Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Family (5)
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Flash!
The warp gate spewed out a massive amount of mana in the form of light.
At the same time, a group of people was summoned in front of the warp gate.
It was Jamie's party.
"It's less shaky than before."
"Yeah. Last year when we used it, I felt a bit nauseous."
After using the warp gate, Linmel Marquis and Siegfried shared their brief impressions of the ride.
Jamie was also impressed by the smoother-than-expected journey.
Warp gates had existed in his previous life too.
To be precise, not mechanical devices like this, but methods using layered warp scrolls.
The effect was good, but the warp passages were unstable, requiring the user to stabilize the path from inside.
That alone was exhausting, and the intense shaking caused motion sickness regardless of one's realm.
'Definitely, magitech is far superior now.'
He had felt it before, but experiencing devices like this made the difference tangible.
Of course, in his previous life, magic itself wasn't mainstream.
"Heeek..."
Jamie looked at Ann, who was hunched over beside him, drooling in misery.
"You okay?"
"...My stomach feels queasy."
The smooth ride was limited to grand mages. Everyone else suffered like Ann.
It seemed there was still room for improvement.
Jamie invoked holy power to heal Ann and the others complaining of motion sickness.
Nothing beat holy power for treating minor ailments.
"Haa... I think I'll live."
Ann rubbed her queasy stomach and finally took in the sight of the capital, Pibre.
"Wow. The capital really is amazing."
"First time here?"
"Yes. What about Master?"
"First time for me too."
Jamie turned his gaze to the cityscape.
The warp gate was installed in a terminal built on a rocky mountain beside Pibre.
Stepping out of the terminal brought the capital into immediate view—that was the scene before them now.
Jamie remembered his father, Count Welton, showing him a painting of Pibre when he was young.
Back then, it hadn't impressed him. A painting couldn't capture its grandeur.
Now it was different.
"Beautiful."
"Right?"
Ann nodded vigorously, her large eyes sparkling in agreement.
"Especially the castle. It's so pretty."
"That's... the royal palace, Scadium."
The symbol of the Seldam Kingdom stood at the northern end of Pibre.
A massive blue dome, Scadium, surrounded by six obelisks.
Symmetrically placed annexes, gardens embodying perfect nature, all enclosed by pristine white walls.
Jamie recognized it at a glance.
'A massive magic circle.'
Everything was arranged around the royal palace in perfect symmetry.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Linmel Marquis approached from behind, seeking agreement from Jamie and Ann.
Ann nodded enthusiastically.
"It's so beautiful. As expected of His Majesty's palace."
"Scadium isn't just a mere royal palace. It's an architectural symbol of Seldam."
"And an excellent central conduit too."
"As expected of you, Jamie. Spotting that at a glance. But we can talk about that later."
As the two looked at him puzzled, Linmel Marquis smiled and pointed somewhere.
Jamie's eyes widened at the sight.
"Jamie!!"
Someone called Jamie's name in a desperate voice.
A woman was running toward him, clutching the hem of her flowing golden skirt in both hands.
Though it had been a while, he had never forgotten her face.
Feeling his legs move on their own, Jamie called out to her vigorously.
"Mother!"
"My baby!"
Sears didn't care if her dress got dirty; she dropped to her knees on the dirt and hugged Jamie tightly.
Jamie buried himself in her embrace.
"My baby... Are you okay? No hurts? All your injuries healed?"
"I'm fine. No hurts. All healed."
"My baby... Do you know how worried Mommy was?"
Sears's tears soaked Jamie's back.
Feeling that warmth, Jamie hugged her neck even tighter.
It had been a full half-year since they last met.
He felt sorry toward her. Despite the heartache from her worthless son, she had indulged his unreasonable stubbornness.
Sears sobbed until her throat grew hoarse.
As Jamie began accepting emotions, he felt something similar to her sadness and joy.
This was what family felt like.
"I'm sorry. Sorry for being a stubborn son."
"No. It's okay. Mommy's happy just to see her son like this."
The two remained embraced for a long while.
"Well, this makes me feel pretty left out."
Then, Count Welton's voice came from behind.
Only then did Jamie snap out of it and notice him.
"Father!"
"No. Stay in Mommy's arms a bit longer."
Sears wouldn't let Jamie go to Count Welton.
He ended up like a swaddled baby in her arms. It was a bit embarrassing, but unlike before, there was no repulsion.
It was strange.
Just deciding to accept emotions had changed his heart so much.
Jamie smiled awkwardly in her embrace and spotted a young girl looking at him from Count Welton's arms.
"Sara."
"Uu..."
Sara sniffled and buried her face in the count's chest.
Jamie was shocked by the sight.
"Since you disappeared after leaving and didn't show up for a while, Sara got really upset."
Looking at Sears, her eyes were red as she pouted like a child.
"Her stubborn brother hurt her little sister's feelings badly."
"But Mother said it was okay..."
"This mom is okay, but it seems her little sister isn't. Sniff."
Sears blew her nose and replied primly.
Jamie looked at Count Welton, unsure what to do, but the count just shrugged with a laugh.
"Haha..."
"Sara... It's big brother. Come here."
Jamie called cautiously to Sara.
But Sara just peeked from behind the count's legs.
"Looks like Sara really hates me."
"Because of her worthless big brother."
Sears sipped her tea with a firm expression.
They had finished their reunion at the terminal and returned to the Welton family residence in the capital.
Jamie glanced at Sears.
Her attitude was so cold now, it was hard to believe she had been sobbing "my baby" moments ago.
'No wonder she's upset.'
Knowing it wasn't sincere made Sears seem endearing.
Jamie chuckled, and Sears pinched his cheeks playfully.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm sowwy!"
"Promise you'll come visit Mommy regularly from now on."
"I pwomise!"
"And don't say no if Mommy wants to visit the magic world. Promise that too."
"...That's a bit much."
"You little!"
"Eeeee!"
Jamie's cheeks stretched like jelly.
But he couldn't yield on that, repeating his apologies.
Sears seemed to accept it was non-negotiable and let go.
"Whose son is this stubborn?"
"Yours."
"He's your son too!"
"True enough. Hahaha!"
Count Welton laughed heartily, pleased.
He gently stroked Sara's head and patted her small back.
"Sara. He's the big brother you loved so much. Go hug him. Otherwise, he'll be sad."
"...Don't like big brother."
"Sa, Sara."
Jamie called in a flustered voice, but Sara hid behind the count's legs again.
He was speechless at the bolt-from-the-blue situation.
He hadn't expected her to be this upset.
"Mommy understands how Sara feels."
Sears beckoned Sara, who glanced at Jamie warily before approaching her.
The count said,
"You'll have to work hard to cheer up your little sister."
"And to cheer up Mommy too, it'll be double the effort. Like kissing her a hundred times a day. Right, Sara?"
"Ung."
Sara nodded and leaned her head against Sears's chest.
Jamie scratched his head, looking troubled.
"Haha... I'll do my best."
A hundred kisses.
That sounded like heavy labor.
Jamie smiled strainedly.
The count gazed warmly at his son before surveying the reunited family.
Since Jamie left for Hiais, the family had felt quite empty.
Having one member missing made such a big difference. It brought many thoughts.
But now they were together again. They'd part in a few days, but the once-incomplete family being whole again held great meaning.
'And... you've grown so much, my son.'
Jamie grew noticeably stronger each time he returned from afar, but this time even the count was shocked.
He didn't show it in front of the family, but he had sensed the mana accumulated in Jamie's body.
'A grand mage...'
He had entered the master class.
A boy not yet eight.
His own son, no less.
There was no mere sentiment of novelty. Jamie's growth transcended the extraordinary.
The world would revolve around Jamie someday.
He had heard it often and believed it himself.
But he hadn't expected it to come so close. He was still too young for the world's center, but at this growth rate, it wouldn't be far off.
'My young son.'
Jamie, flustered by Sears's teasing, trying to placate Sara.
Why did his reachable son feel increasingly distant?
'Not just my imagination...'
Jamie was growing fast.
Soon nine, and before he knew it, as tall as him.
Not living together anymore meant he couldn't watch that growth up close—a true regret.
As a father, he wanted to witness his son's growth slowly, but that wasn't possible, and it hurt.
'Having an exceptional child isn't all good.'
He had wished many times for him to grow ordinarily.
But now was the time to accept it.
Though a painful parental choice, the count had resolved himself since Jamie left for Hiais.
"Sara~ Look at big brother just once~"
"No!"
"Hehehe. Son, kiss Mommy's cheek and I'll show you Sara's face~"
"...Mother."
The count mentally photographed the peaceful family scene and etched it in his heart.
He might not see it later, so he had to cherish and accumulate these moments bit by bit.
Today was a happy day.
"Jamie. Daddy wants a kiss too after so long."
"Ah, Father too?!"
"What's wrong with Daddy wanting a kiss from his son? Come on! Unless you want this prickly beard!"
"Uwaaak!"
"Oh my! Hohoho!"
"Puuuing!"
"Sara! Sara's crying!"
May our noisy family stay together forever.
Count Welton prayed to a god he didn't believe in, with a small wish.