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."

a calm smile on my face,

much danger. We already lost you once, we can't afford to

"...Ah."

Those words.

an old promise I made. One

head, I

"…I-I, I will try."

a couple of seconds, a calm smile appeared n my father's face as he

"That's good enough.."

my father's words faded away, a gloomy atmosphere shrouded the room. Uncomfortable with this atmosphere, trying

the way, where is Nola? Is she in

should be out in

My mother replied.

"An hour?"

his watch,

do you want to go pick

"Can I?"

My eyes lit up.

I really missed Nola.

schedule, my mother

it was supposed to be my turn to pick her up. But since you're here,

"Yes, that soun—"

stopping myself mid-sentence, I looked at my

did you just

mishear? Or was it a different

right, you

eyes

speaking about how she met Amanda, and how helpful she had been. From how she would always pick Nola up whenever they were busy,

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

hard

it wasn't an unpleasant

was once again

Ren, why haven't you ever told me

"…ehm, mom?"

at me with shining in her eyes, I scooted a bit further away from her. The pressure that she was exuding was a

Leaning over, she asked.

really

"…Yeah."

I awkwardly replied.

interacted with Amanda from time to time, I don't ever

"Really?"

and gave

there's nothing going on between us. I think she just

withstand Nola's charm, especially Amanda who liked cute

if you say

asked any questions about

or so,

me multiple times where I had been during these past eight months, I promptly dodged those questions.

that, we chatted about many different things, and through this conversation, my mind,

her mouth with her hand,

dear, I think it's almost time for

"Now? Okay."

from the sofa, I turned around and embraced both of my parents one last time before leaving the room.

again, I resolved myself

for my sake

*

5 P.M.

in front of a

be

once, I was sure that this was the location of Nola's preschool.

in front of me, I could see cute pictures and paintings hanging outside the windows of the

carefully touched my face. Currently, I was wearing a skin mask. For obvious reasons, I couldn't just go meet Nola with

as that would put my family in a lot of danger. Thus, I could only do this

—Riiing!

of the of Preschool. Following

"huuu."

happily running towards their parents, taking a deep breath, and fixing my clothes I moved towards the entrance of the kindergarten.

I'm sure you guys have already been informed about

them of my arrival. If they didn't do that, the Preschool would've never allowed me to see

care lady