-That afternoon.
Reappearing from the shadows like we had many tis, I looked around the sa dining table filled with both our families.
And as soon as Anna felt our presence, she left her chocolate milk and ran toward us with a bright smile on her face.
We hadn't seen her all morning because we were doing so 'chatting' on a good tree, and I knew she must have missed us.
Though I did talk with her through one of Celes's clones and told her to keep this a secret and she understood that one perfectly.
If she can keep everyone's feelings and emotions secret, then this was nothing at all for her.
She was so of the best when it ca to keeping secrets.
She was good and as soon as she ran toward us; I let go of her gentle hand and caught my dear little angel.
And to both our surprise, she kissed us for practically no reason.
And I delighted in that surprise gift and kissed her back.
But only her... yes, not this friend of mine.
"Big brother~! I misssssed you~! And big sister too~~!" As cheerful as ever, Anna hugged , and then her, while still being in my arms.
Rein also hugged her back and after so chatting, we went to our seats for dinner.
But this ti, Anna was sitting with , and Rein was beside .
And our families couldn't help those hidden grins that just loved seeing the two of us together.
Dad was... holy frak? For so reason, he was proud?
Oi, what was that? Your son is twelve, you big man!
He was sothing but... her mom and my aunts were on an entirely different level in this proud thing.
They thought not only I was lucky that soone as good as she chose , they even thought soone as unparalleled as I chose her.
This choose-chose was going too far, isn't it?
The one writing this likes dragging things. Even a simple kiss would have to wait for being an adult, so no kiss for three years.
...can I control that long though?
Damn bastard.
Sighing internally, I looked at the food served by one of the maids of the house.
Although dad made it, the servants had to do their jobs properly, and they were unique bunches too.
All of them were above [Rank-2] in strength, aning they were at least basic soldiers in ranks.
And they were happy while looking at all of us, and we knew it even while not looking at them.
I was looking at everything with my third eye and I didn't need so spell or skill or ability to know what was going through those excited hearts.
First, they were surprised to see the entire Heliox family here, eating with their masters like this.
Second, they were dying to talk with this beautiful angel sitting on my lap.
Third, the maids were having so weird reactions while looking at , and they can't hold this feeling.
Well, after Anna, maybe I was the most charming of the young ones and the maids were also sowhat young, not that older.
Well, they all knew this was just because of the opposite charms and my marvelous beauty that I didn't want to praise myself.
I was definitely no narcissist, and I only had an interest in others' beauty.
Well, things didn't end there. So maids went out to hide the most powerful reaction they got after seeing Rein and , and many actually started crying tears of joy.
They all saw and Rein co in and they were smart and capable servants handpicked by so of the strongest in the empire, so they can easily catch on to things quickly.
And after talking with her the whole morning, I knew she was soone respected throughout the estate.
They revered her, and she was a radiant, but sowhat lonely person in their eyes.
And my third eye was just roaming the entire estate with Celes's clones all the ti, so I knew almost everything that they thought and talked about.
They all can see just how different Rein was right now, and she was genuinely happy.
There was no loneliness they felt in the past and now she was even more radiant and cheerful than before.
All of this, and the reason was this bright boy with an angelic little girl in his lap.
And these sharp servants had even figured out who I was from the small talk and the behavior everyone had towards .
Not that the matching hair of a grand knight and one of the richest on the continent and the red eyes of soone feared among the adventurers and normal folks of the empire as a crazy, bloodthirsty mage were common.
Just this appearance of mine was enough to tell any smart person who I was because the 'crown' had made a pretty good hero in new generation stories.
This appearance of mine was now not as unique as it used to be but, the original would always be original.
...until a greater one surpasses it but, that wasn't the talk right now.
The servants, male and female, were seeing the empire's so-called hero for the first ti, and right now, only Rein, I, and Anna were the talk of the entire house.
Well, they were pretty professional servants that knew about all the important stuff, so no one had to worry about anything.
Moreover, this serene morning wasn't going to stay like this forever and its trigger was... grandpa Zhen's heavy expression as he ca into the dining room by the door and asked every servant to go out.
And feeling the sudden gravity of the situation in his eyes, every servant bowed down and went out after Rein said her bye to everyone.
And they were happy to receive these cheerful byes for the first ti like this.
They went out with a cheerful expression, and then, grandpa closed the door behind him.
Looking at grandpa after glancing at for a mont, he spoke in a heavier voice than what I have heard all this ti.
"I spotted the white owl a mont ago. Looks like lord Aldrich is on his way. He should be here anyti now..."
And at those words, everyone's eyes widened.
Grandpa, grandma, uncles and aunts, even Carla and Alf.
And even her family was like this all of a sudden.
But the old ones cald down quickly and just sighed while everyone other than mom took so ti and then shook their heads in a knowing manner.
I didn't understand their reaction but, the most unique reaction was Rein's, and only I and the elders could understand the rage in those calm eyes right now.
'Fking bastard...' And I didn't believe others could understand her just from her eyes but, I most definitely understood the words that were spoken without a blink.
But then those eyes softened, and she looked at with a genuine smile, surprising even more.
'Who is this person and what's up with you all of a sudden?' I asked with my eyes, and she shook her head with that sa helpless smile.
'You know there is only one person that would co to mind when soone says white owl and that na.'
Her words were simple but, as she said, I knew the person in the description and I still couldn't believe her words.
My eyes widened in surprise too, though late, but this was the sa surprise as all of them, and even mom had accepted the reality at this point.
But this was still unbelievable.
'I knew he will co but, for nature's sake, damn geezer! It's been a day. A single day since he ca back from hell! Fking sly old bastard...'
She was genuinely furious toward the person we were all thinking about.
And although I knew we will talk about that one later, the fact that one of the strongest in the world was coming here still surprised beyond belief.
'But why the hell is he coming here himself?'
I asked and as soon as she saw this question in my eyes; she laughed, finding the question itself funny.
'Of course because... he wants you too, my darling friend~.'
She said this one cheerfully and that phrasing and her excited smile didn't go well with .
I was nervous all of a sudden but, thankfully, my heart got forcefully cald down thanks to my special Origin skill.
'But still... he wouldn't co if it was so normal matter related to the academy. And from what she said... he's here because of ...'
I still couldn't believe those words but... I felt a sudden presence with my active Solnova detection and as soon as I felt this unfamiliar presence just behind ... I instinctively covered my fist with dense Mana and punch back.
It was instinctive, fast, and strong but, to my surprise...
"Woah, Woah. Calm down, young boy, calm down. To think soone would actually pick up my presence like this...
Damn...
Maybe calling you just a child hero was far more underestimating of that young emperor."
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