The day returned to the academy I waa surprisingly welcomed back warmly by all my students, except for Cecile, who has just been silently obeying me ever since I defeated him one on one. After a very long day, I dismiss the last class and as I'm about to leave, Paula the girl who gave me the stuffed bear the other day, stops me and asks nervously.
"Mr. Belfaust, can I ask you something?"
I respond.
"sure, what do you need?"
she plays around with her brown hair, that is still covering her eyes, and asks.
"are you by any chance, taking any students for private training?"
I reply.
"well no one has asked for private training."
and for the first time, since all my interactions with her, she smiles.
"oh I see."
"can you give me private training?"
I answer nonchalantly.
"sure, I don't see why not."
she replies, still smiling.
"thank you."
I reply.
"not today though, there are things I need to do."
she then leaves, with an upbeat attitude.
"have a good day, Mr. Belfaust."
"I guess it's time to have a proper conversation with Sarah."
I leave the training area and quickly make my way towards the section of the academy where all the first years and second years, attend for there classes, I then think to myself as I cl.u.s.ters of students walking in groups and different directions.
"oh boy, this is going to be tough trying to spot her in this crowd."
after not being able to see her, I quickly come up with and Idea and shout as loud as I could.
"Sarah Belfaust!"
as most of the students turn their attention to me, I spot Sarah waving her hand in the air shouting.
"over here!"
she makes her way through the crowd of students and comes up to me.
"it looks like you kept your promise."
"of course."
we walk together until we arrive at the academy's food court, where I ask Sarah.
"you want something? it's on me."
she takes moment to think about it and replies.
"okay, can you buy me a sandwich with a orange juice?"
I nod.
"yeah, while I buy it, go and find us an empty table."
after buying what she wanted, I take a seat the chair that is across from her and as I give her the things I bought, I ask.
"so I'm guessing mom and dad never mentioned me?"
"well at one point, I became a wanted criminal in this kingdom."
she swallows the food in her mouth and asks while avoiding eye contact.
"oh, what were you wanted for?"
I answer, with a serious tone.
"murder."
she had a worried expression and asked.
"that must be a lie right? because they is no way they would have someone with a criminal record working as an instructor in an academy."
I ask.
"I was wrongly accused of murdering someone very close to me, and I served time in an orc prison called Burmendak."
"so your found innocent for not being a murderer."
I shake my head.
"I am a murderer, I killed the man who falsely accused me in cold blood, so in a way I did serve time for murder."
she gave me a sour look and replies.
"now I see why mom and dad never mentioned you, they were protecting me from you."
I sigh.
"maybe so, but I want you to understand that I am who I am because all of the decisions I made in the past."
she is now completely ignoring everything I'm saying to her, I then stand up to leave and say to her.
"well at least you know that I exist, so whatever you want to do moving forward, is all up to you."
"as far as I'm concerned, I don't have an older brother."
I stare at her with cold and dead eyes.
"that's fine, I've dealt with not having connections with my mom and dad."
I pause for a moment and say with a voice that emotionally disconnected.
"this will be no different."
but as I walk away without saying anything else, she grabs my wrist, and asks with tears in her eyes.
"how can you be like this?"
I respond, showing no emotion.
"why do you care? I thought your older brother never existed?"
but then the familiar sweet voice Hope, call to me.
"oh, hey daddy, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be home by now."
I turn around.
"oh nothing sweety, I was just answering some questions that a student had for me."
she looks at Sarah and smiles.
"hi Sarah, remember me, we met before I took the aptitude test."
Sarah wipes her eyes and responds.
"yeah I remember, but did you just call him dad?"
Hope replies.
"yes."
Sarah then asks confused.
"but aren't you an elf?"
I interject.
"yes, she is an elf, and it shouldn't concern you."
Hope scolds me.
"come on dad, you don't have to be mean about it."
I sigh.
"well the truth is, she is half elf and half human."
Sarah looks at both of us and says.
"okay, I've decided."
I ask.
"decided what?"
She points at me.
"I'll recognize you as my big brother for now."
Hope asks
"brother? what are you talking about?"
I reply.
"Hope meet you Aunt Sarah."
she tilts her head with a confused expression and says.
"Aunt? she is around my age though."
Sarah pouts.
"well according to him me and him our brother and sister, so that would make you my niece."
both of them hug each other with joy, immediately accepting that they are related, I then ask Sarah.
"what made you change your mind?"
she answers.
"she called you dad with such love and admiration, that it made me think that you may not be so bad."
she then points at me.
"but you and me are going home to mom and dad together, so we can settle whatever problems there are."
I ask.
"is that a request or a demand?"
she replies still hugging Hope.
"a demand, if we fix whatever problems,
between you and our parents, then we can have family time together."
I respond.
"alright then."
Sarah then says.
"but first, start from the beginning and tell me everything, so that I can understand you better."
Hope looks at me and says.
"I'm also curious to know everything too dad."
we sit back down and from there I told them almost everything, except for the part where I was reincarnated, and after a few hours of me telling them about what I've been through, Hope says to me.
"it doesn't matter dad, because you are still my dad and I love you."
I smile.
"thank you sweety, hearing you say that means the world to me."
Sarah finds some of the things I said hard to believe and says.
"if you tell mom and dad what you told me then I think, they will talk to you again."
I reply.
"I guess we'll see, when the time comes."
I stand up and say.
"well it's getting pretty late, you girls should start heading to your dorms."
Hope hugs me and says.
"tell mom and Celeste that I love them."
I reply.
"I will."
as she leaves, she says.
"goodnight dad."
Sarah waves goodbye to me and says.
"we should do this again whenever you can."
I then leave the academy and make my way home.