The Departure

The air on the dining table was delightful and warm. There were two packed bags near the gate.

"This day finally came…" Lina said with a hint of sadness in her voice, but she had prepared herself already for this day as she knew sooner or later Ryu and Aiena will have to leave for adventure,

"I will miss mom's Fel custard," Ryu said as he took a mouth full of custard happily,

"I taught it to Aiena, already though," Lina laughed,

Ryu looked at Lina with a face full of seriousness as he said,

"Mom's cooking is still special" and Lina smiled happily as she giggled,

"Ryu, you sure know how to praise mom,"

"I'll make it tasty too!!' Aiena said with enthusiasm and everyone laughed. Today Ryu Aiena and Jue will finally be leaving for the adventure.

"Ryu, did you keep those carefully?" Lina asked with a concerned look, and Ryu nodded.

'They'll help him a lot in Hell's flame dungeon' she thought as she smiled,

Ryu, Aiena, and Jue had set multiple locations to visit in their adventures like Natara capital, Epnir, and 6 Great High-dungeons. They also decided on following Snow's track to surprise her eventually, and most of all,

'going to these key locations… I'll have great chances to get information about Holy knight, there is also that promise' Ryu thought as he looked towards his mom when suddenly a loud noise came from the door.

"Good morning, everyone!!! I have arrived!!" Hina shouted as she came skipping steps by jumping as she came towards the dining table, which made Ryu think,

'Isn't she too old for skipping around like this?' as they all returned the greetings,

"Good morning Hina, you look especially happy today?" Lana asked curiously, and Hina nodded as she sat.

"I sure am happy, kids will finally go on an adventure today" Hina took a bite of bread she picked up from the dining table, and everyone stared at her confused when Lana finally asked,

"Shouldn't that make you sad? Kids will be leaving for a long time after all," and Hina moved her hand in rejection as she spoke,

"I am actually very relieved that Jue will be going with Ryu and Aiena" she took another bite of bread as she spoke while chewing.

"Geld was actually looking for random parties to send Jue to adventure with…. Over them, Ryu and Aiena are like a lottery… even now Geld is telling Jue about things he should do as an adventurer and don't and also about things he should learn and stuff…. Honestly, I was getting bored with lecture and escaped here,"

'What a motherly thing to do? Escaping while leaving your kid behind!!' Ryu thought as he looked at cheerful Hina,

'… But I can understand' Ryu shrugged as he remembered Geld's lectures during practice,

"Hina, I have told you enough time to not speak while eating!!" Lana scolded but Hina kept eating.

"You know when I came here Lina big sister, I thought someone was staring at me," Hina said something ominous casually and everyone tilted their head,

"I'll check!" Ryu said as he stood up from the table, moving towards the door. Only one question resounded in Ryu's head,

'Who could it be!? Hina's senses are quite high when it comes to this stuff…' and as soon as he stepped out, he figured it out.

"This day we will win!!" a boy shouted and Ryu just jumped behind dodging him. The three triplets who tried ambushing the Ryu failed.

"What are you doing here this early in the morning!?" Ryu asked three of them who were rubbing their heads.

"We were told big brother will leave today…" the first one said as he rubbed his head.

"So we thought today is the last chance of victory!!" the second one said shrugging, and the third one nodded.

"Too bad you lose today!!" Ryu grinned and seeing the disappointed expression on triplet's face, he added,

"Well, it isn't the last chance though, you can be adventurers when you grow and try winning then" and suddenly those three nodded with conviction, as Ryu felt other gazes on him,

"You all can come out too," Ryu said as the kids from the orphanage came out from the hiding,

"Are you all here for the same reason? I don't remember all of you pulling pranks?" Ryu asked with a confused gaze when the children looked and each other and nodded.

A little girl tiptoed near Ryu and presented him with a big cloth bag,

"What is this?" Ryu asked as he tried to feel the insides and the little girl gestured for Ryu to open it,

"a mattress?" Ryu was confused when the kids started speaking,

"We wanted to say bye to big brother and see you soon," a 12-year-old girl said,

"I was worried big brother Ryu would leave like Kit brother…." the oldest boy said,

"We made that mattress together!!" another girl said,

"Yes, priestess taught us, this is waterproof and also very comfortable… we all joined our pocket money to make it," one of the triplets said.

"It is a present for Big brother's, big sister's and Jue brother's party!! So you all remember us and the orphanage!!" the oldest girl said, and Ryu was overcome with emotions as he felt affection similar to what he used to feel for Naho in his last life.

'These kids…!!' Ryu thought and spoke,

"I wasn't going to disappear you know… I would've come to say bye" Ryu said with an awkward as Aiena came from inside followed by Lina,

And with a strict face, Aiena asked,

"Does priestess know you all are here…" for a few seconds she really looks scary until Ryu explained all that happened to him and she was also overcome with emotions as she said,

"I will make sure to keep it clean… I will miss you all" a single tear dropped down her cheek when everyone came rushing to hug her while they were group hugging Ryu pouted,

'Just when I thought they were more affectionate than me!!'

"Big brother I am exhausted!! What is everyone doing here!?" Jue who was walking toward the home was surprised,

"Nothing to do with you knucklehead!!" the first triplet said.

"Jue big brother don't forget us okay!!" a little boy said, and confused Jue took a few minutes before he came to know what exactly was happening and when he did, he was really happy.

"I wonder if other people in the town also want to see us off?" Jue said as he stood beside Ryu, who fell into a bit of deep thought as he remembered a departure that happened in his last life.

When Ryu Rivera was still Mizutani Ryu,

"Brother don't go!!" Naho cried as Ryu packed his bag.

"I will meet you once a week or month Naho" Ryu patted her head when his uncle snorted,

"Get going already… If you finish your monthly before the due date, don't bother me and do a part-time job!"

Ryu ignored him as he finished packing his bag and began to leave. As he was leaving, he heard his aunt speak,

"Finally, some breathing space…." And Ryu left the home without answering anything back and no one to see him off as Naho was crying back in her room.

These memories were as fresh in Ryu's mind as if they had happened yesterday.

lost in his memories, he stared forward and Jue, who noticed the hint of sadness on Ryu's face, questioned

"Big brother, what happened?"

Ryu just nodded as he kept swimming through the past and Jue finally pulled his hand.

"Big brother, what are you thinking!?" he shouted, and Ryu was finally back to his senses and answered,

"I was just thinking there are many people we know here… was wondering if we should go around saying bye and we will be back to them all,"

'Is big brother sick….' Jue thought as he knew Ryu was someone who hated useless, troublesome things the most.

'Ryu still seems sad' Aiena, who was seeing off the kids, thought glancing back at Ryu,

"Ryu, let's do it then!!" she said as she heard what Ryu and Jue were talking about as she reached nearer.

"Yes, if big brother wants this…. We will be leaving in the afternoon, so we have enough time!!" Jue said and Ryu nodded as he thought,

'Yes, this time it is different…. These people are not happy that I am leaving…. They don't want to get rid of me. instead, they'll miss me and wish well for me. If so, I have a responsibility to inform them before I leave'

"Let's go!!" Ryu said with a genuine smile which seemed infectious as it was so joyous it made Jue and Aiena smile too.

They informed Lina about their plan, who was happy with Ryu's thoughtful thinking as he usually saves himself from troublesome work.

They went around town one by one, meeting their acquaintances and friends.

"Ryu, we'll miss you!!" Dana said as Ryu and others went to the pub to give adventurers their regards,

"We will also become a traveling party someday!! Maybe you'll meet us, hahaha" Mamo laughed and the young girl from his party looked a bit sad, and moving toward her Ryu said,

"Let's meet again when our paths cross"

"Ye…yes" the girl blushed, shaking her hand with Ryu and Mamo thought,

'Such a player!!' there were many other adventurers who were crying over Aiena's departure and saying stuff like,

"Zerah's saintess shouldn't leave!!"

"She is us adventurer's lifeline!!"

"Ryu is such a villain… stealing our treasure,"

But Ryu sighed as he casually ignored what they said, moving from the pub they went to the book store where the shopkeeper looked emotional from seeing Ryu and Aiena.

"You three sure have grown well," the shopkeeper said with a nostalgic gaze as he remembered the time when Ryu, Aiena, and Jue helped him with store work for free or in exchange for books with Lana.

"Thanks your books were always the best!!" Aiena said, and the shopkeeper laughed a bit as he moved near Ryu and said in his ears,

"Don't do anything shameless Ryu… I believe you, but the thing with that lady..."

Ryu wanted to shout and protest

'Nothing happened back then!! It was Miss Anzu who was at fault,' but he just shrugged as he knew trying to solve it would only complicate it further.

The shopkeeper gave Ryu a book and said,

"Consider this a parting gift from me. It is a small guide they say for adventurers… it contains information on towns with great dungeons and other places,"

Ryu was very pleased with the gift and thanked the shopkeeper after receiving it.

The afternoon had arrived and they were slowly moving back toward their home immersed in memories they had in this town when Ryu noticed it,

"Ehh!!? What are you all doing here!?" Ryu exclaimed as he saw everyone he just met near their home, and Dana who was standing in the middle spoke,

"Don't tell me, Ryu, you thought you all will tell us you are leaving and we wouldn't come to say bye?"

"I wanted to say bye to you all. I didn't know these all had the same plan," the Guild master said

"It is only natural to say be safe," Mamo said, and before Ryu could figure out what was happening Lina and Lana opened the door, presenting their bag,

"Now you all get going, and remember your promise of letters!!" said Lina cheerfully although it was evident she wanted to look as cheerful as possible to make their departure easier,

"I'll miss you 3!" Lana hugged them.

It was happening too fast, Ryu and Jue wore the bags before they realized it, and the adventurers they knew, kids from the orphanage, Lina and Lana, all followed them to the town's exit where the Village chief, Geld, and Hina were standing already.

'Why does it feel like we are being exiled!!' Ryu thought,

As they stood near the path, the Village chief spoke,

"You three take care of each other… and collect stories for me so I can be the one who gets to hear some from you all,"

"Take care," Geld said, patting their shoulders,

"Jue, make sure to keep changing your underwear. I packed more for you!! Mom will be sad if you don't send the letters!!" Hina said, and Jue embarrassingly nodded,