The Author's POV

Had to rewrite the whole chapter, everything is now solved, enjoy.

"Ren, where have you been…I thought…I thought…"

Staring at my mother who was choking on her words, I felt a slight pang in my heart. Scooting over to her side and caressing her back, I reassured her that everything was alright.

"I know, but don't worry. Everything is over, I'm here."

"Sniff, sniff,...Okay."

Nodding her head weakly, my mother eventually calmed down. After a while, wiping the tears in the corner of her eyes, she asked.

"Ren, what are you going to do now? Now that you're back, will you go back to the Academy?"

With a smile on my face, I shook my head.

"No, ill be going away on a trip."

"A trip?" Taken aback by my response, my mother lifted her head and asked. "How long will it take? Will you be back by the end of the weekend?"

Closing my eyes, I once again shook my head.

"…no, I'll be going for a bit longer than that."

"Longer? A week?"

Pursing my lips, and staring at my mother in the eyes, I responded.

"..A couple of years."

"What!?"

My mother suddenly stood up in shock.

With her eyes wide open, she shouted. "You just came back and you're already leaving? What do you think you're doing?! Don't you care about how we feel?"

'It's because I care about you that I have to go.'

I inwardly muttered to myself, but never actually said those words out loud.

I didn't want to let my parents know about the chip and the bounty on my head. If they heard about it, I wouldn't even want to imagine how they'd react.

Therefore, lowering my head and clenching my fists, I resolutely replied.

"Mom, Dad, although I know I have been gone for the past eight months, I really wish you let me go. I need to go on this trip."

I needed to become stronger.

This trip was the key to achieving that. Throughout my whole life in this new world, I realized how flawed this world I created was. Everything in this world revolved around backing and power, and without it, you were nothing.

I understood this clearly. Even then, I couldn't stand that.

Never again did I want to feel so helpless. Never again did I was to go through a similar situation as before.

This was why this trip was necessary.

I needed to change myself, and become more ruthless and decisive. I still laked a lot of experience, and my mind was still too immature for this world.

If I truly wanted to survive in this world, and defeat the demon king, this was the only path I could take.

"No, Ren, I cant le-"

Despite my words, my mother still shook her head. However, right before she was about to disagree, my father put his hand on her shoulder and said.

"Let him."

"Ronald!" My mother looked at my father in shock. "Are you really going to let him go like this? Right after he only just came back to us?"

Looking back at my mom, Ronald shook his head and pointed at me. "Just look at him. He's already made up his mind. There is no changing his decision."

"But."

"Just leave him be. He's already an adult, we can't do anything about his decision"

Lifting my head up, I gratefully looked at my dad.

"Thank you"

hope you promise me

"Tell me."

on

stay safe and don't put yourself into too much danger. We already lost you once, we can't afford to lose you again. Promise

"...Ah."

Those words.

of an old promise I made. One that I couldn't

my head, I

"…I-I, I will try."

calm smile appeared n my father's face as

"That's good enough.."

words faded away, a gloomy atmosphere shrouded the room. Uncomfortable with this atmosphere, trying

where is Nola? Is she in

in preschool, she should be out in

My mother replied.

"An hour?"

his watch,

if you have time, do you want to go pick

"Can I?"

My eyes lit up.

I really missed Nola.

her schedule,

it was supposed to be my turn to pick her up. But

"Yes, that soun—"

myself mid-sentence, I looked at my mother

did you

perhaps mishear? Or was it

right, you still don't

mother's eyes suddenly

always pick Nola up whenever they were busy, to how she would drop by at

excitedly talk about Amanda, millions of questions emerged in my mind. In the end, I could

a hard one

it wasn't

thoughts was once again my mother as she suddenly

me that you knew such

"…ehm, mom?"

eyes, I scooted a bit further away from her. The

Leaning over, she asked.

really only

"…Yeah."

I awkwardly replied.

I don't ever recall our relationship being anything more

"Really?"

her eyes and gave

us. I think

Amanda who

if you say

my mom no longer asked any questions about my relationship

so, I caught up with

my parents did try to ask me multiple times where I had been during these past eight months, I promptly

chatted about many different things, and through this conversation,

her mouth with her hand,

dear, I think it's almost time for Nola to finish Preschool, you

"Now? Okay."

both of my parents one last time before leaving the room. Before I left, I made

again, I resolved

for my sake

*

5 P.M.

a large

be the

the location of Nola's preschool. Besides me, I could see a lot

could see cute pictures and paintings hanging outside

go meet Nola with my face. Although most people may have forgotten who I was, there was a chance that someone could've recognized me. After all, I did appear on national

family in a lot of danger. Thus, I could only

—Riiing!

a bell ringing in the distance signaling the end of the of Preschool. Following the bell, the doors of

"huuu."

the entrance of the kindergarten. Approaching the care lady, who was

pick up Nola Dover. I'm sure

If they

care lady stepped aside and entered