Parents

As he walked down the mountain path, Li Yan looked over the surrounding scenery. The fruit trees he had planted with Frieren had already grown. Frieren had previously clamored to cast a few Nutritional Magic spells on them to help them grow strong, but he had talked her out of it.

They were still saplings and couldn't take in too much nutrition. It was like a child driving a big car; such a thing wasn't allowed. Too much nutrition would kill the fruit trees. Letting them grow according to the laws of nature was best for them.

Following the signs along the path, Li Yan made his way to the nearest Small Town with practiced ease. There, he hired a carriage and a driver and officially began his journey home.

At noon, Flamme completed the final step of her magic experiment and stretched leisurely. Her research was a summary of the casting speeds of Modern Magic. Fire Magic was tremendously powerful, but far less convenient and quick than other magic.

Water Magic, on the other hand, could not only be transformed into Ice Magic, but was more powerful and faster to cast.

Wind Magic was relatively weak. Though it was quick to cast, it always fell a little short. But if more Mana was poured into it, enough for quantity to bring about a qualitative change, Wind Magic could indeed rank among the top three.

"A Yan, is lunch ready? I want red-braised pork today."

Flamme called out as usual, then sat quietly at the dining table, propping up her face as she waited.

"I want sweet-and-sour spare ribs."

Frieren also put down the Magic Tome in her hands and sat at the dining table, looking expectantly toward the kitchen.

After quite a while, the two finally remembered, in a daze, that Li Yan had gone home. Only the two of them were left in the house now.

"Never mind. I'll cook myself and let you have a taste of your master's cooking, even if I haven't cooked in a long time."

Flamme got up and entered the kitchen. Though she was a little rusty after not cooking for some time, she still had the basic skills, and with the help of magic, she was like seven or eight chefs working at once.

Frieren puffed out her cheeks and stared blankly at the table. The taste of sweet-and-sour spare ribs lingered in her mind, that sweet, tangy flavor as vivid as yesterday.

"Mm-hmm-hmm, Frieren, come and try the boiled cabbage and tomato and eggs your master made for you."

Flamme emerged from the kitchen carrying two steaming dishes, a hint of pride on her face.

"Tsk, all vegetables."

Frieren glanced at the dishes and felt that her senior brother's departure really wasn't a good thing. Though he usually liked to tease and play tricks on her, whenever there was something good to eat, he always let her have it first.

"Don't be picky, Frieren. Make do with this. It'll be quite a few days before your senior brother comes back."

As Flamme spoke, she filled a bowl with rice for Frieren. Wearing a miserable expression, Frieren could only silently pick up her chopsticks and take some vegetables.

In the carriage, Li Yan dozed. The journey home would take a week, and he had no mind to immerse himself in studying Magic Tomes. Getting a good rest and saving his strength for any danger he might encounter on the road was the right choice.

The journey was supposed to take a week, but because they traveled along the main road, where professional adventurers and mages cleared out Monsters, they reached the Family's territory in just six days.

As soon as they entered the Family's territory, a luxurious carriage came toward them. Yawning, Li Yan picked up his luggage and climbed down from the driver's shabby carriage, settling the full fare at once. It came to a dozen or so silver coins.

According to the continent's currency exchange rate, one gold coin equaled 100 silver coins, and one silver coin equaled 100 copper coins.

"Young master, we're late."

Xiao Xue and Xiao Wu helped Li Yan into the luxurious carriage with concern. Seeing Li Yan settled in his seat, the Steward and the driver breathed sighs of relief.

The eldest young master, who had gone away to study magic for several years, was returning home for the first time. This most important matter had kept him from resting well for days, as he was always worried something might go wrong with the reception.

"Xiao Wu, Xiao Xue, long time no see. You've grown prettier and prettier."

Li Yan chuckled and patted the two women's heads. Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue, now in the bloom of youth, lowered their heads and enjoyed his gentle touch like pampered kittens.

"Young master, we've missed you so much."

Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue obediently massaged Li Yan. As his personal maids, they still held a position of some importance among the Family's maids in his absence, but they had already become the targets of the other maids' private ridicule.

"There, there. I've stayed away too long."

Li Yan spoke gently. Though Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue were his maids, they had been with him for so long since childhood that they were already the people closest to him.

Seated in the luxurious carriage, Li Yan closed his eyes and rested. Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue gently massaged his left and right arms, looks of reassurance on their faces.

After half a day, the carriage drove into a luxurious castle. At the Steward's soft prompt, Li Yan slowly roused himself from his rest and climbed out of the carriage with Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue helping him.

Before him were his parents, dressed in splendid formal attire, as well as his recently born younger sister and his young younger brother.

"Welcome home, Yan'er. Thank you for your hard work."

Li Yan nodded gently. Though the journey of studying magic had been arduous, he had truly felt joy—a joy that warriors would never understand.

"Have you been slacking off lately? The Family will still have to rely on you to support it!"

His father, the Earl, patted Li Yan on the shoulder. The force made the corners of Li Yan's mouth twitch. It was a show of strength from his strict father, an assertion of his authority because Li Yan had been away from home for too long.

"Good, good. Judging by how you're holding up, you haven't neglected your basic training lately."

Seeing Li Yan accept the heavy pressure without a change in expression, Earl Father showed a hint of satisfaction.

"My Yan'er, you've gotten thin. Come, let Mother have a good look at you."

The current King's younger sister, once the Most Beautiful Grand Princess of the Royal Capital and now Li Yan's mother, hugged him with an aching look on her face.

Feeling his mother's concern, Li Yan was touched despite his impassive heart. Looking at this home he had never properly looked at since childhood, he was surprised to realize that he had been wholly absorbed in magic and his physique all these years.

Back inside, a lavish lunch covered the long table. There were seventy-two dishes in all, every one of them a favorite of Li Yan's from childhood. Even the wine was the light, sweet grape wine he had liked as a child.

The leisurely manner in which nobles ate was somewhat unfamiliar to Li Yan, yet also somewhat familiar. It was muscle memory engraved deep in his mind. Though it wasn't as carefree as eating with Frieren and his godmother, this ordinary meal brought back memories of his childhood.

"The demons have been attacking fiercely lately, and a few have appeared in our territory as well. The King wants to promote some capable members of the younger generation. A Yan, have you given any thought to that?"

Earl Father asked calmly as he drank his expensive red wine.

"I'll follow your wishes, Father."

Li Yan silently drank his wine. Beside him, Xiao Wu and Xiao Xue were peeling crabs and sea shrimp and feeding him the meat themselves.

"Good. I'll arrange for a few squads to go with you. The children of our greatest warrior family can go to war at ten. Age has never been an excuse to avoid it."

Earl Father spoke with enthusiasm, his face flushed from the red wine.

"Yan'er has only just returned. It wouldn't be too late for him to rest for a few days before going."

Li Yan's mother spoke softly, a hint of worry in her eyes as she looked at him.

Demons were never just any insignificant creatures. They were humanoid Monsters that killed without blinking and ate people; they couldn't be approached with ordinary human thinking.

Even... demon children were the same.