Soon, we found ourselves back at Shanford. Didn't really seem like it changed that much, not that I really recall anything memorable happening outside of the house.
The houses and buildings all were the same…Actually I don't even recall seeing much of town itself. Only things I remember were things inside the house.
I'm starting to think that maybe I should've gotten outside more during my time here. I'm starting to feel like I became a hermit during my first years here.
The carriage moved smoothly through the trail that was surrounded by the grassy plains, which led up to a distinct tree that led to the entrance of the village. In the further distance, I could see an oak tree.
As we got closer to the first tree, I noticed Lilith staring at it.
"Hey, that tree." She said, lifting her hand to point.
"…Yes, that is a tree." I wasn't really sure what she was trying to point out, like was this tree important or was she just indicating that it was a tree?
She gave me an irritated look when she looked back at me. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my knee, as if someone was digging into them.
"Ah! Alright, alright! What's important about the tree?" I swatted at her hand that was gripping me, it wasn't long before I started to realize the importance of the tree.
"…Hey, isn't this where we-"
"Met." She finished my sentence. "I was pointing it out, but it seems you don't remember."
"…Sorry." I took another look at the tree and it slowly came back to me. A group of kids were throwing rocks or something at her and I managed to pull off my first spell here too.
"It's alright…At least now you're remembering."
We made our way past the tree, following a trail that led to another tree with two paths. Lilith seemed to remember this place much better than me as she seemingly knew where my house was located.
A couple turns and moving alongside houses, we finally slowed down to a very familiar looking house. The brown coloring and lushful Garden made this house quite different from the other ones. Not much has changed with this house.
"Is this it?" Claire asked. She looked over towards me and Lilith.
I simply nodded as I looked at the house.
I wasn't really sure what I was feeling at this moment. Was I happy? Anxious? Would they be glad that I showed up? I know that Kale had most likely told them about us coming but still…
I remember in my past life when I was kicked out of my home. My fathers angry eyes as he looked at me, my mothers distraught look. The door closing as I walked away. I wonder if Gerald and Synthia will have the same reaction as my parents did when they talk to me about almost killing some other kids…
"Kota?" Lilith's voice Pierced my thoughts. She was still sitting on my lap as her head turned towards me.
"Huh?"
"Let's head inside. Come on, your parents must be here!" Quickly, Lilith hopped off my lap and onto the dirt trail. "We should probably wake up Kale too!"
I stayed where I was for a moment, glancing back at the house. It was then that Claire and Amelia noticed my stare. Claire gave me a concerned look.
Claire took a few seconds to think before she spoke. "Something wrong? You seem like you don't want to be here…"
I shook my head. "No, it's not that. I mean, I'm glad I'm here…Just that I'm not sure they would be."
"Whaat?" Amelia gave me a look of utter confusion. "Why would they not be?! Their own son is coming back from a magical school that they sent him to! They'd be happy to see him back!"
"…"
When I didn't say anything back to her, Amelia got out of her seat and grabbed onto the collar of my cloak. She furiously pulled me close to her, anger flashing in her eyes.
Then she spat out her words. "Hey! You listening to me, Idiot!? We didn't come all the way out here, stop at this place just for you to be moping around! Just be glad you have some parents who give a damn!"
"Amelia!" Claire grabbed her by the shoulder and tugged her away from me. "Listen to what you're saying and calm down!" Her gentle voice turned into a stern one.
Amelia paused for a moment. Her eyes darted from Claire to me, the look of anger changed into a more serious one.
"It's obvious that Kota has some sort of issue right now as well. There's no need for unnecessary anger towards him because he doesn't speak!" Claire said.
"Well maybe he should! Being quiet doesn't help much with what he's saying!" Amelia shrugged Claire's hand off her and quickly jumped her way off the carriage. "I'm not going to sit here and argue about this. I'm going to get my stuff."
I watched as I saw the top of the blue hair move out of my move to the side of the carriage. I didn't really expect her to explode like that, let alone even comment on how I was feeling.
Maybe she did feel some sort of sympathy for me, not just anger. I mean why would she even do that? Perhaps she was just remembering her own parents and that's what triggered it…
But she was right. Gerald and Synthia did a lot to have me go to Prusha. Without them, I wouldn't have met Kale. If they didn't give a damn, I would've been here still doing whatever else.
"Forgive me about Amelia." Claire patted my leg.
"It's alright…I needed a bit of a push." I said. "We should head into the house."
"Of course."
I hopped off the driver seat when I heard some rummaging inside the carriage. It was also when I noticed that the door was open, this was the side that Lilith was on. I saw Lilith was half way inside the carriage with her legs sticking out.
"-I'm not interested!" I heard Kale's voice. I made my way to the open door and peered inside. I saw Kale sitting across from Chris, who was holding out a bundle of paper. Lilith looked on with amusement.
"Please, Mr. Goodman!" Chris shook the bundle. It seems like he spent a good amount during the ride just writing. Maybe I should commend him on just that.
"Look, it's probably good writing! But I don't wanna read it! Reading just isn't my thing!"
"And it's probably got some weird stuff in it too!" Lilith butted in.
"That too!" Both Kale and Lilith shook their heads in agreement.
"I-well…It may have some odd things in it! But it's a story about our trip!" Chris insisted. "I assure you!"
Kale stared at him for a moment. Perhaps thinking it over?
That idea went out of the window as he soon quickly reached for the other carriage door, swinging it open as he frantically slithered his way out.
"Wha-Mr.Goodman!?" Chris reached one of his arms out as Kale stood up outside.
"Sorry, Prince. But I'd rather not waste time, we need to unpack and knock on the door." Kale then looked at me and Lilith. "Forgot to say, thanks for keeping the carriage going when I was out."
"No problem! Kota helped with managing us!" Lilith then pulled herself back, she then turned to me. "Right?"
"Ah…yeah." I glanced towards Chris, who was mumbling to himself as he picked his things. "I guess Chris woke him up?"
"Guess so. Kale was already awake when I opened the door." Lilith grabbed a bag from the carriage and handed it to me. "Come on! Let's go see your parents!"
After a moment of grabbing whatever we needed for the night, me and Lilith made our way through the gate door and then the front lawn. Kale, Claire and Amelia stood near the door as they watched us.
Behind us was Chris, who managed on his own. A large bag hauled over his shoulder as he walked slowly behind us.
"Gah! Not even going to-Ahh-wait for me?!" Chris shouted, he sounded already exhausted.
"You're fine! Nothing but a lil exercise for you!" Claire said.
"Haah…ha…if the beautiful blue haired says so, then it shall be just an exercise!"
Once we all stood in front of the door, everyone just stood there. Seemingly waiting for something to happen…
"…You know any of us can just knock on it, right?" I pointed out. But that response only made Lilith give me a jab to my side.
"You should be knocking on the door!" She said, then she gently pushed me forward. "Be the first ones they see when they open the door!"
Now, with everyone staring at me, I looked at the door and held my hand up to knock on it. Somehow I was sweating over this, as if it was the most stressful thing I've done yet. But holding my hand up to the door reminded me of my old life, the front door to my parents home.
Regardless of that feeling, I knocked on the door. And waited.
The sounds of feet moving towards the door could be heard before the door swung open. A man with brown hair looked at us all with surprise, his hair waving in the air. His brown eyes darted across everyone, from Kale to amelia.
However, his eyes stopped at me. Being more fixated on me. "Kota?" He uttered.
"…Gerald?" I replied. It's been a bit since I've seen him. I don't really recall him having hair that long. It was in a braid that went over his shoulder.
Honestly thinking of it now, isn't my hair getting longer? Hmm…maybe I should try out Gerald's hair. Maybe I can ask Tera about this.
"My boy!" Suddenly, I felt myself being picked up and pulled into a bear hug. My face smothered into his chest as he swung me around, happily laughing.
"Gerald? Who's at the door?" Another voice came from the house. As Gerald put me down to the floor, I saw a black haired woman standing behind him. Her blue eyes matched mine, her belly looked bigger than from what I remembered. It was Synthia, wearing a white dress. It's been…Five months or so? She's about halfway through her pregnancy.
"Ah, Synthia! Look who came back!"
As Synthia looked down at me, Gerald moved aside and onto the front lawn. For what felt like a lifetime, it was like she was staring into my soul.
Then with quick speed, she lifted me up and held me close to her. I caught the fresh scent of what I presumed to be the food she was cooking wafting into my nose as she held me.
"My sweet boy! Oh, we've missed you ever since you left!" As she finished her sentence, she put me down to the ground and kneeled so that she was down to my level. "How was the school? I know Kale has been receiving our letters, but I want to hear it from you! Did you get better?"
However, her questions stopped as something else caught her attention. Synthia's gaze peered behind me. "Oh! Lilith! And….Kale."
"Ah…Cold greeting. I'll take that." Kale said.
"Ms. Detrut!" Lilith said happily.
Synthia scanned the rest of the group, happily smiling. "It's a pleasure to see you all! I've already prepped for you all beddings and such for the next two days!"
I guess Kale sent a letter out to them in advance so we wouldn't show up out of nowhere.
Wait, hold on…
"Kale, I thought you said this would be a three day trip to Prusha?" I asked. I feel like I was misinterpreting some details…or I was just forgetting.
"It's a three day trip from here to Ozoth. However…I thought it'd be nice to have you catch up with your parents. So we'll be staying here for the next two days." He answered.
"Yep! And me and you can catch up as well!" Gerald said. "Been some time, Kale."
I didn't hear Kale respond, but I assume that he gave some sort of acknowledgment of that. Synthia then let go of me and stood up, her hands clasping each other as she spoke once more.
"Everyone, come inside! I've prepared some food for this! It's some Pork Chops and homemade Curry!"
As everyone else began to walk into the house, I noticed Kale and Lilith standing behind. I watched as Gerald walked towards them and he eyed Lilith.
"How goes the Fire King training?"
"Better than what I expected! I've learned a lot of things from Kale!"
"Hah, That's expected from a guy like him."
Gerald looked up at Kale. "She wasn't too harsh, was she?"
"She's got harder strikes than you. Heh, And she knows how to listen at points." Kale chuckled. "Unlike a certain person who'd run off to the Bounty Hall to catch with the ladies."
"Always charismatic, that's what I am."
"And where'd you learn that from?"
The two smiled at each other, enjoying the little banter they were having.
"I learned from the best." Gerald then hesitated for a moment. "…I heard From Derrick and Edward that you've caught a lady."
"Hohoh…That you heard correctly. It's Tera, The mage that used to be a part of my Group." Kale said happily. "She's been helping me ever since she caught notice of Kota."
"That's great! Synthia, you hear that? He's not single anymore!" Gerald turned around and held his hands out as if presenting kale.
"Is he now?…Didn't expect someone like to get one." Synthia said in a monotone voice. There was no interest in her voice. "Now stop standing out on the lawn, and come inside! The food will get cold! Kota, Lilith, put your things in Kota's room. Oh, it's been awhile since you've last been in there." She then quickly headed inside.
"Uh…I'm getting a very faint signal that Aynthia still doesn't like me." Kale suspected.
"She's been like that. You don't know how many threats she's made about you when Kota and Lilith left. Only some of them made it into the letters." Gerald then patted the blonde man on his back. "Luckily, nothing happened to the two! Least I hope."
"Haha…Yeah…" Kale looked at me and then Lilith. "Nothing much."
A/N: hey all! Been quite a busy week for me (it feels like every week is just busy to me), I was lucky to be able to get this out on my two week upload! I think I'll stick to the two week upload until I finally find time to sit down and write nonstop. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!