Book 14: Chapter 18
“What are you saying?!” exclaimed Mommy Vyvyan.
Mommy Vyvyan threw down her fork and knife. Befuddlement appeared in her blood-red eyes, but the anger in them was more prominent. Mom was no different to a prairie that was ablaze. Her fury would burn even me, her son, to ashes. She took in a deep breath in an attempt to suppress her fury. Shaking and, in a serious tone, she exclaimed, “Son, Son, did you understand what I said? I told you that I could treat the root of your condition. Why do you still want to leave home? Don’t you want to return to the North to live as you did in the past? Wasn’t Mommy clingy and helping you heal so that you could return? If you go back now and expend all of your mana, you’ll die. No, actually, you’ll start attacking the elves nearby before you run out of mana!!”
I grabbed my head. Without caring about anything, I roared at Mom, “Isn’t that how I am right now?! Am I not attacking the elves around me right now? Mom, I don’t care about you killing, but I can’t accept you killing just to sustain my life. Isn’t this the same as me eating people? Doesn’t that mean you’ll have to kill more people? You said you’d use a magic formation to transfer mana to me. Doesn’t that mean that the elves of Duargana will be lacking mana, then?!”
“That’s not our problem! They’re our vassals and people, so they should give up what they have for their ruler! Moreover, it’ll only cost them a tiny amount of mana given that the entire city is providing you with mana. Duargana is an infinite mana source. The elves there will provide you with a constant influx of mana; subsequently, you’ll never have mana insufficiency symptoms!”
Perhaps the atmosphere between us turned dangerous, since we were yelling at each other. Vyvyan was likely to have a tendency to attack people in that situation. It was evident she was aware of that, so she didn’t continue shouting. Instead, she took in big breaths to try and calm down. She then used a mild tone to speak to me: “Son, don’t be wilful. Mommy knows you’re very kind and unwilling to hurt any innocent people, but you’re about to die. You’re on the verge of death. This is the only way Mommy can save you. This is not your problem. You’re still a normal elf. Mommy will be responsible for any investigations or punishments. You don’t need to worry about anything; you’ll be fine. Trust Mommy. Nobody’s life will be impacted.”
Mom pleaded me. Dumbfounded, I stood in place. I was genuinely very sad. Just how ridiculous was it? The person doing the saving begged the person they were saving to save them. Mom saved me. She gave me the ability to continue living, yet she was virtually on her knees, wanting me to accept the kind gesture. She begged me to accept her help. That was how Mom would forever be.
I couldn’t just accept it, though. I couldn’t go absorbing the mana of others. I destroyed my own body. It had nothing to do with Mommy Vyvyan, Mommy Elizabeth or the elves of Duargana. They had no reason to die for us. They didn’t have to pay for what I did, and they certainly shouldn’t die for me. Mom shouldn’t give up her conscience for my sake, either.
It was all my fault. Endangering those around me for my own mistake was unacceptable. I should still be able to make it in time. I believed it wasn’t too late for Mommy Vyvyan to stop. I assumed she should still be able to revert back to how she was as long as I could withstand the urge to suck blood.
I shook my head. In a gentle voice, I said, “Mom, I can’t; I can’t endanger the elves of Duargana for my own sake. This has nothing to do with them. They have no obligation to endanger themselves for me. Mom, you can’t continue living this way, either. You’re still the most outstanding and benevolent ruler to the elves. Stop now before anybody finds out, Mom. Don’t become an evil demon for my sake; don’t abandon your conscience for me. I don’t want to see you become a blood-sucking dark elf from now because of me. Mom, I should leave. After I return to the North to see my children, I’ll find myself a proper burial. Mom, I no longer have regrets thanks to you and my wives.”