Chapter 29 - "A new home"

"What am I going to do if she never talk to me again?" (Shun)

A month have passed since my talk with Ymylfana and I am currently pathetically hiding as we were reaching Arllan mansion, behind Setsuna, who had a change of mind after becoming officially my wife and stopped using her eye-mask and was openly showing her beautiful, cloudy, pale green eyes.

To bad, I loved that eye-mask.

But in exchange she started to wear a dog collar for some reason...

Did she actually level up as a pervert?

"My lord, please stop acting in such a shameful manner." (Setsuna)

Urg. She also started to spoil me less than before, at least out of bed...

"Buuttt~! I seriously wouldn't be able to take it if she were to say she hate me!" (Shun)

"Who is this person supposed to be? What have you done with my brother?"

Said Eva while pointing an accusing finger at me.

"Dear have the tendency to become an idiot when it come to Wyndy. But I think it's one of his cutest side to be a doting father!" (Mysty)

"I think so too, Master can be quite cute with his personality gap..." (Edea)

Yes, Edea was also among us, currently wearing a maid outfit as from now on she was going to work as one, when she's not away on a mission. Also she started calling me Master even though I never asked her to...

"I see... And why would his dear daughter would despise him?" (Eva)

"He knocked her out." (Mysty)

...

"I can empathise with her..." (Edea)

"Why the hell would you do that to a kid?!" (Eva)

"But! She was going to destroy the city! I didn't want to do it too you know! But she threatened me and well it kinda get out of hand..." (Shun)

"... How old was she already?" (Eva)

"Three years old." (Setsuna)

Setsuna who was the most responsible among us and was keeping it after I almost burn and lost it a month ago, took out Wyndy birthcard from her cloths and showed it to Eva to prove it.

"ANCIENT DRAGON BREATH?! That's something considerate close to Demon rank magic! Nobody ever thought of messing with the ancient dragons because of that! And now your telling me a three years old kid have something like that?..." (Eva)

"It's still not at that level yet, it's more close in strength to the King rank magic you used that time. And after using it once she almost fall unconscious from exhaustion." (Shun)

"... Great... All the confidence I gained lately, thinking I became as close of an abnormality than my brother, shattered..." (Eva)

Eva took her head in her hands in exasperation while heaving a sigh.

"Don't mind it boss." (Karl)

"That's right boss, you're incredible!" (Sophia)

"Yeah!" (Baku)

"I-I think so too!" (Rin)

"All hail boos Eva!" (Luke)

"... Yeah..." (Koko)

The six kids who was trying to cheer up Eva and was traveling with us, were none other than the ones I knocked out in the tunnel and was fellow 'apprentice' of Jim, since those kids are all orphans, Sarrina didn't know what to do with them and it fell on me to take care of them. Of course I would have refused, if not for Eva who gave me a good argument, 'If you think everyone in this world is too weak to enjoy a fight with them, why don't you directly train them?', as I found the idea interesting I took them under my wing.

As we were talking we finally arrived in front of Arllan mansion, and as we did the front doors opened as if they were expecting us, and showing up from it was Melinda, Lucia and the Head-maid 'Alice' who wasn't wearing her maid outfit for some reason.

Where is Wyndy?! So she really don't want to see me does she?! OH GOD!

Suddenly from behind Melinda a little head shown up looking at me with teary eyes, this scene would have looked quite cute if not for fact I was in the very same position behind Setsuna...

Nobody said anything we just kept looking at each other wondering what to say. And surprisingly the first one to talk was none other than Wyndy.

"... Papa I'm sorry... Wyndy was bad... Do you hate her?" (Wyndy)

Ugh! The guilt!

"No Papa was the one who was bad... Do you forgive him?" (Shun)

I don't know why but suddenly I was talking in third person.

"Papa..." (Wyndy)

...

"Sweety..." (Shun)

"Sw-Sweety?!" (Eva)

It seem like Eva said something at the time but I couldn't hear her at the moment.

"Papa! Waaaaaa!" (Wendy)

Suddenly Wyndy started to ran with her short legs while bawling and soon I followed after her to reach her.

"Sweety!" (Shun)

I could almost see us running in slow motion with classical in the background.

"What the hell am I seeing here?" (Eva)

Finally having my daughter in my arms I cuddled her against me with a smile.

"I missed you so much you cute little thing." (Shun)

"Yeah!*Sob* I missed you sooo much too Papa!" (Wyndy)

Most of peoples around us looked at this scene with a warm smile, everyone but Eva who grimaced for some reason.

"Why do I feel so defeated right now?"

Not minding I continued to cuddle Wyndy.

"Still, you seem to be much better at talking now, Melinda must have taught you well those last two months." (Shun)

She nodded wildly as she answered me cheering up a little from the compliment.

"Yes! Grandma Melinda, Lucia and Alice taught me a lot!" (Wyndy)

Gr-Grandma Melinda? I'm not sure how she will react to that.

Wondering about that I looked behind Wyndy who was was still in my arms, in Melinda direction but strangely she was smiling as if satisfied of something... Let's not think too much about that...

"That's great Wyndy. You're a really good girl, I'm proud of you. Here I'm sure you want to see your mothers too..." (Shun)

Saying that I handed her to Mysty and Setsuna who was waiting for their turn behind me and soon sandwiched her between them.

"Hello Melinda, thank you very much for taking care of Wyndy until now, you too Lucia and Head-maid." (Shun)

Yeah even after knowing her name I still had a hard time calling her something else than Head-maid...

"Don't mind it Shun, it was my pleasure, Wyndy is such a sweet child after all. By the way is that your sister Eva? She sure do look a lot like you mother." (Melinda)

Pinching with both her hands the luxurious dress she was currently wearing Eva made a courteous bow to Melinda.

"Nice to me you Miss Galvira, I am the Countess* Eva Fenrik, you have my thanks for having took care of my family this much." (Eva)

(*Female Earl are called countess.)

Melinda smiled back at her introduction and answered her with a small bow.

"My, how well mannered you are young lady, you're nothing like your brother." (Melinda)

Hey!

"*Sigh* Sadly it seem not having my mother on his back anymore was enough for my brother to lose all his manner, please forgive him if he was rude to you." (Eva)

Seriously?! What are you playing at Eva?! You're nothing this lady like!

"Ahahah! Do not worry about it, my husband was much ruder to him. Also it seem he made another nasty prank..." (Melinda)

"If you're talking about the animal ears thing it's only the truth." (Eva)

You aren't supposed to tell her that!

"By the way... Why the Head-maid is not the head-maid right now?" (Shun)

I asked Melinda wanting to change the subject and because I was curious. But it seem she understood my intent and just smiled doing her best not to laugh.

"I think it would be better to ask her directly." (Melinda)

I turned my head to the Head-maid who bowed her one.

"Sir Fenrik... I know that we had a bad start and that I did a lot of bad things to you..." (Alice)

She kneeled on the floor and prostrated herself.

The hell she's doing and talking about?!

"Please let me work for you!" (Alice)

Uh?

"Wait what the hell are you talking about, are you talking about being a spy? Well sure it was a shock but it's not like you directly did anything bad to me." (Shun)

So she was really a spy? Then why didn't she poisoned me or used Wyndy against me?

"Uh? Wait, you never noticed?!... Yes of course I was talking about being a spy... Of course..." (Alice)

...

"*Sigh* Alice... Tell him!" (Melinda)

"Yes I'm sorry! I tried to poison you for as long as you stayed here! But since you never shown any sign of being poisoned I always thought you used counter measure knowing full well I was poisoning you, so I kinda lost my objective and tried to poison you with experimentation but it never worked." (Alice)

... Are you kidding me?! Just how many peoples did something to my body without me knowing about it?! But anyway I never did anything to counter poison, does that mean I'm immune to poison? I didn't even had my scale at the time, does this have something to do with me having Ymylfana blood? Oh well, good to know.

"Wait if you really were a spy and you gone this far why didn't you did anything to Wyndy, tried to kill the second prince or told the king about him being a woman? That don't make any sense." (Shun)

"I never received those order. My only ones were to spy on the Galvira family, and do my best to stop you even if I needed to kill you, but there was no way I would do something bad to miss Wyndy even if I were to make an enemy of the whole kingdom!" (Alice)

"*Sigh* Is that so?... My guess is that you asking to work for me because you were fired by the Galvira family after being exposed as a spy, but still you're quite shameless to ask me that after trying to kill me this much and...!" (Shun)

"Please take this as an apology of my actions!" (Alice)

Cutting me as I was talking, Alice who was still prostrating herself handed me a camera-crystal...

I quickly took it from her hands and looked at the content.

"That's!" (Shun)

The crystal shown me photos of Wyndy cosplaying in a lot of different Beastmen clan...

...

"Well... At least you seem to regret your actions, let's say it's water under the bridge. Alright you're engaged!" (Shun)

I said while quickly hiding the flat crystal inside my breast pocket.

"Thank you very much!" (Alice)

Eva looked at me in shock unable to believe what I just said.

"What the hell?! Just what was on this crystal?! Show it to me!" (Eva)

"Sure... Just don't break it..." (Shun)

I reluctantly handed the camera to Eva, who looked to the content before looking at me in disgust.

"Just how much of a doting father are you to forgive someone who tried to kill you for THIS!*Crack*" (Eva)

In her rage Eva thrown the crystal to the floor breaking it apart in the process.

""NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!"" (Alice & Shun)

In despair I fell on my knee lamenting this huge loss for humanity.

"Eva goddammit! Look at what you just done! Even a whole country wasn't worth this!" (Shun)

"Like I care! Why the hell do I have to be jealous of a three years old girl!" (Eva)

As I was in the pit of despair Alice who had teary eyes patted my shoulder while making a thumb up.

"Don't worry Sir.. No, Master! With a sponsor behind me I shall do a much better job next time!" (Alice)

...

"*Manly tear accompanied with a thumb up* I shall count on you comrade!" (Shun)

Alice you're a good person finally! Even if you just asked me for money in a round-about way, if it's for making a masterpiece better than that I call that a much more than worthy, investment!

"*Sigh* Anyway what are you going to do from now on? I'm afraid I can't host that much peoples inside my modest home." (Melinda)

"Ah yes, don't worry from now on we're going west, I got myself a territory, a island who was owned by Nalldam before the war." (Shun)

"Oh I see, do you intent to depart right away? If you don't I can at least do something to lodge you for the night." (Melinda)

"If I could I would have departed right away, but before that we need to buy a lot of things, so I guess I take you on your offer. But don't worry I will find an inn for everyone by tomorrow." (Shun)

"I see... Then it shall be done, also Shun..." (Melinda)

"Yes?" (Shun)

"You wouldn't happen to know when my husband would come back do you?" (Melinda)

"... Could it be you still don't know about it?" (Shun)

When I said that Melinda and Lucia face paled fearing for the worst.

"No don't worry he's fine. But he was given the post of Prime Minister... So I don't think he be back anytime soon..." (Shun)

Melinda tried her best to keep her smile but she was clearly angry as hell.

"That damn ambitious old man! He didn't write anything about this in his letter!...*Cough* Please pardon me, I was just really surprised as I didn't HEAR ANYTHING about this until now. Anyway let's not keep you outside, please enter." (Melinda)

Still quite shocked from Melinda unexpected reaction, we followed after her inside the mansion in silence...

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More than a month passed since our reunion at Mellanor and we arrived at the island only city 'Lakopol City' that was now under the Fenrik family authority, the day before. Right now following the city mayor who almost fainted when he saw me in person for some reason, we were riding with our whole caravan of four carriages in direction of our new house. As we traveled for two hours away from the city under heavy rain we finally reached it...

How to say it...

"It look like a haunted housed straight from a lame horror movie..." (Eva)

Yeah I guess you can say that.

It was a giant manor that was covered in leafs and had all it's windows broke down, further away from it was also a big rundown stable, that wasn't for horse but for drakes. It seem the previous owner of this manor was an ambitious merchant who tried to raise a drakes farm. Sadly he was eaten by his drakes before he could prove the worth of having a drake as a mount, I like the idea myself but it seem animals and monster are totally afraid of me even more than before since I have my scale. When I tried to mount a horse since then, he fainted as I touched him...

Anyway, even if it didn't look like much right now it have plenty potential and was exactly what I wanted.

"Good job, Mayor, it's exactly what I wanted." (Shun)

"Is-Is that so? I'm really not sure such a place would be worthy of someone like you, your holiness..." (Mayor)

Now that I think about it the Mayor do call me his holiness and have a necklace with a small sword attached to it who look pretty old, is he a big Ymylfana believer? That would explain why he fainted when he saw me for the first time...

"That's right dear! Wyndy going to catch a cold sleeping in a place with no windows! Even if I already do feel a little at home here." (Mysty)

Yeah I can believe that since it look like the manor where you were sealed... Luckily there're no swamp in front of it at least.

"Of course I won't leave it like that. We're just checking the house for today. I will pay for the service of the best craftsmen to build it back to it's previous glory as soon as possible. I'm counting on you to introduce me to them Mayor." (Shun)

"Of course! Leave it to me your holiness!" (Mayor)

At least he look eager...

You most likely wondering why I would take such effort to build a new home and not just take the one of the previous noble owning this territory. The said noble was from Nalldam and died in the war protecting Lakopol, and since then this island was under the direct supervision of the king leaving the peoples of the city taking care of themselves as the hate against Asfellana was still quite high at the time. And the house of this noble was then bought by a young at the time and noble merchant of Asfellana, who was well know for his messed up personality...

Also, since the Mansion was inside the city I wouldn't have wanted it anyway. No, no matter how you look at it this place was perfect. The main building was on top of a hill with a giant garden giving you a beautiful view on the sea, a little further down there it have even it's own private beach, and most of all, what was a stable right now could not only be turned into a boarding house for the kids and maids, but I could also change a part of the first floor into a Dojo and Gym. I also wanted to make a workshop with a forge near the main building and have more than enough place necessary for it.

"It seem thou are quite satisfied with the place my lord." (Setsuna)

"I am, all that happened this year exhausted me quite a lot mentally, so from now on let leisurely enjoy ourselves won't we?" (Shun)

Saying that I turned around and smiled at my family, who warmly smiled back at me...

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ARC 1 "Growth" - END

I will post an intermission latter today explaining what will happen from now, like the change I will make for the second arc, I will also post a World map I made.

Anyway, thank you for keeping reading my work, I know I still have a lot to improve and even sometime I was close to giving up, but RR community is really awesome and kept me motivated! I try to do an even better job from now on, so. Stay tuned!

Oh also, if you like dark story involving crazy overpowered hamster who want to make a make a mess of the world he live, then read this ->

RE:Hamster

It something I made as a joke while I had writer block on this story. Since It was useless inside my hard-drive I posted it for fun, the irony is that it have much more success from it's start that the one I wrote seriously! XD

Well it's also true that I clearly improved since then so it's not 'that' surprising. Anyway! See you latter for the intermission!