"That… agh…" Seeing Fuyu hesitate, Nula began to form a suspicion. Fuyu then spoke again.
"I just don't want to get married."
"He is being quite stubborn, and there is no benefit in pushing him further through force," Nula thought before speaking aloud.
"Look, I'm not going to force anything on you, Fuyu. I was just thinking of your own well-being, but since you don't want to heed my words, then as you wish. But tell me one thing: what is the reason for not wanting to marry? I mean, I think boys your age would be eager to have sex with girls. Why aren't you? You even said you were attracted to girls." Nula was genuinely curious to know his reason for avoiding marriage, despite promising not to coerce him.
"What should I tell her? It's about that spirit… I want to follow the spirit's words so that I can reach the immortal world, but if I say this to her, she might not understand," Fuyu thought, but remained silent.
Seeing his silence, Nula thought to herself: "Is it really what I'm thinking? Is this boy attracted to me rather than any other girl? No… no, that's not possible. I've only heard of such things in stories, never seen them happen in real life. And yet, I was sure I saw lust in his eyes before, but now he is rejecting the idea of a mate. However, the mating instinct I felt from him was real. It surely can't be what I'm thinking, right? Because if it is, I need to resolve it. Fuyu is my son, and I don't want him to be a laughingstock in others' eyes because of me."
Nula worried that Fuyu would be bullied if such a rumor got out, so she decided to keep her suspicion secret and encourage him to find someone, slowly and patiently. She decided to end the conversation, but just as she was about to stand up, Fuyu spoke.
"Mother… I…" Fuyu's serious voice came, making Nula freeze in place.
"Yes? What is it? Tell me… whatever the reason is, just tell me," Nula encouraged him to share his worries.
"Mother, I said I just don't want to get married. It's not that I don't want to mate; I simply don't want to marry a girl," Fuyu stated, truthfully outlining his intention and plan.
"What? You want to mate but not marry? Well, now I understand. But why not marry and then enjoy your life?" Nula asked.
"Hah… so it's like that, not what I was thinking. Thank the heavens it's nothing like that; my son is completely fine," Nula thought, relieved that the reason wasn't what she considered a societal disgrace.
"I told you…"
"Hmm… I understand, but Fuyu, you know it will cost us a hefty amount of kuri (the local currency) just to secure a young girl for mating. While the amount would be less than marrying someone, giving that much kuri every time you need to mate is not sustainable, is it?" Nula asked, thinking logically. She still wanted him to marry instead of wasting goods or kuri on temporary partners.
"That's true, but Mother, marrying will also cost nearly the same. We need to care for and feed the girl, which will cost just as much," Fuyu argued, which made Nula narrow her eyes.
"What do you mean? You're still thinking of them as a burden, aren't you? Does that mean you also think of me as a burden to your father? Huh, tell me!" Nula asked, her face showing a hint of anger.
"No, that's not what I mean! Anyway, forget about that and tell me, is there any way to do it for free?" Fuyu asked.
"No, there is no way, because any girl would demand kuri or goods in return to mate. So… wait, there is a way. If you know someone who agrees to let you mate with her without asking for anything, then that's a different case. Is there anyone in your mind?" Nula explained, a sudden thought occurring to her.
"Ah, that… yeah, I have," Fuyu said.
"Oh, really? That's surprising! Who is this young girl who would let you do that without demanding anything in return?" Nula asked, growing curious.
"You," Fuyu whispered softly, feeling a slight sense of shame, wondering why Vasana wasn't controlling his emotions.
"Wha—What did you say? You can't be serious, right?" Nula suddenly asked in a loud, surprised voice, her mind racing. "Oh no, don't tell me my suspicion was right! This is clearly not a good thing. I can't see my son being labeled as a disgusting person."
"Yes, Mother, I mean, I only want to mate, nothing more, and you are perfect. You're not going to demand anything from me, and I can mate with you for free, right?"
"What the hell! Are you in your right mind? Don't ever say those things! It's fine if you say that in front of me just this once, but don't you dare say those things in front of anyone else! Do you know people will start degrading you if they find out you wanted to mate with me? It is disgraceful for a young boy to mate with an old woman who is nearly twice your age. No, I can't let that happen! Even if what you say is true, that I wouldn't demand anything, the disgrace is real. If it spreads out, you would be humiliated and bullied by others. I can't allow that. So, think of another way, and remember, even if you only want to mate, always do so with a young girl, not an old woman like me who is no longer fertile, already married to someone, and has three children." Nula thought, deeply worried that Fuyu would become a victim of bullying and a laughingstock, potentially ruining his future chances of finding a wife. To save her son from embarrassment, she refused his wish but offered an alternative.
"Don't be discouraged, my baby. You only want to mate, right? I can help you, not by myself, but I can ask someone young to be your mate," Nula said with a smile as she saw him fall silent. She leaned toward him and put her palm on his cheek.
"Hmm…" Fuyu simply hummed.
"Hmm… so don't be discouraged. I will find someone for you to mate with, even if it costs us a lot—don't worry. All right?" Nula said with motherly love. Fuyu hummed again with a nod. Nula then pulled him into an embrace, comforting him for a while.