Unto Onward
"The way you keep looking at me makes me just want to carry you," She said as I stared at her and discussed it with Ana.
"Mother?"
"Yes, son" She responded energetically, bringing her attention down to me.
"Let's go back home." She shouldn't even be working around in her state, a broken core means improper storage of energy, not to say I don't know the dangers of her energy not passing through the circuit, but according to Anastasia. It could break her body.
"Oh? Don't you like hanging out with me? I want to get you a few more things."
"Mother, I think I'm sick."
She was trying to emotionally blackmail me but I've been at this game longer than her, remember what I did to that nurse, the one that earned me my last supper.
"Oh my, are you okay?" She immediately came to my level and began to touch my head.
I feigned being weak and hoped it would work on her.
"Oh my, you must really want to go home. Fine, let's go." She said and exchanged farewell pleasantries with the stall owner.
***
"Father, you have called for me?" She said as she entered the Duke's study.
"I'm a little shocked at the etiquette you are showing me. Is it because of Gilland?"
She looked the other way, embarrassed.
"You and mother did seem impressed by it..."
"Gilland is Gilland, you are you, the differences that both of you had is what makes both of you unique, etiquette is good but don't try to get in a competition of impressing us with him. He's your brother. Besides you should have seen the first day he was here, he was a disrespectful runt, I had to punch him several times and slapped him too."
"Father?!! You slapped a little child...?!" Her reaction was unexpected, the Duke must've thought she was going to be excited.
"I'm telling this to mother..."
"Wow, I guess you don't need to hear this special announcement I'm about to make to you." He said, giggling and glaring at her.
"You will buy your way out of this one but the price won't be cheap." She said as she sat down in front of her father,
"So what's it Father?"
"Right, the dungeon that emerged in our territory twenty years ago..."
Excitement filled her demeanour immediately,
"Lair of the Cursed Warrior?!! Is father going to let me challenge the dungeon?!!"
"Yes... on one condition"
"Anything Father, I'd do anything." She responded with vigour.
"You will treat Gilland like a brother and give him the support he needs."
"That's easy... is that all?" She asked.
"I will arrange a list of the knights that will go with you. Prepare for it and don't rush."
She jumped over the table and hugged him tightly, surely he wasn't expecting it.
"Thank you, Father!!"
Patting her back he responded...
"You're welcome"
"I presume you two have been having quite the Father-daughter day." The duchess said as both of us entered the Duke's study.
She hopped to her mother
"Mother, mother, father is going to let me challenge the lair of the cursed warrior." she said joyfully.
"What? you are going to allow a seventeen-year-old girl to go to a dungeon?"
"Mother?!!" Something seemed to have displeased my emo-sister.
"What?" Her mother sternly glared at her.
She gazed away at her mother's stern voice and tried to steal glances at the face I was making. I was engrossed in the thought of trying to save my mother's life so I wasn't in the moment they were all in.
"I believe Avery is old enough"
"You could give her a vassal weapon from the treasury why do you have to send her to a grade S dungeon?"
"My father conquered the catacombs of the dragon slayer at the age of sixteen and since then owned Siegfried, Avery is skilled I think she can also conquer a grade S dungeon."
"I'd like to go with my sister too."
Everybody's attention was drawn to my position.
"I'll protect her so that mother can be at ease," I said.
She stared down at me
"Little brother, don't get cocky with me"
I looked up at her and smiled
"Don't worry sister, I'm a prima, I will protect you." I said to her face... she blushed, almost losing her step.
The Duke and Duchess exchanged glances with apparent shock.
"The knights will be going with us, so I don't think there's anything to worry about... Besides, I'm already learning about fusion from Siegfried"
The Duke's eye widened again at this rate his eyes will tear one day, I really should stop giving him full package surprises.
"You are learning about fusion?"
"Yes Father, but I've not had a chance to test my skills so I lack experience"
'This is... even father did not learn about fusion until after five years of making a pact with Siegfried, but it has not even been one week.' The Duke thought to himself and afterwards smiled.
"Fine, if you insist." Then he turned to the duchess...
"Do you agree?"
She looked at me
"Don't worry mother, I'll make sure I do not get hurt."
She smiled and came down to my level, holding my face softly with her hands.
"Promise me?"
"I promise mother..."
"Mother, aren't you going to ask me too?" Avery said with a taunting tone.
"You can get hurt for all I care, this is happening because of you."
"Linda, that's harsh." The Duke said.
"Father, let mother be... She desperately doesn't want me to go to a dungeon because of its dangers, so I of all people understand her love for me."
Talk about maturity, my emo sister surprised me. Not everyone is blessed with such understanding.
"Since we have all agreed that the two will be going to the dungeon together, Avery why don't you take Gilland to Orel to get his equipment?"
"Yes, Father! I love going to Orel after all... little brother!" She grabbed my shoulders as she said,
"Let's go to Orel..."
This bitxh literally dragged me out of the place, while her mother called her name telling her to stop, the Duke chuckled.