Chapter 5 If I Don’t Tell Her, She’ll Never Get It, but If I Do, She’ll Probably Hit Me. Families Are Tough.
The fourth day.
The students gathered beneath a clear blue sky.
“Ahem,” Mr. Burly announced. “As I mentioned briefly yesterday, today we have a special school event… A surprise field trip! Let’s all have fun with it!”
“Yaaay! A surprise field trip! Woo-hoo!”
“A surprise field trip! I can’t wait!”
Apparently, there was a field trip today. Always one of school’s greatest pleasures. Wise, Porta, and the other students all cheered.
It was only natural for them to be excited. Not only was the trip itself worth looking forward to, but also they were going to be traveling in style aboard an actual airship.
An airship was, of course, a ship that could fly. As the students clambered aboard the vehicle of their dreams, moored in the school field, they were already far too excited to listen to Mr. Burly, running wild all over the deck.
But there was one student not joining in the fuss. Masato.
“A field trip on an airship… That should be worth looking forward to, but… Sigh…”
Masato stayed away from the crowd, leaning against the railing, sighing to himself. He just couldn’t convince himself to enjoy this.
And the reason for that was Medhi. His concerns about her were weighing him down.
Then he heard a voice.
“Ma-kun! Have fun! And be careful!”
He looked down and saw Mamako waving him off. Shiraaase was next to her, and Medhimama a short distance away.
Only students were going on this trip. No guardians along. As it should be.
Mamako was calling his name happily, oblivious to his mood, which rubbed Masato the wrong way. He waved a hand back and paid her no further attention.
But then…
“Maasatooo!”
Medhi came running over to him excitedly and latched on to his arm. “Eep?!” Masato yelped, all too conscious of the glorious sensation squeezing against him. Pillowy! His arm shrieked with joy.
He would have loved to enjoy this unreservedly, but he just couldn’t. He knew better.
Medhi was acting on Medhimama’s instructions and aggressively trying to steal his heart.
“A field trip, Masato! Let’s enjoy this together! Just you and me! Let’s take this opportunity to get closer!”
“Uh, yeah, sure…”
Medhi pressed up against him, purring in his ear. Sultry expressions, an alluring voice, even her body, using all her feminine wiles to hook him.
Just a hint of desperation.
Everything I was worried about is coming true… How should I handle this?
Unsure of how to respond, Masato just looked confused.
“Hey, Hero Masato! Could you come over here a minute?” Mr. Burly called. Good excuse to get some distance.
“They’re calling my name! See you later!” “Um, oh, Masato…!” Masato wriggled out of Medhi’s arms and beat an emergency retreat to Mr. Burly’s side.
“Sorry for the wait. What’s up? Also, thanks.”
“That’s an odd choice of words, but I suppose you mean I was right to call on you. I got a sense the Cleric Medhi wasn’t behaving like herself.”
“You’re totally right. And the cause is, of course, Medhimama.”
“That woman… She is a doozy.”
“I agree. She’s definitely driving Medhi off the deep end. I don’t think we can let it go on like this.”
“Hmm, I see.” Mr. Burly nodded. “So the hero rises to save families from their problems.”
He gave Masato a hearty slap on the back.
“Very well! I will support your heroic fight from the shadows.”
“From the shadows? Meaning…?”
“I will do what I can to increase the opportunities for you to spend time with the young Cleric! At least allow me that much. Starting with…”
Rather than finish his sentence, he clapped Masato on the back again and walked away. Masato’s back hurt a lot now. There was probably a hand-shaped mark on it.
But it had definitely put some wind in his sails.
“…Guess that was his way of encouraging me. Not that I needed any encouragement…”
Masato looked over the rail at Medhimama, who was glaring fiercely up at them. He looked at Medhi, who was waving, a stiff sort of smile on her face. And then he looked at the sky, so open and free of all worldly concerns.
And he vowed to do something about it all.
Our parents aren’t with us on this trip. I’ve got to take advantage of that!
Forget all their troubles, throw themselves into the event, have as much fun as possible, relieve all that stress. Refresh body and soul. That was what mattered. Only once that was accomplished could he take the next step.
She needed to blow off some steam so she could truly be free.
He knew just what to do. Masato ran back over to Medhi.
“Medhi, thanks for waiting! Let’s have a great time on this trip, okay? Let’s have so much fun we forget about everything else!”
“Y-yes! That’s exactly what I want to do! If I’m with you, Masato, I’m sure I’ll have a great time. This is gonna be the best!”
“Yeah! I love it when you talk like this!” Poke, poke.
Maybe he got a bit carried away. He found himself poking her in the cheek.
“Eep! Masato, that tickles! Ah-ha-ha!” Medhi laughed happily, enjoying herself. That was good.
If he could keep her this happy and having this much fun, surely all her troubles would be washed away.
The airship took off and flew away, laughter trailing in its wake.
Shiraaase watched it go, then turned to Mamako and Medhimama.
“Well, we’ve seen the children off safely, so I think it’s high time for a little mom conference. What do you say?”
“Oh! Why, yes, that sounds delightful.”
A mom conference—a meeting designed to allow mothers to talk freely about their children. A horrible event that leaves all children cowering in fear. Mamako jumped on Shiraaase’s suggestion, ready to talk about Masato all night.
Meanwhile, Medhimama seemed far less enthused.
“Not exactly my idea of a good time…but, well… If I consider it a good opportunity to gain information that will ensure my victory, perhaps it wouldn’t be the worst idea. That said, it would be extremely awkward if it was just Mamako and me, so I must insist you join us, Shiraaase. What do you say?”
“I’d be honored. Mamako, would you mind if I join you?”
“No, not at all. You’re always welcome!”
And with that, the mom conference was confirmed.
Medhimama was running the show. Always the first to take charge.
“Then let’s go to the terrace of a café I like. It’s a lovely shop only operating for a limited time. You’ll need to be in contact with me so I can transport us all there.”
“Very well.”
“Pardon me.”
Shiraaase and Mamako put their hands on Medhimama’s shoulders. Medhimama raised her staff…
Mamako’s eyes fixed on it.
Oh, how strange… Something feels…off about that…
The Aperto staff, especially the gem of darkness embedded in the tip of it, gave Mamako a vague feeling of anxiety.
The airship flew at a relaxed pace away from the school, arriving at its first destination nearly an hour later. It settled into the landing area as if it owned the place.
The gangways were soon lowered, and the students ran down, having the time of their lives…well, most of them.
“…Sigh… I’m so worn-out…”
There was one student dragging himself down the ramp, clutching the railing tight. Masato. Already totally exhausted.
Porta was helping him stay upright, and even she was shaking her head. Wise, behind them, looked outright disgusted.
“Ah-ha-ha,” Porta giggled. “You may have gotten a bit too excited.”
“Burning up all your energy mid-trip, then collapsing the second we get here? I know the type. We’ve got a word for those types of people. Idiots.”
Wise spoke the truth. “I…can’t even argue with that…” Masato admitted.
Then Medhi came running down the ramp behind them.
“Look, look, Masato! We’re finally here! Isn’t it exciting? Come on, or I’ll leave you behind! Come on, come on! Chase meee! Ah-ha-ha-ha!”
As Medhi passed Masato, she tapped him on the shoulder. Then she ran off ahead.
“Ohh… What a sweet scent. A delight to the nose! …Man, Medhi was doing everything I was… She sure has endurance…”
Medhi had been extremely excited the whole time. Her childlike, innocent smile was a wonder to behold.
He couldn’t stumble now. Masato summoned all his energy, ready to run off after Medhi.
“First, form a line!” Mr. Burly said. Talk about poor timing. “If you can’t line up properly, you get to stay on the airship!”
The crowd of students quickly formed a line, listening to Mr. Burly’s speech.
“Let me explain why we’re here. First, as training for the full group, all of you are going to be visiting a nearby shrine. Which shrine? Well, take a look at the hill to my right.”
Mr. Burly pointed at a midsize green hill. A road wound up the side, and near the top of the hill was a shrine made of stone pillars.
Not a ruin. Clearly a newly made shrine.
“That’s where you’ll be going. Even from here you can tell how beautiful it is, right? If you’ve got any questions, ask away. I have lots of information!”
Masato raised his hand.
“Then can I ask what makes this shrine so amazing that we need to take a mandatory field trip to it?”
“Hmm, good question. Truth is…at the moment, that shrine has not been given any historical background. I’m sure some writer in operations is desperately working on it right now.”
“Huh? What the…?”
“Listen. I’m not done yet. Um, that shrine will appear as an important ruin in an event they’re planning on implementing later on. War and disaster will destroy it, they’ll apply the effects of time, and place it in an appropriate field.”
“Just like some sort of game… Oh, right, that’s exactly what this is.”
“So this is the only time you’ll be able to see it newly built, in perfect condition. A highly valuable opportunity.”
For example. If you could see a Greek shrine at the time it was built, wouldn’t you want to? It’d be worth a look, at least. Same principle.
“Right, one warning before we set off. There’s a powerful monster on the road to the shrine. One so strong all of us could fight it at once without us having any chance of beating it. It’s an insanely strong enemy.”
“Um… Then how are we going to get there?”
“Normally, it would be impossible! However! For the sake of this field trip, there’s a special field effect applied that strengthens all players! With that blessing, you should be able to make swift work of an enemy you could normally never defeat, receive a massive quantity of high-value gems, and if you’re lucky, some rare materials. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
Before Mr. Burly could even finish…
“Masato, let’s go!” Medhi said, grabbing his arm and pulling him away. “I’ve always wanted to come here! I’ll lead the way! Come on!”
“O-okay…?”
She was holding his arm awfully tight, and he felt a plush sensation enveloping it… His arm was happy again. Unable to resist, Masato let himself be pulled along with Medhi’s whim.
But if they did that, of course the teacher was going to be furious.
“H-hey!” Mr. Burly yelled. “This is a group exercise! You can’t just… Mm?”
All the students were gone. The entire class was following Masato and Medhi, making a beeline toward the shrine.
Mr. Burly was standing all alone in their wake.
“…Ahem! Well, as long as you enjoy yourselves! Bwa-ha-ha!” Mr. Burly said with a generous guffaw. “But it sure would have been nice if one of you had asked me along… Sniff…” Tears started running down his cheeks.
Medhi had started a stampede, and all the other students were in a headlong dash behind her. Like she’d fired the pistol to start a race up the broad marble road to the shrine.
Masato and Medhi were in the lead. It was hard to run with her clinging to his arm, so they’d switched to holding hands, maintaining their position.
“Come on, Masato! Let’s go! Go, go, go!”
“Yeah! Let’s do this, Medhi! Go, go, go, go, go!”
Masato ran with all his might, trying to match her level of enthusiasm. Watching over her, hoping that this would all help free her from her worries.
Wise and Porta were hot on their heels.
“Hahh…hahh… Hey, wait up! You’re…going too fast…”
“Masato! Let us come with you! I want to be with you!”
“Yeah! C’mon! This way, Porta! …Wise, you should maybe lie down somewhere.”
“Like! I! Said! You really need to knock it off with this hot-and-cold routine!”
“And like I said, you brought it on yourself… Uh, whaaa?!”
Mid-bicker, Masato saw something unbelievable.
Wise was running along behind him, panting heavily, and right behind her…was a giant carnivorous dinosaur head.
It had popped its head out of a forest by the side of the shrine road and appeared to be targeting Wise. Uh-oh. Wise was about to be swallowed whole.
“Yo, Wise! Behind you! Look! Look behind you!”
“Huh? Yeah, right! Like I’m gonna fall for that one!”
“No, seriously! …Argh!”
He considered just letting it happen, but…she was technically his friend, so Masato pulled Firmamento and turned to help.
This was a ground foe. Not a great fit for a sword that specialized in flying enemies. He wasn’t sure he could win, but he at least had to get a hit in…
Then…
“I’ll support you! …Spara la magia per mirare… Salire!”
Medhi’s spell activated. A support spell that buffed the power of any attacks. This effect was amplified by the field effect.
Masato’s ATK was increased with the force of a supernova.
“Whoaaaaaaaa! I can feel power welling up within meeeee! I can do this! I’m doing this! …Wise! Duck! Rahhhhh!”
“Huh?! What the?!”
Masato swung his sword horizontally. Wise froze stiff, and it barely missed her head, hitting the hungry dinosaur in the nose.
Splat. Its face split in two. Astonishingly sharp.
Masato defeated the dinosaur!
“Huh? …Huhhhhh?! What the?! What did I even do?!”
Masato himself was more shocked by this than anyone, but he had, indeed, one-shot it.
Its face yawning open, the dinosaur collapsed, replaced by a shower of precious gems. A whole mountain of dice-like objects. “Th-th-that’s a lot!” Porta yelped and hastily scrambled to collect them.
After the results screen, a series of level-up windows appeared. Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!
Masato wept manly tears.
“This is the moment I’ve always dreamed of! I’m getting emotional!”
Tears gushed forth. A hot flood of tears streamed down his cheeks. Yes. This was what Masato had always wanted. A true power trip.
“Masato, you’re amazing! That was so cool!”
“Huh? Whoa!”
Medhi jumped on his back, pressing up against him. He could feel everything! His back screamed with joy.
But a mere second later, a hand reached out from the side, grabbed a handful of his shirt, and pulled him away, forcibly separating Masato and Medhi.
The culprit was none other than Wise. She looked pissed.
“Wh-what?”
“Nothing… I mean, I’d love to slap you, but you did just save me, so I’ll overlook it this time.”
“Well… Thanks, I guess?”
He wasn’t sure if gratitude was the right response, but the way Wise was glaring at him was a little different from her usual thing, and that made him cautious.
She glared at him a while longer, then sighed. “Whatever,” she said, apparently getting over it. She turned to Medhi. “Hey, Medhi, thanks for helping our stupid hero out. I guess you saved me, too. So thanks. I mean it.”
“Oh, sure. You’re welcome. I’m always glad to help.”
“Mm, thanks… So let’s move along. I’m coming, too.”
Wise took the lead, walking ahead and waving for them to follow her.
But Medhi stopped her.
“Oh, Wise. Could you wait a second? I’d like to cast a support skill on you as well. If your magic attack is buffed, I’m sure you’ll be able to fight in style, too.”
“Oh, that sounds good. I’m in the mood for showing off a little. Hit me!”
“Okay. Then… Conforto Staff! Unleash your power!”
Medhi raised her staff, and the hidden function inside activated. As a result…
Wise fell asleep. “…Zzz…zzzz…” She just face-planted right where she was and was snoring in seconds.
Medhi smiled as if she’d accomplished something important.
“Good, that’s settled.”
“Uh, no it’s not! Wait, Medhi! What are you doing?!”
“Oh, sorry. I meant to buff Wise’s magic attack, but instead I seem to have activated a sleep effect. Whatever effect gets activated is totally random, so I can’t control it. It can’t be helped.”
“Yeah, it can!! I mean, for starters, you could just cast the spell normally instead of using the staff…”
“Oh, good point! You’re right, Masato. How careless of me. I just thought how nice it would be to spend time alone with you, and then…”
“Uh…”
She wanted to be alone with him. That was her motivation?
A girl as beautiful as Medhi saying something like that was enough to make any guy go…
“W-well, I guess there is nothing we can do! Ah-ha-ha-ha!”
It was important to jump on these things. Also, the only victim here was Wise, which made it allowable.
Medhi pulled his hand forcibly.
“Come on, Masato! The two of us should be the first to reach the shrine! Let’s go!”
“Right, I’m in! Oh, wait… We can’t just leave Porta…”
Porta was sitting by the mountain of gems, focused entirely on collecting them. Both hands furiously moving, stuffing them into her bag.
It was adorable, like a bunny digging a hole.
“Oh, Masato!” she said, glancing their way. “I’m not done gathering gems yet! I’d like to come, but this is my role! You go on ahead!”
Cool.
“Porta’s such a lovely, dedicated girl… And she really knows how to take a hint! Such a helpful girl! Let’s go, Masato! Yeah!”
“Y-yeah…”
The phrasing “take a hint” made all this seem uncomfortably calculated, but oh well.
Medhi’s grip on his hand tightened, and she dragged Masato after her, allowing no argument.
And so Masato and Medhi reached the shrine. Well ahead of the rest of their class.
The shrine at the hilltop was magnificent, overwhelmingly so. Elaborately carved Corinthian columns in rows all around, so impressive that even someone with no interest in architecture at all would be awed…
Not that Masato was given time to be impressed.
“What a nice shrine! Shrines are places that house a god. What sort of god comes to your mind, Masato? I’m thinking a goddess of destiny… Yes, our destiny. The two of us visiting, the hand of fate guiding us. We were destined to be together, you know? …Eh-heh-heh! Maybe I’m getting carried away.”
“Uh, yeah… Kinda…”
“Oh, look! There’s a sign! There’s a limited-time shrine café open now! Let’s go in! …Oh, but…if we share some tea together, everyone will think we’re a couple… Oh my, what am I saying? Eep, how embarrassing!”
“Um, well, yeah… I mean…”
Everything Medhi said to him felt specifically designed to capture his heart. She seemed to be really going for the whole “snare Masato” plan.
He’d hoped getting all worked up with her would make her forget all her troubles, but Medhimama’s fetters were clearly too tight to shake off. This was frustrating.
If she genuinely just liked me, I’d be thrilled, but…
Unfortunately, that did not seem to be the case.
It was time to make her stop. To free her, he had to make things clear.
Regretting the need to part, he quietly removed his arm from its luxury bed in the valley between her breasts, moved around in front of Medhi, and looked her in the eye.
“Medhi, we need to talk. The truth is, I’m onto you.”
“Huh? O-onto…?”
“I know this is just a strategy Medhimama ordered you to use.” He spoke slowly, staring into her eyes the whole time. “You want to make me fall in love with you so you can gain an advantage over me. It’s a dumb plan. She’d punished me, so I died, but I could still hear everything…so you don’t need to try. You don’t need to force yourself to act this way. Okay?”
Medhi received his message loud and clear and hung her head. She suddenly seemed really depressed.
“O-oh… You know all about it, huh…?”
“Yeah. Sorry to have eavesdropped, but…”
“No, don’t worry about that. I’m the one being rude here. You’ve got no interest, but here I am forcing myself on you…embarrassing myself, like a total idiot… Ugh… What am I even doing…?”
“…Medhi?”
“This is all my mother’s fault. She gives me all these crazy orders, uses that weird staff’s power… Yes, I blame that staff… I didn’t really want to do this, but here I am doing it… She said some nonsense about granting me ‘release power,’ whatever that means. That’s why I’m acting like this! Argghh, that toxic bitch!”
“Stop! Stop! You’re releasing all that dark power again! Let’s just calm down first, okay?”
She was freaking Masato out a little.
Then…
“Medhi! What are you screaming about? For shame!”
A harsh snarl echoed around them. Masato had heard more than enough of that voice to recognize it instantly. It was Medhimama.
Dressed head to toe in golden robes that could certainly be described as divine, she was walking slowly out from the shadow of the shrine’s pillars. Mamako and Shiraaase were trailing after her, looking concerned.
“Medhimama? And…Mom, Shiraaase…? What’s going on?”
“We elected to hold a mom conference, so I brought us to the café here. I’ve been here a number of times, so a simple transfer spell. That hardly matters.”
“N-no, it’s pretty important…”
“It isn’t. And you can hold your tongue, Masato. I am talking to Medhi.”
Medhimama paid Masato no further attention, her eyes fixed firmly on Medhi.
The look in her eyes was so severe, you would never think this was a mother looking at her daughter. Medhi cowered before her.
“Medhi, what did you just say?”
“I…I…”
“I could swear I heard you express dissatisfaction toward me. I must have been hearing things. You’re a good girl who always does exactly what I say. Right?”
“Y-yes… I…do whatever you say, Mother. You know what’s best for me. You work so hard for me. I believe…you do.”
Medhi’s hands were balled up tight, like she was desperately trying to contain an explosion. She’d said similar things before, and she said them again, as if trying to convince herself, as if forcing herself to believe them. Her eyes squeezed shut, nodding.
Medhimama saw this and sighed.
“You’ll do what I say? Then do it. Right now. What is it you should be doing?”
“I…I’ll continue my date with Masato! Excuse me!”
Medhi bowed to Medhimama, grabbed Masato’s arm, and broke into a run.
From the side, he caught a glimpse of a desperate smile. Tears streaming from the corners of her eyes despite the smile on her face.
“Masato, let’s go! Let’s do another loop of the road to the shrine! Go, go!”
“…Yeah, okay.”
Masato didn’t fight her on it. Her grip on his arm was so strong it hurt. He ran with her down the shrine road.
He was painfully aware of just how strong her shackles were, unable to find a way to save her.
Once the visit to the shrine was over, the students clambered back aboard the airship and soared across the evening sky toward their quarters for the night.
They were scheduled to stay in a tower built on high ground, looming over the entire world.
“This tower was built by man in an attempt to reach the realm of the gods! According to design documentation. It’s currently a hotel. It’s scheduled to be destroyed in an upcoming event, so you’re all lucky to get to stay here before it gets babeled. That word is, of course, a verb derived from the Tower of Babel, and it means ‘the fruit of years of labor turned instantly into a pile of rubble.’”
Conjugated, you get babel, babels, babeled, babeling.
Mr. Burly continued his lecture, but no one was really listening. The second the ship was moored on the tower roof, and when the ramp lowered, the students started running down it.
But one student trailed behind them, his feet heavy: Masato.
“…Guess we’d better go, too.”
“Yes! Let’s go! Tonight we’ll make our love nest here… Ah-ha-ha, I don’t mean that, what am I saying? Oh, I can’t believe it!”
Masato and Medhi went down the gangway arm in arm.
Ever since their encounter with Medhimama at the shrine, Medhi had been on a nonstop high-energy rampage. She showed no signs of slacking off on the constant attempt to make herself appealing.
At the same time, her hand gripped his tightly, as if trying to tell him something. It was only getting more insistent.
He knew she needed his help. He knew that, but…
…What am I supposed to do? …What can I do for her?
He didn’t know, and that was frustrating. Agonizing.
Whether they knew how he felt or not…well, probably not…Wise was trailing along behind them, grumbling.
“Get a room.”
“…Really?” he said, giving her a grim look.
“Um… Forget I said that. I was just making a knee-jerk joke, but even I can tell you aren’t in the mood. You’re actually kinda scaring me with how serious you look. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. Look, if you can find a way to turn this into a farce, please, be my guest. I’d love nothing more.”
“Yeah, I don’t see that working out. Even I can take a hint, too. If I’m gonna do something, it’s gonna need to be something serious. So…Medhi, can I have a minute?”
“S-sure… What is it?”
Wise stepped around in front of them, facing Medhi.
“You need to cut the crap.”
Serious expression, level tones, brutal wording.
“You’re all over Masato right now, but that’s just because Medhimama told you to be. Right?”
“W-well…”
“Yeah, okay. Sure. The hesitation tells me everything. You wanna seduce Masato and get him in your pocket. I figured as much. Ain’t no way Masato would ever be this popular otherwise. Ever.”
“Hey, you jerk, that’s too harsh—”
“Shut up, Masato. I’m talking to Medhi.”
Masato swallowed his anger. This really didn’t seem like something he wanted to interrupt.
“Tell me, Medhi,” Wise began. “Just how far are you willing to go on your mom’s orders? Doesn’t it piss you off at all? Me, I’d totally hate it. I’ve got a mind of my own, y’know? Don’t you?”
“I—I do have a mind of my own. I swear.”
“Then prove it! Say what you really want. We’re the only ones here. See? What do you want? Tell us,” Wise insisted.
Medhi thought for a while, and then she let go of Masato’s arm, as if she’d made up her mind.
“I just want to enjoy myself. Like a normal person. Here we are on a field trip. I just want to have fun with my friends. But…”
“But what?”
“But I don’t have any friends, so I can’t do that,” Medhi whispered.
“That’s not true,” Masato said immediately. He took Medhi’s arm back, making sure his arm and elbow didn’t bump anything inappropriate, and pulled her closer.
He maybe thought that was a little overkill, and he could feel his face burning, but he kept talking.
“You’ve got a friend right here. I’m your friend.”
“Masato… B-but… You must despise me. I mean…”
“I’ll be honest. I hate seeing you do whatever Medhimama says. But that doesn’t mean I hate everything about you. If you’re able to say what you want and act according to your own free will, then I’m ready to enjoy this trip with you as a friend.”
“B-but…it isn’t just me. My mother will…”
“That’s not a problem. I struggle with my own mom sometimes, too. I’ve built up some pretty decent resistance to mom problems. And us both having similar worries just brings us closer together.”
“Th-then…!”
Medhi practically yelped with joy.
“Then let’s add another friend,” Wise added. She stepped up next to Medhi, on the opposite side, and took her other arm.
“Wise? …You’ll be my friend, too? Really?”
“It’d be weird for your only friend to be a guy, right? You’re definitely gonna need someone around to protect you from Masato’s ulterior motives. I’ve got your back there. And I’ve got mom-poison resistance in spades. That won’t be a problem for me, either.”
“Then—then…!”
“Now, Medhi. You gotta say this real loud. Tell us what you wanna do, of your own free will.”
Masato shot her his best cool-guy smile.
Medhi looked from him to Wise.
“Ohhh… Ohhhhhhhh…!”
She let out a wordless squeal. She hopped back and forth a few times, arm in arm with both of them. “Dancing with joy, huh?” “Then there’s nothing left to say.” “But—but!”
Like a small child, Medhi hopped around, shedding tears of joy with a huge smile on her face.
“I want to have loads of fun with my friends! I want to do what I want, not what my mother tells me to do! I want us all to have a great time together!”
“Okay, roger that! Let’s get this party started! It’s a field trip, after all! Forget all your troubles and laugh it up with your friends!”
“That’s what it’s all about! Let’s get going!”
““Yeah!””
Spirits high, the three of them headed toward the tower, arms linked together.
Wait, only three?
“Mm? Where’s Porta?
Can’t forget her. Porta was vital. Where had the world’s greatest treasure gone off to? Masato looked around…
…and found Porta at the edge of the roof, crouching before the railing, staring over the edge.
“Um, Porta? Something wrong?”
“Oh, yes, um… I was looking at the scenery and thought I saw someone down below… Maybe it was…”
“Maybe it was…?”
“Oh, no, never mind. It was too dark to see, so I can’t say for sure! Sorry!”
Porta bobbed her head.
Then she stood there fiddling her thumbs, staring at them, clearly envious of their locked arms.
“Um, uh, if I could, too…”
““Don’t even bother finishing!””
Masato and Wise both reached out. All arms linked, the four formed a circle.
“Yay! A circle of friends!” “This is gonna make it hard to move, though.” “But it’s so much fun!” “I’m glad I can have fun with you!” Objectively, this was extremely silly. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t fun!
And then Mr. Burly called out to them.
“Hey, Hero Masato and party! Head on into the tower already! You’re the last ones!”
“Oh, yeah! Sorry! We’re coming!”
“Mm. Make sure you do. Oh, Hero Masato…about the room assignments…”
Mr. Burly did not explain further. He simply winked broadly.
Apparently, he was keeping his word on the whole “give Masato and Medhi time together” thing…
They’d been assigned to a room on the top floor of the tower. Fantastic view. The interior was all imposing stonework, giving the room a hard-core fantasy feel.
But it was a room for four. Two beds on either side of the room. Four beds total.
“This is every night for me,” Wise said, “so I’m used to it by now, but are you okay with this, Medhi? If you’re not down sharing with a boy, we could talk to Mr. Burly and try to get him moved.”
“I’m fine with it. I’d rather be with my friends. I think it’s great we’re all together.”
“Okaaay, as a wholesome young man, I think it’s my duty to wholesomely share a bed with Porta!”
“Okay! I’ll sleep with you!” Porta sparkled.
“Gah! That pure gaze blinds me! I genuinely had no illicit motives, yet it burns the heart all the same!”
In the end, each slept in their own bed. Obviously.
Masato and Medhi on the right, Wise and Porta on the left, each picked a place. “Shall we?” “Of course.” “I’m in.” “Me too!” “Right then, on three!” All four of them did a dive and landed flat on their beds.
With everyone here, Masato felt safe. In a mood for smiling for no particular reason, he made a proposal.
“We’ve got time before dinner, so let’s decide how we want to use our free time tomorrow. Assuming, of course, we’re all spending it together. Anyone have any bright ideas?”
Everyone mulled this over.
“Well,” Wise said, “we could start by exploring this tower. I mean, they’re gonna knock the place down eventually. Seems a waste not to check it out while we’re here.”
“Yes! I agree! …Oh, but…it is a very big tower, so I’m scared we’ll get lost.”
“Hmm… Field trips are supposed to be fun, so wearing ourselves out getting lost in a dungeon…maybe not ideal.”
“Yeah, good point…”
It was a good idea, but maybe there was something better. Everyone thought some more.
“I can guide us around the tower,” Medhi said. She seemed fairly confident. “I’ve actually been here before. Mom said she wanted to stay in a room at the top of the world, so we took a pretty good look around.”
“This another side effect of her obsession with superiority? Sure sounds like something she’d do. But let’s not think about that. If Medhi can be our guide…”
Masato glanced at Wise and Porta, and both nodded. That settled it.
Masato stood up on his bed, looking around the room. Like a hero. Like a leader.
“Your attention, please. Tomorrow, we will embark on an adventure. This will be a true adventure. For children, by children, with only children on it. No parents allowed!”
“The more you say that, the more likely they are to just show up,” Wise muttered.
“Whoaaa, Wise! Don’t scare me like that!”
“That won’t happen, will it?!” Medhi yelped. “We’ll be okay, right?!”
They were probably safe, but just in case… “Medhi!” “Yes!” They two of them could cover more ground. They checked outside the room. Clear. Outside the windows. Clear.
No parents? Really no parents? No signs of them. Good. Masato and Medhi each breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on their beds.
“Ahem, so, tomorrow it’ll be just us,” Masato said. “It’ll be great. We’ll have a lot of fun. A great, big, exciting adventure. All of us together. The end!”
A rousing finish. A round of applause.
Next…
“So that covers our plans for free time tomorrow, but there’s still time before dinner, so next…I guess we should talk about what to do now.”
Masato was enjoying this whole party-leader thing. But when he tried to advance the discussion…
Something soft smacked him in the face. A pillow. Flung right at him.
And the culprit…was Medhi.
“A field trip, in your hotel room, time on our hands, friends to have fun with… That calls for one thing! I’ve always wanted to try it, but this is the first chance I’ve had!”
Masato had never seen Medhi’s eyes sparkle quite so brightly. It was obvious how excited she was about this.
Who was he to argue? He was fully ready to live up to her expectations. Masato stole a glance in the other direction and saw Wise and Porta ready with their own pillows.
There was only one thing for him to say.
“Okay! This means war!”
And the pillow fight began. He flung a pillow. “Mmph?!” “Pfft! Serves you… Bwah?!” Someone hit him. “Porta, get ready!” “Mm! I won’t lose!” There were pillows flying everywhere.
It was Wise who brought a shift in the stalemate.
“Riiight, then I summon Porta! I equip her with my pillow and attack Masato with an unavoidable Porta attack!”
“Wh-whaat?! An unavoidable Porta attack?!”
“Ha-ha-ha! Go get him, Porta!”
“Okay! Masato, here I go! Hyah!”
Porta tossed a pillow his way. Her thin little arms did not exactly put a lot of force behind the throw, and her aim was way off…but it was an unmissable attack! “Unh!” Masato grunted, diving to one side so the Porta attack would hit him right in the face. Poof, direct hit. Yay! Getting hit was pure bliss.
But this was a competition.
“Unh! Two against one is hardly fair! This calls for…Medhi!”
“Yes! I’ve got your back, Masato!”
Medhi raised her staff and chanted a spell.
“Here I go! …Spara la magia per mirare… Salire!”
“Rahhhhhhhhh! I can feel the power coursing through meeeee!”
Medhi’s spell strengthened Masato’s attack. Masato threw a pillow with extra force! “Take thaaaat!” “Yeeek!” The pillow hit Wise in the face! She made a strange noise! Hilarious!
“H-hey, using magic is cheating!”
“Huh? How? It’s totally fine… Right, Medhi?”
“Yes. Since the magic spell was not a direct attack, there should be no concerns. This is a pillow fight, and Masato threw a pillow. That is all. Heh-heh-heh.”
“Oh yeah? Then I’ve got a plan of my own… Porta! Let me have that pillow!”
“O-okay! Here!”
Wise took a pillow in each hand, chanting a spell.
“…Spara la magia per mirare… Bomba! And! Bomba!”
Wise’s chain case activated. The two pillows were granted explosive properties.
Two pillow-shaped bombs ready for detonation.
“Whoa, wait! That’s cheating! Outright criminal! Terrorism!”
“Huh? How so? They’re just pillows. Pillows are always okay… Heh. Heh. Heh… Fly, my pillows! After him!”
“Hey, wait! …M-Medhi! Maybe some magic defense…?!”
“Good luck, Masato! Yay!” Barrier.
“Huh?! Medhi, did you just put up a barrier spell around yourself?! While clearly enjoying my inevitable demise?!”
“Don’t worry, Ma-kun! Mommy’s got your back!”
“Oh, that’s a relief! Your two-hit multi-target— Wait… Hey!”
Weird. He felt like he’d heard a voice that had no business being here.
Masato turned his head with an audible creak, checking next to him…and there stood a mom, holding a pillow in each hand, ready for a two-pillow attack. Like she belonged there.
It was Mamako.
“Huh? …Whaaaaat?! Wh-why are you here?!”
“Well, Medhimama wanted to come see how Medhi was doing, so I tagged along…”
No sooner did Mamako explain than an all-too-familiar screech echoed through the room.
“Medhi! Why are you playing games?! What nonsense is this?”
Already at peak rage, Medhimama walked over to where Medhi stood stunned, grabbed her violently by the collar, and dragged her out of the room. “M-Mother! That hurts…!” “What do I care?” Nothing motherly left about her, just pure severity.
As Medhi was forcibly dragged out of the room, Masato was left spluttering, “…Ah, w-wait! Wait!”
He hurried out into the hall after them.
* * *
Medhimama had Medhi pinned to the wall, spitting a torrent of abuse at her.
“Did I tell you to go play games?! I didn’t, did I? I told you to make Masato yours, didn’t I? Why aren’t you doing what I said?!”
“W-well, it was a field trip, so…”
“Who cares about some stupid field trip?! You disobeyed me, and that’s the only thing that matters here! Why don’t you ever listen to me?!”
“B-because I… Masato and… They’re my friends… I wanted to be… They’re the first friends I’ve ever had, so…”
“Shut up! You don’t need friends! You need to be number one! That’s all! That’s the only thing you need! Why can’t you understand that? …Arghhh… You’ll need a real punishment for this!”
Medhimama raised her staff. This time she was finally going to hit her daughter with it. “Hey!” “Whoa, stop!” “Stop that!” Masato’s party came running down the hall to try to stop her, but…
Before they could, a gust of wind… No, a person went flying past them.
Trailing a sweet, gentle fragrance in her wake, the two Holy Swords in hands reached out and caught the staff as it fell.
“I think that’s quite enough of that,” she said, fixing Medhimama with a stern gaze.
It was Mamako.
She’d coming running with godlike speed, repelled the staff with her swords, and was speaking calmly to Medhimama, who practically frothed with rage.
“Medhimama, if I may have a word.”
“You may not! Who do you think you are?! Why do you always stick your nose in other people’s business?! You’re a plague!”
“I apologize for anything I may have done to upset you, Medhimama. But nonetheless, I will speak my mind… For any mother, it’s a delight when your child manages to be number one. I know exactly how that feels. After all, I am a mother, too.”
“Yes! Any mother would want their child to be the best! Any mother would do everything in their power to make that happen! I’ve done nothing wrong!”
“But I don’t think that’s any excuse to force your children to do things they don’t want to do. There’s no reason that Medhi should have to suffer like this just for the sake of being number one.”
“There is! Medhi has to be number one! After all…!”
“If my daughter is number one, that makes me the number one mother! I need Medhi to be the best child around so that I can be the best mother!”
This declaration echoed down the hall. Not for her daughter, not for anyone else, but just for her own personal glory.
This seemed to catch even Mamako off guard, and she was left at a loss for words. Not able to think of any way to argue. Masato, Wise, and Porta were equally shocked.
But in the silence that followed, Medhi began to whisper.
“…Sigh… Enough. Enough.”
Resignation on her face, Medhi took a step toward Medhimama, raising her staff.
Abandoning all thoughts and feelings, ready to beat her mother with it.
“Whoa, Medhi! Wait!”
Masato couldn’t let that happen. He jumped in her way. Medhi didn’t care. She swung the staff anyway.
Masato stuck out his left hand, deploying his shield wall and catching it. “Unh…!” The blow was too strong, and Masato’s hand hurt quite a lot.
“Wh-what are you doing?!” Wise said, running to help. “Have you lost your mind, Medhi?!”
“I-I-I’ll get a sedative…!” Porta spluttered.
“No, I got this!” Masato said. “Just let me deal with her! I’ll talk to Medhi!”
On the surface, Medhi appeared almost frighteningly calm. But the black torrent of emotions churning beneath the surface could not be taken lightly.
“Medhi, don’t! Calm down! Think this through!”
“Out of my way. Don’t try to stop me.”
“I can’t let you do this! …Medhi, I need you to take a breath here! Please! …You know you can’t raise your hand to your mother, right?”
“So what if I do? …She’s stolen my freedom, and now she wants me to throw away my friends… And all so she can be the best mother? …Anyone who talks like that isn’t fit to be a parent!”
“Y-yeah, what she said was pretty inexcusable, but…!”
“Masato, I’ve been enduring this for years. Everything she’s ever done has only hurt me, made me suffer, made me miserable…but I believed it was all done for my benefit. I was only able to endure it all because I trusted she had my best interests at heart. But she betrayed that trust, and now I’ve had enough. She can’t be allowed to get away with this. I’ve got to make her pay for what she’s done!”
“And I get that!”
“How can you?! You don’t know what it’s like!”
“I do! Of course I do! I’ve got… I’ve had… I’ve suffered plenty under my own mother!”
Sent into a game with mom in tow. Masato had endured all manner of hardship as a result.
He had earned the right to understand. He knew better than anyone.
Masato was speaking from personal experience.
“Listen, Medhi. When things didn’t go the way I wanted, I lost it. But every time I threw a tantrum, I regretted it. I felt like I’d done something so pathetic. I hated myself for it every time! You have to get ahold of yourself. Just take a deep breath…”
“Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Medhi roared. His words weren’t getting through to her. “I don’t care what happens! …Conforto Staff! Unleash your power! Release all of me!”
A spell activated, and she transformed.
A magic mist spewed out of the tip of her staff, covering her body. The mist enveloping her expanded explosively, forming a massive torso, four legs, a long tail, and scales… The body of a dragon.
A dragon whose bloodshot eyes screamed with rage and pain. The explosive birth of the Medhidragon.
“SHE WILL PAY! FOR EVERYTHING!!!” the Medhidragon shrieked.
Her head reared back and burst through the ceiling. Her powerful tail thrashed, reducing the walls to rubble, heedless of the consequences.
“Argh, so much for calming down! She just got worse instead!”
How was he supposed to go up against this? Retreating from the destruction and flying rubble, Masato racked his brain for a solution.
Then, from behind him…
“Medhi! What on earth is that? You’re hideous! Is this how hideous a girl who doesn’t listen to her mother becomes? I hate it! This is disgusting! I can’t believe you would do this to me!”
Medhimama’s own anger showed no signs of subsiding, and she was pouring more fuel onto the fire.
“YOU’RE THE DISGUSTING ONE!” Medhidragon roared.
Explosions echoed in every direction.
“Geez! What is wrong with these two? You can’t talk sense into either of them!”
“Ma-kun, we’ll have to divide and conquer! Mommy will handle Medhimama, so the rest of you take care of Medhi, okay?”
“R-right! That’s what I was about to suggest! Let’s do that!”
Masato and Mamako stood back to back between monster mom and monster daughter, pushing off each other, each breaking into a run.
Mamako launched herself at Medhimama.
“Medhimama, let’s go!”
“Tch, you again! That’s it, I’m taking you on!”
Staff and swords clashed, locking together, but Mamako had momentum on her side and pushed Medhimama backward, away from Medhi.
At the same time, Masato sprang into action.
“We’re holding Medhi back! Wise! Porta! Gimme a hand!”
“Okaaay! I’m gonna beat every last ounce of sanity back into her! What else are friends for?!”
“I’ll help, too! Leave the items to me!”
“Thanks! …All right, let’s do this!”
Masato’s party ran toward Medhidragon.
The battle began with a Tacere. “Ahhh?!” Wise, naturally, had her magic sealed immediately, rendering her useless. Masato was forced to fight alone while Porta readied a Rilascio only for Wise’s magic to be immediately sealed again.
A short distance from that titanic struggle, Mamako was facing off with Medhimama.
Medhimama was ready to throw down.
“When you think about it, this is the perfect chance! The outcome of this fight will prove which of us is the better mother! …Aperto staff! Show me your power!”
Medhimama raised her staff. The dark gem embedded in it unleashed the power of full release, bathing the stone hallways in dim light. The walls, floors, and ceiling all began to move.
Released from being mere rock, the stones began swarming together, becoming golems and attacking Mamako. Charging at her, swinging powerful arms…
But…
“I’m sorry. I only want to talk to Medhimama,” Mamako said softly. “So I’ll just need you to behave, if you don’t mind. Please?”
As she spoke, Terra di Madre began to glow.
The golems all nodded. “…Huh?” Fell apart. “What? How? Why?!” And turned back into the original materials, the walls and floors re-forming. The hallway was back to normal.
Medhimama was so shocked her jaw nearly dislocated.
“Wh-whaaaaat? H-how?! What did you just do? Why are the golems I made obeying your orders?!”
“I didn’t give them any orders. I just asked them nicely… Although, the difference between the two can be so hard to find… I worried about that a lot, myself.”
“What do you mean…?”
“This was back when Ma-kun was still little… I was always fretting that everything I said to my son would be imposing my will upon him… I used to write down what I wanted to say and spend days thinking about the best way to put it.”
“What’s the point?! They should be doing what you say! Parents should raise their children as they see fit! That’s how it works, isn’t it?!”
“Well, I do think that’s part of it… But there is one mistake you must never make.”
“And what would that be?!” Medhimama shouted, ready to go for the throat.
Mamako put her swords away, facing her with a gentle smile.
Then Mamako’s body began to glow. And her body began to float just above the ground. Like a god manifesting itself in the world.
The God-Mother Mamako spake unto Medhimama thusly:
“It is the job of the parent to raise the child into an upstanding adult. We are not raising our children for our own benefit. Our words, our feelings, our entire beings must be poured into helping them grow up happy and healthy. Everything is for the child’s benefit, and the child’s benefit alone.”
The light Mamako emitted was not A Mother’s Light.
She had something she needed to say, as a mother—and when Mamako felt that from the bottom of her heart, she became a focal point for the emotions of mothers the world over, granting her the power to communicate her feelings fully in light and words.
The advanced mom skill, A Mother’s Revelations.
The motherly light Mamako gave off illuminated her surroundings. That light poured into the staff in Medhimama’s hands…and a moment later, there was a crack, and a fissure ran across the dark gem embedded in it.
Medhimama snapped out of her stupor.
“O-obviously! All mothers think… Um… But wait, I just…I spoke as if it was all for me… Wh-why would I say that…?”
“Medhimama, please calm down. You were under the influence of something sinister. Relax.”
Mamako settled to the ground in front of the flustered Medhimama, patting her shoulder. Being as nice as possible, steadying her nerves.
“There’s nothing wrong with you now,” she reassured her. “You know what really matters… No matter how harsh you were with her, your daughter trusted you and followed you. She was most precious to you, most devoted to you, and now you can place her needs first.”
“My…my daughter has always come first… Medhi… Oh, Medhi! Where is she? What happened to her?!”
You didn’t need to listen very hard to hear a shriek of pain.
“I TRUSTED HEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRR!”
No matter how monstrous her form, no mother could ever mistake their daughter’s voice.
“Medhi! I’m coming! I have so much I need to tell you!”
Medhimama turned and ran.
Mamako stayed behind, smiling gently, watching a mother run to her daughter.
Medhidragon’s rampage showed no signs of subsiding. Her tail thrashing, her horns thrusting, she attacked everything in sight. She seemed to be particularly invested in body-slamming every wall around.
Dealing with the shock waves of all this had left Masato and Wise pretty beat-up.
“Hey, Masato. Look back that way! Mamako’s doing something pretty insane, even by her standards!”
“Can’t let myself be distracted by it! Don’t wanna know, either! However many dimensions my mother conquers, I’m better off not knowing! …Oh, she’s locked onto you!”
“…SPARA LA MAGIA PER MIRARE… MASSORBENTE!”
“Huh? Aughhhhh?!”
Medhidragon’s spell absorbed MP. All of Wise’s MP was drained away.
“Heeeey!! What the hell?!” “Stop yelling and get down!” Masato put up his shield wall, defending Wise, focusing on defense.
“This whole darkness element sure makes her drain spells effective…”
“A dark healer is super annoying! Ugh, this is seriously pissing me off! We gotta do something!”
“If you feel that way, go recover your MP! I’m running low on HP myself! Hurry!”
“I know! …Porta! Can I get an MP Potion?”
“Yes! Here!”
As a Mage, Wise needed a lot of MP. Porta ran in holding a bunch of MP Potion bottles. Wise chugged them all. “Ugh… My stomach didn’t like that…” “Here’s another! Go ahead!” “O-okay…” Porta had no idea how relentless she was being.
Masato had no time to pay this any attention. Medhidragon was attacking again.
“AH-HA-HA! NOTHING MATTERS! I DON’T CARE ANYMORE! AH-HA-HA-HA!”
“Unh!”
Masato was running out of durability to soak the onslaught. It was physically demanding work.
But emotionally, he was still ready to go. He had a lot of words left to fling at her.
“Medhi! I know all too well how that feels! So please listen to me!”
“YOU DON’T KNOW! NOBODY KNOWS HOW I FEEL!”
“Of course I do! I’ve got a mom, and she makes life miserable for me all the time! Makes me wanna cough up blood sometimes!”
“NO WAY! MAMAKO IS A GREAT MOM!”
“How?! Just having a mom along inside a game is a living nightmare! Then she’s all wearing sailor uniforms and school swimsuits and winning beauty contests… I’m constantly running into stuff I’d rather wipe from my mind entirely! I’m seriously at my wit’s end here!”
When he’d first seen his mother wearing a sailor uniform, the blow had been severe; his hands had clenched so tight, blood spurted out of them. And not just his hands—every blood vessel in his body had been ready to burst.
To a stranger, it might just be a funny story. But to Masato, it was no laughing matter.
The wounds had healed, but the emotional scars still festered inside him.
Still…
“But even so, I’m not throwing a tantrum like a little kid! That won’t resolve anything! It’ll just open all the wounds!”
“THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHAT ELSE IS THERE?!”
“First, communicate! Use your words, tell her how you feel, what you want! I still haven’t managed to get it across, either, but that’s where you have to start!”
“WHY TALK WHEN SHE WON’T LISTEN?!”
“If you give up without trying, then everything just gets bottled up inside you! And this is the result! You have to change that, or… Urk?!”
Medhidragon’s tail scored a direct hit on him. Her rampage was definitely very childish. No matter what he said, nothing was getting through to her. At this rate, she was going to push him away…
But then Medhimama came running over.
“Masato, stand down!”
It seemed she wanted to face Medhidragon herself.
“No, wait! Medhi’s attacks are really strong! I’m a hero and even I’m struggling! You’re just a healer…!”
“What does that matter? …If she’s being violent, then all the more reason I should bear the brunt of it! I can’t let my child hurt someone else’s! …Yes, that’s right… I must be the one to take this! I’m her one and only mother!”
Medhidragon glared at Medhimama, howling like a mad thing.
“TOO…TOO LATE TO PRETEND LIKE YOU CARE!”
Her tail came swinging in from one side.
Medhimama tried to catch it with the Aperto staff, but Medhidragon had put too much force behind it. “Gah!” Medhimama was flung aside, slamming into a mountain of rubble. The staff fell from her hand.
A direct hit from a blow with fatal force…yet Medhimama got back up.
Staring up at her daughter’s new form, she bit her lip, holding it in.
“Sigh… Honestly, I don’t know how I have the nerve to act like a mom now.”
“I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! NOT EVER!”
“Medhi…you’re really scary right now,” Medhimama whispered. “You’ve been bottling feelings like this up inside you all along, but you trusted me and followed me… You’re quite amazing.”
Medhimama faced off against Medhidragon once more.
Despite the situation, there was nothing but kindness on her face.
Masato blinked.
Oh… For once, Medhimama is actually being a mom.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was definitely something mom-like going on there. Masato was sure of that.
Maybe this was some sort of skill. That wasn’t clear.
But Masato started running. Like he’d suddenly realized what he had to do, he quickly placed himself in front of Medhimama. Soaking the next blow aimed at her.
“Unh! …Yep, pretty rough.”
“Masato! I said stand down! This is my…!”
“I know! You’re the only one who can resolve this mess! But we aren’t getting anywhere this way! First, we’ve gotta do something about Medhi!”
“What…what can we do?”
“I got this! I’m a hero who saves the bonds between parents and children! So trust me! …Wise! You ready?”
The Sage had finished replenishing her MP and called back, “Okay! Ready when you are! I know exactly what you’re thinking! …Porta, you’d better keep your distance!”
“Okay! Good luck!”
When she was sure Porta was on safe ground, Wise started chanting.
“…Spara la magia per mirare… Bomba Vento! And! Bomba Vento!”
Wise’s powerful chain cast wind mage activated, striking Medhidragon’s legs. The explosive winds lifted her, leaving her massive body floating in the air.
Flying enemies were tailor-made for our powerful hero. Buffeted by the comfortable back draft, Masato tightened his grip on Firmamento. He raised it high above him, prepared to deliver a crushing blow.
“Even Wise gets it right sometimes! Now it’s time to give this naughty child the appropriate punishment… Wait, what?!”
Just as Masato was about to unleash a shock wave…
The Aperto staff rose up off the floor somehow, hovering in front of Medhidragon.
A dim light emerged from the staff, and the rubble the light hit rose up, forming a defensive wall to protect Medhidragon.
“Hey, hey, hey, what the hell? What’s going on?! …Dammit, why would you make the defensive shell thicker?!”
Masato quickly swung the sword, striking the wall of rubble with his shock wave. But the wall was too strong, and he couldn’t get through. Medhidragon was now completely out of sight.
And then…
“Then let’s see how Mommy’s attacks do! Hyah!”
Her voice was immediately followed by countless rock spikes and water bullets. Each AOE attack was monstrously powerful at the best of times, and this time they had only one target—nothing to divide up the damage. The overwhelming force of this onslaught easily cut through the wall.
One rock spike severed the staff, and one water bullet pierced the gem of darkness, shattering it. Instantly, the rubble forming the wall crumbled and fell to the ground.
It was obvious who was responsible for this. Masato glanced back where the attack had originated and saw Mamako smiling at him, a flame-red sword in one hand and a deep blue sword in the other.
“Geez… For all the trouble you cause, you sure know exactly when to step in sometimes. Guess that’s part of being a mom, huh?”
Not nearly as put out as he sounded, Masato turned to attack again.
Ready to slice through the horrible emotions shrouding Medhi.
No matter what explosions the heart unleashed, deep down, there was still part of her that just wanted to love the person who mattered most.
“The one you care about most is waiting for you with open arms! Give her a good hug and tell her everything you’ve ever wanted to say! Hahhhhh!”
Masato swung Firmamento with all his might. The massive shock wave that came out was not the usual one but one with a warm glow.
This shock wave sliced only what it should slice; it struck Medhidragon, cutting only the shell of turbulent emotion.
“Good! Just as I planned! …Oh, Medhi!”
As the sides of the monster fell away, the real Medhi appeared from inside. She fell slowly to the ground, cradled by the wind. Masato…stayed right where he was.
The one who should be there to catch her ran forward. Medhimama.
“Medhi!”
She caught her daughter, holding her tight. Her daughter struggled, trying to free herself, but she wouldn’t let go. She held her with all her might.
“I’m sorry,” Medhimama said.
Tears ran down her daughter’s cheeks.
“D-don’t say that… I swore…I swore I wouldn’t forgive you! I’m done forgiving you! I always do that, and…”
She kept insisting, but she gradually stopped struggling. In time, she was sobbing quietly in her mother’s arms.
“…When I first learned this child was growing inside me, I wondered if I could ever be a good mother,” Medhimama slowly began. Medhi was leaning against her. “What made a mother good? How could I be a good mother? That’s all I thought about. I looked it up online, I ran out and bought books…and it was one of those. Maybe you’ve read it, Mamako. It was a bestseller when both of us would have been with child.”
“Oh, do you mean If You Want to Be a Good Mother, Raise a Good Child? I remember reading a book with that title.”
“Yes, that one. You read it, too…yet you certainly have raised a very different child. I wonder where I went wrong.”
Medhimama shook her head ruefully.
“I decided to raise my daughter properly and did everything I could think of. We studied every day. I made sure she balanced book learning with physical activity. And…I considered her mental health to the degree I deemed it necessary.”
“I’ve got a lot of doubts about whether that was actually enough.”
“Yes, Masato. You might be right. It wasn’t nearly enough. To raise a daughter who always did what I said, I micromanaged her heart, overriding her free will. And as a result, I placed an enormous burden on her. It’s all my fault.”
“Mother…”
“Apologizing for it now doesn’t fix what I’ve done, but at least let me say it. I really am sorry.”
There were tears in her eyes. She put her arms around Medhi, pulling her close.
“I knew you were stressed-out. I saw you kicking the wall, swearing under your breath… I knew you were in a bad state. I knew it was all my fault. That’s why I wanted to join this game. I thought we could somehow fix the problems between us here. But then I forgot all that somehow…and finally said what I said. I don’t know why I… I’m an awful person.”
“No, hold on. It’s too soon to say that,” Masato said, interrupting her. He looked behind him. “Yo, Wise, Porta? What you got?”
“Mm… Yeah… I’ve got a nasty hunch about it, personally. Reeks kinda like when my mom was being a total idiot… Hmm, I dunno how to describe it… How about you, Porta?”
“I appraised it but was unable to determine the materials or effects! I’ve never encountered any equipment like this before!”
They were both investigating the Aperto staff. Wise was scowling at it with deep suspicion, and even with her skills, Porta had been unable to get any useful information.
Unknown, huh? What does that mean?
He would much rather have found some conclusive evidence.
But for now, he could make good use of that inconclusive evidence.
“…Medhimama, that staff seems to have some sort of effect that releases darker impulses. When you powered her up with it, Medhi turned into that dragon.”
“Huh? Oh, well, yes… That does seem to be…”
“So it seems possible that you were also under the influence of it. Your desire to be a good mother was strengthened and twisted. When you spoke those words, it wasn’t what you really meant. You were just at the mercy of some weird power. Before then, you weren’t acting for yourself. You really were acting for Medhi’s benefit. I think that’s safe to say, right?”
“I’m sure of it. I didn’t put my daughter through all this just so that I could be the best mother. I only wanted to raise Medhi right… But as for the results…”
“No, Mother. I’m glad you said that.”
She’d been strict, but it was all for Medhi. Medhi had been right to have faith in her mother. She hadn’t been betrayed. The love between them was real.
Medhi hugged her mother back. And this time, she spoke from the heart.
“You’ve been strict because you thought it was best for me. And I’m really glad you feel that way. But…I would really like it if you spent as much time considering my feelings and my needs. Can you promise me that?”
“I promise,” Medhimama said. “I’m going to change. I want to be the kind of mother who always puts your needs first. I hope you’ll still be my daughter.”
“Yes, Mother. I will always be your daughter.”
They embraced again, strengthening the bonds between them.
Masato’s party watched, smiling.
“Well, Medhi’s rampage is over, the air between them is cleared up, everyone’s said their piece, and now we just have to see how successful Medhimama is at changing. All’s well that ends well.”
“Yes. Everyone!”
“Well done?”
“Yes! Well done!”
Hands were raised, clapped, and high-fived. Strategy complete.
And then two late arrivals entered.
“Oh,” Mr. Burly said. “Looks like everyone’s having fun!”
“It seems everything’s been taken care of. Excellent news,” Shiraaase said.
“Mm? What’s up?”
“What’s up? We heard the sounds of a furious battle and came to see what was happening! I planned to step in and help, if necessary, but it seems I was too late!”
“In my case, I deliberately arrived late, keeping my own personal safety paramount, but it seems this was the perfect timing.”
“You seem to be your usual self, Shiraaase.”
“Either way, all problems with the Cleric Medhi appear to be resolved! Enjoy what’s left of the field…”
“You’ll be able to take the exam the day after tomorrow with clear hearts and minds. Heh-heh-heh.”
“…What?”
Shiraaase had muttered something under her breath that Masato hoped he’d misheard.
But school was school, after all.
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