Expecting at least one of the four to get ejected before the time limit, Vahn was quite surprised when the entire two hours passed. Immediately after that, four flashes of light emerged from the planar diorama as far more mature versions of Izayoi, Asuka, Yo, and Jin appeared.
“Yo, long time no see.”
Seizing the opportunity to break the awkward tensions that had built between him and Lily, Vahn rose to his feet and greeted the group. It took them a while, but, after several seconds of stunned silence, Asuka was the one to answer, “Indeed…it really has been…”
Though she had started out by speaking towards Vahn, Asuka’s gaze shifted to Izayoi toward the latter half of her words. Then, with an indignant pout on her markedly more mature face, she asked, “And where, might I ask, have you been? We really could have used your help during the war. Some hero you turned out to be.”
Without missing a beat, Izayoi, hand on his hip, retorted, “Jeez. Just bite my head off, why don’tcha? What, did you miss me?”
Surprising the blond-haired young man quite a bit, Asuka’s pout became more pronounced as she asked, “Is that such a bad thing? We were the only real people in that world. We should have stuck together. Why did you have to run off and play hero somewhere we couldn’t follow?”
While she was far from tears, a thin layer of moisture began to spread across Asuka’s aqua blue eyes. The last two and a half years within the Game Board had been especially difficult for her, as, despite knowing the people inside didn’t exist, she couldn’t just ignore them. Thus, she had spent nearly half the duration of her stay trying to guarantee the rights of the Xenos while simultaneously brokering peace between Orario and the surrounding countries. It hadn’t been easy. Not at all.
Not expecting the mature Japanese beauty to suddenly tear up, Iazyoi’s smile promptly faded away as he scratched the back of his head. In truth, he felt she was being unreasonable. After all, it’s not like he had just disappeared without an explanation. He told her exactly what he was up to and that he might not be able to return before their expulsion from the Game Board. It wasn’t exactly fair for her to try and pin blame, but, rather than point that out, he just shook his head, exhaled a sigh, and muttered, “Sorry…” in an apologetic tone.
Biting back her tears with a sniffle, Asuka was about to lay into the blond-haired youth even further when Vahn interjected, suggesting, “Let’s shift this discussion to the dining room. I’ve prepared a feast to welcome you back. I’m sure you’ll feel better once you’ve filled your bellies with delicious food.”
Though everyone else appeared relatively unaffected by their time within the Game Board, Vahn made sure to address the entire group as he was speaking. Asuka, despite her numerous character flaws, had a very strong sense of responsibility. Even in her previous life, she had primarily used her powers to help people. Thus, even without inquiring into the specifics, Vahn knew she had probably worked herself to the bone trying to ‘fix’ the underlying issues of Orario…
Hearing mention of food, the stomaches of everyone present felt empty while Yo’s outright growled its response. This caused the youthful-looking brunette to blush, but, instead of remaining silent or averting her eyes, a voracious smile developed across her face as she wiped away a bit of drool and said, “Finally…I’ve been dreaming of this day for the past six years…!”
Seemingly unsurprised by Yo’s reaction, Asuka, Jin, and even Izayoi exhaled moderately exasperated sighs as the source of their exasperation pumped her fists in excitement. Yo had matured quite a bit in the physical department, but, due to possessing a strong desire to befriend others, her previously taciturn nature had given way for a far more outgoing and bubbly personality. She had even cut her hair in a manner reminiscent of Tiona, so, even without asking, Vahn could surmise the two had met and gotten along very well…
As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn briefly shifted his attention to Jin, who, since the moment of his return, had been staring at Lily. The once-girlish youth had matured quite a bit, and, though he still possessed a few androgynous features, his perpetually concerned expression had given way for a remarkably calm and calculating look. This, combined with the fact their hairstyles were virtually identical, reminded Vahn of when Merlin was serious…
Noticing Vahn’s gaze, Jin briefly shifted his own to match. A slight smile then developed across his face as he said, “It’s good to see you again, Vahn…”
Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn was about to return the young mage’s greeting when Jin’s smile promptly faded away, followed by an accusatory, “I really wish you would have mentioned Hestia-sama’s quirks in advance…”
Restraining the urge to burst out laughing, Vahn just issued a light chuckle before asking, “Why? Do you regret joining her Familia?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jin immediately shook his head, stating, “No. I’m just a little jaded, that’s all. Given how highly you spoke of her, my expectations during our first encounter may have been a little too high. At first, I couldn’t help wondering why you sent me to her. It was only during the events of the second year that I began to understand. Hestia-sama’s regard for the people she considers her family is beyond praiseworthy. She never stopped supporting us, and, no matter how difficult things became, she was always there to pick us up and give us the push we needed to keep fighting. If I possessed even a fraction of the trust Hestia-sama demonstrated toward the people in her Familia, I have no doubt I would have been a much better Community Leader…”
Feeling gratified by Jin’s words, an appreciative smile developed across Vahn’s face. When the boy was finished speaking, he was half tempted to just walk over and give him a pat on the head. Before he could, however, Jin shifted his attention back to Lily, a resolute glimmer flashing across his eyes as he added, “I promised myself that, upon my return, I would no longer hesitate…”
As Asuka and Yo became visibly excited, Jin walked over to the increasingly befuddled-looking Lily before bending down and taking a knee. Even Vahn was surprised by this development, but, thanks to his inhuman speed, he was able to give the two childhood friends an adequate amount of space as Jin grasped Lily’s hand and said, “Lily…even if you never regard me in a similar light, I want you to know how I feel…how I’ve always felt…”
Though she appeared slightly troubled by Jin’s words and actions, Lily would be lying if she said her heart wasn’t racing. She had actually been expecting Jin to confess for quite some time, but, due to his lack of self-confidence, he never got past telling her there was something he wanted to say. This was a marked improvement, but, after indirectly confessing to Vahn and spending the better part of two hours flirting, it also felt extremely awkward…
After taking a deep breath to steady his heart and mind, Jin stared directly into Lily’s emerald green eyes as he said, “I…I…I think you should be the Leader of the No Names…!”
While everyone else looked like they wanted to slap their foreheads, Lily just tilted her head to the side in response to Jin’s unexpected ‘confession’. The smile on her face didn’t fade in the slightest, but, after getting all worked up, a part of her wanted to ask if there was something wrong with his head. If he had been more direct, she might have given him a chance. After all, she did love him. It was more of a motherly type of love, but, with time, she was certain it could grow into something more substantial. Now, she wasn’t so sure…
…
..
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In an effort to salvage some of Jin’s dignity, Vahn ended up interrupting the youth’s explanation by reminding everyone about the feast he had prepared. This left the young magus feeling a little taken aback, but, with everyone else eager to eat, he reluctantly agreed to the change of location. Before they could reach it, however, Vahn pulled him off to the side, asking, “What’s this all about, kiddo?”
Though he was briefly confused by Vahn’s words, a look of understanding flashed across Jin’s face as he lowered his head and answered, “After spending so much time in the Hestia Familia, I’ve come to realize that the best person to lead isn’t necessarily the strongest or the smartest. Lily has always been there for everyone, myself included. Most importantly, no matter how difficult things became, she never stopped smiling…”
“Kid…you know that isn’t what I’m asking about…”
With a self-deprecating smile spreading across his face, Jin nodded his head in affirmation, adding, “I know…if I’m being completely honest, I fell in love with Lily a long time ago. The problem is…I’m not the only one. Most of the boys around our age feel the exact same way. After all, Lily has been our emotional and spiritual anchor for the past three years. Every single member of the Community looks up to her and she has acted as a surrogate mother of sorts for all of us. Even if she was willing to give me a chance, Lily’s smile belongs to everyone…I have no right to monopolize it…”
“Kid…”
Placing his right hand on Jin’s shoulder, Vahn prevented him from moving as his left hand formed into a fist. Then, far faster than Jin could react, he gave the seventeen-year-old youth a firm smack on the head, asking, “Are you an idiot!?” in an incredulous tone.
Though it had been six years, Jin immediately recalled all the times Vahn had knocked him on the head. This caused tears to build in the corners of his eyes as he rubbed the knot atop his head and asked, “Why did you hit me!?” like a wronged child.
Resisting the urge to give the teal-haired youth another smack, Vahn inhaled a deep breath through his nose before gesturing to the large red sofa he had manifested out of thin air. This earned him a severe pout from the young magus, but, understanding he didn’t really have a choice, it wasn’t long before Jin sat down with a defiant look on his face.
Feeling slightly exasperated, Vahn shook his head before sitting next to the youth and placing his hand on Jin’s shoulder. Then, like a father talking to his son, he adopted a stern yet gentle tone as he began to explain his personal thoughts on the matter.
In hindsight, Vahn realized that the thing Jin truly lacked was parental insight from a father figure. Hestia had helped him to build the confidence necessary to pursue his dreams, but, as a maternal figure, she couldn’t really guide him through the process of transitioning from a young boy to a young man. Jin needed a father figure to teach him how to be selfish or else he would spend his entire life serving the interests of others. This was a flaw Vahn was intimately familiar with, so, with the hope of correcting some of the youth’s misunderstandings, he spent the better part of six-and-a-half hours explaining to him the intricacies of a woman’s heart and mind…
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..
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: ‘Asuka is a very responsible young woman…’,’There isn’t an OOF setting high enough for this level of cringe…’,’There is still hope, Jin! Listen to the wisdom of the Sage Dragon Emperor…!’)
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