"AAARZ!"

Father rushed to me. Worry was all over his face.

"No, no, why are you so cold?!" he said in panic. Touching my chest and grabbing my wrist, he checked my heartbeat and pulse but got no response, causing his face to tense even more. After that he put his finger under my nose to feel my breath, of course there was nothing either.

"No! WHY!? You should have been revived by now! Why!?"

His tears was overflowing to my chest and face, which he wiped using his sleeves.

"Uuu, Arz. *Sniff*. Uuuuuu."

(Haaah... Stop it, stupid father, so unsightly. That's why I said we don't need to go that far. You should listen to your son once in while, you know, especially when you're going to regret it.)

"Uuuuuuuuuu...," he wept over my dead body.

(Uh. It's heavy, father. And your beard tickles. Uwah. Are you going to torture me even after my death?)

For reasons unknown to me, my senses were still working albeit I no longer had control. I took an imaginary breath to hold the ticklish. Unfortunately, not knowing to my suffering, father kept on weeping in the same position for... couple of hours, might be more.

When he finally overcame his sadness and be strong enough to stand, he walked unsteadily to the table, lit a light orb and sorted his books. After that he dragged the chair he used to observe my dying moment back to the table's side, sat down and started to read his sorted books.

"Not here...," I heard him muttered many times, accompanied by the flipping page sounds. Father diligently tried to find something, a way to help me I assumed, and only took a break to get a drink or go to toilet. The sun already rose and once again set outside, which I could tell thanks to the still opened window. On that second night, father finally gave up.

He rested his shoulders weakly on the chair. Books were piling up around him on either the table and floor. Rubbing his forehead, he mumbled, "Forgive me Mirana. To think I would be the one who end our son's life... If only I didn't fall asleep back then, I could try to summon his soul back like when he was still a newborn. But, his body was already so cold when I came to. *Sigh*. I shouldn't be so eager to test the effect to begin with. Or at least prepared a countermeasure beforehand. *Sigh*. Nevermind, it's too late now."

He turned his face and looked at me with a sorrowful eyes. "Please forgive this useless father of yours, Arz."

After emptying his cup with a gulp, father moved from his seat to my side. I could sense magic power filled the air as father used , the most basic spell taught to every kid that would make any physical laborers, athletes and soldiers of my previous life be jealous

He then lifted my body with ease and put me on his shoulder before went downstairs. We left through the back door, which fortunately he didn't forget to close afterwards like he usually did. The unfinished laundry from the other day that we passed by felt like something from a distant past now.

From the direction father took, I could guess where we were going. It should be the family's tomb. People of this world, rather than bury or cremate, put the dead in a cave. Either a natural or a man-made cave using the . Our family's was a natural one, located near the entrance of the forest next to the town.

However, we never arrived at the tomb. Since our house was at town's outskirts, it should only take half-hour to cover the distance, at most. Yet we hadn't arrived after walking for the whole night. There was only one explanation.

"Hmm, why can't I find the right path. Are we lost? No, that's not the case. It's unthinkable for the great me to get lost after all."

(Yes, we ARE lost! Stupid father, why can't you admit it already? *Sigh*)

"Wait here, Arz. I'm going to check the surroundings. The right path must be around here somewhere," he said while putting me down to a big tree. He then walked away and disappeared behind the trees.

(Uh, I should have expected this much, I guess. Considering father's bad sense of direction in addition to the dark night. Fortunately no animals attacked us so far. Wait, probably that's not it. Animals have strong instinct, they must have sensed how dangerous father is. As useless as he may, he still one of the strongest mage in the continent.)

The sun had risen while father gone. I began to worry that he got lost again. However, he showed up not so long after. Even with a big grin on his face, his weariness was clear as day, reflected in his eyes and the bags under them. The sunlight shined upon his face showed the many wrinkles on it. Looking at that, I could only smile bitterly in my mind. I was sure my eyes would be watery by now if my body still functioning.

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(Stupid father, you're old now. You should care for yourself more. Take a rest for a while and eat something in the meantime. Last time you eat was breakfast two days ago, wasn't it? And please marry a good woman once you have returned, one who can take a good care of you. Otherwise I can never rest in peace, you know. I'm sure mother will agree with me.)

"Hey, Arz," he happily said, didn't know how to read mood as usual. "I have found where we are. Look, that mountain on the left, we’re actually come from the other side last night. Mwa Ha Ha Ha Ha.”

(Uwaah, seriously, father? From the other side? We have crossed the mountain last night? I didn’t feel you’re that fast. Uh, should I say, as expected from you?)

“The problem is, I don’t think I will be able cross it again right away. I need to have some rest first,” he said.

(Of course. Please take your time, father.)

“But you have been dead for too long now. It’s not good if you have to wait until then. That’s why I took my time to check this area,” he continued and took me back to his shoulder.

(...? What are you trying to say, father?)

“Come, boy. I have found a nice cave suitable for your last resting place,” he said, as if replying to my unspoken question. “I may not be able to pay you a visit as often as to your mother here though.”

Within the next minutes, father brought me to a rocky hill. "Here we are," he remarked as we arrived. A cave entrance as big as a standard double-door was come to sight, it should be easy to miss in the tight forest if someone didn't pay enough attention.

Yet, when entering the cave, I came to confirm something else.

(-! This atmosphere, could it be... No, there's no mistake. Father, this is not a cave, it's a dungeon! How could a high-ranked mage like you not able to tell the differences?! No, but, mana in the atmosphere isn't that thick, it's probably a new dungeon. That's why the tired father couldn't tell. That's not the case with the always very mana-sensitive me however.)

It seemed the first room we entered was quite big, although it was hard to estimate the exact size in my position on father's shoulder. He took me to a corner and put me down. I was about to be laid on the floor at first, but since it was hard to do so with my already stiffened body, I ended up being rested to the wall.

"Don't you think it's quite nice here, boy? I personally think it may even better than our original family's tomb, Mwa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. There are several animals that make nest in this cave, but you don't need to worry, I have put a ward around this corner. They won't dare to approach or touch you," he said.

(A ward? I see, so that's the tingle sensation I felt when we came to this corner.)

Father looked at me with teary eyes and wry smile. "I guess this is farewell, Arz, my boy," he said, then reached and caressed my hair with his hand. "I'm not a good father, I know. I'm sorry for all the bad things you and your mother experienced because of me. To be honest, I don't even know how I can live without you from now on, but I will manage somehow," he continued.

(It's alright. I know you didn't mean ill. I accept my fate with a straight head, so you too must continue your life without regret, father. Thank you for everything.)

He kissed my forehead before standing up. "Good bye, Arz," he said, then turned and walked to the exit.

(Good bye, father. Take care and stay health, okay?)

After father's figure disappeared from my view, I began to wonder what would happen to me.

(Hmm. Since I don't how long I will stay conscious, dungeon is indeed more preferable than a mere tomb. At least I can hope that things will become interesting later with adventurers come to raid the dungeon. Even though I can only watch part of the first room. Uh.

By the way, will the ward be strong enough to repel even the incoming adventurers? Will it be weaken and fade with time?

What will happen to my consciousness if my body perish? It will perish sooner or later, right? Either by the adventurers, animals or natural cause... If, say, an animal eat me, will I be looking at its internal stomach for the rest of my life? Will I be excreted as a dung? Yuck.

Also, what will happen if the dungeon is conquered? Will the cave shut in?

Uwaah, too many unanswered questions. I wish I know more.)

While I was busy wondering, light began emitting and distracting me from my thought. I then realized the light source was none other than me. My body slowly turned into light particles.