No More Pain For This Villain.

[Back in Sephra]

Chris, Rose, and Marylin approached the door, their voices filled with excitement as they recounted their recent hunting adventure in Balcker Forest.

"It was exhilarating, wasn't it?" Chris remarked, a grin spreading across his rugged face.

Rose nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with the thrill of their shared memories. "I can't believe we managed to bag that rare mana beast!"

Marylin chuckled, her brown eyes sparkling with amusement. "You two certainly haven't lost your touch."

As they stepped through the front door, their conversation faded into excited murmurs. They were greeted by the warmth of home, the familiar scent of wood and hearth enveloping them in comfort. But their joy was short-lived as they noticed a pile of letters lying on the floor.

Rose's eyes widened with anticipation as she spotted the letter from Solstice, where her son Ren was currently studying. "Oh, look! Ren's written to us!"

Chris and Marylin exchanged a knowing glance, their hearts skipping a beat at the thought of hearing from Ren. Without hesitation, they hurried inside, their footsteps echoing through the halls as they made their way to the dining table.

But their excitement turned to apprehension as they noticed a black envelope bearing the insignia of the Hestia Empire lying amidst the pile. Chris's brow furrowed as he picked it up, a sense of unease settling over him.

"What's this?" Marylin asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Chris sighed heavily, his fingers tracing the embossed emblem on the envelope. "I'm not sure, but it can't be good news."

Rose's heart sank as she watched her husband's troubled expression. "Let's open Ren's letter first," she suggested, her voice trembling slightly.

With a nod, Chris carefully set the black envelope aside and reached for the letter from Solstice. As he unfolded the parchment, a sense of relief washed over him at the sight of Ren's familiar handwriting.

"Dear Mom, Dad, and Aunt Marylin," Chris began reading aloud, his voice filled with warmth and affection. "I hope this letter finds you all in good health."

"First things first, let me tell you that I am going—" Chris paused, his eyes widening.

Marylin stepped closer to him and her eyes widened too.

"What's happening guys.... Ruu is fine right?" Rose's voice hesitant,"He is going where?"

"Mage's Gambit," Chris pronounced the word, he swept his gaze on it once again to make sure that what he read was right.

"Mage's Gambit?..... MAGE'S GAMBIT!?!" Rose's voice raised immediately as she snatched the letter from Chris's hand.

Chris and Marylin exchanged worried glances as Rose scanned the letter frantically, her hands trembling with anxiety.

"It says here that Ren has been selected to participate in the Mage's Gambit," Rose exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "But... but that's one of the most dangerous competitions-!"

"Yeah, it is, and it looks like our son is strong enough to be selected for it," Chris interrupted his wife and took the letter off of her hand.

"But-but," Rose stuttered.

"No 'buts,' honey. He is not weak now. He can handle a competition, and I think he already has proved himself enough so the academy selected him," Chris said as he looked around.

"What are you looking for?" asked Marylin.

"Remember we used to have one of those small intercontinental communication devices? I need—"

"These?" Rose pulled one out of her spatial rift.

It was a small but thick circular disc with a single rune on it and was made of crystal-like material.

"Yeah, thanks," he said as he took it from Marylin and rummaged through his pockets to find a mana stone.

Turning the disc, he put the mana stone where it was supposed to go.

"Ugh," He groaned as he did not hear the noise he was used to, so he patted the disk on his palm.

"Ding ding."

"Now that's more like it," Chris placed it on the table and turned towards Marylin.

"Oh! How could I forget!" she finally caught onto what Chris was trying to do.

Marylin closed the distance between the device and her, and immediately her eyes went green, and her hand touched the disk.

"Connected," she smiled.

And a small projection floated before their eyes. The screen was small but enough.

In the projection, they saw a blind guy running alongside a dark-haired girl.

"Those are the robes of the Imperial Academy! And that boy—

Adam Stales!" Marylin exclaimed as she saw Adam. Mary had told her about the guy.

Chris and Rose leaned closer to the projection, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them. They watched as Adam and the dark-haired girl.

"Who's that girl with Adam?" Rose asked, her brow furrowing with curiosity.

"That's Isolde," Marylin answered, her gaze fixed on the projection.

Chris nodded, his expression tense as he watched the two students maneuver. "They seem to be in a hurry. Do you think something's wrong?"

"Of course they are in a hurry, it's the Maze, remember?"

"Oh~"

"Ruu!" Rose exclaimed, her voice bordering on panic.

"Where?" Marylin pushed Chris aside, squinting at the projection.

".... why's he running like that?" Marylin asked, her voice tinged with amusement.

Ren was seen running like a maniac, his arms flailing wildly as if being chased by an invisible monster.

"He probably forgot something," Chris remarked with a chuckle.

Rose rolled her eyes playfully. "I wouldn't put it past him."

As they continued to watch Ren's comical sprint, they couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. After all, in the midst of the Mage's Gambit, even the most serious of tasks was overshadowed by Ren's antics.

[After an hour.]

"He's.... doing great, isn't he?" Said Chris.

"....uhm,yeah he is." Marylin was not able to comprehend things she saw in the past hour.

The projection shows Ren and Aron, Ren holding a large arm of a golem with his both hands while Aron throws wind spears at Golem's core.

"Looks like we don't have to worry that much,"

"Yeah, what about this letter?" Rose pulled out the black envelope.

"Later, lemme watch my son." Chris said and Rose threw away the envelope for time being.