The Second Strongest Has Returned

Chapter 88 : Speeding Violation – 3

The heartfelt reunion on the train continued.

Anus had apparently sent a letter complaining that Leo wouldn’t be able to visit after Aria entered the temple.

However, with the generous amount of money being sent and the frequent updates, Dean managed to calm Anus down and reconcile with him through letters.

Aria, on the other hand, had told them not to send letters at all, only to regret it and pound the ground in frustration two hours later.

As for Lumine, she lamented that it had become part of her routine to stop Aria from running away and comfort her afterward.

The only ones who remained silent were a young man and her daughter.

“[Does that prophet bother you?]”

The Sage, instead of speaking as a spirit, let his voice resonate inside the Sage’s Stone. This ensured that no one outside could hear the conversation.

<…It does.>

If he had met the prophet with his past disposition, he would have felt nothing more than interest or curiosity about the situation.

The issue lay in the fact that the prophet’s prediction connected events from before Leo’s regression things that had yet to occur.

“[The chances of that are slim. Even I think it’s too deliberate to be coincidental.]”

Even meeting Anus and Dean now felt as if some invisible causality was guiding Leo forward.

“[It might not be the answer, but it’ll at least give you a formula to solve this.]”

Once the decision was made, there was no reason to hesitate. As always, he would act.

“Chief.”

At the moment when everyone had fallen silent and the protagonist of the conversation felt the tension, Leo finally spoke.

All eyes turned toward him.

“Would it be possible for us to meet your prophet friend?”

“Suddenly? Why?”

Dean, who had been leading the conversation, looked puzzled by Leo’s sudden request. Surprisingly, the one who understood was Anus, who had been asked the question.

“Sure. I don’t see why not.”

“But why are you asking? Do you want to get a prophecy? Something about the future, perhaps…”

At those words, Aria tucked her hair behind her ears, secretly looking forward to Leo’s answer. She probably had romantic or innocent thoughts in mind, like compatibility or love fortunes.

“I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if we could interpret a revelation through prophecy.”

Of course, Leo had no such intentions, either externally or internally.

Perhaps disappointed by his businesslike attitude, Aria’s face flushed as she looked slightly deflated.

“Certainly, revelations and prophecies are closely linked. It might be a good idea to visit.”

“…But is that really okay? That person…”

“If you think about it, it’s legal, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

The phrase ‘if you think about it’ was a little concerning, but since it was legal, it probably wouldn’t be an issue.

At worst, the fact that Lumine, an adult, and Aria, the Hero, were present would be the most concerning factor.

“But before that,”

Anus looked out the window and pointed to the station coming into view.

“Would it be alright if we visited the Reinhardt family estate?”

“Uh…”

Leonardo hesitated for a moment. He couldn’t immediately give an answer, even if refusing might seem rude.

The issue wasn’t that Anus or Dean would be a nuisance. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

“[…Most of your family isn’t in their right mind, you know…]”

As the Sage pointed out, the problem lay with the family. Leonardo already had visions of the Reinhardt family’s chaos flashing through his mind.

It was pure chaos and madness. The real question was whether Anus and Dean could even endure such a scene.

“Chief, that’s really not a good idea.”

Thankfully, Dean pointed that part out before Leo had to.

“They’re probably busy welcoming the young lady who returned as a Hero. Suddenly showing up would definitely be overwhelming.”

It was a thoroughly reasonable point, and thankfully so. Sending money and meat to another address out of guilt when they left the village dishonorably had finally paid off.

“Oh, it’s fine. There are plenty of servants at the mansion, so preparing to host us wouldn’t be that difficult.”

But Aria ruthlessly pushed at the frayed threads of Leo’s mental composure. It wasn’t like she was wrong, and there was no malice, so Leo couldn’t even find a proper rebuttal.

“And introducing Ain would probably turn the household upside down. It would only make things more complicated, and misunderstandings could arise…”

It wouldn’t just be a misunderstanding; they’d probably face false accusations so baffling that it would lead to utter confusion. It was inevitable in that kind of household.

“In any case, we just arrived in town, so we’re not going anywhere right away. The prophet isn’t leaving today or tomorrow, so let’s take our time.”

Leonardo felt a genuine sense of brotherhood at that incredibly reasonable remark. The weight of the bond he felt now was perhaps comparable to that of his late mother’s.

“The train is stopping. I suppose we should prepare to disembark.”

As the sound of brakes echoed, the train’s speed gradually slowed. When the train came to a halt, passengers began exiting in an orderly fashion at the conductor’s guidance.

“Well, I’ll see you later. Ain, listen to your father while Uncle is gone, alright?”

Dean patted Ain, who stood expressionlessly next to Leo.

Leo had long grown tired of denying that he was a father, but when he thought of all that Dean had done, he couldn’t help but be grateful.

“Thank you, Uncle Dean. Thanks to you, my father’s heart rate has stabilized significantly.”

“…Uh… um… Could you talk a bit more simply? Uncle didn’t study much.”

Dean looked flustered as he stroked Ain’s head and then glanced at Leonardo.

“At least you look better now. The work is tough, but your face looks a lot better.”

Dean grinned widely as he patted Leo’s back a few times. Seeing his little brother now grown enough to not even need him to bend down brought both pride and a strange, indescribable feeling.

“Thanks, big bro. I’ll buy you a fancy meal later.”

“…Hmm… Instead of a meal…”

Dean glanced sideways at Lumine, who was exchanging greetings with Anus. The sunlight reflecting off the station’s metallic clock made Lumine’s wings shine even brighter.

“…Could you introduce me to a nice girl?”

Leo eventually told him about the Saint’s teachings and how Lumine’s appearance concealed her gender. Dean then felt the shattering of his innocent hope crumble like dust.

Leo made a mental note to introduce Dean to some of the juniors and seniors he knew from the Magic Tower someday.

“Well, I’ll get going. Don’t make the poor girl suffer too much.”

“Sure, sure. How could I?”

Leo replied in a lighthearted tone. It wasn’t out of arrogance, but because he was genuinely happy to be talking so casually with an old friend again.

“You talk a good game.”

“I have the skills to back it up, too.”

It was a joke that was as biting as it was sharp.

Anus laughed softly at the dry jest before walking off with Dean. Midway, though, Anus slowed his steps and eventually came to a halt.

“…Aren’t you bored? Have you found what you were looking for?”

Leonardo, smiling at the deliberate slowness of the question, answered.

“Thanks to you, I found it. I haven’t had a chance to feel bored.”

“…Good. Don’t be late getting home.”

With those words, Anus walked forward without looking back, a mix of bittersweet emotions filling him.

“Are you okay with this?”

“With what?”

There was no way bittersweetness could also be refreshing.

“You were planning to scold Leo for always getting into dangerous situations.”

“It’s better than him dying a mercenary’s death in some backwater. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

Still, the reason it was bittersweet was because, despite the somber situation, there was also a sense of relief.

“He’s grown up well. Leonardo, I mean.”

“…Thank goodness. That he can smile like that.”

Maybe it was because Leo himself had finally realized something.

That thought lingered briefly in Anus’s mind.

* * *

Not only Anus and Dean were filled with a bittersweet sense of parting. For Leonardo, who was on his way to the estate, the focus wasn’t on the ‘refreshing’ part of bittersweet it was entirely on the ‘bitter.’

“[Why the long face on your way back after such a long time?]”

While he’d overcome a small hurdle, it felt like an impossibly high spire was waiting for him next.

Marquen, of course, and Family Head Gladio were probably sharpening and polishing their swords. Chris and Silica would likely be fine, but the unpredictable Rios was a factor that couldn’t be overlooked.

“…We’re here…! It’s been such a long time.”

Aria looked at the mansion with an expression filled with sentiment. To Leonardo, the house always felt grand, immense, and overwhelming, but to Aria, it was simply her familiar home.

“Will this really be okay? We didn’t even send proper notice…”

In truth, they had returned as soon as the revelation descended, so he wasn’t sure if a telegram had even reached the family.

After the Blue Tower Master’s daughter’s incident, warp gate usage had been temporarily suspended, making the train the fastest and most efficient means of travel.

“It should be fine. If they threw a party or a big welcome, it’d be a hassle in its own way.”

That was true, but for Leonardo, it felt too dismissive for a family reunion after such a long time.

At the very least, he could use this as time to think of an explanation for Ain.

“We’ve arrived.”

Standing at the mansion’s main gate was a woman in an unnecessarily long black coat, holding an unlit cigar in her mouth.

“It’s been a while, Lady Chris.”

“…Aria?”

The cigar dropped from Chris’s mouth as she stared at Aria in shock. She then glanced at Lumine standing beside Aria and asked with trembling lips,

“…D-Don’t tell me you received the revelation?”

Aria smiled brightly.

“Yes! Properly!”

As she said that, she proudly lifted the Holy Sword. The sacred light from the blade spread all around them, announcing the Hero’s triumphant return.

“…It’s truly beautiful…! I’m so proud of you, Aria!”

“I still have a long way to go. Leo trained at the Magic Tower and can freely wield a magic sword!”

Chris’s eyes sparkled at that comment. As expected, she was a woman with childlike innocence, drawn to anything dazzling.

“Just like Rios said.”

“Pardon? Rios mentioned that?”

Leo hadn’t expected Rios to explain all this, which was surprising in its own way.

“Of course. He told us all about how you completed the ‘Aria of Martial and Magic’ and how you were called a Tower Master in the Magic Tower.”

“…Wait… How do you even know the name of my signature magic?”

“Isn’t that what it’s called? It’s officially registered in the Magic Tower’s signature magic archive.”

Leo now had one less reason to keep Rios alive and one more reason to kill him.

“Who’s the child? I don’t think I’ve seen them before.”

Chris’s gaze turned to Ain, who was cloaked in a robe.

“This is Ain. I apologize for not introducing her sooner.”

“…Ain? And her parents are…?”

Leo tried to explain in the calmest, most natural way possible…

“She’s Leo’s daughter! Isn’t she cute?!”

“[It’s over.]”

So was his life.