It was weird, but Zaos really ended up considering the smuggler captain and Orleand as his friends. He wasn't supposed to like the first since he was a soldier and had the nature of one. As for the other, he didn't think much of him on their first meeting.

"Thank you for these beauties, lad," The smuggler captain said while pointing toward the six ships that he somehow didn't lose in the last battle." I owe you big time. If you need any help, just use his code… in…"

After whispering some nonsensical words on Zaos's ears, the smuggler captain laughed. Zaos did the same and then offered a handshake. Even though he was a criminal, he wasn't a bad person per se.

"I wish you two a safe journey back home as well," Zaos said to Orleand and Noemi. "I hope we can meet again in a calmer situation."

"Yes, sir Zaos, let's," Orleand said and also offered a handshake. "Take care, and remember, my offer still stands. I will gladly welcome someone like you in the family."

"Dad!" Noemi raised her voice. "You said you would stop that. What kind of example does a lying merchant show to others?"

"But I am not making business right now," Orleand said.

"Whatever… goodbye, Zaos," Noemi said. "I hope that you can teach me magic someday as well."

"If the opportunity arises," Zaos smiled.

After saying that, Zaos entered the carriage and resumed his research. He was about to complete another spell, so he couldn't wait to see the result. Meanwhile, Orleand and Noemi were saying their goodbyes to Drannor, Erean, and Ameria. The trip was supposed to take fourteen days, but the entourage will move slower since those three were heavily wounded.

Drannor entered the carriage with a satisfied smile. He said goodbye to some good friends. Still, he was confident that they reunite someday to party about anything. As for Ameria, she was smiling as well, but she was also crying a little.

"Let's end this journey on the same way it started, with us together in the same carriage," Ameria said.

"Good enough for me," Drannor said.

"Aye, aye, ma'am," Zaos said.

"It seems someone spent too much time with sailors," Ameria said.

Without wasting any more time, the entourage began to move, and at the same time, through the window, they saw the ships of their friends sailing. They kept watching that until they disappeared on the horizon.

The trip back had been pretty straightforward since Drian had brought some of his guards with him. Things got pretty noisy thanks to that since they were as relaxed as Drian himself. That lifted the spirits of the group since of the twelve guards, only four of them were still alive. The maids were fine, but they still felt quite sad even though they didn't lose one of them. It seemed that during the trip, the whole group had become friends.

Even the cold nights of the region got more animated now that Drian was leading the group, he didn't slack on his job, but he wasn't that stiff with rules either. He made everyone feel as relaxed as possible. Even Zaos let out a few good laughs as he listened to Drian's old stories and did his research at the same time. Zaos found particularly interesting the time that they got lost during their recruits years in the north, didn't find anything to eat, and ended up eating some poisonous plants that made them have diarrhea for a week. It was hard to picture his father having such a hard time, but Zaos felt refreshing it anyway.

You have learned High Regeneration.

Along the way, Zaos finally learned the next spell. While it wasn't exactly the same that he wanted when he used it on himself, Zaos felt his body becoming lighter and full of life. If he makes some modifications, perhaps he will be able to find the perfect spell to help his mother. Still, Zaos couldn't help but wonder if he shouldn't try to find another way to recover his mother's physical strength… instead of transforming his own mana into stamina for her, perhaps a spell that transfers vital energy will do the trick.  One of those probably couldn't be taught by using a magic book, but Zaos could learn after studying other types of magic. After all, he got used to deciphering the magic symbols.

Ten days after they left the port city, Zaos found it hard to focus on his research. He didn't have time to communicate with his mother through letters, so he couldn't help but confirm with his own eyes that she was fine. He failed miserably for the past six months, but as long as he has a little more time, he could always learn new spells that could help her in one way or the other.

On the last day of the trip, Zaos barely could contain his excitement. However, something happened that began to bother him… it was such a great day to end a journey, but then it began to rain like the world was ending.

"I hate rain…" Zaos said and then sighed.

"Well, too bad that this adventure ended like this, but we can always have others," Drannor said.

"I suppose…" Zaos said.

After a couple of hours, they finally could see the capital, and around noon, they crossed the gates. The whole city was more quiet than usual because that downpour was like no other. It has been quite some time since the capital had so much rain.

"Captain, Sir Drian, can we drop by Zaos's home first?" Ameria asked. "I think Zaos deserves that. He can always give his report to my father later."

"Sure," Erean said.

"… Right," Drian said.

Zaos thanked America's consideration. She had been grown a lot in those last six months… she not only looked prettier but also had the accomplishments of a princess that deserved a lot of respect. Now that Zaos thought about it, his mother told him that she would wait for him in the garden, and knowing her, she probably would, even feeling under the weather more than a little bit. The royal family had been warned of the day Ameria would return, so his father and Lyra probably knew as well.

Zaos felt his heart beating faster when they crossed the bridge that connected the city with the central part of the capital, and Zaos felt like jumping from the carriage. Even more, it finally stopped. Zaos had been in a good mood lately. So, he said goodbye to everyone with a big smile on his face.

"Take care, everyone, see you guys later," Zaos said.

"See ya," Drannor said.

"Bye, Zaos," Ameria smiled. 

Everyone else did the same, but Drian and his wife couldn't, but Zaos didn't even notice that. The guards of the mansion opened the gate while making sure to keep their eyes away from Zaos.

"Do we have some umbrellas?" Ameria said. "I would like to apologize to Zaos's mother. In a sense, he stayed away from home for so long because of me."

"No, I am sorry, Ameria," Drian said with a dark expression on his face. "Let's go to the castle immediately."

"What is wrong, dad?" Drannor asked. "You suddenly look so weird…"

"Erean, let's get going, now," Drian said.

Even Erean was caught off guard since he never said Drian like that, but then he noticed that he had acted weirdly at some moments of the trip. He decided to obey it, but Ameria stopped him.

"Tell me what is going, Drian," Ameria said. "Now!"

"Well…" Drian clenched his teeth and his fists.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Zaos's scream echoed through the area.

Erean dropped from his horse, and then Drannor and Ameria jumped from the carriage while ignoring the rain. The guards imagined that something like that would happen, so they never crossed the gates. After running for a couple of seconds, they found Zaos crying blood tears in the garden and in front of a tombstone. His mother had passed away.