23rd chapter : the embarrassing truth .

Marco was doing some groceries for the red mermaid’s restaurant. On his way back to the event’s place, he had to deal with some nuisance, he helped Serine, a member from Grey Lions and went back with her to the event’s place. As soon as he reached the place, he was about to meet with Shoko so they can return. Therefore Arthur and Sophie’s sudden appearance made him get pissed off.

“Explain!!!” he yelled in Emilis’ face.

“Calm down, calm down. It was Amano san’s idea!! plus they’re safe and sound right, there’s no need to be this pissed off!! ahaha!!!” Emilis tried to laugh in the middle of his talk.

“Well, you got a point but seriously. Please don’t just destroy what I was working on for quite a time now” Marco replied.

“You’ve been hiding this from me!! what kind of lame brother you are!!!?” Arthur started arguing as Marco sighed.

“Talk about going to school first before going to these kinds of places, also did you have fun? Sophie, Arthur?” Marco calmed down as he asked.

“Of course!! Well, not like we were expecting it, but when Sophie told me you can fight big monsters and not run from it!! I got mad somehow. So!!! Next time tell me!!” Arthur kept the arguing face.

“Sigh, Sophie what I told you about telling….gueh!!”.

Marco couldn’t finish his words as Arthur punched him on the back.

“Arthur Nii is strong too!! and he wanted to know more so I told him!!” Sophie was as pure as ever with a cherished smile.

Marco stood down on his knees from embarrassment since he thought he could scold her.

After clearing the misunderstanding, Marco had to tell Arthur what he was doing. It didn’t go that well for a first time talk but Arthur was enjoying his time and Marco was pleased by that.

“So cute!! Is this your famous little sister!!” Shoko said as she leaned on Marco’s back after coming from behind.

“Now you appear, I hope you aren’t drunk?!” Marco replied.

“Nice to meet you ! I’m Sophie Deca, Marco nii’s little sister!”.

Sophie bowed as she acted humble, Marco was surprised as he looked to Arthur who added after her.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arthur Deca, thanks for always taking care of our older brother!” Arthur bowed too.

The two said as they made Marco more surprised than ever.

“Well mannered!! I like that!! I’m Shoko Hanabi ” Shoko responded as she patted both Sophie and Arthur “also you are late Master!! I told you to come by noon before the party could end” she continued, speaking.

“Huh?!” Marco snapped out of it as he instantly looked at Shoko “what’s the meaning of this?” Marco asked.

“Well, I told you that I’m a non combatant member of red mermaid earlier, since I have nothing to do I asked Master if we can meet up here, riding the train is pain in the ass so let’s just leave it to him for the return trip” she tried to explain as Marco sighed.

“After this I’m at beat. Man, at least you could’ve told me they’re coming!” Marco said, addressing Yuna.

“Sorry!!” Shoko replied thinking it was for her.

“I wasn’t talking to you. plus since we are here, I guess letting you buy what you want is better” Marco responded then patted Sophie’s head.

“heeh!? So this is the famous brother!! Pleased to meet you”.

Amano came with Serine and Alexander.

“So it’s really your kid Emilis, such a shame,” Alexander was trying to pull some jokes.

Marco sighed as he looked behind. He noticed late that the attendants of the Fullost event were giving Emilis hatred looks. He exhaled as he kept hearing their murmuring around him.

“Master, you’re the worst”.

Marco said as he hugged Sophie and Arthur pulling them back a little to his side. Emilis heard Marco’s words as he got what he meant.

“Don’t mind them, they can’t deny that red mermaid is strong and you are a good example” Emilis tried to compliment him.

Alexander read the mood too as he pat Emilis’ shoulder.

“But he can’t beat Serine!!! If he does beat her, I will acknowledge him!!” Alexander suggested out of the blue then Serine was flustered.

“Heeh!? But master!!” she instantly interjected.

Serine whispered in Alexander’s ear what happened earlier. Marco smiled awkwardly as he was hearing what she said though she was whispering. Arthur and Sophie looked at Marco with a smug face since they have the same strong sense as their brother.

The party continued and the winner was introduced at the end of the announcement. They finished quickly as Marco was sitting on the back, he remembered something.

“Hey, master.” he whispered in his ear “You see that item, scan it and let us re-work on it”.

Marco had a good idea on his mind to the point where Emilis looked at him with a smug money loving face, the two were chuckling as Emilis had already done what Marco asked for.

“You two really never cease to embarrass us. I want a part of that item” Shoko popped between them.

The three of them took the advantage of the fact that Arthur and Sophie were with Amano looking for gifts around the Billy streets and it took them quite a while to return.

“Thanks for taking care of Sophie and Arthur. I’m glad that they had fun” Marco bowed to Amano thanking her.

“Yeah, the pleasure is mine. Your brother and sister are really smart so you gotta praise them more from time to time” Amano replied.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“I’m working on that. Still, I have a question, Gray Lions seem to have a good relationship with us red mermaid, Do you not hate master Emilis?” Marco asked because he felt curious.

Amano got what he meant as she answered, “Ah, for that. I don’t totally agree, I hate his attitude, but when it comes to work he does really do his job. I’m just a pilot so I don’t really fight like the others. Unlike master Alexander, the other members really hate him. Royalty thing or something like that!”.

“Huh? So that’s why, I guess you don’t really hate him?” Marco said while taking Arthur and Sophie’s packs to Amano’s car.

She looked at him, having a calm look while taking the packs.

“Honestly, I don’t hate him. That attitude is his confidence, that’s what It takes to be a good guild master. He merits that and master Alexander knows that clearly, they’re both strong and childish. So don’t worry, even if you guys are hated at some point in this place, Emilis will protect you and I’m sure that you’ll be really strong to the point where they need to admit it too!!” Amano was having a wise moment trying to be the big sister to Marco who took a deep breath then smiled as he thanked her.

An hour later,

“I called you because I wanted to return by a portal!!! not by car please!!” Shoko was complaining.

“Marco suggested the car so bear with it, plus!! You didn’t tell me that the big prize is the blue wine, not like I can’t get an item like it but you betrayed my expectations!!!” Emilis instantly responded.

He was scolding her at some point but being funny for the sake of Sophie. On Marco’s side, It didn’t work well for him but he had soothed the mood with Arthur after telling him about the euro society and what they are doing.

“I’ve been thinking about this. Marco, do you hate royalty?” Amano asked out of nowhere as she was driving.

“Huh?! where did this come from ? ” Marco replied with a question.

“I was wondering, since you are a red mermaid member I thought you were from the orphanage” she answered.

“Huh, it’s true that I don’t have any parents but I never thought of myself as an orphan even if they’re alive or dead. And, the answer for your first question is I guess I hate them. There’s no justice in their morality, I’ve seen this a lot before” Marco replied.

“Heeh!!? that’s surprising!!” she said .

“Not quite in our city but around the places I’ve been working in. Well, if they are good people it’s ok but I hate their attitude. Filthy creatures need to die” Marco spoke his opinion.

Amano was surprised as she looked at him, she couldn’t keep the conversation going because she felt it was awkward for her at that point of the talk. Marco had struck her arguments down before she even would say them.

Moments later,

“Thanks for driving us this far, I guess we will take the forest’s road” Marco said as he told Amano to stop near the entrance road of the palm city.

“Huh, are you sure I can get you to the entrance of the city?” Amano replied with a confused look.

“yeah about that, I forgot to tell Eyezar to fix the road. I kinda made up a hole while I was fighting in that hunt at night” Marco said as they reached the entrance.

The entrance was closed and there was something blocking the traffic. Amano and Emilis looked outside the window to see that there’s a hole in the middle of the road.

“Marco Nii did that!! That’s cool! ” Arthur said as he was surprised the most.

“Well, I don’t mind leaving you here but master Emilis please fix it at night so we can enter. Let's meet at the festival” Amano said.

She grinned an awkward smile as she was saying goodbye to Sophie and Arthur before taking a turn back.

“Oh and to clear one thing that may be a misunderstanding!! I’m a night owls member!!! not Gray lions!! See you at the festival! Bye!!” ,

“Yeah!! I’ll definitely participate!!” Arthur responded with every ounce of enthusiasm he had inside.

“You’re strangely too energetic today, Did you really like things this way now?” Marco asked.

“Don’t ask stupid questions!! If it means that Sophie can release her bunny ears whenever she wants at home then I’m fine with it. you know that I’m not that thoughtless” Arthur replied as they were walking in the forest.

“Your brother is quite smart for his age So let him be,” Shoko said as she patted Marco’s shoulder.

He sighed then patted both Sophie’s and Arthur’s heads with a smile addressed to them. The gentle gray smile totally meant that he was proud of them.

After reaching the city, Marco took Shoko to her home before returning with his siblings home.

“By the way, Did you fight any strange looking monsters that look like ghosts?” Emilis asked Marco.

“Huh, you mean the Palferias?” Marco replied.

“Oh , my reports have already reached the council? it was this fast” Emilis was surprised.

Marco responded on his own after him.

“Reports? we didn’t receive anything, I defeated it on my own”.

Emilis smiled then stopped walking.

“Then how the hell did you get that info!!!” he was startled.

“Ah, I have my own things too, master. All I did was blow it with my own euro particles” Marco interjected.

Marco’s answer shocked Emilis’ existence for a second.

“I have to keep a good eye on you young man!! I’m moved to know that you can control the flow of the euro and you acquired your serment a month ago” Emilis smiled as he patted Marco’s shoulder.

“Hai, I’ll see what I can do later, now let’s see” Marco responded as they reached his house.

“We are back!! Carla nee!!” Sophie said as she rushed inside to meet Carla.

“Sophie, don’t run inside the house!” Marco said as he was trying to take care of his little sister.

“Let her be, she won’t do any harm here” Arthur replied then the two suddenly heard Sophie saying.

“Haa!!! Alice Neechan and Xavier Nii are here!!”.

The two suddenly snapped out of it as they entered with a blank face.

“Welcome back you two, sorry for troubling you. We kinda had some troubles” Alex and Zack said as they were preparing the table.

Arthur went to his room leaving everything to Marco. Marco looked at Arthur’s face before he left as it showed that he was clearly not interested in knowing what the hell happened

“Oy, I left for one day. Why are they here, the four of them?” Marco asked when he saw Alice going to take a bath.

“Ahahaha!!!!! quite the long story!! you see their house was destroyed in the hunting yesterday, they had nowhere to go!! kuehee!!” Carla said as she got slapped by Marco on the head.

He sighed then patted her head as an apology because she had a teary pouting expression on her face.

“you should’ve called me, also, I got what you needed Alex senpai!” Marco gave his bags to Alex.

“Oh right sorry for troubling you, Alice!! He brought a bottle of the blue wine!” Alex said as she patted Marco’s shoulder while checking the bags.

“Oh, I wanna drink too!!!” Carla was quite happy to see that bottle then Marco flicked her forehead.

“You’re not drinking even one gossip. We’re still underage” he scolded her.

She pouted, replying with a mad voice.

“Of course I’m drinking!! The wine doesn’t affect the holders. So no matter how much we drink even if we are underage it won’t affect us. Also, the blue wine is the holders’ sphere. It can increase the amount of reserves inside the main body of the holder, a lot of royalty families have their kids drink a sum of it from time to time. here!! Have a taste!!” Carla said as she explained what she was thinking.

Marco looked at the cup then sighed pushing it to her.

“No need, thanks. I have boundless euro reserves. I guess you need it more than me” he responded.

Marco wasn’t fully accepting that idea of the blue wine, Xavier looked at Marco then took the cup.

“Well, if you won’t join us in drinking this potion like, I’m taking your share cause I took your part of the hunting last night!!” Xavier was unusually calm.

Marco took a look around him then saw Yuna waving to him as a -to take it easy- sign, he didn’t really oppose the idea but he smiled.

“I’m heading to my room please don’t disturb the peace we have here” he said as he closed the door.

While he was going to his room Arthur got out bringing a lot of stuff, he saw his little brother having a pure smile for the first time. At the same time, he realized that what Emilis had done this past week was extremely helpful for his family. Marco was grateful for it.

……………………………………………………………