Max POV
"Hmm…. What a nice nap…". I commented as soon as I woke up.
"Mom?". I talked to my mother, but I immediately realized that she was still hugging me, and curiously she was without clothes.
[But what a considerate mother I have]
"It's still morning…". Once all the relevant things were checked, I decided it was time to go to Maria's house to receive my gift.
"Mommy, wake up!" I turned him around on my body and patted his cheeks.
"Hhmph...." His face scrunched up a bit, but he didn't wake up right away.
[Hmm…. I think it wouldn't hurt to experiment a bit]
"Mom! A dragon!". I said out loud full of emotion.
"W-WHAT!? WHERE?!". With those random words, Mom woke up immediately.
However, the price I paid was very high.
"I-I'm drowning…." Out of fright, she grabbed me against her huge breasts, which I adore…. As long as, it doesn´t mean to cut off the air in my airways.
"U-Uh? S-Sorry Max!"
Mom stopped hugging me so tightly and I breathed easy again.
[Where did he get that bad habit from? I'm surprised she didn't accidentally kill me much earlier]
It took Mom a second to recover from the small shock before holding me gently remorsefully.
"Sorry my boy... mommy didn't want to hurt you."
"Okay mommy, it was my fault…." I immediately apologized admitting fault.
[I think I exaggerated something, after all dragons are something in this world]
"N-No Max… it's all my fault… I… m-mommy is so sorry."
"Mom…"
[Looks like he's talking about something else….]
It's not the first time Mom just seems down out of the blue over little things. I'm sure it's because of his past, but I still can't find the right moment to ask her.
For a boy my age, it's perfectly normal for her to act this mean for hurting me.
[Sigh…. Even if it's about the loss of a family member, it's not like I can tell her that I understand her.]
"Okay, Mom…. It was my fault, I'm sorry." I said sounding extremely embarrassed and regretful.
"Max…." Now coming back to reality, he looked at me with a sad smile.
"Okay... Mommy forgives you…".
"Thanks Mom…". I hid between my breasts, and I stayed there long enough for the "guilt" to leave me.
There were a few minutes in which mom hummed to me in an impromptu way, stroking my head until I calmed down and returned to my usual self.
"Mother! I love you!". I said now with joy and looking more relieved.
"And I love you my little one…. Now let mommy put on her clothes so we can go with Maria to celebrate her birthday, okay?"
"Cake! More cake!". I replied enthusiastic.
"Yes~, but remember our promise~". She put her finger over her lips.
"Yes mommy~". I nodded a bit mischievously.
"Very good! Now let's go with them!"
"I'll bring you your bra!"
"T-Thank you Max!" His smile twisted a little when I mentioned that, but knowing who I am, he knew he couldn't say no.
To my bad luck, she surely foresaw that I would insist on helping him put on basically all his clothes when she woke up again. She left her panties on the edge of the bed, she quickly put them on before I could suggest helping her, and it was too late when I realized where they were, otherwise I would have put them on before even suggesting it.
It seems that accessing part will be much more complicated from now on...
[Well, if there is life, there´ll be opportunities. Nothing to worry about]
With that in mind, we finally left for Maria's house and the home of my childhood friend: the little Sarah.
POV Maria.
"Moooommmm! Where is Maaaaax? I want to play with him now!"
"Calm down dear, he will come sooner or later. After all, you would never miss out on a delicious cake made by me~." I smiled remembering her first innocent smile of joy when she tasted it.
[Ahh…. How I wish they were children forever and never stop being so adorable….]
"But he´s so lateeeeeeeee!~".
"Today is her birthday dear, do you remember that her mom promised to teach him how to use magic?"
My girl pouted a little in disappointment an jealouse, but I couldn't blame her.
"I also got impatient when your daddy didn't arrive at the promised time…. But it was always worth it~"
"Dad made you wait soooooooo long?"
"Why don't I tell you a little more about him as Max arrives?"
"Yeah! I want to know more about my dad!"
My little girl, who was sitting at the entrance waiting for her adorable friend, came into my arms full of joy.
"Very good~…. I'll tell you about the time he got lost in the city during one of our dates~."
"Silly daddy, hehe."
"Hmph! More respect little one! It is because of him that you live in such a beautiful town!"
"Okay~". She covered her tender smile, and I proceeded to tell her the story.
"Ahem… you will see my girl…. Your daddy was a very brave and dedicated man~"
"The strongest of all!" He said pretending to have a sword in his little hands.
"Exactly~! And especially he was very good with the spear~…. But as I was telling you…..when I wasn't fighting monsters…I didn't used to pay that much attention to little things"
"Like what mommy? Did he forget to eat….?" Seeing my girl turn her head with such an adorable question, I didn't bother to suppress my smile of pure joy.
"Not at all~! In fact, it was one of the few things he always remembered~!"
"Ohhhh~…. Glutton daddy!~"
"I would like to say no… but you are right…". I lowered my head somewhat defeated.
"Tell me more mommy! What else did he use to forgeeeeet? ~".
"Hehe…. You will see my girl…. The only places in the city that he knew perfectly were the tavern where he stayed, the guild where he took his jobs and the market where he used to go shopping as a hobby."
"What happened to the other places mom?"
"He had no idea where they were!"
"Ohhhh...." My girl was impressed.
[Yes, my little girl, it took me a whole relationship to corroborate that that time he was really telling the truth...]
"But since he didn't want to look bad in front of mom, he promised to see me in the most expensive place in the city…. Although I didn't even know where it was…". I shook my head in sincere disapproval.
[Men… always thinking with their crotch….]
"Did you know which one it was mommy?"
"Of course I do, after all mommy liked to run away from home~".
"Ohhhhh~! Sounds exciting mommy!"
"And it was...." I remembered my real motivation behind those leaks, but I quickly got rid of those feelings.
"But it was because of your daddy that they made it worth it"
"Daddy is so good~!"
"That's right, a lot~.
"I wonder if he will also take me on adventures when he returns from the stars~!" Despite being inside the house, my little Sarah looked at the ceiling full of illusion and hope.
[I wonder sometimes too…Sarah….]
"Someday it will…. But remember…"
"Be a good girl~! Or daddy will be disappointed~!" Reciting verbatim, Sarah jumped for joy.
"I'm glad you inherited my good memory from me and not from him..."
"Hehe~…. Daddy will be jealous of me when he finds out!"
"If he could see you now...."
It filled me with melancholy to think of the day when I must tell her the truth, but luckily a certain energetic boy arrived just in time to put those thoughts behind me.
"We arrived" x2.
The most powerful magician in the country and possibly the continent made an appearance at my house with her little offspring.
"Max! You're finally here!"
"Sorry Sarah~, but magic is very tiring~". Max said with a smug smile.
"Mom's cake will give you a lot of energy!". Sarah threw herself against him to hug him and cheer him up.
"And it will also give you a lot of joy~."
I knelt as soon as I had Max in front of me, my hug wrapped around 2 of the people I love the most in this world.
"Happy birthday my boy, I hope your magic lessons have been worth it."
"Of course! I have the best teacher ever! Isn't it, mommy?!"
"I just do the best I can…" Gwendolyn, modest as ever, didn't want to take the credit, but today was Max's special day, and to him his mother was the best, so it would be.
"Come on Gwendolyn~, don't be so modest after all it's your son who is flattering you so much."
"Well…. if Max says so... He must… No, he's right in the world!"
"I have the best mom in the world!"
"No! My mommy is the best in the world!" Sarah immediately came out to defend me.
I looked at my little girl who was surely going to start a mothers competition and patted her head.
"Sarah~… What were we talking about? ~".
"B-But mommy." Sarah then began to feel disappointed.
"It's alright my little one... I don't need to be the best mother in the world, I just have to be for you."
"Hhmph… if mom says so…". As obedient as ever, he accepted my words.
And curiously, the one who ended up helping him was the same boy who caused this little disaster.
"Calm down Sarah, now I remember, your mommy is the best in the world Sarah, do you know why?"
"Hmph? Why Max?"
Although Sarah was the target of the question, Gwendolyn was strangely attentive to what her son would say.
"Because your mom can make cake and mine can't! That's why it's the best!"
"Ohhhh~! It's true! Hmph! My mom is better!~"
"M-Max?! B-But what are you saying my little one….". Gwendolyn looked at her son horrified by his words.
[Awww….. I knew he loved my cakes!]
Seizing the opportunity, I did not hesitate to at least show off a little.
"Well…. if the birthday boy says it, it must be true~"
"Y-You too!?" Gwendolyn pointed at me in dismay.
"Tehee~…. What can I say….? After all, I am the best…". I did not hesitate to inflate my chest with pride.
"I knew it! Do you see mommy? You are the best!". My little Sarah then ran to me to hug me as tenderly as ever.
And to top it all off, seeing his mom somewhat hurt, Max said a few words to her that more than comforted her, they added salt to the wound.
"Sorry mommy, but I didn't want to-"
"O-Okay Max, you didn't want to see Sarah discouraged, I totally understand..."
"No mommy, I wanted to tell you that even if you never learn how to make cake, Maria will always be there to make it for me!"
"…. T-Thanks Max." Gwendolyn responded curtly after a few seconds of processing her response.
[Who knew that those baking classes would help me win the affection of a child, so much so that he chooses me over his own mother…]
With that little scene finished, our humble birthday party finally began.
Gwendolyn and I only ate one slice of cake, while the children got the rest.
It was impressive to see that those little ones devoured a piece of cake the size of their heads, but the children were children, so it was normal that they did not measure themselves.
Once they finished, their exhausted little faces were the signal that nap time had arrived.
"Maaaax….. I feel very full….". My daughter said as her eyes slowly closed
"Me too Sarah….". Max said just as tired.
"Come my little... You have to rest…"
"You too Max… this is a good chance for you to sleep with other people than your mommy…"
Too tired to even answer each other, we took them to the bedroom, where we tucked them in and closed the door, so Gwendolyn and I finally had a moment to talk alone.
Gwendolyn's POV.
If there's one thing commoners and nobility have in common... it's that they both talk too much about topics I don't care much about.
I mean, gossiping about other people.
"I couldn't believe it when Mrs. Gerthman told me, why now after so many years of leaving this town in peace, does the church come to get its hands on our quiet life? It's not fair!"
However, unlike the many other conversations I've had with Maria, I'm genuinely interested in the rumors she's telling me about.
"I can't believe they will tithe again...the town is in good condition, but I doubt it will be able to carry on as before if you add a morally obligatory tax to the taxes." I spoke as if I had lived here all my
"Isn't it?! And the worst thing is that it seems that they are going to do that with all the towns in the region, so moving us will not make a difference…"
[How troublesome, and here I thought I had strayed far enough from those spheres of influence]
"And I thought that by coming here, I would never hear from those religious fanatics again"
"Do not even say it…. At least that my little Sarah won't have to travel too far to learn about the gods…". As soon as he mentioned that, I couldn't help but be curious.
"Are you sure you want me to learn from them? After what happened?" I asked somewhat dismayed since she had told me part of her experience with religion in her family.
Maria looked at me with a sad smile.
"My parents…. they were not good... but it does not mean that the scriptures promote being a bad person. As long as she learns what is right and wrong from sincerely devout people, I have no problem with the church educating her."
"...But aren't you afraid that they'll find out where you ran off to...?" The usual Maria finally disappeared, now she was just a sad and helpless woman.
"I can't hide her from them forever. Every day that passes without them knowing where I am is a blessing, that's why I prefer that when they find us... they can't reproach me for being a bad mother or a woman of little faith..."
"And if they… try to do the same to her?" I asked cautiously, because even if we had gotten closer these last years, I didn't have the same trust with Maria as with my old friends, at least not enough yet.
Maria took a deep breath, and looked at me with a tired but determined face.
"I won't leave them, even if it's the last thing I do." Hearing her say that I could help but feel inferior to her.
[At a disadvantage, with a daughter to take care of, and still willing to fight…]
Was she always this strong? Or is it because of her daughter that she became so amazing?
"Besides…. Now I'm not as scared as before." He said with a little more hope.
"Really? Because?". Upon asking, Maria looked at me with some guilt.
"Well…. I don't doubt my girl and Max, you know, maybe one day they will end up at the altar…". She finally said sounding a bit embarrassed to even comment on it.
And in that instant, I understood what she meant.
[Max…..]
And there were still many years left before he even began his own life, the pain of seeing him go began to torment me just thinking about it.
[Don't leave… mom please…]
"B-But I´m rushing though! I-It's not like I want them to get married, so he'll just protect Sarah! O-Of course I want your child to be as happy as she is! A-And if Max got to choose another girl I wouldn't be disappointed by his acti-!"
"Okay Maria... I understand". I stopped Maria who immediately tried to fix her image, otherwise I wouldn't be able to hide my discontent.
[Why can't you just leave the two of us alone? Will the world always throw stones as unexpected as this at us? Because it makes me rethink so many things…]
"R-Really? A-Aren't you upset that possibly because of my family I get to involve M-Max in something so complicated?"
[I'd love to just take him off to a place where we'll never be bothered or harmed again. I would like nothing more than that]
"Not at all, I don't doubt that he and Maria will get married one day, if he really loves her, he won't hesitate to defend her against whatever...".
[Why can't you just stay by my side where you will always be totally safe? Why does something troublesome always have to come up when it seems that the future will be peaceful and calm? Why does the world have to be so unfair?]
My lie calmed Maria down a lot.
"I-I… th-thank you Gwendolyn…. I thought you'd be upset for admitting what I think to you. Honestly, as a person, nobody knows what I went through because of my parents." Now she breathed a lot of relief, to give me a smile of sincere gratitude.
"And even if my little girl doesn't marry Max, knowing that we have your consent to that happen... I'm so glad that a thousand thanks aren't enough to express it." Maria took a pause before saying something to me that brought me mixed feelings.
"As a mother I thank you, you don't know how reassuring it is to know that your child will be safe regardless of the future." Maria wiped away a tear that escaped her now completely recovering her old spirits.
[You're right, I have no idea how it will feel to know that Max will be safe…]
I decided it was best to cut the conversation short before my true feelings accidentally leaked out.
"I'm glad I helped you." I got up from the table with the intention of saying goodbye.
"Are you leaving Gwendolyn?" She asked somewhat surprised.
"Yes… I don't want Max to feel self-conscious about having me around… so I'll come to your house later to pick him up. He's still little, but he has to learn to live without his mom around."
[Of course I'll make sure I'm there to take care of him without anyone noticing. It is my duty as a mother that my son is safe no matter what happens]
"Alright. See you dear friend. I will look forward to our next talk!"
[If I had known that by bringing my child closer to your daughter, I would never have become your friend]
"See you later, Maria." I left the house, and walked in the direction of my cabin while saying goodbye to her in the distance, and as soon as I got out of her field of vision, I used my magic.
"[Invisibility]". With those words, my body, my clothes, my necklace, and everything I was wearing at the time, became transparent to the human eye.
It wasn't infallible despite its name, after all an experienced magician would know that someone was nearby by detecting an abnormal flow in the air. Or a guard might spot someone invisible if he's too careless.
[Sorry Max… but mommy is a coward…. I won't let you out of my sight]
I was not going to make the same mistake…. And even if Max did find out about me…if he was safe, I'd take the blame for anything.
"A-As long as he loves me and stays by my side… it will be worth it…".
With those words, I returned to Maria's house where my son would wait for me.
POV MAX
"And I woke up again….". I commented when I woke up, and as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw that I was not at home.
"…Mash." Maria's voice distracted me, and seeing her, I couldn't help but caress her head.
She was curled up, her head on my shoulder sleeping peacefully.
[She will become a very beautiful girl when she grows up]
In that moment of tranquility, I took my time to think a little.
[I haven't officially learned magic yet, but after today... I don't doubt that magic will make my life easier. And regardless of that, devoting myself to magic sounds too tempting to refuse]
Just thinking about what makes me an indelible smile.
[Mom will be the first… Sarah could be a good lover… I wonder what other kind of girls I will meet in this world]
Magic aside, probably my next major goal, once I've mastered magic to a decent level, would be to find more girls I could share my life with.
[A noblewoman would be an interesting match, but what I want most in this world is to have a beast girl in my harem, preferably a cat girl]
Because beastmen are real… and I have no doubt that they will be nekominis.
[And I might even consider a devil girl…. But by then, I'd better be the most powerful of the heavyweights of the Church of the Four Elemental Gods, if I don't want to end up impaled on a bonfire]
Whatever happens until then, my priority is to become a magician equal to or more powerful than my mother.
However, something that worries me is the fact that I will attract attention, and I do not doubt that some kingdom or guild will try to recruit me, but following that line of thought, an important doubt comes to me, how is it that my mother who has been called how the most powerful magician in the country on numerous occasions, is she able to live in a town as peaceful as this?
The normal thing would be that from time to time someone would come and try to recruit her or at least ask her to be his disciple.
I know that she withdrew from whatever she did before, most certainly being an adventurer. But men's ambition is greater than their regard for people's mourning, so there are two options:
1. An army of wizards wouldn't be enough to stop her, if an idiot anger her
2. She has powerful friends who keep annoying characters at bay
"Sigh... not that it matters too much though."
[As long as no big war breaks out in this century, there is no compelling reason to bother her]
Even so, I don't know the geopolitical situation of this fantasy world, perhaps some demon king has just been born and in a few decades, it will become a serious threat to humanity.
…Or maybe I'm just overthinking things and should focus on having a dream life.
[I know I wanted to make things unpredictable, for moments like this I would like to have a timeline of what will happen for sure]
It doesn't matter, war or not, becoming powerful should be my main goal if I truly aspire to be desired and respected by women.
[Once I am secure with my position, I will flood this world with my children]
Now with my resolve and confidence back on my mind, I knew there was no time to lose.
"Saraaah~". I started to pinch my childhood friend's cheeks, hard enough that she couldn't ignore it.
"Mmm~…." Not half a second later, Sarah showed no signs of waking up.
"Come on silly, we still have to play and do a lot of things, it's my birthday and we have to take advantage of the time~".
"Maashh…." With a lazy look, our eyes met.
"Let me sleep a little more." He finally said before closing them again and hugging me.
"Hmph, it's alright." I said sounding understanding.
"Thank you."
"And I wanted to teach you magic." With such tempting bait, Sarah opened her eyes again.
"Magic?". She looked at me full of energy as if she hadn't been sleeping. "Magic, magic! I want to see your magic!"
"'Hehe~! But you'll have to listen to me if you don't want to get hurt."
"Yeah! I'll see magic from Max!"
With that little lie told, we now leave bed full of energy.
"Oh, but look who woke up, where are you planning to go so soon?" Maria, who was doing housework, looked at us with a mischievous look.
"Max is going to teach me magic! It will be very cool!" Sarah, honest as ever, raised her hands as if she were summoning a Genkidama
"Oh…? Really Max?" He quickly looked at me for confirmation.
"Don't worry Maria, I won't burn anything." I said with a playful tone, which brought Maria a motherly smile.
"I know you would never do that my boy." He stroked my head before speaking to his daughter. "And you make sure he keeps his word."
Madam, trust me a little more, I assure you that I have no bad intentions.
"OK Mom! Count on me!". She hugged her leg for a moment before running away, and I followed her from behind.
"Sigh…how I wish I had your energy."
Now with his mother's permission, we head towards a plain near the beginning of the forest.
"Now show me Max! I want to be a magician too!" Sarah demanded her first lesson as soon as she could.
"Well…". I scratched my cheek without looking at her face. "Sorry Sarah, but I still don't know anything about magic"
"Wh-what?! M-Max!" He pouted hoping it was a joke from me. "You said you were going to teach me magic! "
"Sorry, I lied to you Sarah. I just wanted to play hide and seek with you…". I said with a guilty tone in my voice.
My friend gave me a very angry look before turning around, clenching her fists without wanting to speak to me.
I approached to remedy my wrongdoing.
"Sorry Sarah..."
"Y-You know I don't like to play hide and seek! It is very boring…". He said without turning around.
"And also because you almost always lose…".
"M-MAX!" He immediately turned around to give me a few punches.
Sarah might be a typical pretty girl, but she was unexpectedly competitive, and she seriously liked to win, no matter how small the game.
"Wow, oww! Hurts!". Unlike me, when Sarah hit, she didn't hold back.
"Take, take it! Liar!". He kept hitting me until his anger passed.
"…I really wanted you to teach me magic…". She said now sadly.
"Sorry... I'll teach you magic, but my mom only taught me what a magician is capable of"
Fortunately, my words snapped her out of her disappointment.
"What is she…capable of? H-How was Max?"
"I'll tell you when you agree to play with me"
"Mohh! Why do you like to see me lose?"
"Hehe... I like to beat you, but I wanted to play because maybe, you can't beat me anymore when I learn magic"
"What? Why you say that?". She asked quite confused.
"Because magic is amazing! And I learn pretty fast."
"Smug…". He said something jealous.
"Only a little". I was not subtle in that I was proud of that trait of mine.
"Hmmmphhh." Without commenting, Sarah waited for an explanation.
"Um. But what I said is true Sarah, do you think I'll want to play normal games when I can throw fire or control the wind?" My words made her reflect a little.
"I don't think you want to; it would be boring for you." He finally accepted my defense.
"By the time you can light a fire with magic, I'll already be flying. And knowing that I will beat you for knowing more is not fun.
"T-Then I'll try harder than you!" He pointed at me not wanting to lose, not even in an imaginary scenario.
"Hehe, then to check how dedicated you are, let's play treasure hunt!" Finally, I commented on my initial idea.
"There´s a treasure? And it's a game?!"
"That's the name of the game, but there is no treasure." I cleared things up before he got other ideas.
"Ohhh..." Sarah made a sound of utter disappointment as she realized things.
"But that's what makes it exciting! I hide things, but if you find them, you keep them!"
"R-Really? N-Now I want to win that game!" With the promise of a reward, Sarah's interest was immediately revived. "How do you play that game Max?"
I looked down to find a stone for illustration purposes. It didn't take me long to find one and take it to use as an example.
"Imagine that this is my stone, this is my treasure that I am going to risk losing."
Sarah met my eyes expectantly.
"You can hide it anywhere, but you can't forget where it is, or else you lose"
"I will never take my eyes off him!"
How enthusiastic, although the stone is only for example.
"You must point to where it is hidden, but no more than that"
"What else?!". Sarah nodded excited to play.
"The first rule is that you cannot open your eyes while they hide the treasure. And the second rule is that there is only one day to find the stone, so if the sun goes down and you still can't find it, then who hid it, keep the treasure and victory!
"I-I wanna go first!" Sarah wasted no time in trying to snatch the stone from my hands.
"Woah! Don't worry, you don't have to take this stone". By mere reflex I pushed the stone away.
"Hmph... so what?"
"Well, it can be anything." I clarified to Sarah
"Anything…?". He asked with a mysterious tone.
"Anything"
"Okay! I know what I'm going to hide! But you must turn around Max!" Wasting no time, she grabbed my shoulders to try to move me.
"Huh? Why?". I asked about the suddenness of the situation.
"Just turn around Max! It's a surprise Max...!" Mimicking my mischievous smile, I knew that I couldn't resist his request.
[I should have been more specific with the rules, something tells me that he already found a way to win with as little effort as possible]
My plan with this game was to maintain a "unique" bond with her, which would eventually help me gain affection points and give her surprises in an original way, but it seems I underestimated her desire for victory.
"Fufu... okay Max, you can watch now." The joy in her voice confirmed my worst fears.
And when I turned around, I knew I understood why he asked me to turn around.
"One hair?". I watched in dismay as she showed me a golden strand in her small hands.
"Worried about losing Max?" He was delighted to see my face of total disbelief.
"… Well played." I sighed unable to see a stage with my victory.
"Let the game begin!" Sarah squealed almost in victory at my reaction.
With those words, resigned to defeat, I closed my eyes, and waited for Sarah to return after hiding her only piece of hair.
It didn't take him a minute to come back and take my hands off on his own.
"Hi Max!". His smile said it all.
"Hello Sarah"
And what was supposed to be several games to search for the treasure, turned into an afternoon where I unsuccessfully tried to look for a strand of hair in a meadow, while Sarah smiled mischievously at my swords because of her strategy, and constantly asked if I declared my defeat
[Someday I'll return the favor, but for now... How the hell am I going to find that damn hair?!]
In the end, although I didn't give up to not give him the satisfaction, the moment came when the sun went down on the horizon, and Sarah didn't hesitate to reveal the hiding place, completely victorious.
"Victory!". He sang to the air while spinning.
"As if a hair was a great prize." I grumbled to avoid that he would become very arrogant.
"Hehe... you don't know how to lose." But it didn't seem to have much of an effect on her.
[Sigh… but what a birthday. Although I can't say that it was boring]
We soon returned to Sarah's house, where Maria welcomed us with a delicious dinner.
"Looks like someone had quite the fun, right, my little one?"
"It was fun! I want to play again tomorrow, Max! You don´t?".
"New rule, we both have to agree on the treasure." I said with a stoic face.
"Oh my, a treasure..? But where did my little ones go...?" Maria put her hand to her head "worried" about our adventures.
"Y-You changed the rules! It's not fair!".
"And you made me look for your hair! It wasn't even a good prize."
Before our childish spat escalated into something nastier, Maria as a good mother changed the subject.
"Max, my other son! Don't you want to stay the night? I don't think your mommy would mind, besides today is your birthday".
"Hmph…". At the time of asking the question, I seriously considered what I should do.
[I didn't plan to stay the night, but this could be a good opportunity]
Originally, I thought I'd play scavenger hunt with Sarah for a bit, then head home to try something a little more daring, but the way things turned out, maybe it's best to set a different precedent than planned.
[Will sleepovers be a rare thing in this world? Because I wouldn't mind starting with the lore]
"I would like to-".
Knock Knock knock
The sounds of someone knocking on the door interrupted me in the middle of my answer.
"I wonder who it could be at this time, will it be important?" Maria commented somewhat surprised, but without giving it much importance.
Opening the door, we soon discover the culprit.
"Oh! It's just Gwendlyn, it seems I worried for no reason."
"A-Am I here at a bad time?" My mother Gwendolyn asked something embarrassed hearing Maria.
"Oh, hi mom." I greeted her happily, not too surprised that she came.
[It doesn't matter, I guess it will be for the next time]
"How are you Max? You had fun?". And as soon as we looked at each other, her grief disappeared to transform into a beautiful smile.
" Well…". I rolled my eyes to look at Sarah, who didn't seem very sorry.
"It was an unforgettable birthday." I replied without giving any further details.
"I'm glad to hear it Max... So... are you ready to go home to mommy?"
[But how subtle…]
"Yes mom!". I got up from the mass and walked towards my mother.
"Thank you Maria, see you later Sara." I said goodbye to both before going home.
"No problem Max! You will always be welcome in our family"
"Hehe! See you tomorrow Max!".
Once I said goodbye, my mother and I returned to our cabin.
"Max... Do you want one last show of magic before bed?" My mother suddenly asked me halfway.
"Huh? Sure mom, what is it? I responded not knowing what to expect from her.
"Okay, just hug mommy, and don't leave me for the world, okay?"
My mother then took me under her arms, and pulled me towards her, without breaking eye contact with me.
[Wait…. Is that what I imagine?]
"Okay!" I did as she asked, and to seize the opportunity, I buried half of my face between her breasts without taking my eyes off her.
"Fufufu. You can have all the mommy's milk you want afterwards, but let's do this first, shall we Max?"
[I think there was a mix-up here, but thanks for reminding me mother]
"Of course mom!"
"Very good. So, let's start… [Fly!]".
[Oh no… ]
"Moo-OOOMMMM?" Before saying anything, we had already cleared ourselves off the ground.
If he hadn't been clinging tightly to her before, he was now.
[I-Is this how it feels to fly?!]
Maybe on purpose, maybe by accident, but my mother flew too fast, at least with which someone inexperienced like me would scare her.
"Calm down Max, trust mom." Understanding my feelings, she tried to reassure me, but without great effectiveness.
"Gwaaahhhh!" I could only scream as I clung to her, scared at the mere thought of falling out of her arms.
But just as quickly as the fear came, the fear disappeared.
"You can open your eyes now Max, look around you."
"H-Huh…?"
I opened my eyes as requested, and the landscape….
[Is beautiful…]
In my previous life, I had not had the fortune to see what a starry sky looked like due to the pollution of the city.
I had seen it in pictures and in recreations inside museums but compared to seeing the real stars on a night like this, it was simply unmatched.
"Wooooow….."
I saw those little stars twinkle and twinkle, as far as my eyes could reach.
The moon, which was in the middle of its cycle, was shining slightly, and now with the stars to accompany it, I could see the true beauty with which people saw it centuries before on my home world.
And I even saw a shooting star for a little while!
"Do you like the view…?" I looked at my mother who asked me that happy question because of my look
"It is the best!". I said full of joy.
"Fufufu… now look down my little one, see what the birds see every day!"
"Huh...?" It took me by surprise, I even looked down.
[Shit, we're too high]
I had never been particularly intimidated by heights, but perhaps that was because I never thought to look down from such a distance.
"M-Mom." I whispered his name nervously.
"It's okay Max, mommy is with you. There is nothing to fear."
I took a couple of deep breaths, before looking down again without any fear.
[… Awesome]
Thanks to the dim light of the light, I saw how small our town was, with mom's cabin barely more than a dot in my gaze.
Not only that, I saw the forest, the river, and the lake. And if I tried hard enough, in the distance I could see a rudimentary road, which surely led to the city.
"Do you like it son?" Mom asked again, though this time with a melancholier tone.
"Yes mom, but... why do you sound so sad?" I decided to ask, as it was too obvious to ignore.
"…". She remained silent for a few seconds, unsure how to proceed.
"Mom…". Nothing that a hug and a look like a puppy did not help him give in a little.
"Max... I love you my little one." He smiled as he looked into my eyes.
"And I you mom." I responded with the same affection.
So, my mother decided to answer my original question.
"Sorry Max...it's just that mommy sometimes gets a little homesick..." He paused briefly, before speaking again. "And the thing is that sometimes mommy misses that they are with her…"
[Mmm… I detect something strange. Let's play along]
"Did they leave you mom?" I asked, intrigued by the possible answer.
"…". Again, he paused briefly, before looking away. "Yes, they did it…".
She said in a low voice, but with the intention that I would listen to him.
"Mommy!". Like any good son, I tried to comfort him with a big hug. "I-I will always be by your side! I love you!".
At my words, my mother did not immediately smile, instead looking at me with a hurt face.
[Mmmm….]
"You promise... Max?" Gwendolyn looked at me with a troubled face, but extremely attentive.
[Oh, so abandonment issues, huh? That's perfect…]
Using that emotion that I felt from the bottom of my heart for that discovery, I said a few words that I would make sure would carry weight for the rest of our lives.
"Of course mommy! I love you! And nothing you do will change that!" I moved closer to his face for more emotional impact while saying that.
"A-Are you serious… Max?" Somewhat shocked by my words, she unintentionally let out a few tears.
"I mean this from the bottom of my heart mommy! I will love you forever and ever! So, you also have to love me no matter what, got it?!" I said full of conviction and without the slightest doubt.
[You may not have given birth to me, but deep down I know that you love me as much as she would have…]
"M-Max?" My mother suddenly looked at me somewhat worried.
"Uhhm?"
I didn't understand her shock until I felt something wet run down my face.
"A-Am I crying?" I looked at my mom as surprised or even more than her. "I-I'm crying!"
Despite crying, I couldn't help but smile.
"M-Mom… I-I'm crying…". I said now being my turn to feel vulnerable.
[Mom… I wish I could have spent more time with you…]
"M-Mommy… I love you more than anything in the world… D-Don't leave me mommy! M-Mooommmm!" I hugged Gwendolyn, feeling incredibly sad to remember my own loss.
"M-Max! H-Here's mom! Mommy is here!" Without hesitation he hugged me with all his might and began to apologize. "F-forgive me Max! Mom loves you! P-Please don't cry! I-I didn't mean to hurt you! M-Maaaax…!"
As soon as I heard her cry from grief, still filled with sadness, I raised my head, and with my little hands I wiped away her own tears.
"M-Mom…". I forced myself to calm down to speak more clearly. "O-Okay. J-Just love me no matter what." I put my hands on both of her cheeks that were even completely wet.
"E-everything is fine… j-just don't cry anymore"
"O-Okay Max. T-Thank you for worrying about mommy…"
We hugged again, this time until we both completely calmed down.
I was the first to speak again.
"Mom…". I smiled lovingly at him now without any sadness. "I only want to Be with You…"
"M-Me too my little…". He smiled back at me with a mixture of guilt and relief.
"Promise…?". I asked referring to the aforementioned.
"I promise Max." He hugged me tight before repeating it. "I promise son..."
"And I promise... mommy...". Feeling how my strength was leaving me, I let myself be carried away by exhaustion.
"I love you". I said before feeling start to lose consciousness.
"And I to you Max...". Gwendolyn hugged me, settling me to sleep as she felt us slowly lower to the ground. "…Thank you for loving me so much, my little miracle."
And again, my consciousness faded into complete darkness.
.
.
.
POW Gwendolyn
I left my son in bed for a moment because I had to take off my clothes.
Any mother who saw me at this moment could rightly reproach me for indulging him so much, even when I was sleeping, but that didn't matter to me at all.
"Max…" I gently leaned his head against my breasts, and for him to use them as if they were pillows.
"Mom…". I smiled when I heard his little babble.
[Not even in his dreams does he stop being my little one]
From the bottom of my heart, all I want is for you to never leave my side.
[That's why, even when I dream, I would still like to feel like your mom]
It is my only purpose, my only ambition, and tonight, it seems that he finally said those words that I so longed to hear, but still…
[He's just a boy, what will happen when my lovely Max grows up?]
I want to believe that he will remember those words, I want to sleep knowing that he will never take them back.
I want to sleep, and the next day not wake up without him by my side.
[I couldn't bear it, his warmth, his love, his presence, his smile… I can't live without any of those things anymore]
I should have let him choose to sleep over at Sarah's house, but I can't bear the thought of one night without him in my arms anymore.
[I'm so selfish…]
I started stroking her hair, wishing the moment would never end.
[And yet he still loves me…]
"Max…" I brought my head closer to her small forehead to give her a loving kiss. "Please… remember… your promise…"
[As long as I have you around, one day I will have the strength to sleep alone again….]
But until that day comes, I'll still be with him.
[Max….]
I laid my head down and closed my eyes.
[I love you my little miracle…]
And I fell into the world of dreams, but not before keeping his face in mind until the last moment.