September 22, 1998.

“What a ride,” John Fritzer whispered to himself.

“Master, are you alright?” Sofia asked.

How was he supposed to respond? Walking through the packed corridors of a High School was a reminder of his greatest failure in life.

Hundreds of adventurers died helping him slay the demon lord. But that was only a small fraction compared to the thousands that died after the human coalition shattered apart.

How was he supposed to know? There was no indication that the human kingdoms would turn their sword against each other.

Yet, then the demon lord fell. Human blood streamed across plains and hills more than ever before.

Most adventurers and soldiers of Arkdia were young. John was only nineteen himself.

Had he only been wiser. Maybe kids in Arkadia would be attending school, mastering books, instead of swords.

John was almost brought to tears by these thoughts. But then he was overtaken by anger.

Had the goddess allowed him to stay longer, he for sure would have put an end to it all. It was her fault.

“Master?” Sofia continued.

His heart trembled, his pupils dilated. But those around him saw his angry face, but not his crying heart.

“Master, compose yourself. People are watching.”

John looked around to see that his angry and brooding looks had attracted the attention of the crowd.

A lot of girls were staring at him with wide-open eyes.

Were they scared of him?

“Your friends are looking at me,” He whispered to Frederica. Fritzer was not happy with the way he said it.

Frederica, instead of giving her father the benefit of the doubt, decided to be petty and sarcastic.

“Ok Dad, I am proud of you, you are good at picking up High School Girls,” she said.

Fritzer never meant for it to be taken that way. But Frederica was always quick to judge.

John sunk his raging fists inside the pockets of his black leather jacket.

“Cut the old man some slack,” Adrian said. “I am sure he did not mean it like that. After all, life is not all about chasing girls.”

“I do not want to hear that coming from you,” Frederica said.

While the two siblings bickered back and forth, Sofia took the chance to speak.

“Why did you name her Frederica?” She asked. “Cactus is more fitting for her.”

Fritzer whispered to himself. “Blame her mother.”

The corridor was long, with wide windows on one side and classroom on the others. By now, John had already visited all the teachers but one.

Upon arriving at Mr. Smith’s office, the siblings were smiling and the Fritzer’s looked like a completely functional family. If only smith knew.

“Oh Mr. Fritzer, is good to have you here,” Smith said.

The parent to teacher meeting ended quickly. Having lasted for at most five minutes. Who would have thought that Adrian had good grades.

When John stepped out of the office. He stumbled into a woman.

“John?” she asked.

That was a voice he had not heard since college.

“Teresa?”

She looked different. More womanly. She was tall, big-breasted, and her long straight hair was dyed blonde. She had aged well. Very well.

“John, this is perfect. Mind doing me a favor?”

Her red lips, her smile. John could not refuse.

“Sure, what would that be?”

“I forgot something in my car. Mind taking care of this meeting for me in case I do not come back in time?”

John could not believe the audacity of Teresa. It had been two decades, and this is what she wanted. But she smiled.

“Sure.”

John had a weak spot for that smile. Even if it was fake.

“Well, Dad, give me a call when you are ready to go,” Adrian said.

“Hey! where do you think you are going!?” Frederica said.

“Just going to walk around, you know,” Adrian said. “Besides, you are staying with Dad. Right?”

“Of course! You can’t just leave this man alone in a high school.” Frederica responded. “But I can say the same thing about you!”

Adrian smiled but said nothing.

John saw Adrian disappear into the crowd.

Ten minutes passed. A few other parents had already gone in and out of the office. Frederica was mad. Teresa was nowhere to be found. The truth is that John already seen her walk out of the school with another man. To think she would abandon her duties as a parent to flirt with a guy.

“Father, let’s go.”

“You can go,” John responded. The two waited a bit longer, and then a young man and his sister arrived.

The girl looked like a short, lolified, nerdy version of Teresa.

“What book is that?” John asked.

“Three Corpses by Dawn,” she said, smiling just like her mother.

“An interesting taste, indeed,” her brother said.

“I take you two are Teresa’s kids?” John asked. While feeling Frederica pinch his back.

“Oh, you know Mother?” Her son asked.

“Well, we have our history,” John said, feeling Frederica’s pinch get even tighter. She clearly did not like the way he had said it. “Since your mother had to run a quick errand, she left me in charge.”

For the entirety of the meeting. Teresa’s daughter did not speak to John.