Another Family Reunion

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Orsted, I hope you are doing well.

I have discovered a new apostle of Hitogami. His name is Geese Nukadia. He has betrayed me in such a way that can only be explained as such. Due to his betrayal, I have become afflicted by an unknown condition that has caused my mana to become unstable.

When you are able, I would very much appreciate it if you could visit my home in Sharia to discuss this matter in greater detail.

Thank you.

~Rudeus

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Satisfied with my message, I pressed the button and the letters disappeared from the stone slab, presumably reappearing on Orsted's matching one.

Afterwards, I made my way downstairs to enjoy the feast that Aisha and Lilia prepared.

The eight crowded around the dining table as Lilia brought out multiple plates of food.

"Shouldn't we have waited for Norn to get home? I wouldn't want her to feel left out", Zenith questioned.

"No need to worry", Lilia assured. "I sent word of your return as soon as you got back. Norn should be on her way home as we speak."

*Knock knock*

"Woof!"

As if on cue, someone began using the lion's head shaped knockers at my front door. Leo ran to the front door to see who was there. Lilia set the food down on the table and made her way after Leo to answer the door.

"You're back already? That sure was fast!", Lilia could be heard exclaiming from the other room.

"We were already heading home to take our lunch breaks together when your messenger passed by", Laws explained.

"I'm so relieved that everyone made it back home in one piece!", Hope said.

"Elinalise, where are you going?", Paul asked.

As soon as Laws had started speaking, Elinalise had abruptly stood up from the table and started walking towards the back door.

"I've, uh... got to use the restroom."

"Oh, the restroom is over that way", Zenith answered, pointing to the end of the hallway.

"You know, there's actually something I need to take care of. I'll see myself out."

"Don't be silly, Elinalise!", Zenith complained. "This is the first time we've seen each other in over a decade! At least stay for lunch. You haven't even gotten to meet Norn yet!"

Defeat washed over Elinalises face as she resigned to her fate and walked back to the table and took her seat. Laws and Hope followed Lilia back into the Living room while Leo tagged along behind them.

"Mom! Dad! I missed you so much!"

Sylphy got up from the table and hugged her parents.

"We missed you too", Hope said as she caressed Sylphy's hair.

"Welcome back to you too, Rudues", Laws said with a gentle smile. "And you too Zenith, Paul, and... Mother!?"

"I had suspected as much", Elinalise sighed. "I'm sorry, Laws. I didn't intend to disrupt your life. I'll see myself out..."

"Wait!", he yelled. "Where are you going!? We've finally reunited and you're going to leave out of nowhere just like last time!?"

Tears began to flow down Elinalise's cheeks and her hand began to tremble.

"I'm sorry... I don't want to burden you..."

"What? How could you say that?"

"It's because of me... we were chased out of our home... they didn't want you to marry hope... Your life has been so hard, and it's all because of the shameful way I acted."

"I've never thought of you as a burden", Laws lamented.

"And I would have married Laws no matter what anybody said", Hope added. "I ran off with Laws shortly after you left. Do you really think I wouldn't have come if you were there?"

"It was for your own good... I would have caused trouble for you wherever we went."

"That's not true and you know it!", Laws shouted. "If you wanted to leave that's fine, I was an adult, but you could have at least said goodbye! You're just coming up with excuses for taking the easy way out!"

"Calm down, Laws", Hope said as she grabbed his arm.

"Why don't you two go upstairs and have a talk", Zenith suggested. "Take as long as you need."

"Yes... that's a good idea", Elinalise said as she wiped away her tears. "Thank you for being so considerate."

Elinalise and Laws walked upstairs to Laws' and Hope's bedroom.

"Elinalise is my grandmother?", Sylphy asked her mom once things had calmed down.

"Yes. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but I never expected you to meet her like this. I can't help but worry about what she's been through. She's even missing an arm!"

"That just happened recently", Paul cut in. "She lost it fighting the labyrinth guardian."

I couldn't help but feel ashamed. Not only was it my fault that I fell for Geese's trap, but then I traumatized her when I tried to heal her arm afterward. I need to make it up to Elinalise somehow. At the very least I need to make sure to introduce her to Cliff.

By the time Laws and Elinalise returned downstairs, Norn had already returned from school. Needless to say she was ecstatic to find everyone back home safely. It seemed like they had worked their issues out, because they were both smiling and happily sat down at the dining table together.

Elinalise agreed to stay in Sharia for a while to spend time with her family. 

"Why don't you stay in our guest room?", Sylphy suggested.

"I appreciate the offer, but... I was thinking of staying in the dorms at the University."

"I'm pretty sure you have to be enrolled as a student to do that."

"I was thinking of doing that too. You're never too old to learn new things and besides, I think it will be fun."

I was pretty sure that Elinalise actually was thinking more along the lines that she'd have no shortage of men to hunt at the University, but I wasn't going to mention that right now.

"I'll be looking forward to you showing me around, senpai."

"Come on now, don't call me that, grandmother", Sylphy laughed.

"As long as you don't call me 'grandmother' again, you've got a deal!", Elinalise joked.

It was still only a little past noon by the time we all finished eating, so Sylphy and I went with Elinalise to help her fast track her enrollment and get set up with a dorm room.

Jenius was ecstatic to welcome another family member of mine to the University. He even offered to make Elinalise a special student, but she refused saying that she wanted to enjoy the experience of being any normal student.

I don't know if 'normal' is a word I would ever use to describe Elinalise, but then again, perhaps I'm not one to talk.

We spent so long on the Begaritt Continent that the current schoolyear was only a couple months from ending, after which would follow a short break before the opening ceremony would welcome the next year's new students.

Elinalise was going to officially enroll as a student starting in about three months when the next schoolyear began. In the meantime she was allowed to stay at the dorms even though she wasn't attending classes.

Sylphy and Norn showed Elinalise around the Girls' dorms and helped her unpack her things into her new room. Even though I missed several months' worth of attendance, as a special student I was allowed to continue where I left off like nothing happened. The same went for Sylphy as well.

The next morning I went to my room in the research facility with the intention of experimenting with my magic, but as it turns out I couldn't even get past the magical barrier I had placed at my room. 'Unlocking' the barrier required an intricate input of mana that I was unable to currently perform.

'I'll have to get Sylphy to help me unlock the barrier later', I thought.

In the meantime I stopped by the special students' homeroom class where I found Cliff sitting at his desk in the front and Zanoba sitting in the back studying Chaos' book about the 'living doll'. He was so engrossed in what he was reading that he didn't even notice me come in.

"Oh, Rudeus! Welcome back!", Cliff commented as he noticed me approach.

"Master Rudeus!!!", Zanoba suddenly shouted as he stood up, sending his chair flying backwards.

*Hiss!*

"Hey! Watch it!", Pursena complained.

"Woah! Calm down!"

I backed away but it was too late. Before I knew it Zanoba had his arms wrapped around me. Thankfully he had started to learn to control his emotions, at least enough that he didn't crush me with his embrace.

"I'm so glad you're back!", he cried. "You left out of nowhere after your party and didn't return for months!"

"Yeah... Sorry about that. We had a bit of a family emergency."

"Miss Norn told us what happened. Next time take Cliff and I along with you! I'm certain that my strength could have been of use!"

"You're right. If I learned anything on that trip, it's that I should stop thinking that I need to do everything on my own."

"Stop smothering him like that", Cliff scolded. "Give him some room so he can tell us all about what happened."

I recounted the events that transpired after they left my birthday party, starting with the letter I received about Roxy all the way up to waking up after being trapped in the giant mana crystal. In respect for Eris' privacy, I left out the part about our interaction with the Succubus.

"So you can't use magic at all?", Zanoba questioned.

"I haven't tried since what happened in the labyrinth. I'm thinking of asking Jenius if I can reserve one of the training halls for myself for a little while. I'll just explain to him that I'm experimenting with a new spell and that the automatic Healing circle in the training hall would prove useful."

"I'm more worried about that poor woman that you tried to heal. What you described sounds very traumatic", Cliff replied.

"I was hoping you could help me with that. Since I'm unable to heal her, I was hoping you could help her get in touch with somebody who can. I'm sure you know many King-class healers from back in Milishion."

"I know most if not all of the King Class healers there, but I think you might be underestimating just how exclusive that group is."

"Great! I'll introduce you to her after homeroom."

Just like that my plan to set up Cliff and Elinalise fell right into place.