies again. We didn’t look like we had just been playing outside all day and getting dirty, that was for sure. Our clothes were torn and our bodies were covered in bruises and contusions. We looked exhausted, and it was evident that this wasn’t a normal state for a child to be in.

“You know, your father can get really passionate about things and sometimes forgets what’s going on around him. I think he wanted you two to experience monster hunting while he still could.”

Mom hit the nail on the head. Glast had said the same thing, as if he had given up.

“I can’t speak for others, but this was your first time fighting monsters, sweeties. Your father was a bit reckless, and that’s why I was so upset. He thought you two could handle it, and I did too. But you’re still my little ones, and we need to set some boundaries. Don’t get me wrong, I want to support whatever you want to do as much as possible. Of course, some things might be impossible, but just because it’s not the norm doesn’t mean I’ll deny it. Your life belongs to you, and even though I’m your mother, I shouldn’t force it on you.”

After a brief pause, Mother looked at Marie and me with a reassuring smile.

“My dears, if you treat others with kindness and respect, you are free to pursue whatever interests you. Don’t hesitate just because you’re young. Whether it’s magic or swordsmanship, go ahead and learn as much as you can. However, I do have one request. Please take care of yourselves and avoid any unnecessary risks that could put your lives in danger. Your safety is my top priority, and I want you to always value and protect yourselves.”

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Mother came closer and hugged us.

“As long as you two are safe and sound, I’m happy. And if you’re happy, that makes me even happier. So go ahead and live your lives as you please, my dears.”

I understood. Mother was worried. She must have been thinking about what she would do if something happened to us. And when she saw us return home with injuries, she realized we had been in danger.

Maybe it wasn’t necessary to fight monsters to become stronger today.

“Mother… I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“Mom… I’m sorry for leaving without telling you.”

“Aww, don’t worry about it. As your mother, it brings me comfort to see you both understand and follow our advice to keep yourselves safe. But I know you both have your own thoughts and opinions, which may not always align with your father’s and mine. And that’s okay! I want you to know that just because we may see things differently doesn’t mean you’re wrong. So, the next time you’re faced with a tough decision, please talk to me about it, okay? We can figure it out together as a family.”

“Yes, we’ll make sure to talk to you next time.”

“Me too! I’ll talk to you, Mom!”

“Thank you, my darlings. Remember, if you ever make a mistake, don’t be afraid to come to us. We’re always here to help you if it’s something important to you. And always remember, your father and I will always be on your side, no matter what.”

As I felt Mother’s warmth, I started to calm down. The exhaustion I had been feeling just moments before vanished as if it were a lie.

I never thought I could feel so comforted. I couldn’t find peace of mind back in Japan, but now I’m glad that I came here.

“Well then! That’s enough talking. Shall we take a bath before dinner? I’ve actually asked the villagers to prepare the hot water for us.”

“Yeah, let’s go in!” Marie stood up happily.

In this world, there are baths, but they’re not easily accessible and there’s no running water. As a result, only the wealthy, like nobles, can typically afford to use them.

Since we don’t have any servants at home, the villagers prepare hot water for us to bathe in. We pay them every time, of course.

We bathe every few days, a luxury I wouldn’t have been able to afford if I had been born into an ordinary household.

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By the way, since I was old enough to understand, I have only ever taken a bath alone or with my dad. The reason why is pretty obvious, isn’t it?

“Theon, why don’t you take a bath with us today?” Mother said with a gentle smile.

Her overly kind expression made me freeze. What should I do? I hardly ever bathe with her, and we didn’t even bathe together when I was a baby.

She’s my biological mother. We are related by blood, so I shouldn’t worry about it. But mentally, I feel like I’m older than her. She’s younger than me and of the opposite sex. It’s a complex feeling, and to be honest, seeing her naked makes me a little uncomfortable. That’s why I’ve always avoided it.

Um, what should I do? She’s looking at me so intently.

“Uh, well, I…” As I tried to refuse, Mother looked sad.

“Theon, let’s take a bath together. We’re always separate, so it’s okay today, right?”

“Umm, but…”

“Theon, don’t worry! Let’s go! We’re all sticky all over our bodies. Let’s quickly take a bath.”

I don’t want her to make it sound so easy, but Marie was right. I want to wash off the dirt as soon as possible. Besides, my mother rarely asks me for anything. Since she doesn’t usually interfere, it’s hard to refuse her at times like this.

“Okay, I got it.”

“Yay! Alright, let’s go.” After hearing my reply, Mother smiled happily.

Oh, man… If she looks at me like that, I can’t say no anymore.

I jumped lightly as if to express my joy.

If she’s that happy, I don’t know how to react.

Marie and I held hands with our mother and headed to the bathroom.

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