"Huh?"
" Luo Ge?"
Roxy froze, her ahoge (cowlick) twitching several times before she finally looked up at her parents.
"Wait a minute, what did you just say? My disciple, Luo Ge?"
Yes, that's right.
" Roxy... your disciple is very handsome, a healthy and dashing young man. Speaking of which... Roxy has a really good eye for choosing disciples." Rokari's tone revealed a hint of satisfaction.
"Ah?!"
Roxy's voice suddenly rose several decibels, and her whole body involuntarily leaned forward, "Are you kidding me? Really?!"
"Rog... Luo Ge is actually... still alive?" she murmured to herself, completely stunned.
That child...
That guy always liked to tease her.
How could a disciple who dared to run away from home alone at the age of five still be alive?
Seven years have passed.
It's been seven years.
The disciple she thought was dead, but now her parents are telling her that the child is still alive?
Not only is she still alive, but she has also come to her hometown.
" Roxy... we're not joking."
Rokari's tone was gentle, but every word was clear, "That child did indeed claim to be your disciple, a human from the Fittoa Territory, calling himself Luo Ge Greyrat, and also the brother of Rudeus from before."
An uncontrollable surge of joy welled up within me.
Roxy suppressed the excitement of her unexpected turn of events, took a deep breath, and then looked at her parents earnestly, "Mom and Dad!"
"Please... you absolutely must tell me everything about Luo Ge."
Subsequently, under Roxy's persistent questioning, Rowin and Rokari recounted the entire story of what happened in Luo Ge Village, one after the other.
From the moment he entered the village with a black-haired girl, to the moment he announced Roxy's name, and finally, when he left, he took out a large bag of green ore money as a token of his affection, that is, a betrothal gift, intending to marry Roxy.
Hmm...
Roxy, who was slumped on the ground, listened very attentively, not missing a single word.
But when she heard that her disciple had actually come all the way to her home to present betrothal gifts, her heart couldn't help but race, and even her ears turned slightly red as she felt a little embarrassed.
If it were in private, Roxy could have taken it as a joke, since the child was still young... but now it was happening in front of her parents.
Especially since Rokari made fun of her about this in public, Roxy felt even more ashamed.
Hmm...
That kid is really something...
He was clearly her master; how could he do such a thing without consulting her first?
However, none of those things mattered anymore; what mattered was that he had finally learned the good news that Luo Ge was alive.
" Luo Ge is still alive..."
"That's wonderful, truly wonderful." A slight smile of relief appeared on her lips. She knew that someone as remarkable as Luo Ge couldn't possibly die so easily.
That child was smarter than anyone else from the age of three, showing a unique talent.
Amidst the shock, Roxy felt mostly gratified, along with a subtle hint of pride.
If you calculate the time now, that child should be almost 12 years old, practically an adult, right?
When I graduated at the age of five, I was able to beat my younger self, who was a Water Saint Rank magician at the time. Now, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye.
It must have become incredibly powerful by now.
After all, she had watched that child grow up from a young age, and no one knew the child's outstanding talent better than her, his teacher.
Undoubtedly...
Luo Ge must have become a very skilled swordsman.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but it took about two minutes before Roxy finally came to her senses.
When they saw Roxy stand up again and suddenly bow solemnly to them.
"... Roxy?"
Both parents spoke in unison.
"Mom and Dad, thank you so much for bringing me the good news about Luo Ge."
But... this time, I really have to go.
" Roxy."
"Are you really not planning to stay a few more days? You haven't been back for decades, and it's only recently that you've finally returned," Rowin called out reluctantly.
Although the Migludians have an average lifespan of 200 years, several decades is still a relatively long time for them.
No, thank you.
"I have more important things to do now..."
Seeing that Roxy was about to pick up her suitcase and leave.
Rowin's face was filled with reluctance, while Rokari, though equally heartbroken, forced a smile, " Roxy, our precious daughter, are you planning to go find that disciple named Luo Ge?"
"Um."
"Yes."
Roxy straightened up, gripped her wand tightly, and said with unwavering determination, "As his master, I need to confirm it myself. In short... I absolutely, positively will find him."
Goodbye, Mom and Dad!
" Roxy, wait a minute!"
Rokari suddenly called out to her, "How about we make a deal?"
"Agreement?"
"Yes, it's a promise... You must bring that disciple home to visit next time."
"..."
Roxy hesitated for a moment, paused at the door, and stood with her back to her parents for two seconds.
Then, she nodded slightly, her voice soft but earnest. "Okay, okay."
With Roxy's assurance, Rowin and Rokari finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After making an appointment with her parents, Roxy picked up her suitcase again, left home, and embarked on a new journey.
Compared to when she first returned, when she felt extremely depressed and distressed, Roxy now appears to have clearly improved.
Her steps seemed much lighter as she left, as if the shackles binding her were gradually disappearing.
Her blue ponytail swayed gently with her steps, stretched long and thin by the afterglow of the setting sun in the bright afternoon sunlight.
Under the big tree at the entrance of the village.
Rowin and his wife, Rokari, accompanied their daughter all the way here, watching her leave once again as she had grown up.
A receding figure.
Unlike last time, this time Roxy did not choose to leave secretly without saying goodbye. Instead, she said a formal goodbye to her parents and left in a more dignified manner.
"... Roxy, um."
As the sun set, Rokari stood under the big tree, waving goodbye, and kept looking in the direction her daughter had disappeared until she was completely out of sight.
Tears finally streamed down my face.
Rowin reached out and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him, and whispered words of comfort in the Migrudian language.
It took a while for Rokari to calm down.
She leaned against her husband's chest and suddenly uttered something softly in the language of the Migludian people.
Rowin, who was holding his wife, suddenly changed his expression, his whole body stiffened, and he reacted extremely.
"No! I wouldn't agree to something like that so easily... Ugh! That's our precious daughter, Roxy!"
Rokari wasn't as agitated as Rowin, perhaps because she was a woman and therefore more sensitive.
Although Roxy didn't say anything on the surface, Rokari could clearly sense that Roxy seemed to care a lot about that disciple.
It's not really about love between a man and a woman.
But this kind of care definitely goes beyond the relationship between many ordinary master and disciple. Perhaps, if things go even further... their daughter, Roxy, could really end up with this disciple named Luo Ge in the future.