"Welcome back Milo, how was the hilltop?", Sion asked, watching his son carefully try to scamper upstairs.
Milo froze and turned his attention towards the living area. Milo's eyes narrowed when he noticed the same brown-haired woman sat next to Renny, with her legs crossed and her hands cupping what appeared to be a small cup of tea.
The 3 guards stood behind them, each with their hands placed on the blades hilt. One of the guards pointed towards him.
"Ah! It's you, thank you for the help with the B …".
Milo frantically shook his head, crossing his arms, begging, pleading for him not to let it spill he fought with bandits. Sheila looked from her son then back towards the guard, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"B …", she said with a hint of suspicion.
"BOARS!", Milo blurted, patting his forehead and taking a seat next to his mother, "They seemed to be having trouble with some boars, so I naturally assisted them".
'Stupid guard! Who the hell speaks without their masters orders!'.
"Boars you say?", Sion asked.
Milo nodded nervously, "Y-Yes".
Sion cocked his head to the side, shooting a fierce glance towards the guard, "How could that be, you didn't even have a weapon?", he said.
"Ohohoho, you should have seen it sir!", the guard said with a hint of pride.
'OH MY GOD, WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY! AND WHAT ARE YOU, SANTA!'.
Renny cleared his throat, cutting through the tension. He shuffled a few inches to the right and wrapped his arm around the woman.
"Milo, I'd like you to meet my wife. This is Enalise Van Belched".
'Yes! Nice save Renny!'.
Milo stretched out his hand towards the Enalise, "Lovely to finally meet you ma'am, Renny has told me so much about you", he said with a warm smile.
'What a peculiar boy, acting as if we have never met before', Enalise thought to herself, looking across at Renny, 'He seems to know something as well … I suppose I shall play along with their little game'.
She cupped Milo's hands between hers and loosened her shoulders, returning the shallow shake and warm smile, "Yes, lovely to meet you as well, Milo".
Milo sank back into the chair behind him, trying desperately to conceal the anxiety he was feeling.
Just as he was about to leave for his room, his father quickly left the room to retrieve a few glasses. He set one down in front of Milo and poured out a cloudy blue liquid that ran more like slime than water. Milo physically recoiled watching, his face twisting into disgust.
'I really hope I'm not the one who needs to drink this …'.
"Milo …", his father said, a faint tear forming in the corner of his eye.
"… Yes …", Milo hesitated.
"You will be going with Lord Renny and Lady Enalise to the main estate of the Van Belched family where they will offer you the training materials we can't provide for you".
Milo's eyes widened and he shot a sharp glance towards Renny, who responded with a disguised thumbs up. He knew he would eventually convince them, but for him to have done so in the few hours he was away after struggling for week …
'Just what did he promise in return …'.
At that moment, Melissa and Rebecca came charging down the stairs, each wearing a small brown pouch on their waists. Milo looked closer, noticing a small shirt hanging out of Melissa's pouch.
'I see … he promised equal treatment …'.
He looked towards his father, finding a newfound respect for him.
'He might not have much going for him, but its obvious he cares more for his children than anything else in the world. He's also strangely perceptive when it comes to nobility …'.
Equal treatment in simple terms meant that Melissa and Rebecca would not face any discrimination due to Milo's overwhelming talent. Although, that wasn't the only reason Sion had demanded this change, it was also to protect the two young girls.
Should Renny's predictions of Milo's innate talent come to fruition, and he truly does advance far beyond the scope of his imagination, it wont just be his son who would have to face the influx of recognition. His daughters would also be pursued in an attempt to grow closer to Milo. He was well aware from his time as town watchman about some of the disgusting things the knights who patrolled the border got up to.
Women working night jobs went in their camps, coming out the next morning looking as if they hadn't been fed for weeks. Some as old as 50, and some as young as 18. It was truly revolting for him to watch, but he was more aware than anyone else that he was lacking and couldn't protect them.
That was why, even as their father, and even though it shattered what little pride he had left, he was forced to accept the fact that should those high-ranking citizens come searching for Melissa and Rebecca, he would not be able to protect his daughters.
A single tear formed in the corner of his eye, rolling down his cheek, "I'm sorry …", he whimpered, brushing his eyes, attempting to stop more tears, "I'm sorry your father is such a weak man …".
Milo felt a strange emotion bubble inside of him. His lips quivered as he watched his father break down.
He reached out his hand, gently placing it on Sion's cheek, lifting his head, "Please father … Don't cry, it's not like we wont ever see you again …".
Milo's words got caught in his throat. He wasn't used to this sappy shit, so he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say next, "It doesn't matter where I go, you'll always be my father, whether I become the sword that shatters the heavens, or the shovel that digs up the earth".
'I'm pretty sure I got that saying right … Or was it become a god or drop to a farmer … oh whatever, it doesn't really matter as long as the message gets across'.
"Yeah, he's right dad!", Melissa yelled, stumbling into her fathers arms, "Even if I become a scholar or even a lowly servant, I'll always be your daughter …".
Behind Milo, Rebecca whipped her head away, her lips slightly quivering, "I mean … I guess it's been cool to have you as our father … or whatever …".
Throughout all of this, Sheila sat still with her hands tucked between her thighs, patiently waiting for the little display to finish up. She fell into thought, her gaze sweeping across each of her children.
'When did you all go ahead and get so big …'.
With a sharp movement, Sheila wrapped her arms around Milo, pulling him into her warm embrace, "Look after your sisters … alright?".
"What are you talking about? I had assumed that was a given", he joked back.
"Of course … you've always been this way", Sheila said, releasing Milo.
'Remember Azure … Those that will choose to love you unconditionally regardless of status, talent, name or whether you are good or evil, are a rarity in this world. That is why when you meet such people, you should treasure and protect them, so you never lose them'.
Milo couldn't remember who it was that said that to him, but in this moment, it never felt truer to him. Sion and Sheila who were both strangers to him, but had chosen to love and raise him without any regard for who he might be.
Under these circumstances, he would normally turn a blind eye and leave. But with his new life, he decided to make a silent vow deep inside his heart, that regardless of what may happen in this world, he would always protect his parents even if that meant turning the heavens against him.
'Well … the heavens are already against me, but whatever'.
After another hour, Milo was finally able to retreat back to his room, where he again settled down on the hard wooden floor, cupping his hands and beginning to meditate. It didn't take long for Renny to come bundling through the door unannounced.
But this time rather than him alone, Enalise tailed behind.
She peaked out from behind Renny, sporting her usual warm smile and waving at Milo, "Hey there Milo!".
Milo let out an annoyed grunt and climbed to his feet, "What is it Renny?", he asked, sitting on the end of his bed.
"I heard from Enalise", Renny smirked.
Milo waved his arms around sarcastically, "Oh wow! You don't say!", he clicked his tongue, "So … what is it?".
Renny frowned at him, "Nothing, just wanted to see if you were ready to leave tomorrow is all", he said, the look on his face matching his words.
Milo tapped his finger on the bedframe and let out another annoyed sigh, "Seriously! I've been waiting for you to convince them, and this is what you say?".
"Relax, why are you so annoyed?", Renny questioned.
"Because I'm too weak Renny! Far too weak to be able to protect myself!", Milo barked, his frustration reaching its boiling point. He gripped the corner of his head, "If those guards weren't there I would've lost to Bandits! Bandits!", he shot a glance towards Renny that forced the man to recoil in fear.
"ME! ME RENNY! I NEARLY LOST TO BANDITS!", Milo spat, chewing away at the tip of his thumb.
It was a disgrace that Milo didn't want to face. Even in his previous life, at 4-years-old he was more than capable of felling an entire village. Now, he was forced to struggle against some measly bandits that could hardly use mana properly, how far he had fallen.
"I'm – I … sorry", Milo apologised, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips, "I'm just … still not used to it …".
"Its as I thought", Renny said, ushering his wife from the room and closing the door behind her.
"What …".
"It was you wasn't it? That blue haired man facing of with those creatures I saw in my premonition", he sat next to Milo, gently running his hand through his hair.
"I understand that once upon a time you were that powerful, but now you are only a child who needs to relearn everything he once knew", Renny said, pulling out a small silver pendant from underneath his shirt, displaying a poor image of a child, "I have a son, he's about your age and as much as I hate to admit, I've been a lousy father for him".
Milo scoffed at his words, "Go on, what are you getting at?".
Renny stood and walked in front of Milo, he reached out his hand, "I told you, didn't I? I'll give you the platform you need to regain your former glory".
Milo slapped his hand smiling to himself. It was refreshing for him, he had assumed that he would need to go about this world without revealing who he was in the past. Now he had Renny who knew who he was and despite that was still willing to help, it felt like a load was lifted from his shoulders.
'What a terrifying man …'.
Milo thought, looking at the back of Renny as he was leaving the room.
'He's willing to go so far to restore the Van Belched name he's inadvertently admitted he will support me over his own son. Throwing your own flesh and blood away for a chance at glory, I quite like his determination …'.
He could try to mask it the best he could, but his past as the Azure Dragon still hung like a cloudy haze across his eyes. If the moment came where he was forced to kill again, he was sure he wouldn't hesitate.
It was as if the world was trying to sabotage him from the moment he was born. Born into the lowest branch of the lowest family, left with an emblem where the courts would be alerted of his presence and discovered by Renny almost immediately.
It was a stroke of good fortune for him to be able to rope Renny to his side. Finally, after a long 4 years of doing nothing at all, Milo would finally be able to take a crack at the world.
Although he had decided to live as he did in the courts, a faint idea of living for the sake of his loved ones crossed his mind. Did he have any intention of becoming this worlds hero? Not at all, but causing needless bloodshed like he once did seemed like such a distant idea now.
He pushed himself up from his bed and began to examine himself in the mirror. Of course, as a child he wasn't anything special, although he did think his distinct features had somehow become even more distinct. His muscles, although small, had finally started to bloom as well.
'Not bad … seems I've been blessed in the looks department after all'.
In his previous life, he was sought after by multiple women every single day. He was a handsome man and powerful at the same time, it was only natural they would try to court him. If his intuition was anything to go by, it seemed this new life of his was destined to follow the same path.
'Welp … Guess I'll cross that bridge when I need to'.