(Cael's Pov)
"I'm baaack!"
We heard a familiar voice as she barged in the room. It took her around 20 minutes or so to come back, which was more than she told us, but I immediately noticed something which made me understand why it took longer.
"Welcome back sweetie"
"How'd it go, little one?"
Are you guys just gonna ignore it…?
"Luckily there were some immediate cells ready. It wasn't too bad."
"That so?"
"Hmhm."
"Should we bring you another seat, Maia?"
The table had more space, but only enough seats for everyone that was already sitting were around it. Ivy was the one asking. Everyone just went on about their tea and conversations, still ignoring the elephant in the room as if it was actually a master at camouflage or something.
I mean yeah, I also knew that they were her favorite, but seriously…?
"It's alright, I'll get it myself. Can you pour me a cup of tea though?"
"Alright then."
With her foot, she then dragged a seat by its feet towards the table. Why you may ask? It's because both of her hands were busy at the moment. Munching with her right hand, she was holding a massive basket of strawberries in her left one. I get that she really likes strawberries, but isn't this a little too much?! Or rather, am I actually the only one who thinks this is weird? Not even Nala or Luna seemed to give a single shit about it, so I was genuinely questioning it.
There was a spot next to me, which is where she dragged her chair to, then sat down on it, placing the basket on the table.
"…"
"Why're you staring at them so much? You can just ask if you want one, you know?"
She tilted her head in confusion while looking at me, as if somehow I was the weirdo here. Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it did piss me off a little, but honestly at this point I was kinda starting to just accept the situation, so I sighed as I grabbed one from the basket.
"Thanks."
"No problem, my sweet little brother. Do you want one, Luna?"
She was sitting next to me on the other side, so she was close enough to the basket to reach for it. However, as I glanced at her while munching, I got a tiny little bit scared. Why? Because I saw a grin appear on her face, as she looked at me.
"Hmm, well, I guess I wouldn't mind one. But I'm a little too far to reach, you know? So Cael, could you give one to me?"
You have to be fucking with me… right?
But she was indeed serious. What the hell happened? Before we left for the capital, all she'd do was baby me, and now she was actually teasing me and all? I actually can't even complain, but at the same time I still don't understand it. Girls are scary.
"…here you go."
I kept extending my arm towards her, but she wouldn't take it no matter how long I kept it still.
Don't tell me?!
You want me to feed it to you?!
She has opened her mouth, clearly waiting for it. The others at the table by now had also started to kinda look at us in different ways. Dad was looking at me with a smug grin, as if he was enjoying seeing me getting teased. Mom covered her mouth, and let out an "my…" sound. Lysanna and Aldric were pretty casual about it, which is part of what I appreciated about their simplicity, meanwhile Markus was blushing and looking away for some fucking reason, and Rune did the same.
I can understand Rune, but you too Markus?! wait- actually, he does seem like the kind of guy that acts professional but kicks his feet while reading romance novels… never mind, you have my apologies Markus. Iris was holding Nala's tea cup, while Nala was kinda just looking at us curiously. That girl genuinely didn't know what social anxiety is. Ivy was by Maia's side, just observing, while Maia let out a sigh.
Oh for God's sake! Fine, fine! I'll do it, alright?! I'll do it, so just stop staring at us!
And so I fed it to her, with my newly (and forcefully) found resolve. It was more embarrassing to actually get watched doing it, than it would've been to just do it if it was the 2 of us alone honestly. The gaze of the people really was something, and I'm not even particularly shy.
"Mhhmm. This is a pretty good strawberry. But it's not from the usual source, is it, Maia?"
"Yeah, I couldn't be bothered with going straight home or to my office to grab some, so I just bought them from the closest nice looking street vendor."
Street vendors selling strawberries during late January, huh? I guess the agriculture in this world really has no real dependence on the season, with magic and all.
It was a pretty interesting fact to know at least, ignoring the fact that Maia indirectly stated that she has a strawberry reserve not just at home, but also in her office. Regardless, we spent the next 20 minutes or so just chatting among each other, catching up with Maia, and everyone else getting to know Luna better, until it was time to wrap it up for the time being.
"Thanks for the tea, you two. It was great."
"Sir Bartholomew, Maia is actually the one who chose it. Me and Iris are technically Maia's personal maids at her residence, and we brought some tea from there with us."
"Hmm, so you drink stuff this good everyday, huh? It almost makes me miss the times when we were still nobles."
"Dear, I'm not really sure if tea should be what makes you miss those times, you know?"
"Well, you do have a point."
They both got up from their seats first, as the rest of us followed. Nala seemed to be sticking particularly to Iris also, so I guess that probably means she took a liking of her. Not really sure when or how, but who am I to get in the way of a newly found… friendship? Or whatever the hell you'd call it. I think mom was also having a slightly easier time now, since only while they were still standing close to her, Rune seemed to be fine with holding Ivy's hand, instead of moms.
"Well then, it's time to get your measurements now. We'll have our tailors begin on it right away, so I think that we'll be able to leave in around 3 days or so? Give or take. You're free for the rest of the time after we get them either way."
Maia spoke, as we also got up.
"3 days? Aren't they making clothes for basically everyone here? They sure are fast, huh?"
Rather than fast, that almost seems like a slave's work pace… are we sure these people are going to get enough sleep?
"We have enough to speed up the process, so don't worry about it. And also, I can probably guess what you're thinking, Cael. They will not only get a solid 7 hours of sleep each, but also 3 meals a day so don't worry…"
"That's right, Cael. I've also brought in some tailors myself, so I can guarantee that they're just really efficient."
Well, Maia wasn't really that convincing, but if Luna said so then it must be true, right? Right.
"I see, I see…"
"I feel like you're undervaluing me a little here…"
Both me and Luna ignored that though, as she spoke next.
"Either way, we already have Cael's measurements, so the rest of you should go with Iris and Ivy, to take yours. After that you're free to do whatever you want, while we'll kill some time."
"Right, you guys did get Cael those clothes, didn't you?"
"Haha, yes, that's true. And also of course, his new clothes will also be made from the same material and enchanted the same way unlike yours, so we have a different tailor for those."
"Isn't that nice, sweetie? You're getting new clothes while still keeping your training going on at all times."
"Yeah… it's amazing, mom. It really is…"
I was hoping they'd spare me at least this time…
But in all fairness, besides slowing me down a little, the weight didn't really affect me anymore. I guess it's not actually an issue then? Regardless, everyone else walked out of the room, besides the 3 of us for now.
"What now?"
Both me and Maia stretched our arms as usual while I asked that.
"Your little ass is coming with me outside. I'll give you a quick little tutoring tip since we don't really have much to do."
"Tutoring? What are you on about?"
"Earlier, you were doubting whether you could actually make a hole in that barrier or not, weren't you?"
"Is mom's mana enhancing really that good?"
"That's not the point, my dear little brother. Albeit it is."
"Then what are you talking about?"
"She's saying that while you couldn't have done it without it, you're underestimating how relatively close you would've gotten, Cael."
"Bingo."
We all started walking towards the exit as we finished our stretches.
"Even then though, as you said, I wouldn't have been able to do it without it, no? So what's the big deal about me underestimating that?"
"The issue isn't whether you could've done it or not. Your underestimating of yourself also applies to enemies after all."
I don't even think I'm particularly underestimating myself though?
"Cael, now that I've been with the Sentinels for a while, I can pretty much confirm it. Your mana control is second to only a single person, on this entire continent."
"…"
Even if you said that though, it's not like it'll pump me up and make me feel invincible or anything like that. It kinda just puts more weight over my shoulders than I initially thought, you know? Though I'm pretty sure Maia is definitely aware of that too. I could definitely understand what she was talking about now, but even then, it wasn't like I could just accept it and be like "oh okay, then i'll become the second strongest!".
She decided to not further elaborate, at the very least until we arrived outside. We went a little deeper inside the yard, just to distance ourselves from the mansion. Luna had grabbed a small seat with her from the mansion, which she sat on, while me and Maia began our "tutoring" session.
"How much do you understand so far about the limits of your power?"
"I mean, technically I could even hurt Mio herself, no? Since you don't need to be on the same mana density level as your opponent to hurt them, but that doesn't mean I'll be able to damage or defeat her. So by that logic, my mana blasts or attacks could probably hurt a C tier at most, since I'm around D tier level now?"
"I see. You're definitely on the right track at the very least, however you're oversimplifying some of it, which may result in misunderstandings, so I'll clear it up."
"Alright…"
"For starters, sure. You don't need to have as much mana or the same density as me in order to cause me pain. After all, I still have pain receptors like any other human. However, not only is my body generally tougher than yours, and your blade, I can also just numb my own sense of pain if I want to. Of course
Not everyone can do that, but it's an example."
"Not only would you not actually be able to hurt me properly even without me needing to enhance my body's defense, but you would also not even inflict any pain on me. That's the harsh reality of the gap between mana densities and amount, when it comes to you and your stronger opponent."
Well, I obviously imagined that much, but still, having it put into clear words to my face definitely doesn't feel that good. It was the truth though, so I couldn't really deny it. I let her continue, while I stayed silent and listened.
"You however, have almost immaculate mana control. You could take a few drops of mana, and not only expand it enough to create an entire mana attack, but also condense it more than anyone else. Well, of course besides a certain someone."
"Even then though, how much could I actually condense my mana? At most I'd assume I could ignore 1 density rank."
"And that's exactly where your self underestimating comes in, Cael. Not only could you go beyond that, but you could potentially even harm a low A tier individual, even at your current level. Though I'm sure it would take a lot more focus and time to condense mana to such an extent. It may not be the most practical or needed thing in a fast paced fight, but for ranged attacks? That would be nothing short of a victory card."
"You're joking… right?"
However, she looked dead serious in my eyes, completely shattering any doubts about the validity of her words. Do tanks not mean anything anymore? How can a D rank actually damage a low A rank? The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that adventurers, even at the highest rank, are still on the lower end of the strength scale. The same way an S tier adventurer could never hurt a Recruit, a Singular Recruit could potentially be as strong as multiple others… or something like that?
If we go by that logic, then this isn't completely nonsensical after all. Maybe when I get to S rank, I'll barely manage to condense it enough to make up for 1 Recruit? Or maybe I'm still underestimating it? I don't know.
"I see… so basically, what you now want me to do is practice my mana condensation more often, huh?"
"I'm glad that you understand quickly as usual, My sweet little brother."
She then created a singular barrier like wall in between the 2 of us.
"This wall's density is around a high C rank. You're not going inside until you manage to break it."
"…eye eye sir."
This is gonna be a long day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Maia's Pov)
Mio aside who kept watching him, around half an hour after instructing him I left to briefly check on the others. The reason was of course, to see whether dad and mom were free or not, and tell them that later tonight we'd want to talk with them. I walked down the corridor, towards the room where everyone would get their measures taken.
Pretty sure that it used to be a small staff infirmary or something along those lines, since there were enough individual curtains around beds to give everyone the needed privacy to do whatever, or just to rest. I knocked on the door 3 times before entering.
"Yo, everyone… are you done yet-…"
"Then what next?! What's the name of that thing?! How do you know what size to make the clothes just with those numbers?! Do they have to be 100% precise?! Are the clothes sizes customizable even after they're done in case the sizes were wrong?! Can I see the tailors work on them?!"
I know I should've expected it, but it still made me feel like an outsider, intruding on something I should've probably kept myself out of… but surprisingly or not, Iris, who was the one Nala had asked all of that to, kept her usual composed face and replied.
"That's a measuring tape. The number's purpose is to allow us to properly size up the cloth when we tailor it, and make sure it generally fits as best as possible. While they may not need to be 100% precise, it is still recommended to get as close as possible to the desired size, as resizing an already finished product could require an extra charge. Though that won't be the case here, it's best to always try and be precise to avoid extra work or steps, especially if you need that clothing for a specific event. I am not quite sure if the tailors would agree to have you observe them work on them, however, I can most definitely go and ask."
"Is that so?! Then what happens if I accidentally bend my arm while you measure it??"
"Well, then it would result in a shorter sleeve. Not that this dress will have any, but it could be a general issue with regular clothes. Which is why, you're always required to stretch your limbs out as far as possible."
"Then what if…."
Well, I decided to just ignore it for the time being, since it didn't seem like it would stop any time soon. For that matter, everyone else seemed to have been long done already, and they were all just sitting around. No curtains for privacy or anything like that being used, just mindlessly observing this creature.
Honestly, it's both terrifying and refreshing how her interest for fashion was already awoken somehow, and to this extent. Did Cael do something? Knowing him, he may have said something that Nala probably misunderstood the meaning of… that boy sometimes forgets to bring his vocabulary back to 6 year old kiddo level when he's talking to them after all.
I casually sat next to dad on his left, while mom who was holding Rune, was on his right. Crossing one leg over my other, I then rested my face on my palm.
"How long has it been?"
"Her and Rune were last in turn to get measured, but it was a pretty quick process for us. 20 minutes give or take?"
"And she's still asking about the measuring tape?!"
"Well, Iris hasn't really been able to take any measurements probably yet."
"Yeah, never mind, I think I can tell…"
"You sure have some nice maids, huh? Not only can she keep up with Nala, she also doesn't seem bothered by it in the least. Not to mention that my little boy seems to also be comfortable with Ivy."
She smiled while patting his head.
"Speaking of Ivy, where is she?"
"She went to give our measurements to the tailors in the meanwhile. She anticipated that this will take a while longer after all."
"She sure is efficient, huh?"
"Haha, both twins are really great. They've made our life a lot easier at home after all. Same for Markus."
None of those being a lie for the record. I guess Markus would be the head butler or something like that? We never really cared that much, but he took care of our house since me and Mio weren't home too often, with watching over these guys' trips and all. We already decided on it, but both the twins and Markus will stay with our family after the trial is over, and they'll serve the new main branch Ashford Estate.
I'm glad that I can rest assured at least, especially since it's pretty clear already, that at least the twins have found their personal maids already. And of course, it's pretty obvious that not just dad, but mom, Aldric and Lysanna as well are all really fond of Markus, so he's most likely going to become the head of the Estate's service staff. Good for them, good for them.
"Aaaaah ah. If I knew at least one of my daughters cared so much about clothes and stuff, I would've dressed her more like a princess, and bought more clothes for her…"
"…sorry for not caring that much about fashion, old man."
He placed one hand on my hair, ruffling it up while still having that casual but somehow still kinda melancholic look on his face.
"It's alright, my dear daughter. I've long accepted the fact that you're less girlish since you were a kid."
"Hahaha, I'll burn you alive."
"Exactly… though I guess you're not a tomboy either? Just a really beautiful girl that doesn't really put a lot of effort into her looks? I mean, you did get your moms natural beauty so you're still really beautiful, but even then… you also really like to fight, and are more cool than beautiful… well, basically you're a wasted beauty?-"
Luckily for him though, mom had already hit him in the head before I could. Not that he was particularly wrong though, to be fair.. I also obviously know that he meant no harm, and that in his eyes I must be the most beautiful girl in the world, like Nala too, but still. Being told that I'm a wasted beauty is a little annoying.
It's not like I don't care at all about my looks though, you know? I am aware of my natural beauty which does also make me less interested in trying to look good if not for an event or something, but… he's not here in the end. Even I…had someone I wanted to look beautiful at all times for. Even I…had someone that I wanted to "act like a girl" for. But it doesn't matter now. After all, I don't deserve or have time for romance in this life, since it's the final cycle.
I'm the eldest child after all. I have to dedicate my time for the little one's sake. But anywho, that's enough depressing talk. I had something that I needed to tell them after all.
"Anyway. Later tonight, after everyone else goes to sleep, can you two come to talk with me and Luna for a little? It's pretty important. I'll come get you when we're ready."
"…"
They remained silent for a few moments, but they both replied simultaneously.
"Sure, little one."
"No problem, Honey."
Now then. I have quite a lot of freetime, but nothing in particular to do. I guess I'll just check on Cael for now.
Though I didn't actually plan on getting close, since I would probably ruin Mio's time alone with her beloved and all that, so I just got out of the room, then out of the first window I found, flying on the mansion's rooftop. I sat down with one knee up, as I looked at the two of them in the distance. They were about 100 meters away from the mansion or so, but my eyesight was more than good enough to see them very clearly.
Cael was still launching mana attacks at the wall as if his life was depending on it, having a slightly annoyed expression on his face. If I had to make an educated guess, his thoughts are probably something along the lines of "damn it, Maia… why am I here trying to break a wall while Luna is staring at me?! And seriously, why is a high C tier wall so hard to break? I've been hitting this thing for ages, and it's still not breaking!" Or something like that. Granted, I also had a clue about his embarrassment which he couldn't really hide because of his semi blushing cheeks.
Mio on the other hand, was still sitting down, silently observing him, while chuckling from time to time. It honestly kinda felt as if I was spying on a couple in their fun time, but I wouldn't be too much off even if I did use that analogy, huh? She hadn't even noticed me looking at them either, which was both the weird and heartwarming part. Whenever she was with Cael, Mio would only focus on him, and him alone. Nothing else matters to her as long as she's with him.
Seeing Mio smile wasn't a rare thing by any means, especially since one of her default expressions was her small smug smile, which pretty much tells you that she knows she's better than you. Sure, others may not have seen her other smiles or at least not often besides that, but I'd say that I've pretty much seen them all, so I'm the most qualified to talk about it.
For example, the smile she'd have on her face whenever we try out a new spicy restaurant. It's the same face a kid would have when walking inside a candy store for the first time in their life, albeit it's not just a one time thing for her at least.
Another example would be just a completely normal event which all humans go through, some more often than not, aka smiling or chuckling, or even laughing at a joke. Whenever someone sees Mio, the way they perceive her is highly dependent on how they see themselves. As I've mentioned previously, someone with a clear conscience will see Mio for who she truly is. Just a normal human girl, with human emotions.
She often laughs whenever we joke around, she smiles whenever something pleasing happens, gets grumpy from time to time, gets angry, sad, and anything else that a human could feel. However, when she's with Cael, especially alone like this, only one emotion could be seen on her face. Not just that, but it's such a strong feeling, that everything from the way she looks at him, to the way her body reacts to his presence alone, whether its small chuckles or anything else, would radiate it.
Her love for Cael was like none other. Whenever she looked at him, it felt as if nothing else existed. As long as she's with him it feels as if she doesn't care about anything else. And as long as he seems happy, to Mio that's the greatest source of happiness she could receive at the moment. This girl was genuinely just completely lost in love with him… my cursed lil brother may as well still just be the luckiest man out there after all.
Deciding that I've spied on them long enough, I got up.
Well, I guess I'll have to bring out their dinners outside later.
And I went back inside, leaving the lovebirds to their own business.
It was around midnight now. Everyone besides Cael and our parents were asleep by now most likely, so I went to their assigned room to tell them it was time. Cael was still outside, but it wasn't really a big deal since he could regulate his own body temperature so he wouldn't freeze or anything like that. And also, before you jump on my throat calling me a reckless older sister and what not, both me and Mio are ready to just make a barrier to shield him from the cold around him, at any time.
The room that Mio was waiting for us in was on the second floor, and had a few windows facing towards where Cael was as well. She'd be probably still looking at him through the window even now as me and our parents walked towards her.
"Is he still not done?"
But before I could reply, as we passed by a window, a bright red light flashed outside of it, answering it before I could. It was fairly cool though to see a random red flash every few seconds or so at least, which I couldn't complain about.
"As you can see."
"I wonder if he's cold though…"
"Don't worry mom, he can regulate his body temperature. But if he seems cold, both me and her are ready to make a barrier to shield him from the cold."
"I see…"
There was silence after that, but it didn't take longer than 30 seconds for us to arrive at the door. Without knocking, I opened it first.
"I brought them-"
But even though I was more used than anyone to seeing it, I don't think anyone could blame me for being slightly taken aback. After all, without turning around yet, she was indeed just staring out of the window just as I thought, with the same deeply in love stare as earlier. Yeah… Cael ain't freezing to death tonight.
Only after we all walked in, she finally turned around, looking at them. The room was a small office, probably of the previous owner, so it was fairly comfortably decorated. I decided to sit down on a couch on the left side of the room, as she sat at the main desk, while mom and dad sat at the small table in the center of the room, turning around to face her.
"We heard you wanted to talk to us, Luna-… or should we call you Mio?"
He was as sharp as always.
Before replying, she changed back into herself, but remained in her current small form. Smiling reluctantly, she then sighed before speaking.
"Since when did you know?"
"Well, unless our memory is playing tricks on us, Maia has never actually mentioned any "Luna" to us. Only a certain someone. Isn't that right, honey?"
"Ah, uhm… well, maybe?"
I honestly don't even remember…
"Haha, that does seem like her."
"Not to mention, the individual named Luna was simply too abnormal, from the very moment we met her."
"Yeah…I get what you mean, Dear. After all, even now I'm sure that both of us are thinking the same thing…"
"Yes, Isolde… you're right. I'm sure that both of us have a single question in our mind right now."
They looked at each other once, before nodding, and speaking at the same time.
"'Why do we feel such a painful and unreasonable sense of nostalgia and happiness, from looking at this stranger we've just met… as if we're looking at our own child?!'"
Tears, like an open faucet, were streaming down their faces. Yet they still had the warmest smiles on their faces, even amidst all the confusion they must've been feeling. And while she tried to mask it, I clearly noticed the way her hand was trembling from seeing them like that. Mio was holding back with all her strength at the moment.
"I see…"
"So please, forgive our rudeness… but could you please explain it to us already? We're not strangers at all, are we?"
"…yeah, you're right… we aren't."
"…"
"I'm not going to force you into it though. Whatever you 2 may be imagining, this is a lot more serious, and perhaps troublesome… so before i go ahead and unseal your memories, are you sure that you want me t-"
"Of course, from the way Maia spoke to us about it once, we've never thought of it as a light situation. We may still not even properly manage to grasp the scale of the situation…"
Dad cut her off, while both him and mom got up, and walked right in front of her desk. Mom continued where dad left off.
"But even then, we want to know the truth. Why do we feel so much affection towards you? What memories are we missing? Who are we? We want to know it all. So with that being said, please Unseal our memories."
This time, Mio was visibly caught by surprise by their boldness. However, she gave in rather quickly, as she also got up, then walked towards them, stopping right in front of them.
"I see… then I guess I have no right to withhold them. The process itself isn't painful, but with your memories unsealing, also comes a newly awakened rush of power. I won't give you the details now since you already knew them yourselves, but I'm warning you that your bodies may be affected when the extra sudden strength hits you."
"It's fine… compared to how badly we want to find out the truth, it can't hurt that bad."
She smiled, while extending her arm towards them.
"You really are their parents."
Then her purple and black aura splurged forward, engulfing them momentarily. It took around 5 seconds for it to disperse.
"There… I've unsealed them-"
But she was cut off once again. Before she could finish, dad had already pulled her in for a hug, alongside mom.
"'Their' parents?… what kind of bullshit are you talking about?!"
"We're not just the parents of Cael, Maia, Rune or Nala… we also have a 3rd daughter, you big fat idiot!"
"I-"
"Don't even try! You're not allowed to speak now!… seriously, just how stubborn are you?!"
"And the fact that you were planning on having us wait until the trial was over, to 'not overwhelm' us? It's not a child's duty to worry about their parents, you idiot!"
Even mom was scolding her… but there wasn't a single ounce of malice in either one of their words. I wonder why, but as I watched the scene unfold, someone may have started cutting onions or something like that.
Mio was speechless. She couldn't find an opening to speak, or pull away from their embrace. Her eyes started shaking, as tears built up inside of them.
"Look at you… you've grown so much while we were apart…"
"We don't even want to ask how long it took. Not now at least… but you'll tell us all about it later, and you don't have a choice."
"I-I…"
"Seriously… how long do you intend on keeping the act up? You're shaking twice as much as us, you know?… Mio!"
And that was the moment that she completely let go of any kind of restraints she had put on herself, and simply started bawling her eyes out… Like a normal 11 year old girl, who had just reunited with her parents.
It took several minutes for her to calm down. However, after around 15 or so, she was finally able to speak coherently again. Who would've thought that a parent's embrace could've turned even the strongest living being into a snotty kiddo, huh? But I wasn't in any position to judge, nor was it my intention. They were all back to their original spots now, with a newly found sense of happiness, and tranquillity after getting the harsh part over with.
"This really is refreshing. Aaah ah. I've had so much stuff to tell you, but we weren't planning on unsealing your memories yet, so I kept worrying about how I'd bring it about."
"Seriously, you should've just unsealed ours at the same time as Maia's."
"I didn't want to take it away from you. The last time you'd be able to genuinely live as normal parents, who can worry about their children and all…"
"We're going to hit you if you keep spouting nonsense, you know?"
"…anyway."
"Now that you know the truth, this makes things a lot faster for us. After all, talking about the trial before unsealing your memories would've been pretty troublesome."
"Is there anything in particular that you need to tell us regarding the trial though?"
"Well, I guess it's not directly linked to it, but it does derive from the trial's outcome. Though you guys will win it."
"I mean, obviously… We aren't criminals after all."
"I know, I know. You two can both guess it, but this trial is really just a formality. We need to avoid people throwing a ruckus over Maia's promotion after all. But that's not what we need to tell you about."
Not having to partake in the conversation while Mio explained it all was definitely convenient. For once I could just sit back and relax during the important stuff. Good way to go, my awesome little sister and best friend!
"Then?"
"It's about Cifer. We already have him with us, at the Sentinel's orphanage."
"…so it really is the final Cycle, huh?"
"Does that mean that "she" is also here?"
"Yeah, though we haven't pinpointed her precise location yet, she is here as well. This is the last one after all. I've long completed my first challenge… besides my natural growth I'm experiencing now, I can't get any stronger.I've reached the end of the scale."
She shrugged her shoulders with her hands raised while speaking, as if this was a casual fact to randomly spout, but none of us was surprised, since it was Mio we're talking about.
"…We can take our time and talk about that another time. I think we can already guess what you want to tell us about Cifer, but still go ahead."
"You're going to adopt Cifer as an Ashford, after you win the trial. In this life, we won't let Cael and his beloved buddy be separated."
"I mean, of course, we'd be more than happy to do that, but what about him? Is he fine with it?"
"That, and I'm also curious about how he ended up as an orphan in this life… is he alright?"
Mio then explained to them the background that led to his current situation, and how we already spoke to him about the adoption. They listened carefully, not interrupting her, however their expressions showed clear sorrow because of it.
"To think that she'd be the one giving birth to our little Cifer…"
"We used to be really close with his parents in our adventuring times- but well, I think you two already know that."
We both nodded- wait, was my contribution even needed now that I think about it? This felt a lot more like a conversation between just the 3 of them than anything… yeah, I'll just shut up and watch.
"We'll be more than happy to have him with us, so don't worry about it, Mio."
"That's right, little one. As you said, it's best if he and Cael aren't apart this time… but what about you? Are you and him still…"
"We've been together in a cycle before, and we solved any issues we had in the past. I honestly don't intend on unsealing his or the twin's memories any time soon either, so even if we did still have any resentment, there would be no chances for me to take my revenge now, would there?"
"Hahaha, I guess you're right. My bad for asking."
After that, silence engulfed the room once again, however it didn't actually last long. Mom broke it almost as quickly as it came to be.
"We're really glad to see that you've overcome your first challenge, Mio. Honestly, words cannot even express how proud we are of you. But please, don't force yourself too hard, alright?"
"That's right, little one. We may not be the ones who made you, but we think of you as our daughter, and of ourselves as your parents. No matter what it is, whether you're bored, or have trouble, you can come to us without hesitation. We'll always be here for you."
"Even if we aren't strong enough to help you in your next mission, whenever that will be, we'll do our best to try and relieve as much of your worries as we can. After all…"
"'We genuinely love you, from the bottom of our hearts.'"
As tears silently fell on her cheeks, Mio nodded, then replied.
"Thanks… Mom, Dad. I also, really, really, really, genuinely love you, from the bottom of my heart."
After that, I was also included in the conversation, as we mainly caught up with each other. Whether it was them telling us about some of their reincarnations, or us talking about ours, it didn't really matter. By the time we were done, it was already the next sunrise.