Just Trust Me, Mom
Though dragons were divided into male and female, the concept of parents did not exist among them.
Put another way, dragons did not bear children.
Like enormous planets that one day take shape from dust gathering in the void of space, they emerge into the world when mana of unimaginable density compresses without end. Perhaps for that reason, dragons—beings so learned they might as well have been omniscient—knew next to nothing about the act of sex.
It was not that they were wholly ignorant. They understood that living creatures had been granted a reproductive drive to preserve their species, and that the act existed for that purpose. But dragons possessed no sexual desire of their own. They knew of it, and nothing more. Empathy, understanding—none of it applied.
To the dragon race, the very idea of sex was profoundly alien.
And so, perhaps, it was inevitable that Mari would be shaken to her core by the sight before her eyes.
"M… Mom…"
Slurp— suck—
Right in front of her, the mother she loved more than anything was tangled together with that woman of the pitch-black soul. The two of them were devouring each other's tongues as if they meant to swallow one another whole, faces pressed close, rubbing, never pulling apart.
What… are the two of them… doing…?
She could not make sense of their behavior. And yet something like rage was already swirling up from deep inside her.
Every time her mother lunged at that woman, Mari wanted to burst out and tear them apart on the spot. But every time the woman stroked her mother's hair, her mother wore an expression of such pure happiness that Mari could only stumble backward instead.
Fortunately she had erased her presence, and she managed to slip out of the room without being discovered. Even so, her heart—startled by that dizzying scene—showed no sign of calming down.
The bright, radiant smile her mother had worn only moments ago kept rising in her mind.
A smile Mari had never once seen directed at her.
…..You've never smiled at me like that.
So why do you look so happy when it's her?
Somewhere deep in her heart, something dark and sticky began to stir.
That person is not the mother I know. That woman must have done something to her. She must have.
My mom is warm and gentle. She's a proper grown-up. The kind of person who always smiles softly at me and holds me like I'm something precious.
But the mother I just saw… she was like… like…
A beast starving for love.
A female who lit up with joy every time that woman paid her any attention.
It was faint, but Mari felt her own bright blue soul darken, just a little.
Why won't you smile that happily in front of me?
Are you happier at her side than at mine?
…..Or do you actually like being treated like an animal?
Thump— thump—
Her heart pounded without any intention of stopping. For some reason the scene she had just witnessed refused to leave her mind. An unknown territory she could not comprehend. And because of that, she could not begin to name the emotion leaking up from the depths of her chest.
…..If Mom wants to be treated like a beast that badly…
I could do it better.
Ah.
She shook her head hard to the side.
What was I just thinking…
She scrubbed the sudden fantasy clean out of her mind. She could hardly believe she had imagined such a thing. Tormenting the mother she loved—that was something she must never, ever do. That would be repaying kindness with cruelty.
And the mother she had just seen—that could not have been of her own free will. That wicked woman must have done something to her behind the scenes.
Mari had disliked her from the first moment. The pitch-black souls that evil creatures carried—that woman's soul was the same. Even if it turned strangely white whenever she looked at Mom, her essence was still something wicked. Leave her alone and sooner or later she would stain Mom's pure white soul black.
Mari clenched both hands tight and made a firm resolution.
"I'm going to save her."
She would bring back the gentle, grown-up mother she knew.
Just trust me, Mom.
I'll put you back the way you were.
"Ugh…"
A parched voice scraped out of my throat. When I forced my heavy eyelids open, morning sunlight was already filling the room with brightness.
"So… thirsty…"
My mouth was so dry it felt as if every drop of moisture had been sucked out of it. Proof of just how fiercely we had been kissing.
I looked around. The bedsheets were soaked with Athena's fluids and mine, and Athena herself lay sleeping in nothing but white underclothes.
— Maybe I should find another slave…
I flinched.
The moment her words surfaced in my mind, my whole body gave a sharp tremble. Unease prickled through me, and like a kitten pressing itself against its mother I crawled into Athena's arms.
It's fine.
I told her yesterday. I don't need any other slave. As long as I keep doing this for her, she won't throw me away.
I repeated the self-suggestion over and over inside my head. Little by little my body settled, and I managed to pull myself together again.
I just have to do better from now on.
As long as I perform well enough that Athena never wants to discard me. Give her what she wants. Do the things she likes, often.
I was sorting my thoughts into order when—
"……"
But…
I feel like I'm forgetting something…?
Mom… where are you…?
"Hyaak?!"
I screamed. Athena twitched and slowly opened her eyes—but I didn't even have time to look at her. I bolted out the door and sprinted for my own room.
I've lost my mind.
I've completely lost it, Hera.
No matter how terrified I was of Athena abandoning me, how could I have forgotten my own daughter so thoroughly?
What if she's confused because I'm not there? What if she's crying from loneliness?
Of course the most likely answer was that she was still asleep. But maybe this was exactly why parents ended up overprotecting their children. With Mari not at my side, anxious little scenarios kept bubbling up one after another.
Thankfully, it seemed I had worried for nothing.
I flung the door open in a rush—and there was Mari's small back, breathing soft and even on the bed.
Haa… thank goodness…
Careful not to wake her, I slipped into the bed and lay down beside her.
Last night I had passed out from sheer exhaustion, but from now on I would have to show a little more restraint. I couldn't leave Mari sleeping alone all night.
I stayed like that for a long while, lying next to her, until her tiny body began to stir. She rolled over, and a pair of eyes like aquamarine jewels settled on me.
"…."
"Ma… Mari… you're awake?"
For a moment she simply looked at me in silence. Then a bright, sunny smile bloomed across her face.
"Mhm. You too, Mom?"
Her words needled me with a guilty twinge, but I kept it off my face and managed a cover.
"Y… yeah… thanks to you I didn't have to sleep lonely."
"Liar."
"Huh… w-what?"
"Mm. Never mind, Mom."
For an instant something chilling brushed through her tone—but whether it had been my imagination or not, Mari was only smiling sweetly in front of me.
I pushed down the uneasy feeling and smiled back at her.
"Are you hungry, Mari? Shall we go get breakfast?"
She tucked her cute little body snugly into my arms.
"….Mhm."
.
.
.
"Wow! It's huge!"
This was the mansion's library.
During breakfast with Mari and Athena, Mari had announced that there were books she wanted to read. So once the meal was finished, I had come here with her.
This place held some truly awful memories for me as well—but my desire to grant Mari's request won out, and in the end I had brought her along.
Watching her light up at the sight of all the books, I decided coming had been the right choice after all.
"Mari. Don't touch the shelves carelessly, all right?"
"Okay!"
She answered brightly and began wandering all over the library. I settled onto one of the sofas provided for visitors and rested for a moment.
Athena had said she had something to discuss with the Sword Saint and had left the mansion for a while. She planned to be back before evening, and had told me to put Mari to bed and then come find her again.
I don't think I'll be able to kiss today…
I carefully touched my lips and felt a sharp sting. They were badly cracked and swollen. Even during the meal earlier, every time my lips brushed against the food a prickling pain had flared up.
But satisfying Athena had become an essential duty for me now. If she wanted a kiss, I was prepared to endure the pain and give her one.
How else can I make Athena happy…?
She enjoyed my cooking last time. Should I cook for her again?
Or maybe lick her ears the way I did for Sepheer…?
Or else…—
I had no idea how much time had passed while I sat there turning over ways to please Athena.
"Mom! Let's go back to the room."
Apparently she had finished picking out her books. Mari came trotting toward me with several volumes hugged carefully to her chest, her cute face puffed up with anticipation like a child waiting to open presents on Christmas morning.
She must have found some really interesting ones.
A little curiosity stirred, and I asked if she would show me the books.
"Mm… well…"
She hesitated at first, then shyly held them out to me.
They were a bit thick for a child's reading material. Being a dragon, she was clearly far ahead of other children her age.
Heh… that makes me weirdly proud.
They say one well-raised daughter is worth ten sons. I hadn't exactly raised Mari myself, but looking at how pretty and clever she was filled me with a warm, foolish satisfaction.
That feeling vanished the instant I saw the covers.
— Blood Is Thicker Than Water: The Love Between Parent and Child.
— On Sex.
— 101 Ways to Train a Beast.
"Uh….?"
I could only stare blankly at the books. When I creaked my head around, Mari was looking up at me with round, wide eyes, as if to ask what the problem was.
"What's wrong, Mom?"
"Ma… Mari…"
Did you… maybe pick the wrong books…?