Emis Argument!!

* * *

Eh?

I want to leave the island.

Upon hearing these words from me with my head deeply bowed, Lairine froze stiffly.

W-Why? Why are you suddenly saying that?

And she started to get flustered with moistened eyes.

No, its not sudden.

I clearly said before that Im running away from home.

Whats with that surprised reaction as if its out of the blue?

<After the topic was derailed due to the appearance of the calamity Since Emi didnt say anything, she probably convinced herself that you had already given up on running away, suiting her own convenience.>

Hey, Emi-chan? If you stay here, you can eat delicious meals every day, you know? There are warm and soft futons, you know? Theres nothing here that can hurt you, you know?

But theres Kenu-chan, right?

Kenu-chan will be fine as long as Im here!! Even if Im out for work, arrangements are in place so I can immediately fly back if Kenu-chan starts to emerge!! Emi-chan, you can at least buy time until then, right? Right? Theres no reason for you to leave this place, is there? Emi-chan, lets live with Mommy forever and ever from now on? Lets live happily together forever and ever!?

No.

I let out a sigh.

This woman, who as usual only speaks for her own convenience, is gradually getting on my nerves, but I grit my teeth and endure it.

Fighting wont get us anywhere, so I took the approach of negotiating.

Calmly and sincerely.

And without falsehood, I face Lairine.

Why noooot!?

With moist eyes and a nasal voice, Lairine shouts.

On the other hand, I clearly, understandably, and politely convey my reason.

Because I dislike you.

<Thats quite blunt, isnt it!?>

Whoosh!!

An exceptionally strong wind passes between us who have fallen silent.

The gazebo creaks.

The swaying of the pillars making creaking sounds settles down after more than ten seconds.

During that time, Lairine kept her head down the whole time.

Her long hair swaying in the wind gets in the way, and I cant read her expression at all.

No.

And after the silence, the words Lairine finally squeezed out were these.

No! No no no no no! I dont like that! Do you have any idea how many years it took for me to meet you!? 300 years!? Emi-chan! After all that time, I finally met you, the one I should love! And yet, saying goodbye already!? Thats I absolutely hate that!! I love you, Emi-chan! I absolutely dont want to part with you!!

Saying that, Lairine swept away the table in the gazebo, approached me, and shook my shoulders.

Shes very close.

So close that our eyelashes might touch.

The mental pressure is quite intense, but I must never yield!

Deal with it. I dislike you to death.

I love Emi-chan more than anything in this world! I love you so much! Thats why Ill never let you go! Always together!! Because Im Emi-chans mother!!

The argument is at a standstill.

While suppressing the urge to throw a punch that Im tempted to do, I try to deal with it as calmly as possible.

If I get excited along with the other party who is already excited, the conversation wont move forward.

Especially with this woman who operates on a logic different from ordinary people, theres no telling what she might do if she gets excited.

At worst, as Extra-sama said before, my limbs might be torn off and I might be confined.

Careful attention is necessary when dealing with her.

My body unintentionally stiffens from the tension.

<Emi!>

And here, a sudden call.

What?

Extra-sama.

<Up until now I was hesitating whether I should say it now or not, but!>

Huh, what is it?

At Extra-samas quite serious tone, I unintentionally hold my breath.

<This structure is not a gazebo!! This is!! A pergola!!!>

I can definitely assert that with certainty!!

Thats not something you should be saying right now!!

And seriously, youve been persistent with this pergola thing!!?

But hahaha.

Thanks to that, the tension in my shoulders has loosened up nicely.

Thank you, Extra-sama.

<No, no, youre welcome. This is all thanks to the will of the pergola.>

Whats the will of the pergola?

Dont say nonsensical things with momentum.

Anyway, putting aside the comedy in my head.

I held Lairines hands and gently removed them from my shoulders as much as possible.

And while holding those hands, I firmly grasped them with my small palms.

While holding them, I stared straight into Lairines eyes.

You dont want to be apart from me because youre my mother?

Thats right!

I sighed and shook my head.

Thats no good. If youre truly a mother, you must be apart from me.

Huh!? W-What are you saying!?

Hearing my unexpected words, Lairine was startled and flustered, blinking her eyes.

Ah, poor Lairine.

You, who longed for a family, didnt know what a family truly is because the more you longed for it, the farther it was from you.

Im not knowledgeable enough about family to say such a pretentious thing either.

Rather, if I were to compare myself to the general public, I think my understanding of such things is shallow.

But I know this much for certain.

A family, a child

I am not my mothers doll.

If you keep me by your side and continue to love me, is that truly love?

Theres no way thats the case!

Ill teach you that now, Lairine.

To the point where youll be at a loss for words!