"Whose grimoires were those in the shed?"
"Ah..."
Dad brought the cup to his lips and remained silent for a long moment. Was he hiding something important? Could the owner have been some legendary mage?
"They were covered in handwritten notes, too. It's thanks to them that I've been passing the exams..."
Even as I pressed on, Dad merely tilted his cup in silence. It wasn't as if he had used them himself, so who on earth had left them behind?
"Those, you see, were left in my care by an acquaintance."
"...Huh?"
"They asked if they could store them in our shed. They just haven't come around to pick them up yet."
"Really? That's all?"
"Yeah, that's all. What did you think they were?"
"No, well..."
...I had no words for it other than sheer anticlimax. An acquaintance just left them in his care? That mountain of grimoires? Out in the middle of nowhere? How did that make any sense?
"No, but why at our house?"
"No real reason. I was just glad they served as toys to keep you occupied."
"I mean, wasn't there some master mage among our relatives, or—"
"They were left in my care. Nothing more than that."
Dad's tone was flat and nonchalant. Something felt off, but I had no concrete reason to doubt him. Man, how am I going to explain this to Elena and Hermann...?
"Oh, right, you were always falling ill back then. Your mother and I spent all our time nursing you."
"That was years ago. I've gotten a lot sturdier since then."
"Your mother was fretting over whether you were eating properly. Oh, and Marie too..."
In the end, the conversation drifted further and further off course, and I couldn't get any more details about the grimoires. Still, hearing updates about my family was wonderful, and above all, reassuring. Though, from Mom and Marie's perspective, having one less good-for-nothing around the house was probably a relief...
One topic led to another, and before we knew it, night had completely fallen. Around the time the streetlamps flickered to life across Ulm, Dad quietly rose from his seat.
"...Well, I should probably get going."
"Huh?"
"I booked a room at another inn. I plan to stay in Ulm for a few days, so I'll come see you again."
"Thanks. It's dark out, so let me walk you there."
"I'd appreciate that. Miss, the bill—"
"Oh, it's already taken care of!"
"Hm?"
Seeing Dad's puzzled look, Amalia pointed at me with a grin. She had probably taken it out of that five million belg. Dad scratched his head with an exasperated smile, then put on his hat.
"To think the day would come when my own son buys me a drink. I'm deeply moved."
"Come on, it's nothing. Well, Amalia, I'll be out for a bit."
"Okay!"
After calling back to Amalia, I headed for the exit with Dad. Just as we reached the doorway, the owner appeared outside, carrying a large sack. It looked like he had just returned from running his errands.
"Yo, kid, where are you off to this late at—"
He started in his usual gruff tone, but froze the moment he saw us. Looking as if he had just witnessed something forbidden, he stood dumbfounded, sack still in hand.
"...U-Um, boss?"
"Kid... who's that beside you?"
"Oh, my father. He came all the way from our village."
"Hello there. It seems my foolish son has been in your care."
"No... not really... I see. Never mind, forget it."
While Dad bowed politely, the owner averted his eyes and brushed past us into the shop. It wasn't as though seeing me would throw him off like that. Was he acquainted with Dad? No, that was impossible.
"...Shall we go, Dad?"
"Right."
With Dad by my side, I stepped out onto the street.
On the way to his inn, we passed through Heldt Square. In stark contrast to its bustling daytime atmosphere, hardly anyone lingered in the dark. The sparse streetlamps cast long shadows, lending the open space a lonely chill.
"Ah, I almost forgot something important."
"Huh?"
Dad stopped abruptly in his tracks, and I instinctively pulled up alongside him.
"What's wrong? Did you leave something behind?"
"No, not that. You wrote about it in your letter, didn't you? Asking for our thoughts on whether you should stay and work in Ulm or come back to the countryside."
Right, I had nearly forgotten to ask about the most critical issue. I had consulted my parents by letter about what I should do if I failed the final selection and was offered a post as a court mage.
"Yeah. What do you think I should do?"
"I talked it over with your mother. Keegan, you should do whatever you want."
"Wait... really?"
"You can stay in the royal capital, or you can come home. It's your life; it's not something for your mother and me to decide for you."
"But..."
"Either way, make sure to come home at least once when the exams are over. Your mother and Marie are eager to see you, too."
Facing Dad in the dim light, I couldn't make out his expression clearly, but he seemed to wear a gentle smile.
What wonderful parents I was blessed with. Not only had they raised me to eighteen despite my inability to do a single stroke of farm work, but they were now encouraging me to pursue my own path without a word of complaint.
"...Thank you, Dad."
"No need to thank me. That's just what parents do."
I didn't know how I could ever express my gratitude. What could I ever offer in return? How could I ever repay everything they had done for me? I felt as though they had given me something far beyond the value of money or material things.
The profound certainty of being loved and cherished by my parents warmed my entire chest. A feeling of pure, weightless joy washed over me. I was truly glad Dad had made the journey.
"Let's get moving, Keegan."
"Yeah."
Watching Dad take the lead, I fell into step behind him. His inn was only a short distance away. Once I saw him safely there, I would head straight back to Groot's place.
...Yes, I had let my guard down. Lulled into a false sense of security by the warmth of family, I had completely dropped my guard.
And that was why—as multiple assassins lunged from the shadows of the square—
"Guh...!?"
"D-Dad?!"
I hadn't sensed them until it was already too late.