Chapter 40: Chapter 39: A Mother and Her Son
I landed in Austria's countryside and met a blind piano player boy.
"Did you get lost, sister?"
The boy stuck his head out the window of the room and turned to face me with his eyes closed.
"Yes. I want to go to Vienna."
"Then you can wait inside my house. Mom goes into the city every day to work. She'll take you there tomorrow."
Said the boy who would let me, a complete stranger, come into his house.
He's a little unwary, this boy.
"…., are you sure you want to let me in? What if I'm a suspicious person?"
When I asked him about it, he put his hand on his chin as if he was troubled.
"Well, I don't think big sister voices sound like a suspicious person. But I guess so. My mother said that I shouldn't let strangers come into the house. Okay, I got it."
And the boy suddenly climbed out of the window.
He sat down on the grass and smiled at me.
"I was bored. I've been practicing the piano all day. Why don't we talk until my mother gets home?"
"Y-yeah, sure."
At this point, I might as well wait here with the boy for his mother to come.
With that in mind, I decided to listen to the boy.
"I'm Lucas."
"I'm Lina."
When I mentioned my name, Lucas didn't seem to notice that I am an alien.
This made me feel at ease, so I talked with him a lot.
Lucas is a normal boy who could be found anywhere.
He would talk about his favorite rock bands.
I heard that he like to listen a famous person's conversation on yutube. Or talking with friends at school.
He was enjoying talking about such common things.
"My Mother. She think I'll be a good pianist. She says because I' m blind, I have a talent for hearing sounds. That's why she bought an expensive piano and hired a music teacher since I turn five."
"Wow, that's amazing."
It seems to be common knowledge that in order to become a professional classical musician, one must be trained from an early age.
I guess his mother is trying to get him to follow that path.
But he shook his head, not happy at all.
"It's not amazing. I've entered competitions, but I've never won a prize or even placed high enough."
"Maybe that's because you're still young."
"No, it's an elementary school competition, and they say that if I don't place high enough, I won't be able to become a professional. I know that. I haven't gotten any better since last year. I heard the teacher, who comes every week, mutter something about me not being good at it. But since My mother paid a lot of money, the teacher showed my mom a positive impression. He told her that I would eventually get better. However, I'm not enjoying it much anymore."
"…."
Lucas facing downward and puts his hands together.
I see. So that's why this boy feel bored.
"My mom likes Beethoven, she said he used to live in this town and he used to compose music even though he was almost deaf. So she said I could do it too. She said my dream would come true. But me. It's not my dream to be a pianist. Besides, I've recently found the job I want."
"A job you want?"
"Yes. I want to be a clerk."
The boy said happily, a complete contrast. It's a rather menial job.
"A clerk?"
"Yes. The clerk talks to a lot of customers. I want to talk to lots of people. It's really fun to talk. I'm having a lot of fun talking to big sister right now. Don't you think so?"
"Yeah. I'm having fun too."
"Right? I want to work in a candy shop."
"So you can eat lots of sweets?"
"Bingo! Hahaha."
Lucas laughed happily, and I laughed happily, too.
We spent the rest of the day talking about different stores.
The more cheerful the conversation, the happier he seemed to be.
Then, as the sun was setting and the area was getting darker, I heard the sound of a car from a distance.
"Oh, it's My mother."
Apparently, his mother had come home.
Lucas went to the front of the house, walking along the wall.
"Welcome home, Mom."
"Lucas, .... Why are you out here? I told you not to go out too much, it's dangerous."
The mother seemed surprised at her son's behavior.
"Wait a moment. I was talking to a friend."
"Well, don't leave the house. There are searches going on all over the country right now."
His mother, dressed in a suit, seemed to be a little fidgety.
"What's that?"
When Lucas face downward, his mother nods.
"Yes. Lina Malderita is coming to Vienna today from the planet Maldea. They said that every time she comes to Earth she doesn't know where she's going to land. I was asked to check and see if she came around our place. If I meet her, I want to ask to get Lucas eyes…."
When she got to that point, she seemed to have noticed me.
"…. No way, you …."
The mother, who looked at me and opened her eyes wide, seemed to know who I am.
"Yes, I' m Lina Marderita. I was landed in this neighborhood and I'm sorry to bother you."
As I bowed my head, the mother rushed toward me vigorously.
"Did you come to my son !??
"Um, well, ….what's that mean….?"
I asked as I took a step backwards, and she stepped back from me and bowed her head.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I've heard that Lina comes to people in need every time she comes. That …"
His mother looked down at Lucas with an expression that was hard to describe.
I kind of knew what she meant by that.
Then I guess I should stick to that 'come to the person in need' setting for now.
"Yes. I don't think it's a coincidence that I met Lucas. But I have to ask his mother's permission."
"….. permission?"
I nodded to his mother, who opened her mouth and continued.
"Yes. I heard that you said that being blind gives him excellent hearing. If I fix Lucas's eyes, I may be interfering with his path to becoming a pianist. What would you like me to do?"
His mother has been providing education programs since he was little.
It's a single-mother family. She must have earned the money for it herself and devoted her life to her son.
I don't know how hard it was for her.
But I thought I should ask.
When I asked her, she fell to her knees and collapsed.
Then she spoke in a strained voice.
"…. Please help Lucas get better. It's not that he wants to be a pianist. I just forced him to take lessons because I knew it would be hard to get a regular job. …"
Apparently, the mother knew what was going on.
She knew what was going on inside her son's mind.
She knew that Lucas's dream had taken a different turn.
"I understand."
I nodded, and Lucas turned at me curiously.
"Sis, are you the alien Lina Marderita?"
"Yes, I am."
"So you're really a wizard?"
"I'll prove it to you. Excuse me."
I took out some of the magic stones from the transport plane and put my hand on his face. Then I concentrated my magical power and wished.
"Let the power of life be in his eyes."
Then light flooded from my hand and enveloped Lucas's eyes.
When the light disappeared, I took my hand away.
"What? It's kind of weird."
Lucas, who is holding his face with his hands, seems to feel uncomfortable.
It's little bit dark around here, I guess his eyes can adjust here.
"Take your hands away and open your eyes."
"Huh?"
Lucas lowered his hand fearfully and raised his eyelids.
"Yes, .... Eh, I can see. Are you a girl?"
"Yes. But your mother is over here, not me."
I grab Lucas body and turn his face to his mother.
"Lucas, you ..."
"Mom. I ca see you, Mom. .."
Large drops of water were overflowing from Lucas eyes.
"Lucas. .... Oh, thanks God."
The mother hugged Lucas, and the boy hugged his mother.
"Mom, .... The sky is so beautiful."
In his mother's arms, the boy looks up at the vast night sky.
"Yes, the world is very beautiful. We have to thank you a lot, Lina."
"Yes. Thank you, Sister Lina. Thank you, mom."
The boy said, his eyes moistening.
His mother stroked Lucas's hair and looked down at him compassionately.
"We're going to see at a lot of things together."
"If you want to be a clerk, you have to know a lot of things."
"Yes."
They smiled at each other and talked about the future.