Chapter 205: Home for just a little while.
Nothing made me feel quite as happy as this particular sunrise, I realised. The way its golden rays shone over Rollas rooftops, illuminating the entire valley and waking the sleepy town
The sight made me reminisce. Not of the time I lived and trained here, though. It reminded me of when last I came here. And the time before that. Those were the times that I returned home triumphantly, the times I spent with my family, restoring what we had neglected for so long.
Slowly but surely, those prior memories were fading and being replaced by happier ones. This time would be no different, I was sure.
As I descended into the valley with Emeri and Revan walking beside me, I allowed a comfortable smile to appear on my face, unafraid, for once, of how it might be perceived.
Our return to Roa had been a welcome one, as both of us needed the rest. Still jittery from our time in Alterian, the newfound calm was a necessary one, I found. Nonetheless, it had seen us a myriad of benefits, the most important of which was my evolved class.
Unfortunately, my parents didnt give me the opportunity to brag about it, that day. Instead, we spent our time catching up after I managed to free myself from the warm hug they had decided to constrict me with.
My family was just as happy to see Emeri as they were to see me, much to her restrained delight. My mother, especially, seemed to love showering her with little tidbits of advice on baking and life in general. Two things that coincided more often than not, she assured us.
Perhaps the least happy person in the house was Amber, my little sister who was now forced to give up her parents attention in exchange for mine. Apparently, this wasnt an equivalent exchange, as I spent nearly all my time trying to soothe her and stop her from crying.
My parents were entirely nonplussed, knowing that the eleven-month-old was in it for the long haul, now that she had started. After she finally acclimated to our presence, she deigned to awe Emeri and I with her walking practice, which was coming along nicely in my opinion.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om
She was still struggling, of course, but she was doing better than I had been at her age, supposedly. As a cherry on top, my parents had even taken the time to try to get her to say my name alongside their own Dada and mama. So far, she had only managed Adda, which I thought was close enough. Now if only she understood that adda was me, rather than the piece of candy my mom liked to spoil her with
The next few days were spent in ignorant bliss, as we both knew the announcement for the continental meet would have spread to every corner of our landmass by now. Thankfully, Emeri and I still had a week or so before we needed to be in Reito, so we decided to unwind a bit and extend our stay in Rolla by a few days.
Maybe they recognised us? I spent quite a while adventuring in and around the city with Cerion, you know.
Theyre not checking anybody, though! Who knows who they could be letting in? Emeri pointed out, gesturing at the steady stream of people that was waltzing into the city without a care.
Confused, I decided to seek answers by heading over to one of the posted guards, much to Emeris protests.
Whats wrong, traveller? the guard asked when he noticed my approach.
Say, mister. Why is everyone being let through without proper identification now? Isnt that a security risk? I replied, trying to sound genuinely curious rather than accusatory.
Ah, you havent heard yet, then! All of Roas moves and shakers have come to the city as of recently, what with the whole continent being riled up an all. Anybody thinkin of causing trouble will be captured real quick-like. Any would-be criminals better have a death wish, the way this citys filled with muscle.
I nodded, thanking the man for the explanation.
So which movers and shakers are we talking, here?
Oh, you wont believe me! Theres our very own duke Rass, the captain of the Royal Guard and Even archduke Cerithal!
Again, I nodded in appreciation, before making a hurried parting greeting and relaying what I had learned to Emeri. The fact that Duke Rass was here meant that Cerion wouldnt be far. Likewise, the presence of my uncle was a reassuring one.
Trouble was, Archduke Cerithal was bad news. As the leader of the Aristocrats and the most powerful tier 6 classer besides the king himself, he wouldnt come here unless he had some alternative goal in mind. A goal that was going to draw us right into the centre of the conflict, if my penchant for bad luck had anything to say about it