The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 64

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“No, that won’t do.”

Helga said, clutching her head.
Hein was her beloved only son. Of course, she loved him more than anyone else in the world.
He excelled in both academics and martial arts, possessed remarkable magical prowess, and had a serious yet kind-hearted personality, showing tolerance toward the common people.
Yet he wasn’t without flaws.
Perhaps influenced by Damian, he occasionally made terribly unsettling jokes.

“It’s just a joke, Mother,”

And just like that, Helga sighed in relief.

(Hein is adorable, but his sense of humor leaves much to be desired.)

She wondered if she should hire him a tutor. While finding masters for swordsmanship or magic would be straightforward, could she even find a tutor for jokes?
Still, Helga felt outraged toward Digitalis.
Hein is still just a child, she thought, yet she introduced him to a man who would challenge a child to a Wand Duel!
Hein stopped Helga from going to protest to the Prime Minister.

“Mother, Lord Eugen said he wants to take me as his apprentice.”

“What?!”

Helga exclaimed in surprise.
Then, she understood. So that’s why the Wand Duel. A master wouldn’t take on an apprentice without knowing their magical skills.
Still, Helga was worried about Hein.

“Please don’t get hurt. If you’re scared, you can refuse.”

“No, I’m not scared… but I’m a little anxious. That’s why I… well, I…”

Helga realized Hein wanted something from her. Whenever he referred to himself as “boku” instead of “watashi,” it meant he was craving her affection.
She hugged him tightly.

“It’s okay. Tell me anything. Mama will do anything for you.”

“Then… may I sleep with you tonight?”

Helga readily agreed.
Though they slept separately for Hein’s growth and future, it didn’t mean she wasn’t lonely.

◆◆◆

Hein took full advantage of the opportunity to indulge in Helga’s affection, though nothing improper occurred.
…Well, one could argue it was improper, depending on interpretation.

“Mama,”

Hein murmured, hugging Helga tightly and refusing to move, his face buried between her br3asts.
He reminded her of the Foala, a gray, listless-looking beast native to the south.
Even so, Helga couldn’t stop thinking about the duel.
Upon reflection, she wondered what kind of master would suddenly propose such a thing just to take on a disciple.
There must be a proper order to things, Helga thought.
Surely there were other ways to assess a mage’s talent besides resorting to such violence.
A hunch struck Helga. Could this be an act of jealousy toward Hein’s talent…?
If that were the case, Helga’s anger flared—such behavior was utterly unforgivable.

“Hein, about the Wand Duel…”

Helga began, intending to dissuade him from the dangerous confrontation.

“Mama, actually, Lord Eugen has agreed to limit his full power for the duel.”

“Limit his power?”

Helga tilted her head in confusion.

“He intends for me to win from the beginning. The challenge lies in how I achieve victory.”

Helga nodded in understanding.
If that’s the case, it might not be too dangerous.

“So, Mama, could you spread the word about this to your acquaintances?”

“Well… I don’t mind, but why?”

“To eliminate any escape routes.”

Hein clung to Helga’s br3ast as he declared this with an air of grim determination.

“Escape routes?”

“Yes. I’m incredibly nervous and anxious about having my skills and character as a Mage put to the test. That’s why I want to eliminate any chance of backing out on the day itself.”

Hearing this, Helga’s eyes welled up with tears, thinking what a noble son she had. At just fifteen years old, he was already fully embodying the ideal of a noble.

“Oh, Hein…!”

Overwhelmed with affection, Helga showered Hein’s cheeks and forehead with kisses. Hein squinted, ticklish.
After a moment, Hein let out a small

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

Helga asked.

“I… need to pee,”

Hein slipped out of bed.

“Watch your step,”

“Yes, Mama,”

The moment Hein stepped out of the room, his eyes transformed from those of a lazy Foala-like beast into the cold, ruthless gaze of a dictator who wouldn’t bat an eye at burying ten thousand people alive.

◆

“Feri, it seems some inferior trash are sniffing around,”

I muttered in the dimly lit corridor.
Then—

—[ Yes, Young Master. Three skilled scouts. I had some trouble capturing them; my apologies. We will dispose of them shortly. ]

Feli’s whisper reached me.
Her voice was so close it sounded as if she were right beside me, but she wasn’t actually there.
This entire mansion was within Feri’s surveillance range.

“No, it’s fine. Let him take the information back. The Female Fox probably hired him anyway.”

I wanted him to know we were looking down on him, treating him like a fool.
That way, the Middle-Aged Inferior wouldn’t be able to back down due to his pointless pride.
That Middle-Aged Inferior might have the character of filth clinging to the bottom of a spittoon, but he was still one of the more competent Maga in the Inferior circles.
Or perhaps he might realize I was faking it.
If he did, he would undoubtedly find an excuse to flee.
And if that happened, we wouldn’t be able to eliminate him.
Killing him would have been simple enough, but to publicly eliminate the Middle-Aged Inferior—a valuable pawn of the Female Fox—I needed to humiliate him thoroughly.
That being said, I personally despise such Inferiors and initially intended to slaughter him outright. However, Mother forbade it, leaving me no choice but to keep him alive.

—[Understood.]

“Also, are those Inferiors who so readily accepted the Female Fox’s request members of the Thieves’ Guild?”

The Thieves’ Guild is a private scouting organization based in the Imperial Capital. Scouts often face unwarranted discrimination and frequently find themselves destitute. The guild serves as a refuge for such individuals.
While not actual thieves, the guild’s name stems from its members’ resentment toward the ignorant masses who mistakenly equate scouting with thievery.
These guys had once taken on a job to spy on the House of Aster, and I gave them a rather rough welcome back then.
The master of the Thieves’ Guild came begging for mercy, promising they’d never take on such jobs again, so I let them off.

—[No, it’s the Dark Guild. They haven’t interfered with us since that day.]

“I see. Good.”

I’d decided that if they repeated the same mistake after I’d shown them mercy, I wouldn’t hold back. But it seems they know their place, which is fine.
The demonstration of meat-making I gave them right in front of their eyes must have been effective.

“Oh, right. If they try anything other than information gathering, deal with them swiftly.”

Like theft, for example.
This mansion contains many valuables, even by my standards.
But everything here belongs to my mother.
If anyone dares to steal it, they will pay with their life and the lives of their family.

—[Understood.]

“Good. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

With that, I hurried back to the bedroom where Mother was waiting.
I quickened my pace, not wanting to be mistaken for someone who had just relieved themselves.