“And that’s done?” I looked at my hand but didn’t notice anything strange.
Mom nodded: “It’s done. Of course, for the sake of protecting you, I specifically set an insurance measure. If she tries to forcibly take over your conscious, she’ll immediately be reduced to ashes. In other words, she is only allowed to wake up under the condition that you allow her to. That way, there won’t be any risk. That said, Son, do you really think that this is a good idea? It’s dangerous. After all, she almost killed us using your body.”
I softly responded, “I can’t bring myself to kill her when she bears such a striking resemblance to you. She may have committed unforgivable deeds, but I’ve desperately searched for reasons to forgive her. I feel this way precisely because she resembles you. It appears it’s impossible for me to become a fair and just King, as I can’t be ruthless to you all.”
Mom giggled. She gave me a light hug and stroked my head. Tone tender, she said, “It’s all right, Son. It doesn’t matter what sort of King you are. In Mommy’s opinion, you just need to be a kid. Son, Mommy is truly afraid of losing you. I guess that’s Mommy’s weakness. If somebody controls you, Mommy could hand over everything; therefore, you must remember to never allow yourself to become a bargaining chip.”
“Of course I won’t, Mom. I know not to.”
Mom’s eyes resembled glowing gems under the candlelight. Mom gently clasped my face with her long and slender fingers. She looked back into my eyes. I gently pulled Mom into my arms and leaned over. Mom gently kissed me. She slid her hands on my face around to the back of my head and hugged me back. The two of us didn’t say anything while our surroundings were silent. It was as if nothing happened before, and we weren’t mother and son but two people in love.
I felt the warmth and gentleness of Mom’s body. It was the familiar fragrance and warmth that put me at ease. Everything Mom had to offer could put me at ease. One will always be most relaxed when they’re at home. As for me, I could feel the warmth of family as long as I was with Mom. She was my family, after all.
Our tongues intertwined. My hands slid down to Mom’s breasts on their own. I grabbed the breasts that once fed me. Mom shuddered and then pressed her body more firmly to mine. I gently rubbed her breasts. Mom grabbed my hands with a firmer grip.
“Stop for a moment, Son.”
Just as I was about to go to the next step, Mom gave me a firm push away. I was baffled. She touched her lips. There was a faint red tinge glimmering in her eyes. She started to get a little aroused but managed to control herself in the end.
Mom She stood up and fixed her blonde hair. She smiled: “It’s not that we can’t do this now, but this isn’t the time for it. Shouldn’t you go and see Lucia, Son? Lucia definitely needs you very much at the moment. She is your wife, Son. Mommy no longer has the right to compete with Lucia for you. You’re her husband and her children’s father. When Lucia needs you, I hope that you’ll be there for her.”
“Mom…”
“Mommy doesn’t feel lonely. Mommy will be fine as long as Mommy can see you. Mommy is aware of what you’re thinking. While Mommy will… feel a teeny bit lonely, it really is just a teeny bit. Mommy understands this is something Mommy has to bear with as a mother.”
“Mom, I won’t let you feel too lonely. I swear that I won’t. I… I…”
I attempted to hug Mom again, but she backed up and avoided me. She shook her head with a smile” “Go on, Son. You don’t need to continue wasting time here with me. Making your wife wait for a long time isn’t what a good husband would do.”
I stopped in my tracks. I couldn’t find it in me to smile when I saw the smile on Mom’s face. I couldn’t read minds as she could, therefore couldn’t tell what hid behind her smile. Despite that, I couldn’t feel a hint of joy behind her supposed smile. But nonetheless, I knew Mommy was no longer willing to keep me.
I pulled the door open and turned around to look at Mom one last time. She waved with a smile: “If Lucia is experiencing any physical problems, have her come see me.”
“Uhm, Mom, you should turn in early. Goodnight.”
“All right.”
Mom shut the door with a smile.
Inside the room, Vyvyan maintained her posture and demeanour from when she shut the door. The light outside and her son were locked outside. She heard his steps go further away one step at a time. She lowered her head and gently leaned on the door. She shut her eyes. His afterimage still lingered to her.
Vyvyan silently bemoaned, “How could I forget? He has always been by my side. I live for him. What does that shadow know? I’m just a shadow of my brother. It’s because of my brother’s inferior mana that I am what I am. I’m a mana replenishment tool. I’m just a shadow and a counterfeit, but I found a purpose in life from my brother. When I gave birth to my son, I learnt what the beauty of life was for the first time. I learnt how blissful it was to give birth to a life. It was the first time I felt that I was alive. I live for my son.
It’s so lonely. Henceforward, my son will have someone else by his side… He has Lucia and his children. My son is still by my side in this palace now, but I’ve come to understand that it’s just a dream that I’ll soon wake up from. I’ll never get to feel my son’s breaths again…
It really is… so lonely…It’s so lonely… I no longer have anyone by my side. Everybody has left with those footsteps, and they’ll never be back. Sometimes a long lifespan can be a curse.”
=======
Present time at Lucia’s room.
“Your Highness?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
Startled, Lucia jumped to her feet. She wiggled around as she explained, “I thought you’d stay with Her Highness until the morning. After all, you will always stay with Her Highness until the next day…”
“You’re my wife, Lucia. It’s a given that I come back to see my injured wife. Are you hurt anywhere, Lucia?”
“Umm, Your Highness, I heard that a kiss will fix up any pain…”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“Then… then… Your Highness, my entire body hurts.
“And that’s done?” I looked at my hand but didn’t notice anything strange.
Mom nodded: “It’s done. Of course, for the sake of protecting you, I specifically set an insurance measure. If she tries to forcibly take over your conscious, she’ll immediately be reduced to ashes. In other words, she is only allowed to wake up under the condition that you allow her to. That way, there won’t be any risk. That said, Son, do you really think that this is a good idea? It’s dangerous. After all, she almost killed us using your body.”
I softly responded, “I can’t bring myself to kill her when she bears such a striking resemblance to you. She may have committed unforgivable deeds, but I’ve desperately searched for reasons to forgive her. I feel this way precisely because she resembles you. It appears it’s impossible for me to become a fair and just King, as I can’t be ruthless to you all.”
Mom giggled. She gave me a light hug and stroked my head. Tone tender, she said, “It’s all right, Son. It doesn’t matter what sort of King you are. In Mommy’s opinion, you just need to be a kid. Son, Mommy is truly afraid of losing you. I guess that’s Mommy’s weakness. If somebody controls you, Mommy could hand over everything; therefore, you must remember to never allow yourself to become a bargaining chip.”
“Of course I won’t, Mom. I know not to.”
Mom’s eyes resembled glowing gems under the candlelight. Mom gently clasped my face with her long and slender fingers. She looked back into my eyes. I gently pulled Mom into my arms and leaned over. Mom gently kissed me. She slid her hands on my face around to the back of my head and hugged me back. The two of us didn’t say anything while our surroundings were silent. It was as if nothing happened before, and we weren’t mother and son but two people in love.
I felt the warmth and gentleness of Mom’s body. It was the familiar fragrance and warmth that put me at ease. Everything Mom had to offer could put me at ease. One will always be most relaxed when they’re at home. As for me, I could feel the warmth of family as long as I was with Mom. She was my family, after all.
Our tongues intertwined. My hands slid down to Mom’s breasts on their own. I grabbed the breasts that once fed me. Mom shuddered and then pressed her body more firmly to mine. I gently rubbed her breasts. Mom grabbed my hands with a firmer grip.
“Stop for a moment, Son.”
Just as I was about to go to the next step, Mom gave me a firm push away. I was baffled. She touched her lips. There was a faint red tinge glimmering in her eyes. She started to get a little aroused but managed to control herself in the end.
Mom She stood up and fixed her blonde hair. She smiled: “It’s not that we can’t do this now, but this isn’t the time for it. Shouldn’t you go and see Lucia, Son? Lucia definitely needs you very much at the moment. She is your wife, Son. Mommy no longer has the right to compete with Lucia for you. You’re her husband and her children’s father. When Lucia needs you, I hope that you’ll be there for her.”
“Mom…”
“Mommy doesn’t feel lonely. Mommy will be fine as long as Mommy can see you. Mommy is aware of what you’re thinking. While Mommy will… feel a teeny bit lonely, it really is just a teeny bit. Mommy understands this is something Mommy has to bear with as a mother.”
“Mom, I won’t let you feel too lonely. I swear that I won’t. I… I…”
I attempted to hug Mom again, but she backed up and avoided me. She shook her head with a smile” “Go on, Son. You don’t need to continue wasting time here with me. Making your wife wait for a long time isn’t what a good husband would do.”
I stopped in my tracks. I couldn’t find it in me to smile when I saw the smile on Mom’s face. I couldn’t read minds as she could, therefore couldn’t tell what hid behind her smile. Despite that, I couldn’t feel a hint of joy behind her supposed smile. But nonetheless, I knew Mommy was no longer willing to keep me.
I pulled the door open and turned around to look at Mom one last time. She waved with a smile: “If Lucia is experiencing any physical problems, have her come see me.”
“Uhm, Mom, you should turn in early. Goodnight.”
“All right.”
Mom shut the door with a smile.
Inside the room, Vyvyan maintained her posture and demeanour from when she shut the door. The light outside and her son were locked outside. She heard his steps go further away one step at a time. She lowered her head and gently leaned on the door. She shut her eyes. His afterimage still lingered to her.
Vyvyan silently bemoaned, “How could I forget? He has always been by my side. I live for him. What does that shadow know? I’m just a shadow of my brother. It’s because of my brother’s inferior mana that I am what I am. I’m a mana replenishment tool. I’m just a shadow and a counterfeit, but I found a purpose in life from my brother. When I gave birth to my son, I learnt what the beauty of life was for the first time. I learnt how blissful it was to give birth to a life. It was the first time I felt that I was alive. I live for my son.
It’s so lonely. Henceforward, my son will have someone else by his side… He has Lucia and his children. My son is still by my side in this palace now, but I’ve come to understand that it’s just a dream that I’ll soon wake up from. I’ll never get to feel my son’s breaths again…
It really is… so lonely…It’s so lonely… I no longer have anyone by my side. Everybody has left with those footsteps, and they’ll never be back. Sometimes a long lifespan can be a curse.”
=======
Present time at Lucia’s room.
“Your Highness?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
Startled, Lucia jumped to her feet. She wiggled around as she explained, “I thought you’d stay with Her Highness until the morning. After all, you will always stay with Her Highness until the next day…”
“You’re my wife, Lucia. It’s a given that I come back to see my injured wife. Are you hurt anywhere, Lucia?”
“Umm, Your Highness, I heard that a kiss will fix up any pain…”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“Then… then… Your Highness, my entire body hurts.
