Chapter 32 - Promised

Caelum arrived into a familiar and nostalgic play that was his room that had been completely empty of the things he was once interested in. The years he had been training and growing stronger made him care less about anime since he was able to travel to those places anyways. He already aims to re-enroll for highschool beside Liliena who wanted to transfer to Krendon high school which was also a place where her two friends Marie and Annie would be in.

He had been saving up to travel then stay with their aunt Nancy alongside his cousins Penelope and Dalia who he hadn't seen for a long time now. Now that Caelum is able to do virtually anything within the world could now visit them and be whole again. 

The thought of re-enroll was merely for entertainment since he had missed the opportunity to enjoy it. Caelum was deeply thinking about his next move when the panel screen popped into his eyes.

[ Side Mission ]

[ Objective: Re-enroll to high school within Krendon city. ]

[ Reward: 70% of of the stocks of Eternum Company. Eternum gear ] 

[ Penalty: None ]

He read the content and found that it would give him the share of the largest rising company in recent years. Caelum heard about the game yet was far too busy trying to help his problem that he hadn't found time to research the game.

However, what he does know is that the game has the most realistic virtual reality to date that everyone could do anything and even exchange in-game money to real life. Caelum was interested in playing for fun and hanging out with friends. 

He deserves a little vacation after spending most time training and his girls won't mind anyway since they often suggest it. 

'How does the reward work?'

[ It would give you a bank account where the income money is shared. No one would suspect a thing because the system will just rewrite the world for you. ]

'Wow isn't that convenient. Also why aren't you taking your human form?'

[ Well I thought it was unfair that I'll spend my time alone with you while the girls are away. I don't mind staying like this until we get to other worlds or maybe I can appear in eternum later.]

'As long as you're not forcing yourself then it's fine.'

He said before turning his attention to his home and walking around each room checking out Liliena where it was a simple room where most of the stuff was all over the place. Caelum warily smiled and decided to clean it before heading to the hospital later. It took him several minutes until it was finished and notice a photo of the child himself hugging Liliena full of smiles. 

Caelum smiles warmly before storing the photo into his pocket. Once he went to take a shower cleaning himself feeling running water for the first time in a decade and a half. He had baths but missed taking showers and started to rinse himself before looking at himself in the mirror.

'Why is my hair turning red!?'

His figutte had not changed and became extremely handsome that even top class models can't compare with long crimson red hair and golden eyes. Caelum designed to change his form into his old self having short ponytail similar to yuta from noragami. 

After finishing taking a shower and drying himself quickly made a diamond ring using his magic that he planned on selling. He planned to buy a new phone along with flowers for his mother since she would be delighted to see it once she woke up from her slumber. 

He closed his home before shifting space, arriving at the corner of an alley near a pawnshop where the diamond ring quickly gave him a large amount of money. Caelum bought some flowers that were being sold nearby then quickly arrived near the hospital.  

The onlookers watched in awe witnessing handsome young man walking his way to the hospital holding a baguette of flowers.

They wore casual clothing yet they exude 

"...I wonder what she would say after learning the truth?"

[ I suggest not telling her for now until you've spent enough time with them. ]

Caelum nodded since telling his son had gone to another world and killed countless people for power would not sit well for her. The best is to wait until she's ready to learn the truth and align with the other girls.

He entered the hospital asking for the receptionist for a visit pass and at first she was in a daze but quickly gave him an answer. 

Now, he stood at the door of his mother's room, his breathing was heavy. He was afraid beyond belief, because finally he would be able to talk with his mother again. Opening the door, he saw his mother's pale face with many machineries attached to her. Caelum gripped his heart, it had been so long since he had seen her face. If not for her thin pale body then her beauty would be out of this world.

He moved beside his mother while removing the IV that was connected to her, he then used his magic to restore everything from her pale skin to malnourished body. Her beauty was returning at such a rapid rate that it appeared that she had never been in a coma for 3 years. 

He waited for his mother's eyes to open but after a minute had passed, she did not open her eyes, making him distressed. Fear loomed over him, thinking all of his hard work was for naught but he then felt a warm hand caressing his face as tears overflowed. Caelum lowered his head and questioned if he had done anything wrong but felt a warm hand patted her head then turned to see the owner of the hand.

"…You have grown, my Caelum."

Everything, from her warm and mellow voice to her caring gaze. Everything that this woman had given to him was the greatest gift he ever received. 

The young man gritted his teeth as he broke into tears. His unbreakable heart was shaken, forcing him to let out all the bent up emotions he accumulated as a human. Even though the collective mind could not share the deep emotion for somehow filled with deep love.

"Waaaahhh!!!"

The young man cried his heart out, it was like a long nightmare had finally come to an end, changing into a sweet dream. 

The woman smiled warmly at the young man who buried his head in the bedsheets. Her hair swayed, as the wind from the window entered, making her ethereal beauty even more breathtaking. She patted the young man's hair and said.

"I see…you had been through much hardship my son, but you still kept your promise."

It took a while for Caelum to calm down since he gave it all out of her emotion showing how despite his carefree attitude was always burdened by countless things but now that it would soon be gone was at peace. Caelum slowly got up showing his bloodshot eyes, the result of his tears. 

"It's been a while, mom. I-I have kept my promise."

"Yes, you did. And you did a wonderful job, but how long have I been asleep?"

"It's been three years since you have been in a coma because of that unknown disease."

Celine's eyes widened, shocked by the fact that Caelum was able to stand firm on his own for so long. Her heart tightened, knowing that her son must have sacrificed many things in order to help his sister. Her heart tightened thinking about her daughter.

Although her daughter doesn't show it, how can she as a mother not know what her daughter was thinking? From their younger days and she was extremely clingy to Caelum and even scaring the girls in their neighborhood when they got close to her brother.

Looking at the young woman in front of her she couldn't help but sigh and be worried about her daughter.

"How come Liliena is not with you?"

"Ah! She is with her friend in Japan because it's summer break. Don't worry she'll come back around a week or so. Hey mom, do you know that she has been avoiding me lately?"

She smiled wryly, seeing her son being an overprotective brother. Caelum was an adopted child that they had found as an abandoned child in the streets starving to death. He did not have any indications to who he was and they couldn't find his real parents either.

She and her husband decided to adopt him since they hadn't been able to bear children even after ten years of marriage. But then Liliena came after a year making them drown in bliss.

Listening to her son made her heart warm, while she also observed the changes in her son. He was lean and fit showing his muscle from the skintight turtle and his long wild crimson hair that gave him certain charm. 

'My son had grown into a fine man and…charming.'

Celine felt her heart pound when she kept looking at Caelum who has grown to someone that she barely recognize at how different his looks was compare to his younger years

"Are you okay mom? Is there any problem?"

"It's nothing…I'm just surprised with how fit you have become, in the past you were always holed in your room reading manga and watching anime."

"Ah, hehehe well, I needed to grow up a bit to help out as Liliena was planning on transferring for her last year in highschool."

"My little girl is all grown up huh? Wait why would she move to another high school and to where exactly?"

"To Krendon where aunt Nancy lives. At first I plan to leave her there but now I decide to re-enroll there as well since I haven't finished my fourth in high school."

"Oh, do you have a means to travel there? Perhaps it would be delightful for us to live with them."

"Don't worry mom, I know what I need to do."

"... I'm Sorry, it seems that you're unable to graduate high school because of me."

"What? Why are you apologizing mom! It's not your fault for getting sick!"

Hearing her son trying to comfort her, Celine felt even prouder and was happy to be able to see her son again. He was a child that put his family above all. She shook her head while talking back to Caelum.

"Thank you, son, but I will make sure you finish High School now."

"Hey, don't worry about it, leave everything to me!."

"Hahaha is that so but don't think that I'll stay as a burden."

"You've never been a burden, mom! Seeing you smile and talking to me is already the best thing I could ask for!"

After Celine was discharged, they immediately went home. Caelum had placed them under Hypnosis to forget everything and head home. They took their time to catch up while his mother started to question him about what had happened over the years when she was asleep. 

They soon arrive at their home where Celine notices how her plant had been the same when she had fallen into a coma. 

"This place hasn't changed over the years."

"Of course mom, I have been diligently taking care of it."

Celine smiled hearing his son's before entering their home while he kept by his mother's size every step of the way. Caelum took her to the kitchen to have their late launch where he would be the one to cook for them. She enjoyed seeing charming son cook for her and at first wanted to be the one doing so but let him be since he kept insisting. 

Caelum simply made simple dishes for them to enjoy and prepared their cutlery where Celine was able to smell the enticing aroma of his dish.

"Woah, I never expected you'll learn how to cook. The last time I saw you, you barely knew how to cook anything besides fried food."

"Hehehe true but I can't just keep feeding Liliena those unhealthy meals." 

The two shared a heartfelt laugh before digging while having a wonderful conversation about the events while she was asleep.