Scarlet

The next few hours end up being rather hectic. Mostly with me going through and explaining everything. Talking about my fight with the Voided Overlord, my beating him, then my recovery time afterwards, and finally, explaining who Shirou is. Also the fact that she’ll be living with me for the time being.

Then we move onto their turn. And they spend even longer explaining to me everything that’s happened in the past two decades.

Some of which – the majority of the important things – I’ve already figured out myself from looking at the planets.

Like the religions revolving around me that I’m gonna pretend don’t exist. And Belle and Arthur’s wedding that they’re already itching to plan now that I’m back.

But there’s also Denise and Michael’s having gotten married, with those two not having waited like Belle and Arthur did to have their ceremony. Which doesn’t really bother me.

Honestly wasn’t expecting Belle and Arthur to wait in the first place.

Then there’s the changes to Earth and Tartarus’s societies, with void creatures apparently occasionally appearing where there are no sapient creatures nearby. Just slipping through cracks in reality that appear once in a while, and have been appearing ever since my fight with the Voided Overlord.

But no one can fix that, and according to the fae royals, Tar included, it’s not a problem that’ll get any worse than it already is.

So they’re just treating it as the new job for Guardians and demons to perform now that the war is over. A way to level up.

Which works for me.

A lot of people would’ve been very upset if they lost their method to level. And to stop aging.

Lastly, of the important things at least, a new tournament has been created. An annual one where all the human Guardians and demons fight for the right to be known as the most powerful on Earth.

And, of course, the Demon King, Demon Lords, and Knights all compete in a different bracket.

Because it wouldn’t be fair otherwise.

Other than them, everyone competes in the main bracket. With the winners being declared the current Champion of the Two Worlds and also getting the opportunity to compete in the other bracket every year. The one for the Demon King, Demon Lords, and Knights. Even if they lose the title of Champion in the future.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

And on top of those two brackets, there is also a third special bracket made by the creator of magical realities. One that is not made of directly one on one duels. With the exact tournament format changing each and every year.

Unfortunately, I just missed the last tournament. But the winner of it was actually a certain kitsune who shall not be named.

I feel a shiver run down my spine at the memory of my time in their castle.

Yeah, I’m never going back there again.

“Agreed,” Tar says with a nod of his head as he sits on my shoulder, my lap still being occupied by a sleeping Aria.

Kind of wonder when she’s going to wake up, but it’s fine. She can sleep as long as she wants.

That said…

Now that all of the explanations have been finished, I turn my attention towards the little guy. Who is currently awkwardly fidgeting with more than a little nervousness rather obvious in his mannerisms as he sits on his mother’s lap in a chair.

I smile at him as Belle says, “I said this earlier, but this is Ryan Barnes, and he will be turning six years old in December.” She leans down to put her chin on his shoulder and look at his face as she whispers, “Say hi to Aunty Scarlet, okay?”

He nods his head and waves at me, saying, “Hi Aunty Scarlet!”

I feel my smile growing wider as I give him a little wave, consciously tone down the power in my voice so as to not frighten him in any way, and answer, “Hello, little Ryan. It’s nice to meet you.”

The little boy looks surprised for a second before he smiles back at me and nods firmly once.

I feel my smile growing a little bit at that.

He’s a cute little fella.

I reach over to pat him on the head before glancing down at Aria, who is finally starting to stir. Which makes Alexander immediately get up from next to me and kneel down on the floor again as her eyes slowly flutter open.

And immediately after they do, a faint haze of confusion covers them. Followed shortly by depression, only for it all to fade again when she sees whose lap she is currently lying on.

Then there’s a repeat of earlier as she shoots up to wrap her arms around my neck, ignoring her father entirely as she exclaims, “You’re back!!!”

I pat her back in return with a smile, feeling ever so slightly awkward since she’s taller than I am and is half lying across my lap while clinging to me.

Everyone around us smiles at the second round of the reunion. Meanwhile I just keep patting her back as I quietly tell her, “Don’t worry, I won’t be leaving again anytime soon.”

Annnnndddd she starts crying again.

I glance at Tar, who had quickly jumped up into the air to avoid being punched in the process of her tackling me and wrapping her arms around my neck. And he just smiles wryly at me.

Eventually she finally stops crying and gets off my lap, only to glance at her father and blink a few times.

Then, after a few seconds of silence, she tilts her head and asks, “Dad? Since when were you here?”

And I can’t hold it in.

I laugh alongside everyone else as Alexander gets a look akin to a gaping fish on his face.

But even with his shock, he looks happy. Very happy.

Because, from what they all told me, Aria has been depressed for a while now because of my absence. So this must be the first time he’s seen her cheerful again in a long time.

So I keep laughing with everyone else laughing with me.

And even Alexander begins to laugh at some point.

Leaving Aria seeming rather confused in all of this, clearly unsure of what we’re laughing about.