It took some time to talk Hazel out of giving me lessons about female anatomy. She was rather insistent to my chagrin, and by the time I managed to get her calmed down, mom was already walking through the front door.

“Daniel!” Mom cried out, dropping the grocery bags she was carrying before running over and grabbing me.

I ended up being smothered by her as she tried to hold my face in her chest until I couldn’t breathe. This seemed to ignite rivalry in Hazel, who started hugging me as well, having long forgotten that she was supposed to be angry and not talking to me. For the remainder of the night, mom fretted over me constantly. I had thought she was bad when I lived there, but now that I was leaving, her behavior had seemed to amplify.

Well, technically, all of my stuff was still in my bedroom. I had only sent them a message that I had gotten an apartment and would be moving out. I hadn’t done the moving part yet. Honestly, there was nothing in my room that held any sentimental value or worth that I needed it. Mother assured me that I could leave whatever I needed in that room for as long as I needed and that I didn’t need to rush to move out.

I had been afraid that they would try to stop me from moving out. Gabriella had sat down and had a talk with mom about it, and I guess she had succeeded in convincing mom that this was the best thing for us. Maybe, I was too hard on Gabriella. I had always thought she was a bit nosy and irritating, but she did seem to be right more often than not.

Although I wanted to leave, I ended up staying for dinner. Mom insisted on it, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Thus, I ended up sitting on the couch next to Hazel while mom put on an apron and began to work busily in the kitchen. She seemed to be working with a renewed sense of determination like she had something to prove to me. Perhaps, she wanted to tell me that only she would be able to cook the things I liked, and I’d have to come home regularly if I were to get them.

I didn’t know why, but the wait was rather excruciating. Although I hadn’t even spent a single night in my new place, I had already started to detach this place mentally as my home. I was only guest at the moment, sitting across Hazel, whose glower started to return as she seemed to start thinking once again about my leaving. It was uncomfortable, and it reinforced to me that I was right in moving and getting my place. I had to create a home. Perhaps, one day, I would bring them both to that home I built and take care of them, but first I had to make it.

I didn’t have to sit under Hazel’s rapidly changing mood for long, as mom finished up cooking and we all sat and ate. The conversation was somewhat light. Mom talked a bit about her new job, and how things seemed to be doing better lately. This job paid a lot more than she had been making before, as it was a secretary position for a rather nice company. The fact that the company belonged to the Mizuki family was something that wasn’t mentioned, but I’d be lying if I didn’t believe she had something to do with this too.

When that girl wanted to put herself in your life, there were no limits to what she would do to make it happen. Then again, could I say I was better? Not a few hours prior, I stormed into a hospital and fought through guards under the mere hint that I wouldn’t be able to continue to work with her.

“Daniel… I know you’re growing up. I just, never thought it would occur so suddenly. These last few months, you’ve started earning money on the side, you got that internship, you got a girlfriend, and now you’re moving out… I know I haven’t made things easy on you. I’m your mother, and I should be supporting you, yet I’m afraid my actions were just pushing you away.” Mom had sprung this on me after I finished helping with the dishes and excused myself to leave the apartment.

She had tears in her eyes, and she was sniffling. Hazel stood silently behind her, but her eyes were red-rimmed as well.

“Mom, it’s okay…” I tried to reassure her. “This is a good thing. Soon, I’ll have tons of money, and I’ll be able to help you out as well.”

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“I should be the one helping you out! Waaah…” My words only caused her to break down further into full crying. “My baby is growing up and leaving me.”

“I’m not going to leave you.” I held up my hands, trying to stop my mom from bawling.

I had already opened the front door, and our neighbors were just across from us. I didn’t need them seeing my mother openly weeping because of the things that I did.

“Y-you promise?” She managed to get her wails under control, sniffling as she looked down at me weakly.

She no longer seemed like the strong and confident woman that I believed she was as a kid. I used to think my mom was world-weary and knowledgeable. She had been hardened by this unforgiving life and had already seen everything that there was to see. Now, I could see her vulnerable side. It was at that moment that I realized she was as weak and as clueless as Hazel. She was just a woman, and she should be loved and needed just like anyone else.

I reached out and grabbed mom’s shoulders, causing her to jump slightly as her eyes met my own. “Mother.”

“Y-yes…”

“I’m never going to leave you. I will love you and take care of you for the rest of your life.” I declared. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you, and I will give you a life filled with happiness.”

“D-daniel…”

“I want you to wait for me, okay? I know a lot is changing, but it’s because I have a lot that needs to change. When it’s all done, one day, I will show you what I’ve built. In the meantime, don’t worry about me. I knew what I’m doing.” I reached up and wiped my mom’s tears away from each cheek. “Okay?”

“You’ve… become a man.” Mom looked at me lovingly.

“What about me?” Hazel cried out, shoving against the side of mom and cutting into our moment.

“You’re on your own!” I snapped.

“Eh?”

I quickly cleared my throat, looking away. “I’ll… take care of you too…”

I said those words quickly, half mumbling them under my breath. When I didn’t hear a response, I looked up to see both women beaming at me. That’s when I was attacked, both of them grabbing onto me until I almost died in their breasts. Breasts are a terrifying thing! I should find a girl with small breasts. Mizuki had small breasts, perhaps she would do. Kiera’s weren’t large, but they were still big enough to smother you. Then there was Katarina, who had an impressive cleavage… maybe it was better to just grow taller. Why did I have to be so short that I ended up breast height? Why were all the women in my life so tall with long legs?

I didn’t get any answers there, and I only managed to escape the apartment with my life barely. Even then, I still walked away sputtering and smelling like boob sweat.

“Cecelia… is there an Allco height increasing serum or something?” I asked.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. However, there are cybernetic parts. If you’d like to cut off both of your legs, you could get legs of a more appropriate size.”

“I’ll pass.”

I left the apartment complex, knowing that my next trip to the apocalyptic wasteland would be the longest one I had ever taken. It would be over a week before I returned. All of my previous trips had only been a weekend long. The longest was four days, and that was when I was forcefully captured and made to stay in that world longer. Thus, I wasn’t willing to leave until I was ready.

I also had to decide which location I should teleport from. Would it be better to be in my apartment or my warehouse? With Caleb and the bunch bringing supplies over, there was a chance I could be seen in my warehouse. On the other hand, if I went into my apartment and then didn’t return for a week, would that cause some superstition? If they ended up checking up on me and found I had escaped unseen despite all of their security measures, would that create some kind of future conflict?

In the end, I decided to return to the suite, reporting to the security that I would be taking some seclusion time, and I wasn’t to be disturbed at all costs. I asked them to take any messages for me and hold them until I came down. Rich people were eccentric, and the security took my strange rules in stride without batting an eyelash. That should be sufficient, I thought. When I entered the elevator and started heading up to my room, Cecelia’s voice came through my ear speaker.

“A message had arrived. It’s from Mizuki. You asked me to make you more aware of meaningless messages.” Cecelia sounded slightly displeased as she spoke.

“It’s not meaningless. What did she say?”

“Just two words, thank you.” Cecelia sniffed.

Maybe that was kind of meaningless. I didn’t need a thank you. I needed Mizuki, and she hadn’t said anything else? I stepped out of the elevator before I entered and locked the front door. Looking around, I thought through If there was anything else I wasn’t considering. I’d have to return in a bit to go get the supplies, but this was still going to be a big journey filled with unknown dangers. However, that was the cost if I wanted to make money.

“Cecelia, world travel.”