Introductions

"Sob... sob... my son... after 3 years..." Rei's eyes were still shedding tears as he kept Sou's body wrapped in his built-up arms.

Sou was still trying to hold himself from bursting but as soon as he felt the two embraces from behind, he couldn't hold anymore.

"Finally, I am home..."

A drop of tear trickled down his cheek and fell to the ground. Sou was crying.

"What the hell's happening there? Oi-" Mr Hols asked with confusion, disbelief, doubt, suspicion and what-not in his eyes.

Thack!

"Ow! What was that for?!" Mr Hols roared at this wife who hit him at the back of his head.

"Let them have their time."

"But..."

The wife gave Mr Hols a cold shoulder and smiled warmly towards the other family, though they didn't know they were family yet.

***

"You can let go of me now."

"No! Absolutely no! I have finally gotten you in my arms after 3 dreadful years! You think I am going to let you go again?!"

Things have finally calmed down and now the family was sitting on a cosy couch in the living room of the main house, chatting about Sou's adventures and other stuff. While they were talking, Lia was sitting opposite to them with puffed up cheeks. 

(Someone's jealous...)

"Fufufu... so my son has become quite strong?"

"Yep!" Sou answered his mother enthusiastically.

(Hmm... he still hasn't asked that question... is he being considerate?)

"Son, you have really become strong..." 

There was a bit of sadness in his tone. His eyes were wet from crying earlier and his voice was trembling.

(Huh... was this guy always like this? Sou, you really had this kind of parents?)

For someone who was betrayed by his own parents, this was a bit iffy for him. Actually, it was just too good to be true for him. 

"What happened, Sou? Why do you have a face like that?"

Before Sou realized it, he was already frowning at his thoughts. How good it would be if he had parents like Rei and Lily? Maybe he would have still lived or maybe he could stop his parents, but there was nothing that could be done anymore.

"But son, why can't sense your mana stage?"

"That..."

In truth, even Sou didn't know the answer to that question.

(Even I don't know that...)

"Even I don't know why you can't sense my mana stage. I checked it several times during my adventuring times but there was nothing wrong with my mana stage..."

"Hmm, that's a bit troubling."

"Well, I can tell you my mana stage."

Sou smirked at Rei.

"Haha, aren't you a confident one?" 

And Rei threw a burning glance at Sou as if his fighting spirit had been awakened.

"Upper Stage II."

There were nine mana stages, from Stage I to Stage IX, each of them was divided into three- lower, middle and upper. Usually, a child reached Upper Stage II before they became adults, that is, before their 15th birthday. But Sou was just ten. and he was already at Upper Stage II. Rei felt like an anvil smashed his heart for a moment. 

"... Sou, get over with the jokes and tell me seriously."

"Okay, Upper. Stage. II. Was that enough? You want more clarification?"

"Haha, I don't know if I should laugh or just sneer. Do you really think hearing the same joke twice makes it any funnier?"

"Haha, well, I think you are the one who is unable to accept that fact."

"Haha, quite funny."

"Haha."

"Haha."

Silence. There was nothing else between them anymore. Just a deathly silence. Even Lily gulped unconsciously.

"... seriously?"

"Seriously."

"..."

Knock! Knock!

The Hols family knocked at the door.

"We have not been introduced yet."

Thack!

"Again?!"

"I am sorry for my husband." Mrs Hols bowed to the Reynolds.

"Ah, don't mind that."

Rei got up and quickly grabbed Mr Hols wrapped Mr Hols's head in his arms.

"This here is my friend Lucio Hols. He works as the head of the budget department for the Royal Family. And this here is his wife Celina Hols."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Sou Reynolds. I am sorry for barging in your house unannounced and thank you for taking care of my parents in my absence." Sou bowed deeply.

Both of them twitched in astonishment as soon as they heard Sou's words. They looked even more shocked and Lucio looked at Rei who wearing a huge grin.

"Rei."

"Don't you dare say that. He is my son. It's just that he takes after his mother more than me. "

"Ah, yes. Now it makes sense why he is so refined and noble unlike a certain someone here."

"What?!"

"Haa... can't deny that, uncle Lucio."

"Hmm... I can feel you. The personalities don't match at all."

"Hello? You are being rude to someone, you know?"

All of them laughed earnestly.

"Sou..." Celina held a girl around his age in front of her.

"This is Julia Hols. She is about your age so I hope you don't mind being friends with her."

Sou listened to Celina's words and then looked towards Julia.

"Nice to meet you. I hope we can get along." Sou offered his hand for a handshake and made a lovingly smile, enough to make any woman blush, but this girl, Julia, by no means, was an ordinary girl. She barely showed any emotions and always had a cold look in her eyes. The only emotions she could show was cringe and disgust and some other emotions akin to the mentioned ones.

She took Sou's offered hand and shook it firmly.

"I am Julia Hols. Nice to meet you."

After saying her piece, she let go of the hand and went to stand beside her parents' side.

(Hmm...)

"Now as we are done with introductions, shall we go and have our dinner?"

"Sure. Let's celebrate your son's return!"

They started to walk towards the dining hall while talking loudly.

"Hahaha! Just wait till I tell you about my son's deeds as an adventurer!"

"He was an adventurer?!"

While they were talking, Sou could feel a piercing gaze at his back and he knew very well whose gaze that was.

(What a strange girl...)

There were traces of mana inside her too.

***