I'd like to share a piece of advice with you all: never ever, in any circumstance, approach a madwoman, especially if she is holding a sword, and even further especially if your body isn’t enhanced on aina.

The acute pain in my stomach was caused by the pommel of her sword slamming against me.

I would have let it slide if she just stopped there.

After all, it was partially my fault.

When she walked past me and I called her, I instinctively raised my hand slightly.

The way I did it could easily be misinterpreted as an attempt to grab her.

Although it doesn't excuse being suddenly attacked, As a merciful man I would have let it slide. If she just stopped there and went with a “Sorry.” I would've rolled with an “It’s nothing it was my bad.”.

But nah Mademoiselle had deemed me worthy of a second blow.

A not-so-girly punch landed square in my face.

My body was launched two meters away from where I was standing. I didn't pass out, but I did feel the effect of the punch on my body; there was a buzzing sound in my ears and a salty blood taste in my mouth.

I got to my feet and spat on my side, spewing a flask full of saliva, blood, and the remains of two of my molars.

When I looked at her, she seemed shocked, as if she hadn't been the one who caused it in the first place.

If you have any apologies to make, sweet sister, it's now or never because right now I'm not debating whether to punch you or not, but rather whether I should punch you once or twice.

Suddenly I heard a series of hurried footsteps approaching.

“Ronandt.”

The voice belonged to Mael.

I was about to turn my head when I saw him appearing on my left.

There was visibly a mark on my face because the moment he saw my face his face immediately shifted and he then noticed the gory flask on the floor.

“Are you okay?” He said as he put his hand on my left shoulder.

“Yesh I’m completely fine,” I said lifting my thumb up.

“What have you done?” said Mael with a voice I’ve never heard him take before.

“Nothing, I just accidentally punched him.”

Why not just say that I ran straight onto your punch.

“Then, apologize.”

“No, It wasn’t my fault, why would I apologize for something I didn’t do on purpose,” Ramia said as she held her arm wide open as if stating the absolute truth.

“Don’t force me to make you apologize,” Mael said as he put a foot forward.

There was no visible change with his body but I still felt that there was something slightly different with him now.

The first thing I could think of now was Aina.

I've never seen anybody else use Aina; I once begged Syrus to show me a glimpse of how he is using his Aina, but he flatly refused, and I wasn't brave enough to ask Maa.

So, aside from myself, the only other reference I had in terms of using Aina was Highbeasts I met in the forest from time to time.

And there was a big difference between a human and a monster using aina so all I couldn’t really tell if he was really using aina, all I had was speculation.

“I won’t.” Ramia barked.

She as Mael has begun to show an invisible yet slightly palpable change.

Mael was about to approach her when a hand landed on both our shoulders.

“Calm down, you too,” said Grandfather Emilien with a very calm but authoritative voice. “No fighting, at least not today... Understood?”

“Yes grandpa,” said Mael who visibly retrieved his cool.

“Ramia?”

“Yes, grandpa.” She turned her heels and was about to leave the place when she bumped into someone.

I didn't even notice when that person sneaked behind her.

The man grabbed her head from the top and forced her to turn back in our direction.

Then they both bowed their heads toward me, well in Ramia it’s more of being forced to bow.

“I am terribly sorry for my daughter’s actions,” said the man with a deep yet apologetic voice.

When he raised his head I could finally completely see his face.

The man who spoke had short, golden hair with bangs that sweep over his crimson eyes, which Ramia and I share.

I recognized his face right away because it was the same one I had seen exactly nine years before. The memories I had of that day were slightly fuzzy but I’m sure his face this time exuded a certain maturity that I assume had come with the passage of time.

This man is Luke Aubrecht, heir of the Beaumont Ducal ruling family and my father.

“It was nothing.”

Yeah, After all, it was just two molars, I’ll just get another one in no time.

Luke then slightly leaned to look at Ramia, whose he was still holding the head, and shouted.

"Leonore!"

“Yes, My Lord.” immediately replied a voice behind us.

The woman Syrus was weary about, passed through us and kneeled in Luke's direction the head bowed.

“Accompany Ramia, to her room. I will personally take her back to the castle later.”

To his word, Ramia showed some resistance but it was immediately shut down by an intense glare from Luke.

Oh, I must learn how to do that.

“Yes, My Lord.” said the woman named Leonore, she then turned to me and slightly bowed and said, “We’re sorry for what happened.”

With that said she took her to leave, bringing along the mad dog named Ramia and her attendants.

Once they disappeared from our sight, Grandfather said to Luke's attention.

“What a delightful surprise, what may have brought you to your old uncle's castle?”

“I was in the castle when I heard that Ramia had made her way here. I took-” His words were interrupted by Mael.

“I apologize, My uncle, but we have more pressing matters here.” Mael boldly intervened and added "Grandpa." followed by a gaze in my direction.

I had no idea what he was referring to when he said "pressing matters," but I knew it had something to do with me.

Grandfather on the other hand seemed to completely understand the meaning behind his words since he immediately followed with a “Aaah~I almost forgot.”

He then went in front of me and said.

“Boy, can you show me your injury?” He said with a gentle tone.

I complied and opened my mouth wide.

He peered the inside of my mouth and said

“Ouch~ she didn’t go easy on you.”. He said with a grin then added “Do you remember that I had promised to show you a very unique magic once we reached my castle?”

Ah, yes, I completely forgot about that.

I replied with a nod.

“I never got the chance to show it to you, and I certainly didn't expect to have to use it on you.”

He put his hand on my head and I immediately see that something was glowing above my head.

After a short while Grandfather removed his hand from my head revealing his palm glowing with a dazzling white.

“How is it?”

At first, I didn’t know what he was referring to, but then I felt it.

My two molars were back when I glanced over were the ones I’ve lost were and they were still there on the floor.

“This is our Edouard family's specialty; every direct descendant of our family possesses the extraordinary ability to perform healing magic. Our family's unique talent for healing magic has driven us generation after generation to expand our medical expertise.” Grandfather said proudly.

“ As long as one is not completely dead, I have the confidence in putting him back together.”

“This is very impressive,” I said while massaging my cheek, slightly and weirdly bothered by the sudden disappearance of the pain.

“For sure it is.” He then turned to Luke and said. “We were having a banquet for this boy's birthday, and since you're here, why don't you join us?” Grandfather asked out of nowhere to Luke's attention.

“I…” He said, then looked at me as if waiting for confirmation from me, At which I responded with a nod. “Yes, my Uncle.” He said to Grandfather Emilien.

We then returned to the room in which the banquet was held and resumed where we had left it.

Since we were joined by someone else the atmosphere in the room has slightly changed.

With Mael and the servants and attendants around, I couldn't really have an honest discussion with “father”. So we had to pretend to be complete strangers to each other in a way and gosh it was easy to do because in a way one could say that it was completely the case here.

If I had to summarize our entire interactions it would be some random questions here, some discreet glances at each other there.

This isn’t really how I imagined our reunion.

I was expecting a touching yet awkward father-son reunion, but instead, I got to feast my birthday with my bully's father.

Aaah~ fate.

Despite the fact that things weren’t really like how I imagined them to be, I knew that today would be the day we would have to confront each other.

***

Mael has tried multiple times to explain why Ramia was so upset, even going as far as apologizing on her behalf, but I prompted him to refrain from mentioning her, at least for today. After some reluctance on his part, he finally agreed.

I wanted to ask him a question that had been bothering me for a little while but chose to postpone it because it was related to someone we had just agreed not to talk about.

Once we finished our lunch he showed me how to use the book he gave me earlier. “The reality figer” is a magic item that could be used by one person, that was what the blood dripping thing was for, to make me its owner. As for its use, it was fairly simple. All I had to do was to think, and the book would interpret my thoughts.

Well, I said interpret but it basically could only do three things: taking its book form, taking its spherical form, capturing in its sheet whatever is in sight, and flying midair.

Personally, I found the flying feature to be truly fascinating since it completely bypassed the concept of gravity with a simple thought from me.

When I asked Lord Mael if he had any clue about how these book things were made, he stated he had no idea.

In fact, no one knew, these book creators were unknown but it was common knowledge (at least for Mael and nobles who haven't spent most of their life completely cut from civilization) that most of these book exemplars were owned by the higher up of the church or individuals associated with the church. Mael had received three of these books from his parents, making him, the Cleric in charge of the local church, and a certain someone the only individuals in the entire Duchy to possess these books.

That was how valuable these books were. When I questioned him if it was okay to give me something so valuable, he said it was fine.

I felt a little guilty about receiving something so valuable because I felt like I'd never been able to repay him with something of comparable value.

I wasn't referring to the monetary value of the books, but rather to what they represented for him; these books were gifts from parents he only sees once a year, and he is willing to give them to me in this.

This "reality figer" he gave me, together with the fact that he stood up for me against someone he was very close to, were proofs of what our friendship meant to him.

I might not amount much compared to what he had given me in these short two weeks but I’ll do my utmost to be worthy of his friendship.