Chapter 83 - CHAPTER 83: Family Reunion

The sun had begun to shine in the sky above the academy. Everything glowed orange. Lian's eyes were open, his body lying on the bed. He was not tired, but he had not managed to sleep a wink. The memories of the previous evening were still etched in his mind. "Why me?" he murmured with a frown. Rick had asked to be his best friend! For what reason? Lian had no idea. He only knew the situation was absurd. "Ah, enough thinking about it—" he said with a sigh as he got up. His half-naked body glistened despite the sweat and dust he had gone to bed with. "It is incredible how my body recovered so quickly… in that Gate, I looked like a walking corpse. Now…" Lian could not take his eyes off the mirror. His defined muscles, his sharp, piercing blue eyes. His messy brown hair, too short to be considered long and too long to be considered short. And the lock of hair falling over his eye… Everything was normal. Only his clothes were awful. The academy's robe, light-colored with bronze veins, was what everyone wore here. Lian did not like it much, but he could do nothing about it. "Well then… I would say we can start the day with a nice bath!" A smile bloomed on his face as he recalled past events. "This time it will be different—I will never leave the house dirty again, and I will always carry soap. After all…" Mana flowed through his body as, with his eyes closed, he drew an oval in his mind. "Aqua Vivax, Rivo Levis" A light stream of water appeared above his hands as Lian controlled it with precision. Or at least, he tried. The water fell to the floor after a few moments, soaking the ground. A sigh escaped his lips as he grabbed rags and cleaned. This was his room; he could not ignore the mess. "Today is the big day… I will finally see my parents again! The headmaster said they would arrive today…" Lian imagined his reunion with his little sister, Mira. He could not wait to show her he could make BOOM with his hands. A goofy smile formed on his face as he opened the bathroom doors. "Well, let us get ready—" --- Time passed, and the sun was high in the sky. The heat was not excessive as a light breeze moved the leaves of the trees within Grimreach. Lian had taken a carriage. The headmaster had sent him a letter about the meeting place with his parents. It was near the city's entrance… "BIG BROTHEEEER!!" "Huh?" A little girl ran with speed, overtaking many people as she headed toward a boy with an enchanting appearance. Tall, handsome, but above all… a Mage! Although Grimreach hosted the academy, few Mages left it to explore the city itself. They preferred to stay holed up in the academy, studying magic or spending time with their peers. Whenever a Mage walked the streets of Grimreach, the crowd could not help but stare with jealous and admiring gazes. They envied the status and power they represented, yet admired those who risked their lives to defend humanity from monster invasions. "Big brotheeer!! I missed you, sob, so much! They told us you were, sob, gone!" Tears and sobs streamed down Mira's face. Her small arms tightly hugged Lian's back as her tears soaked his brand-new robe. But Lian could not care less about getting dirty, not at this moment. He was crouched on his knees, apologizing to his little sister and parents for making them worry needlessly. "We thought you were dead—" Mother Elyse said with tears in her eyes as she hugged her son tightly. "Do not scare us like that… ever again! Promise me!" Lian nodded firmly, his eyes watery. "I promise, Mom—" At that moment, a pat on the shoulder shook his body. It was unexpected, but still… he felt no pain… rather— "You ungrateful brat! What are you wearing under that robe, a steel armor?" Father Torren clutched his hand as if he had just taken insurmountable damage. Tears streaked his face as he cursed at Lian, all to avoid admitting he was crying for him. --- After several minutes of joyful tears, shared even by passersby, the four finally managed to talk properly as they began a tour of the city. This was Lian's first time in a city like this. He had only seen it in passing, during his arrival here with Patrick and Sera, in a carriage. Lian walked beside his family, his heart lighter than it had been in days. Mira held his hand, skipping happily, while Elyse and Torren followed, smiling at each other as if they had found a lost treasure. "Big brother, show me a spell? Like one of those that go BOOM!" Mira said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. Her voice was a mix of innocence and boundless curiosity, typical of a child who saw her brother as a hero, no, a Mage! Lian laughed, ruffling her hair. "Not here, little one. Spells that go BOOM cannot be used lightly." Seeing the disappointed look in Mira's eyes, Lian added, "But maybe later I will show you something cool, like… wind that appears from nothing!" he said, winking at her. "The wind goes Swooshhh!!" Mira shouted excitedly, running ahead and twirling in the open air. Some time later… "Why do we not go in and have lunch together? The food might not be as great as Mom's, but it is not bad—" Lian smiled as he patted Mira's head. "Yesss, let us eat!" The four entered one of the city's best restaurants. "Welcome to 'Glimpse of Mana,'" said the waitress, handing them a menu carved on runic wooden tablets. "Today's menu offers wind wolf soup, boar ribs, and a herb salad. What can I bring you?" Lian looked at Mira, who was already pointing at the menu excitedly. "Soup! I want the bad wolf soup!" she said, and her parents laughed. Torren ordered ribs, while Elyse chose the salad. Lian opted for another wind wolf soup. He did not really need food every day, as he had proven by surviving in the Gate for days without eating, but the good taste of food never hurt. While waiting for the food, Mira leaned toward him. "Big brother, tell me about the Academy?" Her eyes shone with curiosity, and Lian could not help but smile as he began to recount everything he had seen. Technically very little, as he had only been at the academy for a day, but thanks to Rick, he had learned about many areas. In particular, there was something Lian could not wait to see. He had been intrigued ever since he first saw Sera's barrier artifact. Runes. Lian could not wait to explore this new concept. It felt strangely familiar, as if it had something to do with his system… "Damn…" he murmured as the previous night's thoughts resurfaced. The Seven Blossom and Spirit Water he had eaten and drunk the day before were fantastic, top-quality products. But thinking about the exorbitant price he had paid in total… Lian felt damn poor. 1000 gold coins gone just like that—it is a robbery, damn Rick! And he even wants to be my best friend! he thought fleetingly with a sigh, before returning to smiling and enjoying the good moments with his family. --- Author Note! I know, nobody wants a chapter about family. So consider it a bonus-chapter!