Where were we again? Oh, right—I almost forgot! But I, Velvet Goon Kaiser, am going to fast-forward a bit from where we left off last chapter. Trust me, dear readers, it's for good reasons. Or maybe not. Who knows?
Anyway, I told you this would happen, didn't I? Of course I did. I knew Poru's mother would share stories about her daughter with me. And now, here I am, holding onto some of her deepest, darkest secrets. What am I supposed to do with this information? Walk up to Poru and say, "Hey, so your mom told me all about you"? Yeah, no thanks. For now, I'll just keep quiet. It's not like this will come back to bite me later... right?
...Right?
~ ~ ~
"Oh, come on," Poru's mother said with a sly smile. "You flattered me when you first met Poru at school. Wasn't it your second year at the academy?"
She leaned in, way too close for comfort, her breath warm against my ear. I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Well, Poru's mother," I started, attempting to sound composed. "You're not wrong about the timing, but I don't remember flattering you at all. Besides—aren't you married?" My pointed look held a mix of confusion and caution.
She chuckled lightly, her voice carrying an almost melodic sharpness. Then, with a knowing smirk, she leaned in even closer, her words barely a whisper.
"I made Poru by... other methods. Don't worry too much about it."
I blinked. Wait. What? Poru doesn't have a father? That's... unexpected. Pretty wild, honestly. Not that it really matters much. Right? Surely not?
Clearing my throat, I attempted to shift gears, hoping to escape the awkward tension. With a flick of my wrist, I conjured a chair—because, hey, dream logic! I plopped down, letting out a relieved sigh.
"Magic is ridiculously handy in these lucid dreams... right? Uh..." My thoughts stumbled as I tried to recall her name. What was it again? Ruri? No... wait, yes? Why can't I ever remember things properly?
"It's Ruri, my dear Velvet," she said smoothly, as if reading my thoughts. "And yes, this dream is quite vivid, isn't it? The sensation is... immaculate."
Her features were striking—gentle yet sharp, carrying a weight of experience that made me uneasy. A soft, knowing smile played at her lips, and I swore she was enjoying my confusion a little too much.
"Since this is your dream, would you be so kind as to conjure some tea for me? A host should always treat their guest, don't you think?"
Suppressing a sigh, I snapped my fingers. A teapot and two cups appeared on a table that hadn't been there a second ago. Steam curled up from the tea, filling the air with a calming aroma.
"Here," I muttered, pouring her a cup while avoiding her gaze.
She watched me intently, eyes gleaming with curiosity as she lifted the cup to her lips. I could feel her analyzing me—not just the taste of the tea, but what it revealed about me. Sweet yet delicate, smooth but with an underlying bitterness... Was she enjoying it, or just playing with me?
Then, a satisfied hum. She smiled, eyes closing briefly as if savoring the moment.
"Oh, Velvet, who knew you had such fine taste? That tongue of yours certainly knows its delicacies, hmm?"
I nearly choked on my own tea.
Taken aback, I searched for any hint of mischief behind her words. Was she genuinely enjoying the tea, or was this another calculated move? Either way, we were two vastly different people, and no amount of shared taste would change the fact that she was Poru's mother.
And not mine.
But having someone's mother—one of my girlfriend's, no less—talk to me like this? Yeah, pretty awkward. I didn't want to leave a bad impression on Poru's mother, but I also wasn't sure how to steer this conversation into safer waters. What was the best way to conclude this? A polite exit before things escalated further?
Then, as if reading my mind, she pressed a single finger to my lips, silencing my thoughts before they could even form into words.
And that was terrifying.
I mean, isn't this supposed to be my dream? How does it feel like my mind is being handed over to her that easily? I'm still conscious and all, but seriously—having someone read your thoughts this effortlessly? Some would call it terrifying. Others... not so much.
Suddenly, she closed the distance, her presence overwhelming. There was something strangely heavy about her—almost as if she carried a weight beyond what I could perceive. Even in this dream, it felt real, tangible. Her cascading pink hair, shifting subtly in tone depending on the light, brushed against my skin, carrying a hypnotic scent that sent a strange hunger twisting in my gut.
I was caught in a trance.
Before I knew it, she wrapped herself around me in an embrace that felt far too natural. My body tensed, instincts screaming at me to react, but for some reason... I didn't.
I just let it happen.
And that unsettled me more than anything else.