A talk with Paul

A little later, after taking Sylphiette home, the two returned home themselves.

"?"

"What happened? Where are the things I asked you to buy?"

Paul looked at the two empty-handed boys and asked in confusion.

The groceries still sitting somewhere: Am I free now?

"Ah!!!"

The two immediately remembered that they had left everything where they had been. In the end, Radeus, the faster runner, went to fetch it. Luckily, everything was still there.

Early the next morning, Rudeus woke Radeus up.

"Hey, wake up. Didn't we agree to go play with Sylphiette today?"

"Five more minutes!" Radeus mumbled groggily from his bed.

"Fine! But only five minutes!"

Rudeus had no choice but to go wash up first. Five minutes later, Radeus was still asleep in bed.

"Father, my brother's reading storybooks again!"

Hearing Rudeus's words, the sleeping Radeus instantly woke and sprang out of bed on reflex.

"No, I wasn't reading!"

"All right, hurry up and wash, then come downstairs for breakfast!" Rudeus said as he watched Radeus get up.

"You bastard, that was low!"

Radeus was furious and utterly scornful of Rudeus's method of waking him.

"Heh, how else would I wake you up? Besides, in your own words, baseness is the passport of the base, isn't it?" Rudeus quoted Radeus back at him.

"You're good. I should've charged you tuition!"

"Like hell I'd pay!"

After fooling around that morning, the two arrived at their meeting place. Sylphiette was already waiting there.

"Sorry we're late. Have you been waiting long?"

Rudeus spoke apologetically. It was all a certain someone's fault for dawdling.

"N-no, I only just got here!"

Sylphiette was delighted to see them.

Seeing Sylphiette's adorable smile, neither could help smiling too.

"So, what should we play?" Radeus asked.

"I've never played with friends before..." Sylphiette spoke first.

Poor kid. Must never have made any friends. Though neither have I! Rudeus thought as he looked at Sylphiette.

Hah, loser. I've got loads of friends! Radeus heard Rudeus's thoughts again.

Hmph, go explode, you normie!

Rudeus offered Radeus his heartfelt blessing!

"Um, could you teach me? What you used yesterday?" Sylphiette asked, looking at their inexplicable expressions.

"Magic? Sure!" Rudeus agreed after a moment's thought.

"You don't mind either, right, Rad?"

"No problem. We've got nothing else to do anyway, so we might as well study some magic!" Radeus looked unconcerned.

Hearing them agree, Sylphiette could not hide the delight in those eyes. Those ears kept twitching, and that smile was angelic.

"This kid is so cute!" ×2

"Are you a pervert? Lolicon!"

"You're the one who's gay!"

Radeus started arguing with Rudeus again.

"Please stop arguing..." Sylphiette stood helplessly beside them.

In the end, however, the two taught Sylphiette some basic facts about magic, planning to teach Sylphiette how to cast spells tomorrow.

After saying goodbye, the two returned home before sunset. Paul was sitting on the front steps with a serious expression.

"We're home!"

Radeus and Rudeus greeted Paul.

What's wrong? Father looks a little off.

Did Mom scold him?

Rudeus and Radeus exchanged guesses in their team chat.

Only when he saw them return did Paul get up, walk over, and crouch beside them.

"Rad, Rudeus, did you two do something yesterday?"

"Do something? Hmm... no idea!" Neither had a clue.

"Did you beat up that boy Somal yesterday?" Paul prompted.

"Somal?" Radeus repeated.

"That's right! Somal!" Paul nodded firmly.

Who's that? Radeus asked Rudeus.

Could he be one of those kids bullying someone yesterday?

Rudeus thought about it and decided that was probably it.

Oh, right, now I remember. But that guy actually went tattling to his parents. What a lousy brat! Radeus complained.

"Dad, yes, but neither Rudeus nor I did anything wrong!" Radeus told Paul.

Hearing that his children had beaten up someone else's child for no reason, Paul should, by rights, have been angry and lost his temper. But since his son had said that, could there be more to the story?

Paul trusted their character completely, though they could be unreliable at times.

Paul took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"Since you say that, Rad, can I ask why?"

"Well, this happened..."

Radeus and Rudeus then took turns describing what had happened yesterday.

"So that's what happened. That deserves praise. Rad, Rudeus, well done!"

After learning what had happened, Paul breathed a sigh of relief too.

Paul sat back down on the steps and motioned for them to sit as well. Radeus and Rudeus exchanged a glance, then sat on either side of him.

"At first, when I heard you'd beaten up someone else's child, I actually felt relieved to think you had such a childish side too."

"But then I thought about how, at such a young age, one of you is already a Water Saint mage, while the other is both a Saint Rank mage and an Advanced Swordsman in all Three Sword Styles. I was afraid you'd gotten too full of yourselves, and I was planning to give you a stern lesson..."

"But now, seeing the smiles on your faces and what you've done, I still don't think there's any need. You're both wonderful children, and I'm proud of you!"

Paul opened his heart to them. Hearing their father's sincere words, Radeus and Rudeus were deeply moved.

Is this what a great father is like?

The two burst out laughing. Hearing their laughter, Paul laughed along with them.

Zenith and Lilia watched the heartwarming scene from the window, covering their mouths as they laughed too.

"What a close father and sons!"

After laughing for a while, Paul picked up Radeus and Rudeus, one in each arm, and walked into the living room.

"But you still mustn't get too proud, or you might stumble later!"

"Yes, sir!"

They sat around the dining table, eating and laughing loudly.

Anyone who saw this scene would have been envious!

After dinner, Radeus and Rudeus returned to their room.

"That little brat. Let's find a chance to mess with him again. What do you think, Rudeus?"

Radeus looked furious. He hated people who tattled to their parents most of all.

Didn't that brat know it was taboo among kids?

"You're right. How about making him eat his fill in a cesspit?"

Rudeus was angry too and offered a suggestion.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you Jia Xu? What a vicious scheme!"

Radeus could not keep his composure when he heard Rudeus's plan.

"Just tell me whether you're in!"

"I'm in!"

In the end, neither had the heart to do it, so they let Somal off with just a light beating.

To avoid leaving any marks, the two healed Somal's injuries with healing magic after beating him. And so, Somal was beaten from the moment he left home that morning until sunset, finally promising them both that he would never do it again.