Villain Is on Vacation - Chapter 168: I Don't Like Playing Hero
“Wake up,” In a small, modest room, a woman who appeared to be in her forties was trying to wake up her son, Leo.
The room was small and modest, with simple furnishings and not much decoration.
The walls were painted a pale shade of blue, and there were a few framed pictures hanging on them. The floor was made of polished wooden boards, and there was a small woven rug on the floor beside the bed.
“Wake up, Leo,” the mother said gently, “It’s already past 9 AM, and we need to start collecting herbs before the sun is high in the sky.”
However, she didn’t get any response.
The mother tried again, “Lyra, get up quickly. I have a lot of work to do, and I can’t stand here all day.” Saying this, she shook the boy – who was lying in bed with no worries. He appeared to be 17 or 18 years old teen.
The bed was a simple wooden frame with a thin mattress and a few pillows.
In that pillow a boy with brown hair way sleeping soundly.
The sheets were clean but well-worn, with a few small tears in them. Leo was covered with a thick, fluffy blanket made of soft wool.
“300 moments more.” The woman’s sleeping son said lazily and gripped his banket tightly. The blanket was a deep shade of red, with a few frayed edges where it had been well-used.
Upon hearing this, Leo’s mother’s forehead became tense, with visible veins bulging out.
“Looks like I have to resort to my usual technique,” she thought to herself. She walked towards the window and carefully pulled back the curtains, made of light cotton fabric that was slightly faded and had a few small tears in it.
The curtains were attached to a simple wooden rod that hung from the window frame, and as she pulled them back, they rustled softly in the breeze.
The sunlight penetrated the room, falling directly on Leo’s face. Frowning, he became uncomfortable and covered his face with a blanket to block out the sunrays that were disturbing his precious sleep.
Leo’s mother chuckled to herself at her son’s reaction, knowing that it was time for him to wake up anyway.
His mother silently watched this scene unfolding. She wasn’t surprised by this as this was usual thing for her. She walked towards the bed and gently patted Leo’s back,
“Leo,” the mother said softly as she reached out to stroke her son’s head. Leo stirred, his eyes fluttering open sleepily.
The warmth of his mother’s hand was comforting, and for a moment, he relaxed and let her guard down.
Taking advantage of the moment, the mother deftly pulled the corner of the blanket from Leo’s grip. In one swift motion, she had the blanket in her hands.
But Leo wasn’t one to give up easily. He bunched up her knees towards her chest and curled into a tight ball, determined to hold onto his precious sleep for just a few moments longer.
The soft wool of the blanket was still wrapped around him tightly, giving him a sense of comfort and security.
‘This boy is getting smarter each day but he only uses his brain in these kinds of moments.’ His mother grumbled.
The mother watched her son for a few more moments, marveling at how quickly he had grown.
It seemed like only yesterday that he had been a tiny baby, completely dependent on her for everything.
But now, he was becoming more independent with each passing day.
It was bittersweet for the mother, as she was proud of her son’s growth but also saddened by the thought that he wouldn’t always need her as much as he did now.
“Leo, this is your final warning. If you do not get up from your bed before I finish counting to three, you will not receive your allowance for this week,” warned Leo’s mother in a stern tone.
Upon hearing his mother’s words, Leo trembled slightly. Nevertheless, he remained in his cheap yet comfortable bed.
“One…” began Leo’s mother.
“Two…” she continued, and just as she reached the count of three in a single breath, Leo leapt out of bed like lightning and stood in front of his mother.
“Mother, that’s not fair. You counted three in one breath!” complained Leo, puffing out his cheeks.
“It’s not unfair, it’s use of the brain, which is something you rarely do,” chuckled his mother.
Leo couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his mother’s remark, but he knew that arguing further would only make matters worse. He reluctantly accepted his defeat and went about getting ready for the day.
As he got dressed, he couldn’t help but think about his mother’s words. Maybe she was right. Maybe he did need to start using his brain more.
‘I will try to sleep more tomorrow.’ He resolved himself to use his brain to get longer sleep.
***
Leo, a village boy, was known for his friendly demeanor. As he stepped out of his home, he greeted everyone he met along the way.
“Good morning, Mr. Williams l!” Leo exclaimed, waving at an elderly man sitting on his front porch.
“Good morning, Leo! How are you today?” Mr. Williams replied, grinning at the enthusiastic youngster.
“I’m doing great, Mr. Williams. Just trying to avoid my mom’s wrath!” Leo chuckled, knowing his mother’s stern warnings all too well.
Mr. Williams laughed heartily, “Ah, I know that feeling all too well, my boy. My wife is the same way!”
“Oh,” Leo exclaimed, “Hello, Mrs. Williams. Good morning.” He greeted the elderly lazy standing behind Mr. Williams.
Leo didn’t stand there to watch morning drama. Otherwise, he might be dragged between the fight of the old couple.
As Leo continued on his way, he spotted his friend, Tym, walking towards him.
“Hey, Tym! What’s up, man?” Leo shouted, running towards his friend.
“Not much, just trying to avoid my mom’s cooking today!” Tym joked, earning a chuckle from Leo.
“You too? It seems like all our moms are on the warpath today,” Leo replied, shaking his head.
As they walked together, they passed by a group of chickens pecking at the ground.
“Hey, look! It’s my distant cousins!” Leo joked, pointing at the chickens.
Tym burst out laughing, “Your cousins? You mean your lunch?”
Leo rolled his eyes, “Come on, Tym. I’m a vegetarian!”
Tym stared at Leo in disbelief.
“Don’t lie, I saw you eating chicken leg pieces wildly other day.”
Hearing this, Leo laughed as he got caught.