novelraw Chapter 70 70: A New Father, A New Family, A New Ally, and A New Threat.
Chapter 70 70: A New Father, A New Family, A New Ally, and A New Threat.
The rising dawn painted the sky in hues of gold and rose, a silent herald for the day's unfolding tales. After a morning meal shared in warmth, Radhimar, Rania, and Bartasz rose to bid their farewells, duty calling them beyond the threshold of home. At the front door...
"Father, Mother, we shall take our leave now," Radhimar said, his voice soft with affection.
Rania and Bartasz nodded in gentle unison.
"Oh, before I forget, Mother... Raisya wishes to speak with you," Rania added.
"Oh? Has something stirred beneath the surface?"
"I cannot say. Her lips held no explanation," Rania replied, a hint of concern shadowing her voice.
"Is that so... very well, my thanks. I will journey to her side."
"Then, Mother, we entrust all to you," Bartasz said.
"Go safely, my children. Take care."
One by one, they wrapped their arms around me, around Ringga, around little Daisy. Then, with a soft snap of my fingers, a luminous glow embraced them—and in the blink of an eye, they vanished into the light. A gentle stillness settled upon the house, like the quiet after a soft rain.
"Who is Raisya?" Ringga asked, breaking the silence.
I exhaled a long breath, then wove for him the tapestry of our family's lineage—names and bonds stretching across generations like branches of an ancient tree.
"Ah... I see. When shall we go?" Ringga asked.
"First, we bathe. Then we shall bid the others goodbye."
Just then, Daisy tugged at the hem of my clothes, her small fingers gentle yet earnest.
"Mother, I wish to come too, Mother!" she said, her voice soft as a whisper of wind through leaves.
"Of course, my darling. You may."
"YAY!" Daisy cheered, her smile a burst of sunlight as she hopped with joy.
And so, we readied ourselves, then shared our farewells with Lusserina, Abiyasa, and Anandita.
[In the Capital of Bhorneo]
Our footsteps carried us through the veins of the bustling capital—Ringga and I side by side, and little Daisy perched upon his broad shoulders. He had offered, and she had accepted with glee. Her spirit soared with every step.
"Mother, look! I am tall!" Daisy cried, her voice bright as a bell.
"Indeed. My Daisy now stands taller than her mother."
"Hehehe," came her laughter, light as scattered petals.
We soon wandered into the market quarter, where the streets grew thick with merchants and customers, their voices rising and falling like tides. The scent of spices and sizzling fare wove through the air, sharp and fragrant. After a short while, we arrived at the steps of the Lemurian Trading Company. There, we spotted Rama up ahead, deep in conversation with another. We drew near.
"Rama!" I called.
He started, then turned—surprise flickering across his face before giving way to warmth.
"Grandmother!" he exclaimed. "Please, wait but a moment!"
Before I could utter another word, he hurried off, vanishing into the crowd.
"Heh! Grandmother!" Ringga snickered, the tease curling at the corner of his lips.
"Are you mocking me?"
"Hah? Not at all. I would never," he replied, though he turned his gaze away, the ghost of a smile still lingering.
"Since we are 'husband and wife,' then he is also your grandson. That makes you a grandfather as well."
Not long after, Rama returned.
"This way, Grandmother!" he said, gesturing.
It seemed he had already prepared a place for us to speak—a quiet chamber where conversations could bloom without hurry. It would have felt unkind to refuse. So, we followed him inside, into the very room where we had so often sat and talked.
"That must be my new aunt, Daisy, yes?" Rama asked, his eyes kind.
Hearing that, I shot him a sharp glance and mouthed a silent warning.
"There is no need to call her 'aunt.' She will only grow confused."
Rama's face paled just a little. He nodded, saying nothing more.
"Daisy, introduce yourself," I prompted.
"Da-Daisy! N-nice to meet you!" she said, her voice shy as a bird's first song.
"How sweet..." Rama murmured, smiling.
Then his gaze drifted to Ringga.
"And this...?" he asked.
And so, I told him—unfolded before him the story of who Ringga truly was. As my words settled, the pale hue in Rama's face faded, replaced by something solemn, something deeper. For a long moment, silence reigned. Rama sank into his own thoughts, as if walking through the corridors of a memory not quite his own.
"..."
"I see... My name is Rama. I am Rania's son. Then... I am glad. Because Mother is happy once more. And I am glad... to meet my grandfather finally," he said, bowing slightly, a gesture of respect and quiet joy.
"Take that, 'Grandfather,'" I teased through the silent thread of telepathy.
"Yes. I am glad to meet you, too," Ringga replied, his voice steady, warm.
"..."
"Oh, by the way, what business brings Grandmother here?" Rama asked.
"I heard that Raisya wished to see me. Where is she now?"
"Raisya... she is at the palace. Grandmother may go there directly to find her," Rama answered.
"Is that so... very well. I will go to her first. Ringga, will you and Daisy wait here for a while?"
I turned to Daisy. "Sweetheart? Will you stay with Father Ringga for a little while? Mother has a small matter to attend to."
Daisy nodded, her trust quiet and absolute.
I am glad. Glad that she is willing to be left in his care.
"We shall walk the city's streets, I think. What do you say, Daisy?" Ringga asked.
Daisy nodded again, soft as falling leaves.
"Then it is settled. I shall go now."
With that, I bid farewell to Rama, to Ringga, to my little Daisy. And I walked—toward the castle where Raisya waited.
[After Parting with Luna]
"Daisy, before we wander the city, let us first visit the Adventurer's Guild," Ringga said.
"Mm!" Daisy replied, nodding.
And so, they walked, side by side, the girl still perched upon his shoulders—a small queen upon a gentle throne. No shadow crossed their path. Before long, they stood before the guild's tall doors. Ringga took her hand and stepped inside.
The hour was near noon, and few adventurers lingered in the hall. Ringga walked toward the request board, its surface littered with promises of coin and danger. As he studied the parchment...
"Daisy!" a voice called.
Daisy turned at once.
"Uncle Axxel! Auntie Key!" she cried, her voice bright as morning.
"What are you doing here?" Axxel asked. "And who are you with?" His eyes fell upon the figure before him—the back turned, unfamiliar.
Then Ringga turned.
"AH! YOU! WHY ARE YOU HERE!" Axxel roared.
"Me? I am here to look at quests, of course," Ringga replied, his face as still as still water.
"Xel, do you know him?" Key asked.
"Know him? He is—!" Axxel began, his voice rising like a storm.
But Key cut him short, her whisper sharp as a blade.
"Xel. Lower your voice. People are staring."
Her words struck him like cold water. He looked around—and yes, every eye in the hall was fixed upon him. A wry smile tugged at his lips.
"He is 'Ringga.' The one we spoke of with Luna," Axxel muttered.
"The most insufferable soul in all of NWO... that is him?" Key whispered.
"Ah!" Axxel's eyes widened as memory struck. "Why are you with Daisy? Where is Luna? Do not tell me you stole her away!" he accused.
"Do you truly believe I would kidnap a child and bring her to the Adventurer's Guild? Are you foolish, or simply blind?" Ringga answered, his tone flat as a stone.
Axxel's temper flared.
"Daisy, sweetheart... did this insufferable man take you?" he asked, his voice softening for her.
"Truly, you are a fool. Can you not see we are holding hands?" Ringga said.
"It could be some enchantment—some spell upon her!" Axxel insisted, his voice rising once more.
Daisy flinched. She slipped behind Ringga, hiding her face from the noise.
"Xel. You are frightening her," Key whispered, tugging at his sleeve.
"See? She is afraid," Ringga said quietly.
Then he lifted Daisy gently into his lap, cradling her as a father would.
"Let me ask instead," Key said, stepping forward.
"Daisy, sweetheart... who is this?" she asked, her voice soft as velvet.
"...Father," Daisy answered, the word falling from her lips like a feather upon still water.
"WHAT!" Axxel's voice cracked the air.
[Back to Luna]
After walking for what felt like an age, I arrived before the castle gates. Two guards hurried forward, their hands raised in warning.
"Forgive us, Miss, but this is royal ground. Commoners may not pass," said the guard with the spear.
"I am here to see Raisya."
"Raisya? You mean Knight Commander Raisya Oberyth?" asked the sword-bearing guard.
"You speak truly."
This woman... she calls the commander by her first name alone. Who is she beneath the veil of her voice? —wondered the spearman.
"May I ask for your name, Miss?" the spearman said.
"Hey! You mean to let her enter?" whispered the swordsman.
"Hold your tongue!" the spearman hissed.
"My name is Luna."
"Very well, Lady Luna. Please, wait but a moment," the spearman said.
"Go. Report to the commander at once!" he added.
"Yeah, yeah..." the swordsman replied, his feet shuffling with lazy reluctance.
He disappeared into the palace's shadowed halls.
"..."
Minutes passed like slow breath. Then, from the distance, a dark-haired elf appeared—walking with purpose toward the gate. Behind her, the lazy swordsman trailed like a shadow.
"Grandmother! Have you waited long?" Raisya called out.
"Not at all," I answered, smiling.
"Then, please... come with me, Grandmother," Raisya said, and she led the way.
After Luna and Raisya had gone, the swordsman's thoughts spun in silent wonder.
*"Grandmother!"* he breathed within himself.
Could she be the one—the one who quieted the storm in Movento, who bound the bandit lord in chains? —wondered the sword-bearing guard.
[Back to Luna and Raisya]
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The rhythm of our footsteps echoed through the castle's long corridors. Soon, we emerged into a wide courtyard—a training ground where knights honed their craft. Some danced with blades of steel, others sparred with empty hands. But my gaze was caught by something else: a demon, the bandit leader, trading blows with a knight. And stranger still, he stumbled—again and again—falling to the dust like a child learning to walk.
Has he been freed?
"So... this is what you wished to speak of?"
At my words, Raisya's face tightened. She clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles pale. A long silence stretched between us.
"Grandmother... I would ask you to remove the necklace that binds him," Raisya said, her hands trembling like leaves in a storm.
"Do you truly understand what you are saying?"
"Yes, Grandmother. I understand," she answered, her voice firm despite her shaking hands.
"..."
"And if he brings ruin upon this land again?"
Raisya fell silent.
"But, Grandmother... we need his strength. I know the evil he has done. Yet I believe he has changed. I have begged the crown to release him—on one condition: that he wield his power for this kingdom, against the monsters that creep from the Forbidden Land," Raisya said.
This is a secret—deep and dangerous—yet she gives it to me freely. Hm... her heart is earnest. Perhaps I should grant her this chance. And if the demon bandit stirs trouble once more... I will lay him low again, as I did before.
"Very well. I will remove the necklace."
"Truly!?" Raisya cried, reaching for my hands.
"Ah... forgive me," she said, her cheeks flushing with sudden warmth.
"Then... let us go."
Together, we walked toward the demon bandit leader.
---
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
The clash of wooden swords rang through the air.
"Haah... haah... haahh!" The demon gasped, collapsing to the ground, chest heaving.
"Again!" the knight commanded.
"Zacky!" Raisya called.
"Commander Raisya!" Zacky replied, snapping to attention.
Raisya drew close to Zacky, speaking in low tones. Meanwhile, I stood not far from the fallen demon bandit.
"Ah!" he gasped, startled, his eyes wide.
Penguasa Kegelapan? I had not paid him much heed before. But truly... his name is that of a child playing at shadows—a chuunibyou of middle school years.
"A-are you laughing at me?" the demon bandit stammered, fear flickering in his eyes like a candle in the wind.
"No... haha. It is only that your name fits a chuunibyou middle schooler so perfectly. Hahaha."
At my words, his pale cheeks flushed red.
"W-what is wrong with being a child!? Does it trouble you so!?" he shouted.
"Your name is too long—a burden upon the tongue. How about if I shorten it? 'Pegel.' Haha."
Raisya and Zacky then joined us.
"Grandmother, may I introduce Zacky. He is vice-commander of the Kalimantran knights," Raisya said.
"Luna... Lunaria Oberyth. But 'Luna' will serve well enough."
After the greetings, Raisya spoke again—explaining all, her eyes deep with unspoken hope.
"Grandmother... please!" she said.
And so, I reached out and unclasped the necklace from Pegel's neck.
POOF!
Smoke burst forth—a sudden, swirling shroud—and swallowed the Darkness Lord whole. When the mist dissolved, Pegel stood once more in his black armor, dark as a starless night.
"This...!" Pegel whispered, smiling. He clenched his fist—once, twice—as if tasting strength long forgotten.
When I turned to look at Raisya and Zacky, both were staring at Pegel with solemn eyes. Their faces were tight. Their bodies trembled—barely, but enough.
Then it came. A dark aura—thick, heavy, suffocating—poured from Pegel's form and flooded the training ground like a tide of shadow. All around, knights shivered, fear gripping their hearts like cold hands.
Debuff aura? The breath of terror itself?
"Hey. Quell your aura. Look—you frighten everyone."
Pegel looked around.
"!"
At once, he drew the darkness back into himself, smothering it like embers beneath ash. The pressure lifted. Men and women gasped, struggling to steady their breath.
"Listen well. You owe your freedom to Raisya—though it came with chains of its own. If you bring harm to this land, I will hunt you to the ends of the world," I said, my gaze sharp as a blade's edge.
"I-I shall do nothing strange," Pegel stammered, his bravado crumbling.
"Good. Then my work here is done."
"Thank you—for everything, Grandmother!" Raisya cried, bowing low.
Seeing their commander bow, every knight in the courtyard followed—a forest of bent backs and humble heads.
"H-Hey! R-raise your heads, please!"
"Once more, Grandmother, our thanks!"
"Yes, yes. I shall take my leave now. Farewell!"
I must flee before they find some even greater display of reverence...
---
From the castle, my steps carried me through the noble district and into the quieter streets of the administrative quarter. Before long, I stood before the Adventurer's Guild. I stepped inside without hesitation.
There, by the request board, I saw Ringga and Daisy—and two others I knew well, their voices rising and falling like a familiar song.
"..."
"It seems you have already met."
"Luna!" Key called.
"Lun!" Axxel echoed.
"You two appear to have grown rather close, have you not?" I teased.
"Who would wish to grow close to such a man!" Axxel barked.
"Who would wish to grow close to such a man?" Ringga echoed, his voice flat as a mirror.
Daisy slipped from Ringga's lap and ran to me, her small arms wrapping around my waist.
"Hey, sweetheart... did you wait long?"
Daisy shook her head, her smile bright.
"Then... let us share a meal," I said. "Axxel, Key—please, join us. There is something I wish to speak of."
"What matters?" Key asked.
"Of Parahyangan City. Of the Forbidden Land."