Everyone was ecstatic to see me return with my left arm intact. That night, Paul had a meeting with his search group and appointed Vierra as the new captain and gave her all of their funds.
"I'm sorry, but I have to take my son back home", he told them.
By the time the next morning rolled around, we all had our things packed and were ready to start making our way back home. Or so I thought.
Now that he had successfully helped return me to Paul, Tallhand wanted to settle down in Milishion and work as a blacksmith. As thanks for helping us, I tried giving him some money to help start up his business, but he refused.
Elinalise likewise decided to part ways here. She planned to continue hopping from city to city with no goal in particular, simply enjoying her life to the fullest.
That was when Roxy approached us and dumped some tragic news on us. She as well wants to part ways here.
"Do you really have to leave so soon?", I asked. "Why not travel back to Sharia with us? At least part of the way?"
"No, Rudy. I have my own life to live and goals to achieve."
That hurt. It feels like Roxy is dumping me. I expected Roxy to follow us back to Sharia, and she would join Sylphy and I and we would buy the same house and live happily ever after. As I was thinking that, my eyes started to swell up with tears unknowingly.
"I think I'm going to get back to Adventuring to further hone my magic", Roxy continued. "I've already come so much further in my magic than I ever expected to, but after these past couple months with you, I've once again realized that I still have a long way to go."
Ugh... Did I sap her confidence again? Maybe I should have taken things a bit easier.
"Why don't you come with me and we can practice and improve our magic together."
Roxy gave a wry smile at that.
"No. You've already achieved the title of 'God' and yet you continue to call me master. I want to become somebody worthy of your praise."
I wanted to talk her out of this, but after seeing the determination in her eyes, I couldn't bring myself to do it.
"If that is what you've decided, then I look forward to you teaching me again next time we meet", I said with a smile.
"Next time we meet, we can teach each other", Roxy said, smiling back.
We all waved goodbye as Roxy went on her way, heading towards the Adventurer's Guild to start the next leg of her journey.
"I guess that just leaves the four of us", I said, looking to Paul, Eris, and Ruijerd.
"Just the three of you", Ruijerd responded.
"What? You too?", I frowned.
"You have your father, you don't need me to babysit anymore. Honestly, I'm not sure that you ever did."
I wanted to ask Ruijerd to stay as well, but I knew he had his own goals to accomplish. He still needed to search for the rest of the Superd clan.
Ruijerd knelt down in front of me and put his hand on his shoulders before saying, "I owe you a great debt."
"No, You helped us cross an entire continent. If anything, we are in your debt."
"You taught me that I have so many more options than I realized. I will always remember the days I spent with you and Eris. The adventurers who smiled hearing the name 'Dead End' without a hint of fear, how close I felt to the Dedoldia, who accepted me while knowing that I was a Superd, and the look on those Beast Children's faces when we returned them home. Without your help I would have never managed any of it. In the four hundred years since the war, I hadn't managed a single step forward until I met you."
Ruijerd got back up and walked over to Eris.
"Eris."
"What?", she snorted back at him, clearly upset.
"You have talent. Enough talent to grow far stronger than me."
"Liar...", Eris responded, as tears began rolling down her cheek.
"Not at all. I have never worked with someone who had as much raw talent as you."
"But Rudeus-" Eris began to snap back, but then Ruijerd cut her off.
"Rudeus is an exception. His talent lies beyond reason. But that doesn't mean he won't need your help."
Eris turned around to look at him, surprised by what he said.
"You saw him after his battle with the North God, didn't you? Rudeus is a mage. Magicians are naturally weak in close combat. If he comes up against someone like that again, there's no guarantee he'll come out alive. He will need someone by his side to protect him up close."
Eris remained silent, but you could tell she was thinking deeply about what Ruijerd said to her.
Meanwhile Paul interrupted, "Wait, what? Rudy... you fought against the North God!?"
"You didn't tell him?", Ruijerd asked, looking at me a bit surprised. "You are too humble for your own good."
"Uh.. yeah, sorry. I didn't want to worry you, father."
"Are you sure it was the North God!?".
Ruijerd answered him in my place, "Most definitely. The monuments to the Seven Great Powers confirm it."
"You don't mean..."
"That's Right. Rudeus is now rank seven among the Seven Great Powers, the Magic God."
Paul's jaw seemed to hit the floor. Then, slowly, his expression changed from shock to suspicion as he kept staring at me.
"You don't have to keep staring", I said. It was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable.
Paul seemed like he wanted to say something, but then stopped himself.
"Sorry. It's just so surprising. You're not even twelve years old yet, and you've already achieved so much. Honestly, it doesn't even sound real."
Ruijerd smiled, and stood back up, placing one hand on each of our heads as we hugged him back.
"Goodbye then, Rudeus, Eris. Let's meet again."
Ruijerd then turned around and started walking away, not turning back once as he faded off into the distance.
Paul, Eris and I left Milishion, leaving from the Residential district in the north of the city. We began traveling westward, when all of a sudden I remembered something Paul had told me.
"Wait, aren't we forgetting Laws?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"You said he had joined the search group right? Shouldn't we take him back to Sharia with us as well? I don't remember seeing him at the tavern in Milishion."
"No, he wasn't with us in Milishion. The search group was split up into multiple divisions to cover more ground. I think Laws' group was headed to Shirone, if I remember correctly."
"Shirone?", I said with a smile on my face. "Let's stop by on our way home and pick him up then. I'm sure he wants to see his wife and Sylphy again."
"Well said!", Paul answered. "But first we have to make it to the Central Continent. To West Port it is!"
As we traveled, Paul drove the carriage while Eris and I rode in the back. After we made camp along the side of the road the first night, I snuck away into the forest.
I used earth magic to create an underground room and laid out a teleportation scroll on the ground, securing each corner to keep it flat. I then lifted myself out of the room using gravity magic and sealed the entrance with earth magic.
Once I turned to head back to camp, I noticed Paul, leaning against a tree.
"We need to talk", he said.