After showing an even more overprotective and loving side to Arthur, Aria continues to smile at him with that expression so heart-warming.
But also, a curious glow arises in her gentle and wise eyes. "Arthur, you already know that mommy is on your side no matter what, but could you help me understand a few things?"
"Of course," Arthur can't deny anything to such a good mother.
Aria makes an even more thoughtful expression. "Draven told me what happened, but I wanted to hear this from your point of view."
"Hmm," Arthur makes a sorry expression. "I heard your conversation, he didn't exaggerate, I really did those things..."
"Hey, don't be sad," Aria places her hand on Arthur's leg and strokes it tenderly. "You did such things to protect the people in the village, right?"
He nods and she continues. "And you tortured those guys..."
"I had to know everything possible about them before planning the next move." Arthur explains.
"Mm~ mm~~" Aria nods as if she could understand something, but Arthur still doubts that that could expose his secret.
But then her next words leave him worried.
"Arthur, my beloved son..." She speaks in such a caring tone, really messing with his emotions. "Don't lie to mommy; how do you know how to torture people so efficiently?"
"WHAT???" Arthur is shocked that Aria isn't asking how he could do such a vile thing, but she just seems curious to understand how he was efficient.
Arthur tries to think of something, but nothing comes to mind. No answer other than the truth would make sense now, especially since his mother is so intelligent.
Aria can see that he is hesitant, so she begins to express her thoughts. "I never told you how to do something like that, and I believe neither did your father; after all, he couldn't do something like that,"
"I'm also sure that no one in this village could do the same... I also didn't let you have access to any book with such things..."
Aria's eyes sparkle with curiosity as she speaks. "What you did was not wrong, but the way you handled the situation doesn't make sense..."
"Arthur," She calls his name with that loving tone. "It's like a puzzle that mommy can't put together... and it may drive me crazy if I don't understand what's happening with my son."
*Glup*
The sound of Arthur swallowing dry echoes through the room. He feels cornered because continuing to lie to his mother is hurting her, but the truth could make her never look at him the same way again.
"Why are you so afraid to tell me it, my son?" She asks.
"It's just... this..." Arthur sighs and looks away. "I'm afraid of losing what's most precious to me... this life... my sister... you."
Aria feels her heart hurt when she sees her son sad. "Why would you lose anything? That doesn't make sense."
"You won't look at me the same way if you find out how sinister the shadows inside me are..." He says, depressed.
But instead of words, he feels the delicate and warm hand of Aria lift his face, making him look at her big blue eyes, shining with love.
"Nothing you say to mommy will change how I feel about you," She speaks lovingly. "No matter how many shadows are in your heart, mommy will always love you because you are the most perfect son I could ever desire."
Arthur is surprised by how much Aria can make him feel loved, which makes him love her more and more.
He can't hide anything from her anymore; he doesn't want to do it ever again.
Nyx feels that Arthur is in a hard dilemma, so she expresses her opinion in his mind. "You can tell her; she won't reject you, I'm sure."
Arthur also begins to think that, so he tries to explain how he can be her son but still have a part of him that is Liam.
"I have this..." He sighs as he tries to explain. "This thing inside me..."
"Hmm..." Aria listens to his words attentively with a curious expression.
He pauses and instinctively looks at Eve in his arms; he definitely doesn't want that little angel to have contact with his dark side.
She takes the pillow behind his back and, with a quick movement, pulls him out of the bed and gives the pillow for Eve to hug.
The girl seems to be fooled by the trick and hugs the pillow tightly while continuing to sleep.
"Really???" Arthur casts another confused look at his mother. "How is that possible?"
"It's because of your scent," Aria responds with a smile.
"My scent?" Arthur never found anything special about his smell.
Aria again makes her thoughtful and charming expression. "So this is also as I thought... you can't smell your own scent?"
Arthur smells his sleeve and only notices the perfume of the soap on his clean clothes and also the soap he used in the bath.
His confused expression makes Aria more certain about her theories. "I never mentioned it because you seemed not to notice it; also, neither your father nor other men notice it either, but women..."
"Women what?" Arthur is so confused, he wants to understand how his mother knows about his memories of another life, but now he also wants to know what kind of smell he has.
But then he sees his mother make an expression that he has never seen on her face before, a mixture of affection, passion, and embarrassment.
"Is her face really blushing???" Arthur can't help but find his mother even more beautiful now, and that is problematic because he can't prevent specific feelings from arousing inside his body. "Damn!!"
"Oh my~ how should I explain it?" Aria really blushes, which adds an extra layer of beauty to her already perfect look.
Arthur becomes even more curious and shocked when he hears Aria's explanation.
"You smell so good... it's a kind of smell that arouses the most intense and wild instincts of a woman."
"What the?!" Arthur doesn't understand how he could smell that way and not notice it.
But the way Aria is looking at him with that aroused expression makes him feel guilty and then worried.
He looks at little Eve, hugging his pillow, and almost immediately takes it from her hands.
But Aria holds his arm and prevents him from doing it. "It's okay; she doesn't have such instincts yet, so your smell must be like a sweet candy to her, a delicious candy, I bet."
That still seems crazy to Arthur, and he starts to wonder if his mother is just messing with him.
"Nyx? Is this true?" He asks her mentally.
"H-how should I... I m-mean, I think I didn't notice a-anything..." She starts to stutter, and Arthur is already sure that she is lying due to her shyness.
"Don't lie to me," He speaks in a determined tone. "How do I smell?"
She has to contain her shyness and be honest with him. "She is right, your smell is really good..."
"How good?" He asks, curious.
"Don't make me say that..." She says in a super shy and cute tone.
Arthur doesn't want to push Nyx so hard, but he needs to understand what kind of scent he has that makes even his mother act strangely.
"Nyx, you need to tell me it,"
She needs some time to gather the courage to speak honestly, but she does it and exclaims in his mind.
"So freaking good!! Is that what you want to know? You smell like pure pleasure; it's so good that I'm already addicted!!"
Finally, she gets stressed because he forced her to say that and remains silent after saying some last words.
"YOU..."
"BAKA!!!"