The weekend—the crowning jewel that marks the end of a long week.
"Then I'll be heading down next weekend."
[Understood. Your father and I will be waiting for our daughter-in-law and granddaughter to arrive.]
"Yes. Oh, do you need anything on the way? I'll pick it up."
[Never mind that, just focus on getting here in one piece.]
"Roger that~"
I finished my call with my parents, confirming my visit for the following weekend.
I needed to have a serious conversation with them regarding Seele.
Still... I feel incredibly drowsy.
Perhaps it's because the cold weather has finally let up; the warmth and the cozy atmosphere were turning my muscles to jelly.
Kiana had been dragged off by her Aunt since the morning for work, and Senior Mei had left with Adam for a mission two days ago. The house was remarkably quiet.
As a side note, the wife and daughter I love most in the world were currently occupying a knee each as I sat on the sofa, using the gentle breeze as a blanket for their afternoon nap.
I'm surprised they managed to sleep right through my phone call.
Were they really that tired?
Thinking about how my wife has been coming home late recently, I gently brushed her bangs aside. She let out a tiny, content smile at the touch, and I couldn't help but grin back.
*Ding-dong~*
In the middle of our peaceful family moment, the intercom chimed through the house.
"Who could it be?"
I hadn't ordered any packages, so there was a high probability it was a visitor.
I was certain it wasn't Kiana or Senior Mei; those two already knew the passcode to our front door and wouldn't need to ring the bell.
So, who was it?
"Honey, sweetheart. We have a guest. It's time to wake up."
"Nooo..."
"*Zzz...*"
At my call, my daughter began her usual morning crankiness, rubbing her face deeper into my leg. My wife, on the other hand, blatantly pretended to still be asleep. I looked down at the two of them.
"Hmm~ This is a problem. I guess there won't be any snacks for either of you then—"
"Yes, I'm awake! I'm up! Snacks! Snacks!"
"That nap was quite refreshing. So, what is the snack menu?"
Mother and daughter indeed. Watching the two of them look up at me with sparkling eyes, I gave each of them a light flick on the forehead with my index finger.
"Greeting the guests first."
"Hmph~ Okay~"
"...Understood."
After they responded with pouting faces while clutching their foreheads, I patted my wife on the shoulder and ruffled my daughter's hair before heading to the entrance to open the door.
"It has been a long time, Captain."
"Long time no see. Have you been well?"
Familiar, welcoming faces greeted me with smiles outside the door.
"The Class Monitor and Sushang?"
"Why am I being left out, Captain?"
"Ah, what? Book of Fuxi was here too?"
"I'd prefer a warmer welcome than one I had to beg for!"
It was indeed Fu Hua, Li Sushang, and the Book of Fuxi.
Fu Hua was carrying an unusually large rucksack on her back, while Sushang stood there with a paper gift bag in her hand.
As for the Book of Fuxi... she was just floating in the air.
Well, aside from record-keeping and hovering, the only things that thing does are chattering and sleeping, sleeping, and then more sleeping.
"I feel like I just got insulted in an indirect introduction..."
"What are you talking about?"
"...Am I imagining things?"
This is the problem with sharp-witted ones.
But she isn't quite sharp enough to see through my acting.
"It's been forever. Come on in."
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Sorry for the bother. Oh, and here is a souvenir from our travels."
"Thanks. Alright, I'm closing the door."
"Wait, hold on, Captain! Were you going to go inside and leave me behind?!"
"Ah, what's with all this noise? Is the place haunted?"
"Who are you calling a ghost! Stop treating me like an invisible person! Stop ignoring me!"
Coolly ignoring her protests, I accepted the paper bag and guided the two humans and the doll into the living room.
"Class Monitor?"
"It has been a while, Comrade Bronya."
My wife, clearly pleased to see the Class Monitor after so long, stood up to welcome her.
"How many months has it been?"
"Nearly three months. The last time was right before Sushang and I set out for Mt. Taixuan on foot."
"Ah, has it really been—no, wait... You're back already in just three months?"
I was about to nod in agreement when I realized I had to interject.
Given the round-trip travel time and the stay they planned, I expected them to be gone for at least four months.
"Sushang and I are martial artists, after all."
"Godspeed is just a basic skill for us~"
"I'm aware of that... but even considering your skills, I thought it would take four months."
I thought I knew these two well enough, but it seems I was being overconfident.
"So, how was Mt. Taixuan after all this time?"
At my question, the Class Monitor took a sip of tea, her expression growing bitter yet nostalgic.
"They say a decade changes the landscape. I used to think that only applied to places touched by human hands. Even though I knew better, I find myself realizing once again that over enough time, even nature untouched by man eventually transforms."
"Right. I see."
The depth in her words left me with no better response than that.
"So, what brings you here today?"
"That is...."
At my prompt, the Class Monitor looked at me with a conflicted expression, as if wondering how to approach the topic.
While I was wondering why she was looking at me like that, I brought my teacup to my lips. Sushang, apparently fed up with the silence, spoke first.
"Goodness, Great Grandmaster. I'll just say it. Captain, we saw the YouTube video. What on earth happened after that?"
Sushang's sudden comment nearly made me spit out my tea.
"Sushang!"
"But, Great Grandmaster, you were curious about it too, weren't you?"
"Exactly, Fu Hua. You were so dying of curiosity, so why are you acting all shy now?"
"Ahem, ahem! There are things that should be discussed and things that should be left unsaid."
The Class Monitor cleared her throat and closed her eyes at Sushang's remark, but she couldn't hide the subtle glance she cast my way. I felt cold sweat begin to pour down my back.
The reason was simple: my wife was currently staring at me with a chilling, unpleasant glare.
"Now that you mention it—"
"Hmm?"
My wife, perhaps reminded of something, spoke up.
"I was concerned about how quiet Kiana has been since that broadcast. Is there something I should know?"
At that moment, I instinctively looked away from my wife's eyes. *Oh, crap.*
Doing that was as good as admitting she was right—
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