.

The people in the living room were left speechless after the abrupt change. This was the first time that he had clearly acted like a child since the 'incident' and he left no room for discussion. Mei frowned, ever since he woke up in the hospital, Kazuya had always let her do what she wanted and treated her more favorably than Kyouko. Now that he didn't even glance towards her and freed himself from her affection, she felt weird.

"Mistress should I call the school and inform them?" Fujiyama broke the silence.

"Yes. Please do so. This time it is my fault for not telling him" Kyouko was still looking the stairs. She wanted to see if it was like before where he would sneakily look back after throwing a fit.

"Don't fret mistress. The young master may be upset but he should have understood" seeing that Kyouko's hopes were not going to be met, Fujiyama tried to appease her.

"I'll leave him to you granny" Kyouko sighed.

Kazuya didn't bother explaining that they had misunderstood because he would have no way of explaining why he needed time for himself. Even if they knew, they would never allow it because in his room, he was reviewing the section of the book that contained risky procedures.

"Hmm… I wonder what would be good"

He took out the various silverware he collected from the kitchen over the few days. When he first had the idea, he didn't know where to gather the precious metals since he had no money to buy them. It was a good thing that he stumbled upon these silverware that were unused when he was exploring the house. He sat down trying to think of something until his eyes landed on the computer he requested.

*sigh* "How stupid of me. I almost forgot about you" he booted up his laptop and went to various sites looking for various jewelry designs.

Yes, Kazuya planned on making jewelry for both Mei and Kyouko. As for their features, one would be for offense, defense and emergency treatment. That way he would feel at ease. The only problem was that he had intended to make them for when his body could easily handle it. The procedure was still a bit experimental since the mana source needed for them to work would be from one of the topics inside the research book that wasn't meant for human use.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

[Blood Essence Crystallization]

[Usually formed by the purest blood essence of creatures with a core]

[Sacrificial type of spell that weakens the source or caster]

[This practice has been deemed obsolete ever since the discovery of the various uses of mana gems or crystals]

[Excessive use may lead to permanent damage. This was the reason it is rarely used]

[It's popular use nowadays is to show a magical race's sincerity]

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

He experimented with this before so deciding to make use of it was not on a whim. The decision to put it off was because forming one the size of a droplet would make him unable to move for a while. This was due to a feeling of weakness that would take over his body.

Kazuya would reabsorb the essence afterwards to reverse the effect but the absence of mana crystals on Earth leaves him with only this option.

The only good news was now that the gathering formation was activated, his recovery speed would increase because of the steady rise of mana converging in the Kouzuki household. He looked at the imaginary ring on his finger without calling it out and apologized.

"Sorry but I'm going to have to delay my promise to you"

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

The day quickly turned to night. Kyouko and Mei returned late from work and immediately asked Fujiyama about Kazuya's current mood. The only news they had about him all day was that he insisted on locking himself up in his room and instructed Fujiyama to leave the food she brought outside the door.

"I apologize mistress. I have not seen the young master all day" Fujiyama bowed apologetically.

"What should we do mother-in-law?" Mei asked looking a bit anxious.

"Let's go see him. If it's you, he might answer the door" Kyouko ignored Mei's intent to stir her up.

"Me? Why me?" Mei looked at her boss doubtfully. She didn't want to be the one who Kazuya vented his anger on if he was still mad.

"I hate to admit it, but he spoils you and I was the one who didn't tell him" she tried to hide it but she held a sad expression.

"No. I think he's upset because you are the one leaving. I was preparing to move here and didn't see him for a few days remember?" Mei reluctantly comforted Kyouko with this. She initially didn't want to tell her boss when she noticed but, like her, she had been feeling dejected all day.

"R-really?" Kyouko gave Mei an expectant look. Her assistant couldn't do anything but nod after seeing her boss like that. "Let's go then! I'll apologize properly" She refused to go in alone.

"Fine… though I'm a bit scared he might be upset at me too"

"You'll be fine. My Kazuya's fine without seeing you for days but he can't stand his mom leaving him" Kyouko smugly declared and pulled her frowning assistant over to Kazuya's room.

The two stopped in front of his door. They noticed the untouched portion of food on the side and gave worried looks at each other. They had already come home late and had dinner but Kazuya apparently hasn't yet. The two gestured at each other trying to get the other to knock but ended up settling it with a rock paper scissors match with Mei as the victor.

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Kazuya? It's mom and Mei. We've come to talk to you"

"p …g ….y" a barely audible voice could be heard from his room. They both looked at each other to ask if the other was able to understand but both shook their heads.

"Kazuya we weren't able to hear. What was that?"

"…sy …o…" they couldn't hear it either.

"Kazu I'm coming in!" Mei got impatient and grabbed he doorknob but was shocked to find it locked. Kazuya of course locked it to prevent anyone from seeing what he was up to or disturb him.

"go… away…" this time they understood his soft voice clearly. Mei froze, she hasn't heard that coming from him in a while and surely didn't expect to hear it again especially now that he had started to treat her differently.

"Mei… we should let him be alone for a while" noticing the agitation on her assistant, Kyouko suggested they retreat.

"NO!" she didn't know why herself, but she didn't want to wait. She had a bad feeling. She was nervous but she wanted to see him. "I don't believe Kazu would say those words to me again. Where are the keys?"

"Granny?" Kyouko turned towards Fujiyama took a bunch of keys from her apron. She handed it to Mei who wasted no time and opened it.

The room was brightly lit. They immediately locked on to Kazuya. He was sitting in front of the table in the center of the room surprisingly wrapped in a blanket despite the unusual warmth that was coming from his room.

"Please go away. I'm busy at the moment" he tried to put more strength in his voice but it came out hoarse instead. Mei didn't show her usual smile at him and pretended not to hear him while wearing a neutral expression. She approached him but not without noticing the scattered tools and the mess the room was currently in.

"I knew it" She breathed a sigh of relief and gestured Kyouko to come over after placing her forehead against Kazuya's.

"Wha—why are you sighing in relief for!? He has a high fever!"

"It's because he has a fever that I'm relieved. He would otherwise not have told me to go away" She finally let out a smile and hugged him from behind like usual.

"You… that's what you were so worried about?" Kyouko couldn't believe it but that wasn't important right now. She had to give her assistant credit for noticing something was amiss or they would have never found him in this state. "Mei! Why are you getting in position? We're taking him to the hospital" Kyouko was about to grab her son but he blocked off her attempt by raising his palm.

"Don't mom… I'll be fine if I just get some rest. Please stay away from me… you might catch my fever" he tried to shake Mei off but was too weak to do so. She held him tighter instead.

"You're still saying that? You can't even get to your own bed!" This time it was Kyouko who was upset.

"I'll be able to recover faster if I stay here. Trust me mom" Kazuya weakly turned towards his mother and looked at her for the first time since she entered the room. He didn't expect them to barge in like this.

The items he was making still wasn't complete and were cleverly hidden with him inside the blanket. His condition was caused by mana deprivation, fatigue and the backlash of his experiment. Every movement he made now caused him pain. Taking him outside the Kouzuki household would not only slow his recovery but will make him unable to finish the task he was pressured to complete.

"(Look at you, you can't even hold your head up properly! How can I not be worried?)" Kyouko looked at her son's begging expression and couldn't help but waver. She turned to Mei for backup only to find that she had begun sweating for hugging the feverish body of Kazuya.

"Mistress" Fujiyama interjected after seeing that the stubborn mother and son were locked in a stalemate. "I suggest we call for a home consultation if the young master doesn't want to leave home" her suggestion garnered the attention of the duo who simultaneously retreated to their thoughts.

"I'm willing to compromise with granny's suggestion" Kyouko spoke up first. Fujiyama already knew the conclusion they came up with and left the room quietly.

"Okay but… please leave me alone. I don't… want to infect both of you" this was good. The doctor couldn't run any tests on him. He clearly knew that they would be worried more since he knew the state he was in so this decision was the best option right now.

"No! I'm not letting you go! It's better if I catch it so you'll get better sooner" Mei remained stubborn.

"If big sis remains stubborn then I'm going to start locking my door whenever I go to bed"

"I'll get copies of the key from granny Fuji!"

"Then I will start barricading my door and window"

"You… I can't believe you're treating your big sis like this! You hate me now don't you?"

"It's precisely because I love you that I don't want you to get sick right?" Kazuya wasn't facing her so he wasn't able to see her react to the words he just said. "Look, you're even sweating and still trying to be stubborn" to be honest he wasn't sure if the fever was caused by the backlash or if it was because his immune system had plummeted so he wanted to play it safe.

"K-kazuya" Kyouko heard his words as well and found her son uncareful with his words like he usually was. This was a good observation since his Kazuya was a little bit muddleheaded and focused on his own recovery because they would drag him to the hospital if they took off his blanket right now. "A-are you mad at me for not telling you about the business trip?"

"I'm not mad. I'm just a little bit upset. I had a nightmare that you didn't come back and left me all alone" That of course was not a nightmare but a reality that he experienced but they didn't know that.

"I would never do that!" She exclaimed. Kyouko never thought of ever leaving him behind or letting anyone else have him. She was even confident about sacrificing everything she had just for her son.

"I know. Not intentionally anyway" Kyouko had gotten her confirmation. Her son was being plagued by such a nightmare. She didn't know how to comfort him because she knew that he was aware that it was impossible for her to do so. The conversation snapped Mei out of her daze as she gently followed his instruction to let him go and sat beside Kyouko.

"If that ever happens then your big sis will take over and take care of you. I'm sure you know that I won't abandon you too" she pitched in on the conversation.

"You will…" he hesitated. He wanted to tell her about it and ask why she did but Kazuya knew that the Mei in front of him isn't able to give him an answer. " Well… you did in my dream" he sighed feeling disappointed after being reminded of it again.

"Impossible!" She rejected the thought and slammed the table.

"Calm down Mei. It was only a dream" Kyouko pulled her assistant back to sit down. "Did you know why?" she asked. Kyouko was curious as to what the details of her son's nightmare was about. She wanted to know why it affected him so much.

"No. Big sis never smiled at me after mom left. She took care of me for a while but soon discarded me and…" Kazuya gave a pained expression. "… went over to Lee" he continued with a hoarse voice.

"Believe me Kazu! I would never do that! Especially that last part. You can't even be compared to that disgusting pervert!" She tried to argue but in Kazuya's mind, this had already transpired. The changes he made now may prevent that future but that doesn't change what he had already experienced.

"Kazuya…" Kyouko decided to speak up after seeing the unconvinced expression on her son. "I also believe that that is impossible. I believe that Mei will not do that especially if it's Lee"

"But what if—" Kazuya's intention was to argue but he stopped after that thought came to mind. It had been simple but it was definitely a possibility. "(was that really what happened big sis?)" He looked at Mei but in his eyes was the older version of the agitated girl in front of him.

"What if what?" Mei snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What if it was all to protect me?" Kazuya replied but is mind was somewhere else. He understood Mei more after spending time with the current her. A few years shouldn't have her core personality, so it was definitely a possibility.

""!!"" The two thought about it. Their silence and hesitation was all that he needed to be convinced.

"(Hashiyama Lee… I swear… I'm going to destroy you!)"