Rinji's father's name was Isaac, but that was just the English name he usually used. His real name was… best not mentioned.
"Can I ask how you got here?" Isaac looked at Rinji curiously. "Even I don't have that technology."
"I don't know either. I only came because you in the future told me to."
"My future self…"
Hearing Rinji's words, Isaac fell into thought. Rinji didn't interrupt, instead stretching a bit after sitting up.
"As expected of you, Dad. I thought in this era you wouldn't be that strong, but you're still unfathomable."
"In terms of physical ability, you're stronger than me, several times in raw strength," Isaac said. "What you lack is combat experience. From the look of it, you just bully weaker opponents all the time. If that keeps up, you'll be in trouble against true monsters."
"…But monsters are hard to come by."
"That's true. From your performance just now, there aren't many who could match you."
He handed Rinji the phone he had taken earlier.
"At first, I thought the organization's satellite being hacked meant some expert had shown up. Turns out you just knew the password." Isaac smirked. "Also, don't use smartphones so openly. They don't belong in this era."
"Ok."
"I'll have someone return your phone later. Did you come to this time for something specific?"
"Oh, right. Almost forgot." Rinji pulled a meteorite fragment from his pocket and tossed it to his father. "This was from a meteor that landed in Japan about eighteen years later. Ever since I got it, strange things kept happening. Coming to Yomiyama this time and ending up here probably has to do with it."
"A meteorite?"
Isaac examined it. It looked ordinary, like any roadside rock. "We'll have to analyze it."
"By the way, Dad, do you have a way to send me back? Even if I don't know why I came twenty years back, this isn't my time."
"I told you, I don't have time travel tech."
"Don't forget, I was born in 2032. Back home, it's still 1932."
"That's a different world's timeline. I've never tried time-jumping within the same world." Isaac spread his hands, clearly helpless. He pocketed the meteor fragment. "But I'll think of something. There's always a way."
"Alright… oh, Dad, I just realized something."
"Hm?"
"Since this is twenty years before my time, the cash I brought can't be used. The bank card won't work either."
"True."
"So…"
"…."
…
"Only ten million dollars in this card? Old man, you're stingier than I thought."
"Earning money isn't easy for me either. One trip to Japan and you've robbed my wallet clean." Isaac sighed. "Seems like you've been spoiled. Did I fail in raising you?"
In truth, in 1998, ten million dollars had immense purchasing power. With the yen's devaluation peaking in 1998, the exchange rate was about 1:145. That meant Rinji now held around 1.5 billion yen.
Rinji pocketed the card, then thought for a moment. "Dad, right about now… I should be close to being born, right?"
"Yeah. In that world, the time's almost here. When it comes, you'll be born." Isaac smiled. "What? Want to see yourself as a kid?"
"I'll pass." Rinji shook his head. He had no interest.
"What about you, Dad? Don't you want to know what happens in the future?"
"No. The future's interesting because it's unknown. Spoil it, and it's boring."
"True… Well, you've seen me now. Are you going back to your old work?"
"No rush. There's not much happening at the moment," Isaac said. "Right now I'm still a student at Jindai High, though I skip classes a lot for missions."
"Then why not come with me to solve something at Yomiyama? You seem free enough."
"No, I'm not free at all."
"Don't you want to know more about your future son? I'm really curious about you in your youth."
"…Fine. Two weeks, I can spare that much."
After thinking it over, Isaac realized meeting his grown son was a novel experience.
"Dad, one more thing."
"Yeah?"
"Do you have any experience treating hereditary leukemia?"
"That…"
---
"…I give up. How can your luck be this bad?"
"Ahahaha, sorry."
"Hard to believe you can still laugh."
Rinji brought his young father to the hospital, heading straight to Misaki's ward. Inside, Misaki was writhing in agony, her face twisted in pain. Rinji quickly used alchemy to ease her suffering.
"Complications once a day. That's rare."
Isaac narrowed his eyes, sensing something about her he couldn't see.
"Rinji, who's the person beside you…"
From her hospital bed, Misaki looked at Isaac and guessed their relationship.
"Oh, this is…"
Isaac: "I'm his dad."
Rinji: "…"
Misaki: "Hahaha, you two must be close, joking like that without getting mad."
But it wasn't a joke. Isaac, now fairly certain of her illness, reached into his pocket and pulled out a gem glowing red.
"The usual treatments probably won't work anymore. We can only use this."