Chapter 121.2: I'm home Part 2

***

Several more days passed.

The carriage, which felt like it was on an endless journey, finally reached its destination.

"We've arrived, Young Master."

The carriage door opened smoothly.

Through the gradually widening view, a familiar building came into sight.

A mansion, both imposing and tranquil.

I was home.

"......"

Stepping back into my sanctuary after almost a month brought a wave of emotion.

As I stood there for a moment, taking in my surroundings, a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Brother!!"

A warm body collided with my back.

Turning around, I saw a red-haired girl beaming up at me.

Perhaps it was because it had been a while since her last display of affection.

My heart warmed as I spoke her name.

"Ariel."

"I missed you, Brother...!!"

Ariel clung to me with a bright smile.

I gently stroked her red hair, returning her embrace.

If I didn't stop her, she'd probably continue bouncing around like an excited puppy. It seemed I was missed more than I realized.

"I missed you too."

"Heehee..."

"That happy to see me?"

"Mhm!"

It felt like I was holding a small, fluffy dog.

Of course, Ariel wasn't the only one who came to greet me.

As I waited for a moment, more familiar voices reached my ears.

"Welcome back, Young Master."

"Raiden, I've been waiting...!"

"Little Master."

"Did everything go well, Raiden?"

Rachel.

Lucy.

Gilbert.

Father.

Every single one of them welcomed me back with open arms.

Unable to contain my smile, I walked towards them.

"Is everything alright, Raiden? That Phyler girl didn't cause any more trouble, did she?"

"I'm fine, Your Highness."

"Have you been eating properly? You seem to have lost weight since you left."

"I think I've actually gained weight..."

"Now that the Duke mentions it, your cheeks do seem a bit thinner."

"What are you talking about, old man..."

I was bombarded with concern and affection.

As I responded to each of them in turn, I felt a finger poke my cheek.

I turned to see a brown-haired girl standing there.

"Welcome back, Young Master."

"Rachel."

"Did things get resolved, like you said they would?"

"Well... Not perfectly, but I managed to sort things out for the most part."

"That's good to hear."

The girl smiled, her captivating eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I was worried, you know... I even wondered if you were having nightmares."

"How young do you think I am?"

"Hmm, about eight?"

"Our relationship seems to be stuck in the past."

We exchanged lighthearted banter.

Finally, it felt like I was truly home.

Pushing down the warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest, I addressed everyone before me.

"I'm home."

I'm home.

***

Meanwhile, in a tiny space within the boy's unconscious, a serious conversation was taking place.

Two figures observed the peaceful scene unfolding before them.

They were the 'fragments of existence', bearing the appearances of Kim Naru and Raiden.

"...What are we going to do?"

Naru, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

The question hung in the air.

Raiden, sitting beside him, shrugged as if he didn't understand.

"What do you mean?"

"About the status window... about 'that person'. He seems to have gotten the wrong idea."

"What about it?"

"I don't think we can just ignore this."

Naru frowned at the nonchalant response.

Raiden's carefree attitude was starting to grate on his nerves.

Right now, 'he' felt betrayed by the status window, harboring negative feelings towards it.

The misunderstanding would be cleared up eventually.

But knowing the truth made it difficult to watch 'him' suffer, even if it was temporary...

"Ignore what? He seems perfectly fine to me."

"Ha, haha..."

Raiden let out a nervous chuckle as if feeling the sting of his glare.

"Besides, there's nothing we can do about it, is there? We're forbidden from talking about that person."

"Right, about that..."

Naru rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Raiden patted his back reassuringly.

"Don't worry about it. It's just a misunderstanding. It'll clear up soon enough."

"Hmm..."

"He'll understand eventually... how much that person sacrificed for us, and how long they've been on our side."

That person had always been there for them, no matter what.

Raiden trailed off, a strange smile playing on his lips.

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