A Worthy Villainess

38. Quote

It is to keep out the eavesdroppers, he claims.

As I walk to the couch, I marvel at the fact that I don't need the help of crutch to walk anymore. What a majestic feeling.

"I have something to show you, Mercury," following me to the couch, Space sits beside me and takes out 1 of his smartphones

I wait for him to open a video recording and shows me what he intends. It is a recording from the angle of a CCTV on the rooftop of Universe Boarding House. Well, Space did install a lot of hidden cameras around the building under my permission. I never know the sound is also recorded though.

I look at the hidden camera inside the study room, not seeing the video recording in Space's smartphone, and ask him, "A month ago, did you watch when I talked with Galaxy?"

Space chooses silence.

I turn to him, with heavy judgemental eyes.

Space pouts, not repentant, "I only watched the day after though,"

I release a big sigh. That's still no good. While I don't mind having a record for future references, I do mind having other people witnessing the record, unless given permission. With Space in control of surveillance cameras' recordings...

Well. As long as Space keeps quiet about what he sees and hears, it should be fine.

Space is delighted. Grinning, he leans on me, "Thank you for your trust in me, Mercury~"

Trust? Is it? If Space thinks so.

I finally turn my attention to his smartphone, witnessing a scene of Horo and Scopus Rasalhague on the roof, talking to a woman who is...their relative?

"When you were in a coma, some people came to visit or check on us. Not unexpected, since there was an invasion and then your case," Space explains, referring to Jupiter Io's case also, "She is their Mother, coming to inspect Universe Boarding House,"

"Seeing as they are still here, Universe Boarding House passed her inspection?" I absentmindedly turn up the volume to listen to what they discussed, to see how important it is, for Space to show it to me

[The 2 of you have been unruly ever since you were mere babies,] for a Mother to say that to her Sons, the twins must really be a handful, [I still love you, nevertheless,]

The twins did not reply to her. Because their backs were to the camera, I can't see what kind of expressions were on their faces.

[I accept and try to support you on your choices without interfering,] their Mother said, [There are a lot of examples, but we will only recall several relevant ones,]

[If you don't mind, just get to the point already,] Horo didn't sound impatient or rude even though he talked like that

A Mother who was too used to her Son's too informal way of speech can only sigh, [Very well. I don't mind you 2 befriending Sir Caduceus's Daughter, because I know to not blame the Child for a Mother's misconduct,]

[So, it is about Mercury, after all...] Scopus sounded upset

[It is about her, yes,] finally, the Mother did not hide her intention and nodded, [I know you 2 have been missing her since we moved away in the past. I am glad that you 3 are back to being friends again. Those, I don't mind,]

[However,] sounding stern, the Mother looked at her Sons, [You 2 are not allowed to like the same person, regardless of who she is,]

[Why not?] Scopus asked, [We are being peaceful about it, aren't we?]