It was peaceful morning in the Blumund village.

"YOU STUPID SON!!"

And loud voice broke down within the Houston family house, where the source of the voice came from Rei's room.

Rei who just woke up from his injury after preventing the disaster, is now having face to face with his angry mother, Sheila.

"Ummm...."

Rei sat on the bed with his two knees, while he looking down feeling guilty for making them worried.

"You promise me that you won't go away like that ever again!!" After crying throughout the morning, his mother suddenly began scold him aloud.

"U-ummm... H-honey y-you should maybe calm down a bi—" His father, Adam had tried to calm her down.

But, "Calm down!! you want me to calm down?! even after seeing our son almost died—TWICE!!" Sheila increased her voice again while directed her anger towards her husband.

"U-ummmm..." Adam couldn't retorted her words and gave up on her.

"M-mommy...don't mad...please...." Emily cried, and pulling on Sheila's dress as if it were going to stop her.

'What a mess...' Rei thought while he watched them quietly as he was still sitting there on the bed.

'But, it is entirely my fault to broke their promises.' Though he felt guilty about it.

'At least they are safe and sound.' He would smile after knowing they're fine and have a lot of energy to be acting like this.

"Mom...Dad..." Rei then start interrupting their arguments.

As he kneeled in front of them, "I'm sorry for making you all worried again."

"I promise I won't do it again." Rei apologize towards them.

Sheila who heard his heartfelt apology, gradually calmed down.

Then approached him, "Promise...?" She asked him.

Rei raised his head, "I promise." And replied to her with smile.

*THUD*

Suddenly, she hugged him tight.

"....?"

Rei would smile again and gently wrapped his arms around her to hug her back.

"Make sure you hold that promise okay....or I will forbid you from going out, okay?" Sheila gave her words to him, to make sure he hold the promise.

Rei looked nervous, "I-i'll try..." though he unsure that he can hold that promise.

When the problem in this morning had finally over.

Suddenly, a voice can be heard from inside his head.

'This room felt nostalgic.'

'And I guess mom sure is still a crybaby.'

Ray was the one who talked through his head.

'This felt weird.'

Rei thought of it while thinking the problem hasn't over yet.

'For some reason after that battle with that monster, I could hear his voice now.'

'Was there something that triggered this?'

Rei sighed, 'Let's think about that later... I'm too tired.'

When he snapped back into reality, he looked at his mother who still had her arms wrapped around him.

"Ummm...Mom? can I rest for a while?" Then he asked.

Sheila immediately pulled herself away from him. "A-ah! Hehehe, sorry~ forgive mommy okay?" Then she smiled at him while getting her energy back again.

"Make sure you rested okay? No moving around!" Sheila told him to behave.

"Yes mom, I won't." Rei replied to her obediently.

"Ray, if you need something you can call us okay?" Adam also gave him his words.

"Yes dad, I will call for you." Rei nodded with smile.

But Emily was still crying for him, "O-onii-chan! Emily will come back for you!! I promise!!"

Rei just smiled at her, "Mhm, I will be waiting."

When they were about to leave, Adam turned around to looked at him.

"But before that... there is someone you need to say thank you." Adam reminded him.

Rei tilted his head, curious by what he had said. "Someone that I need to say thank you?" He repeated his words.

*CREAK*

Suddenly, the door was pushed opened.

*BA-THUMP*

And his heart start thumping hard.

"...?!"

When he saw child wearing a hooded robe, with a guard and a maid walking from behind her.

*BA-THUMP*

Then his heart thumping hard again.

'What is this feeling?' Rei thought of it when they are now standing in front of his bed.

"It seems you have awake."

A voice of a little girl could be heard.

"...?!"

When the child removed her hood, Rei's eyes widened in surprise.

And the one who recognized her first was...

'You are....'

It was Ray.

It was ultimately revealed that beneath that hood was a beautiful girl with dark-night silky hair and blue-sky eyes standing directly in front of him.

Rei suddenly felt his throat went dry and gulped, seeing such beautiful girl before him like this somewhat awkward.

'Who...is she?' He asked himself. 'Ukh—?!'

When suddenly his right eye throbbed a bit, as if responding to what he sees.

'She is...' Ray spoke inside his head.

'Houston? Do you know who she is?' Rei asked him, but the little girl start to approach him one more time.

"...?!"

The little girl smiled at him and slowly lift her side skirt a bit while bowing her head slightly.

"First and foremost, I want to apologize for bothering Ray-sama and his family time now." The girl spoke politely.

Rei felt out of the place here, getting apologize from an unknown girl out of nowhere.

"N-no! T-that's okay hahaha!" Rei responded nervously. 'What with this situation?!' While being confused of what happen.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"And, I should be the one who is thanking you...for saving my life." Rei then replied with smile as he bowing his head a bit towards her to politely gave her his heartfelt gesture.

The little girl who saw him doing that, she suddenly smiled.

"I see...thank you for forgiving me, and it is my pleasure to help someone in need." The little girl replied to his words.

Though the tense atmosphere around them still remain.

"Now then, since we are about to talk something." The little girl turned around towards his parents and his little sister.

"So I excuse myself, Adam-sama, Sheila-sama and Emily-sama, can I have a private talk with Ray-sama here?" The little girl asked for a permission.

'—S-sama??' Rei felt even weirder for being called like that because he had always been a commoner and had never been called that before.

Meanwhile, Adam and Sheila exchanged puzzled glances when she asked them.

Sheila looks more puzzled, "Hmmmm, I think it's fine." And she gave her ok to her, "But don't be too long okay? Because Ray need to have rest after all." While added her concern of her son.

The little gir smiled, "I understand Sheila-sama." Then bowed her head slightly towards her.

Adam and Sheiled exchanged glances once more, as they eventually left with Emily, leaving Rei alone with these strangers.

*******

Now the situation is as follows, Rei was still on his bed, with the little girl seated on a chair near him, and her guard and maid standing behind her side by side.

Rei could feel the stare from the little girl, as he somewhat uncomfortable from it.

'Hey, Houston, do you know who she is?' Rei finally had the chance to ask him again.

But Ray was suddenly quiet and hesitated to answer.

'Houston?' Rei called him again.

Then Ray gave up, 'Yes, I do....'

Rei's eyes twitch slightly after hearing his reply. 'If you do know, why you don't tell me.'

Ray sighed, 'Because I was unsure...if it was her.'

'So? Who is she?' Rei asked him again.

'....' But Ray remained quiet and still hesitant to answer him.

'Don't tell me...she is your past lover or something, because that would be weird in this situation, right?' Rei spoke.

'....' But Ray remained quiet.

'Right?????' Rei asked him again, as he felt something weird.

Until, he realized why he was being mute this whole time, 'Wait...is she really?'

Ray finally gave up, 'Yeah, she was once my friend...'

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'And....'

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'My lover...' and gave him his answer.

"....?!"

That threw him off guard, and he nearly choked on nothing as soon as he heard it.

"What?!" Rei accidentally shouted.

"...?! Are you okay, Ray-sama?" The little girl was shook when he suddenly shouted like that.

Rei quickly closed his mouth as soon as he noticed the suprise that was written all over the girl's face and the others.

"I-it was nothing." Rei replied to assured her from getting worried.

'You surprised me right there!' Rei yelled at him.

'Hey! It's not my fault that you start to shout! I did gave you the answer!' Ray yelled back at him.

Rei heaved a sigh trying calmed down from that.

'Well it is pretty shocking, to think that you would have a relationship with this girl.' Rei commented of his statement.

Ray shook his head, 'No, it's fine, it was my fault for not telling you earlier.'

'Because I am surprised that she will be here.' Rei explained.

'Huh?? You are? I mean, isn't she your lover in the future?' Rei asked him curiously.

'Yeah, she is...but.' Ray was still hesitant to answer.

'But what? Don't you ever met her before when you were a kid??' Rei asked him again to pry more.

Ray shook his head, 'No...as far as I remember.'

'Today was supposed to be the day of when the disaster start...so, having her here after we stopped the disaster doesn's make sense.' Ray explained.

'Why do you think so?' Rei asked him.

'Because...we both met, during the academy start.' Ray answered him.

'What?! You mean...you went to academy?' Rei asked because he is curious on how did he end up getting into academy.

'Yeah, but that is another story for later...right now, the problem is still about her.' Ray refused to explain to him and focusing on the current matter.

'R-right.' Rei answered him, but still he is curious about that story.

'So, about the problem is...how did she know about the location of our village.' Ray spoke.

'Don't she have a map? I mean, we are a village with name.' Rei replied, because every village that had a name are need to be registered in the Kingdom they are allied with.

So, they can make a request and sell some crop, and even pay the taxes for the Kingdom.

'Yes, but the thing is...our village was known by others, more like our village doesn't exist in the map in the future due the disaster.' Ray explained.

'What?! I didn't know about that!' Rei replied, because he was somewhat taken back from the fact that he did read most of the books in the house about the history.

But not the world.

'Yes, of course you wouldn't know, because our village is located right next to the border between human world and demon realm.'

'So it is quite difficult for people to know about this village even exist.' Ray explained.

Rei looked complex after getting this kind new information, 'Uhhhh, I see...then for some reason, this lover of yours from the future, know this place?'

'Yeah, I told her about this village after we become a lover, so...it is impossible for her to know.' Ray replied.

'I see...' Rei answered him.

'But don't call her my lover yet, because the current me and her...doesn't know each other.' Ray suddenly getting irritated.

Ray would blink his eyes for a moment, then he smirked, 'Hoho?~ [yet]?~ it seems our regressor here still have feeling for her~"

Ray sighed, 'You brat...don't tease this old man.'

Meanwhile, when Rei was having fun talking with Ray within his mind.

The little girl seemed even more puzzled while she watched his expression change from time to time.

Even her guard was confused by him too, then he leaned his head down towards her ear.

"Ojou-sama, is this kid okay?" Her guard whispered into her ear.

Even the little girl here confused by his weird behavior, "I-i guess? I think we need to start talking now, so..."

"Ray-sama." The little girl decide to call him.

Rei immediately snap back into reality, "H-hmm? a-ahh yes!" He replied to her.

'I totally forgot that these people are still here, I will squeeze every info from him later.'

While thinking that, his attention slowly shifted back to her.

"Ummm, so...what are we talking about now?" Rei asked her not knowing what to say.

But his action displeased her guard and maid

"Boy! You're being disrespectful to Ojou-sama—?!" her guard spoke in irritated tone and about to unsheated his sword.

"That's right! after Ojou-sama—?!" When her maid released some sort aura around her body.

The little girl raised her hand which stopped them from talking, "Stop it you two."

"....??" Rei was surprised when they stopped their aggression just from a single gesture of a little girl.

Then the little girl smiled at him, "I apologize for their behavior, since they are just doing their job to protect me~"

"I-it's okay, I was being rude, so I apologize as well." Rei replied.

The little girl giggled, "Fufufu~ I guess we are even~"

Rei sudden felt her smile was bright like a sun, 'Ughh...she is too beautiful.' He commented within his mind.

Then the little girl clapped her both hands, "Right! I forgot to introduce myself~"

She fix her posture and looked straight into his eyes, "My name is Iris~ nice to meet you, Ray-sama~"

Iris introduced herself while she slightly bow her head towards him.

"U-ummm...nice to meet you too, Iris-san." Rei returned the gesture by slightly bowing his head.

"And this is my personal guard, Harson." Iris introduced Harson who stood straight beside her.

"And she is my personal maid, Silvi." Followed by introducing Silvi who bow her head slightly.

Rei slightly bowed his head again, "N-nice meet you too...?" He spoke while he could feel their stare no—

'Is it hostility?' Rei thought while he felt their feelings towards him.

"A-ah! Right, I almost forgot to introduce myself."

"I'm sure you already know my name but... let me introduce myself again."

"My name is Ray Houston, and once again, thank you for saving my life." Rei slightly bowed his head to her.

Then he raised his and gave her the warmest smile he could ever do.

Silence filled the room after that. Rei blinked twice when the girl doesn't seem to respond to him.

"...???"

She just stood there with a quiet smile on her face.

'Did I mess up...?' Rei thought of while being nervous from this silence.

In that moment, even though her face looks calm but inside her mind was...

'KYAAAAAAA~♡ IT'S THE REAL RAY-SAMA!!! Is this for real!! I'm right in front of him!!' She screamed internallly.

Then she observed him closely, 'But....I don't remember he has different color on his eyes.'

But her heart beating fast while she reminded him of someone, 'And his calm attitude and that smile...somehow he reminds me of him.'

Both her maid and guard were perplexed by their young lady's unusual silence.

"Ummm...Ojou-sama?" Silvi called her.

"H-huh?? Yes?" Iris finally woke up from daydreaming and noticed that they were staring at her now.

"A-ahh sorry! I was just thinking of something~ hahaha~" Iris laughed it off nervously to hide the fact she was really day dreaming.

Then she coughed a bit, "A-ahem, let's go back to our conversation."

When Iris said that, the atmosphere turned into seriousy, which made him felt tense.

Her guard, Harson suddenly step forward and looking at him.

"As you know, when you are unconscious we have gathered some information about you from the people around this village." Harson began to speak.

Rei stared at him cautiously this time, 'I see..is there something wrong?"

Harson didn't answered him, "Not too long ago, you got caught into an accident by a wild boar monster."

"Fell unconscious for 3 days, after you wake up...your behavior turned weird." Harson continue to reported.

Rei became anxious, but he needs to remain calm in front of them.

"After that, you asked your father to teach you, how to forge a sword."

"And sometimes you ask some weird stuff to others, regarding about...[monster]." Harson continued again.

"..?!" Rei gulped, feeling more nervous about where this was leading to.

"You also gathered some ingredients that have strong smell."

Rei continue to remain calm despite all the information he told him were pretty much correct.

"Then some people around the village said, they sometimes saw you went off and disappeared, every single day and came back home late."

"Finally, we heard something interesting." Harson looked at him.

"...??" Rei tilted his head slightly.

"Apparently, the kids told us that you were hiding something inside the forest." Then he took out a familiar pouch from his pocket.

"...?!"

"And we found this...hanged on the trees around with several cut marks on them."

"When we checked the inside, it seems it matches the herbs that you gathered which is similar for the ingredients to created [Monster Repellent]." Harson reported it

"From that, we concluded all the things that you did was as if you were preparing for something that approaching, like a [monster attack]." Harson's eyes sharpened as he delivered these remarks.

Rei looked at him and he still remain calm, "So? Is there anything wrong?" He replied to him after that, as if what he did was normal to him.

Harson widened his eyes the moment he looked into his eyes.

A straight yet honest eyes, that doesn't tell lies.

Then Iris raised her hand to make Harson back away to stand behind her again, "Thank you Harson."

Harson bowed his head slightly towards her.

"Ray-sama, we are't trying to suspect you, but we just want to know something from you."

"About the appearance of the [Boss Monster] that you fought." Iris explained.

Rei remained silent for a few seconds, then he scratched the back of his head.

"Well even you ask me, I don't know how to explain it, even if I do know...what is the benefit that I would get from telling you guys." Rei replied to her.

*CLINK*

Harson unsheated his sword from his waist and pointed it at Rei's face.

"You, how dare you—?!"

Then suddenly, something came out from Iris body.

She exuded a pressure that someone who isn't a child could have, and an odd and unique aura that doesn't match her appearance.

Which even affected Rei who stood there, "...?!"

"Harson, could you please stop cutting off our conversation." Iris looks angry.

Harson surprised when she suddenly acted like that, "But Ojou-sama!–"

"Harson!" Iris yelled at him.

Harson gritted his teeth and sheated his sword, "My apologies...Ojou-sama." he's visibly vexed but decided to back away and standing behind Iris again.

The atmosphere back to normal again and the pressure was lifted.

"I apologize for my guard behavior." Iris apologized towards Rei.

"N-no, it's okay...he is just doing his job as a guard." Rei replied while feeling guilty for putting her in yet another unpleasant situation.

Iris smiled as she felt something is odd about this boy, 'Even though he is a child...he's more mature than I thought.'

While she thought about him like that.

Rei was... 'What was that?! It was scary as hell!?' He screamed internally, terrified by her shift of attitude.

"Again, shall we go back to the topic?" Iris spoke.

Rei nodded and continue to their conversation.

"Since you cannot tell us about it, then let me change the question..."

"Are you the one who killed that [Boss Monster]?" Iris decided to ask that question.

Rei looked serious when she asked him about that, then he looked straight into her eyes.

"If I said that I was the one who killed it...would you believe me?" Rei replied with a smile.

Iris looked back straight into his eyes, then she smiled as well. "Well, I supposed it's hard to believe~"

Rei nodded, "Mhm mhm, it will be hard to believe—"

"Yes, especially a [Boss Monster] with level 50~" Iris interrupted his words.

After that, the whole room gone silent.

"Huh??" Rei and Ray were both surprised to learn the monster's level.

Iris smiled at him, "A blacksmith's son with level 21~ it's hard to believe for someone to defeat level 50 [Boss Monster]~" As she continued while knowing about his current level and the [Boss Monster] as well.

Rei's eyes widen after hearing that, he couldn't utter a word about it.

Even her both maid and guard was suprised after hearing that too.

'How does she know my level and the boss level...' Rei thought of it.

'I think she have a skill called [Status Appraisal].' Ray responded.

'[Status Appraisal]?' Rei repeated.

'Yes, it's skill that different than [Appraisal] which allow for someone to check others status.' Ray explained.

'My status?! Then, our identity?

Ray shook his head, 'I don't know, apparently [Status Appraisal] can only see their job, status, and level, though depending on the level...she can see other things than that.' As he explained.

'I see.' Rei replied, while he snapped back to reality.

Then he looked straight to Iris once more.

After that, he sighed, "So? What are you planning to do, after knowing my level?"

Iris' smile bloomed on her face, seemingly pleased to hear him asked her about that.

"Well, you see, I was planning to recruit you as our exclusive Blacksmith~" Iris offered him.

"...?!"

The people in this room were shocked by it, even her guard and maid were also the same.

"O-ojou-sama! We cannot allow a stranger to be our exclusive Blacksmith! especially since he's still a kid and a commoner!" Harson said with irritated looks.

"That's right Ojou-sama! it will tarnish your family name!" Silvi added hurriedly, equally suprised with her decision like the guard.

"I know that, but Harson, you were once a commoner yourself, don't you think there's other people out there, have the chance to do the same thing as you do?" Iris retorted to his words.

"...?!" Harson couldn't respond back.

"And Silvi, someone astounding as you, do you ever heard someone who are Blacksmith could defeat a [Boss Monster] by himself, especially in his early age?" Iris retorted her words.

"N-no..." Silvi couldn't respond her back either.

Both Harson and Silvi couldn't answer their young lady's question, because they know that it was nothing but truth.

"Now, do you get it?" Iris scoffed off and looked at Rei.

"So, what do you say~ Ray-sama?~ don't you think this is a tempting offer?~" Iris offered hik once more.

But Rei raised his hand and smiled, "I refuse...." then answered it flatly.

"Huh—?"

The room is filled with silence once again as the three of them now share the same puzzled look at his unexpected response.

"I said I refuse..." Rei answered it once more as his eyes glanced to his side and saw a glass of water, he grabbed it and start to drink it slowly.

After he finish drinking it and putting the glass on the table back again, he look straight to her eyes.

"How dare....! Even if it's not unlikely happen, you can't just say it like that!" Harson become angry again.

"Yeah!" The same for Silvi.

Both of them are fuming with anger at his alleged insolence towards their young lady, but Iris remained unfazed.

"Do you have a reason to refuse it, Ray-sama." Iris decided to ask.

Suddenly Rei put two fingers up in front of them.

"There's only two reason that I need to refuse that request...."

"First, I'm still 6 years old and you can tell that my job is [Blacksmith], so I need to broaden my view and gain more experience on this field." Rei gave out the first reason.

"I see, that's a reasonable answer, but by coming with me...you can experience a lot of more in that field." Iris shot back, to his first reason.

But Rei curved his lips upwarfs, forming a confident smile.

"And that's where second reason came..." Rei replied to her words.

Iris raised her eyebrow, "Then, what is it?" She asked curiously.

"The second reason is...

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I plan to become a [Knight]." Rei answered with a big smile.

"Huh—??"

To be continued...