After a short drive, we pull up in front of my house.

"See you tomorrow, Doms."

"See you too," I reply, waving at Arthur as I exited the limousine.

Vroom!

With a soft rumble, the limo drives away, leaving me to head inside alone.

I open the door to my house.

-Fwoosh!

Suddenly, André points his dark sword directly at my face.

The surprise freezes me, shock evident on both our faces.

"D-Dominic! I'm sorry!"

André stammers, quickly making his sword disappear into thin air.

I stood there, mute, trying to understand what had just happened. My heart skipped a beat, not just from the surprise but also because my instincts hadn't warned me.

I guess André must have sensed my Demon Orb in the briefcase.

André glances at the briefcase with a curious frown. "Dominic, is that a Demon Orb?"

His intuition is spot on. Like those attuned to 'Light magic,' André's affinity for Dark magic makes him sensitive to demonic magic energy.

"Uh... yeah."

His gaze shifts between the case and me, an intensity in his eyes that I find unnerving.

"Where did you get this?"

I explain the situation, telling him about the visit to 'Galerie des Trésors' with Arthur, how it was a celebration for the Stargate raid, and that the orb had been my prize.

Hearing this, André's expression eases.

"Can I see it?"

I carefully open the briefcase and hand him the orb. He takes it in his hands and examines it closely.

"Dominic, this is a very high-quality Demon Orb," he observes, catching me by surprise.

Arthur hadn't mentioned anything about its quality.

"Really? Do you know what rank it is?"

"Judging by the amount of mana it's emitting, I'd say it's a [A] ranked orb."

That information is a pleasant surprise.

A [A] ranked orb is significantly powerful. It will provide me a lot of Mana. If purified by a character I know from the web novel, it could provide me with a substantial mana reserve once I transition into a Manaficial.

Just as I digest André's assessment of the demon orb, a sudden movement catches my eye.

Emerging from the background with a broom in hand, Celine marches up to André and delivers a firm smack to his head.

-Smack!

"Ow!" André winces, bringing a hand up to the site of impact and turns to face Celine, bewildered. "What was that for?"

"You tried to stab Dominic!"

"But I thought there was a demon!" André attempts to justify his earlier aggression, albeit weakly.

Observing their interaction, I can only muster a bemused sweat drop. Family dynamics in the Eñeforte household are as lively as ever.

"That doesn't change the fact that you almost sliced Dominic." Celine retorts, her stance unwavering in her reproach of André's hasty actions.

Then, shifting her attention from André to me, Celine's expression softens into a warm smile.

"Welcome home, Dominic. You're just in time; dinner is ready!"

"Uhh, yeah."

Caught slightly off guard by the rapid change in atmosphere, I manage a response.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The evening has taken an unexpected turn, from the tense standoff with André to Celine's homely welcome.

Yet, despite the initial scare, the feeling of being back home, surrounded by familiar faces—even amid their unique brand of chaos—is comforting.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Seated at the dining table, I watch André across from me, who periodically rubs the spot on his head where Celine struck him.

I glance at the shelf where the demon orb is now encased in a glass box adorned with red runes. André explains that the glass casing neutralizes the demonic magic within the orb, ensuring that other Magicians don't mistakenly sense a demon's presence in our house.

The anticipation for dinner builds, especially since my stomach seems to have its way of expressing excitement.

"Here's the food."

Celine's voice pulls my attention away as she enters with a tray. She carefully places it on the table, unveiling an array of gourmet French cuisine that instantly makes my mouth water.

Before us is a beautifully prepared dish featuring chicken braised with wine, mushrooms, onions, and garlic.

-GROWL!

The aroma is intoxicating, and my stomach responds with an embarrassingly loud growl.

"Bon Appétit!"

I can't contain my excitement and eagerly stab my fork into the tender, wine-infused chicken.

"Dominic, how often do I have to tell you about manners!?" Celine's reminder halts me mid-bite.

Caught in the act, I offer an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Mum."

I scratch my head, realizing my eagerness has overtaken my manners.

-MUNCH!

Despite my earlier resolve, I find myself eating noisily again.

"Dominic!" Celine's voice carries a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

"S-Sorry, Mum!" I repeat, feeling a bit sheepish this time.

Celine sighs, placing a hand on her forehead. "You used to be much better with table manners. What on Sylvestria happened to you?"

"Come on, Celine, Dominic is just going through a phase. There's no need to worry." He then gives me a supportive look. "Besides, Dominic just raided a [E] ranked Stargate yesterday. He deserves to enjoy this meal."

André, attempting to diffuse the situation, looks at her with a reassuring smile.

Encouraged by André's words, I offer a grateful smile and nod, feeling slightly less guilty about my enthusiasm for the meal.

-Munch!

With the atmosphere lightened, I continued to enjoy the delicious food, making a mental note to practice more restraint in the future—at least when it comes to dining etiquette in front of Celine.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Stepping into the middle school grounds, the familiar rush of students around me feels different today. Their glances, whispers, and speculative stares follow me more intently than usual.

"Did you hear Lumi Everheart challenged him to a duel tomorrow!"

"Really? But why would she challenge him, a Manaless?"

"I don't know; she probably wants to debunk that a Manaless like him raided a [E] ranked Stargate."

The buzz about my upcoming duel with Lumi is everywhere.

I wonder briefly how the news has spread so quickly, but then I remember Lumi's open challenge in the hallway.

Word travels fast in school, especially involving someone like Lumi Everheart.

Still, the attention feels overwhelming.

"Hey, Doms!" Arthur's familiar voice breaks through the morning chatter as he slings an arm around my shoulders, catching up to me with his usual easy stride. "I heard Lumi challenged you to a duel."

I let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah."

"How come you didn't tell me yesterday?"

Arthur's question holds a note of surprise as if he expected to have been the first to know.

"You didn't ask," I point out, a small smile tugging at my lips despite the situation.

"Hmm, touche," Arthur concedes with a chuckle, recognizing the truth in my response.

I feel reassured walking through the school halls with Arthur by my side.

Regardless of the rumors and the anticipation building around the duel, having a friend like Arthur makes facing the challenges ahead less daunting.

"By the way, what happened with the Demon Orb after you got home yesterday?"

"I just left it at the house, and Dad almost cut me in half, thinking I was a demon breaking into my own home."

"Really? HAHAHA! That's pretty funny when you think about it." Arthur's laughter echoes around us as we navigate the school corridors.

"Funny?"

The word comes out more as a question, my eyebrows lifting in surprise.

"Yeah, just the thought of André mistaking you for a demon—it's hilarious, sorry."

I shake my head, a reluctant smile creeping onto my face despite my attempt to seem indignant.

"Glad to know my brush with death is amusing to you."

Patting my shoulder, Arthur manages to keep his laughter going.

"Hey, it's a bit funny, right? You're okay, and it shows how your family jumps into action... even if it's a bit over the top."

I exhale, the corners of my mouth turning into a more genuine smile.

"I suppose it's a little funny."

With a bit of distance from the incident, the whole scenario seems absurdly comedic, reflecting my new family's peculiar yet protective nature.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Manaless?"

Hearing the familiar taunt, I see Renard striding toward us, flanked by a couple of new faces who look like they've been recruited as his latest lackeys.

Great, what now?

I can't help but notice the bandage wrapped around the spot where I had kicked him previously, a small victory that brings a smirk to my face.

"What do you want, Bandage Boy?" I fire back, coining a nickname on the spot to throw him off his game.

Renard seems taken aback, not expecting me to hit back with a retort.

"Wha- what did—"

"Hahaha! Nice one, Doms!"

Arthur can't contain his laughter, clearly amused by the exchange.

Despite Renard's backup, any sense of intimidation fails to take hold.

Renard has yet to learn his lesson: I am no longer the same Dominic he used to push around. Dominic is from a different world and knows how to fight back.

"Oohhh looks like Renard is picking on him!"

"Yeah, but Dominic isn't backing down!"

Whispers and murmurs spread among the gathered onlookers, signaling that our confrontation has drawn an audience.

Renard, sensing the shift in the crowd's perception, grits his teeth.

"Tch! Consider yourself lucky, Manaless."

He spits out before turning on his heel, his so-called goons trailing behind him.

I watch them retreat, a part of me wondering about the futility of his actions.

"Seriously, what's his problem?" Arthur mutter under his breath.

Shaking my head, I turn to Arthur. "Let's head to class. I don't want to be late."

Moving past the minor disruption, I am ready to focus on the day ahead and leave Renard and his theatrics behind.