I've Inherited the Summoning Skill, So I'm Going to Try to Master It! - Episode 9: In Other Words, Mother Has Her Eyes on Me

Episode 9: In Other Words, Mother Has Her Eyes on Me

I was racing through the castle corridors. While doing so, I had the unfortunate luck of encountering the one person I least wanted to see—Mother. She was currently my #1 Avoid-at-All-Costs individual. 

What should I do? I’d love to run away right now. But escaping from the Demon Queen herself seems impossible. 

“Rufus?” 

“Ah, M-Mother, it’s nothing, really. Haha…” 

“Don’t lie to me. If it were nothing, it wouldn’t have caused such a commotion. ………By the way, what exactly are you riding on?” 

It seemed Mother had only just noticed the creature I was perched on. Apparently, she had come here simply to quell the chaos. Just my bad luck—if the timing had been slightly different, I could’ve avoided her entirely. 

“Uh, this is the Red-Eyed White Feather Dragon—” 

“A d-dragon?!” 

“My Queen!” 

The maids on either side of her caught her as she collapsed backward. Nice catch. 

That was close. If her head had hit the floor, there’s no doubt I’d be nursing a matching bump on my own head soon after. 

Though she’s the most authoritative figure in our family, Mother is, at her core, a sheltered lady through and through. She’s so delicate that a startling or unfamiliar sight can knock her unconscious in an instant. 

This is the perfect chance to escape. But if I do, her wrath will be tripled later. It’s better to endure her anger here and now. That’s the conclusion I came to. 

“Please take Mother to her room quickly. I’ll come along too. Lagios, shrink down so you won’t startle her further.” 

“Understood.” 

Lagios shrank to the size of a puppy. With this adorable, plush-like appearance, there shouldn’t be any more surprises. 

I followed the maids as they carried Mother to her room. In hindsight, I probably should’ve just walked on my own two feet to avoid all this. 

Once we laid her down on the bed, the jostling woke her up. Mother may faint easily, but she recovers just as quickly. This resilience is truly admirable—if she were unconscious for an entire day, I’d be dealing with Father’s anger by now. 

“Mother, are you awake?” 

“Rufus… is this my room?” 

“Yes, it is. I apologize for startling you. That dragon earlier was a magical creature I summoned using my Summoning Skill.” 

“So that was a magical creature… I’ve heard about them, but it’s my first time seeing one.” 

Mother seemed to accept my explanation. She was nodding as she processed everything. Lagios was now hidden behind me and out of her sight. It would need a proper introduction later—one done gently to avoid unnecessary drama. 

“Mother, may I introduce you to Lagios, the dragon I summoned?” 

“Lagios? You mean that white dragon from earlier?” 

Her eyes darted around the room nervously. She must’ve been quite shaken. Even though Lagios is undeniably adorable, no matter its size. 

“It’s now the size of a puppy. So I don’t think it’ll scare you.” 

“Magical creatures can shrink? ………Alright. Please introduce it to me.” 

After a deep breath, Mother fixed her determined gaze on mine. Her resolve was apparent. This decisiveness must’ve been what helped her rise above the competition to become queen. 

“This is Lagios.” 

I gently held up the puppy-sized Lagios. I was careful not to startle her. Mother’s eyes widened. But this time, she didn’t faint. Perhaps it was because I had warned her in advance, unlike the unexpected encounter in the hallway. 

“This is… Lagios-chan. May I touch it?” 

“Of course. Lagios, make sure not to harm Mother, okay?” 

“As you command, my master.” 

“Oh my! Oh my, oh my! It can talk? What a clever creature!” 

As I handed Lagios to her, she cradled it as if it was a newborn baby. Her face was lighting up with a radiant smile. 

…This is bad. I have a bad feeling about this. She’s not planning to keep it, is she? That fluff belongs to me, Mother. No negotiations. 

“Mother, actually, I have another magical creature I summoned. Pii-chan!” 

“Pii-chan! I’m here!”

Pii-chan is as consistent as ever. Somehow, that’s comforting. 

Mother’s mouth fell slightly open as she looked at the sparrow perched on my shoulder. It’s a rare expression for her; usually, she keeps her face hidden behind a fan. Was it okay for me to witness this? I won’t get blinded later, right? 

“Rufus, may I also touch Pii-chan?” 

“Of course. Pii-chan, no pecking Mother, alright?” 

“You got it, no worries!”

With that, Pii-chan hopped onto Lagios’s head. Mother gently petted them both, her expression one of delight. It was as if she were admiring something irresistibly adorable. 

Hmm… I still have no idea what’s going on inside Pii-chan’s head. Not that trying to figure it out would get me anywhere—there’s still so much I don’t understand about summoning magic. 

“Rufus, would you entrust Lagios-chan and Pii-chan to me?” 

“No. Even if you pout so charmingly, the answer is still no. These are magical creatures I summoned using my skill. So their ownership is mine.” 

Mother muttered something under her breath. But she seemed to give up after a moment. 

She agreed to let us go on the condition that she could cuddle with them regularly. Thankfully, she also decided to let this whole incident slide. Success! 

Still, I’ll have to be more careful from now on. One of my goals was to move around the castle while riding a magical creature. But it seems like I’ll need some sort of plan. 

Should I take Lagios’ suggestion and try flying? Luckily, the ceilings in the corridors are high. So it seems feasible. 

Or should I move along the walls or ceiling, like a gecko? 

It’s something worth considering.