The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 25

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The wavelength of Magic Power is unique to each individual.
There is not a single one that is exactly the same.
I don’t know why this is.
It’s just the way it is – it’s the law of the world.
And Magic is, at its core, about understanding these laws.

Sometimes we follow them, sometimes we deceive them, and sometimes we even alter them—that’s the essence of Magic.
That’s why I can do things like this.
Needless to say, I know my mother’s Magic Power intimately—its color, scent, and form. That’s why I can disguise my own as hers.
But what happens when I make my Magic Power appear identical to my mother’s?
The answer is…

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“Mother!”

In the next instant, I stood before her.
The “world” had detected the anomaly of two identical Magic Power wavelengths and corrected it.
But if some inferior mage tried the same trick, they’d likely suffer dire consequences.
In such cases, it’s likely that two distinct entities would be forcibly merged, resulting in a grotesque and bizarre object.

“Hein?!”

When I called out to her, Mother rushed over and embraced me tightly.
The turmoil in my mind instantly calmed.
Or rather, it vanished completely.

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Just as I thought that, it vanished!
That memory was from long ago, when I couldn’t even walk on two legs yet.

“Look, Hein. See how many there are? These are Viwa Fruits. Mama’s family, the House of Eldenbloom, used to be commoners. So poor they couldn’t even afford a proper meal. But one day, they found an unfamiliar tree. When they planted it, it turned out to be a Viwa tree… and that’s how they survived starvation.”

I remember Mother saying something about it.
Viwa fruits are small, orange fruits with a refreshing blend of tartness and sweetness.
Their not being overly sweet is precisely what I like about them.
The tree was brought by Mother when she joined the House of Aster, and it still grows in the courtyard today.
It’s meticulously maintained.

Ouma takes excellent care of it.
I’m not particularly picky about food, but Viwa fruits have always suited my taste, and I’ve eaten them often since childhood.
Being held by Mother while eating Viwa fruits… perhaps that’s why I associate her chest with the fruit.
The pleasant sensation of Viwa fruits filling my stomach and warming my body.
Yet even that couldn’t surpass Mother’s embrace.
As a child, I would cling to her br3ast, trying to suckle.

Playing with it, pressing my cheek against it.
Her skin was impossibly soft, so soft that I could hold her forever and never grow tired of it.
There was a time when I thought all I needed was my Mother’s br3ast.
Back then, Mother was my entire world, and that hasn’t changed to this day.

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“H-Hein? What’s wrong? You’ve gone completely still… Hein?”

Mother’s voice snapped me back to reality.

“No, I was simply reminiscing a bit. More importantly, traveling all alone, without any attendants… Luckily, Oma came to inform me, and I was able to come find you right away.”

“You’re one to talk, Hein. But it’s my fault. I’m sorry for saying such a thing. Even if I had to tell you, there was a better way to put it. But Hein…”

“Please wait, Mother,”

I interrupted. Her.

“I understand what you’re trying to say. I can’t accept it completely… but I do understand it. I know—at least intellectually—that our relationship as mother and son isn’t what others would call ‘normal.’ But still, up until now, I was perfectly content with it. I never thought we had to change just to fit in with others. You think the House of Aster’s reputation matters, too. I… I might not be able to swallow that immediately, but I’m willing to gradually change…”

“Hein…”

My mind was on the verge of collapse. Even if I shot down a hundred stars, I wouldn’t be this exhausted. Maybe I’ll actually try that someday. The remnants of the Demon Lord’s Army have been provoking the Empire lately, after all.
But enough! I don’t want to discuss this any further tonight.

“Let’s go home, Mother. To our house.”

My affection for her hadn’t wavered in the slightest. I’m sure her feelings for me remain unchanged as well.
Even so, I—

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That day, for the first time in a long while, I slept alone.