Chapter 67: 67 – Child – Yeah, no.

I was mad. No, I was pissed off. And that was putting it lightly.

The trip to Roa was supposed to be normal. Fun. Maybe a bit of back and forth as we sorted things out with Dad's family. At worst though, I thought it would be annoying.

And this happened.

I go to meet my potential future father-in-law, and then that tyrannical old man showed up to attack me before ranting stuff about children not knowing how things worked and some other bullshit.

Out of the kindness of my heart and in consideration for Philip who seemed to actually be upset at his father's actions, I didn't just make the old man kick the bucket. Hell, I even made sure to put him in better health than he started by healing him up while I smacked him and knocked down all the BS points he was bringing up about how life worked.

But that was fine. I could handle that much. After all, Dad himself said his family was bad in the past, so I didn't have high expectations.

And then Ghyslaine showed up to tell me that Sylphy had snapped, and that I needed to get there as fast as I could. Also that she was going to get Laws to try and calm Sylphy down too.

So, as expected I immediately bailed on the situation. Knocked the old man out a window (making sure to keep a barrier on him to not drop dead), and then jumped after him with Philip along for the ride.

And then here we were.

A devastated hallway. Dad rushing ahead on everything and spouting nonsense about cancelling the betrothal contract with that Eris girl and starting one with Sylphy. Philip trying to calm everyone down by trying to get us to stay for dinner.

But I ignored all of that and focused on two people.

The first was Sylphy.

My best friend noticed me staring and then flinched, averting her gaze.

Her pretty green hair was disheveled and windswept. And her cute face had a red mark on her left cheek. The same size as a wooden sword.

Not only that, but from the tons of wind, water, and ice mana floating around, plus the absolutely destroyed hallway, it seemed like she had been pushed enough to go all out.

It wasn't Dad who caused that. He knew better.

And it probably wasn't Ghyslaine. From what I knew about the wolf lady from Mom, she was actually an honorable and upright swordswoman. So she definitely wouldn't attack Sylphy for no reason.

Which meant the culprit was...

I turned to stare at the girl standing next to my dad. Eris Boreas Greyrat. My fiancée.

She was taller than me and Sylphy. And she also had a decent face. Aristocratic features, a bit of a haughty beauty. When she grew up, I didn't doubt that she would be a bombshell that most guys would go out of their way to try and impress.

Not only that, but her body was trained. And from the casual way she held a wooden sword in her right hand as well as the faint shine of silver mana in her body, she knew how to fight.

In short, someone who looked good and could fight. A competent, strong, independent young girl.

...Who I didn't give a damn about considering she hurt Sylphy.

Eris noticed me staring and then flinched. A strange mix of emotions crossed her face as she looked at me and the blood on my body. But that mix of emotions quickly settled into a haughty look as she crossed her arms and raised her head. "So you're Rudy."

I kicked off the ground.

Eris flinched and quickly raised her wooden sword. "I won't-"

I blew past her and stopped in front of Sylphy.

Sylphy looked up at me and then lowered her face. "...Sorry, Rudy."

I shook my head and smiled at her. "It's alright. It's my fault for not noticing."

Just how much stress had she been under? Hearing that her best friend was going to be taken away. Seeing me get hurt earlier and her not being able to do anything to help in the fight against Orsted... Then there was the fact that she had to watch me helpless and unmoving in a bed for a week too...

I pulled Sylphy into a hug and said, "You didn't do anything wrong, Sylphy."

Sylphy trembled and then she hugged me back, holding me tight. She didn't say anything, just quietly holding me.

I patted her back... And then I noticed something odd.

Her mana was weird.

There was something mixed in that wasn't there before.

Sylphy's mana was a pretty blue-green color. But now there were flashes of silver and green mixed in.

Those flashes were fading. But the way they were fading was weird too.

Usually when mana was used up, it dissolved into a mist of colors and spread around the area. If it faded, it just straight up vanished, like when I converted mana to elements.

But that silver/green mana mixed in with Sylphy's mana wasn't dissolving or fading away. Instead, it was... turning back into her normal mana?

I frowned.

That was weird. Was it because of Being W? No, it seemed to be natural... and the 'feel' I got from that mana wasn't foreign. It felt malevolent, but it was also Sylphy's. So-

"Hey!" An irritating female voice from beside me. Eris.

Sylphy tensed and then buried her head into my chest, as if trying to hide from Eris.

I frowned and then turned to look at Eris. As I did, I made sure to keep a tight rein on my emotions and said, "Yes?"

Eris stomped on the ground and pointed her sword at me. "Stop ignoring me! You're Rudy, right? My husband or whatever?"

Sylphy's arms tightened around me.

I narrowed my eyes at Eris.

Before I could respond though, a brown blur shot towards me- No, onto the ground in front of me.

Philip... and in a familiar pose that I just saw Dad take.

Dad's cousin smacked his head against the ground and said, "Please excuse this transgression, Rudy! My daughter hasn't had any good role models and learned proper manners yet, so she made mistakes and attacked your friend! I'll punish her accordingly, I swear on my name and life!"

I blinked.

Eris froze.

And in the background, I saw Dad let out a wry smile... Before getting smacked in the face by Laws and having to avoid the guy's onslaught of punches.

I felt a headache coming on and then shook my head. "...Whatever." I pulled my arms back and then wrapped Sylphy in a one-armed hug. "We're done here."

Philip raised his head. "P-Pardon?"

I ignored him and looked over at Dad and Laws. "Dad! Mister Laws! Get your stuff! We're leaving!"

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Laws stopped in the middle of punching Dad in the face again and then shoved him instead. Brushing off his clothes, he nodded and walked over. "I am already prepared, Rudy. And Luffy..." Laws placed his hand on his daughter's head and said, "...Are you well?"

Sylphy sniffed and then nodded, moving over to hug him too.

Laws hugged her back and let out a soft smile.

As for Dad...

"H-Hold on, Rudy!" He jumped up and ran over. "We just got here!"

I nodded. "I know." I glared at Eris and said, "And I've seen enough."

She flinched, but then she gnashed her teeth. "Y-Yeah?!" She pointed her sword at me and said, "W-Well I've seen enough too! Wimp!"

Philip stood up and glared at Eris. "Eris! Apologize!"

"NO!" Eris crossed her arms and said, "It's not my fault! I was having fun practicing with Ghyslaine and then that guy and the elf girl ruined everything! I was happy and then they made me mad!" Her crimson eyes glimmered with tears and she said, "It's not fair!"

Philip crossed his arms and said, "Even then, you shouldn't have done that! Rudy's family now, and-"

"SINCE WHEN DID YOU CARE ABOUT FAMILY?!" Eris glared at him with teary eyes and said, "Stupid Dad! You don't understand at all!" After screaming that, Eris ran off into the house.

Philip sighed and then looked over at Ghyslaine. "Could you-"

"I'll keep an eye on Ojou-sama, Lord Philip." After saying that, Ghyslaine vanished, following Eris.

Philip shook his head and then turned back to look at me. "Sorry about that, but-"

"No need to apologize. We're leaving anyway." I looked over at Dad and said, "Right, Dad?"

Dad frowned. He looked at Philip. Looked at Sauros still unconscious on the ground. And then he looked at where Eris and Ghyslaine left.

I narrowed my eyes.

Dad sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "...Are you sure you don't want to try and get to know Eris, Rudy? She's really not as bad as she comes across. I'm sure if you got to know each other, you'd get along well."

"...Is it my turn to knock you unconscious and drag you back home, Dad? Because I'm ready. And I won't hold back this time."

My dad stared at me and then let out a long sigh. "Fine, fine. Let's go home for now."

"Paul?"

Dad waved his hand and said, "It was bad timing, Philip. We can have the kids meet later when things aren't so stressful."

Philip pursed his lips.

Dad turned to face me and then placed his hand on my shoulder. "Alright, Rudy. Let's head home... Er." He paused and then said, "How are we going to do that this late at night?"

"By not giving a fuck about how we come across anymore."

"E-Eh?"

I looked at Sylphy and said, "Are you okay to use magic, Sylphy?"

"U-Um... I think so...?"

I frowned and then looked at Mister Laws. "Hold on tight to Sylphy. It should be fine, but just in case something happens."

My dad blinked. "Wait. Hold on, Rudy. What are you-"

I grabbed my dad's arm with my left hand. I grabbed Mister Laws with my right hand and kicked off the ground.

My mana surged and winds gathered beneath my feet. At the same time, those winds wrapped around the people I was holding and lifted them along with me.

"Holy fu-"

And then we were gone, flying out through the hole in the wall and heading back home.

Because screw all of that.

-LIV-

Philip watched Rudy and the others fly off in a gust of wind and then covered his face. "I miscalculated."

The fact that Father would try and test Rudy. The fact that Eris would attack Rudy's best friend. The jealousy and immaturity that went into being children...

All of it resulted in the worst case scenario.

Rudy wouldn't accept Eris. And Eris seemed interested in Rudy, but she was too proud to apologize for what she did or even acknowledge him properly.

Sauros groaned on the ground nearby.

Philip turned to look at his father and clicked his tongue. "That stubbornness of yours does no one any favors, Father..."

It was because that guy valued power and order over family that things ended up this way...

But there was no use dwelling on things.

Philip glanced at a few servants peeking out from nearby and waved his hand. "Go help Father and take him back to his room."

"Y-Yes, Master Philip!"

After that, Philip started walking back to his office. As he did, he passed his wife's room. When he did, he hesitated, wondering if he should go in.

But considering everything that had happened recently, she would just kick him out anyway.

Eris's temper didn't come from him, after all.

Philip sighed and then continued on his way.

Walking in his office, he closed the door behind him.

And then he paused, staring at two individuals waiting for him in the middle of the room.

A silver-haired man with golden eyes and a white long coat standing next to a blonde female elf with crimson eyes and a revealing outfit.

Philip locked the door and said, "I wasn't expecting guests. Particularly you two." He walked around the pair and sat at his desk. "What is it this time, Pierre? Another prophecy? More information about traitors?"

'Pierre' materialized a chair for himself and the elf woman before sitting down. "You could say that. But I would call it more friendly advice. You see..."

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