A Father’s Unexpected Mercy
“.....I committed sins against you that I can never wash away. Are you truly saying that you will forgive me?”
Father Andres spoke with a voice that trembled.
“Please refrain from speaking words that are shameful twice over. Even as it is, I spoke up with courage.”
“However.....”
“Remembering the father I know, you were never so indecisive. Ah, could it be that you have quietly given up on the idea of being my father?”
“Do not jest about such words!”
Andres detached me, his eyes blazing red as he roared at me.
How strange.
Until moments ago, the sight of Andres’ face would have ignited a fury that burned like wildfire within me. Yet now it was strangely calm, like a tranquil lake.
The shout of the storm that had once raged within Shion no longer echoed.
“I... have never once thought of you as not my son. I can swear it on every achievement I raised from the battlefield. You are, and will always be, my son.”
At that moment, a cluster of characters formed before my eyes and coalesced into sentences.
[Character Relationship – Dramatically improved with Andres Frelia]
[Character – Andres Frelia now harbors intense affection toward you]
[Reward: 1000 points acquired]
I read the sentences carefully, then offered a bright smile and scratched my cheek in reply.
“Haha, if you say that, it does make me a little embarrassed.”
Andres wiped the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief and said.
“I wanted to tell you once more how grateful I am that you have forgiven me. But even so, I cannot let your actions at Luin Academy go unpunished. As you know, within the Frelia family there are many who do not view you favorably.”
“Ahaha.... I thought it would be a smooth transition of mood.”
I scratched the back of my head in reply.
“So, I will punish you.”
When I forced a bitter smile, Andres shook his head as if to say not to worry and patted my shoulder.
“Shion Frelia, the punishment for causing trouble at Luin Academy.”
Then he pointed at the plate on the table.
“Eat every single cookie on the plate.”
“Eh?”
Truly unexpected punishment made my expression frown and my head tilt.
“Doesn’t my punishment suit you?”
“No. I am overjoyed.... but is this really enough punishment?”
I picked up the cookie from the plate and bit into it.
The sweet chocolate flavor lingered softly in my mouth.
“Of course it is far too light. If you later tell others the punishment I gave you, you will surely not receive good words. However.... for the sake of my son, a little nagging like this is something I can endure time and again.”
“Oh.... I have seen a splendid image of you as a father for the first time.”
“Hmph, I will show you many more splendid ones in the future. Until then, behave.”
“Haha, understood.”
By wiping up the remaining cookies in one bite, I had completely washed away the sins I had committed against the Frelia family.
“Pascal, I will summon him soon and provide separate instruction. I knew he had impure hobbies, but I never imagined he had stained himself so deeply.... Ah, of course I will firmly warn him not to harm you, so do not worry.”
Andres declared that he would thoroughly discipline Pascal.
For a moment I considered whether to mention that Pascal had tried to assassinate me here, but then I shook my head and held my tongue.
Since Andres had promised to prevent Pascal from harming me, their enmity would end here. There was no need to stir up more trouble.
Moreover, there was no solid evidence that Pascal had received a commission from Jeremy to assassinate me.
At best it was circumstantial. In a situation without documentary proof, casually claiming such a thing might backfire and leave me in trouble.
“School life will become much easier.”
“As for Pascal, you need not worry about it anymore. Ah, by the way, how have you been doing at Luin Academy?”
“Well, I am getting by fine. Luckily, the new friends....”
My father and I exchanged ordinary conversations that father and son might share.
How has school been? Are you getting along well with your friends? Is studying not too difficult?
Of course the responses were not ordinary.
“Even if the Astorius family’s young lady stayed at our estate for several days.... she has already become close enough with Shion to call him by name. Hmm.....”
Andres narrowed his eyes and rested his chin on his hand, letting out a sound.
“I will need to find a proper partner for him soon.”
In the game he had always been a stern, serious family head, but seeing him like this now felt oddly thrilling. Yet it was far from unpleasant.
After several more minutes of conversation and once we had covered all the recent news, Andres asked me.
“So, Shion. It has been a long time since you came up to the main house. Are you staying here for the night?”
“Haha. If it were up to me, I would, but I cannot skip tomorrow’s classes or I might have to retake them again. I will have to pass.”
“Then there is no help for it. Ah, if you need anything, tell me. If it is within my power, I will obtain it for you.”
“Mm.... what I need.”
I stared into empty space for a moment, wondering what might be required right now.
First, of course, was an artifact.
But even as family head I could not arbitrarily reassign family-owned artifacts to someone else’s ownership. So artifacts were out of consideration.
Then the only remaining option was money.
Ah, yes. This would work.
“If it is not a bother, could I receive a precise physical examination?”
Precise physical examination. A body check that goes far beyond ordinary physical examinations to detect many subtle elements.
However, it had not yet been commercialized because the cost of the magitech devices required for it far exceeded imagination. Only the nobility in the upper echelons could afford it.
And the Frelia family belonged to that wealthy nobility.
If I received a precise physical examination this time, I might be able to discover why my body had stopped growing.
“That is no problem at all. I will arrange for the examination to be completed today.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Suddenly wanting a precise physical examination... is there some problem?”
“No. It is not a major issue. It is just that I have forgotten some things, so I feel I should learn more about my own body.”
Until a few hours ago it had seemed impossible, but now that Andres had sided with me, there was nothing more reassuring.
“Oh dear, the time has flown by so quickly. I suppose it is about time I must take my leave.”
“Yes, hurry along. If you also receive a precise physical examination and return, you had better be quick.”
Andres nodded and permitted my departure.
I bowed respectfully toward him and left the Great Hall—
“Thank you truly, truly.”
“......It is nothing at all.”
I exited the Great Hall.
* * *
“.....Duke Astorius. Perhaps after classes we could....”
“I already have arrangements. I apologize.”
After finishing lunch, Shina. She lightly rejected the blushing boy’s invitation and returned to her classroom.
Then she sat in her seat and took out a book from the desk drawer to begin reading.
“I definitely read up to here yesterday.”
Reading during the small time left after lunch for digestion. Shina Astorius allowed no waste of even a moment of time.
The book she was reading was a dictionary-like volume containing entries on multiple mana-related illnesses.
Although Shina had always prided herself on her knowledge of mana illnesses, after reading this book she realized she was a frog in a well and began reading it cover to cover.
While she stored the book’s contents in her mind one by one, a stray thought naturally surfaced in her head.
“.....Is Shion-kun doing well?”
The homeroom teacher had told her Shion was absent today due to family matters.
That he, who had never received any contact from the family until now, had been suddenly called back.... must be because of his accusation against Pascal at the mock invasion ceremony.
From Chloe she had heard that Shion was not well-regarded in the family. That he had been summoned back to the family worried Shina; she feared he would not escape severe punishment.
“.....Since it is Shion-kun, he will definitely resolve it properly.”
But then she shook her head. Shion was good with his mouth, after all. Even if he had been dragged to the family, she believed he would handle the matter without difficulty.
So, thinking about Shion for now, she would finish reading the book. Shina carefully turned the page.
“Mana circulation disorder.....”
Mana circulation disorder. Quite simply, a disease in which a problem in the organs that circulate mana made even simple physical strengthening impossible, let alone casting magic.
Shina looked at her own hand for a moment, then released mana.
The blue mana swirling above her hand. If she had mana circulation disorder, she would find it difficult to even perform such simple mana manipulation.
The fortunate part was that with continued rehabilitation training and appropriate medication, it could be overcome over several years.
With new knowledge acquired, Shina smiled faintly and turned to the next page.
And the word that caught her eye was.
“Mana Storage Deficiency....?”