Fight

“In the first place, you seee, something like ‘technique’ is, after all, nothing but the struggling of the weak, you knooow”

Right fist, then left.

Right, left, right.

Lairine speaks with a smile, parrying every attack I throw.

“That's why, Emi-chan. For us, the truly strong, you seee? It's something we just don't need. It doesn't, suit us, you knooow! Mm-hmm!”

She dodges my low roundhouse kick with a light hop and easily catches the kick I aim at her waist.

So, using the grip on my leg as a pivot, I swing my entire body toward Lairine with all my might and strike her with the momentum.

I press her with some pretty unorthodox moves, but it does no good.

She catches my punching arm and tosses me lightly into the air.

I spin around and land.

“Of course, Emi-chan, you're still weak. But that's only next to meee! Next to the rabble, you're already plenty strong, you knooow”

Stamping down so hard I gouge the ground, I close in on Lairine.

Right, left, right, left, right, left, right!

Face, belly, left shoulder, belly, belly, face, face!

To make up for my lack of height, I leap as I unleash a continuous barrage of punches.

“That's why you are, without a doubt, one of the strong. I guarantee iiit!”

But Lairine catches every one of them.

Those white, slender, beautiful fingertips easily block my attacks.

Bashin!

Bashin, bashin, bashin, bashin, bashin!

Only the impacts ring out, all for nothing.

“In other words, the struggling of the weak, ‘technique’ and such, doesn't suit you. From now on, all you need to do is force that blessed talent of yours on others and use violence however you like!”

Her hands moving faster than the eye can follow, Lairine catches, parries and brushes aside every last one of my punches, smiling sweetly.

In contrast to me, out of breath and dripping with sweat, this woman looks perfectly cool.

That pisses me off.

Pisses me off, pisses me off, pisses me off!

“That's the way of being of the strong that suits you! ......Do you understaaand?”

That arrogant way of thinking!

That condescending attitude!

I can't stand any of it anymore!!

“Don't screw with me!”

I launch a kick with everything I've got.

Of course, the strike is easily caught in Lairine's palm.

BASHIIIN!!

A particularly loud sound rings out, and the wind pressure tears away the surrounding grass, but it still doesn't affect Lairine in the slightest.

Using the palm that caught my leg as a foothold, I spring off and spin through the air, putting some distance between us.

“What...... what ‘way of being of the strong’!! Spouting whatever you like!!”

And I shout!

I hurl the feelings boiling up from the depths of my heart exactly as they are!

“DON'T BUTT INTO MY WAY OF BEING! I DECIDE MY WAY OF BEING!!”

My voice rings out across the grassland, where only the sound of the wind can be heard.

Lairine...... listens to it with her eyes wide open.

“THIS IS MY PRECIOUS, TREASURE! THROW IT AWAY? NO WAY!!”

My body feels hot, as if it's burning!

My anger won't subside!

Seeing me rant in a fit of fury, probably still expressionless, Lairine at last begins to fluster, breaking into a cold sweat.

“U, um, you seee, Emi-chan? I...... I was only thinking of what's best for Emi-chan......”

“SHUT UP, BE QUIET, DAMN OLD HAG!!”

“Damn ol......!!?”

At the words that slipped out of me before I could think, Lairine freezes stiff and goes still.

Then her face went red, and at last Lairine started getting angry too.

“H, how dare you talk like that to your mooom!?”

“SHUT UP! You're not a mother! You're just a damn old hag! Idiot, IDIOT!!”

I won't forgive this woman anymore!

I hurl sharp, knife-like words one after another!

“IDIOT! IDIOT!! IDIOOOT!!!”

It's a heartless, terrifying hailstorm of verbal abuse!!

“E, Emi-chan, what's gotten into you......?”

Lairine had a very hurt expression.

And that, once again, I can't stand.

Hurt?

Don't act like you're the only one who's hurt!

But if that were all, I could still have forgiven her.

This woman was only shocked for a fleeting moment.

Almost at once, delight began to creep into her expression.

Covering her cheeks with both hands to hide the blush, Lairine screamed!

“My quiet, well-behaved daughter, suddenly turning on me like this!? Could this be...... what they call a ‘rebellious phase’!? Kyaaaaah!!”

......She's screwing around.

Screwing around, from start to finish.

I don't know the background of this woman.

I don't know what she was thinking when she decided she wanted to be my mother.

I'm not interested, so I haven't asked.

Even so, she gave me food.

She gave me a bed.

She gave me clothes.

She stayed with me the whole time.

That's why even I!

That this must surely be what a mother is!

Had started to think so, just a little, and yet!

......Had started to think so, and yet!!

This woman!

From the start!

She never had any intention of becoming a mother from the start!

She just wanted to play at being a mother!!

“I've had enough......”

I look down and clench my fists tight.

“Eh......?”

Lairine's voice slips out, deflated.

“I've had it with this house...... I'm leaving!!”

I turned my back on Lairine and the mansion and ran at full speed toward the hills that ring the grounds!