Chapter 316 - Retrun

Mercury tried out the boxing punches for about half a day before he got a passing grade from Mars that simply left with a "Good, same time tomorrow" before he disappeared from view like usual

"That guy never just walks somewhere does he?"

Mercury sighed before he began walking back towards his room, once he arrived he decided to check the new skill he had been bestowed by Party, he sat himself down cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes before he muttered

"[Meditation]..."

For a while nothing happened, then Mercury suddenly felt someone clap him on the shoulder and he opened his eyes and saw Mars that had a smile on his face

"It's time for practice"

"What..? I only just sat down..?"

"It's been 13 hours since you entered your room though"

Mercury nodded, now that Mars was saying he did feel a little sore from sitting up, would make sense if he had been holding the same poster for 13 hours, once he was out of bed and ate some breakfast he once again trained punches with Mars

All. Day. Long.

A few days passed like this, Mercury soon found a rhythm much like his forging rhythm, he could speed that rhythm up and down as he pleased, but he found it hard to break it, this Mars noticed because of course, he did, and soon Mercury was sparing with Mars, with his help he got his legs worked into his boxing rhythm over the next week, by the time he had been away for a month he had improved his boxing skills considerably, as for the mysterious [Meditation] skill? It showed no progress, other than the fact that it kept his thought clutter down

'Which is nice…'

"You're open!"

Mercury received a jab to his jaw, if not for his special training to resit knockouts by strengthening his neck muscles that would have been a knockout, still, he felt rather dizzy

"What got you so distracted?"

Mercury sighed before he sent out a jab that was dodged by Mars before he answered

"Thinking about my skill, [Meditation]... It seems to do nothing but waste time"

"You're hoping it would solve your problems about the 'I' word?"

"Yeah…"

Jab, sidestep, Jab, lean, hock, step back, jab, bobbing, things continued while Mercury and Mars were talking

"Well if you're hoping for a miracle cure then you can keep hoping for a long time"

"Yeah… I get that…"

"Well, just keep it up and you'll eventually succeed"

The next day Mercury showed up at the training platform, he quickly noticed the gear that was missing from his room this morning was neatly packed in his backpack stacked next to the platform

"Why is my stuff here?"

"Because you're going home, Mercury"

Mercury wasn't at all surprised by Chloe that had once again shown up right behind him, he simply nodded and spoke

"I see… I am finally going home… I am kind of going to miss you guys..."

Chloe clapped him on the shoulder as she spoke

"You have come a long way from simply running away at the mention of Mars' name"

"Well… Live with a tiger and if you aren't eaten alive or mauled to death you'll eventually grow used to it"

Chloe laughed before she muttered

"I think a dragon is more correct in that saying though…"

Soon Mars showed up, he walked leisurely up onto the platform and folded his hands behind his back before he called out to Mercury

"Come up here"

"Sure…"

Mercury walked onto the platform and stood facing Mars, after a few seconds Mars showed a smile before he threw something to Mercury

"What's this?"

Mercury looked at the thing he had just caught, it was a silver star, a 13 pointed one with a sting, a necklace

"It used to be mine, now it's yours"

"Thank you, Mars"

"Now before I send you off there's a few things I want to tell you… First off, this isn't Earth, it's Alfan"

"Eh..? Earth? Are you also from---"

"Secondly, you are a living god, a god is all-mighty and inspires fear and awe, but most importantly. A. God. Doesn't. Ask. A god takes what they want and they do what they want"

"...Got it"

"Good, thirdly… Come visit once you are able"

"...Sure?"

"Well then let me see you off, Mercury… Sword"

A servant walked over and handed Mars a white sword that seemed to be made of bone, Mars drew the sword and slashed out into empty air once forming a tear in space that soon widened and turned into a full-on portal, then the amazed Mercury was handed his luggage and shoved through the portal by Mars

"Bye~"

Mercury looked around and saw he was suddenly standing right outside the gates of Ode

"Right… Portals"

After quickly readjusting his state of mind Mercury walked through the gates, he had been gone a month, though it felt like more than that, his cane tapped against the cobblestone road, the way towards the inn they had been staying was somewhat familiar and when he arrived he asked about Marie and Max

"Oh I remember them, they stayed here about a month ago, Marie has a weapon's shop now, it's on the west street, you can't miss it"

"Thanks"

Mercury walked along the west street and soon he found a rather crowded weapons shop and checked the name

"'Weapon's shop Mercury' huh…"

Mercury walked in and past the store into the back while ignoring the noisy cleck that tried to stop him, from there he followed the rhythmic clangs he knew oh so well and soon he stood behind a slightly lonely looking bare back, as usual Marie wore shorts and an apron when she worked the forge, Mercury showed a smile and changed his voice slightly as he spoke

"If you hit it there the quality will go down"

The hammer stopped before Marie turned around with an angry expression that soon outright melted away when she saw Mercury before she quickly hugged him tightly, Mercury hugged her back as he muttered

"I'm home"

"...Took you long enough"

"Yeah, I know…"

After hugging it out for a bit Marie broke the hug and looked Mercury in the eyes with a cute pout as she complained

"I was lonely you know"

"Yeah, I'm sorry… I kinda got caught by a person powerful enough to have an archangel kneeling before him"

"...You're kidding right?"

"Nope… Afraid not"

"Then are you hurt?"

"No, I am fine, though he did beat me up a couple of times, I think he took a liking to me, therefore he decided to train me for a bit before letting me return"

"I-I see… Sounds like a strange person… Anyway I am glad you're home"

"That reminds me, how's Max?"

"He's fine, he made some friends lately and are out playing till sundown with them"

"I'm glad he's making friends"

"Yeah me too"

Marie took the rest of the day off and spent it on the second floor with Mercury cuddling as he told her about his trip, around sundown Max returned and was very surprised to see Mercury, his face lit up as he quickly ran over and hugged Mercury as he yelled

"Welcome home dad!"

"Yeah I am home buddy"

The whole process of telling about his trip restarted with Max listening along and asking questions it wasn't until late and after a promise to spend the entire day together that Max finally fell asleep, Mercury and Marie fell asleep in each other's arms soon thereafter... 

The next morning Max dove into the sleeping couple's bed waking them up and after eating breakfast together before they began walking around the city, it was a perfect day… That is until Max was a little too excited and ran out in front of a carriage, luckily Mercury quickly dove forwards and caught Max in his arms before he rolled out of the way of the carriage, that should have been the end of it, but the owner of the carriage was displeased and stepped out, took one look at Max and suddenly

"Maxwell!?

The noblewoman's yell drove the attention of the entire street as it suddenly ground to a halt and people turned to look at what was happening, the noblewoman yelled again

"Maxwell!"

Max froze and looked at the noblewoman before he hugged Mercury and muttered

"I'm scared dad"

Mercury patted Max on the head to soothe him for a bit before he spoke to the noblewoman

"His name is Max"

At this point, the noblewoman was hysterical and yelled

"Samantha!"

A knight stepped forwards and bowed to the noblewoman that quickly commanded

"Return Maxwell to me, I am sure he'll remember me!"

"Yes Lady Ralmet"

The knight walked forwards towards Mercury and drew her sword before she spoke

"Return young lord Maxwell, kidnapper!"

Mercury sighed before he repeated Mars' words

"'A god takes what they want and they do what they want huh… Well then, this works for me"

Mercury handed Max to Marie before he rolled up his sleeves and stepped forwards

"Why don't you make me?"

Then he slit into a stance, a boxing stance