Chapter 31: Do You Like Me More?

It was fun, and I was happy.

These feelings lasted for a whole day. So much so that the time in the lair felt like hell.

Beyond the horizon, the sky was dyed orange, presenting an enchanting sight.

Watching it for a moment, I turned to look at the face of the person holding my hand.

Sia.

The person who had now become my mother. She smiled at me and asked.

“Was it fun?”

How should I answer that question?

Actually, I wasn’t interested in the capital. Even though there was a festival, it didn’t spark my interest.

If only Mom wasn’t there.

Playing with her is much more fun than going sightseeing in the capital. Talking with her held much greater interest than the capital itself.

But if I’m going ‘with’ Sia, there’s no reason to dislike it, right? Rather, by constantly moving around so she doesn’t get bored, won’t I be able to see her various expressions?

Doing this just to see Sia smile.

It’s perfectly natural for me. Because she’s my mom. Though later, she might become my mom in a different sense.

Anyway, going to the capital with Mom was a wise choice.

I could see various expressions, and saw her laugh a lot. Among them, she looked happiest when eating something called Dalgona.

It was just sweet to me, so I felt indifferent. From now on, I’ll change my taste buds to like sweet things.

Playing and eating like that, the sun eventually set, and only now were we returning to the temple.

“Mom, wait a second.”

Saying so, I let go of Mom’s hand, turned around, and moved a little distance away. Once I was somewhat far from Mom, I stopped walking.

“Jahy? What are you doing there?”

The sky was beautifully colored. And stars were beginning to appear.

A situation just before the dark night descended.

I felt a strong need to capture this sight. As a record.

A sight absolutely impossible to see in the Demon Realm.

Mom seemed puzzled about what I was doing, but when I cast magic, she remained quiet.

Even if she was the Demon Lord, I believed that if she embraced me, she would wait patiently no matter what magic I used.

And indeed, you trusted me and waited.

The first human I saw since birth was so kind. And she became the being I love most.

To the point where I need nothing else besides her.

So I wanted to capture her appearance alongside this ecstatic scenery.

“Mom, smile.”

Though we were far apart, she somehow understood and smiled.

A pure and clear smile. The smile she always gives me when she looks at me.

I was captivated by her smiling face but calmed myself, remembering my purpose.

A beautiful background and a beautiful person.

Unable to tear my eyes away from the sight, I smiled brighter than ever.

The completed magic, towards the location where Mom stood.

Click!

Along with the clicking sound, it was saved somewhere. And the magic hadn’t disappeared yet.

Setting a timer on the magic circle, I quickly ran and stood beside Mom.

As I linked arms, Mom stroked my head.

“What were you doing?”

“I’ll show you later. For now, smile again.”

Saying so, I smiled towards where the magic was. Mom tilted her head but looked at the magic as I said. With the same face as before.

Click!

Following the bursting sound, a white light flashed from the magic.

Satisfied, I reviewed the saved scene and started walking again with Mom, arms linked.

While walking, Mom asked about the magic I used earlier.

“So, what was that magic you showed earlier?”

“Hmm. A portrait? Should I call it that?”

“Really? Can you show Mom now?”

I hesitated at her words. I originally planned to show it on a special day later, but since it was Mom’s request, I floated the saved scene in the air with mana.

Fwoosh.

Blue light swirled in the air, eventually settling into a rectangular shape.

“Wow! You took this? The picture is so pretty!”

“Picture?”

I didn’t know what a picture was, but she seemed to say it after seeing the recorded scene.

“Oops. It’s nothing. Anyway, it came out really well. Jahy has such talent too. Is it because the background is pretty?”

No. This scene is pretty and beautiful entirely because you are in it.

Whatever the background, even if it wasn’t this specific place and sky. The place where you are becomes a beautiful place.

I wanted to say this fact, but anticipating her reaction, I hesitated for a moment. If I said it directly, she would probably laugh and interpret it as a child’s playful words.

I don’t particularly want that. I don’t intend to remain your child forever. Not a child, but… should I stop here?

Smiling sweetly at Mom’s question, I snuggled closer.

“Jahy. Can you transfer this to paper? I want to keep looking at it.”

The scene I showed Mom just now only depicted Mom and me smiling side-by-side. The scene with only Mom, only I will see.

Nodding at Mom’s question, I spoke.

“I’ll make it big when we get back to the mansion.”

I haven’t been to the Duchy estate yet, but surely they wouldn’t lack a single large piece of paper?

However, there was one worrying fact. How Lilac would react to this.

“Mommy, Mommy.”

Calling her name twice, I spoke in a coquettish voice.

“Yes? Why?”

Mom replied with a smile.

“That picture? Only Mom should see it? Don’t show it to the Duchess.”

“Hm? Pfft. Okay. I’ll do that.”

As expected, Mom granted my request. Her laughing as if finding me cute was annoying, but I liked seeing her laugh, so I just stayed quiet.

As we walked back to the temple, Mom suddenly spoke.

“Jahy. How about spaghetti for dinner tonight? Is that okay?”

Come to think of it, we bought ingredients while wandering around earlier. I put them in the subspace and forgot.

There was no reason to refuse Mom’s cooking. Because it’s the most delicious food I’ve eaten so far. And when I eat, she always smiles.

Maybe that’s why I became obsessed with food.

Nodding vigorously, expressing strong affirmation, Mom burst out laughing.

Wondering why she was laughing, I tilted my head, and the answer came from Mom.

“No, no. I just didn’t expect you to like it that much. The meals from the temple should be more delicious.”

“No way. Temple, that trash-like foo- I mean, tasteless food, what’s delicious about it?”

Not wanting to dirty Mom’s ears, I quickly changed my words mid-sentence.

I looked at Mom’s face, which expressed doubt at my words.

“The temple food wasn’t tasty?”

I answered Mom’s question immediately.

“Compared to Mom’s cooking, it’s utterly miserable.”

There’s a contradiction in my words. The temple food looked like a noble’s meal. But the food Mom made is more delicious.

These were not empty words, truly.

“Thank you for saying that… Hmm. Never mind. Then we should hurry back and make it.”

Mom pondered for a moment, then quickened her pace.

I also wanted to eat Mom’s cooking quickly, so I hurried to follow.

Walking along, feeling extremely elated, the corners of my lips lifted.

Because today was so fun and happy.

“Thank you for saying that… Hmm. Never mind. Then we should hurry back and make it.”

Jahy’s words bothered me slightly, but I decided to let it go. I thought a 10-year-old child’s vocabulary might be slightly twisted, but I could talk to her about it later.

I quickened my pace, but there was still some distance to the temple.

Due to my pathetic stamina, I had been repeating the cycle of resting and walking since entering the capital.

That was partly why we couldn’t explore the entire capital.

Walking a little, I felt short of breath and looked around.

Trying to find a suitable place to sit, but there was nowhere.

Do I have to keep going like this? Or should I ask Edwyn?

Such worries continued, but Jahy beside me lifted her arm and pointed straight ahead with her finger.

“Mom, want to rest on that bridge for a bit?”

Following Jahy’s finger, I turned my head, and indeed there was a bridge.

Below it, a stream flowed gently, making a clear sound.

“Hmm. Is that okay?”

“What do you mean, is that okay? Of course, we need to rest.”

Jahy frowned, pulled my arm, and sat me down suitably on the bridge.

Should I call it a railing? Sitting there, stars twinkled greetings in the now completely dark night sky.

Jahy sat on the ground, buried her face in my thighs, and looked up at the sky with me. More accurately, it seemed like she was looking at me…

The sky, displaying a magnificent view unseen in my past life, was incredibly beautiful.

Stars shining in various colors were densely embedded in the night sky.

In the center, a large moon shone, and I felt its light directed towards me. Is that thought too chuunibyou…?

Well. I am pretty like a protagonist.

Lost in self-admiration, absorbed in the atmosphere, Jahy suddenly spoke.

“Mom.”

“Hm?”

Lowering my head, I shifted my gaze to Jahy looking at me.

“Mom, do you like the Duchess more, or me more?”

Momentarily flustered, I soon smiled and gave Jahy the answer she wanted to hear.

“Jahy, of course. I like my daughter much more.”

“I like Mom lots too.”

Somehow, Jahy’s smiling face felt chilling…

Shaking it off, I looked back at the night sky.

Sometime later, Jahy was about 3 meters away, and the magic I saw earlier had reappeared.

As the night breeze scattered my hair, I tucked it behind my ear.

Click!

Along with the sound of a flash, Jahy’s magic also disappeared.

“Pretty.”

Agreeing with Jahy’s muttered words, I gazed at the stars.

Only much later did I realize that the ‘pretty’ Jahy mentioned referred not to the night sky, but to me.