Epilogue ~Smile~

We arrived at the entrance of the dungeon by 9am and I submitted the King’s Sceptre to Emilia.

They fed me some story about having to perform an inspection to see if it was genuine so they’d be keeping it a while.

Because the exam was planned to end at dawn on the 2nd day there were no classes planned so we could all rest.

It was ideal for a birthday party.

I cast Transfer <Gatom> and we arrive outside my home the blacksmith & appraisers shop <Solar Wind>.

When I opened the door my mother who was inside turned to me immediately.

“Welcome back Arnos-chan!”

My mother runs over with more force than normal and hugs me tightly.

She’s crying for some reason.

“Mother was worried because you didn’t come home yesterday.”

“I said it might last all night through to the morning.”

“I know, but even so Arnos-chan is only a month old. I was still worried.”

My mother smiled and said again

“Welcome back Arnos-chan. Welcome back.”

Fumu. Worried so much just because I didn’t come back for 1 day. My mother should know my magic power to some extent. It’s an embarrassing feeling.

“I’m home.”

My mothers face lit up with a big smile.

“Welcome back Arnos-chan.”

My mother hugs me again.

“Ohh?”

Did you finally notice mother?

Her gaze turns to Sasha but for some reason, she seems startled. She has an expression like she’s noticed something.

“Morning. It will take until morning. It will take until morning......”

Now she looks upset.

“It was a staying out all night declarationnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!”

What’s that?

“But I already said I might not return until morning.”

“I think the meaning between your statement and your moms are different.” Sasha says in a quiet voice.

Hmm. Is this another thing that’s changed in this age?

“What other kinds of meaning can I’ll return in the morning have?”

“What other you say? That is..errrm....you know...”

Sasha becomes flustered all of a sudden.

“What?”

“...It’s....It’s a good thing....”

Fumu. I see. I don’t understand at all.

My mother rushed up to Sasha while I was thinking.

“Sasha-chan!”

“Wha..what is it?”

My other hugged Sasha tightly.

“Sasha-chan!”

“What? What is it!?”

Sasha shrinks back at the force of my mother.

My mother pats Sasha’s head and looks like she’s made up her mind about something.

“Are...are you okay? Was he properly gentle?”

Sasha’s face goes blank.

“...You see, I want to avoid this misunderstanding. As for being gentle, it wasn’t needed.”

Sasha calmly corrects my mother however what my mother hears causes her to open her mouth like she’s received a great shock.

“...Eh? What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing. It’s fine. It’s fine Sasha-chan. Different people like different things. Un, it’s fine, it’s alright.”

My mother acts like she’s understood something and is trying to convince herself she’s happy with it.

Sasha looks like she wants to know so she asks my mother again.

“What is it? What do you mean?”

“But....”

“It’s fine. Just tell me.”

Saying it can’t be helped my mother whispers in Sasha’s ear.

“Everyone has their own preferences. As long as you aren’t too violent getting rough is a good thing.”

“Are you stupid!!”

Sasha becomes bright red and yells out before putting her hands to her head and shaking it.

“It’s a misunderstanding. Coming home in the morning didn’t have that kind of meaning. Misha is here too. See?”

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Coming home in the morning with 3 people!! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

The force that is my mother can’t be contained today either it seems.

“Is Misha-chan fine as well?”

Misha leans her head to the side.

“.....fine?...”

Unlike Sasha, Misha doesn’t seem to understand too well either.

“Umm errm. Would it be better if Sasha-chan wasn’t here? I understand. I wonder....? Should I.....?”

When my mother asked fearfully Misha just shakes her head.

“3 people was fine.”

At that moment the door to the workshop opened with a crash and my father appeared and the first thing out of his mouth was.

“Arnos. Father was, even father was like this back in the day. You’re too quick to climb the steps of adulthood. One of these days you could fall down Hahaha.”

I didn’t ask father.

“But when I heard you were with 2 people I was so jealous. You didn’t do both at the same time did you!?”

My father slaps his hands on my shoulders while yelling and looking upset.

“Arnos. This is advice from your father who actually fell down those stairs.”

My fathers face now looks serious before he continues.

“How did you do it? Teach me.”

Where did the advice go?

“Erm Misha-chan. How did you go up so many flights of adult stairs? How did Arnos do 2 people?”

What are you asking your son’s classmate about father?

“...He was gentle....”

“Anyone can do it as long as they’re gentle? I s—-”

My father opened his mouth like he’d realised something before looking at me like he’d seen something horrible.

“Were you such a technician Arnos......?”

My father seems to have greatly misunderstood something.

“Like I said its a misunderstanding. Today is our Birthday so Arnos invited us!”

Sasha makes a desperate appeal.

Hearing that my mother who was still in shock made a fist like she was determined.

“That’s right. Even if the people themselves say they are okay it’s not something you can just openly talk about.”

It seems the misunderstanding has not yet been resolved.

“It’s alright. Mother will always be an ally of Arnos-chan. I’ll always support what Arnos-chan wants to do.”

My father nods at my mother’s words.

“That’s right. If Arnos wants to do something it can’t be helped. If you want to do it....”

Why does my father seem full of regret now?

“If that’s what you’ve decided then I’ll start preparing a feast right away. It’s Sasha-chan and Misha-chans birthday. Right, I’ll bake a cake too.”

When my mother was about to go into the kitchen I remembered something.

“Aah, that’s right. Misha I’ve got something for you.”

Misha watches me.

“What?”

“Hold out your hand.”

Misha puts out her left hand like I asked.

“Done.”

Fumu. Her ring finger looks like the best fit. Whatever, any finger should be fine. I place the <Ice Lotus Leaf Ring> on her finger.

Misha brought the ring to her eyes and looked at it in amazement.

“Happy Birthday Misha. How do you feel about turning 15?”

Misha looks at me with her usual deadpan expression, however, a tear ran down her cheek.

In a trembling voice, she said

“I was scared.”

As I thought she would be.

She endured it for a long time.

“You don’t need to be strong anymore.”

“....Nn....”

Misha nodded as tears continued to fall.

Seeing this a smile bloomed on Sasha’s face and she held Misha’s shoulders.

And———-

“I understand Misha-chan. It was scary but you held out.”

My mother who doesn’t know anything speaks up.

“.....Understand....?”

“Un. I was also scared during my proposal. No matter how much you believe it will go okay it’s scary until it’s done. In Misha’s case, there’s also Sasha-chan too.”

Misha’s eyes go round.

“But it’s okay. Arnos-chan will definitely go through with it. Misha-chan and Sasha-chan. I’m sure he will make you both happy.”

Me and Sasha didn’t know what to do with those words.

However.

“..Fufufu....”

Misha laughed

“Make us both happy?”

“Un, that’s right. Is that okay?”

Misha thinks a little and laughs again.

It was like a flower had bloomed.

“Nn.”

It was a heartfelt smile from a girl who had suppressed her own heart until now.

_______________________________________________________________

Note:

historical

With this Chapter 1/Arc 1 is finished. The next chapter/arc is the demon sword tournament arc.