-M-Mother, Would you mind letting go?
-Heee? You learn how to give a few punches and suddenly you push away the arms of your mother, not too long ago you kept running to me with a sweet smile on your face.
-Mother´s eyes were teary. Her sadness was fake, but she liked to add an image to her words-
-... I´m not a kid anymore mom...
-Oh, Really? Want to bet?
-... What?...
The hug got interrupted, mother took her hand inside of one of her long sleeves and pulled out a stick whose end had some colorful feathers waving side to side.
-A toy.... Are you serious?...
-Ksksksks~.
The feathers moved along her hand, their shiny colors leaving a slipstream that made it difficult to look away.
-Hm- Hmph! Like if I would fall for that!
-Ksks, I don´t see that.
-... Huh?
Before I could notice, my tail had already risen, my palms were open and my fingers were chasing the object.
I had lost to my instincts earlier than planned.
-...... That doesn´t count...
-An adult would easily withstand these provocations
-....
With my pride stepped on and my facade annihilated, my mother embraced me with her arms once again.
With no further intentions to pose, I let out a sigh and returned the hug.
-Ksksksks~. You´re a lot cutter when you´re honest.
-.... Whatever you say...
The hands of my mother caressed my head and back, I was able to feel her breath while her soft lips kissed my forehead.
My already hot face couldn´t avoid increasing its temperature.
-You´ve done it so well so far, I think you´re the first genius that has achieved so much in such a short time.
-Mmm...
Her harmonic voice put my heart at ease. I could feel my tail getting wild once more due to the words I was receiving.
-... Molly...
-Hm?
With her hands holding my cheeks we interlocked our view. Her green eyes and white hair were hypnotic. They were a decoration too perfect for her already divine appearance.
Mother was someone of many faces, understand her was easy most of the time because of that.
That´s why her expression of anxiety put me on guard.
-Do you truly want to be the next leader?... Isn´t there anything else that attracts your attention?
-... That again?...
The hug finished, now mother was grabbing me by the shoulders with a concerned look.
-There is a lot that you can do without being the next leader, with your strength and talent you can occupy any other position of the clan, one with fewer responsibilities and restrictions.
This conversation had become recurrent with the track of time, it began exactly days after telling my father that I wanted to obtain his position.
Although they never denied me the attempt, neither have they showed a lot of support up until now.
Especially mother.
-If I have so much potential, Is it not natural for me to aim to the highest place?
-The best is not always at the top, sometimes, what we have near our hand is what makes us better.
-... You know I don´t get you when you talk like that...
-That only proves how immature you still are.
-Ugh...
With the pleasant mood dispersed, I stepped away from my mother and began to walk towards the door. I didn´t need to listen to this right now.
-Molly, I´m just trying to help you. The difficulties of your father´s job are not something everyone can tolerate.
-And you think I will not be capable to do so.
-I´m just worried about my daughter.
I couldn´t understand all that my mother was saying.
Is not like I don´t believe her or I lack the interest, I just prefer to keep doing what I do and see with my own eyes how much of what she says may be true.
-Why now? Why didn´t you stop me before all of this?
-I don´t want you to think that we are trying to put bounds around you, besides, there are certain rules that I´m forced to follow.
-Rules? Which ones?
-... I can´t tell you... Not now.
-Then when?
-It´ll take a long time, but if you keep walking this path I´ll probably be able to tell you in 7 or 8 years.
-.... That´s indeed a long time...
-...
Mother was in conflict, whatever those rules were, they had to be something important, especially with that quantity of time involved.
I´m sure that it was not her intention, but now I just want to hurry even more and listen to those rules.
-I´m going out for a walk, after that I´ll go to the west district on a mission, so I´ll get home a bit late.
-... Haaah* I see. I´ll ask Orna and Clara to go with you.
-I can take care of myself, you don´t need to call them.
-Molly.
-...
The cold and heavy sight of my mother was saying "stop rambling".
-J-Jeez, all right. I´ll wait for them outside.
A grin of satisfaction came out of her mouth, seconds after the presence of my mother vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving me alone in the room.
-... Dear Aurora... Mom will always be scary...
-My. Is that so?
-HYAH?!
As a professional, mother placed herself behind my back without the slightest noise. Hearing her voice so suddenly and so close made me scream out a strange noise at the same time that my fur bristled and my claws got attached to the roof.
-Ksksks~. Did I scare you?
-Kgh... S-Stupid mother...
-I love you too honey~.
Now I had a second mission.
... Fix my roof...
**
-All right, then, there are 2 mages throwing you area spells, and a summoner doesn´t stop to stalk you with its beast, What would you do?
-Hmmm~. If the beast is not too powerful, I guess I would take down the mages first, the area spells are quite predictable, so dodging them shouldn´t be impossible.
-And if is a C-class beast?
-I would definitely run.
-Do you think the mages will let you do that?
-Right... What would you do, Molly?
My role as a spectator had ended, now Orna had added me to the conversation. Clara waiting for my response with a solemn smile.
-Well, it depends on the situation, if the mages throw area spells it gives the probability to consider them as bad in quick spells, and those who need a lot of control. In that case, I would use that absence of control to make them hurt the beast or the summoner. If everything went as I planned I would go for the mage with the highest skill, and then I would end the others.
-Hahaha! You didn´t even consider the C class beast as a threat. That´s been on another level.
-Uwah. Strong people really think differently.
Orna praised me, Clara was a bit rude, but it´s not like I can´t get why she´s saying that.
-It´s what comes to my mind. There´s a lot of factors that can decide a fight, to move without analyzing the opponent and the surroundings can be fatidic. And I definitely don´t want to die for making a hasty move.
-Uhu, uhu. You should listen to the lady, Clara. It´s precisely due to those kinds of answers that you keep losing your simulated combats.
-Rrrgh. You defeat your first opponent and it immediately goes right up your head, I guess foxes unknow humility.
-Say what you want. I´m still better than you.
-Tch...
Unable to refute, Clara returned her eyes to the front with irritation coming out of her pores.
Orna, now satisfied, did the same, with the difference that her expression was that of someone who just had eaten something delicious.
Their exchange was entertaining, useless in all sense, but entertaining.
I decided to add my part to the chat.
-Orna, it´s good that you are so confident, but you shouldn´t undervalue Clara like that. Remember that egocentrism is the first step to a painful fall.
-... Ah, uhh... G-Got it, Molly... I´m sorry...
-It´s not me who you should be apologizing to.
-...
Orna placed her sight on Clara, the girl kept staring back awaiting fo her words with a smile that she could hardly contain.
-... Sorry...
-Nijiji~ You are forgiven!
Right after that, Clara intertwined her arm with mine. Now it was a bit more difficult to walk.
-You may as well learn from Molly, Orna. Unlike a certain fox, she IS humble. That´s why I love her more!
-... Hmph.
Orna just took away her view with a tiny snort. Though we all had the same age, she was covered most of the time in an adulthood air.
I admired that part of her.
-Clara, maybe the attitude of Orna wasn´t the best, but she´s still right, you have to work harder if you want to keep being a candidate for the cherry blossoms. Or do you want Sara to do all the job?
-N-No, not at all.... Y-You´re right... I´m sorry... Orna, Molly.
-Good.
-W-Well, if Molly says that´s it, then, it is... Besides, I don´t think that Sara would enjoy getting apart from her twin, and since I don´t want to see her sad I have to do something with her silly sister.
-Orna...
Clara smiled, her eyes at the edge of tears.
-I-I´m just doing it for Sara! D-Don´t get the wrong idea!
Before I could notice, Orna had caught my other arm, her cheeks shining with a slight blush.
The mood had lightened a lot, now I could almost see hearts and clouds over the head of both.
What starts well ends well.
-With that been said... Can I ask you both a question?
-Sure!
-I´ll answer anything for you, Molly.
Both looked at me with affection, their honesty, and pure feelings were cute, but also quite heavy.
-... Can you let me go?... It´s a little hard to walk like this...
I moved my arms to indicate what was I referring to.
The girls looked at each other before replying with confident voices.
-Our lady ordered us to accompany you all the time and to never leave you alone, so that´s what we´ll do.
-What she said!
-.... Haaah* Whatever you say...
I didn´t want to waste energy, so I gave them the good sight and resigned to accept my current situation.
Eventually, we got closer to our destination.
-Hey, kid! You better get the hell out of here! You´re at the adventurer´s guild, not a fucking playground!
-...
-Ha? You ignoring me? Don´t you know who I am?! You little shit!
-H-Hey, you should let it go man, you´re drunk and she´s only a kid...
-Huh?! What makes you think you can tell me what to do?! You want me to break your face or what?!
On our way, we heard the yelling of an adult man, it seemed like there was some sort of confrontation taking place near the adventurer´s guild
-I don´t see any guard nearby, Should we take a look?
-Mmmm... I´m not sure... That guy sounds pretty pissed... Also, he´s an adventurer, we could get in trouble if we´re not careful...
-What do you say, Molly?
-...
I looked at the sky, there was still some time left before the candidates arrived, but I didn´t want to show a bad first impression, so arrive before the candidates should be my priority right now.
On the other hand, the word "girl" was mentioned, so is probable that a very young civilian is getting involved where it shouldn´t be.
But even if that were the case, the guild wouldn´t be as stupid as to let one of its members hurt someone that doesn´t represent a threat, the issue should finish just fine even if we don´t interfere.
-Let the guild take care of it, it shouldn´t take them long to deal with a drunkard.
-If you say so...
-Understood.
The 3 of us resumed our path.
-Oi! What the hell are you doing?! You can´t draw your weapon here!
!!*
Our feet made a 180° turn and we ran to the source of the sound.
-Clara, get some guards, Orna, begin the recording, the plan is not to fight, but we need to be prepared for any outcome.
Yes!*
Both executed my order without any doubt.
This better not take too long... For the sake of his limbs...