Sylvia rubbed her eyes and scoffed at no one in particular. “Here I was…so excited to come back home and tell you all about the normal adventure I had.”

“I uh…sorry,” I mumbled.

Sylvia’s crimson eyes locked onto me. “I just knew it! I had the feeling nagging at the back of my head the entire time that you were going to do something stupid. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine you.” Sylvia stopped herself and tossed her arms out in front of her. “Doing this!”

“Sorr—”

“Stop apologizing,” Sylva snapped while running a hand through her hair. “You have nothing to be sorry for…you did the right thing. Good job…even though you ignored my plea to just be normal for two days…TWO DAYS. Honestly, I can’t leave you alone for a second!” she grumbled.

I was about to apologize again when she pointed a finger at me. Her somewhat frustrated face melted into a kind smile. “I want you to know I’m not actually mad at you. Just…frustrated. “

“Aren’t those one and the same?” I asked.

“What? What does… never mind. And no, I’m not mad at you or what you did. I’m just frustrated I wasn’t here to help you. Ramming my sword through those bastards’ hearts sounds like a great way to alleviate some stress,” Sylvia said without a hint of hesitation.

When did she become so violent? Ah…wait.

“Thank you, but what are we going to do about Mila? I’ve essentially filled you in on everything,” I said.

Sylvia’s initial reaction to seeing me wet and on the floor with a random naked child in our room was…to be expected. I don’t blame her for the initial shock and concern but thankfully, I’ve been around Sylvia long enough that she knows I’m not some weird deviant. A simple explanation that I blurted out was enough to confuse her and then explain the entire situation in full.

Which she then proceeded to yell at me for not being normal. Thankfully it was a short-winded rant.

Sylvia had healed Mila once she went back to bed, so it was very late at night, closer to sunrise now than midnight. We couldn't afford Mila knowing Sylvia was a Vampire, just in case she accidentally says something or, worse, freaks out.

Everything the Paine’s uncle missed Sylvia fixed, including some damage to her internal organs amongst some…other problems. Now, Mila is as healthy as she has ever been and is on the road to recovery. Given some time to rehabilitate herself and some proper nourishment, she should be to her new normal in a few months.

A relief, to be sure.

Sylvia had also scowled after healing Mila. She informed me that the same Vampire that had “healed” me had done the same thing to her. My blood began to boil at that point and Sylvia had to snap me out of it.

I’ll kill that Vampire and— relax, Kaladin…relax.

Sylvia stopped staring off into the distance and looked me dead in the eyes. “About that, I think we should do it.”

“Do what, exactly?” I asked carefully.

“We should raise her. You and me. Together.”

I rubbed my face and shook my head. “I’m sorry…what?”

Sylvia clicked her tongue at me and narrowed her eyes. “I get that you are tired and you need some sleep but don’t take it out on me. You heard what I said, so don’t make me repeat myself and take your attitude somewhere else.”

I winced at her rebuke and mumbled out an apology. I hadn’t meant to sound so hostile…I just…I am tired. It looks like that nap didn’t help me as much as I thought.

“Sylvia, do you genuinely believe we can help her? Raise a child? Do you even understand what you are suggesting?” I asked.

She leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms. “I know exactly what I said, and of course, I understand. I may not know how to do it, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try,” Sylvia said confidently. “You kept saying over and over again how there is no way you can do that. That you would make an awful father and all that crap but Voker…are you blind or just lying to yourself?” Sylvia questioned me with a surprising amount of frustration in her voice.

“Lying to myself? I don’t…I don’t understand what you are saying,” I said honestly.

She sighed and got off her chair to sit next to me on her bed. Mila was sleeping in my room as usual. Of course, this time, I had made some precautions just in case an accident occurred. It would be another day or so before I could replace my old bed, so there was no harm in it.

Sylvia took a deep breath and scrutinized her room. She glared at me while pointing a pale finger at me. “I’ll forgive you for coming into my room without my permission as it was an emergency.” Her eyes drifted over to her dresser, and she gave me an annoyed look, but didn’t say anything further.

“Yeah…” I mumbled.

Sylvia let out a deep sad sigh and rested her hand on my leg. “Voker, you are being far too dumb right now. Every single time I’ve seen you interact with a child, it has been nothing short of masterful. I genuinely believe that children see in you the same thing I do.”

“And what is that?” I asked weakly.

“You need to understand and accept that you are a good man. Do you not realize that you are a good person, Voker?” Sylvia asked me with a sad smile.

“I….but—”

She squeezed my leg gently. “Voker, you need to stop letting your past haunt you. I don’t care what you did or how many people you’ve killed. I can say with absolute certainty that you were justified for what you did. So stop. Please stop blaming yourself. You are killing yourself over nothing.”

Only if you knew…would you look at me with those same eyes if I told you the truth, Sylvia?

She sighed again and smiled towards the door. “You know…you told Bowen that nobody would ever be able to understand what Mila has gone through, and you are so right. Even you will probably never be able to understand her fully. But I’ll be damned if you aren’t one of the few people who could help her, Voker. And whatever you can’t do…I’ll try my best to fill in those gaps…just like we promised…we cover for each other’s weaknesses, right?”

She looked back at me and raised a single eyebrow at me. “What? You seem…surprised…sad? Are you—”

“I uh…yeah, I guess I am. I didn’t expect you to be like this. Can I ask you why you want to do this, despite knowing the risks?” I asked her.

She scoffed and rolled her head back. “Risks? You have to understand Mila is at risk no matter where she goes. As long as those bastards still draw breath, she will never be safe…just like you, right? So what better way to guarantee her safety than handle it ourselves?”

“You only partially answered my question,” I told her.

Sylvia stopped rolling her head as it snapped towards me. Her ears went red as they fluttered around. She cleared her throat and sat straighter, but her ears were still moving. “Ah…well…about that…I’ve just been thinking about some things and well…this event just so happens to have gone down and uhhhh…”

“…what?”

Sylvia crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks out at me. “Can we just talk about this later? I mean, does it really matter why I want to do this, just that I do.”

“No…I’d say this is pretty important, Sylvia. I normally don’t push you on these things, but I have to know your reasoning. I didn’t expect you to be so…forward on this. Aren’t you worried about raising a child at fifteen? With me? I mean…” I grumbled in disbelief.

Sylvia let out something between a moan and a suppressed screech. She aggressively rubbed her face while letting out these small noises. It was…odd yet somewhat cute in a weird way.

But now wasn’t the time for this.

I continued to stare at her until she finally settled down. She glared at me as her face flushed as red as her crimson eyes. “Fine, you want to know why? I’ll tell you why. First, I want you to realize just how great of a man you are and get the stupid image of yourself out of that thick skull of yours that you are some monster. That you are a good person and that you can absolutely do this if you try.”

My eyes went wide, and I was about to stutter something out on instinct when Sylvia just placed a finger on my lips. “Shhh…you wanted to know so bad, then you better listen to me,” she hummed.

My heart went to my throat, and I simply nodded at her words. She flashed me a dazzling smile and I sat back again my heart beating just a bit faster. “Secondly, I truly believe we are the best people to help Mila, and by we, I mean you. I know I may not be perfect, but I promise I’ll try my best. I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of doing this if I didn’t believe you and I had a chance. And…”

“And…?” I asked slowly.

Her smile seemed to grow even more as she looked into my eyes. She licked her rose-colored lips slowly. It may have been the first time I’ve ever seen Sylvia smile like this, what kind of smile is this? Then, just when I thought the heat in my face couldn’t get worse…she seemed to have proven me wrong again.

“I was just thinking about how I’d like to adopt a Beastmen child. I really don’t care how old we are, Voker. We could be a hundred or a thousand years old, and I’d still want the same thing,” Sylvia told me with a smile.

“Sylvia…why are you even thinking about these things?”

Sylvia’s smile turned sad for a moment as she looked away and sighed. “If you can’t figure it out…then I don’t know what to tell you.” She slightly turned her head towards me. “You are clearly tired, Voker…and stressed…and going through it all right now, and I don’t blame you one bit. I promised you I’d tell you everything once your father arrives here, and I mean it. I will be telling you everything,” she stated with conviction. “However…I can’t tell you right now. Because I feel that if I do…you’d retreat into your shell and ignore me, and I just… I just can’t handle that. It’d be bad for Mila as well.”

“But Sylvia, I wouldn’t do that—I…” I trailed off as Sylvia glared at me.

“You…I swear. Tell me you aren’t stressed, and I’ll tell you right now. Tell me you could handle the mental loop my words would put you, and I’ll say it, ” she said sternly. “Go ahead, tell me.”

“I…I…can’t say that I’m not,” I said in defeat. “But isn’t that exactly why I’m not capable of doing this right now? If I can’t take care of myself…then how would I ever be able to help Mila?”

Sylvia stood up and moved in front of me. She put her hand on top of my head and gently patted it. “Maybe…then again…maybe nobody is ever really ready to raise a child? Can someone ever be ready? I don’t know…but I think this may be good for you. I think it will help you come to terms with things, or it’s going to distract you.”

“Distract me? But…I can’t use a child as a distraction…that’s wrong,” I mumbled.

“It is if you don’t succeed in helping her. But you already know my opinion on that,” she said while running her hand through my hair. “But this would be the best way to figure things out. In the best-case scenario, you raise Mila and change her life forever. She gets to be with a father that understands her struggles and can help her overcome some of the same hardships that he once went through. And I can’t guarantee that I’ll be much help…but as I said, I’ll make sure I give you and her my full, undivided devotion. Worse case? We fail, and Mila is none the worse. Things can’t get any worse for her…she would just be right back where she started…with nothing and nobody. We just couldn’t do it, and Bowen steps in to help. Problem solved. Honestly, if we were to fail after making an attempt, it might even show her things wouldn’t work out anyway.”

“I see…” I said slowly.

I felt an odd warmth spread through my chest as I looked into Sylvia’s determined eyes. Never in my life had I experienced such a feeling. At that moment, my fatigue was washed away, and I had the foreign feeling that I could…well…do anything.

Confidence? Is she…giving me confidence? Do I lack faith in myself? I feel like I can do a lot of things…right? What can I do?

I can kill people easily…not too proud of that, though.

Sylvia tilted my head up towards her till I was looking into her eyes. “The way I see it…not trying is worse than doing nothing. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking…maybe I’m overestimating us. But if we can kill an adult Wyrm and escape a hundred-floor dungeon together…we can raise a child together.”

“I mean…if you put it that way, I’m not sure those things are quite the same, Sylvia,” I argued.

She let go of me and put a finger to her chin. “Maybe…but I like to think they have some things in common.”

“Maybe…” I said with a sigh.

Sylvia returned my sigh with one of her own. She gave me a worried look but started walking away from me. “Why don’t you go for a run…maybe go lift some heavy things, come back, shower, eat, and then get some sleep.”

“But you haven’t even unpacked or eaten since you’ve returned. So you must be starving,” I said.

She winked at me and half-opened the door to slide out of it while putting on her mask. “Yup, I’m starving, and I’m pretty tired after all the fighting and screaming I did. So go handle yourself first. I can wait a little longer.”

“Sure…okay…yeah, that sounds good,” I said while getting up from the bed slowly.

Thank you, Sylvia. But fighting and screaming? That doesn’t sound normal.

Standing up, I felt like I was carrying bags full of lead. My eyes hurt…my head hurt…I was dehydrated…my throat hurt from yelling at Bowen…I just hurt. Maybe Sylvia’s right. Maybe… we can do this…

Together.

—

“Mila…can you stop squeezing my face with your legs, please,” I asked.

She bonked me on the head with her fist. Of course, it wasn’t hard at all, barely a light tap. “No.”

“Mila…” I groaned.

Mila suppressed a small giggle but released the tension on the side of my head. I had her on my shoulders, and she was afraid that she was going to fall off of them, so she was gripping my head with her thighs.

Even though I would never let her fall. If anything, I was more worried she was going to pop my mask off by accident. On the other hand, I had explained to her that touching my mask was unacceptable, so I was sure she wouldn’t go around messing with it on purpose.

And her legs are shaking…she may also be afraid of all the people. But if she is going to adapt to society, then she is going to have to get used to this stuff eventually, even if she doesn’t like it.

“Sorry, Daddy…” she said with a surprising amount of regret in her little voice.

I held back my sigh and groaned internally. I just wish she would call me anything other than Daddy…literally, anything else would suffice.

But she is adorable when she talks like that.

“Mila, we’ve spoken about this. Can you call me something else? Brother? Uncle? Cousin?” I suggested.

She squeezed my head momentarily and poked the top of my head. “No. Daddy protects me. You are Daddy. Daddy is Daddy.”

Well…I did say I wanted her to make her own decisions. Maybe this is retribution for thinking that. And if she is set on it, I doubt I’ll be able to change her mind this way.

In the end, I had agreed to Sylvia’s and Bowen’s request to at least try and help Mila. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But the look Sylvia was giving me instilled some kind of confidence deep within me.

I never imagined that I lacked the confidence to do anything, but perhaps I don’t even know myself. Sylvia was looking me dead in the eyes and telling me I was a different version of how I see myself. I wasn’t sure if it was her image of me…or the real me…but it felt good hearing that from her.

It made me feel excited, happy even. That I could do this, maybe it was false hope, but…I don’t know.

I still have so much to think about…there is Sylvia and what Varnir said…I wonder…could I? Maybe. But since she wants to start a family, does that mean she cares deeply about me? Is creating a family love? A part of it? I…have much to consider.

But I can’t be worrying about all of this right now. After today…things are going to change around here. I’ll…bring it up to Sylvia soon. Yeah…maybe when Dad gets here, I’ll ask her.

I had to agree that maybe Sylvia was right. It was going to be difficult. The odds were not in my favor as far as I was concerned. I was essentially destined to fail before I even began. But what Sylvia said about failing and giving it a try…I feel like it has merit.

If Mila sees that I’m a failure, she will be more inclined to separate from me when the time comes.

I got elbowed in the side and immediately looked down at the Dwarf that had bumped into me. He scowled at me for a moment, but upon looking up at me, he quickly retreated back into the crowd with a muffled apology.

The Founding Festival had begun in earnest and today was the day of the parade. I was supposed to be in the parade as I was in Forward University’s elite class; however, I was dismissed on account of, well…having to take care of a child now.

So instead of staying cooped up inside and doing nothing all day, I decided to go outside and experience the festival with Mila. I had missed the festival that infrequently happened in Owlkirk because of the timing of my birth, so this was my first time going to one. I had gone to one in Sandervile and my previous life, but that hardly counted, in my opinion.

It’s not really festive if you are a slave.

Despite Mila’s fear of people and large crowds, she was seemingly enjoying herself. Every time I looked up, her eyes were wide, and her mouth was agape as she took in the city’s atmosphere. People are out in full force, and walking in the wide streets is difficult.

We are packed together shoulder to shoulder as we move about, merchants hawk goods, and civilians frequent shops as lines pour out of every door. The city guards are also in full force, and the military personnel that aren't a part of the parade are assisting in crowd control. I was surprised to see that so far, things seemed relatively peaceful.

There didn’t appear to be any fights, and no agitators roaming around causing problems for people. The adventurers that were out and about all wore smiles as they downed skewers of meat and tankards of alcohol, much like everyone else. Even a few of the guards were snacking on duty, sneaking quick sips of drinks before their superiors caught them. It was a merry time, and I didn’t see a single person not smiling.

I just never saw this kind of activity in the City-States…even back home, honestly. It’s sort of fun.

I felt something wet drip onto my head, so I looked up to find Mila salivating. Part of me was slightly disgusted by being drooled on, but the other part of me just laughed. Mila quickly looked down at me and let out a cute little noise.

“Hungry? If you are, you need to speak to me,” I told her.

She let out an annoyed sound, but she took a deep breath. “I’m hungry…can we eat?”

“I don’t know…can we? What do we say when we are asking for something, mhm?” I chided.

Mila let out an annoyed huff and puffed her checks out. “Can we eat, Daddy?”

I just chuckled. “Almost.”

I looked up at her again, and she had her little tongue sticking out. Her ears were twitching, and I could feel her tail hitting my back. “Can we eat, Daddy…please?”

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“Of course.”

The purchase was quick for the meat stick, and it only cost two silver. Its quality was dubious at best, but I figured it had to be okay if everyone was eating here. Or it at least tasted good. Mila wasted no time in devouring the meat, its fresh juices dripping off her mouth and the meat…right onto my head.

Is this just the way things are going to be from now on? Oddly enough…I’m not even a little bit mad or frustrated.

I’ve only just begun reintroducing Mila to solid foods. So this would be her first meal that didn’t include a liquid. I was about to start walking to the main road to catch the parade when my eyes caught something interesting.

Locks of curly golden hair shined in the sun, and I immediately recognized who they belonged to, so I called out to him. “Parker? What are you doing out here?”

The young man stopped suddenly and turned his head towards me. I didn’t miss the small amount of fear in his eyes upon being called out, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Parker flashed me a brilliant smile and let out a nervous chuckle.

“Ah, man, I thought you were a teacher or something! You can’t go around scaring people like that, Voker,” he said while patting me on the shoulder.

“Sorry to alarm you. But why aren’t you with the class? The parade has already begun, right?” I asked him.

He let out an annoyed scoff that surprised me. Parker was usually a very laid-back kind of guy, and I’d never really seen him have such strong emotions before. I felt like I saw an entirely different version of him for a moment.

He waved away my concerns. “Who wants to cook in the sun while just sitting in a giant wagon? Talk about a waste of time…” he groaned.

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it. It is nearly an hour and a half parade. I can’t say that I’m too hurt about missing it,” I agreed.

He let out another chuckle and gave me an approving smile. His eyes naturally drifted up to Mila and he gave me a confused look. “Uh…who is this? And what happened to your mask?”

“This is Mila. And I got in a little scuffle somewhere,” I told him. I readjusted Mila to get her attention. “Mila, this is Parker, a friend. Please say hi to him,” I asked her in Beastmen.

I felt juice hit the top of my head again as she smacked her lips. She squeezed my head a little tighter. She started mumbling out some words, but her voice was shaky, so I gave her a gentle, reassuring grip on her leg.

She said something that sort of sounded like hello in Human, but it was said softly and in a timid voice. I suppose this was progress, all things considered. I figured one of the fastest ways to help integrate Mila was to break down the language barrier. Not many people could speak Beastmen, and even fewer would talk to her if she didn’t at least speak a smidge of Human.

It was going to take time. Far longer than I had, but an attempt should be made at the very least.

Parker was watching me with a blank expression. Although, come to think of it…Parker looks a little worse for wear today. I can see that he has some makeup on, and he is showing signs of fatigue, maybe even a little stress. I suppose we do have a significant physical examination to replace the failed dungeon run coming up soon. Perhaps that’s weighing on his mind since he recently lost his third-ranked position to Ren.

I understand his stress, though. My face has and still looks tired from these last few days.

“Parker? Are you okay?” I asked him.

The smile and life returned to his face after hearing my concern. “Ah, yeah, I’m okay. Sorry, I’m just a little tired. Handling all the festival stuff has been running me ragged. I’m really looking forward to this break…” he said with an awkward chuckle while rubbing his head. He flashed his trademark smile to Mila. “Hi, Mila. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mila was not amused.

She let out a low hiss, and Parker looked to me for guidance. I shrugged as there was no point in explaining all of this to him. “Well…I’ll catch you two around,” he said with a wry smile.

I waved back to him as he walked away. “Mhm. Have a nice day, Parker.” I shook Mila a bit. “You need to be kinder to people who are kind to you,” I told her.

She fidgeted nervously on my shoulders and wrapped her arms around my head. “Sorry…” she muttered quietly.

“It’s okay, Mila. Are you ready to go to the parade?” I asked her.

She released my head once more and let out an enthusiastic squeal. I chuckled without even meaning to. I found her mannerisms to be…adorable in a way… I suppose.

But also very sad.

I shook my conflicting feelings off and pushed through the crowd. I was slightly worried about Parker, he seems to be going through a lot, but I just don’t have the strength or mental capacity to assist him when I currently have my own host of issues. But for the time being, I can turn my brain off for a while and enjoy the patriotism of this country.

Not sure if I particularly care about it but…there are worse things to enjoy.

Although I was wearing casual clothing for this outing, I openly displayed my Ruby adventurer tag for all to see. Combined with my masked face, which was now damaged, I imagine I struck a very bizarre scene for most people. I’m sure that a tall, muscular High Elf Ruby-ranked adventurer carrying a Beastmen child on his shoulders was quite the sight.

I wasn’t just doing this for the show since I did have a purpose. People were moving out of my way with a single glance which I enjoyed, but it was more for Mila’s benefit than mine. She is obviously not used to this kind of exposure, but so far, she appears to be at least coping with it.

Is it because I’m here for her? Does my presence really soothe her that much? Perhaps it does.

After a few minutes of wading through the throngs of festival-goers, I have finally reached the main thoroughfare. I chose a spot where the street was the widest and with hopefully the best view for Mila. This wouldn’t technically be my first parade, and I’d seen plenty, so I wasn’t too concerned with my view.

We didn’t have to wait long as the footsteps of armored troops bounced off the buildings and reached our ears. I gave Mila a quick check to see if she was alright, and she seemed to be doing fine. The first group of soldiers was…surprising, to say the least.

The first company of armed soldiers was made up primarily of non-Humans—Beastmen, Dwarves, Elves. Even Dark Elves made up a small number of this group. I had learned that this was indeed a foreign legion of sorts.

Most of these men and women were attempting to attain citizenship through a four-year program in the military. This legion typically worked the borders on Krunbar and Tel’an’duth and acted as translators and was the first line of defense in case of attack.

I could see how this would be effective. If the soldiers were citizens of Krunbar or Tel’an’duth originally, they would have more experience dealing with fellow citizens and would also have a better lay of the land. It also acted as a slight deterrence or negative morale to a possible enemy army.

Killing somebody who looks different is easy. Killing a member of your own race is a little more challenging, if only slightly.

It was also a great way to train the population. Four years is a long time, and that’s four years of training and expertise a person could have if a potential war broke out. If you have a large portion of the civilian population pre-trained for war, mobilizing a sizable effective fighting force would be much easier when compared to shoving spears in the hands of peasant farmers.

It is an interesting idea…one that appears to be way ahead of its time. Where did they get this idea? Is Bowen just this gifted? Or is he getting help?

I was supposed to be enjoying the festival with Mila, so I filed these thoughts away for another time. After the foreign legion came some regular soldiers, cavalry, and even what appeared to be a siege or engineering platoon.

Once the regular army went through, the civilian side of things appeared next. Young girls wore bright red or white dresses and tossed flowers of various colors into the crowds. Dancing and skipping along while occasionally grabbing a bystander to do a little dance with them before returning them to the masses.

Despite the crowd interactions, things were moving along quickly and efficiently, and people appeared to be loving it as they whooped and hollered. One of the girls grabbed a Dwarf adventurer from the crowd and spun him around, causing his entire party to roar in laughter as they cheered him on. After those girls, a small group of about twenty or so school children was parading next. They sat in the back of wagons and waved banners and small flags with Luminar’s crest on it.

It seems even children aren’t safe from these activities. To be expected, I suppose.

From there, more dancers came out, along with a few men pretending to spit fire from their mouths and doing acrobatic jumps. A High Elf woman made fountains of water appear from her hands and occasionally lightly misted some of the younger audience members. One of the performers eyed Mila on top of my shoulders and gave her a wink while blowing a yellow fire ball in the shape of a flower at her.

Mila let out a small shriek, and I formed a spell core for gravity magic. The flower ran into my spell core and warped, crushing the flowery appearance and dispersing it. The man gave me a surprised look while moving along, but I just glared at him from behind my mask.

“Are you okay, Mila?” I asked.

“Mmmmhmmm,” she hummed.

Good.

The parade seemed to have a healthy amount of fun and patriotism. Soldiers mixed with civilians casually, both displaying Luminar’s power and openness. It was masterfully done.

I had been to only a handful of parades in my previous life, and those were not like this. It was purely militaristic in nature, and calling them parades was laughable. There was no point in pretending they weren’t a show of force to recently conquered planets and the meaning behind them was very apparent.

Capitulate. Do not resist. You lost.

And I didn’t get that same vibe for this one as I once did. But then again…I didn’t really feel anything during those times.

After a few more performers came some more…familiar faces. Forward University was following, and representing the school was my class. Everyone sat upon a luxurious float that just barely fit into the street. All the students were seated in chairs and waving to the crowd in their uniforms.

The first person to make eye contact with me was Jen, who excitedly turned to Sylvia to get her attention. I could see Sylvia’s eye focus on us as she turned and waved. I returned it, and so did Mila.

Mila was…apprehensive about Sylvia, but for some reason, she seemed to trust her somewhat. I asked her why and Mila just said Sylvia smells like Daddy. So…apparently, I smell like Sylvia, or she smells like me, which is probably the scent of my blood.

Not the best connection to make in the world.

From there, a few others also noticed me and gave Mila and me small waves, but most of them just had looks of confusion. Not that I blame them. Most of them haven’t seen my damaged mask or Mila before.

But it’s also good to see that Sylvia and Jen appeared to have made up somewhat.

Unlike me, Sylvia was not allowed to skip the parade as the class was already missing a few members. For one, Ren, Lauren, Linnetia, and Tsarra were absent. With Parker’s escape and me not being there, we were already down a solid portion of the class.

I bet the Professor is going to be pissed. Although come to think of it, Professor Garrison isn’t with the class either.

As class Onward came and went, the next group of people was the Royal Gryphon Knights. The knights wore surprisingly simple outfits. Most were lightly armored with leather, and they all wore the same type of headwear with goggles. I suppose it makes sense. Most of these soldiers should be mages, and wearing heavy armor isn’t ideal if the Gryphons can’t get off the ground.

Speaking of these monsters, the Gryphons were muzzled, and their wings were tied down using armor as their Knights rode atop of them. The monsters seem pretty docile, which I find to be intriguing.

Gryphons are strong monsters, so domesticating them must have been a challenge. And for them to be so well trained as not to lash out in public…perhaps they are being drugged? I’d be worried about a possible accident occurring at any moment. People can be relied on, but vicious flying monsters…not so much.

After the Gryphon Knights were a regiment of Praetorian guards, their golden armor shined in the mid-day sun and garnered significant attention. So many people were pushing towards the front to look at the masked men as they marched down the street, their blood-red plumes swaying with their movements.

I looked over to a young child next to me who was watching them with wide eyes filled to the brim with excitement and wonder. His eyes scanned the Praetorians, and his grin only grew more prominent as he watched on. I looked up while imagining Mila with the same face, but instead, she was staring out with dead eyes. She wasn’t afraid. It seems…just despondent.

Perhaps this was a mistake. I imagine armed men hardly inspire awe in her. My first of many mistakes, I’m sure.

And I was already starting to move away when I felt an intense gaze boring into the back of my head. And I immediately flicked around and made direct eye contact with a pair of dark green eyes behind some glasses. A smile crept onto his face, but his attention turned back to the crowd as he continued waving.

It was another float of sorts full of people I was familiar with but had never seen dressed like this. The Professor was standing in a complete set of silver plate armor without a helmet. A white fur-lined dark blue cape rested on his shoulders and draped down past his knees.

I could see the sweat beading down his forehead. That was not the kind of outfit to wear in the early summer heat. His Mythril longsword rested on his back in an ornate gold and silver sheath.

Next to him was Mason Fields, the Head of Security for the university. He was outfitted in gold and red plate chest pieces and shoulder pads. I instantly recognized the black leather adorning the rest of his body as being Goliath hide, the same material my outfit from Deguzman was made out of. He struck quite the imposing stance as he waved toward people with a broad smile, his twin morningstars strapped to his belt. Standing beside him with a stoic expression was a man I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

I recognized him as being Prince Xanders's master and bodyguard, and I believe his name was Vasquez if memory serves me right. He was neck to toe in a set of polished pitch-black Mythril armor, his brown mustache was trimmed to perfection, and his hair was kept short. His giant battle axe’s head rested on the platform as he stared out to the open, not bothering to wave or show any signs of enjoyment compared to his companions.

But it was the person next to him that both surprised me and didn’t at the same time. I suppose she is a War God after all…

Returning waves and smiling brightly at the crowd with her usually motherly aura was Bowen’s wife. She was by far the smallest of the War Gods, but she was no less imposing despite her smiling face.

Her armor of choice seemed to be made out of cobalt and was somewhere between light armor and plate. It was an intriguing set of armor that appeared to favor mobility without sacrificing much protection, and it shined so much in the sun that it looked almost like blue glass.

It was also unique in that instead of gold trimming like most cobalt armor or weapons had, hers was blood red instead. Her Mythrill spear stood straight up and was nearing a pike's length. I found it hard to imagine her wielding that weapon, but if she was standing amongst those men, then I had no doubt she was capable.

If I’m not mistaken, that means Luminar has five War Gods if the King is omitted. Ren’s master is also a War God, but I don’t see him present at the parade today. Actually, come to think of it, I’ve never once seen the man. However, Ren has mentioned him to me in passing a few times. Apparently, he was off in his homeland in The Mists attending to business.

I looked up to check on Mila and found her smiling slightly. Her eyes seemed to take on a little more color as she stared on. I caught Ms. Taurus waving and smiling at Mila, so I nudged Mila to return it.

It seems this wasn’t a complete wash. Mila may be having a hard time, but she is adapting well. Perhaps something deep inside her knows this is good for her in a way. Or maybe the wonderment of being free is conflicting with her experiences? I can’t be sure.

“Do you want to stay for a bit longer, Mila? We can leave if you want to,” I told her. She made a little noise that was in between a hum and grunt, which I assumed to be a no in response.

So be it. The parade is nearing its end anyway because after the War Gods came royals. Sitting in lavish high-back chairs on the mid-level were the royal children. It’s been nearly five years since I’ve seen Prince Xander, and he looks…different. His fiery red hair was short on the sides and slicked down with enough grease that it was a fire hazard. His swirling green eyes merely looked down upon the crowd as he maintained a cold, emotionless expression.

This was not the same man I saw four years ago… or is it?

He was wearing a military uniform that was so overdone and stuffy that it was laughable. Gold and silver medals adorned every square inch of his black and red military jacket. Any free space was dedicated to useless aiguillettes of varying colors that seemed to overlap. All the aiguillettes were connected to an ornate golden pauldron on his left shoulder. It looked like a child pretending to be a soldier, despite the prince nearing his twenties.

Lauren and Ren wore identical red and gold gowns that flowed to the floor like enormous roses. Seeing Ren dressed up in what is probably considered everyday attire for a princess was quite the sight. Her short strawberry blonde hair was curled, and it bounced to her head movements as she smiled and waved at the masses. Lauren was doing much the same as she blew kisses to people and smiled brightly at everyone. The parade-goers were going absolutely wild for the royals.

It would be difficult to distinguish between the two sisters if it weren’t for the difference in their hair lengths and body shapes. Honestly, I see the resemblance in all three of them quite a bit. But why do I get the feeling something is off about them…

Seeing the three siblings like this is odd. All three of them being on the same level wasn’t typically how things were done in royal succession lines. Xander should have technically been above Ren and Lauren on the platform but it appears that’s not the case. Does this mean the Queen and King are allowing a fair fight amongst them? Or is it just a matter of security?

Interesting. But speaking of security…

The royal children’s float was jam-packed full of Praetorian guards. An entire squadron of Royal Gryphon Knights was flying high above the crowds. I suppose safety is of the utmost importance these days.

I couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt that Ren and Lauren didn’t seem to notice me as their float passed by. Maybe they don’t want to show any favoritism or something like that. I guess there is also a chance they just didn’t notice me, although I find that hard to believe considering well…I’m me.

Their float came and passed, and the final show of the parade had arrived. If security was tight for the royal children, then their parents were on a different level. The entire red and gold float was utterly done up and looked like a mobile throne room. It took a dozen horses along with a handful of Gryphons to pull the thing.

So this is the King of Luminar, huh?

He lay casually on a giant white sofa that was built to the highest standards. The King of Luminar was larger than life and far bigger than I expected. He wore a flowing black and gold robe that couldn’t hide a single shred of his overly muscular body. The man’s tanned legs and forearms were shredded with muscle and looked strong enough to end a life just by squeezing someone.

A golden laurel wreath crown sat upon his fiery red hair. Fist-sized gemstones were attached to the crown; all of them were blood-red, and I was positive they were all dungeon core shards.

But now I see where Ren and Lauren got their smile. The king seemed completely natural as he waved to his citizens with a wide grin and kind blue eyes. But I had a feeling this was just a facade. This man is not who he appears to be. Instead, an aura of overwhelming strength emanated from him, and at that moment, I knew I was looking at what may be the strongest Human on this planet.

This guy…he is on a different level than the other War Gods.

I felt his intense gaze pass over me, and a small smile crept onto his face. Although we had never met or even been in the same room together, I would be surprised if he wasn’t aware of who I was. And his gaze wasn’t the only one I was feeling. Standing tall next to the Queen and King were a masked Dark Elf man and woman dressed in black Mythril warrior armor in the same exact style I once saw all those years ago…the same as Dad’s armor. Each of them had an eye hole cut out on different sides, and they stood at attention with Shadow Dancer spears at the ready.

Just who were you Dad…and who are these two?

As the float went by, I gave the Queen an appraisal, and I couldn’t help but feel let down somewhat. The king seemed larger than life, and even the Dark Elves beside them radiated a powerful aura, but the queen… just seemed…normal.

She was an objectively beautiful woman with long blonde hair and kind green eyes, but she didn’t inspire any awe or amazement in me. Her attire was similar to the king, black and gold toga, and her crown was a bit smaller but held similar-sized white gemstones.

But I was well aware the Queen was far more than she appeared.

From reading about policies and public works projects, the Queen is very involved in the happenings of this country. I mean, it’s nearly impossible to find a document or a project without her signature or seal. Her political maneuvers are well documented, and she seems to hold no shame for the betrayal of her former homeland and getting married to a usurper.

If anything, she is the one that may have brought this country into existence and maintained it. I have no doubts that War God Maxwell would be able to control this country with his overwhelming might, but…controlling a crumbling nation and ruling over a prosperous one takes a different kind of a leader. And I don’t believe that the king is making this country flourish as much as he is defending it.

She may be far more dangerous than all of them. Getting involved with the queen may be the worst idea possible…

“Let’s go, Mila.”

Mila let out a hum of agreement as we moved away from the crowds. Apparently, more soldiers and stuff were coming after the royals, but I think the two of us have seen enough for today. Besides, Mila showed signs of being tired as her eyes fluttered and her tail stopped swaying back and forth across my back.

Once I pushed through the crowd and regained freedom, my arm was immediately grabbed and enveloped into a soft warmth. I felt like I broke my neck from snapping so quickly towards the familiar voice.

“There you are! Finding you has been an absolute pain!”

An overwhelming amount of perfume wafted into my nose, and I felt my head spin for a moment. “Huh? Lauren? What? Wait…what the? Who are you?” I retracted my arm free from her chest and glared down at the person.

It sounded like Lauren…it looked like Lauren, but could it be Lauren? I just saw her a few moments ago…

The young woman, who I presumed to be Lauren, was hiding her face behind a scarf and a white summer hat. Some of her strawberry blonde hair was spilling out from the cap, and the sleeves of her dress were long, but I could still see her tanned hands.

“I’m me! What do you mean, who am I?” Lauren hissed.

But…am I…ah, this is… definitely Lauren.

“But I just saw you a moment ago in the parade. How…” Then it clicked. “It was an illusion…Tsarra was making an illusion of you and Ren,” I mumbled.

“Yes, she is, and even of my ugly brother too,“ Lauren commented while grabbing my arm again. “Ren! I found him,” Lauren said with a wave.

So soft…wait no, what is going on. And by the gods, Tsarra’s magic is worrisome… I didn’t even completely realize with all the noise from the parade that it was an illusion. I thought something was wrong but I couldn’t place it.

“Ah…what’s wrong, Voker? If you want more, you can just ask me,” Lauren said slowly with a beautiful smile.

The heat in my ears was already bothering me, but now it was spreading fast. “I uh…what?” I mumbled.

Lauren shrugged but didn’t let go of me as she walked us towards a shout. “Baby steps, I suppose…” she muttered.

The shouting was coming from someone else…and wow. “Ah, there you…uh..hi…Voker,” Ren said sheepishly.

Just when I thought I had seen a new side to Ren today, it appears I can be proven wrong.

Ren’s outfit was unusual, considering I only ever see her in a school uniform or her workout attire. It was a simple pink blouse with white pants. She was hiding her face with a large sun hat and a pair of black tinted glasses. She looked like an ordinary teenage girl out to enjoy the parade. It was…charming and a good look for her.

“Ren. Lauren. What is going on? Why are you two here, and why are you looking for me?” I asked carefully.

Ren hasn’t spoken to me in weeks, and Lauren hasn’t been so…forward like this with me in some time.

The two girls were just looking up at me with blank expressions. “Um…we can talk about that later…but who is this?” Lauren asked while pointing at Mila.

Mila was resting her arms atop my head and just looking down at the princesses. “This is Mila,” I said simply.

“Mila, it’s nice to meet you,” Ren said with a kind smile.

Mila didn’t answer her.

“Mila, Ren said hello to you. Say it back,” I chided in Beastmen.

Mila let out a low growl and mumbled a few sounds that only sort of resembled Human speech. Ren just smiled wryly, and Lauren's eyes went wide as a smile crept on her face.

Lauren released me and stood directly in front of us. “Hello, Mila. My name is Princess Laurena Maxwell, but please call me Lauren,” Lauren said with a slight bow and in fluent Beastmen.

I could feel Mila sit up with her arms as she planted them atop my head. I looked up, and she was tilting her head slightly and looking at Lauren with a confused and conflicted look. Mila’s eyes slowly drifted down to me, but I shrugged.

“Uh…what’s going on?” Ren whispered.

Lauren ignored her sister and directly looked at Mila. “So, Mila…uh…how do I put this. Who is Voker to you? Is he your brother or something?”

Mila let out a gleeful squeal and patted my head. “Daddy is Daddy!” she blurted out instantly with no shortage of excitement.

The color drained from Lauren’s face instantly, and she looked at me with hollow eyes. “Lauren? Lauren! What did she say? I can’t understand her…” Ren mumbled.

“Voker…how…you can’t already have a child? Are you cheating on me already? I mean, you can have a few others, but…it’s too soon…” Lauren muttered with hollow eyes.

“A child? Cheating on you? What? Voker, what is going on!” Ren looked at me frantically and then at Mila.

I let out a deep sigh and rubbed my chin. “Mila is not my child. I am…more of her guardian than anything else. As you can see, Mila is very obviously not my child,” I told them.

I mean, when have I had time to have a secret child that is almost six years old? Wait…how old is Mila really? Is she six? She looks to be around there, but I can’t tell, and it’s not like she knows.

The color returned to Lauren’s face as if it had never left. “Ah…that’s good. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment. I need to become queen first.”

“What are you going on about, Lauren? And you still haven’t answered my question,” I said, exasperated.

Lauren’s smile vanished, and the serious expression on her face seemed to come out of nowhere.

“About that. We need to have a talk.”