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“Are you really leaving?”
“……”
Even after some time had passed since I asked the question, there was still no response.
As the silence grew, I couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Alfred. He was staring out beyond the fence, his face showing a mix of emotions.
As I began to fret whether I had upset him by bringing up the topic, Alfred’s tightly sealed lips slowly began to move.
“I’m not really sure… what to do, or what’s the most important and right thing to do…”
“Why not just do what you want?”
Alfred let out a weak smile for a moment before replying, “Haha, I wish it was that easy.”
“……”
“Back when I first came to the farm, my only goal was to be strong. I would even sacrifice my sleep to train harder, and I’d relentlessly go after my opponents.”
“Yeah, I remember. You were like that back then.”
Alfred used to be overly sensitive, aggressive, and fixated on training, as if he were running away from something.
“At that time, I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t bear the thought of falling behind my brother. But I’ve changed my mind a lot since I came here.”
“……”
“While I was working hard on the farm, I began to see things that I had overlooked before. I realized how foolish I had been, and decided to stay to reflect on myself a little more. Plus, I enjoyed spending time with the family on the farm,” Alfred reminisced with a faint smile. However, his expression soon turned serious as he continued his story.
“But when I saw my brother yesterday, it made me think. Was I being too immature by staying here? My ultimate goal is still to surpass my older brother.”
“What are you talking about?! You work so hard on the farm and never skip your training, even on busy days,” I said, not just trying to console him.
It was true that Alfred never skipped his daily training. Even on days when he was swamped with farm work and had little time, he made up for it by sacrificing his sleep.
Watching him make such a diligent effort, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for him. Although I often avoided practicing swordsmanship with him…
Alfred shook his head vigorously in response to my praise. “For the people of the Verdi family, it’s just an ordinary thing. Even the youngest kids undergo this level of training.”
“Ugh… I’d be completely drained if I trained like that every day.”
“Haha! You’ll get used to it eventually, and it’ll become more manageable,” Alfred chuckled.
For a moment, light laughter flowed between us.
“Last night, I was thinking quietly and had a scary thought. I’m enjoying life here so much that I’m afraid I might unintentionally stray from my original goals,” Alfred shared, his face reflecting various complicated feelings. I smiled gently and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry too much. Just do what you truly want to do.”
Silence lingered for a moment before I continued, “If it’s a choice you’ve thought about sincerely, there’ll surely be a positive outcome. You’ve come a long way from the old Elaine. Whatever choice you make, the farm family and I will support you.”
“Senior…” Alfred’s voice trembled with a moved look on his face. I smiled and nodded.
Alfred’s worried expression eased up a bit. Soon after, he put on a mischievous grin and asked, “But Senior, will you be okay without me? You won’t be cursing me behind my back when the farm work gets too tough?”
“Ha, you punk! I managed the farm just fine on my own before you arrived. Don’t you know I’m the best farmer around here?”
“Hahaha!”
“Don’t worry about me. Just focus on what you truly want to do. And don’t regret it later.”
“Thanks…let’s head up now. People are waiting for us,” Alfred said, his expression brightening up.
“Alright!” I replied.
With slightly lighter hearts, we left the place.
Before we knew it, the day we had promised with Claudion had arrived.
Yesterday evening, we had a farewell party with all the farm family members gathered. However, despite the lively atmosphere, everyone’s faces were filled with regret as they bid Alfred farewell.
Alfred, who was all set to leave, stared blankly at the mountains and the sky.
Whoo! Whoo!
Suddenly, the magical circle for dimensional leap began to vibrate, and one by one, blurry human shapes appeared amidst a bright light.
The first person to appear in the magic circle was Claudion, the eldest son of the Verdi family whom I had met last time. And to our surprise, there was another familiar demon standing next to him.
“Uh… is that Elder Kael?”
“Grandfather?”
With a leisurely smile, a man slowly waved his hand as he appeared.
It was Kael, the former head of the Verdi family and Alfred’s grandfather.
As soon as the other farm members recognized him, they quickly bowed their heads in respect. However, Kaneff muttered, ‘Why is that geezer here?’ causing the Verdi family to turn icy glares his way.
Fortunately, Kael gestured for them to calm down, preventing the situation from escalating.
I welcomed Kael on behalf of the party.
“Sir Kael. How have you been?”
“Do you think anything could happen to an old man like me? If you haven’t heard that I’m dead, then it means I’m doing well.”
“Haha, I’ll take that as a joke. More importantly, what brings you to this humble place?”
“I came to check on my grandson and also wanted to see your face. How have you been?”
“I’ve been doing well, thanks to your concern,” I replied.
I struck up a conversation with Kael, asking about his daily life. Even though it was just a casual conversation, Kael’s aura felt oddly warm and kind.
“I appreciate you taking care of my clumsy grandson. It was originally a task I had assigned to that thunderous fellow, but it looks like you played a bigger role.”
“Heh! You tried to dump him on me like a piece of luggage…,” Kaneff interjected, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
However, Kael remained calm and collected. “I’m actually relieved that he wasn’t influenced by that guy. I’m truly grateful to you in many ways.”
“Don’t mention it… Elaine has also been a great help to me,”
As Kael and I chatted, Claudion quickly approached Alfred. “Are you ready to leave?”
“…..”
“I assume you’ve already said your goodbyes. Once you return, you’ll have to greet our father and the elders of the family, so prepare yourself right away,” Claudion instructed Alfred.
At his signal, the soldiers quickly gathered the prepared luggage while Alfred watched silently.
“Kael Grandpa…”
“Speranza, my dear,” Kael greeted the little fox girl who approached him with caution. “You’ve grown so much since I last saw you.”
Kael’s warm smile shone upon Speranza, and despite their age difference, they still appeared more like siblings than a grandfather and granddaughter.
“Why do you look so down? Did that thunderous guy bother you? Should I scold him for you?”
“You damn geezer! Why would I bother Speranza!?”
“Ca… calm down, Uncle Kaneff!”
“Hold on, Mr. Kaneff.”
The Schnarpe siblings intervened and stopped Kaneff’s anger, and Kael appeared amused by the scene.
“Grandpa.”
“Yes, Speranza, go ahead.”
“Grandpa, can you not take Brother Elaine with you?”
“You mean Alfred?”
“Un.”
Speranza cast Kael a pair of sparkling eyes, the same ones she often directed at me. But mixed in with them were tears of sadness, which made one feel a pang of pity.
“Hahaha, do you wish Alfred would stay on the farm?”
“I wish he could stay here. He plays well with me, and he also plays well with Grify and Finny.”
“Grify? Finny?” Kael raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
“They’re baby griffins raised here on the farm. Elaine takes them on walks, and they both really like him,” I added.
“I see.”
Kael once again stroked Speranza’s head with a gracious smile.
“I want to do Speranza a favor too, but unfortunately, I can’t interfere in this matter.”
“Why not? Just like Boss Uncle over there, you’re also the boss, right? Can’t you tell Brother Elaine not to go?” Speranza asked Kael.
“In the past, I forcibly sent Alfred here, but now I can’t interfere,” Kael replied, his tone slightly serious as he looked at Speranza and me.
“Speranza, there will come a time when you’ll have to make your own choices, rather than just following your father’s words.”
“My choice?”
“It may seem far off now, but that moment will come soon. When it does, no one can help you. That’s why I can’t step in now.”
“……!”
“……!”
Although Kael’s words were intended for Speranza, they resonated with me and made me wonder if I could calmly watch over her when that moment arrived.
“Grandpa’s words are too difficult for me to understand,” Speranza admitted.
“Hehe, is it too hard for you?” Kael chuckled.
“Um, I don’t really understand, but I feel like I should do as grandpa says. I’ll wait with Papa,” Speranza replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
“Hehe, it’s not just your appearance that has grown, but your mindset has become much more mature too. You’ll soon be an adult,” Kael praised her, and Speranza bashfully twisted her body at his compliment.
I held Speranza’s hand and looked at Kael, feeling grateful for his wise words.
If my hunch is correct, then he…
“My sibling has relied on your help throughout this time, and I will make sure to repay this debt someday in the name of the Verdi family,” Claudion expressed his gratitude with a stiff expression before gesturing to Alfred. “Let’s go back.”
Alfred stood still, lost in thought, causing Claudion to snap at him. “Why are you standing still? Didn’t you hear me say we need to move quickly?”
“Brother,” Alfred said, his eyes flickering with various emotions. After a brief moment, he regained his composure.
Just as Claudion was about to step forward with a frown, Alfred spoke up with a determined expression and gaze. “I’m sorry, brother. I will stay here.”