9 Vortex Toilet Flush

By this part of the story, Three and I were going home when we coincidentally met dad inside the very same carriage!

Anyway, Three won't tell me why she's like that with my dad around so I cared less about the matter and thought to what I should tell my parents when I get home instead.

I am definitely sure that mom will give me a spanking with a wordful, so I'll just have to suck it up.

***

Without any worries during our travel, we reached our destination, our home city Phione. Three took off the carriage after displaying her Vates authority, and went home quickly and agreed to visit me a few days later. Then Dad and I were dropped off along with the other passengers at the proper unloading station. After that we went for a few markets and bought food for at least a week before heading home.

When we reached home, the door was already partially repaired, and mom was nowhere to be found. After settling down and doing the necessary chores, we had lunch and I hesitated to tell dad what happened during he was away, and instead told him that we should wait for mom instead, so that I wouldn't have to tell things twice. Also, so that he could buffer my punishment from mom in a way.

Night came and only then did mom came back home... I greeted her, hugged and kissed, then my dad also greeted her, but she was just switching stares at us two, with varying delays.

*sniff*

Am I seeing correctly?

Mom's crying. Dad's holding her. I don't know what he's whispering to her but it seems like good news as she cried more but not with a mournful manner.

Only after a minute did she calm down and wiped her tears and a bit of snot, then she turned to me and stood for a moment before carrying me up with glaring eyes...then hugged me tightly like I was a stuffed toy. Mom, if you don't loosen your grip even for a bit, I'll die without saying a word.

After struggling for a bit and with Dad's warning, she quickly looked at me only to laugh at what she did earlier.

When they were all smiles and them two in a happy dinner mode setting, I find if hard to start to tell my story. Should I just tell them tomorrow?

"Kaff. You told me earlier that we would wait for mother before you tell your story."

Unexpectedly, Dad became a bit stern for the first time. This is actually new to me, and even Mom's smile disappeared as she waited for my reply. Seeing that both of them really wanted to know what occurred in the past few days, I started to tell them the whole story, of course not including my transfer to this world with intact memories.

I told them about from the school was raided, then I swallowed an unknown thing, then escaped and moved to the other city, until the events until I got to meet the Beast God.

Both of them were speechless for a while, their eyes widened with every event, my Mom was holding herself back from hitting me, and Dad was silent all the time, but I could see that he had a bit of a reaction when I mentioned things regarding the Beast God. Night became deeper without notice, and Dad started to talk.

"Leave the school, I'll handle it tomorrow. You could already read, and that's enough."

"But why?"

"Let's just say that we'll be going on a trip starting the next day." Dad made a slight frown before he continued, "I know you'd like to learn more, but even if you haven't learned how to read, we'll still be going out of the city."

"Your Dad's injuries have been healed. The reason why he came home today with good news was that, and we've decided to bring you back at least to our hometowns and introduce you there."

"Will we be travelling far?"

Both my parents looked at each other, then Mom continued.

"We'll be travelling for a few months, and stop over at different towns. "

"We were already planning this much after you were born, Kaff."

But after all that... I'll be leaving Three? But it's so soon, I feel like we've been partners for quite a while already.

Of course she's just a kid, but she accompanied me since finding that book which I haven't seen and read yet... which was over a week ago, yet I feel this much already. Do I really feel attached to a child? I'm also a child, too. But my actual age is...

Stop. Just stop.

Any more thinking after that is dangerous, and who knows. Maybe we'll still meet again.

I've closed my eyes unknowingly, and after opening them up, I noticed that my eyes were becoming teary. Am I being childish right now?

"Dad, Mom. I've decided... I'll quit school. I'll miss Three, but you are more important. I also treasure and love you too. I can't part ways that easily. But! We'll have to say goodbye."

"Smart boy. Were you always this eloquent? Come here."

Dad opened his arms and I went and cried myself. Does having a body of a child make me prone to crying? I've done that a lot recently.

Besides Dad's arms, I could feel Mom caressing my back, and I felt sleepy...

***

The next day, we dressed a bit more luxurious than before, and our nosy neighbors saw that and it quickly became news in our place. Dad wore a set of clean robes with a few gold lines, and underneath he had plain black shirt. Mom wore a dark blue one piece dress which outlined her body, and even had a light makeup on.

Mom sulked before going outside yet she flaunted off her dress as she paraded once she got out of the door. Dad quickly followed and told her to hold back on the flaunting as we still hadn't got to leave the town yet. Then she replied with a snort and told him, 'if not now, then when?' As we went farther from our small part of the slums did she only stop walking strangely and resumed her usual self.

We reached the school and there were only a few people around since we're still early. A few Vates saw me with my parents and asked our business. It looked like bringing parents to the school was more often trouble than not so they assumed we were going to the disciplinary movement, but I said that we're here to go directly to the Grandmaster, and I showed him the token that Three gave me on my first day.

Connections do work, after all.

After that we headed for the room at the far left of the school, which took quite a while, and once again I met the large doors that were supposedly destroyed last time. My dad was the one to knock, put both his hands on the doors, and pushed them open. With sheer force, the doors opened albeit very slowly...

Didn't Three opened these doors with a push back then? Or did they forgot to put grease on the hinges?

It seems Dad is heavily straining himself just by opening the doors, so I also tried to help him... to no avail. I can barely exert any strength that seemed to help, and I could only look amazed on Dad's back as he pushed the doors open.

A while later, he suddenly exclaimed, "Quick! Enter! I can't hold on for long!"

My mom which was supposed to be moving with difficulty in her dress swooped down, carried me, and slipped past Dad's side before nimbly entering while carrying me towards the room. That's a hunter for you.

After she entered the doors shut tight like a spring and a loud boom even reverberated throughout and I held my ears. Was this door supposed to be like that?

"It wasn't the warmest welcome, but I do hope you had a good exercise opening those doors."

It was Three's father, and beside him the Grandmaster stood. Three isn't here?

"Our family talked about what happened, and in the end, Kaff decided to leave the school. He only wants to say goodbye to his friend."

"I had a feeling that this would happen after all what the children had went through. Although they are all smart and will become more intelligent than us, I don't dare say that this would heavily affect the children, but my daughter has a fiancee already, and this moment of farewell will be the best for both of them."

What does he mean by that? He knew we would be close enough to have painful goodbyes or something? Do you assume that Three has some sort of feelings for me? And a fiancee at this age? It isn't strange to have arranged marriages in a world like this but to think that this fact existed...

I really do have to just cut our connection right now then. It wouldn't be strange if they decided to tell her that I'm leaving without saying a word so that she would come to dislike me after, so that it wouldn't create problems for their plans.

For some reason, I really feel very angry right now though, instead of being sad. I felt betrayed. What was that Origin Fruit for in the end? What was all that hospitality that they showed in the first place? Was I naive to think that they liked me back then? Or were they really just doing their just favors?

Was that why they felt no remorse over finding and cutting me open?

After all these thoughts and tracing back, I remembered one boy that had red hair with distinguishing characteristics. He's a Vates, and he also knows Dorother rather well. He also seems to be older and stronger than me. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the one that her father's talking about. From his robes, he didn't seem to be an ordinary Vates either.

With these thoughts, I forgot that we're still inside the room and lost myself. The adults in the room just stared at me. The Grandmaster looked like he was feeling sorry, I guess he liked me a bit? Or is that pity on his face?

I slowly walked towards him and slowly gave him Three's token that was given to me and I saw that my hands were shaking. After I let go of the token, I felt a sort of vibration on my Vates mark at my belly.

"I get it. You just want me to distance from her, right? Can I meet her one last time?"

"She's currently getting dressed for an occasion. She also doesn't know about everything that's going on right here."

In short, I got a 'f*ck off.' I get it. I brought her near danger, and almost near death as well. The theft she did, our encounter with Virol, all those things shouldn't have been done or experienced by a seven year old girl, after all. It would make some sort of trauma, I get it.

The occasion excuse might just be true though, but I wouldn't go there. I could take it a clue as to where I could find her, but I might just get trapped and would be cut open even if the Beast God said that they've been compensated. Also my family would be travelling the next day anyway.

Seeing that matters have been concluded, both dads present chatted with each for a bit before bidding farewell.

The Grandmaster opened the door for us this time, and we got out smoothly. On the way out I saw a few students going in already, and on one of the gardens at the front of the school, I saw the red-haired boy that visited our house last time. There was a mild smile on his face, and it turned into a smirk when our eyes had contact.

Such a cliché young master. I bet someone would drown you to death one day. I don't want to be spiteful, but I just feel like that right now because of the sour mood I've had from earlier.

Later on, Dad told me to go home by myself, and that they would go and buy a few supplies for our travels. I agreed and my feet quickly ran back home without me noticing it.

Upon entering the house, I quickly sat on my bed and tried to calm myself. Does meditating work? How do I even do that?

I just tried to remember the formulas that were usually given in our lessons back from the previous world, distracting myself. Besides, trying to overcome emotion using logic does work, but of course, the fact that I've been emotional before wouldn't disappear, and remembering the things would probably just make me sad again.

I let out a faint sigh and remembered the most effective way of distracting myself: imagining flushing a toilet.

Carrying out a pail of water, and pouring everything on the toilet, flushing every bad thing that existed within it.

Strange enough, I feel kind of calm already.

"Huh?"

For some reason, I feel a cool sensation at my chest, and it disappeared as soon as I recognized it.