The doors to the wagon opened, and what awaited us at the end of our trip was a spectacular sight of the University grounds. Simply entering the territory countless students enrolled in here go to in order to learn and improve was an unforgettable experience, and one that is only made even more interesting with Meil's tour guide along the way.
"Ah, here we are." He pointed, "Welcome to Dimitri Uni, friends. As you know, the 5 different Universities each have a community built around them for the students enrolling within, and the entire size of this one is roughly comparable to that of a small town."
"So many students..." Eleanor smiled as we passed by countless other people dressed in uniform, "But they all look like they have some sort of pin on their clothes. What is that?"
"I heard those pins are for easier rank recognition." Issei commented, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Universities have 15 ranks to them, don't they?"
"That is correct." Meil then showcased his own little badge he kept as a necklace, "As you can see from the design, this is the badge for Quartions - The fourth rank of 15."
"...Eh." Ed wasn't amused, "You're saying a guy as smart and incredible as you couldn't make it to rank #1 the moment you set foot in this place? For shame, seriously..."
"Hey, Ed!" Eleanor got mad at him, "Let's see you do better, then!"
"No, it is alright." Meil shut everyone up when he took out a small bottle of pills, "This may sound like an excuse, but the probability of me doing better in my academic journey had I not been hindered by my schizophrenia is pretty high."
...Did this guy just say he has schizophrenia? Geez, I just... Wait, hold on, dammit. You can't just throw a fastball on us after keeping this huge secret from everyone!
"...Why is everyone looking at me?" He shook the bottle a bit, "Did I say something odd?"
"Uhh, yeah?!" Issei scrambled to ask as many questions as he could think of, "Since when did you have schizophrenia, dude!?"
"Oh, that. I believe it was around the time Nelly came to University that I first noticed it, but in hindsight, I am sure I was experiencing its effects even way before."
"Like for example?" I tilted my head.
"...I do not wish to reveal that to you." He looked embarrassed to tell us what had happened, "Ah, it appears we have made it to the house."
Noticing that the wagon driver stopped and turned around to inform us on the matter, we were still a bit peeved that we didn't get to hesr the end of this shocking story. To hear that Meil was dealing with such heavy stuff while all alone out here is one thing, but to now know that I've essentially only made his life even more difficult by making him have to deal with Nelly on top of his mental illness is just sad. I feel bad, so I can only hope that my Nelly wasn't being too much of a pain. Just then, though, the doors to the wagon's carriage burst open as a young ginger haired girl happily jumped to hug her beloved crush.
"Meil!" She hugged and hugged without even noticing the rest of us, "Dammit, you said you were just gonna go out for a stroll, so where have you been all this time!?"
"A-Ah, Nelly..." He tried pushing her away from him, but she wouldn't budge, "Please, just give me some space first, then I will explain-"
"Zip it!" She berated him, "Do you know scared I was that something happened to you!? I made your favorite dish so you would have something to eat when you got back, only for Kevin and Kiria to just reveal you actually went to the dock! What reason could you possibly have to..."
"Oh great, looks like she finally noticed us." Ed grinned back at her as he patted me on the knee, "Hey, you think she'll scream?"
"Ah." She whimpered once she noticed me, immediately letting go of Meil, "D-Dad...?"
And just like that, she fell to the ground unconscious. Well, I'd say that was well within the realm of expectations when it comes to how she would react. In truth, I really didn't know how she would take seeing me alive and well in front of her again, so I was kinda getting excited to find out. One part of me believed she would cry and wail with all her might, hugging me tightly while shouting "Papa, papa! You're back!", but the other part of me sort of knew that the age of being called that was already long gone. Another part of me was way more pessimistic, instead worrying over the possibility of Nelly not believing I was really her dad, but rather some sort of impostor. In the end though, I guess I was wrong in every possible simulation. I failed to take into account that she was still just a little girl in the end, and said little girl simply couldn't take the shock all at once, so she resorted to fainting.
"Ahem... Well." Issei coughed, "Cute daughter you have there, Lune."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, thanks."
"Yeah." He continued just looking at her splayed on the floor, "So... You gonna like, lift her up or are you just gonna leave her there?"
"Oh!" I finally snapped out of it to spring into action, "Oof, she's heavier than I remember!"
"Mgh... I'm not fat..." She muttered under her breath, "Fuck you..."
"Looks like she heard you." Othelia ascertained.
"Seriously, girls take offence to being called heavy, you know." Eleanor too looked at me with Eyes of heavy disdain.
Geez, I know! And I didn't mean it like that, seriously! I just meant she grew up into a fine girl is all! Well, not too fine, hopefully, cause if she's usually this clingy with Meil in their everyday life together, I'm gonna have to give them both a very stern talking to. Absolutely no explicit relationships! They're banned!
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"Alright." I turned to Meil after I lifted her up on my back, "Where to now?"
"Just take her inside for now."
"Inside where?"
"The house." He pointed to the giant mansion that almost brought the Grys Estate to shame, "You can just put her down on one of the beds there, though the couch is fine too."
"Uhh, sure..."
Gulping as I stepped inside his supposed house, I was immediately blinded by all the White marble reflecting the Sun's rays into my Eyes. Heck, I almost dropped Nelly as soon as I opened the door because of it. I understand he told me to just plop her down in any bed I could find, but due to the sheer length of the damned main foyer, I got way too tired by the time we even reached the first door from the entrance. I'm sure you can imagine the sheer disappointment I felt in that moment, when I opened the door and realized it led to the kitchen - a place not usually known for having any sort of bed inside it. Well I guess I could put her on one of the chairs over by the dining table, but in all honesty just the island in the kitchen is big enough to be classified as king sized. Dammit, I need to find a bed quick, otherwise my teeth are gonna get filed flat from all this envy...
"Ugh, what's going on...?" Nelly woke up slightly as I was still carrying her to a bed, "Where are we going?"
"You fell unconscious, pumpkin." I smiled warmly, "I'm taking you to your bed."
"Mhm..." She hugged me even tighter as she muttered, "My room is upstairs, though..."
"Which one?" I asked.
"Two rooms down and to the left of the hallway." She closed her Eyes, still a bit delirious from her short nap, "Dad, where's mom?"
"She's back home with your brother."
"Oh. Huh, but aren't we home right now?" She asked.
"...Yeah, just go back to sleep for now."
She's so meek all of a sudden. Perched tightly on my back, as if scared to let go for even a split second. Judging by her somewhat out of it replies, it seems she's confusing the present and past a bit. She knows she's in Meil's house and even remembers the location to her room, but also thinks we're still in Cardina, presumably before the war started and I died. Like this, her body may have grown a few centimeters, but she still feels like the sweet daughter I raised way back when. Nelly, now that I think about it, she too had to deal with Meil's schizophrenia. I'm sure she had her own fair share of things she had to endure ever since moving here, not to mention having to say goodbye to her family...
"You've grown into a wonderful girl." I whispered, "And I couldn't be more proud."
By this point she had already fallen out of consciousness again. Who knows if she even heard me say anything this time, but her grip around me softened, indicating she was sleeping soundly at least. Finally making it up the stairs and over to the third room to the left, I opened the door of the spacious room and gently tucked her under the covers of the bed. Seeing her sleeping face in that instant made my vision blurry. No wait, my vision isn't blurry, my Eyes just started crying. Really, she's already 14, huh? But when she's like this, it's like I'm back with Cecily in Great Hiana, all those years ago...
"Ah, there you are." Ed found me after a few minutes, "How's she doing?"
"She's fine. She should be waking up any minute now, it was just a bit of a shock is all."
"Hold on, you crying?"
"...And what if I am?"
Seeing me like this, he sighed before sitting next to the bed as well and patting me on the shoulder a few times.
"Dude, I was just messing with ya'." He said as he looked at her, "I was worried too, of course I was. I guess this is another one of those things only parents can understand, huh?"
"Cheh, still stuck up on that?" I smirked, "Y'know, as their uncle, you're just as much of a parent to my kids as I am."
"Grim..."
Really, he'd make an amazing dad, he just lacks the confidence, I think. Nelly and Cene have grown into wonderful kids under his guidance while I was absent, and I really am happy that it was he that turned them into the incredible youths they are today. No doubt, if you were to ask them personally, they would tell you the same thing I did. Ed, he has his personal issues, but that obviously doesn't stop him from pushing forward every day and loving the people that mean the world to him. Always honest, not only with us, but himself as well. Making sure to keep a cheery atmosphere at most times, but knowing when to reel it in and get serious if the situation calls for it. That's my best friend, and the person whom I owe the most to.
"Oh, so you were here." Meil poked his head through the door, "Well, I did say you could take her to whatever room had a bed in it, but I must say you picked an odd choice."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, one would assume you would go to the room closest to the entrance..." He scratched his cheek, "But taking her to my room is a bit..."
Eh? But wait, didn't Nelly say...? H-Hey, dammit! You little rascal, wipe that annoying smug grin off your face! Don't tell me she sleeps in Meil's bed? Normally I'd call myself stupid for even considering such a possibility, but knowing her cunning ass, she probably tricked him into letting her keep him company to help deal with the nightly terrors a schizophreniac might experience! ...Nah, I'm tripping. There's no way that'd happen, she probably just said something random back then, yeah.