"Welcome back," I greeted them warmly as I noticed the fatigue etched on my parents' faces. Their journey must have been arduous.
"Ruu... we are so sorry that we had to go without even saying anything," Mom said apologetically as she entered the house, and Father followed silently, his weariness evident in every step.
"What about Marylin?" I inquired with concern.
"She's gone back to her house, but she'll be here for dinner," Mom replied, leading us to the living room where we could finally relax.
"I'll go wash up," Father announced, his voice weary as he headed towards the bathroom.
"He looks tired," I remarked, worried about his well-being.
"Yeah... a lot happened," Mom said, her eyes seeming to hold a trace of sorrowful memories.
Exactly two days had passed since the incident in the Balcker Forest and my parents' sudden departure. Now, they had returned, and the sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow on their tired expressions.
After freshening up, they both went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Father joined me on the couch, his troubled demeanor evident. I wanted to ask about their journey, but I knew they needed some time to unwind before sharing any details.
"So, what was the emergency?" I asked, finally voicing the question that had been nagging at me since their hasty departure.
It was unusual for them to leave Sephra so abruptly and without telling me directly, leaving only a note behind. I was genuinely curious about the reason behind their sudden trip.
"..." Father looked at me, our eyes meeting – a clear indicator of where I inherited my eyes from. He seemed to ponder how to answer, perhaps choosing his words carefully.
"Honey, you should tell him, or else he'll just worry," Mother emerged from the kitchen, her gentle voice urging him to share.
With a sigh, Father rubbed his temples above his eyes, as if trying to ease a heavy burden. Then, in a tense yet somber voice, he began to explain, "I lost a friend... we went to his funeral. It was urgent, so we couldn't wait."
I said nothing, absorbing his words. My thoughts wandered to my mother, whose expression revealed her own sorrow. It was understandable since they had shared much of their lives together, familiar with each other's connections. So, she likely knew this friend of my father very well.
"So, how did it go?" I asked, reaching for the glass jug on the table and pouring water into a glass, trying to break the somber mood and show my concern.
"Hmm..." Taking the glass from my hand, my father replied, "It was... fine. We met his family and all. It was quite overwhelming." His eyes held a profound sorrow that mirrored the weight of his emotions.
Ding*
The doorbell rang, interrupting our conversation. As my mother moved to answer it, I gestured for her to stop. I already knew who it was – Marylin.
"Oh Ruu..." Her silver eyes locked onto mine for a moment, her expression a mix of sadness and relief.
"Come in," I invited her in, feeling uneasy under her sorrowful gaze. It was evident that she had been through a lot in my parents' absence.
Her eyes were swollen and red, like she had cried for hours without restraint. Her voice was hoarse, giving away the depth of her grief.
Eventually, we all gathered around the dinner table after an hour of somber silence. The atmosphere was unusually heavy and quiet in my house. None of us knew how to start the conversation, for grief weighed heavily on all our hearts. But in that shared silence, we found solace in each other's presence, understanding that we were all going through this difficult time together.
"What was the name of this friend?" I asked, breaking a piece of bread and dipping it into the meat stew. The food, prepared by my mother, always had a way of comforting me, even in times of sorrow.
"Helda... she was the healer for our party when we were adventurers," Marylin replied, her voice tinged with sadness, understanding the pain my father was experiencing.
"Helda, huh? A healer. I never knew that there were others in your party apart from the ones sitting at this table," I commented, my gaze focused on the meal before me.
My mother handed me another loaf of bread and continued, "Yeah, there were quite a few people we met along our journey in our younger years. But Helda... she was the one who had the most impact on our lives. She was like a real sister to your father." As she spoke, my mother gave a sidelong glance at my father, revealing the depth of their bond.
It made sense why he was so profoundly affected by her passing.
Tud*
Suddenly, I stood up without a word, surprising them. Their eyes followed my movements as I left for my room. I returned immediately, carrying something I had forgotten to give them along with the souvenirs I brought.
Clink*
"You liked this one, right?" I placed four bottles in the center of the table.
"Bear?" Father looked at me with a puzzled expression, but soon, a small smile of understanding appeared on his face.
"Yeah, this Helda person seems interesting, so I thought this would help pull some good stories out of you all and dispel the gloom," I said, trying my best to smile.
...Silence...
A solemn silence hung in the air, as both Marylin and my mother seemed a little nervous amidst the somber atmosphere.
"Haha," a dry laugh escaped my father's lips.
"!?" I didn't quite know how to interpret his sudden laughter.
"You've grown now," he murmured, taking one of the bottles from my hand. Then, looking up at me, he asked, "How did you know that this is my favorite beer? It's not available around here in Sephra, and it's quite expensive. So, how did you get the money for it?" My father seemed to understand my unspoken message.
I had come to know this from Ren's memories, but it was also possible that my recent visit to his antique shop had refreshed my memory. He had these beers on display and kept boasting about their unique taste for quite some time.
Settling back into my seat, I replied playfully, "Well, I might tell you if you're willing to share some funny secrets from your past with me."
"Well then, listen!" A new surge of energy seemed to flow through my father as he began recounting their adventures, soon joined by my mother and Marylin. Many of their stories revolved around this woman named Helda, whom I had no particular interest in, but I listened intently nonetheless. As they shared their memories, the room filled with laughter, and for a moment, the sorrow was lifted, replaced by the warmth of shared experiences and love.
The thought hit me like a sudden jolt, and for a moment, I couldn't help but wonder how much my parents must have cried upon hearing the news of their son's supposed suicide. It was a dark and painful thought, one that was never shown or mentioned in the game's storyline, but the reality of it lingered in my mind.
Ren Hilton, the character I had become, seemingly had everything in the palm of his hand - fame, power, and admiration from others. But as I saw my parents now, going through their own struggles, I realized that he never truly appreciated the love and support he had received. He never looked at them the way I now did, with a deeper understanding and appreciation for their sacrifices.
The night seemed to stretch on forever as I sat there, listening to the drunken tales of my parents and Marylin. They recounted their adventures, their victories, and their hardships with a mix of nostalgia and fondness. Despite the sorrow that had surrounded us earlier, the stories filled the room with a sense of camaraderie and joy. We laughed and reminisced, creating new memories that intertwined with the old.
As the first rays of morning light began to filter through the curtains, I knew it was time to inform them about my departure to the Imperial Academy. I could sense their reluctance to see me go, and they tried to convince me to stay a few more days. However, I had made up my mind, and with a determined spirit, I managed to persuade them that it was time for me to move forward.
The carriage that would take me to the Arcanum was waiting outside, The two weeks of travel to Arcanum felt both long and short.
The single portal that would take me to the nearest shoreline city was a marvel in itself. Stepping through it felt like being transported to a different realm entirely. The cool breeze of the ocean greeted me as I emerged on the other side, and I took a moment to savor the salty scent of the sea.
I rested for a while in the shoreline city, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling port. The ships that bobbed on the waves, ready to set sail for distant lands, stirred a sense of adventure within me. I knew that I was jus
t one step away from reaching the Hestia Empire, the place where my new journey would truly begin.
"I've been real quite for a while now," Blaze wondered to himself.
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