Chapter 167: The Exchange of Offense and Defense Between Mother and Son
「Alfried-sama, please wake up」
I slowly open my heavy eyelids after being shaken slowly by Sara.
Immediately after I opened them, my vision is filled with Sara’s glossy black hair.
「Huh? I should have returned to Koryatt village, haven’t I?」
「What are you talking about Alfried-sama. This is the residence of the house of Slowlett in Koryatt village」
Sara answers as she opened the curtain and the window when I was rubbing my sleepy eyes and saying that.
Soon, the dim room instantly turns bright, then I feel the fresh air flow inside the room.
The air sealed inside the room is now replaced by the fresh air from the outside.
As I breathe the refreshing air into my lungs, the air spreads inside my body.
Aah, this is really the residence of the Slowlett house in Koryatt village.
I was convinced after breathing this fresh air and seeing the verdant scenery outside the window.
Because I saw Sara’s black hair as soon as I opened my eyes, I thought for a moment that maybe I’m still back at the ryokan in Kagura.
I was relieved that I made it back and lie down again without worrying about it anymore.
The feeling of me lying on my bed after a long time is so comfortable.
I was mostly sleeping in the carriage during the trip and from time to time, I woke up on the bed of the inn. It’s been a while since I slept on my own bed. I want to enjoy this soft sensation for a while more.
Besides, despite yesterday being the day I’ve arrived back home from our trip, I was forcibly taken by Nord-tousan to have a practice and now I’m having sore muscles. I felt the pain just by twisting my body to look out of the window while lying on my side. This is a sign from my body, complaining that it’s a serious injury. So I should follow the sign.
「Why are you going back to sleep again! It’s already time for breakfast and do you know that Nord-sama and Elna-sama have already seated themselves?」
「It hurts! Sara, it hurts! I’m having sore muscles because of yesterday’s practice. Don’t shake my body!」
「Ah, I’m sorry」
When I complained about my sore muscles, Sara let go of her hands while apologizing.
Even though I just said that I have sore muscles. No wait, I just thought about it in my mind and didn’t tell Sara. Nothing I can do with this.
「I can’t walk down there because it hurts so bad, so bring my breakfast to my room」
「I don’t think Nord-sama and Elna-sama will accept that kind of excuse though?」
「It’s not an excuse. This is a patient’s condition. So I would be happy if could bring my breakfast here after Sara report it to Nord-tousan and the others」
「……that’s fine though but, I’m not sure? 」
When I answered like that, Sara leaves my room with an astonished expression on her face.
I’m a bit worried about that last line though, oh well whatever.
With this, I can sleep all day, and I can eat my breakfast later at any timing I prefer.
I’m sorry for Bartolo for letting the breakfast go cold, but I’m currently a sick person.
As expected, even Bartolo would probably forgive me because of that.
I rolled myself in the futon while thinking like that, and when I closes my eyes I can hear the vague sound of someone fast walking and climbing the stairs from the first floor.
These footsteps are not Sara’s. The sensation of the footsteps is deeper than Sara’s, and it has a unique rhythm.
This is Elna-kaasan’s footsteps.
「What do you mean you can’t walk because of sore muscles. Quickly wake up and come out」
Click.
The moment I hear Elna-kaasan’s voice coming from in front of the door, I use Psychic and lock the door.
「Hm!?」
Elna-kaasan tried to open the door but because I had locked the door, she got blocked by the door and let out a strange groan.
Fufufu, I know the structure of the key to my room. If I use the non-attributed magic Psychic, then this kind of matter is nothing to me.
Indeed, no mother would bring a spare key to wake up her son. It’d be great if she came again later.
「What’s the meaning of locking the door when your mother is coming to wake you up. Moreover, you used the non-attributed magic Psychic」
「Your son is a sick person, so you should let him rest」
「Where can you find a sick person who has sore muscles. Don’t say stupid things and quickly get up. Your breakfast will get cold you know」
「No way」
The usual me will not resist so stubbornly like this………probably.
The ache caused by the practice this time is really painful. So that’s why, I want you to kindly bring me my breakfast here.
「If you said it that much, then I’m going to force you to come out of your room with my real strength, all right? The one who uses magic before is you after all」
Elna-kaasan started to say dangerous things just like Eleonora-neesan. Could it be that the reason she became so short-tempered than usual during this exchange is that the breakfast will get cold if this continues?
If that’s the case, you could just leave me alone
Elna-kaasan’s magic aptitudes are Fire and Water.
It’s dangerous to use Fire magic since we’re inside the mansion. There’s the method of roasting me with the hot air of this summer heat, but can Elna-kaasan do such a delicate magic control?
Well, even if she can use them, I can just cool them using Ice magic. It’s definitely not impossible to deal with it.
Then as for using Water magic, it’s also impossible for her to cast it inside from outside. Even if she cast it, then the hallway and the inside of my room will be drenched and as expected, I don’t think she will take it that far……probably.
「『I ask thee Worm your way into this place』」
As I was pondering about her methods while worrying about it, Elna-kaasan omitted the chants for her magic and cast Water magic.
Immediately after, the water formed the shape of a snake and forcefully rushes inside by slithering into the room through the small gap between the floor and the door.
Then it came flying toward me who is lying on the bed.
「Uwaaaaaaaa! Using Water magic is a foul!」
「Ufufu, if you controlled Water magic skillfully, then it can enter into any place, you see」
The water invades the room without making the entire floor wet. The water rushes into the room from the hallway, it’s like they’re weaving their way between the small gap of the door and the floor, and they immediately swelled the moment they entered the room.
The enemy is using her skill by changing and sensing the delicate mass of the water and sending it flying toward me without seeing them.
Elna-kaasan is quite a skilled magician, no doubt about it. Under normal circumstances, using magic to control water that is in a fluid state is difficult. Being able to use them as her hands and feet like this………
She left me with an indescribable feeling, I mean, I don’t know what she’s been thinking about in these last few years to be able to make the shape of her magic turns into something like this.
But, I am a magician. I can’t be defeated by this sort of ‘flooding the castle’ tactic.
I put my hand out toward the direction of the rushing water and fired a wave of cold air of the Ice magic.
The rushing water is now frozen by the low temperature of the cold wave and turns into a sculpture of a snake. White, cold mist is drifting in the room, and the temperature inside instantly dropped.
Perhaps it’s thanks to the time that it’s currently midsummer that the sweltering air became comfortably cold
「Kuh, that reminds me, my son can use Ice magic. I forgot about it since it’s only used for making juice and water」
「Now that you mention it, I feel like I’ve been using Ice magic as general-purpose magic from the start」
It’s the first time since I use Ice magic that I’m using it for self-defense. And I think it’s kinda strange that my own mother is attacking me.
「My feet feel pleasantly cold now」
The cold air that was confined in the room might have reached Elna-kaasan who is standing in the hallway. Since I can hear such a carefree tone from outside.
「That’s right, isn’t it. It’s summer after allー」
「Please use more Ice magic if it became hotter than it is, okay」
「Oh well if you insistー. ……aah, I’ll use Ice magic again if it gets hotter. Whoops!」
As I was talking with her, Elna-kaasan made another water rushes into the room from the gap between the door again.
And I froze it using Ice magic.
「「…………」」
I predicted that Elna-kaasan will do something like this. I mean, I have not been your son for seven years for nothing.
Fufufu, with this if Elna-kaasan also makes a move――
Just when I was thinking about some situations that might arise, my body became cold to a level that can’t be taken lightly.
「It, it’s cold!」
「It’s strange to be cold since it’s summer now, don’t you think」
As I lie down and cover myself with the futon, I can hear Elna-kaasan’s surprised voice coming from the hallway.
That’s really true.
That’s strange, even though it’s currently summer. Sara should have opened the window, but without realizing it the room is filled with white, cold air from my Ice magic.
I’m currently covering myself with the futon, but the futon itself is the one meant for summer. It’s comfortable and thin, and it doesn’t have good protection against cold.
In other words, while I’m lying down like this in my bed, the temperature inside my room will continuously drop……
「Blasted! I can’t sleep in such a cold place!」
Before I caught a cold in the middle of summer, I jump out of my bed and move toward the door.
And then, even as I put my hand on the doorknob while recognizing my loss, the door doesn’t move one bit.
「Hu, huh? I can’t open the door?」
「It’s obvious, isn’t it? Al is the one who froze the door, after all」
……now that you mention it, that’s right.
「You can’t melt the ice with magic since it will make the floor wet, okay?」
「…………」
What should I do now?
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