#022. Swear Is Too Kind (1)

Theresa’s monstrous strength mercilessly pulverized even the mineral armor of the mineral creatures.

To the cat-eared beastkin guard captain, Hananya, it seemed that this side was closer to being the monster.

However, navigating the complex abandoned mine without a map was, as expected, impossible.

“The path has changednya! If we go deeper, we won’t be able to find the exit eithernya!”

“…If force can break through, break through, then retreat.”

The ore monsters, unwilling to forgive Theresa’s retreat after slaughtering their kin, blocked the undamaged passage with their bodies, gnawing at the blocked path to create openings, leading her astray.

Nyahaha realized the path had changed, and Theresa, without a word, slammed her fist into the wall of ore monsters.

*Kwang!* *Rumble.*

Dozens of ore worms were dislodged with a single blow, the ore wall collapsing in a heap.

Despite the monsters’ desperate vengeance, the two managed to escape the abandoned mine dungeon unscathed.

“I have no face to show my eldest.”

“That we returned alive is a miracle from this dungeon.”

For Theresa, excluding the request she abandoned to save Gorgo, this was her first true failure.

Her fist clenched, filled with power.

She was even more furious at the dungeon’s difficulty, which could not be overcome with mere overflowing strength.

‘At this rate, I can’t be the greatest mother.’

A great mother does not fail.

She knows no defeat.

She must earn a lot of money, enroll her child in a prestigious academy, and groom them to become a high-ranking official.

Especially given Ian’s talent.

That child could live a comfortable, easy life without difficult studies or effort, simply by utilizing his knack for putting women at ease.

Yet, he hadn’t resorted to the back alley way.

He produced helpful knowledge in every hunting ground.

Even though the fact that some of the sources of the trivial knowledge he displayed after Fairy Lilac might be that loathsome ex-husband, Ronowe, bothered her.

‘Even that was due to my inadequacy.’

Falling into despair, falling into hopelessness, falling into rage.

It was no different from being drunk, even without drinking alcohol.

What difference was there between being intoxicated by emotions boiling over and being intoxicated by alcohol?

Unable to regain her senses, unable to act like a normal person.

Unable to continue with her daily life.

Even neglecting her responsibilities as a mother.

She had nothing to say, even with ten mouths.

The memories of such powerlessness, the learned helplessness, resurfaced.

The despair Theresa felt from failing the dungeon conquest was this profound.

Her steps towards the village grew heavy.

It was only natural that her steps back to the village, like a father failing to earn a living, slowed down.

“It’s Theresa!”

“Wow! Theresa of Motherhood!”

From the village entrance, people discovered Theresa and made a fuss.

It was rare for her to gain this kind of popularity outside the guild, so she assumed she’d encountered adventurers returning late from a night mission.

However, as she walked along the main road to the guild, if more than twenty people shouted “Wow! Theresa!” then something was amiss.

“They’re not from the Adventurer’s Guild. Where did they hear my name?”

“Wow! Theresa of Motherhood spoke to me!”

Wondering why even ordinary people were acting like this, she singled one out to ask, but their fuss just wouldn’t stop.

Teresa flicked a roadside stone with her foot, crushing it to powder in her grip.

A sudden display of raw strength that would instill proper manners in any guild member, who’d imagine that grip pulverizing their shoulder blade. A commoner, however, would simply marvel at the celebrity’s surprise performance.

“Are you daft? How are you supposed to gather intel like that? Watch Nya-nim’s expertise, Nya!”

The cat-person swaggered toward the commoner.

Terrified, the commoner flinched, thinking this one some kind of thug. Hana-nya then threw an arm around his shoulder.

“Tell me honestly, and Nya will tell you how Teresa sleeps with Ian at night, Nya.”

“?!”

“Does she sleep with Ian tucked under her arm, lying face-down on his stomach, sitting and embracing him while guarding their surroundings, or maybe side-by-side, shoulder to shoulder, Nya? Aren’t you curious?”

“I am!”

“Then answer, Nya. Why has Teresa’s name suddenly become so widely known, Nya?”

The villager readily replied.

“It’s all thanks to your son, who highly values someone with the talents of a thief – a class often scorned – even a herald who ekes out a living by sacrificing their own well-being. Thanks to him, Teresa-nim’s reputation has risen as well, for raising her child so well.”

“Nyaa? Did Ian hold some kind of party recruitment drive, Nya?”

“Every able-bodied man in the village took the test. Even Rector, the butcher, struggled. I heard even famous adventurers from the guild failed. The reason so many adventurers swallowed their pride to take the test? Surely, it’s a sign of respect for Teresa-nim, who cleared that piggy bank quest!”

Teresa, who was trying to pretend she didn’t know anything, could see that things had gotten far too big to ignore.

Worrying that Ian might be in some danger he couldn’t handle, Teresa dashed off, forgetting all her previous hesitation.

“Aren’t you coming! Hey, you Nya!”

“But, Suin-nim, what about Ian! How do they sleep together! Does his mother hug him tight? Or does she let him use her arm as a pillow! You have to tell me before you go!”

The commoner’s lament, a cry of “He took the money and ran!” echoed on the street as they tripped and fell.

* * *

“So. This is the party member you chose?”

Mother scrutinized the herald sister with a frightening gaze.

She poked the herald sister’s arm, thigh, and waist with her finger, as if checking her muscle. Each time, the herald sister shrieked and cowered.

Given that Mother had the strength to pluck monster heads and hurl them, it would be understandable if she had bruises from the pokes tomorrow.

“She’s approved.”

“But what about her qualities…”

“You’ve seen her qualities enough, haven’t you?”

“…!”

“My son is the most upright child. I don’t doubt his judgment.”

What child wouldn’t feel gratitude in the face of such pure and unwavering faith?

If I had to name the emotion I felt right now, it would undoubtedly be gratitude.

Gratitude for my mother’s unwavering trust in me.

Confidence that anyone I chose would be capable enough.

Belief that I would never pick a party member who could harm my parents.

At the same time, guilt.

The guilt that this feeling, too, was a result of brainwashing.

The reality that, facing a maternal love that everyone in the world would acknowledge, only I, the recipient of that love, knew it was false.

This guilt was a burden to be carried for life, the responsibility of a single person to maintain this false relationship, and its attendant suffering.

“I saw endurance. The perseverance to withstand the pain of severed senses. The resolve not to disappoint the child who believed in her. She overcame her shortcomings with that endurance and resolve.”

“…!”

“So stand tall. Wherever you go, you are a full-fledged party member, one who can proudly proclaim their affiliation with Teresa’s Party.”

At her mother’s words, Yuzu, the messenger sister, shed tears, expressing her gratitude.

“Thank you. I am truly grateful…for acknowledging someone like me to this extent!”

“Self-deprecation is forbidden. I’ve told you. You are a party member I have recognized. Surely, you don’t intend to slight me now?”

“Absolutely not!”

Mother flicked a silver coin towards Gorgo.

Gorgo caught the coin on his forehead, cried out, clutched his head, and collapsed.

“…Go downstairs and bring up some drinks and snacks. And tomorrow afternoon is projectile defense training.”

Anna giggled and then, drowsy, fell asleep.

I too slipped into my bedding, closing my eyes but keeping my ears open, eavesdropping on the conversation.

“I’m Yuzu. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be an adventurer… but with a thief aptitude, I couldn’t join a party… so at least as a messenger… just then…”

The atmosphere was good.

Even with a bittersweet feeling in my heart, I could fall asleep feeling relieved.

* * *

The next day, Mother, along with the cat-kin guard captain and Yuzu, sister, embarked on a dungeon re-challenge as a three-person party.

But this time, we weren’t simply waiting idly in town for Mother to return.

“I’ve acquired information stating that exceeding the five-person limit increases the dungeon’s difficulty, but this restriction can be circumvented by staggering the entry of people at certain intervals.”

So many people had applied to become party members, and even if they only spoke a sentence or two, it added up to hundreds of words.

Thanks to that, I was able to gain knowledge about dungeons, both in-game and real-world.

“Even so, do you really think the two of us can protect you? Nina, maybe, but me…”

“Gorgo is weak, yes.”

“Ugh. Hearing it straight from your mouth, even though I know it, still stings a bit.”

“But it’s alright. If our second-string party enters the dungeon right after the first-string party, the first-stringers will eliminate the imminent dangers. And we, the second-stringers, can provide food and supplies.”

Above all, there was one major secret.

My mind control works on monsters too.

No, it works best on monsters.

Just encountering a monster in the dungeon could be safer than staying in town.

We couldn’t follow them now, but next time they venture into the dungeon, we have to go too.

But Gorgo looks so dejected, I should bolster his confidence a little before going to the dungeon with him.

“Gorgo. This is a secret between the two of us.”

“…What is it?”

“I’ll teach you a Mana Cultivation Method.”

Gorgo’s eyes widened.

“A cultivation method only knights usually learn? You? No, that’s surely… a cultivation method learned from the Teresa family, isn’t it?”

Not at all.

It’s just that I remember the contents of a Mana Cultivation Method book I acquired while playing the game.

A special skill often given to adventurers who were considered trustworthy.

It’s a basic Mana Cultivation Method, so the growth rate is slow, but it’s unconditionally better than not learning it.

It would raise an adventurer who hadn’t learned a Mana Cultivation Method by one rank.

But what’s important isn’t its efficacy.

Danger.

The nobles of this world are sensitive to mana cultivation techniques.

If they realize someone unqualified possesses such a skill.

They will seize them, torture them, and even kill them to obtain or eliminate the technique.

‘Gorgon is a good man. A man who shouldn’t die in vain. So… I’ll shackle him.’

I am a brainwasher.

A deceiver who twists and manipulates people’s minds.

Using this wicked power, I will…

[Brainwash Activation]

[Designated Target – Gorgon]

[Command – Give your life to protect the secret of the mana cultivation technique.]

Even Gorgon’s life, which I had saved with my own hands, was now forfeit by my own cruel decision.

* * *

Even though his life had fallen to the back alleys, Gorgon wasn’t born there.

In his youth, Gorgon dreamed of the future and heard many stories.

Tales of mana, which grants the power of superhumans.

Tales of the noble houses’ mana cultivation techniques.

Stories like dreams or fairy tales.

Memories he thought were faded now surfaced anew at Ian’s words.

-The noble families do not readily share knowledge of mana cultivation techniques. They bestow it only upon their most loyal retainers, turning them into knights who will sacrifice their lives for the family.

-They are extremely sensitive to the leak of their secret techniques. If someone unqualified or untrustworthy uses the technique, they will try to kill not only the user but also the one who leaked it.

-So, give up on the dream of becoming a knight. Our family lacks the financial standing or close kinship necessary to earn the trust of a noble house.

If his parents could witness this moment, with their faces that had once worn bitter expressions, how would they change?

Gorgon’s eyes grew red.

“Thank you, Ian. Until the day I repay your faith and the grace of the Theresa family, I will pledge my life.”

Someone’s ruthless silencing became someone else’s honorable oath.