NOVEL NEXT Chapter 136: Chapter 136
---Four Days Later, 3rd Person POV---
Preparing to leave the capital on another assignment from the Adventurer's Guild, Julius and company headed to the Market District to grab a bite to eat. Making a beeline straight for their favorite food stall, Greg spotted Lucoa and Mylene returning home from their morning shopping trip.
"Just out of curiosity, did you guys ever patch things up with your mother?", Greg asked Jilk and Julius.
"No, it has been several years now since we last spoke to her. The last conversation we had resulted in her having an emotional breakdown, so we have kept our distance since then.", Jilk answered, coming to a stop. "Where is this question coming from all of a sudden?"
"Brad, Chris, and I patched things up with our parents a while ago. It is high time you guys did the same, at least with the parent who gave a damn about you.", Greg remarked, motioning toward their mother. "All of us have matured a great deal since we became full-fledged members of the guild. Take this opportunity to put the past behind you and make amends."
Seeing the logic in his words, as they were still carrying a lot of guilt for their past mistakes, the brothers agreed to speak with her immediately. Turning to go speak with her, Brad and Chris immediately interjected themselves into the conversation. Unlike Greg, they had taken the time to read what was printed on the bags.
"Since she is the wife of a duke, you should really submit the request through the proper channels.", Chris stated, making up an excuse to avoid the complications that would follow. "You can formally submit the request before we leave and speak with her when we return in a few months. That will give you plenty of time to figure out exactly what you want to tell her and avoid hurting her feelings again."
"I could not have said it better, Chris!", Brad agreed, giving Greg an annoyed look. "How about we go submit the request after lunch?"
"Nonsense, why should they have to schedule a meeting with their own mother? They should strike now while the iron is hot!", Greg assured Jilk and Julius. "Keep it short and sweet, though; our boat leaves in an hour."
"We are well aware; this will only take a few minutes.", Jilk promised as the brothers began to leave.
Seeing no other way out of this, Brad and Chris immediately pounced on them and dragged them to the ground. Pinning their arms behind their backs, they told them to bear with it until Mylene and the other woman were gone.
"What are you guys doing!?", Julius protested.
"Saving you from a lot of emotional and psychological trauma!", Brad insisted, "We cannot let you see or speak with Mylene right now. If you see what Chris and I did, I guarantee you will make things ten times worse between Mylene and you two."
"See what?", Greg asked, looking back at the women.
"Damn it, Greg, read the words on the bag!!", Chris snapped.
"On the bags?", Greg repeated, "All it says is Baby and Me; why is that so… OH!!!"
"I meant read it in your head, not out loud, you fool!", Chris groaned.
Stopping their struggling immediately, the brothers looked back at Brad, Chris, and Greg with pale expressions. Asking Greg to repeat what he just said, this time the musclehead had the sense to keep his mouth shut.
"What did it say!?", Julius demanded.
"You heard him, Julius. Just take a deep breath and calm yourself down.", Chris pleaded, "We will let you go once they are out of sight."
"You… you guys are reading too much into this. There is no way my middle-aged mother is expecting another child; it is just not possible. One of his other wives must be pregnant, and the group is relying on Mylene's previous experience to help them through this.", Julius remarked as he began to laugh nervously, "Right, Jilk?"
"Absolutely, she must be shopping for one or more of Victor's other wives. Our elderly mother is incapable of siring a child at her age.", Jilk assured him. "How about we stop by and congratulate the lucky lady or ladies? We can bury the hatchet with our former fiancées as well."
"Perfect!!", Julius agreed.
Realizing that they were not going to let this go now, Brad and Chris relented and let the former princes go. Agreeing to follow their stupid plan, even though they knew it would backfire on them, the three men chose to stand by and help their buddies when reality came crashing down upon them. Helping them to their feet, Julius hailed a carriage and requested the coachmen take them to Victor's residence immediately.
---Victor's Mansion---
Arriving a short time after Lucoa and Mylene, the men found Victor's wives and their guests cleaning their painting equipment. Calling out to Angelica, Clarice, and Mylene, the two brothers rushed onto the property while the other three hung back. Turning around to see who it was, Angelica and Clarice gave them a disinterested look while Mylene welcomed them with open arms. Setting down the paint roller in her hand, Mylene pulled her two sons into a warm hug.
"I have missed you both so much!! Why have you not come to see me sooner?!", Mylene asked, puffing her cheeks out in anger.
"I am sorry, Mother; the five of us have been extremely busy. Between dungeon expeditions and quests, we are only ever in the capital for a few days at a time. I promise to make a more concerted effort to see you moving forward.", Julius promised, retrieving his Guild Card from his pocket. "See this here, Mom. We have cleared a total of twenty-five dungeons, soon to be twenty-six!!"
"You two have grown up so much in the last few years!!" Mylene praised them. "Do you have time to stay for snacks? I want to hear all about your adventures!!"
"Sorry, Mom, our charter boat is leaving soon, so we cannot stay for too long. Next time we are in town, we will stop by and catch up with you.", Jilk assured her, unsure how to broach the subject, "By the way... we saw you in the market a short time ago carrying some Baby and Me bags. Who is having a baby?"
"We were planning to hold off until we spoke with Victor, but I suppose I can tell you.", Mylene giggled with unbridled joy, "Lucoa and I are pregnant!! The bags you saw were our maternity clothing and stuffed animals for the nursery."
Falling silent at her words, their stomachs began twisting into knots as they struggled to swallow the news. Wanting to blurt out everything they felt on the matter, her sons stopped themselves when they saw her radiant smile. Having never once seen her so happy in the palace, an overpowering sense of guilt began to wash over them. While the thought of their mother having a child with a man their age disgusted them, neither of them dared to trample on her happiness. Growing up, Mylene gave up literally everything to keep them happy... now it was their time to repay her for all that she had done for them.
Swallowing their opinions, the two of them simply hugged their mother tightly and enjoyed her motherly warmth. Taking her son's actions to mean they were happy for her, Mylene began to cry on their shoulders with relief.
"I have been so worried that you might think this baby was meant to replace you, but it could not be farther from the truth. No matter what anyone tells you or what you might feel in the future, the two of you will always be my baby boys!", Mylene choked up, "Know that I am proud of who you have become and look forward to seeing you continue to grow."
"Thank you… mom.", Julius said, giving his mother a grateful smile.
"We will do our best to live up to your expectations.", Jilk promised as they separated from her. "The five of us have to get going now, but we will come visit you again in a few months."
"I understand.", Mylene said, drying her tears. "Please stay safe and come back alive!"
Swearing to do so, the two men quickly left the residence after giving her one last hug. Boarding the carriage again, Jilk and Julius hung their heads in shame for not thinking of their mother's happiness from the start. Having nearly trampled over her feelings again, like they had so many times before, they came to realize they still had a lot more growing up to do.
"The two of you did well; I doubt anyone realized you were unhappy about her pregnancy.", Brad commented.
"We still have our reservations, but I realize now it is not our place to judge them. Mylene is clearly happier there than she ever was in the palace. Who are we to tear apart her newfound happiness?", Jilk said.
"Yeah… it hurts like hell, but I will learn to live with it. After all the pain and suffering I caused her, it is the least I can do.", Julian added.
Riding in silence back to port, the five men paid the coachmen and quickly boarded their boat, ready to put all of this behind them for the time being.