Chapter 8: Mother

Before I knew it, I was lying on the sofa.

It seemed I had fallen asleep at some point while watching anime with Alicia. A blanket I didn’t remember was draped over me.

……Did Yuna put this on me?

There was movement coming from the kitchen. The rhythmic sound of chopping—a familiar sound I’d heard for the past 15 years since I was born. A wave of nostalgia washed over me, and I stood up from the sofa, turning around.

—Mom.

I spotted her figure beyond the kitchen counter. My proud mother, who had always watched over us siblings.

"Oh, you’re awake, Ikuto? …Are you feeling alright?"

Before I could even figure out what to say, Mom spoke to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Uh, Mom… Um… How…?"

How did she know I was Ikuto?

"I heard it from Yuna. I was skeptical at first, but the moment I saw your sleeping face, I knew right away."

"…I don’t think we look alike at all."

"That’s not true. You were such a cute child, Ikuto. I’ve been watching over you since the day you were born, you know?"

"I see…"

Honestly, I was relieved I didn’t have to go through the trouble of convincing her. More than the time and effort, being looked at like a stranger by my own family would have been painful.

"Welcome home, Ikuto… Thank you for coming back."

Mom wiped her eyes as she spoke.

"I’m home, Mom."

"I’m making hamburg steak today—your favorite. Look forward to it."

That was good news. I was genuinely happy.

『Ikuto-san, may I greet your mother?』

"Uh, Alicia says she wants to say hello… Is that okay?"

"Of course. …I’m Yukiko, Ikuto’s mother. I’ve heard about you from Yuna, Alicia-chan… Thank you so much for bringing my son home."

『It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mother. I am Alicia. Ikuto-san has taken great care of me. I’m sure we caused you much worry in order to save our world… I’m truly sorry.』

I relayed Alicia’s words from my mind to Mom, straightening my posture and mimicking Alicia’s mannerisms before bowing in apology.

"Alicia-san, please raise your head. I heard you saved Ikuto from drowning. Thanks to you, my son has returned safely. Truly… thank you."

Mom bowed deeply to Alicia.

"Still, just as Yuna said, Alicia-chan is such a lovely girl… Is this what it feels like when your son brings home a bride?"

『Fweh!?』

"What are you suddenly saying…?"

"Well, Alicia-chan is inside you right now, isn’t she? That makes her like a daughter to me."

Mom stepped out of the kitchen and approached me—then hugged Alicia (me) tightly.

In Alicia’s body, I was a full head shorter than Mom, so when she embraced me, my face was buried against her chest. I hadn’t been hugged like this since elementary school.

『Mother… thank you…』

I repeated Alicia’s words exactly as I heard them in my mind—adding my own gratitude to hers.

"Thank you for the meal!"

Our voices filled the living room.

On each of our plates were bowls of rice, miso soup, and a round dish with hamburg steak and a vegetable salad.

It was the home-cooked meal I had dreamt of even in another world.

First, I picked up a bite of the hamburg steak with my chopsticks and brought it to my mouth.

『Hau… It’s delicious…』

Next, a mouthful of rice.

『So this is the rice Ikuto-san always talked about… It’s slightly sweet and so tasty.』

Then, lifting the soup bowl, I sipped the miso soup.

『This soup has a unique flavor… but it’s very comforting.』

I ate in silence, savoring every bite.

This was a taste I had once taken for granted. A mundane meal.

Until last year, I had thought nothing of having my mother cook for me.

But in that other world, I had been forced to realize just how precious it truly was.

『Eating everything together makes it all taste even better!?』

During the hardest parts of my journey, chewing tough jerky to stave off hunger, I had clung to the thought of tasting my family’s cooking again.

『The salad’s tangy dressing is so easy to eat and delicious!』

And so, I savored every bite of this happiness I had regained.

『Hau… Everything is so delicious… I’m so happy…』

I picked up the last grain of rice from my bowl and quietly set down my chopsticks.

Placing my hands together, I turned straight to Mom, who had been watching over my meal.

"Thank you for the meal… Mom, it was really delicious."

It was the most heartfelt "thank you for the meal" I had ever spoken in my 16 years of life.