Echoes of Fire and Shadows
Chapter 92: House Feru and Return.
—Julius—
Several days have passed since the award ceremony and today would be our last day here at the imperial capital.
We had to stay for longer than we anticipated due to my victory at the tournament, my multiple engagements and also, the fact that I was unconscious for more than ten days.
There's still one last thing that needs to be taken care of before we leave the capital, but I suppose I should explain what happened with Marina, Alicia and I at the tower.
In short, other than the three of us being affectionate with each other for a bit. Nothing of relevance happened…
Well, except for the fact that Lady Eleonora was seemingly disappointed that she wasn't going to become a grandma anytime soon... Just kidding. She seemed to be aware of everything that happened during my stay at the tower, so she was clearly spying on the three of us… She wouldn't stop giggling and teasing us on the way back to the party. The embarrassed faces that the princesses made were extremely adorable.
Which leads me to what happened with all of my new in-laws… Basically, I kicked some ass and chewed bubblegum like a badass.
Although I do enjoy fighting, I wasn't particularly in the mood to fight so many people at once, especially after the tournament… Unfortunately for me my in-laws thought otherwise and they were pretty hard headed about it.
As a result, Neris's dad got a broken sword, the Oriana sisters and their parents got a minor concussion, Felicia's parents basically gave up once they knew that they were no match for me, and as for the Smotias…
Well, let's just say that Zoe and Dante had to take care of Zoe's unconscious parents. They were not ready to withstand the full power of my magic… It was my bad... I wasn't used yet to my new abundant pool of mana and put too much power into what was supposed to be a simple spell.
I was very annoyed thanks to my in-laws, so I didn’t pull any punches against those who wanted to fight. As for those who didn't fight against me… Things were actually pretty good.
Neris's mother seemed delighted to have me as her son-in-law and soon began to pamper me just like Ophelia. According to her, I was the son that she always wanted to have, much to Neris's embarrassment…
As for Neris's sister, she was so timid that she barely spoke to me.
According to Neris, her little sister has always been like that, and apparently, she didn't seem to dislike me. I suppose it is a matter of time before she feels more comfortable about talking to me and whatnot. From what I know, Neris also used to be like that.
Lastly, Myria's father. At first he seemed to hate me with a burning passion for some reason, but after we spent some time talking with each other about politics and a myriad of topics, the two of us had a mutually found respect for each other.
Apparently he's the kind of guy who is rough on the edges and very stern on purpose, but on the inside is a very interesting person to talk to. Sure, some of his opinions might be considered controversial by our noble peers and he does fit the stereotype grumpy dwarf, but otherwise he is a very intelligent and reasonable man. Though, I'm not particularly fond of his harsh attitude with Myria...
Still, I learned a lot about ruling just from our conversation alone.
The rest of the evening was very pleasant and fun. Thanks to my previous display of strength and the fact that Lady Eleonora was present, not a single noble bothered me for the rest of the night.
Due to that, I was able to spend some time with my fiancées playing around, singing and dancing. I also met the rest of the princesses but we just shared some pleasantries. According to Marina and Alicia, they didn’t want to risk another one of their sisters to fall for me, so they quickly took me away before I could have a proper talk with them. A smart move, I should say.
With that, the evening ended without a hitch. It was a great relief for me because the Emperor would have certainly executed me had he found out what I did with his daughters back in the tower…
In any case, the following days passed in the blink of an eye. I was invited to tea parties by my in-laws and fiancées, I was able to do some more sightseeing of the capital with my family, I procured more seeds and ingredients to take back to Marenna, and occasionally had some pizza parties with Sarana, Laura and Karen to reminisce about Earth.
All of those days only made me feel that life in this world was truly blissful.
“The masters will receive you shortly.” A maid said while bowing toward us. She quickly left the room without making a sound.
“Kid, are you sure you wanna do this? Shouldn't you wait for Tiria and do this when you're a little older?” My dad asked with a bored expression on his face.
“Dad, I need to do this. You know that I have a bit of a grudge for something she said, so I'm getting retribution for that. I will certainly get them to approve of me.” I spoke with determination as I stared at the door ahead of us.
We were visiting a large mansion in the noble district. Just like most of the mansions I had been to in the capital during my stay, this was a place filled with luxurious items and decorations.
This mansion could be called a palace by itself and it was simply spotless due to the hard work of all the servants employed here…
Such was the mansion that belonged to House Feru. A house known for generations due to their talented strategists and statesmen as well as their powerful magicians and knights. A house of marquises of the most pure pedigree. My dearest teacher and fiancée, Tiria, hails from such a house.
Naturally, I had only one purpose for visiting this place… To ask Tiria’s parents for their blessing to marry their daughter as well as to take her mother's ring back to the village to tease my future wife relentlessly.
“Juli, can I go and explore now? I'm getting a little bored.” Leaf said as she suddenly got out of my shirt pocket. “Big places like these are fun to explore! I bet there are many secret passages hidden in plain sight just like in the castle!” She spoke with excitement as she flew around my father and I.
“Leaf, you know you can't do that here. You need to behave in front of the Marquis and the Marchioness. We are here to have an important discussion.” Karen caught the little fairy mid-flight with her right hand and scolded her.
“Ehh… But I'm bored!” Leaf protested immediately while trying to escape “Juli! Help!” She pleaded with me.
Normally, I would have given in since Leaf's puppy eyes were devastatingly effective. However, this time I wanted to cause a good impression and hopefully not fight my new in-laws…
“Leaf, you can't be selfish. I know that you're bored and that you want to play around, but can you wait for a little longer? We will return to the forest shortly and you will be able to play as much as you want!” Karen decided to ask nicely. “Look! I'll even give you some of this candy if you wait patiently!” Correction, Karen decided to bribe the fairy with sweets.
“Yay! I'll be as quiet as a mouse then!” Leaf said before stuffing her mouth with candy. A simpleminded yet adorable girl.
“Good girl.” Karen smiled while pampering the little fairy. It reminded me of how she used to pamper me when I was little on Earth.
Originally, my plan was to make a quick visit to the Feru’s mansion with just me and my dad since he was well acquainted with the Ferus. That was until Karen and Leaf decided to join in since they wanted to spend time with me.
Of course, I was not against that at all. I was saddened that nobody else could come as everyone back at grandpa's house was busy preparing everything for our return and the noble girls had matters that they had to handle with their families due to our engagement.
Life got really busy for all of us all of a sudden…
Anyway, for today's visit we were wearing semi-formal attire. Well, only Leaf, Karen and I… My dad was wearing his usual brown pants and a black tank top. He really seemed to hate formal wear with a passion.
As for myself, I was wearing a white shirt with a red tie as well as a black jacket with matching pants and a pair of riding boots. I was wearing the white coat that Marina and Alicia had given to me at the tower.
As for Leaf, she was wearing a cute black dress that my mother had commissioned specially for her and her small size. Leaf now has a whole wardrobe for herself other than the leaf dress she usually wore.
For the record, her unique skill works on her new clothing just as well as it did with her old dress.
As for Karen, she was wearing a pure white dress that definitely made her look like an angel… Well, she's a valkyrie but the point still stands. The dress would certainly match her angelic wings, but she was hiding those beautiful wings with magic, unfortunately. A simple yet very effective attire.
Also, just like Yraura had promised, Karen and I were more or less the same age. At least that's what it appeared on her status. She had quite a bunch of skills too, all thanks to the Goddess of Virtue and her experiences on Earth.
Ah, the two of us are also the same height, so I guess all of her wishes actually came true…
Well, hers and mine… It is like having the old Karen I remember from my childhood with me again. The only difference is that she is now a badass valkyrie, has blonde hair and the two of us matured a little.
Though, she does seem to be really enjoying being a child again… Can't say I blame her considering all the crap she had to go through.
Right… I should make sure to play a lot with her and show her around the forest to make it up to her for everything. It is not everyday that you get another chance to experience childhood again.
Though, before I could continue with that train of thought, the door in front of us was opened by the same maid from before.
“The masters shall receive you now. You may go inside, esteemed guests.” The maid spoke with utmost care and elegance as she bowed to us.
“Thank you very much.” I thanked the maid as I decided to take the lead.
“Ready to meet your in-laws? I wish we could do this with my parents…” Karen followed shortly after and spoke to me with nostalgia.
“Karen… I…-” Before I could even begin to console her, she stopped me.
“Don't be sorry, Julius. I know that my parents are long gone. I'm sad about it, yes, but I'm much happier now that we will be together forever.” Karen showed me the warmest smile I had ever seen. “And besides, I know that they would approve of us if they were alive. In fact, I think that even now they are blessing us from the heavens. I'm sure your parents would too.” I could tell by the looks in her eyes that her feelings were genuine.
“Or perhaps they are living anew somewhere else, just like us.” I wrapped my arms around Karen and hugged the young Valkyrie.
“That's true… I'd like to find them if they are in this world.” Karen giggled as her expression visibly brightened even more. “I love you.” She suddenly whispered in my ear before ending our hug.
Jeez… These girls really know how to make my heart skip a beat…
“You are a very strong young lady. I will count on you to cover Julius's back.” My father said as he began to pat Karen's head.
“Consider it done, Mr. Armanz!” Karen nodded and smiled again. “But… Do you mind if I call you Dad? You're my father-in-law now, so it should be fine, right?” Karen asked with embarrassment.
“I don't mind it. You can call me whatever makes you the most comfortable. Though I won't say that I'm not happy to get another daughter!” My father nodded before laughing obnoxiously, just as usual.
“Then I'll call you Muscleman!” Leaf spoke with unbelievable excitement.
“Again with that nickname, little one? I really would prefer something else. Anything other than that or Mr. Fred.” My father looked quite troubled.
“Ehh? But you're really muscular though and I think it is just perfect… I guess I will call you Dad too.” The tiny fairy quickly gave up on the previous nickname.
Once again, my father seemed troubled due to the choices of my fairy companion, but I no longer had the luxury of paying attention to them.
All of us soon entered a small room that seemed to be used exclusively to receive guests. There was a large coffee table as well as a pair of sofas and some chairs.
On top of the coffee table there was a myriad of sweets and pastries as well as several cups and a tea set. All prepared for a long conversation.
Two people were already sitting on one of the sofas in front of the coffee table. Both were staring at us with interest while looking full of dignity and grace.
Those were Tiria's parents. The Marquis and Marchioness of House Feru, to be more precise.
Tiria's father was a mature human man in his sixties. His long red brown which he arranged in a ponytail was already filled with huge spots of gray. His stern and dignified look made his violet eyes all the more noticeable. He was around 1.78 meters tall.
He was wearing a simple outfit. A white shirt with black trousers and riding boots and a dark blue jacket with the emblem of House Feru, a hawk tearing out the neck of a giant wolf-like beast…
As for Tiria's mother, she was an elf of unidentifiable age. She had short red hair that barely hid her long pointy ears. Her green eyes reflected her gentle and playful nature as she stared at me while smiling. She really reminded me of her daughter.
She was wearing a dark blue gown. The gown didn't seem that expensive or luxurious, so it was perfect for this casual meeting. The woman in question seemed to be around 1.86 meters tall.
“Lord and Lady Feru, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. As you know, my name is Julius Navar.” I quickly introduced myself as I bowed since they were superior to me in rank.
“You do not need to bow to us, boy. We owe your father a great debt, so you may act as you would in your own home.” Tiria's father said as he stood up from his seat. “My name is Jon Graham Feru.” He quickly walked up to me and offered me a handshake.
I accepted his handshake before noticing that his wife had followed after him.
“I'm Elizabeth Marin Feru. You may call me Liz. Protocol is a pain, so I would much rather that you acted more casually.” Lady Feru smiled at me as she began to ruffle my hair. “I'm happy to meet in person the champion of Blaise’s tournament. You're much taller and cuter than you looked back in the tournament.”
“Were you perhaps watching the tournament?” I asked with some embarrassment.
“We were there. There was no way we would miss such an auspicious occasion like that one considering that two princesses were graduating from the Blaise Academy.” Jon nodded.
“Imagine our surprise when we found out that no one other than the son of the Skull Crusher would be the one representing the crown princess and her little sister!” Lady Elizabeth spoke with excitement.
“Indeed! I didn't expect you to have another child, much less an adopted one, especially since I heard from Tiria that you were living in such an isolated place as Falgren.” Lord Jon spoke to my father with moderate surprise.
“Aye, what can I say? Sometimes that's how life is. You could even say that we were destined to find him.” My father nodded proudly. “As my wife would put it, our lives have been filled with blessings ever since we began taking care of him.” He suddenly looked at me and showed a cool smile.
I was very happy to hear those words, but I was equally embarrassed… It made me so awkward that I ended up imitating dad's bad habit of scratching the back of his head.
“Huh, is that so? It is unusual to hear someone like Fred talking about destiny. You must really treasure your son.” Lady Elizabeth seemed delighted.
“Aye. I treasure him as much as I treasure my daughters. He's my son after all!” My father began to laugh obnoxiously again…
“I won't say that I don't understand the feeling. Even in spite of all the trouble she has caused us, we still love our daughter very much. We cannot thank you enough for setting that little troublemaker straight.” Jon suddenly bowed to my father.
“We are quite thankful for your help, Frederick. Although, it is a shame that you weren't able to help her become a proper lady… She hasn't brought any men home to introduce to us… If only she had found a wonderful man like Fred, I would be a grandmother by now…” Elizabeth seemed quite troubled as she let out a huge sigh.
Hehehe… If she only knew…
“That's right! She hasn't even brought anyone back home! I'm getting old! I could die any moment now without even meeting my grandchildren!” Jon seemed quite desperate. “Please be honest with me Fred… Is Tiria seeing anyone right now? Please tell me that she is…” Jon was practically begging my dad to tell him.
“About that…” My father said while looking at me. “It is probably better if we take a seat and discuss this over some tea.” My dad beckoned everyone to sit.
“Oh! So she's seeing someone! Wonderful! Why hasn't my idiot daughter said anything to us yet?! Even though we speak daily with the communication crystals, she hasn't said anything!” Lady Liz suddenly started pouting. She looked quite upset but also somewhat delighted.
“Like I said, it is better if you take a seat. It is a little difficult for me to explain, so…” My father scratched the back of his while awkwardly looking back and forth at my new in-laws and I.
I was surprised to see how quickly Lord and Lady Feru listened to my father. Within a moment's notice they were already sitting down on the sofa and serving tea for everyone, something unthinkable from nobles of their status.
In Marcelian culture, for the nobles to serve their guests instead of the servants was a huge sign of respect and admiration toward the other party.
Naturally, we also took a seat on the opposite sofa from the Ferus. My dad sat by my left while Karen sat by my right. Leaf was sitting in my shirt pocket, just as usual.
Both the little fairy and the valkyrie had been silent the whole time, but as soon as we sat down they started getting quite affectionate with me.
Leaf was doing some silly things to get my attention while Karen was pressing herself onto me and hugging my arm quite tightly.
“Ah, I've been meaning to ask, but who are these two? It has been a while since I’ve last seen a fairy.” Elizabeth asked, showing great interest in my fairy companion. “Also, is that little blonde cutie your girlfriend, Julius? She’s gorgeous! You look so adorable together!” She asked with a bright smile while looking at Karen.
“This is my first time seeing an actual fairy… What a wondrous being. They are even smaller than I thought…” Jon was more interested in Leaf than my relationship with Karen. His eyes were filled with wonder and awe toward the little being.
“Sorry for not introducing them before. This is my precious companion and dearest friend, Leaf.” I said while pointing at the little fairy sitting in my shirt pocket.
“Hello! Nice to meetcha!” Leaf puffed her chest and grinned as I introduced her. She seemed quite proud to be my companion.
“What a cutie! Do you want some snacks? We have all sorts of candies and pastries! You can eat to your little heart's content!” Elizabeth’s heart was immediately conquered by the small fairy.
“Yay!” Leaf danced with joy before flying away toward the marchioness, eager to receive the sweet treats she had been offered. As usual, it was easy to win over the little fairy.
“Please eat in moderation, Leaf. You know that if you eat too much sugar you won’t be able to sleep at night.” With an awkward smile, I had to give Leaf a little warning.
The little fairy and Elizabeth both nodded in agreement before getting into their own little world of sweets and giggles.
“Anyway, as for the person beside me…-” I decided to introduce Karen, but I was interrupted.
“I am one of his fiancées. My name is Karen, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Karen introduced herself while practically gluing herself to me. She was enjoying this a little bit too much considering what I was about to ask Jon and Elizabeth.
“Oh… So, you’re one of his fiancées? Then it must be true what I’ve heard… That not only was the adoptive son of the mighty Skull Crusher strong, but that he also had a way with words that even the most noble and pure young ladies of the nobility were not able to resist. I heard that there was quite an uproar because those ladies unilaterally decided to marry the boy, despite his tender age and social standing.” Jon questioned Karen before falling deep in thought.
“Aye… And you wouldn’t believe how troublesome it was to get those nobles off our backs… I mean, those girls are nice and all, you know? But try to spend a whole day with the people of House Oriana, House Shtrel, House Gradisia, House Estner, House Smotia and the Empress herself, all in one room. Never had I wished to be able to stab myself in the neck with a rusty knife before.” My father looked genuinely tired while recalling his reunion with my in-laws.
“I certainly don’t envy you about having the joy of such company… There’s very eccentric people amongst the nobility.” Jon nodded as if he could understand my father’s pain. “Still, I do envy one thing about you.” He suddenly said with a dark expression on his face.
“Is that so? What do you envy about me?” My father looked at the man with curiosity.
“The fact that you will probably have grandchildren before I will… Seriously, what is that daughter of mine doing? I literally could die any day now! I’m not getting any younger! The least she could do is bring someone back home! If this young boy can get engaged so quickly, then should be able to do so as well! I no longer care who it is her partner, I just want to have my grandchild in my arms! All of my friends and even some of my subordinates and retainers are grandparents now and they are always bragging about their grandchildren to me! You wouldn’t believe how envious I am of them too!” The Marquis suddenly began complaining loudly.
How to say this…? Jon and Elizabeth really are Tiria’s parents huh.
Jon acts exactly the same way as Tiria when she starts panicking or gets jealous. Heck, they even complain in the same particular way. And that mischievous nature and that beauty was definitely a gift from Elizabeth to her daughter…
For some reason, watching those two in this situation made me more confident in what I needed to say. I had already made up my mind, so I didn’t particularly care if I got their approval or not, but I wanted to do things properly for Tiria’s sake.
“I wouldn’t say that I will meet them this early… My son just turned ten, you know? He won’t get married to those girls any time soon.” My father stated with a troubled expression. “Although, if I was you, I wouldn’t worry too much about your daughter's future.” He said with a nervous smile while looking at me.
It seems it is my turn… I hope that this goes well…
“Ah! Right! I almost forgot about the thing you mentioned before we sat down!” Jon seemed like he was about to shed tears of joy. “You said that Tiria was seeing someone, right? What is that person like? Can you describe them to me? When did they begin to court one another?” Jon asked with impatience. He was leaning over the table and staring at my dad with an inquisitive look of desperation.
On the other hand, my dear father was looking back at me with an expression that could only be described as him asking for help. It was either that or he was telling me to take control of the situation I caused…
“You could say that Tiria is not seeing anyone just yet.” I answered instead of my father.
“Is that so? Damn… I got my hopes up for nothing…” Jon leaned back to his seat, completely dejected.
“But perhaps she will in the future.” I said while steeling myself for what was to come.
“What exactly do you mean by that, boy? What do you know about my daughter’s love life?” Jon seemed extremely confused.
“Well, Tiria is my teacher and you could say that she and I are very close with one another… You could say that because of that, I came here to meet you with a clear purpose in mind…” Even though I had prepared myself, I was still nervous about this kind of situation.
Asking my potential in-laws to allow me to marry their daughter is a new thing for me after all…
“I would like to have your blessing to take Tiria’s hand in marriage.” I said with as much seriousness as I could muster.
With that single sentence alone, the entire room fell silent.
The previously giggly Elizabeth was staring at me with a blank look on her face. She had been feeding Leaf some sweets so she was completely caught off guard by what I said.
As for her husband, Jon, he was quite shocked… So much so that he had suddenly spilled all of his tea on the floor. For a moment, the only that sound that was heard in that room was the sound of a cup breaking into a thousand pieces.
“Fred… Is your boy trying to mess with us? That kind of joke is not funny at all…” Jon spoke with clear disbelief as he tried to compose himself.
“Not at all. My boy is very honest with what he feels and stuff.” My father shook his head in denial. “He’s very much in love with your daughter. As her teacher and friend, believe me when I tell you that your daughter absolutely adores him too.” My father decided to spout something truly embarrassing…
“I see…” Jon said before making eye contact with his wife.
Both Elizabeth and Jon seemed like they were having a panicked conversation via telepathy… I didn’t really know if they had such a skill, but that’s what it seemed from the outside.
After what appeared to be an eternity, both Elizabeth and Jon nodded at each other before standing up from their seats and walking up to me, their expressions were as serious as if someone had suddenly come to their house to make fun of the decoration and kick their dog.
“Julius…”The Marquis and the Marchioness spoke at the same time.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Are you truly in love with our daughter?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yeah… I know it might be selfish coming from me who already has several fiancées, but I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that Tiria is one of the most important people in my life.” I was honest with my feelings. “That is why I didn’t hesitate to accept when she told me to marry her if she was still single by the time she turned forty.” I panicked a little and revealed something that maybe I didn't need to reveal…
“I see… So she asked that of you… That moronic daughter of mine! What the hell is she even thinking?! To ask that of such a young boy in the first place! I’m gonna give her a piece of my mind when I see her!” Jon looked quite troubled as he fell deep into thought.
“Dear.” Elizabeth smiled at her husband before caressing his hand.
“I know… I know… We might not get another chance like this.” Jon nodded while looking at his wife. He had quickly regained his composure. "She's still going to get a scolding from me!" He added, almost on the verge of losing his composure again.
It didn’t take long before their focus fell back on me… Elizabeth and Jon suddenly grabbed my shoulders and bowed to me with gratitude…
“Welcome to the family! Please take care of our dumbass daughter!” The Ferus spoke at the same time once more.
Ehh? They accepted me? Just like that? Was it that easy?
Naturally, I was dumbfounded as I had expected a tough negotiation ahead to convince those two given the difference in age between her daughter and I… Clearly, I had not understood how truly desperate they were to become grandparents.
Of course, what happened during the rest of the meeting went would be a tale for another day. It was pretty uneventful though, all things considered.
—Tiria’s POV—
“How peaceful…” I mumbled as I quietly observed the clouds up above.
After finishing my work and all of my documents for the day, I decided to enjoy the rest of the afternoon on the front porch of the house while having some warm tea.
The snow had already melted completely, so for the most part it was a pleasant day of spring. Except for when the cold winds from the Riltza Mountain Range to the northeast came to remind us of the previous harsh winter. It hadn't happened so far today, so I was enjoying the warm weather.
Because of such weather, I was wearing only a tank top and some shorts just like a certain family of rabbits I know.
“...” I absentmindedly drank from my cup as I observed the village.
The people here were very hardworking. Most of the villagers were already working hard on the fields for the future harvest or going to the Lady of the Lake to make our local specialty product, the wonderful soap that Julius had created.
It didn't take long before the voices of several children playing happily near the central fountain.
“Julius… I wonder when you will return. I'm feeling rather lonely…” I whispered while messing around with my ears. The real elven ones, that is.
Even though I already knew that Julius and everyone would be gone for some time due to the tournament, I didn't expect that I would feel so lonely without them around… It already had been more than a month and a half since they departed to the capital.
“He must be busy with all those celebratory dinners with the nobility and whatnot.” I said to myself before letting out a huge sigh. "It must be nice... I would have liked to be there for him too..." My words were filled with regret, but I know that it couldn't be helped. Someone had to protect the village in their absence after all.
Thanks to Lady Lia and Lilia, I was already aware of everything that happened at the capital during the tournament. Heck, I was able to watch everything from start to finish!
I know of Julius awakening the power of his demon bloodline and losing control of himself during the finals, his victory over Ophelia's child who was the previous champion, and also the fact that Julius was made a noble by the Emperor.
In fact, that was everything Lilia talked about these last few days through the communication crystals. If she wasn't so powerful, she would have been executed for all insults she used to refer to the Emperor.
“Can't say I blame her… I don't entirely like it either. It feels like Eliana got away with what she wanted in the end.” I couldn't help but sigh again before drinking more tea.
I was also aware of the fact that Eliana had suddenly gone and died. The bitch had been hiding her sickness for a long time and died just like that…
It was completely unlike her to kick the bucket just like that. To die in such an anticlimactic manner without giving me the chance to kick her ass again was the most selfish thing she had done in her life.
“Rest in peace, bitch. You were the most annoying person I ever had the displeasure to work with… I can't believe I'll say that I will miss you in spite of all the crap you've done to me and Fred's family.” For a few moments, I found myself mourning the loss of an annoying friend.
She was a scheming bitch like most of the royals I have met, but at least she served the Empire and followed her beliefs to the very end.
“Cheers to you, Eliana. May the Goddess of Death have a little mercy on your ass.” I said to myself before finishing down the rest of my tea.
After that, I sat silently admiring the skies. Watching life move on slowly as usual, just as if nothing had ever happened.
It didn't take long before I remembered the other thing that happened at the capital…
Lilia and the Goddess had told me that Julius had not only seduced several noble girls of very important families, but that he had gotten engaged to them…
“Even though you already have Mia and the twins, why would you need more?” I asked while thinking of the little black haired boy. “You also have me, don't you?” I felt a pang of jealousy in my heart.
If only he had been born a little earlier… Perhaps we would have met and become a couple by now… Perhaps I would be able to have him all to myself…
“Jeez… What am I even thinking about? Such ridiculous thoughts… It almost seems like I'm an old lady rambling about her past days of glory!” I couldn't help but laugh at myself and stupid thoughts. “I still miss him… I want him and everyone to return soon...” My laughter was short lived as I couldn’t help but sigh again.
However, I was completely and utterly unprepared for what was about to happen… Almost as if on cue, as soon as I mumbled those words, the empty space in front of the house began to shake, almost as if reality as a whole was being split into two…
“What in the thirteen hells…?” I said as I stood up and looked at what was happening before me with awe and confusion.
This was a phenomenon I had seen in the past… It was Spatial Magic. I had seen such a thing happen before when Lilia’s little sister showed me her powers… When a person uses such magic to travel somewhere, everything starts to vibrate violently as if the gods themselves were shaking the whole world…
After that, if one is successful, a gate should appear. A rift in reality itself which connects two distant places with one another, making travel between them a matter of seconds.
It was something astonishing to be able to use such spell even for a short distance, but to use it from the distant Imperial Capital which is hundreds of kilometers away from the Great Forest...
“Does this mean that Sarana has mastered Spatial Magic to the point where she could perform such a feat?” I asked as I stared in awe.
Wait… Even if she were able to do something as amazing as that, she wouldn’t be able to come to Falgren as she has never even set foot on this place…
The spell that Sarana showed me, [Long Distance Gate], only works on places where the user has been previously and it was only limited by the user’s total mana capacity. She was quite clear on that with that in her explanation…
If that’s the case then, could it be…-?
As I was finishing that thought, the rift in space became stable and the world stopped shaking. A human arm suddenly reached outside from the rift… The arm was moving around, almost as if trying to check things around it.
Hold on, doesn’t this mean…?
Before I could reach a conclusion, the owner of that arm had fully crossed the portal in front of the house. It was a boy with black hair.
“It seems that it is completely safe to cross. Looks like I was able to do it on my first try. As I thought, using these eyes feels like I’m cheating the logic of this world… Can’t say that this power is not convenient.” The boy spoke with a familiar voice. A voice that sounded way more mature for his age…
It didn’t take long for me to recognize the boy. After all, it was the person that I wanted to see the most. However, I was truly taken aback by how much that person had changed.
No way… Is that really him? Lilia and the Goddess never said anything about this!
“Ah… Right. I should give the others the signal.” The boy said as he stuck his head back into the portal as I watched him with shock.
That boy was obviously Julius. Not only did he seem more mature, he looked way different than when he had left for the capital along with his parents.
For starters he appeared to be taller than me by ten centimeters. His hair had gotten longer and messier, it even flowed a just bit past his shoulders. Not only that but he gave the impression that was leagues stronger than he was previously. No… He definitely was stronger than ever before. He had stopped looking like a child and more like a trained and fit young man.
He was wearing casual attire that suited him quite well, with a black shirt, beige trousers, a pair of old riding boots as well as a brown coat and his beloved red scarf.
“Jeez… They are still getting over their shock? Sigh... It can’t be helped.” Julius said to himself as he shook his head with amusement. “I definitely should work on a permanent Teleportation Circle on Grandpa's house next time. I think it won’t require as much effort and mental preparation as this gate took.” He said while rubbing his chin.
For some reason, I just couldn’t stop looking at the boy but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything to him. Was I embarrassed for the stupid thing that I had proposed to him? I knew that it was a fucked up thing to do, but I simply wouldn’t forget about the words he had told me that day.
My heart skipped a beat each time that those words echoed in my mind.
“Phew… It’s good to be home! I really missed the clean air of the countryside and all the space we have here in the village. The capital city is nice and all, but I definitely like this place way more. I can finally relax as much as I want!” Julius said as he began to stretch. “Anyway, I suppose I should wait here for everyone to cross so we can… Unpack?” Julius was talking to himself before suddenly looking in my direction. He stared at me mouth agape before blushing like a tomato.
“H-H-Hey, long time no see!” I tried to act as natural as possible but it ended up being awkward instead. “Heard that you won the tournament… Congrats! I always knew that you had it in the bag! Of course, I expected as much given that I was the one who trained you! Hahahaha…” I tried to act confidently, but I made it worse somehow.
Julius didn’t react to my words at first… He continued to stare at me with a complicated expression on his face. However, it wasn’t long before that expression was replaced with a more serious one.
Julius quickly walked up from the street toward the porch. Once he arrived, he stood in front of me silently, just observing… Almost as if he was carefully choosing his words.
Though, in the end, he chose…
“Tiria, I’m back.” He smiled while scratching the back of his head. Such a bad habit of his…
That smile of his was enough to make me filled with relief and warmth. It made me forget about my awkwardness too.
“Welcome back.” I smiled back at the boy. I was genuinely happy to see him again. “You sure have gotten taller huh? You’re taller than me now… It will be hard to get used to it. I guess I won’t be able to call you cute anymore…” My smile became a little awkward.
Julius had certainly grown. He no longer looked like the little boy that Fred found in the forest. He stood proud like a champion and warrior, something befitting of his status as the demon prince. I certainly didn’t dislike that, but I was saddened that I wouldn’t be able to see his old cute self anymore.
“A lot of things happened… Both good and bad.” He smiled awkwardly just like me while making eye contact with me. It was only then that I became aware of the biggest change about him... His eyes were a different color.
“What happened to your eyes? Why are they as bright as silver now?” I asked even though I knew the answer thanks to Lady Lia. “They are beautiful…” Those words suddenly escaped my lips. I realized my mistake almost immediately.
“Is that so? I suppose I should thank you for the compliment, but believe me, it is a rather long story.” Julius looked a little bashful. “My eyes aren’t as beautiful as yours, though.” Julius suddenly complimented me.
“What? Are you trying to seduce your old auntie again? You really have a thing for older women, don’t you?” I pretended to tease him and laugh to hide how embarrassed I was. “I heard that you got engaged to several noble girls at the capital… Didn’t think that you were capable of such a thing while having Mia, the twins and I by your side. I don’t appreciate it very much, you know?” I couldn’t hide the jealousy I was feeling.
“Believe me, I couldn’t believe it either… But as I said before, it is a very long story. Let’s just say that I took responsibility for my actions.” Julius looked a little hurt due to my words, something that I didn’t intend to do.
“H-H-Hey, I was just messing with you! Don’t make such a face! I already told you that I was expecting to be your fourth or fifth! It is not that big of a deal!” I panicked as I tried to fix my mistake.
“Are you sure you’re fine with that? I’m beginning to feel like trash, you know?” He looked truly dejected.
“Jeez! Don’t take it like that! You’re a prince! That means that you will be a king when you return to your homeland, so you can have as many wives as you want as long as you always love us and don’t take us for granted!” I ended up hugging him and saying something truly embarrassing.
“I see… Still, I’m sorry… I have been worrying about this a lot for the last few days. I won’t say that I wasn’t scared about your reaction…” Julius admitted while hugging me back.
While in his warm embrace, I felt happy and truly at ease. The fact that he was finally back gave me an indescribable amount of joy.
“It’s fine, you worrywart. I’ve known you for a long time and you always do the same. You begin to ponder whether or not your actions were right or not and then you begin to feel guilty even when everyone tells you that things are fine.” I said while burying my head on his chest.
“You really know me well, don’t you, Tiria?” He said while chuckling. He didn’t deny anything I said.
“Of course! I’m your teacher and your fiancée, aren’t I?” I looked up only to see those silver eyes of his staring right at me. His face could no longer be called cute, it should be called handsome instead.
“Indeed. You are my precious teacher and my beloved fiancée.” He smiled from ear to ear. “And I have just the thing to make it official.” He said while looking for something in his pocket.
“Weren’t we official before? Were you just playing with the feelings of this old lady? That's a nasty thing to do, young man.” I asked with a teasing smile.
“Of course we were. You know that I would never dare to do such a thing as playing with your feelings,” Julius pulled something out of his pocket. “But in order to reassure you, I want to give this to you.” He raised his hand while holding a small white ring.
“Wait… Is that…?” I was dumbfounded by what he was holding.
“Your mother’s engagement ring? Yep, it sure is. I took some time to visit my in-laws with dad before leaving the capital.” Julius nodded. “How to say this…? Your parents were quite pleasant to meet. They accepted our engagement almost immediately.” Julius spoke rather timidly.
“Huh…? You really did go to see them? They didn’t say anything weird?” I asked with worry.
“Nothing that I can recall right now. Ah, they did welcome the family and told me to take care of their dumbass daughter.” Julius suddenly began to giggle uncontrollably.
“Those old farts! The fuck do they mean by dumbass?!” I obviously got offended by my parent’s words.
“It might not seem like it, but they were quite happy with the engagement. Putting aside the whole grandchildren rant that your father had going, it was evident that they loved you very much. Well, how could they not love you considering that room filled with paintings of you as a child that they have in their mansion.” Julius began to cackle as he made fun of me.
“You saw that?! Mother said that she wouldn’t show those to anyone!” Now, I was fully embarrassed by my parent’s actions. “Though… I do know that they love me. I caused them a lot of grief in the past, so I don’t know if I’m worthy of that love... I was a little shit through and through when I was a teen...” My embarrassment quickly turned into shame.
“Believe me, they truly love you.” Julius said with confidence. “But surely not as much as I do.” His beaming smile was too much for me to handle.
“And you brought that ring to demonstrate that?” I asked Julius. His smile was enough to make me forget about the past.
“Obviously.” He nodded. “Would you like to accept it? Would you like to marry me?” Julius asked with that beautiful smile of his.
“You already know the answer, you precocious boy.” I laughed somewhat nervously while pointing at my finger. “I will accept that ring if you promise to be by my side and love me forever. I don’t care how many more wives you get or how many girls you love. Just give me some affection from time to time and I will be happy. At my age, that's all I can really ask for.” I told my beloved while blushing.
“That’s not acceptable.” Julius shook his head. “I have a lot of love to give, so it is either all or nothing.” He said as he placed the ring on my ring finger.
Jeez… When did the cute boy I knew become a cool young man all of a sudden? This is bad for the heart of a nasty old lady like me…
“Then allow me to give you a token of my affection for such a wonderful gift.” I said before giving him a peck on the cheek. “I’m quite conservative so this is as far as we will go until you are an adult.” I winked at him and smiled bashfully.
“This is plenty enough for me.” Julius said as he averted his gaze and blushed.
My lonely days had finally come to an end. My family and my beloved had finally returned, and I was happier than ever to have them back. Especially after such a wonderful gift from my future husband.
Chapter 92: House Feru and Return.
END
EXTRA: Tiria’s Status
STATUS
Name: Tiria
Race: Half-Elf
Age: 33 Years Old
Ability Points: 1,600 points
Titles: Noble / Beloved Daughter /Former Troublemaker / Two-Faced Tiria (Former) / Number One Cause of Grief for House Feru / First Student of the Skull Crusher / Honor Graduate of the Imperial Academy / Vice-Commander of the Bastard Knights / Wind of Destruction / God-Tier Martial Arts Expert / Dragon Slayer / Wyvern Slayer / Bandit Slayer / Evil's Nightmare / Lousy Drunk / Destroyer of Furniture / Expert in Collateral Damage (Material) / The Fastest in the Empire / Demonic Wind / Terrifying Opponent / Strict Teacher / She Who Shall Not be Named / Dangerous Bitch / SSS-Rank Adventurer / Grandmaster of the Adventurer's Guild in Marcel / Tenth Seat of the Guild's Council / Beloved Auntie / Beloved Mentor / Cradle Robber
Jobs: Superior Battle Master Lv.6 / Master Magical Brawler: Wind Lv.9 / Godlike Martial Artist Lv.6 / Superior Wind Sage Lv.7
Level: 262
EXP: 600,240 / 702,815
Attributes
HP: 62,410
MP: 90,601
DEX: 1,965
STR: 7,820
VIT: 24,006
DEF: 1,597
RES: 1,540
LUCK: 380
SPD: 6,137
INT: 720
Common Skills
Analysis / Level 5
Cooking / Level 5
Enhance Mind / Level 9
Masterful Hunting / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Riding / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Stealth / Level 5
Superhuman Focus / Level 3
Super Harmonious Mind / Level 1
Superior Restraint / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Combat
Armed Combat: Twin Swords / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Armed Combat: Daggers / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Armed Combat: Battle Gauntlets / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Swordsmanship / Level 6
Masterful Unarmed Combat / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Fighting Spirit / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Second Wind / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Spearmanship / Level 4
Relentless Sniper / Level 4
Throwing Weapons: Knives / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Throwing Weapons: Chakram / Level 4
Magic
Ether Manipulation / Level 3
Ether Perception / Level 2
Magic Dominion: All Elements / Level 5
Superior Magic Dominion: Wind / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Super Efficient Mana Consumption / Level 6
Resistances
Charm Resist / Level 5
Elemental Resistance: All Elements / Level 4
Paralysis Immunity / Level 9
Poison Immunity / Level 5
Petrification Immunity / Level 2
Superior Pain Resistance / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Crafting
Construction / Level 7
Soap Making / Level 4
Tailoring / Level 3
Woodworking / Level 9
Unique Skills
Symphony of the Wind Demon / No Level
Dance of the Wind Demon / No Level
Harmonious Fist of Destruction / No Level
Wind Control / No Level
For an "old lady", she pretty cute.
Yep! Tiria is adorable and frankly one of my favorites.
Little fact that I had never shared, Tiria was always by the side of the protagonist of the original draft. I might elaborate more on that after the next arc is over or when war arc begins
Basically, I kicked some ass and chewed bubblegum like a badass.
Why did I imagine Harley Quinn here?
they didn’t want to risk another one of their sisters to fall for me, so they quickly took me away before I could have a proper talk with them. A smart move, I should say.
Julius and the Princesses underestimate the power of Author-san..
He really seemed to hate formal wear with a passion.
My bro!
Keep fighting! One day people will stop nagging for no reason.
My lonely days had finally come to an end. My family and my beloved had finally returned, and I was happier than ever to have them back. Especially after such a wonderful gift from my future husband.
TFTC! Pretty long huh this one.
I, too, underestimate my power sometimes.
Poor Fred.
Yep! Glad that I could make Tiria happy. And also, it isn't like she's not used to danger. She was a knight and also an adventurer, after all.
Yeah, You could say that I got a little inspired.