No More Pain For This Villain.

"How's everything back in Sephra?" I asked.

"Well... it's alright. It's quite boring since my son's not there with us, but we manage somehow," said my mother.

Currently, we are in a tavern at the city center: me, Dad, Mom, and Raven.

'I'm here too.'

Yeah, Blaze's here too.

"Ruu, do you plan on staying here for all three years?" asked my father as he picked a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth. Did he get buff or something when I wasn't around? He looks bigger than I remember.

"I don't know, I might," I replied.

Adam and everyone would already be dropping out by next year, and the academy will be closed for only six months after their departure from the Hestia Empire. After it opens, I don't think there'd be anyone that I don't like in the academy.

'The answer is no, you are not staying in the academy,' Smokeball added. 'I am not going to be in that place alongside that Cataclysmic Drakenvor. Stormborne is NOT going to let me live if he knows about me!'

Oh, there's that too! I almost forgot about that—well, he hasn't noticed anything yet, so he might not.

'Ha, as if you know how much pressure it puts on me. I dread my death every time I sleep!' Blaze said. Facts.

I looked around, and everyone at the table was staring at me while I was focused on my meal. "What?"

"Nothing, just admiring how much you've grown in a year—it's almost like I am seeing someone else," Mom replied.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's true—you've grown taller and seem stronger. Strong enough to defeat an Amphiptere dragon all alone." My father passed me a glass of water.

I could feel my eyes widen. I almost forgot! The Gambit was being telecast all over the world—of course, my parents saw me!

"Oh... I have, I guess," I said awkwardly. "What do you think? I did good, right?"

Mom and Dad exchanged a look and both erupted in laughter. "Pff," "Hahahah," gathering many glances towards our table.

"Good!? Ruu! You did a fabulous job!! You don't know how stressed your father and I were when we saw you in front of that giant lizard! Your father almost crushed the screen under his palm!!" Mom explained excitedly.

"And your mother was crying. Every time you were thrown, she would cry harder and curse everyone, even your principal, for sending you there," Father jumped in.

And with that, for the next five minutes, they kept on going with the praises, one after another. With each praise, I felt a little less tense. It's fine, I guess.

I was stressed if they asked me questions that I couldn't answer.

The conversation flowed easily, and I felt more at ease with each passing minute. It was comforting to be with my parents again, until my father asked, "Still, what was that spell you used while burning the Amphiptere?"

"Oh, it was a spirit. I used the contracted spell," I immediately answered.

"That's cool." With that sentence, Raven leaned forward. She'd been very quiet since coming here.

I remember telling her about all this the night before. Why's she acting like I didn't tell her?

"Spirit, you say? That's nice. Still, it was quite a powerful spell. I'm glad your body could handle all that mana," Mom said, her concern evident.

"Well, he is my son! Of course he has a strong body!" Father replied proudly. I'd never tell him about the phoenix physique.

"Haa, I hope Marylin was here. She was so happy for you too."

"What is she doing these days?" I asked immediately. I hadn't heard about her for a long time.

Mom paused for a second. "Marylin..."

"She's with her guild members," Father immediately replied.

"The Black Wings? Why?" I asked immediately.

"Wait, she's told you about The Black Wings?" Mom asked, almost surprised.

"Yep, when she was training me. She also said that she can get me a spot in the guild if I want," I explained.

Both of my parents went silent for a while before one of them sighed and just shook their head. "Well, yeah, she's now in Arcanum. She also wanted to meet Mary but couldn't because the guild leader has something important to talk about," Mom said, looking around.

Tut.

Something hit my foot under the table, and I knew it was Raven. I looked at her, and her face seemed like she was pouting a bit.

What'd I do?...oh, I get it.

"You want this?" I said as I passed the pudding from my plate to hers.

Her expression eased a bit, but then her face reddened as if embarrassed.

"You don't want?" I said while pulling away the plate, but she just clutched onto it. I could feel her nails scraping the back of my hand while she did so.

Mom chuckled a bit before she turned her face towards Raven.

"So, Raven," my mother began, turning her attention to her. "How did you and Ren become friends?"

"Uh, me?" Raven's eyes immediately sparked. Haa, she just wanted to be a part of the conversation, I guess.

"I helped him—" she started with that.

"Liar," I interrupted her.

She turned her face towards me, almost looking like she'd tear me apart. Damn, she looks menacing.

"Ruu!" Mom gave me a disapproving look. "Let her talk!"

"Just be honest, Raven," I whispered while trying to control a smile.

And with that, she began.

***

"And that's... uh, how we met," Raven concluded her story. She tried to alter a few things here and there, but she couldn't do it because I kept correcting her. I could still feel her heel digging into my shoe under the table as she kept a stony face and looked around.

As for my parents...

"That's... nice," my mother said. I could see her biting the inside of her cheek as she picked up a glass of water.

While my mother was controlling something, my father blinked his eyes with his brow raised. "Were you charged for messing up the potion though? And the cauldron?" he asked.

"Pfffffff!!" Spitting the water out of her mouth, my mother laughed—I joined in too.

"How could one mess up a healing potion!" she asked, trying to control her hysterical laugh. "I'm sorry for laughing but... but hahahaha, what'd you say—everything just exploded while trying to stir a pot? How does that even happen!"

Raven's face turned red as she just gave me a look that read, "Why did you not let me lie?"

I still have that first encounter fresh in my mind, to be honest. I laughed more than my parents did.