I pat Rushian's head to calm him down. "Shhh. I met with Alexia earlier. She will be back."
With tears and snot on his face, Rushian looks up. "W-When?"
I gently smiled at him. "Soon."
The absence of Alexia means there is no one to watch the kids, I sacrificed my sleep and kept a eye on everyone. At noon, I left the house with Rushian and Kela to get our lunch. "What do you want to eat?"
I asked him but the kid was still worried about his big sister. "Hey, I am talking with you."
Rushian looked at me with a worried expression. "Do you think sister Alexia has eaten?"
The image of Jerald popped in my mind. 'They sure are late. Even with bad roads, they should have reached home by now.'
"Altaris?" Rushian looks up in the darkened sky.
I push him ahead, we began walking to the local tavern. "Let's hurry, the weather doesn't look nice at all."
Rushian hesitantly nods at me.
After taking a vegetable stew for today's lunch, we returned home but there was still no sign of Alexia. The lunch itself incredibly depressing, the kids were constantly asking questions and I had to keep them believing that Alexia is on the way. But to be honest, I was getting worried myself.
By the time we finished our lunch, it was pouring outside which meant no playtime for the kids. With not much to do, I tricked everyone to take an afternoon nap. It appears that almost everyone was unable to sleep as they were waiting for Alexia's return, an afternoon nap was absolutely necessary.
Lighting flashed multiple times in the distance, fortunately it landed far enough that sound waves did not reach us. The kids slept soundly. I sat on the floor, facing the door, waiting for it to budge, my hand was on Melsier's sword. I waited for hours, until I sod off as fatigue took over.
'Oi! Wake up!' Dora's urgent cry stung in my ear. 'Something's coming! Something big.'
When I opened my eyes, it was already dark outside. The kids were asleep, even Kela.
'It's getting closer.' Dora jumped on my shoulder to warn me. I spread my mana field and I identified the thing outside, it was person. Someone familiar. That's all I could tell for now.
As the magician grows older it's mana sensitivity increases as well, the celling for everyone is different, it is matter of talent. In my past life after the experiment, I became hyper sensitive towards mana, I could discern even the smallest changes but now things are different. My current body appears to be unsuitable for magic itself. In other words, I have no talent.
But I have experience. I can remember mana flows of each individual after spending enough time with them, that's how I detect enemies using my mana field. By constantly releasing mana, I analyse every living's mana flow and determine them. It works much like motion detectors but with mana. Now, I identified that person outside is someone already I know by their mana signature but it is hard to guess who exactly they are, this body still immature and insensitive to mana.
I notice Dora glancing in my direction, hoping that I identified the person outside but I shake my head. The person outside is creepily staring in our direction.
'That is not the girl.' Dora squeaks.
Another big lighting flashes in the distance, I notice that they are drawing closer. I stand up and unsheathe Melsier's sword. The crooked door slowly opens. 'Entering without knocking?'
I immediately swing my sword and cut the door in half.
CLANG!
Melsier's sword hit something so hard that it vibrated for few seconds. Lightening flashed once more and I finally saw the person in front of me. "Mr. Red?"
The person who was stalking my house was none other than Mr. Red, the cakemaker. "Altaris?" He called my name in his deep hoarse voice.
I took a step back to sheathe Melsier's sword. Mr. Red too put his giant great sword on his back.
"Uhmm~ Altaris, what are you doing?" I glanced back and saw that Lumi woke up from our loud exchange.
"Haha." I rushed to her side and tugged her back in bed. "It's nothing. I was just looking at clouds. Come go to sleep."
The girl cutely rubbed her eyes and looked around but it was too dark outside to see. "Hmm. Good night."
I quietly sneaked outside the house and snapped at Mr. Red. "What are you doing?"
"That should be my question." Mr. Red crossed his arms and stared down at me. Anyone would mistake his massive stature for a monster. That giant sword and suspicious robe didn't help either.
"I live here! Why are you even here?"
Mr. Red glanced at the crooked house then at me.
"You are lying. My friend lives here."
'Friend? Is he friends with Melsier?' I decide to ask him directly. "You mean Melsier?"
His expression was not friendly at all as if he remembered some idiot from long ago. "Not him. Ryhard! Where is Ryhard? RYHARD! COME OUT!" He yelled loudly.
I immediately shushed him on the stop. "Don't yell, the children are sleeping."
Mr. Red stared at me for a second before apologizing. "Ah. Sorry. Can you call Ryhard out?"
"He is dead." I break the news right there with a poker face. "That grandpa died a week ago, in the dungeon city."
Mr. Red pushed me aside and stepped forward to go inside the house. I caught his arm, it took every bit of my strength to stop him. "Where are you going?"
"Inside! I need to speak with Mel. He can't die! Brother Ryhard can't-"
I pull harder and get a sense of déjà vu. "Melsier is not here, he left us to become a city guard."
Mr. Red shook his arm off and turned to me. "You are lying! My disciple would never! Becoming adventurer was his dream. He could never!"
"Sorry to break it to you, old man."
Lightening flashes our surroundings, this it landed somewhere close and just a second later.
BOOM!
The thunderous sound was heard by everyone which is followed by multiple cries. I dashed into the house and picked up Kela. "Ohh baby girl, don't you cry." I glanced around to see everyone crying. "UWAAAA!!!"
Mr. Red finally stepped into house, the roof was not high enough for him. He too was overwhelmed by the scene in front of him. "Where is Hel?" He asked me, his scary did not help at all.
"Not here! Now, take this and for god's sake stop talking." I hand Kela to him and begin calming everyone down. I even force Dora to help.
After 20 minutes various tries and many magic tricks, the kids finally stopped crying. The rain shows no sign of stopping, for now I am using a small piece of wooden plank as door. 'I just hope that there is no flooding.'
I glance at Kela who is playing with Mr. Red's long beard. All the kids are now playing around Mr. Red, the rain earlier washed their playtime and sitting still on one spot boring for them.
'I am glad he showed up, the children seem content with him.'
The boys are trying to climb on his back while girls are playing with his long beard. Suddenly Rushian comes to me and ask in a low voice. "Altaris, sister isn't back, yet." His eyes looked watery.
"Haha, she will be back after the rain stops. I am sure."
"Really?" Asked the hopeful child.
"By the way, I don't see Alex? Is she gone too?" Mr. Red's question caught me off guard.
"You know about Alexia?"
He holds Kela in one hand and picks up Gerblt with another. "Know? Child, I watched these little ones grow. I know Melsier and Helen, I served as a witness in their wedding."
I grab Rushian's head and turn it to Mr. Red. "Do you know him?"
"Yes. That is uncle Red. He is grandpa's friend." I had to admit, that was every unexpected.
'Well. At least it makes sense why the children didn't peed their pants when they saw this giant bear in the house.' Dora sarcastically remarks.
"Then why did you show up now?"
Mr. Red sighs in grief. "When I said, I was going to call some friends, I meant brother Ryhard. His wife did tell me that he burned in hell. But she always badmouths him, I don't like her. His grandson was not present. Then I figured to ask my disciple about his whereabouts and I stumbled here."
I nodded as I heard his words.
"But enough of me. Where is Melsier? Where is Helen? And where is Alex?" His voice turned sharp at the last few words.
The sound of lightening shook my body whole, it produced heat for my already damp body. With my cold hands, I knocked on SilverTusks mansion.
Even few seconds later, it remained closed. I made eye contact with the goliath who nodded at me. I took a step back.
Goliath took off his great sword and I pumped mana into my legs. With a single swing of the sword, the goliath brought down the stone wall and walked inside. I jumped to the second floor and broke through the window.
We both invaded grandma Leina's house.