Back Home

After the encounter with Aicrossus, the atmosphere of our small caravan changed. We all just wanted to go back home. We were more united than ever, and whatever the other needed, it was given without question. We got to the closest city to the capital of Peradama and did all our business there. Mr. Damian bought as much Adamantium as he could. Dad sold all his weapons. We hired more adventurers and started our journey back home.

We passed through the same road that we encountered the servant of the fallen one. There were soldiers and adventurers on the ground guarding the bodies and cleaning up the road. Dad told me that this is not a military kingdom. What I understood from Dad is that Peradama has some kind of democratic government and is a neutral nation, with a pacifist stance. For that reason, what happened on that road was told all across the kingdom. Not in many years has something like that happened in Peradama before. 

We stop by to pay our respects to the people and the families of the death. I could still remember the sound of the people crying that night and how terrifying Aicrossus was.

“Dad, I’m going back to the wagon.” I was lost in thought about what had happened that night when suddenly,

“Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!”

When I looked to the side of our wagon between the trees, I saw the pudu that helped us that night.

“Hey, cutie, do you want an apple?” I got in the wagon and grabbed an apple to give to the pudu.”

“Are you a boy or a girl? Here, baby, have an apple.” The pudu came closer and ate the slices from my hand.

The pudus are so cute. It looks like a deer the size of a miniature poodle. It’s chestnut brown with yellow spots on its back, and it has small antlers on its head with a small tail.

“Okay, baby, go home!”

“Pew?” said the pudu, looking sideways.

“Okay, bye!” As I got inside the wagon to wait for Dad and Albus to come, the pudu jumped inside the wagon and onto my lap.

“Hey, hey, hey. You should go home. Are you cold?” What do I do now? If this is a pudu, it means that it’s dangerous. Should I keep it? If I kick it out, will I be attacked? Will Mom allow me to keep it? No way. But it is sleeping in my lap, it is so cute! How do I call you? My younger brother, back from Earth, would give the pets Japanese names. However, I don’t remember any… Oh! I know! I remember now, what about Hoshi for the yellow spots in the back? I think it means star in Japanese.

“Good night, Hoshi,” I whispered in his ear.

“P-pe-pew- Zzzz.” All of a sudden, Hoshi irradiated like a dust-type light that filled the wagon. What just happened?

“Cato? What was that light? Don’t use magic inside the wagon.” Dad said from the outside of the wagon, peeking inside. I quickly covered Hoshi with a blanket and used a little of wind magic to get rid of the lightning dust.

“Of course not, Dad, it’s nothing.”

We continue the road back home. I tried hiding Hoshi as much as possible. Now and then, I would set him free for him to find his home, but he would always come back in the middle of the night.

 We kept on training every day. Since the night of the incident, Dad has not been talking much, but he is training us very hard. We are running every morning next to the wagon for an hour.

“What is this!” Albus screamed, finding Hoshi between my legs.

“A dog?”

“Cato, don’t tell me you bought a pudu!”

“What’s going on?” Dad got inside the wagon.

“Master, we need to be careful.”

“Wait, is that a pudu?”

“Wait! Look! It is very obedient.” I got out of the wagon, looking both sides, making sure no one was close. “Hoshi, sit.” Hoshi stayed still. “Come on, Hoshi. This is not the time.” I whisper. “Hoshi, give me the foreleg.” Hoshi seemed annoyed and sat down.

“Okay, okay, enough. Honey, these are wild beasts. Very dangerous by the way. You cannot keep it. You have to set it free.”

“Okay, Dad. Hoshi, you are free now, bye!” I got inside the wagon, and Hoshi followed after me.

“What do you want me to do, Dad? These things are dangerous. Do you want to try kicking out?”

“Albus, are we sure this is a pudu? It doesn’t look dangerous to me.”

“Maybe it’s not a pudu?”

Dad got closer to Hoshi, extending his hands to grab it, but Hoshi looked him in the eyes and started to let his magical aura overflow the wagon.

“Okay, okay, okay, I’m not touching. I think it might be a pudu. You will have to ask Mom if you can keep it. Knowing her, she will not allow it. She is missing us like crazy, and now we bring a wild beast home without her permission. She is going to get mad.”

…

We finally arrived home. It was still dark early in the morning. It’s been two months since we left. We have all grown so much.

“Home, sweet home.”

“First!”

“First, to what Cato?”

“Used the bath.”

“Ha ha ha ha! Remember, you have to explain to Mom about the… pet?”

“Pew!” Hoshi hates that word.

“Albus, are you happy to be back home?”

“Yes, I missed Mom and master Antonina’s home cooking. I also want to train and get stronger.”

That's a feeling we all share. We were not strong enough for the fight against Aicrossus. We were lucky. Saraqael changed the tide of the battle, and Hoshi was the wedge that brought the opportunity to win. The rest of us were weak. I need to train as soon as possible.

“Mom! Albina! We are home!”

I ran up the stairs, got into Mom’s room, and jumped into her bed. Dad followed right after me. Suddenly, I saw another face come from under the bed sheets. A female homo Bovinae, charming, with brown skin, long black hair, and black horns and eyes.

“Aunt Eugina?! What’s going on here!”

“Antonina?! What is the meaning of this!” Mom was still sleeping, drooling over the pillow. I smack her with a pillow to wake her up.

“Ah? What’s going on? You guys are back? Chancho, you lost weight.”

“Anto, I left for two months, and you cheated on me?”

“What’s going on? What's the big commotion?” Marcus just appeared by the door.

“And you replaced me, too?! What? You got a new family now?!”

“Let me explain-”

“You shut up!” Dad and I shut Aunt Eugina really quickly.

“Let’s go to the kitchen, we need to change, we have no clothes on.”

“Have some shame, Mom!”

When we were all in the kitchen, Mom explained everything that had happened while we were gone, as well as Aunt's situation with her ex-husband and the levirate legal process.

“What? Is that law real, Dad?”

“It is, but why did you accept the challenge? Levirate laws are not mandatory.”

“Ah?” Mom moved her head, looking at Aunt Eugina

“He he he… Anto was a bit… drunk, you see, and did not understand she could not have accepted the challenge.”

“Eugina, you lie to me. You made it sound like I had to accept the challenge.”

“That doesn’t matter anymore, we are officially married now! Oh ho ho ho ho!”

“Anto! I’m not sleeping with her!”

“Why not! She told me about you two having deep conversations alone during breakfast when I was gone adventuring.”

“Cato and Marcus were there! We were not alone!”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter. I’m the head of the household. It’s convenient for the family. Now, we own a clothing store, we have a new son, Marcus, and I will have another one. So, get chummy.”

“Uh? I’m not having a child with Eugina!"

“You wanna do otherwise? Then beat me in a duel!” Dad left the room, knowing that it’s impossible.

“I hate you, Mom! Also, I got a pet, and there is nothing you can do about it!” Cato also left the room after Dad.

“What are you gonna do, Anto?”

“Don’t worry, they will be over it soon.”

…

Later that night, we explained everything that happened on the journey. Our way there, our encounter with the hero and Aicrossus, servant of Apollyon, the demon lord, Hoshi, and everything we saw. For the first time after that deadly battle, we all spoke about what happened and our thoughts.

“I own the gods big time for everything they have given me. Thus, I’m helping the hero. I know I can’t fight, but at least I can make the best weapons for her party.”

Mom was silent the whole time.

“What about you, Cato?” Mom asked.

“Mom, I want to join the hero.”

“No, princess, you can't.”

“I will allow it.”

“Anto, no. Why? You don’t understand how risky that is.”

“This is her calling. I have seen it since she was a baby. I have had dreams about this. If she decides to follow the hero’s steps, then I will allow it. However, you still have to attend the Academy and complete it. You can decide on your profession after, but I will still choose a husband for you.”

“What about Hoshi?”

“It can stay, after I give it a beating.”

The next day, Mom tried “playing” with Hoshi, but Hoshi beat her to a pulp. Hoshi is stronger than Mom. How is that even possible? Eugina told us that I probably tamed the beast without noticing. Dad and Mom have never seen anyone tame a beast this strong, even more strange being still a child. It must be a gift from the gods.