The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 89

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The lecture ended, and students began to trickle out of the classroom.
Hein remained seated, meticulously organizing his notes. He had recorded every word of Helga’s lecture, adding his own annotations.
Esmeralda observed his earnest profile from a few steps away.

“That was a great lecture.”

When Esmeralda called out to him, Hein looked up.
His expression was softer than usual, as if still immersed in the lecture’s afterglow.

“Of course. Mother’s lectures are always exceptional.”

Hein replied confidently, closing his notebook.

“Today’s demonstration was particularly impressive. The flow of magic power from seed to flower, the delicate control—it was truly artistic.”

Esmeralda nodded and sat down in the seat next to Hein.

“Lady Helga’s magic was truly remarkable. But why were you praying so earnestly, Lord Hein?”

Hein puffed out his chest at the question.

“Of course. When Mother performs such sacred magic, how could I not offer my prayers?”

It was a grand declaration.

“Mother’s magic isn’t merely a technique. It’s an art, a miracle, the supreme beauty manifested in this world. I was simply grateful to witness such a moment.”

Esmeralda smiled, slightly overwhelmed by his fervent speech.

“Well, it’s wonderful that you respect Lady Helga so much as her son.”

“Respect? That’s too lukewarm a word to describe it,”

Hein shaking his head.

“To me, Mother is the sun, the moon, and the very brilliance of the stars. Without her, my existence would be impossible.”

There was not a trace of embarrassment in his words, only pride.
Esmeralda seized the opportunity.

“Still, how did Lady Helga acquire such extraordinary skill? Was it the result of daily practice?”

As expected, Hein’s eyes began to gleam.

“Listen closely,”

Hein leaned forward and began to speak.

“Mother’s talent for magic is undoubtedly innate. However, what has elevated her to such heights today is nothing but relentless effort.”

“Ah, I see. That’s what I suspected.”

“Every morning before sunrise, Mother goes to the garden to commune with the plants. This isn’t mere watering; she uses her magic power to sense the condition of each plant and provide what it needs. It’s a form of magical training in itself.”

Pride seeped into Hein’s voice.

“Moreover, Mother reads through literature on plant magic from all over the world, past and present, and does not neglect to back it up with theory. She is constantly honing her skills with both practice and theory.”

Esmeralda nodded in admiration, casually slipping in her next question:

“Lord Hein, do you also engage in such training?”

Instantly, Hein’s enthusiasm seemed to cool, his expression darkening.

“…Well, I’m managing. So, is that all? I need to prepare for my next lecture.”

His tone was not just disinterested, but as if speaking to Esmeralda at that moment was one of the most tedious tasks in the world.
The light in his eyes vanished instantly.
Esmeralda chuckled inwardly.
As expected, this boy loses interest the moment the conversation turns to himself.
However, Hein’s reaction gave Esmeralda a realization.

(Perhaps communicating with Lord Hein isn’t as difficult as I thought.)

“But if you have a wonderful person like Lady Helga close by, I’m sure you find it inspiring.”

When Esmeralda asked him this, Hein looked thoughtful for a moment.
His mood seemed to improve in an instant.

“Indeed, I learn much from Mother. Especially her attitude toward magic—her mindset, her approach…”

He trailed off, gazing out the window.

“Mother always said, ‘Magic isn’t meant to wield power, but to be a tool for making the world a better place.'”

In reality, Helga had never said such a thing.
In Hein’s mind, new “wise sayings” from Helga were born daily. If subjected to a truth-detection spell, over eighty percent would be revealed as products of his own delusions.
Helga’s actual remarks were usually something mundane like, “〇〇’s magic is so convenient,” which Hein’s mind transformed into grand philosophical pronouncements.

“Those are beautiful words.”

“Ah, yes. That’s why I also…”

Hein trailed off, as if he had started to say something but stopped himself.
Esmeralda didn’t press him, choosing to change the subject instead.

“Speaking of which, Mother’s Day is coming up soon, isn’t it?”

At her words, Hein’s shoulders twitched.

“I-is that so? I hadn’t really thought about it.”

He was clearly flustered.
Esmeralda chuckled inwardly.

“I’m thinking of writing a letter to my mother. Lord Hein, do you have any plans?”

“N-nothing in particular,”

Hein stammered, hastily standing up and gathering his belongings.

“I should probably start preparing for my next lecture. Excuse me.”

He hurried toward the lecture hall exit, but stopped at the door and turned back.

“Esmeralda.”

“Yes?”

“What… what kind of gift do you think women would appreciate?”

The sudden question caught Esmeralda off guard for a moment. But she quickly understood the situation and smiled gently.

“It depends on the person, but… I think the most important thing is the giver’s feelings.”

“Feelings, huh?”

Hein looked thoughtful.

“Even if it’s not expensive, if it’s something you chose with that person in mind, they’ll surely be happy.”

Hein nodded slightly at Esmeralda’s words.

“…You’re right. Just because something is expensive or rare doesn’t make it good. What truly matters is the sentiment behind it… Hmm, that’s helpful.”

With that, he finally left the lecture hall.
The next class was Imperial History, so he needed to move to another classroom.
Esmeralda smiled faintly.

“He’s really easy to understand.”

Muttering to herself, she began to pack her bags as well.
The boy named Hein Sera Aster was certainly unusual.
Arrogant, condescending, and uninterested in anything beyond himself.
Yet when it came to his mother, he became completely different, passionate, and even showed glimpses of age-appropriate boyishness.
Esmeralda found this side of Hein strangely endearing.