Mom hugged my head, frowned as she gently stroked my head and exclaimed: "Mommy is very angry now. We made a deal that you were only allowed to be out for one hour, but you're back three whole minutes late!"

I knelt on the ground as my head was wedged between mom's soft valleys as she sat by the bedside, tightly holding me in her embrace without any regard for whether or not I could breathe.

"Ugh!!"

I desperately tried to move my body to finally get my head out of the embrace of those warm twin valleys smothered with the scent of flowers. I raised my head up to look at mom, smiled helplessly and said: "It was only 3 minutes… And mom, could you please not disturb the peace and ma.s.ses next time…? I'll definitely return."

"Hmph, you're calling another person mom now, so how can I trust you?" Mom pouted her lips… Her att.i.tude, expressions, tone and persistent jealousy were completely different to Lucia… Mom stroked my head and then said: "Now I have even more reason to not let my son go out as he currently is. What if you run off to the human nation and get lovey-dovey with that woman? I'll be left to wither and die in loneliness."

I smiled weakly. I don't believe she'll wither and die in loneliness. I reckon the mainland would be destroyed by the time I reached the border… The anger of humans can only wipe out the elves, but I'm sure that she as a half-deity could destroy the entire mainland. I can't offend any of my mothers or the people will be plunged into misery and suffering the way they did ten years ago.

Actually, it'll probably be even worse, won't it?

"I won't. I won't leave you mom. I never will."

"You're so cute, son!"

Mom finally let out a laugh, gave me a heavy lip smack on my forehead, and then pulled my head tightly in between her valleys again as she rubbed my head with them vigorously. I desperately raised my head, looked at mom and then carefully chose my words before asking: "Mom, I want to partic.i.p.ate in the deer hunting festival, is that alright?"

Mom revealed a gentle smile, stroked my head and outright rejected me: "No."

"Why…? I really want to partic.i.p.ate and prove myself too, and… And don't all male elves partic.i.p.ate?"

Mom took my hand, placed it on her face, and then smiled and said: "Not all the male elves partic.i.p.ate. Only the soldiers from the imperial guard unit, children of n.o.ble families and maybe some hunters partic.i.p.ate. Do you have the confidence to beat them? Son, n.o.body will say anything if you don't partic.i.p.ate, but if you partic.i.p.ate and lose, then that will be embarra.s.sing. Further, you have to sleep in caves and the wilderness if you partic.i.p.ate. You'll have to face wolves, hyenas, snakes… Just the very thought of that is enough to convince me to forbid you from partic.i.p.ating!"

"Mom! I really want to partic.i.p.ate… I want to experience it once even if I don't succeed…"

I pouted as I hugged mom around her waist and took the initiative to throw myself into her embrace. I trust that this is like the ultimate attack to her, and I noticed mom's body shake just as I expected. She then hugged me and in a pampering tone asked: "Mmm…can you tell me why you want to partic.i.p.ate then? What's so interesting about the deer hunting festival? Is it for fame or glory?"

I looked at mom, and while blus.h.i.+ng softly said: "I want…to propose to Lucia after the festival…"

Wha-…. I seem to have said something wrong…

I felt the atmosphere overflowing with love suddenly become tense. I raised my head and noticed that mom's face had completely frozen up. Her whole body was frozen in place. Her arms she was hugging me with started to tremble while her eyes became scary… Hey, hey, hey!! You're not serious! You could accept Lucia as my fiancé and yet now you're enraged because I want to marry her?

"No… No… Fiancé, fiancé…"

Mom took in a deep breath and forcefully persuaded herself. She then revealed a smile she obviously struggled to put on as she looked at me and in a shaky voice said: "If you want to get married… Mommy's opinion is more important than the deer hunting festival, right? Why didn't you tell mommy about wanting to get married with Lucia? You two have only come of age, so isn't it too soon to get married? I think you two should wait another few decades."

"Umm… Mom… Isn't a few decades too long…?"

"Not at all! I don't feel like a few centuries are too long with you by mommy's side! Son, love takes time. You two may have liked each other since you were young, but…but… No matter what you think, mommy thinks it's too early for you two to get married! You can't! You can't!!"

It looks like mom's not willing to come up with excuses anymore… Mom outright rejected my request again. She then looked at herself slightly disappointed and asked: "You've changed a bit, son… You acknowledged that woman when you went to the humans… You're so pa.s.sionate about Lucia… You even want to get married now… Why? Why have you become so close to humans? Son, when did you change…?"

I completely froze up in place as I looked at mom. No way! No way! Did I get busted?! But…but, I guess…. My concept of time is the same as humans' concept of time. From my perspective, a few decades are the equivalent of my entire life, but it's probably when elves have just entered adulthood.

But I'm a half-blood, so how is my lifespan calculated? I only have the appearance of a human, but my physiology is probably full-elf.

Moreover, the previous Troy was a complete mom-con. He only had eyes for his mother. I bet he treated Lucia like normal. But I'm not him! Although mom is indeed extremely alluring…

I looked at mom and softly replied: "Because…I nearly died… And hence, I have no sense of when my life will end so… So, I want to do whatever I can and not wait around."

Mom looked at me, gently stroked my head, then smiled helplessly and said: "This is the concept of time humans have… Humans learn and act with all their might because of their short lifespans. However, perhaps it's because of this very fact that humanity has managed to develop so much in only a few centuries. Mommy understands now… Mommy won't stop you from marrying Lucia, since you two will have to live in the imperial palace after getting married anyway. Uhm, go partic.i.p.ate in the deer hunting festival then, son."

I excitedly stood up, and excitedly asked: "Really?!"

Mom smiled, then took my hand and said; "Yes."

"But… But… I honestly don't have any confidence in winning…"

"Partic.i.p.ate with Lucia."

Mom looked at me and said: "Lucia kills a white deer as an offering every month, so she has a very good understanding of white deer. When the time comes, you two can kill a white deer king together, which will also be a great moment to propose. I won't have to be worried if you two can stick together through thick and thin."

I considered it for a moment. Normally, a couple needs to do something together before getting married to nurture their love for one another, right? We're nurturing ours in a rather b.l.o.o.d.y fas.h.i.+on… However, I do feel much more confident with Lucia's aid. Lucia has the buff of wind elves and is even faster than a white deer at her top speed.

And just as mom said, Lucia is a remarkable hunter.

"Alright! Thanks mom!"

"Haha. Son, go get ready."

"Make sure to eat well the next two days. Mommy will show you some wilderness survival skills. Mommy is very good at living in the wilderness, you know?"

I don't know why mom must kiss me on my lips, but I still ended up leaning over and kissing mom's rosy lips which were like cherry petals. Mom smiled then affectionately stroked my head again and said: "I'll have to personally plan for this deer hunting festival since my son wants to partic.i.p.ate…"