NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 60
Chapter 60. Mother and Father
The awakening was terrible.
My body felt unnaturally heavy due to a lack of blood, and my head throbbed with pain.
“So rough…”
I pressed a hand to my forehead and assessed the situation.
The bed I’d been sleeping in was clearly luxurious and comfortable. Scanning the room, I saw it was completely white, and the presence of medicine on a nearby shelf suggested this was a hospital room.
Dragging my sluggish body upright, I got out of bed and approached the window.
The setting sun cast a crimson glow over the town, faintly illuminating it.
It seemed I was quite far from where the facility had been, as there was no sign of destruction in this town.
I opened the window wide, stretched my arms, and took a deep breath.
“I’m lacking strength…”
I had managed to protect the target I was supposed to guard, but everything else had gone terribly wrong.
Was it experience I lacked? Effort? Perhaps both.
“Onii-chan!”
A young girl’s voice called out.
I turned around to confirm who it was.
Before I could even say anything, she closed the distance between us and clung tightly to my waist.
“I’m so glad… I’m so glad…”
“It seems I caused you a lot of worry. But I’m fine now.”
The girl—Takamiyama Runa—squeezed me tightly, sobbing.
Her tears and snot soaked my clothes, but I resigned myself to it.
I could almost imagine the dragon emblem on my clothes crying as well, but that was probably my imagination.
“You’re awake?!”
Next, the butler Igai-san and the eldest daughter of the Takamiya family, Haruka-sama, entered the room.
When I smiled to show I was okay, both of them exhaled in relief, and Igai-san bowed deeply.
“Thank you so much for this. Without you, we…”
“No, no, I just did what I had to do. It’s my job, after all. Besides, even if I hadn’t been there, that red-haired guy we ran into would have managed somehow.”
That guy didn’t kill the monster because I was there. If I hadn’t been, the enemy would’ve been defeated at that point. Next time I see him, I might just complain a bit.
“Leon-sama could probably have handled it, yes. But it was you who saved us this time. Your bravery inspired everyone and pulled us out of despair. I know it may not mean much, but please accept my heartfelt gratitude.”
“Uh… alright. I’ll humbly accept your gratitude, Igai-san.”
What is this overly embarrassing situation?
It’s the first time someone’s been so thankful to me, and it’s making me feel all awkward.
Scratching the back of my head, I announced that I’d be leaving soon.
“What?! Already?”
“Yeah, I’m fully recovered, and I have other tasks waiting for me.”
“That’s… unfortunate. I thought you’d rest a bit longer. Besides, we haven’t even properly thanked you yet.”
Seeing Haruka-sama and Igai-san’s disappointed expressions gave me a slight pang of guilt, but I pushed it aside. The payment would be deposited directly into my account, and that was enough. More importantly, I wanted to see Sally as soon as possible! Of course, I’d head home first, but I needed something soothing before I ended up with a stomach ulcer.
“Onii-chan… you’re leaving?”
Ugh… don’t look at me with those teary eyes.
Her wavering gaze pierced my heart.
“We’ll meet again soon. Call for me anytime you need me. I’ll come running.”
“Sniff… okay.”
She must have decided not to trouble me further because she let go and stepped back.
“Promise me… you’ll come back… okay?”
Wiping her tears, she smiled radiantly—a smile that truly resembled that of an angel.
Lightly patting Runa-sama’s head, I left the hospital room.
◇
“Ahhh… so tired.”
I had planned to head straight home after leaving the hospital, but I didn’t expect Saionji-san and Kirsaka-senpai to be gone already. Never thought I’d end up running home with a body still recovering…
“I’m back!”
“Welcome back!”
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Help meeee!”
…Something doesn’t seem right here.
I heard Ao’s usual cheerful reply, followed by the cold voice of a witch and the desperate screams of some livestock.
Gulp.
Sweat beaded on my forehead as I swallowed nervously.
Steeling myself, I opened the door with force.
“Why? Why don’t you only look at me? You’re always late replying to messages. Are you meeting other women?”
“That’s ridiculous! I reply to all your messages within ten seconds! Over a hundred a day, mind you—oof?!”
“I won’t tolerate backtalk.”
“Welcome home, Onii-chan!”
I quietly closed the door.
Let me explain what just happened. After I greeted them, I opened the door to the living room cautiously, only to find…
A witch was “preparing” a sacrifice.
She had bound her victim, thrown him to the floor, and lounged on the sofa, glaring at him coldly.
What’s going on here? I don’t even understand my own words anymore. This isn’t just frustration or fear; I glimpsed something far more terrifying…
But enough joking around—I opened the door again.
“I’m back. So, Mom and Dad, what exactly are you doing…?”
“Questioning if my husband’s love is true.”
“Hayato! Do something about your mother!”
As usual, Mom was being a total maniac, and Dad was shouting.
“Dad, I don’t know how you put up with Mom.”
“Heh, that’s what it means to be hopelessly in love.”
He was trying to sound cool, but it wasn’t working at all.
Apparently, Dad fell for Mom back in their school days, confessed repeatedly, and finally won her over after much persistence. At first, they were a typical lovey-dovey couple, but over time, Mom’s possessive nature started showing, and she began to restrict Dad.
You’d think he’d leave her at that point, but instead, Dad became even more infatuated with her love for him. After years of what could be called a “toxic relationship,” they got married.
Mom is strange, but Dad is equally so. Well, I guess that’s the only way someone could reply to over a hundred messages daily. I just hope Ao doesn’t start emulating them.
“So, Mom, does this mean you’ve sorted out Ao’s powers?”
“Yup, all good! Her stats dropped to 4,000. She could get taken down by a monster now.”
Ao’s probably the only one who’d be happy about her stats going down. Then again, even with reduced stats, no monster could actually kill her.
“Hayato, where have you been all this time?”
“Working. Just working.”
Not exactly the kind of thing a sixteen-year-old should be saying. Guess I’m on track to be a corporate drone someday.
“You’re so responsible, using your power to help others. I’m so proud of you.”
Her gentle embrace warmed my heart.
“But you really took a beating, didn’t you?”
Her voice turned cold enough to freeze me in place.
“W-what do you mean? Look, not a scratch on me. Of course, I won flawlessly! Hahaha…”
“You must have had some amazing healer with you. But your pale face tells me you lost a lot of blood, and your body’s slight tremors suggest you used Takemikazuchi’s power.”
Oh… everything’s been found out.
This is terrifying. Could the kind Mom from a moment ago please come back? I’ll do anything!
“Looks like I’ll need to toughen you up a bit.”
Sorry, everyone. I might be leaving this world soon.