NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32: Otto Returns
Then on the day before the end of the month, Otto showed up with his mother.
Sterling was at the cafe, and I was working on the scrolls when I heard a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” I asked as I gently lowered all the floating things in my room. There was no answer from the door, and I asked again, “Who is it?” I was answered by more knocks. So I grudgingly got up and opened the door. There was a handsome woman in her 50s at the front, and behind her stood Otto, holding his luggage. “Oh.”
“So you’re Sherrie.” Said the woman.
“Ah, yes.” I felt like an idiot wearing shorts and a tank top. “Give me a second,” I said, and before she could respond, I closed the door, ran to the closet, and put on a pair of pants and shirt. I was regretting shutting the door on her so rudely, but it was too late now. I opened the door again, and I could tell she was not impressed with me. “Ah, come in. I’m sorry. The room’s kind of a mess. I’m sorry.”
“You made it a mess again,” Otto said as they came into the room.
“Ah, yeah.”
“We’ll have to clean it again.” He gave me a gentle smile.
I looked down at the floor. I couldn’t make eye contact with either one of them. “Yeah.” I wished he had told me he would bring his mother.
“Otto, you clean your girlfriend’s room. While we go somewhere private and have a chat.” His mother said.
“Yes, mother.” Oh, he’s a lot more respectful around his mother.
I liked that, but I had to refuse, “It’s kind of… He can’t do it alone, Mrs. Colson. He’d mix things up. I need to be here.”
“Call me, mother.” She said.
“Oh, yes, mother.” I felt a little embarrassed, but I said it. She sounded just as forceful as her son. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree after all.
“Good.” She nodded. “Okay, then you sit here, and don’t touch anything while we go have a chat.”
“Yes, mother.” He was so different around her that it was startling. Even his poster was meeker like he was trying to make himself look smaller. I couldn’t help wonder if his mother beat him when he was a child or something to make him so…
“Don’t worry, he won’t touch anything.” She said with a smile. “Should we go have a chat?”
“Sure,” I said and followed her out of the room.
***
I would’ve been good with the inn’s restaurant. But we ended up walking down the street because she knew a great coffee place.
“You’ll really like their mochaccino.” She said as we walked.
“I don’t drink mochaccinos,” I said.
“Why, you should. I’ll treat you.” She was insistent.
“Hm.”
“Here we are.” She said. It looked like a nice place, there were a lot of people inside. “Why don’t you find a table, and I’ll get us our drinks.”
“Okay.” She was the type that won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
I got us a table beside the window, and she returned with the mochaccinos.
“Taste it.” She wouldn’t stop insisting. She took a sip of her own glass.
I took a sip and said, “Yeah, it’s good.” It was good, though I still didn’t want to drink it because of my past life’s memories. So I changed the topic, “I’ll be moving away in a week or so.”
“Yes, my son told me. He said you’d leave at the end of the month.” She said, putting down the drink.
“I see.” She nodded. “My son seems to respect you a lot.”
Respect? “Oh, does he?”
“He tells me good things about you. I’ve never heard of him say so many good things about a woman before.” She smiled.
“Oh.” What does he tell you? I wanted to ask. Does The Bracelet of Eros make a person respect them too? He doesn’t know me that well… Did he form conclusions after seeing my room? What did he say… Ah, he said he talked to Garth. What did Garth tell him?
“Yes, he says you’re a promising adventurer’s group and that you’re a genius that figured out a cure for Purple Rash at 11 years old.”
“Oh, yes.” Garth must’ve told him, I realized and nodded.
“Well, I’m glad someone finally caught his eye.” She shook her head. “My son is a lot of trouble. He’d refused multiple proposals already, even though he’s already 25. He doesn’t think of me at all. But I’m finally revealed. Thank you.”
“Ah, oh. That’s…”
“My son might be troublesome at times, but he’s a good boy.”
“Okay.” I agreed he was troublesome.
“As his mother, I can understand if you need to punish him, but please don’t abandon him.”
“Yes.” I couldn’t refuse a mother’s plea.
She smiled. “You seem like a nice person, but you have to be stern with him. I guess you could say that with a lot of boys.” She sighed. “I remember how my husbands were the first time I met them. You give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile.” She sipped on the mochaccino.
But I think I already gave him an inch, though. “Yeah.” I wryly smiled. I took a sip of the mochaccino too.
“Even if you’re traveling out of the capital, I hope you’ll often come to visit.”
“I’ll try,” I said. After I defeat the demon queen, that shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t even want to think about what’d happen if I fail. That won’t happen, probably. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to join the army, and the war lasts a few years.
“Hmm. How about we order some snacks.” She said.
“Okay,” I said.
***
We had a pleasant conversation, and then we went back to the inn. Mrs. Colson wanted to say goodbye to her son and returned with me.
“You didn’t cause any trouble while we were gone, did you?” His mother asked him.
“No, mother.”
“Hm. Okay, then I’m leaving. Listen to what Sherrie tells you and be good.” She said.
“Yes, mother!” He sounded happier after hearing she’d be leaving.
“Hm.” She narrowed her eyes. “Doesn’t your mother get a goodbye hug?”
“Ah, yes.” He hugged her.
She stroked his back and said, “We might not be able to see each other for a while. Don’t cause Sherrie any trouble, and be respectful.”
“Yes, mother.” I almost wanted to laugh, seeing him like this. Then the picture of my mother formed in my head, and I frowned, knowing how difficult she was to deal with. My own brain ruined my mood.
“Alright. Then I’m going.” She grabbed his head, brought it down, and kissed his forehead before leaving.
I went down with her to the inn’s entrance and waved her off.
When I returned to my room and closed the door, he asked, “Is she gone?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Ah,” He exhaled, relaxing his whole body. “Thank god, it looks like she approves. What did she say to you? Don’t take her too seriously. She might sound harsh, but she’s truly a nice person. Really.”
“What?” What kind of distorted view does he have of his mother? “More importantly, what did Garth tell you?”
“Oh, just that you’re great at making medicines and that you’re a genius.”
“Hmm. Did he? Okay.” I stroked my chin. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. “Aa!” He surprised me. “Hey.” He put his hands on my lower back and held me close.
I pushed against his abdomen, trying to free myself, but then he said, “I missed you.” And my strength melted away, and I rested my head on his chest. “Did you miss me?”
“Hmm.” I couldn’t tell him that I was hoping he wouldn’t show up. “Yeah… Kind of.”
“Hum. Maybe we can change that kind of to an: yes.” He said, his hands slipping lower. His manly hands groped my ass.
“Eh?” I opened my mouth in surprise, and he stuck his tongue down it. I wished he’d be less aggressive and be more like when he was around his mother. His hands reached around from the back and rubbed my pussy. “Aeh!” I pulled my head away, “Not now!”
“Why not?” He asked so innocently.
“I have work to do.” I pointed at my desk.
“You can do it later. Plus, shouldn’t we pack up?”
“Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. Actually, I couldn’t have told you. My plans changed. We’ll be staying for an extra week.”
“Hm, why?”
“Sterling? Who’s Sterling?” He finally let go of me.
“That’s right, he’s your brother.”
“Oh, you got another boyfriend while I was gone.”
“Well, I met him before you, but yeah.”
“Hm, I’m curious. Are we sticking around an extra week because of him?” He rubbed his chin.
“No.” I shook my head, returning to my desk. “A magic bracelet I made is going to be sold at the auction house next week. They said they couldn’t sell it any sooner, so I’m sticking around till that’s done.”
“Bracelet? Do you mean the capital’s auction house? Wait? It’s not The Bracelet of Eros, is it?” He asked. It’s been in the newspapers for a few days now, so It’s not surprising he’d heard of it. It’s quite a hot topic. An item with 100+ charm is a rare sight. Such high-ranked items rarely go on sale publicly.
I nodded. “Yeah, so you’ve read the news.”
“That’s you? You’re the seller of the product that’ll trick a lot of men? An item that’ll hypnotize men?”
“It doesn’t hypnotize.” I shook my head. “It’s a general misconception. Plus, I used it on you, and you don’t seem to have any side effects.”
His eyes twitched, and his frown deepened. “You used it on me?” I realized I shouldn’t have said that.
“Ah, yeah… When we first met. But I haven’t used it since. It doesn’t hypnotize!” I shook my head. “It only increases the wearer’s charm. And it’s only in effect while you’re wearing it.”
“Are you wearing it right now?”
“No! I’m not,” I said confidently.
“So, everything I’m feeling for you right now is genuine?”
“Yes.” I nodded my head.
“I guess that’s good.” He sighed.
I sighed too and smiled. I was glad he was taking it so well. “Haha, I’m sorry about using it when we met,” I said with a smile. “But girls will be girls, right?” I shrugged while repeating what Sterling had once said.
Thankfully, Otto smiled and said, “Yeah, girls will be girls.” We both laughed. “Can I see this: Bracelet of Eros?” He asked.
“Oh, sure,” I said and pulled one out of my drawer.
He took it in his hands and looked at it. “So this increases women’s charms.”
“It’s not just women. It’ll increase anyone’s charm, as long as they wear it.” In a man’s hand, it’ll probably let him demand all kinds of things from women. If I was born a man in this world, maybe I would’ve made one and formed a female harem.
“So this is what’ll make a lot of men lose their sense of chastity… their sense of pride.” He said.
“Well, that’s… All it does is make you feel more charmed… I don’t think it does anything to your pride. I mean, did you feel like your pride was affected?” I asked.
“I didn’t know I was tricked till now, but right now, yeah, a little bit.” He said.
“Oh, you weren’t really tricked. But sorry, I guess.”
“That’s okay. I’ll forgive you.”
“What are you…” He wound up his arm. “Wait!” I jumped out of my chair in hopes of stopping him, but it was too late. He’d launched it out the window. “Oh, god.” I looked to where it was thrown and screamed, “Do you know how expensive that is!? You! You!” I pulled on my hair and ran to the door. Then turning around, I pointed my shaky finger at him and said, “You better hope I can find it. Otherwise, you’re going to learn I’m a lot scarier than your mother, punk.” Then I ran down the stairs and out into the streets in search of my precious.
<<Alternate ending: They say she was never seen again. Some claim she’s still out there searching… Others doubt whether she ever existed… The end. #Notrealending>>
***
Thankfully, with [look-a-look], I found it pretty quickly. I looked over it and made sure there were no damages. There was a little bit of dirt on it, but I brushed it off. Everything’s fine, thankfully…
When I returned to the inn, I heard the shower going. Otto was in the bathroom. I was glad because it gave me some time to calm down. I put the bracelet back in the drawer. I turned the chair around so it’d face the bathroom door. Then I sat down and waited. Thinking of what to say…
He came out wearing a towel around his waist. I tried to make eye contact with him, but he didn’t look at my face and tried to ignore me. I watched him move to his luggage and pull out some clothes. He was a good-looking man, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t in trouble.
“There are rules around here,” I said, tenting my fingers. “What you did was unacceptable.”
“I’m sorry.” He said. That happened quicker than I thought it would.
“Hm.” I suppose it makes sense. If he went back to his mother now, he’d look like an idiot. And his mother probably wouldn’t go easy on him either. They probably hired someone new at the flower shop and everything… “What should I do with you?”
“I’m sorry, but you deserved it.” He said. That didn’t sound that sorry to me. “Did you find it?” He asked.
“Yeah. I did.”
“Okay.”
“What you did was still unacceptable,” I said. He still wasn’t making eye contact with me. I wasn’t sure what to do. “You’re a grown man. To act so childish…”
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He grunted. Then he put on his clothes and said, “I’m going for a walk.”
I sighed. “Just sit down. Sterling will be here any minute now, and I want you guys to get along.” Since he said, sorry, I wasn’t really feeling like dwelling on it either. Plus, it’s not like I can abandon him literally minutes after his mother asked me not to.
With his hand on the door’s handle, he asked, “Are you really sorry for what you did?”
“What?” What the hell’s this idiot saying. “You’re asking me after everything you did!? Are you trying to piss me off? Do you want to get electrocuted or something?”
He didn’t answer me but opened the door and found Sterling outside. Sterling had returned from the cafe.
“Hello.” Said Sterling confused. Thoughts like, did I get the wrong door crossed his mind.
“O, good, he’s back. That’s your brother.” I said to Otto.
“Hello.” Said Otto.
“Brother?” Sterling was full of question marks.