Theo
"I knew it! Those two can't be trusted after all!"
When the boy returned to his apartnt, he told everything that had transpired to Tama.
Naturally, the catgirl, who didn't share his admiration towards Hugo and Felicia, told him imdiately to stay away from them.
"B-but, they've been so nice to—"
"Yes yes, I know how much we've been helped by them, but think, Theo! If you're hanging out with dangerous people like them, you'll be dragged into their ss as well! And besides, if they can kill a person like that in cold blood, who knows what other despicable things they can do?"
"So you're saying you won't do the sa to that alchemist?" His voice rose and shook. "Even now, I'm still furious at her for deceiving Tira! She worked day and night for my sake, to pay for the money she borrowed for my dicine! And it's all a lie!" Tears began to leak out of his eyes. "I... I… I'm a useless, worthless burden that's better of dead!"
"Theo! Get a hold of yourself!" She grabbed his collars. "It's not your fault you got tricked by that snake! I won't hear you say that ever again!" Without realizing it, tears began to fall from her cheeks as well. "You… you did your best! Always! Every single day! That's why I… I fell in love with you!"
...Ah, she said it.
She couldn't believe it, but the words—they just poured out of her mouth.
She released her collar and covered her mouth. Ooh, what did she just do? Her face was definitely heating up.
"I… p-please forget that last part!" She yelled.
Theo froze, his cheeks reddening as well. He now stared at the catgirl before him. Her tail was wildly swaying back and forth and she was actively avoiding his gaze. He had never seen her like this before. She was always so brash and confident after all.
He rembered Hugo, teasing him about them being a couple. Tira would do the sa as well.
But, they were all wrong. There was only one girl he wanted to devote his entire life with.
"I-I'm sorry, Tama." He too averted his gaze. "I… already promised I would never abandon Tira for the rest of my life. I wanted to make her happy… so I can't…
be with you.."
"...Aha… hahahaha! I knew it! You really are a Mama's boy! You want to marry your mother? Gross! I'm out of here! You're too gross for
to even look at!"
"W-wait, Tama, I don't—"
*SLAM*
He was too late.
The catgirl had already slamd the entrance door behind her.
Leaving a trail of tears as she went back to her own room beside his.
Oohh, I totally ssed up…
Master Hugo, if only you're here… I'm not good with girls at all…
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"Theo! I'm ho!"
Later in the evening, his mother finally returned.
She was wearing her maid uniform as always, as she had just finished her work in the mansion. This night, she didn't have a shift at the tavern so she could go ho right away.
"Huh? Theo?"
"M-Mother!"
To her surprise, he ran up to her and hugged her, crying in the process. He was taller than her so he actually had to lift her up in the process.
"E-eh? Did sothing happen?"
Releasing her, he told her everything that had happened.
When he finished, the small elf was smiling from ear to ear.
"O-oh that's wonderful news! You're not sick after all, Theo!" She clasped her hands together near her chest, her soft red eyes shimring.
"Y-you're not angry?"
"Angry? For what?"
"I-I've wasted your money! Made you get into debt! You have to work day and night for nothing!"
"No, it's not for nothing." She shook her head with a smile, a drop of year falling down her right cheek. "If it's for you, I'll do anything. That's just how a mother is."
Theo froze.
W-why… why is she so good to ?
I'm just… I'm just a baby she picked up in the middle of the road. She gave everything to keep
safe. Her ho, her people, and now, her money…
I-I don't… I don't deserve it… I don't deserve it at all!
"U-uuhhh… Uwaahhhh!"
He couldn't hold it back anymore.
He'd told her he would be more manly now that he's older, but he's still a crybaby after all.
"Shh, let it out. Cry as much as you want, alright?"
Tira's warm embrace… he would never trade it with anything else in this world.
…
They stayed like that for a bit, until his tears dried.
"All better now?" Tira smiled, releasing her embrace.
"T-thanks." Theo looked away, his face red with embarrassnt.
"Mother, about Master Hugo…"
"You want to follow him, right? Then go. You like adventuring. And I know he'll keep you safe."
That… wasn't the answer he was expecting.
"But how about him being a dangerous person?! He just killed that alchemist! And he's wanted by the Church too! And there's no reason for
to go back to the dungeon, is there, now that we can pay our debt?!"
Tira didn't answer right away. Instead, she locked eyes with him, all while keeping her smile.
"Theo, what do you think? Do you think he is a bad person?"
"I… no! Not at all! He's been really nice to !"
"Then how about his girlfriend? Is she a bad person to you?"
"Of course not! She's the one who worked on my dicine after all! She even gave
a replacent for it! She's an amazing alchemist! Just like how Master Hugo is an amazing mage and swordsman!"
"Then I don't see why you shouldn't be acquainted with them anymore."
"B-but Tama said—"
The elf covered her mouth and giggled "She's being the usual worrywart." Lowering her hand, she continued. "Theo, my dear son. Sotis, we have to go against the flow to be a good person. That day, when I found you in your mother's embrace, I knew my people wouldn't accept
keeping you. And so, I left."
"Mother…"
"I believe Sir Hugo saved Miss Felicia since he knew she was a good person, even if she was a necromancer. And he was right. Thanks to him, we now know the truth."
"B-but the murders…"
"I also believe he did it for a good reason. He did it to free the slaves, no? And he killed that alchemist to stop her from causing more harm to the ill. I admit, it's a demonic way of thinking, resorting to the blade imdiately, but we're in the Demon Continent now. Strength is everything here."
Her smile was now tinged in sadness.
"You had asked before why we couldn't just run instead of paying our debt. Ignoring that it's a bad thing to do, we would be chased down for it. Killed or sold into slavery or worse. And we don't have the strength to resist."
Theo fell silent. He still rembered when one night, his mother returned with a slap mark on her face.
It was her employer, Mr. Bartholous.
He was the wealthiest rchant in the city, employing many lesser rchants and owning many shops all over the Demon Continent. He also had S-rank adventurers in his neck and call.
He was powerful. And they were not.
And so, when he got drunk one night and slapped Tira in anger after she accidentally spilled hot tea on him, he slapped her as hard as he could.
Tira could not say anything other than to apologize.
If not for her begging him not to do it, he would've gone to his mansion and slapped him back.
"And so, it would be beneficial for us to be friends with strong and kindhearted people like them." She finished her speech with her hand resting on his shoulder.
"Oh dear, I made it sound bad, didn't I?" She retracted her arm and covered her mouth for another giggle. "I'm sorry. It's just that… that's what Miss Myrilla told
back then."
"Myrilla?" Theo's brain lit up. That's right. She's the demon woman that's accompanying Sherry.
"The kind Nerthusian lady, yes. She didn't say it but I know she was worried about us. She's a kind, strong woman. Just like Miss Sherry. And Sir Hugo and Miss Felicia. So, I don't think it's that bad for you to be with them."
Theo fell silent. He was expecting her to share the sa opinion as Tama.
"Mother, you never t Sir Hugo and Miss Felicia yourself. How can you—"
"You're right! I really should et them! To thank them for everything they have done! Tomorrow morning, we're going together, alright?"
"A-alright…"
"Oh, have you told them about
yet?
being your mother?"
"N-no. I still told them you're my sister… just like you told
to…"
To prevent odd questions and looks, Theo was forbidden to refer to Tira as his mother out in the open. She looked younger than him after all.
"I see. Then I would have to properly introduce myself after all." She giggled again.
Suddenly, Theo rembered Tama's confession and how he had upsetted her by his response.
"Umm… there's one more thing I need to talk to you about, Mother."
"Yes?"
"It's about Tama. She…" He explained what had happened between them.
When he finished, Tira's smile had transford into a frown. Folding her hands under her chest, she began to lecture him.
"Oh, Theo." She shook your head. "You don't understand girls at all, do you?"
"I-I'm sorry!" He lowered his head. "But I wasn't lying! I really want to make you happy for the rest of my life! Why did she think I wanted to marry you? You're my mother! You're not supposed to marry your mothers, right?"
"Of course not," she answered. "So you go to her room now and apologize, alright?" She raised her finger just like a mother would.
"B-but what should I say?"
"You don't have to say anything. Just hug her. Or better yet, kiss her instead.”
A mischievous smile had now appeared on the elf’s lips, followed by a wink.
"K-kiss her? Can I do that? That's only for couples, right?"
"Of course you can! You like her, right? You told
before that she's really cute and you really want her to always be on your side! You even admitted peeking up her skirt a couple of tis, you naughty boy!"
"W-what?! But that's—"
"Shush! I don't want to hear excuses! You're a young adult now! You're almost as old as Sir Hugo and he already has a beautiful girlfriend of his own! And besides, the poor girl fell in love with you at first sight. You should tell her how you feel if you're going to be a man!"
"But—"
"Now go out there and apologize!"
Before he could say anything else, the flustered boy was already being pushed to the front door by the elf.
He really had no choice, it seed. After all, there's no way he's going to disobey his dear mother!
--------
"Tama… Tama… I want to talk with you…"
He was now in front of her room, knocking on her door. Her mother, on the other hand, was standing on the corner of the hallway, out of sight, yet still watching him from the side.
"Tama, I—" The door creaked open. It wasn't locked at all. It seed the girl, in her distress, had forgotten to lock it.
Glancing at his mother, she nodded.
He gulped. This would be the first ti he ever entered a girl's room! Taking a deep breath to calm his beating hard, he entered the room.
"Tama, I'm coming in!"
He was greeted by the sight of a completely ordinary room, not that far different from his own. And yet, his nervousness didn't go away, especially since he was now gazing at a girl sleeping on her bed.
Tama… She's sleeping…
Redness crept to his cheeks as he noticed how her skirt had ridden up, revealing her black panties. Every ti he got a peek, they were always black. He guesses she was simply fond of that color.
She was facing away from him, towards the wall. She was also hugging her pillow. Her tail was swaying back and forth and her ears were twitching as well.
His heart skipped a beat. This was why he couldn't bla his Sir Hugo for fondling her tail. He too wanted to do the sa.
Shaking the thought out of his head, he shook her shoulders.
"Tama. Wake up. Tama."
The catgirl groaned. As she turned to face him, he quickly moved out of the way.
"U-urghhh…" Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her erald eyes.
His heart skipped a beat again. He never realized it until now but her eyes were really gorgeous.
"T-Theo?!" She lifted herself up to a sitting position in a flash. "W-w-w-what are you doing here?" She pointed her finger all while blushing profusely.
"I… I want to apologize."
"A-apologize?"
"Y-yes… I… have… spoken…" T-this is bad! The words won't co out! She'll get angry again if I don't speak up!
Aahh, I have to do that after all!
"Theo? Kyaaahh!"
The boy leaped forward and gave her a tight, full hug.
"I-I'm sorry, Tama! I didn't an to hurt you! And since I'm not good with words…"
The boy didn't hesitate. With a speed that didn't allow the catgirl to recover from her "hug shock
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