You've Grown So Mature Already...
You've Grown So Mature Already...
Winter melted away quickly, and spring strode in boldly.
But Erengard's heart remained frozen in winter.
"...It's already tomorrow."
She murmured to herself, gazing down at Yune, who was perched on her thighs and crunching his cookies with a crisp crunch, crunch, crunch.
Since it was his last day, he didn't want to be apart from his mother. For whatever reason, Yune had come to her while she worked and was now being openly affectionate.
At her quiet words, Yune answered in a voice brimming with excitement, as if he had no idea what lay in her heart.
"Yes! Hehe. I'm just so excited, you know? Oh, right! That subspace pouch Mom gave me—I packed it completely full!"
"All your luggage has already been loaded onto the carriage. What more could you possibly have to pack?"
"Hmm... this and that? I thought I'd packed everything, but once I started rummaging through my room, I kept finding things I have to take with me!"
Winter had passed and spring had arrived. Tomorrow, Yune would leave the estate and enroll at the academy.
Yune was grinning ear to ear, utterly overjoyed about it. But Erengard's own feelings were the complete opposite.
She couldn't bear to send her son away, and the documents in front of her had become a blur long ago.
"...I don't know what's so wonderful about the academy that you're so excited. Everyone else is making a fuss about not wanting to go."
"It's a place every noble has to attend, isn't it?"
"If, and only if, you're going against your will, forcing yourself..."
"Tsk. Mom, there you go again. I've said it hundreds of times, haven't I? I want to go. You know how much I've been looking forward to this."
"...You did."
Yune simply beamed at her, bright and sunny, oblivious to her feelings.
A sight that once would have warmed a corner of her heart now only dropped a cold stone into it instead.
It was Yune who had gently thawed her heart, frozen solid ever since her husband Jürgen's passing.
Whenever she thought that she would no longer feel that warmth once Yune went to the academy, a pain like an icicle gouging at her heart pierced her soul.
And so, she began to persuade him, pretending not to care, using words she'd already said a hundred times.
"But the people at the academy will not be like our family. If you eat and spill your cookies, instead of wiping your mouth, they will cover their own mouths and speak ill of you. If you drink milk and it gets on your lips, they will gossip about you in earnest."
"What do you take me for? There's no way I'd do that outside. I've learned dozens of courtesies from Sir Max. You saw how perfectly I kept my manners in front of the Crown Princess."
"...Right. You were always a child who could do it if you put your mind to it."
"Of course. I only relax and feel this comfortable around people I can trust."
She tried to hold onto Yune, whose heart was already set on leaving for the academy, but the conversation just kept going around in circles.
Frustrated, she bit her lip.
Perhaps because of that, the hand stroking Yune's head momentarily pressed a little too hard.
-Squeeze.
"Hwaaah... Mom, that's too hard."
"Ah, I am sorry."
To her, it was only the slightest increase in pressure, but even that small force was more than Yune could bear.
She sighed at his fragility.
...Can he endure academy life, as frail as he is? Of course, I have taken measures to keep Yune safe.
After that, worry for Yune rose in her heart—worry about whether he could stay healthy and happy at the academy.
Of course, this was a worry she'd carried ever since Yune had grown up a little. And she wasn't the kind of passive woman who merely stomped her feet and did nothing about her worries.
Over time, she had exerted considerable influence over the academy for Yune's sake—without his knowledge, in secret.
The academy, which had been inexplicably rotten, gradually changed under her touch. Into a place where Yune could stay safe.
For example, the academy's defense magic circle.
The barrier meant to protect a place where nobles attend, something that should have been sturdier than anything, was so decrepit it would have crumbled if she so much as laid a hand on it.
After confirming this, Erengard reported it to the Empress and poured money and manpower into a thorough repair. Absolutely thorough, without a single gap.
Only when it became a barrier of such strength that the sort of lesser demonfolk Yune had called a pushover would rage, 'W-what do you mean it breaks if you hit it a few times! A dragon could stomp on it and it'd be fine! This stupid book is crap, a scam!!' did she finally feel satisfied.
Even the staff and professors hired by the academy could not escape Erengard's influence.
Using the Steinadler Merchant Company, which had effectively become House Nordkirchen's exclusive trading company and the Empire's Foremost Merchant Company, she borrowed their intelligence network and investigated, obtaining information on professors and staff who had committed all sorts of corruption. She then immediately reported it to the Empress.
The result.
Professors who would raise grades for a kickback were the mild ones; some outright discriminated against students and encouraged ostracism if they weren't bribed.
A department head who colluded with a strange religious sect and turned what should have been normal commoner midterms into a survival competition on a deserted island.
A head guard brazen enough to leak academy information, among others.
All sorts of corrupt figures were completely swept away. By the hand of the enraged Empress.
The vacant positions were then filled with personnel whose skill and character had been verified.
Erengard also exerted her influence fully, placing 'usable' talents.
For example...
The Temple side, who had lost the black mage Yune had captured while transporting her.
Having committed the massive blunder of losing the criminal who attacked the heir of a Ducal House and the one and only youngest son of the Grand Ducal House, the Temple personnel at the time turned pale and prostrated themselves before Erengard and Duchess Schmut.
The lower priests who had been charmed by the black mage were made an example of with unspeakably horrific punishments, and the Temple Head who had neglected supervision was demoted. They pleaded that this would never happen again, begging for forgiveness.
But unlike Duchess Schmut, who reaped some benefits and then backed off, Erengard had deliberately refused to accept that apology all this time, signaling her displeasure. She also cut off the enormous donations she'd been sending in one swift stroke.
Having been on edge for that entire time, when, after two full years, Erengard told the Temple officials that she would 'forget the matter if they dispatched a large number of priests to the academy,' they sprang to their feet, overjoyed. After all, priests were so plentiful they were practically rotting away.
The Temple booted the chubby behinds of the priests who had been lounging around, wasting the Temple's food and idly reading scripture, dispatching them en masse to the academy.
Among those dispatched was the demoted former Chief Priest. Josef Marie was also there.
Erengard approached her, promising, 'I will guarantee you a position as a health teacher. And if you look after Yune's well-being and convenience when he eventually enrolls, I will put in a word to reinstate you within the Church of the Chief Goddess.'
The former Chief Priest, Marie, accepted with a leap of joy. Swearing on the cross in her heart, she vowed that no harm would ever come to him while he was at the academy.
As a result, the academy became a place overflowing with holy power, almost comparable to the Temple's main headquarters. So much so that the black mage who had attacked him wouldn't dare even set foot inside.
Lastly, she trained Chloe, who would accompany Yune as his escort, through literally extreme training to make her grow. And she commanded Nibuer, who had for some reason brought up enrolling at the same time as Yune, to support him.
The list of efforts Erengard had made for Yune's peaceful academy life was nearly endless.
Yet, despite all those efforts, she was still unwilling to let him go.
Until now, she had thought it was just anxiety about Yune leaving for a place she couldn't protect him, but...
...No, that wasn't it. I wasn't just anxious that Yune might be in danger.
It was only on the day before Yune was to leave that she realized her true feelings.
And one truth, an immortal truth, that Yune had taught her when he was nine: feelings left unsaid will never be understood.
Only then did Erengard confess her innermost heart honestly.
"...Yune, if you leave, I will be incredibly, truly incredibly lonely."
Her truth flowed out calmly. A mother's natural desire not to be parted from her son.
Then, filled with sincerity, she pulled Yune into an embrace.
-Hug.
"Can you not just stay here? For this mother of yours."
"Mom, really..."
Yune was buried deep in her chest.
Rolling only his eyes to look out the window, Yune saw that it had grown dark outside and spoke.
"Mom, you know what? After such a long time, let's sleep together tonight."
"...Hm? All of a sudden?"
"It's been a long time since we stopped sleeping together, since you said I'm all grown up now. I'm leaving tomorrow, so just for today."
"It is still early, but... no. Very well. Since you ask it, I have no choice. Let us go to bed right away."
* * * * * *
After that, she picked Yune up and carried him to her bedroom.
And then, the moment she stepped into the bedroom, Erengard's eyes widened.
"...What is this?"
The reason for her surprise was that the bedroom's appearance had completely changed.
Her bedroom, which had been thoroughly stripped of decoration ever since her husband Jürgen returned to the embrace of mana.
Even though an air of bleakness usually hung over it, the room was now filled with all sorts of items.
Seeing her surprised expression, Yune grinned. He soon took Erengard's hand and led her.
"See? This is a communication artifact. Unlike the usual kind, if you use this, we'll be able to see each other's faces while talking. It does use a magic stone every time, but I'll contact you occasionally with it when I'm at the academy. And... since Mom sometimes has trouble sleeping, on the nights you can't, give me a call. I'll sing you a lullaby."
"...."
"And this is a doll that has a calming effect if you hug it! Since you relieve your fatigue by hugging me, hug this while you sleep instead of me!"
"......."
"And this is..."
Yune explained the items he had procured using all of Ryu Si-u's knowledge, one by one.
But the explanations didn't register in her ears.
Because...
He even takes after his father in this.
The arrangement of those artifacts, which Yune had clearly set up, looked somehow familiar.
Yune himself had only placed them so she could use them comfortably, but the little touches of consideration embedded in the arrangement reminded her of Jürgen, who had already left this world.
She merely nodded quietly, lost in emotion.
"...And that's it! How is it? I secretly worked hard decorating while Mom was working in your Head of House's Office! All of this, one by one, for Mom...."
"Enough. You need not say anything more."
Without a word, she embraced the beaming Yune.
-Snatch.
"Uh, Mom?"
"I am sorry. For a mother to cause her child worry. How much trouble you must have gone through to prepare all this. And for me... after you have left. Truly, I am a failure as a mother...."
Her voice began to tremble slightly.
Hearing it, Yune silently started to pat her on the back.
"Make sure you eat well even without me, okay? Don't just eat a sandwich to get by because you're busy working."
"...I will."
"Mom has a habit of resting your chin on your hand when you work. Don't keep doing that just because I'm not there. Your neck will get crooked."
"......I will."
"And...."
The mother and son continued talking while holding each other for a long while.
Having managed to compose herself, Erengard let go of his back and headed to the bed.
-Flop.
"Getting old only makes me more of a foolish mess. Come, Yune. Come here. Let us sleep together."
Dressed in her nightclothes, Erengard reached out her hand, determined to make this last night at the estate, the night he spent with her, at least a night filled with warm memories.
Her eyes glistened with dew, yet her lips smiled for her son.
Seeing this, Yune went into her arms without a word.
"...Okay."
"Good boy. After such a long time, I will sing you a lullaby."
Then the two lay down on the bed, holding each other.
Erengard looked at Yune, who was gazing at her with worry in his eyes, and hummed a lullaby on and on.
Until the worry in his eyes disappeared. Until the anxiety in her own heart disappeared. Endlessly.
-Goodnight, sleep tight. You are your mother's joy.
-I will watch over you until you wake in my arms.
-Sleepy little one. Close your eyes, Mother is right here.
-Your guardian angel is right beside you, so sleep without a worry.
-Goodnight, sleep tight. Goodnight, sleep tight....
And so the two fell asleep, their entire bodies pressed tightly together, leaving no space between them.
Their foreheads touching. In preparation for the farewell to come.
* * * * * *
The next day.
Yune stretched out wide. And Erengard, oddly, had her face buried in both hands, her head hung low.
Not noticing her ears, which had turned bright red, Yune soon looked out the window and spoke.
"Finally, this day has come."
"I-i-i-is that so."
The spring sunlight poured in through the window.
That warm sunlight shone on Erengard's body, especially on her lower abdomen. Something happened where the warmth made her startle so badly her rear jumped a good ten centimeters off the bed, but—
Yune, knowing nothing, smiled brightly, threw open the window, and shouted.
"It's academy enrollment daaaaaaay!!!"