Chapter 17 A Mother's Decision
"Did he fall asleep already?"
I asked in an exhausted voice. She looked at me with pity in her eyes.
"Yes. He must be exhausted from the unexpected mana drain."
She replied looking at Eon who was sleeping in his bed... like a baby.
"Ok then. Let's go too."
I opened the door.
We got out and I closed the door behind me. She looked at me and said in a quiet voice.
"Get it ready."
She requested and walked forward.
'It must be quite hard for her too...'
I thought and replied with a small sigh.
"Yes."
***
In a quite large bedroom, a transparent crystal ball the size of an average human head was placed in the middle of the room.
Sitting on a chair before it, was a beautiful young woman with long blond hair and light brown eyes.
Facing her on the opposite side of the table stood a handsome man with sparkling red eyes and shoulder-long black hair.
"Are you ready?"
I asked with a nervous look in my eyes.
"Yes. Please connect it."
She replied with a calm and confident look on her face.
I nodded and channeled some mana into the (Communication Device).
A small spark appeared in the transparent crystal. After a short while, the shadow of a person slowly appeared in it.
The shadow slowly turned into an image of a muscular and tall middle-aged man.
With a long beard and short hair just like her, his blue eyes were as beautiful as the sky.
"Father..."
She called with a warm smile.
She had a unique yearning look in her eyes.
-How have you been, Nol.
A deep but warm voice came from the crystal ball.
"I missed you a lot..."
She said with a low, cracking voice.
-You should have gotten my letters though.
He chuckled, stroking his beard. He had also missed her.
"This is different."
She replied, shaking her head.
-Ok then. If my sweet, young lady says so. More than that... what is it? Who was that troubled you?
The first warm voice turned cold in an instant. As if he knew that something troubled his daughter, just from the way she talked.
-Brian. What did you do, huh?
He asked, turning his head to look in my direction.
I instantly flinched and reflexively responded.
"Nothing sir! I can't even think of troubling her!"
A true respectful response escaped my mouth. It was always like this in front of him. He was a person you couldn't help but admire.
"Father, it's about Eon."
She answered in a serious tone. Right now, only he could trouble her.
As if understanding the situation, he nodded and a big smile appeared on his face.
-I knew that was the case. If there is anything that worries my icy princess, it would be my extraordinary grandson. So, what is it this time?
He sounded very happy. As if a proud father admires his son for something great.
"He <Awakened> a weeks ago,"
she said in a worried tone.
-He what? I think I heard something wrong. Say that again, please.
A confused expression appeared on his face. This was an ideal reaction for someone who has heard something unreal.
"Yes, you heard that right. Eon <Awakened> last week..."
She confirmed with a worried and serious tone.
-Oh my god... he really is something else. If so, he must have a <Auxiliary skill>. No, more than that. Is he hurt or something. Knowing you very well, I don't think that's the reason you called me.
'He is as sharp and cool-headed as ever...'
I knew my father-in-law, or more like Sir Zahavi very well.
Having fought in many battles, he was one of the most rational people in the whole empire.
"We did the affinity test today. He is a (Hexa Elemental), having an affinity for all six elemental natural elements."
She explained with a grim expression. Her beautiful face was looking disturbed for that very reason.
-Holy sh...
Even a person like him was surprised by this whole ordeal.
Even someone like him, who had seen many unexplainable things, was a bit surprised by all of this.
-So you are worried about him for that. Hmmm... I understand this whole situation now. So, what did you do?
He asked after thinking everything through. It was quite fast, considering the amount and level of information.
His question, however, was a serious one. He asked her as not a father but a parent of a child.
He was asking, what she did as his mother.
She replied instantly, already expecting this question.
"I asked why he wanted to practice magic.
As you already know that he practiced archery, you might have thought that he wants to become a <Magic archer>.
Though unreasonable to ask a child, the reason he wanted to grow strong, he didn't hesitate to answer."
She said with a worried smile on her face.
-And? What did he say?
Anticipation was clearly visible in his eyes. His voice, however, had a proud tone.
She lowered her head. In a quiet voice and watery eyes as she replied.
"He said he wants to protect us. With an unnaturally serious tone..."
She answered. Though worried, she had a proud smile on her face.
She was proud as a guardian and worried as a helpless mother. This was the reason she reached out to her father directly.
- Excellent! I was only amazed at first but now, I am proud. Not only of him but also you two.
So, Nol, What will you do now. Will you allow him to do what he wants or will you cling to a tiny possibility of him getting hurt?
He first praised us and then asked a serious question to her again.
This time, he was asking her as a mother and not a guardian. She had to make a decision. It will not only decide his future but also theirs.
"I am worried..."
She looked down and said in a creaking voice.
-Look Nol. I understand that you are worried. But, individuals such as him are called [Irregulars] for a reason. They are different in most common aspects. Brian must have told you about that but believe me if there was any chance of something happening... it should have happened by now.
He told the truth I wasn't able to. It was true that symptoms of abnormalities start to surface just after the awakening, in situations like these.
He was a father who was just as worried as her but, he knew that stopping a child from doing what they want to do isn't most appropriate.
That was the reason that he was able to put reality and facts before his petty feelings.
I understood his reasoning, so I added along with him.
"Nolen. I know that you are worried, but so am I. That doesn't mean that we should stop him from doing what he loves."
-Brian is right Nol. You will only restrain him if you stop him. You already know I never did something like that so, I believe that you will not do so too.
We both looked at her. She was quietly thinking for a while and then... nodded.
Smiling bitterly, clenching onto her dress, she replied.
"Yes... you are right. What was I even thinking... when it was so obvious. Thanks, dad. You too Brian. I'm so dumb..."
-It's good you understand. Mothers did that type of thing a lot. Your mom was like this sometimes too, when the two of you were a child.
She then breathed a sigh of relief. She had made her decision.
"Ok then. Now that everything is solved, I should ask this. Dad? Why don't you talk with Eon sometime."
She asked with a very confused expression. Never once did they had talked about themselves or the family background of their child.
And the reason partly was her father. He wanted to keep it a secret from him.
It wasn't necessary for him to know, nor did he ever ask them about it, which was... strange? Very strange for a child.
-It's not like I don't want to meet him. I just want to see him from up close. Keeping it a secret is more fun in itself. Just do it for now. But the question is... when are you coming back? We are dying to see you all again.
His voice was very sad. The longing to see them was also very deep in his sky blue eyes.
"Soon dad... just endure it one more year. I am dying to meet you too. To introduce Eon to his awesome grandfather and everyone else."
Holding back her tears, she said with an angry voice.
There was something 'very small' thing holding her back. Something that pushed her to the edge of the empire.
Anger surged from the depths of my heart.
Those people will definitely pay for all of this. When we get back, I will make sure to send them out of the empire... if not the continent.
-Ok then. Take care. Brian, take good care of her.
"Yes sir! Don't worry one bit."
"You take care too, dad. Say hello and sorry to mom and brother. And thank you for today."
-That's what parents do. Take care~.
Saying his goodbyes, he hung up with a smile.
We talked for a bit about how to do everything from now, and also went to sleep.
'I should tell him it in the morning. He will be happy to hear that, right? Hmm~, should I tease him a bit? Well, we will see that tomorrow. For now...'
Looking at me she stretched out both her hands, towards me.
"Come here, my dear 'husband'."
She ordered with a mischievous smile on her face.
'Oh god...'
I had a bad feeling about this.