Something Worse

While the rest of the kids were still playing outside, Aizel and Emma entered the house.

"Would you like to go somewhere else, Emma?" Aizel inquired, while Emma simply shook her head in rejection.

"Okay, Daisy. I'm here." Aizel announced as both Emma and Aizel sat on the couch to wait for Daisy.

Daisy appeared after a minute, dressed in a lovely yellow gown that matched her golden hair.

"What took you so long?" She asked as she sat with them on the couch.

"Huh, well, we got a mission from Leah to help a nearby village save it from the bandits," Aizel said as he explained everything to Daisy that had happened until now.

Daisy listened patiently while Aizel explained everything to her.

"So you saved them and even helped the kids, correct? What's the problem with that, Aizel? Isn't that a good thing?" She asked.

"I don't know how to say it, but I expected it to be difficult. It was so simple, and everything seemed to be going our way. We didn't even face the mages. They just left when we arrived there. Everything seems strange." Aizel explained the thing that was weighing on his mind.

"Even so, why should you care? Shouldn't you be proud of yourself for saving all the unfortunate and poor children and women from bandits? They will be able to move on to a better life now that they have been saved from those who trapped them there.

"Tell me, Aizel, why do you want to become more powerful?" Daisy asked while Aizel stared at her for a few seconds; he didn't even think about that. His goal was to learn more about this world of magic, heal his core to unlock more potential in his imagination power, and get the answers from Alora.

"If you want to learn more about magic and power, you should go to a magic institute in one of the major cities or another kingdom. And if you want to help others, you should not consider the current economic and political situation.

"Aizel, people like us do not belong in that group. They will only use us, and when we are no longer useful to them, they will discard us and find someone else. You will be unable to lead a happy life."

Daisy finished speaking while Aizel was in deep thought.

"You are right, Daisy," Aizel said while looking at Emma. She was listening to the whole conversation without understanding a thing.

"How about we go to Waterfall Valley tomorrow with the kids? We will make some bbq meat and spend a good time there. What do you say, Emma? Do you wanna go to a magical place where flowers change color at night?" Aizel asked as Emma's eyes sparkled. She nodded her head happily, while Daisy also giggled.

"Everything is fine, but what is bbq meat?" Daisy asked in a confused manner.

"Grilling meat on the fire," Aizel answered.

"It will be a good rest for me also, because a day after tomorrow, there will be a Goblin raid, and I don't know what I will face there. I need to have a calm and clear mind." Aizel said.

"That's the right approach, and by the way, what do you get as a reward for saving the villagers?" Daisy asked as she was thinking about what reward Leah had offered Aizel.

"Well, Leah told me she will gift me a house big enough that me and the children can live there comfortably."

"That's good; it will save your daily expenses from now on," Daisy said with a smile on her face. She was happy that the children and Aizel could live safely in their own place.

"Do you think she will really gift it to us? Isn't that going to cost her a lot?" Aizel asked.

"I mean, she is a noble and the oldest daughter from the Rosewell family. I am pretty sure money isn't a problem for her." Daisy replied.

"Let's just forget about that, Daisy. Could you please look after the kids today as well? I have some important things to do. I'll be back in the morning. If you require anything or money for taking care of them, please let me know." Aizel asked as Emma hugged him again tightly, as she didn't want to let him go so soon.

"Don't worry about anything; I like them here playing with Lilly. Go and do your work." Daisy replied while Aizel patted Emma.

"Don't worry, Emma, I will come tomorrow, and then we will go to a magical place together," Aizel spoke while Emma nodded.

Aizel left the house before meeting the kids and explaining to them that he would return tomorrow.

He left the place and headed straight towards his room in the inn.

"I should go and meet Dr. Shelly. Even though I told her I was traveling, I should at least meet her once. I don't want her to barge into my apartment only to find that I am missing and a loli is living in the hall watching K-dramas." Aizel thought as he headed back to his apartment, with a thought while closing his eyes.

"That loli power is surely incredible."

"Alora, I am back."

Aizel looked in the hall, but to his surprise, the TV was switched off and Alora was not there. He looked everywhere, but she was not there.

"Where did she go?"

Aizel looked at the balcony and found Alora standing there, silently staring at the city.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" He asked; he had never seen that serious look on Alora's face.

"Is it about mana? Is it going to appear finally?"

"No, something bad has happened." She replied.

"What can be worse than an apocalypse?" He asked.

"Something much worse," Alora replied while Aizel was running his mind at full speed. "What can be worse than mana? Did someone else find the way to the other world, or did some high-grade monster enter here?"

"The series I was watching had a main character who died of lung cancer after finally expressing his love for his childhood friend."

"Huh"