[FMMISM] Chapter 27: I Will Always Be With You

One month passed in the blink of an eye, and the calendar on the living room wall finally reached the day when Ragna had to leave Tokyo for Fuyuki.

On the night before his departure, the Sajyou family prepared a sumptuous, formal dinner.

It was like a feast that encompassed dishes from around the world, elegantly laid out on the table.

Among the dishes were a crispy-skinned, tender roasted goose, cute and flavorful crab roe lion's head meatballs, and Hungarian beef stew with a soup featuring a complex flavor proudly enhanced by plenty of chili powder.

In addition, there was a rich and aromatic seafood stew, grilled lamb skewers with green peppers, onions, and bell peppers, as well as Beef Wellington, German pork knuckle, and borscht, not to mention the legendary dishes like escargot and century eggs.

As for the salads and appetizers, they were delicately styled as if handled by an artist with a special touch of French style.

"Come, Ragna."

Standing behind her beloved son, Manaka held a tray close to her chest, smiling like a flower.

"Since the dining table is a bit small, I can't take out all the dishes, so if you need more, there's still plenty in the kitchen, okay?"

"Uhh, okay..."

Ragna nodded somewhat bewildered, seeing how hard Manaka must have worked today.

Luckily, he possessed the skill called 'Natural Body', otherwise, given Manaka's feeding habits, he would have turned into a sumo wrestler long ago.

"Am I supposed to eat all of this by myself?"

As Ragna picked up his chopsticks, he asked a question with a somewhat speechless expression.

It seemed Manaka had created an atmosphere tonight specifically for the two of them to dine alone, with Hiroki and Ayaka out, and Morgan locking herself in her guest room.

"Of course."

Manaka's cheerful expression softened as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"After all, you're capable of devouring the entire world, so this much is nothing, right, my dear child?"

===

After a hearty meal, Ragna was summoned by Manaka to her room.

"Good evening, Manaka."

Pushing the door open, Ragna found Manaka silently sitting on the edge of the bed.

Her attire today was unusually fresh, not the usual fairy-tale style dress with an apron, but a very casual home-style outfit.

She wore only a plain white shirt on her upper body, with two cute, long legs wrapped in white stockings extending from underneath the shirt.

Pat Pat

Manaka smiled as she lightly patted her slender thighs.

Ragna couldn't help but feel like the creamy-white expanse between the shirt and the white stockings seemed to speak to him to come, to come to his mother.

Following her lead, Ragna rested his head on Manaka's thighs and closed his eyes, feeling the buttery texture seeping into his brain through the back of his head.

"Ahh... thanks for the treat..."

Caught in the comfort, Ragna accidentally let out his thoughts.

Luckily, Manaka didn't mind, only stroking his head gently.

"So far, I've raised you with a hands-off approach, Ragna. Whether you flirt with girls outside or develop bad habits like gambling and wasting money, even if you participate in life-threatening fights..." Manaka said softly.

In all honesty, Manaka truly endured it all.

"Because I know you did all of that because you're trying your best to live, to stay by my side like this..."

"..."

Meanwhile, Ragna kept his eyes closed, silently enjoying the pleasant sensation of his mother's fingers running through his thick hair.

Seeing Ragna with tender eyes, Manaka continued.

"Ragna... you're the strongest... Your opponents are just remnants of heroes, and the possibility of you losing in the Holy Grail War is less than a fraction of a percent."

Although she knew that well, her voice still trembled with fear.

"I'm still worried, worried... I can't sleep... As soon as I thought about you leaving my side to participate in something as dangerous as the Holy Grail War—'

"Manaka." Ragna calmly interrupted.

"...I won't allow it, Ragna... I won't let you go to Fuyuki!"

Manaka vigorously shook her head, her light golden hair dancing and carrying the scent of shampoo into Ragna's nostrils.

"Listen to me, Manaka." Ragna lifted his arm and grasped her small hand resting on top of his head. "Let me leave my mark on your body."

"Ehh?" Manaka briefly showed a puzzled expression, then her fair cheeks turned crimson. "Wh-What are you talking about?! What do you want to do?! You're still young, Ragna, and I'm still young too. So it's not... Umm, not yet!"

"Seriously, you're thinking too far ahead..." Ragna groaned. "Manaka, I want to be by your side forever... So let me leave my mark on you."

In the next moment, he sat up from the bed, firmly grasping the blushing girl's shoulders, his expression serious.

As Manaka stared into his black eyes, there was not a trace of immorality or vulgarity in his clear gaze.

"..."

In the end, her flushed face gradually faded.

Manaka nodded, responding with shimmering eyes.

"Ragna, leave your mark on your mother."

"Yeah..."

Nodding, Ragna skillfully unbuttoned Manaka's shirt and the front clasp of her bra.

Although barely visible from the angle, her stubbornly slightly bulging chest was as pure and beautiful as freshly fallen snow.

Without delay, Ragna placed a finger right in the center of Manaka's fair skin.

"…Ugh."

Accompanied by Manaka's painful moan, a pitch-black substance flowed from Ragna's finger and etched into her skin, causing searing pain that made her pearly teeth clamp down on her lip.

Manaka gripped the hem of her shirt tightly, enduring the pain silently.

In the end, Ragna left a mark of seven feathers on Manaka's chest, akin to a tattoo.

It was the holy mark of the Seraphim.

"Is this the proof of the bond between me and Ragna... No, wait..."

Gently touching the seven black feathers at the center of her pure white chest, Manaka raised her head thoughtfully, her cheeks tinged with a bright crimson.

"Ragna, is this your soul?"

Not answering her question, Ragna simply nodded.

'Henceforth, my glory shall abide with you.'

Ragna muttered inside his mind as he gazed at his mother's eyes.

'Now, then, forevermore, I will always be with you.'