Child - Arriving at Roa

As the sun started to set, our sled came to a stop right outside the gates of Roa. When it did, I hopped off and then held my hand out to help Sylphy get off. "Here, Sylphy."

She smiled and then took my hand to steady herself as she stepped off. "Thanks, Rudy!"

Dad jumped off and then frowned. "What? Not going to help your old man out?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "Just be grateful I talked Mom and Mama Lily out of making you our sled dog." I paused. "Though you're probably going to have to do that the next time when we bring the whole family."

Dad chuckled. "Well. I guess I have been a bit of a dog recently..."

I reached into the sled and picked up the healing tome Mom gifted me as well as my wand. After securing both on my waist, the tome with a stone holster and the wand on its usual leather holster by my right side, I looked over at my dad and said, "I hope that's only talking about messing up with me and not messing around with other women. Like Ghyslaine. Because if you have, you're dead. Like, actually, and not from me."

Dad wiped the smile off his face and gave me a serious nod. "Don't worry, Rudy. Your mom and Lilia are the only two for me. I'd rather die than betray them like that."

"Good." I nodded and said, "Then if you do, just be aware that I'm going to pull you back from hell to apologize."

"Isn't this where you say 'Dad's so cool'?! Why are you talking like it's going to happen?!"

I grabbed Sylphy's bag from the sled and held it out to her. As I did, I looked at my dad and said, "Just letting you know ahead of time. I won't forgive you if you drop dead on us. And I won't let death take you from us either."

Dad's eyes widened and then he let out a faint smile. "Don't worry, Rudy. Your old man isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Especially not with some white misty bastard ruining things for us."

Sylphy took her bag and then slung it over her shoulders. After that, she looked at my dad and said, "Language, Mister Paul. What will you do if you keep talking like that and either Norn or Aisha picks it up?"

Dad started to sweat and then he let out a nervous laugh. "Ahaha... you've got a good point." He reached into the sled and pulled out his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "I'll try to stop cursing so much."

I grabbed my bag from the sled as well and then said, "There is no try, only do or do not. And speaking of do not..." I placed my hand on the sled and then focused.

Mana spread from my hand and into the stone sled. When it did, I saw crimson lines trace the sled before it crumpled, dissolving into a clump of dirt.

Dad rested his left hand on the hilt of his sword and muttered, "I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing that. Is this what Ghyslaine sees all the time without her eyepatch?"

I waved my hand, sending a bit of snow to cover the dirt. After that, I looked at my dad and said, "Maybe. Maybe not. How do we ever really know if we're seeing the same thing? If your 'red' the same as the 'red' that I see?"

Dad blinked and said, "Now you're just trying to confuse me."

I laughed. "A little."

Sylphy moved to my right side and then grabbed my hand. As she did, she smiled and said, "You're in a good mood, Rudy."

"Mm." I nodded and said, "I can't help it."

I came clean to my friends and family about everything.

...Well, mostly everything. I wasn't too sure about how to address the whole reincarnating thing just yet, but it wasn't important anyway.

But I came clean about Being W, how I was aware since around the time I was born, my ability to see mana... Everything.

I also managed to refine the magic circle granting <Mage Sight> with Master Roxy's help and gave it to Mom, Mama Lily, Dad, and Sylphy's Mom.

Which meant that it would be a hell of a lot harder for Being W to try and sneak some BS intrusive thoughts now.

Not to mention that Master Roxy was around and also armed with all of my recent magical hypotheses and notes...

Yeah. I felt good. Super relaxed and relieved.

Which was probably a good thing considering we were heading into a crowded place to meet my arranged fiancée.

My dad walked over and ruffled my hair. "Well, that's good to hear, Rudy. Keep up that positive attitude, alright?"

Sylphy gave Dad a disappointed stare and said, "That doesn't excuse your actions, Mister Paul. Just because Rudy's forgiven you doesn't mean that I have."

Dad let out a deep sigh. "I know, I know." He rubbed the back of his neck and started walking forward. "I don't think your dad will either any time soon..."

I followed after him and said, "Where is Mister Laws anyway?"

"He's staying at an inn right now waiting for me to come back. I wanted him to stay in the Boreas Manor, but..."

I sighed. "Bad image, huh?"

"Huh? No." Dad shook his head and said, "Laws just didn't want to accept any handouts from me." He paused and said, "Or maybe he was just angry? ...Actually, he was probably just angry considering he threw the coins back in my face."

Sylphy frowned and said, "Just how bad of a fight did you and Papa have, Mister Paul?"

My dad rubbed his chin and said, "...We had a conversation with our fists. And your father decided to talk in paragraphs instead of sentences."

I blinked and then narrowed my eyes. "Who are you and what have you done with my dad?"

Dad laughed and ruffled my hair. "I might be dumb, but I'm not entirely stupid, Kiddo. Besides, it's not like I've just been twiddling my thumbs for the past week." He raised his head and said, "Your old man's been studying hard."

I nodded. "Alright. Then you clearly won't need my help talking your way out of your next big mess."

My dad started to sweat. "N-Now let's not be too hasty, Rudy."

Sylphy giggled.

I smiled.

My dad laughed. And then he turned serious. He looked at me and Sylphy and said, "Now. You two remember what we all talked about, right?"

Sylphy nodded. "Stick close to you and keep an eye out."

I nodded as well and said, "That, and if anything goes wrong then go all out and blow up the city."

Sylphy poked my arm and said, "Bad Rudy! That's not what we said!"

I laughed and said, "Fine, fine. Send up a signal flare. And *then* blow up the city block."

"Ruuudy!" Sylphy started pouting. "No explosions! You already blew up a mountain!"

"It was just the peak of a mountain Sylphy. But fine. If you say so..."

My dad started to sweat and said, "You're joking, right, Rudy?"

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously. I'm not the sort of person to kill a bunch of people just because it's convenient."

That was exactly what Being W would want, after all. Not to mention having to deal with all that bad PR... I really didn't want to get declared a Demon Lord so young.

Not to mention that there was that big question mark regarding me apparently inheriting a bunch from Demon God Laplace... Yeah. Too risky.

"...Maybe this betrothal is a bad idea after all. I forgot how much of a short temper you have."

My eye twitched and I said, "I don't have a short temper, Dad. You're just a master at getting on people's nerves."

He laughed and said, "True."

We walked through the front gate, passing by the armored guards without question.

They gave me and Sylphy some weird looks, but when they saw my dad, they looked away.

I noticed that and said, "Are you some sort of big shot here, Dad?"

"Mm, kind of." He shrugged and said, "I gained a bit of a reputation these past few days. Not to mention that my boss is the mayor... and your future father-in-law."

"Potential future father-in-law." I crossed my arms and said, "I still think we should find Orsted and team up with him. That would solve all of our problems."

After all, what was a king to a god?

My dad shivered and said, "Teaming up with that scary guy? It would probably work... but do you really think that'll be enough if that Hito whatchamacallit guy is pulling the strings from the shadows like we think he is?"

"True. It would be a bit of a gamble..."

It was weird that the Asura Kingdom sent out knights and a commander from the Notos family on a fake criminal warrant. And considering recent events, anything weird definitely had Being W's mark all over it.

Which meant that publicly declaring ourselves his enemy by teaming up with Orsted probably wasn't the best play when we didn't know what forces he had.

And if he really was a god, there were probably a lot.

I nodded and said, "I guess we'll do that after you grind up your skills and endurance a bit more, Dad."

He winced and said, "Do I *really* have to train like that? Can't you just give me your notes like with Roxy?"

"I could. But you're the sort of person who learns best with his body. At least, that's what Mom said."

"Why do you keep listening to your mom? Don't my words mean anything to you, Rudy?"

"They do. But considering how we're always dragged into a mess with your good intentions..."

"Oh. Right. Good point."

Sylphy poked me.

I blinked and looked towards her. "Something wrong, Sylphy?"

"No. But you cause messes with your good intentions too, Rudy. Remember how worried you made all of us by staying quiet?"

"...I blame Dad."

"How is this my fault!?"

"Genetics."

"Gene- What?"

Sylphy giggled.

Dad sighed and then shook his head. After that, he started walking down a road towards the center of the city. "Whatever. Follow me, you two. The manor's this way. Let's drop our stuff off first and then we can look for Laws. Ghyslaine should be able to find him..."

"...She won't try to attack me again out of the blue, right?"

"...You aren't going to try to kill her again, are you?"

"Depends. You really aren't in love with her?"

"Of course not! She might have a smoking hot bod, yummy looking chocolatey abs, and super soft squishies, but I haven't done anything and won't do anything!"

Sylphy gave my dad a blank stare. "Mister Paul? Are you telling the truth?"

He quickly nodded and said, "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Mm... Fine." Sylphy nodded and then looked towards me. "No killing people, Rudy."

"I didn't plan to."

"Even on accident."

"...I wasn't going to."

Sylphy gave me a 'look.' The same sort that Mom gave Dad.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, fine. I promise I won't accidentally hurt Ghyslaine. Though you don't need to worry. I have to apologize to her anyway."

She was just helping out Dad as an old friend by following his dumb idea, so she was blameless in that whole fiasco.

My dad nodded. "Good- Wait." He blinked and said, "You didn't say you wouldn't kill other people."

"What about other people?"

Sylphy tugged my arm. "Rudy. No."

"Even bad guys?"

Sylphy hesitated and then said, "Make sure to bring me to help."

My dad groaned. "Laws is going to murder me..."