Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Lord Voice. I peeked out of my mom’s arms and looked up at the sky. Thank you.

Nothing. After a very long pause, a short message popped up.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says don’t forget to gather the items.⟭

The long hesitation and dry response were nicer than anything else he could’ve said. I grinned. Of course!

Just then, having decided that the heartfelt mother-daughter reunion had gone on long enough, the duke interjected. “Uh... Elthea.”

“I’m sorry, but who are you again?”

“I-it’s your father!”

“I don’t have a father.”

Grandpa sputtered and gasped for air as if he had been shot in the chest by an arrow.

Mom hugged me even tighter and shot back at him, “You found your real daughter and I’ve found my real family. I’m going to live with them.”

“I-I kicked Alisa out of the house! The orphanage director and Viscount Bisten had orchestrated the whole thing with an actor. It was all part of a malicious scheme concocted by con artists who were after our family name and wealth! I’ve taken care of everything. Let’s return back home together, Elthea. Please?”

“I told you, that place is not my home.”

Grandpa didn’t know what to do in the face of my mom’s flat refusal. “I-I’ll pass my title to you right now. There’s no need for you to go through all this pain and hardship. You can bring your husband and kids and live—”

“Title, you say? Your wealth? You think things like that will have any bearing on an aura user at my level?”

“E-Elthea, then—”

“No, I don’t need anything from you.” Mom didn’t even let him finish his sentence.

Grandpa grasped for straws as he poured out excuses and explanations. “I-It was all my fault, Elthea. The fact that I was always strict with you while you were growing up, that I was always harsh on you to prepare you as my successor, that I was never a remotely good father to you, yet looked after Alisa... I regret everything.”

“I’m honored that you suddenly care about me, even though you acted like I didn’t exist when Alisa was still with us. After all this time, now you decide to apologize?”

“B-but please remember one thing. I only cared for Alisa so much because I saw her as a projection of you. I kept thinking of all the things I didn’t do for you, so I tried to make up for it by treating her better.”

“You call that an excuse? Was I merely your practice round while she was the real deal?!”

“Um. Y-yes. I know these are all pitiful excuses. I was just foolish. It’s all my fault.”

“Wait, what are you doing?!”

At last, my mother’s firm denial had brought my grandfather to his knees. Mom tried to make him stand up, but even with her incredible strength, she couldn’t get him to budge.

“I was a pathetic excuse of a father. I didn’t know how to love and care for my daughter. So please, I beg of you. Please give me another chance so that I can learn how to love you properly,” He said. “W-what must I do for you to forgive me? Whatever you ask of me, I shall do it. Anything at all...”

Mom quietly turned her back on him.

“E-Elthea! Please don’t turn away from me, Elthea! Please, show me your face! Please!”

My mother wasn’t truly a cold-hearted person. I could see everything as I stood by her side. Her face scrunched up as if she were trying her best not to cry. After finally calming herself down, she spoke to Grandpa with her back still turned against him, “I don’t want to see your face yet. Please give me some time. I was much happier away from you all. I don’t want to return to that insufferable place and I have no intention of succeeding you in the family.”

Grandpa’s shoulders drooped so low that I was worried all of his muscles had shriveled up in devastation. “I shall wait. I will continue to wait. And, though I cannot say it enough, I am sorry.”

My mom, being the aura user she is, could probably hear the faint sound of teardrops falling into the sand. Her steely resolve began to waver here. “If you’re really that sorry...”

Sensing that there may be an opportunity for atonement, the duke’s head shot back up. “Yes! Whatever you ask! Anything!”

“I want you to fu— I mean, oh, dang, how do I say this? Oh, um, yes! I need you to give them a time-out!”

I was touched by my mom’s thoughtful consideration to not curse in front of me.

“Yes! Who should I give a time out to?!”

“His name’s Hikeem Sarmatan.”

Ooh, that was the name of my dad’s sworn enemy! After a moment of rubbing her face in frustration, my mother unveiled a menacing glint in her eyes.

“I was planning on going to slaugh— I mean, I was going to give them a little bop on the head but wasn’t able to when the dungeon burst broke out near our house.”

“Who is this joker? Did he harass you?!” Grandpa asked.

“He’s an elder alchemist at the Golden Ivory Tower. He tormented and exploited my husband.”

“What! My son-in-law?!”

I thought it’d be a good idea to supply them with some new, updated information at this point. “That’s not even the worst part! Later, he falsely accused Dad of stealing research material and ran him out of the tower. Dad struggled for a while after that, trying to make ends meet to feed me and my brother.”

“Is that so?”

Aura flared up in my mom’s garden hoe for a moment there, but the duke, not wanting to lose this opportunity for him to take action, hastily sprung forward. “Leave it to me! I’ll make sure this Hikeem Satan figure is punished in the name of justice.”

“His name’s Hikeem Sarmatan. How about you memorize the bad guy’s name before you go off spewing nonsense in the name of justice.”

“Yes! Anyhow, that fool! He persecuted my excellent alchemist son-in-law! How dare he! Unforgivable!” Grandpa pounded his chest like a gorilla. Judging from how confident he was, I guess my grandfather’s influence was pretty significant. Grandpa confirmed that his daughter’s expression had softened before carefully bringing up his next request.

“You see, Elthea. I’ll make sure I enact my son-in-law’s revenge thoroughly... so... um...”

“Is there something else you want to say?”

“Maybe once a month... N-no, every other month, you’ll come visit home, right? And y-you’ll bring along your husband and children... Hm? I-I’m confident that I’ll be a great, loving, and caring father-in-law and grandfather,” he said. “If every other month is too much, then maybe perhaps once every three months... Or maybe even once every six months… O-once a year! How does once a year sound? T-thanksgiving is all about spending time with your family! Eating turkey breast all alone is just too... Please, Elthea...” Grandpa looked like he was about to break down again as my mother remained silent.

I could sense that she was hesitating. In situations like these, there needs to be someone that can give that little extra nudge. “Mom, I think I’ll want to see Grandpa too.”

“Y-yes! Grandchildren need their grandpa!” the duke said.

“I’ll... think about it since it’s what Allie wants.”

“R-really?! Please do consider! Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Alright, I got it, okay? Calm down. Stop making such a fuss. It doesn’t suit you.”

Judging solely from their conversation, it appeared that my mom was reluctantly consenting, yet behind her unwillingness was a hidden sense of relief. Her face was noticeably more relaxed than before.

“Come here, my little pumpkin! Hold Mommy’s hand.”

“Here!”

Hand in hand, my mom beamed at me with genuine warmth and kindness. I returned her smile when all of a sudden, “Wait.” Mom’s expression hardened as she looked at me. It was almost as if she were going to lash out at me. “Allie, you...”

“Yes?” What’s this? Did I do something wrong?

“What’s wrong?” The duke asked, echoing my thoughts. “Why are you looking at her with such a scary—”

“Allie!” she yelled again.

“My god!” Grandpa exclaimed. “You’re going to scare the kid!”

“Be quiet for a second!” Mom lifted me up and put her forehead against mine. “Goodness. You’re on fire! How on earth are you still standing?”

“Oh.”

She had noticed the holy fever creeping up on me. I was startled. And pleasantly surprised. How did she know? I guess this is how moms are.

“A doctor! We need to take her to see a doctor. We need to close the dungeon up and get out of here immediately.”

“M-mom, wait.”

Mom looked down at me, her brows furrowed with concern, as I grabbed her wrist with my burning hands.

“Don’t worry. It’s just something called Holy Fever. I’ll be fine in two days.”

“Holy Fever?”

“I... I don’t have much time, so Grandpa will have to fill you in on the details. At any rate, I have a favor to ask of you. My Holy Fever is a secret, so please don’t tell anyone. And please stay in the dungeon until I recover.” I didn’t want Dad, Rinz, or Bia to see me like this and worry them like last time. In order to do that, I needed to stay in the dungeon to utilize the time flow difference.

“But your fever...”

“Please. You have to. As a favor to me.” I didn’t hear a reply, but I knew she would listen to me. “I have all the necessary camping supplies and food in my satchel, so please use that. I... I’m going to sleep for just a bit...”

“A-Allie!”

“My baby!”

My head slumped backward lifelessly.

⟬«System» You are afflicted with [Holy Fever] as a penalty for over-usage of divine skills. Sleep is recommended for your recovery. Time Remaining: 1 day 23 hours 59 minutes.⟭

I only used Divine Advent for a split second to heal my mom, yet the two-day penalty was unyielding. I drifted into a deep slumber, still feeling somewhat disheartened by the unsympathetic system.