41 - Catch-up

"Calling me a kid..." Liz muttered, her frustration knitting her brows as she settled into her bed.

"And doing something so horrible to Michael, who was just being nice!" She clenched her fist, her voice a whisper in the quiet of her room.

"That guy... is just a senseless punk...! I... don't like him!" She turned her gaze away, her determination hardening.

"I don't know what Mom sees in him. Why was she staying silent? It must be because he's Van Hellix's son, so she wants to make him feel welcome... I get it... But that was just too much!"

"I'll take cruel if it means you get some sleep," she recalled Van saying with unsettling casualness.

"No... that was just an excuse! He didn't HAVE to be this cruel..." Liz convinced herself as she recalled Van casually draping his arm around her neck.

She blushed, remembering the feel of his embrace and his toned body. Yet, her hands clenched the sheets in frustration.

"...He mentioned his father proposing to the elven queen... Maybe he's just a womanizer like his father... And I agreed to sleep under the same roof as someone like that... Tomorrow, I'll talk to Michael. I'd much rather be with him than with that guy!" she concluded, her thoughts fading into the darkness as sleep slowly enveloped her.

-----

After an emotionally charged reunion, Van, Lalyn, Amoria, and Marcilla stepped outside, congregating near a bench. The atmosphere, still heavy with unspoken words, hinted at a serious discussion ahead.

"There's something we all wanted to talk to you about, Van," Amoria initiated, her tone serious as they settled down. Mika and Rika lingered nearby, out of sight but within earshot.

"Sure, hit me with it," Van replied, leaning forward, his full attention on Amoria.

"The Goddess gave me a revelation after... Magus's death," Amoria said, her voice faltering slightly.

"Speaking of which, why did he do it?" Van interjected, his question sharp, cutting through the lingering tension.

Amoria glanced at Marcilla and Lalyn. Their expressions soured, and they looked away, visibly uncomfortable.

"I'll... tell you about it later. This is more important."

"No," Van countered firmly, drawing a discomfited look from Amoria and the others.

"Van, what I have to say is more important. This can wait—" Amoria attempted to regain control of the conversation.

"No, Amoria. I deserve to know. I get that he was your beloved husband," he began, his gaze piercing as he caught Amoria flinch at his words, "but he was also my best friend. I didn't get to say goodbye... Tell me, why did he kill himself?" Van's voice grew forceful, his frustration evident.

"Van..." Marcilla interjected softly, her hand finding his thigh in a comforting gesture.

Van turned to face her, his expression softening at her near-tearful look.

"Marcy, I understand it's a tough topic... But I need to—" he started, his sentence trailing off as he caught the full impact of Marcilla's pleading eyes.

"...Please," she whispered, her eyes beseeching him for understanding.

He then nodded softly, turning back to Amoria, who offered a weak smile.

"Thank you. I promise... I'll share it with you in time," she assured him.

Van kept his gaze up, his patience thinning under the weight of unanswered questions. "You mentioned a revelation," he reminded her.

"Yes... She relayed that the Dragon King is poised to take over the royal capital. Apparently, he's searching for something here."

"What is it?" Van pressed, leaning forward with keen interest.

"I don't know. None of us do. Lalyn even asked Arlyn... But she's clueless as well. All we know is that the Dragon King will keep attacking, as he has for the past 16 years," Amoria elaborated, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

"16 years...?" Van echoed, the number settling heavily in his mind. 'They've been under that kind of pressure for 16 years...? Just about... after I left...' He scanned their faces—lined with worry and anxiety, the burden of years etched even on Lalyn's stoic visage.

Memories of his last goodbye with Magus flooded back, mingling with guilt. His decision to leave then had seemed necessary, but now it felt more selfish, amplifying his regret.

"Yes. But... we managed. Magus was always there to rise to the occasion whenever needed. About ten years ago, another of the Dragon King's offspring attacked. It was Yagun. He was the youngest, but ridiculously powerful," Amoria continued,

"It was a grueling battle... almost as tough as the demon lord herself. But we managed," Amoria concluded, her voice carrying a trace of weariness.

Their eyes then fixed intently on Van. He could feel the intensity of their gazes piercing through him.

"Van. We know it was you who killed Arutol... How... How did you get so strong?" Amoria asked, her curiosity tinged with a note of urgency.

Van sighed deeply, a heavy silence filling the moment.

'I guess anyone would be curious about it. It's not exactly a sensitive topic... But they might despise me if they knew what I've been up to these last two years.' His mind raced with the potential backlash of revealing his alliance with the infamous Demon Lord and befriending her demons, envisioning their disgusted reactions and potential hostility.

'I should keep it a secret for now, especially since we don't know who might be listening... But I also don't want to lie too much to these folks. They don't need any more drama in their lives.'

"I died a lot during the 16 years I was away. My stats kept rising, and I eventually hit the stat cap," Van explained, trying to keep his tone light and unconcerned.

Van noticed the shadow of doubt and awe flicker across their faces as they processed his words. He could feel their tension, the silent calculations they were likely making in their heads.

'I bet Mika and Rika are already plotting how to take me down... They heard the demonic tongue, after all,' he thought, a touch of melancholy tinting his expression.

"The... Cap..? Impossible...!!" Marcilla echoed, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"999...? In Strength, Resistance, and Vigor, you mean?" Lalyn asked, her tone cool yet tinged with incredulity.

"Van..." Amoria interjected, her voice laden with caution as she fixed him with a penetrating gaze.

"That's... Magus's main stat, intelligence, was at 901 at his prime! How is what you have even possible...!?" Amoria pressed, her disbelief palpable in the thickening air around them.