Chapter 345 Friendly Game of Cards

Antonio’s expression shifted from surprise to concern as he took in the scene. For a second, he could hardly believe his eyes. Nick’s hands looked as good as new, and not only that, Nick was practically glowing with excitement. But as the shock wore off, a realization dawned on him. He knew the magic behind such a transformation. 

“Wait… Did Suzuka use a healing crystal? A full healing crystal?” A thought crossed his mind, eyes narrowing slightly. 

Antonio felt his heart drop, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. The weight of the reality hit him like a punch to the gut. Full healing crystals were the highest grade of healing magic, rare and incredibly valuable - worth a small fortune! A fortune he could never afford. They were hard to come by, not just because of their rarity but because of the immense power they contained.

To think that Suzuka had given one to Nick made Antonio feel a whirlwind of emotions - nervousness, guilt, and a hint of despair. He quickly glanced at Suzuka with concern.

 “Suzuka... Those crystals are… they’re incredibly precious! You shouldn’t have-”

Before Antonio could finish his sentence, Suzuka gently pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him with a playful shush.

“Shh, shh, shh! Don’t ruin the moment!” she said, a teasing sparkle in her eyes. 

“Can’t you see how happy Nick is? Well, let's just say It was just sitting in my inventory, and I figured Nick could use it more than I could! Besides, a little magic never hurt anyone! Well, except for those goons I took care of. Look at that grin on his face! That’s worth more than any crystal, right? Now, let's focus on celebrating my amazing return, shall we? I've got stories to tell!”

Suzuka leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Oh come on, Antonio! Don’t be like that! I’m not doing this for you and I don't need repayment. I just wanted to help out Little Nick. Plus, seeing his face light up like that? Totally worth it!”

 Nick, still beaming with excitement, jumped in.

 “Yeah, Antonio! It’s amazing! Big Sis is the best! She’s got all these cool magic tricks! I want to hear all of her stories!”

She dramatically struck a pose, her arms spread wide as if she were about to take center stage.

 “Prepare yourselves for the grand tales of my adventures! You won’t believe the crazy stuff I encountered!”

Antonio chuckled nervously, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile despite the concern still lingering in his heart.

 “Well, I guess it’s good to see you back in one piece, Suzuka. Tell us all about it.”

Anna, still entranced by Nick’s transformation, chimed in, “And we need to celebrate! We should throw a party!”

But just as quickly as the excitement bloomed, Anna’s enthusiasm withered. She stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, “We should celebrate, but we don’t have much at home… we barely scrape by.” 

She cast a glance at the floor, the joy in her eyes dimming.

 “Sorry for hyping up for nothing. Well, we can still hear all about your stories, Suzuka.” Her voice wavered, a hint of tears threatening to spill over as she tried to hide her disappointment.

But Suzuka refused to let the mood sink into despair. With a twinkle in her eye and her trademark cheeky grin, she dramatically raised her arms as if she were about to perform a grand act. 

“No worries! Your big sis Suzuka still has some tricks up her sleeve!”

With the flair of a street magician, she reached into her magical item storage and pulled out an array of colorful ingredients - fruits, vegetables, spices, and even a few bottles of shimmering drinks, each item more eye-catching than the last.

 “Ta-da!” she shouted, exaggeratedly spreading everything out on the table.

 “We can make do with all of this tasty stuff! Just need to whip something up together!”

Gasps of delight erupted from Nick and Anna, who clapped their hands together in unison. 

“Wow! You brought all this?” Nick gasped, his eyes wide with amazement as he leaned over the table, practically bouncing on his toes.

“Let’s make a feast!” Anna cheered, her earlier doubts washed away in a wave of renewed enthusiasm. The two of them rushed to help Suzuka, their spirits lifted as they began sorting through the ingredients.

Everyone rejoiced, laughter ringing through the house as they started brainstorming dishes, playful banter flying back and forth. Suzuka showed them how to chop vegetables with exaggerated gestures, making silly faces as she pretended to be a master chef.

But even among the warmth and laughter, Antonio’s heart weighed heavy. He glanced at Suzuka, the way she radiated joy and confidence only deepened the guilt gnawing at him. How could he accept such kindness from her after everything he did to her?

As he helped chop vegetables, he kept glancing at her, admiring her spirit, yet feeling the ache of regret. He was happy for his siblings, to see them laughing and alive, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had failed them all. He wanted to speak up, to say something about how he was grateful for her return, but the words caught in his throat.

Suddenly, Anna turned to him, hands on her hips, her face filled with joy.

 “Antonio! Stop looking like a sad puppy! Help us make this the best feast ever! Let’s show Suzuka how much we missed her!”

Her playful energy was contagious, and with a reluctant smile, Antonio nodded. 

“Alright, alright! I’m in! But just know, I’m an expert at tasting, not cooking!”

The room burst into laughter once again, and for a moment, the worries faded away as they worked together to create a celebration worthy of the incredible reunion.

As the day progressed, the house filled with the delicious aromas of the feast they’d prepared together. They had crafted all sorts of tasty dishes from the ingredients Suzuka brought: juicy roasted meats, fresh vegetable salad in fragrant herbs, hearty soups, and even a sweet fruit tart that Anna managed to whip up last minute. The table was brimming with color and life, and their spirits were high as the drinks Suzuka had pulled from her magical item storage began to flow freely.

Everyone gathered around the table, the clinking of glasses and hearty laughter filling the air. The festive energy in the room was infectious, with Anna and Nick chattering away excitedly between bites. Suzuka sat back, basking in the warmth of their company, happy to be with her close friends.

As the festivities hit their stride, Suzuka launched into the story of all that had happened while she was gone. She painted vivid pictures with her words, talking about the perilous adventures she’d faced in the forest, the townsfolk she’d encountered, and the various missions she’d taken on through the adventurers’ guild. She carefully omitted anything involving Antonio’s past actions, skipping over the werewolf incident, and instead, offered a much shorter and less intense version of how she came to possess her magical powers.

Anna and Nick were enthralled by her stories, hanging on every word. Antonio, sitting a little more quietly, took it all in with a small, contented smile, occasionally nodding as Suzuka spoke. Even if the guilt still lingered in his heart, he was grateful to have this moment, to see his siblings happy again and Suzuka alive.

As a few hours passed and the food dwindled, Suzuka noticed the fatigue creeping into the room. She smirked mischievously and reached into her magical item storage once more, producing an old, worn card deck from years ago. The edges were frayed from countless games, and the back of the cards had a unique design that immediately sparked recognition in both Anna and Nick. Their eyes lit up, and happy squeals erupted from both of them as they scrambled toward Suzuka.

“Oh my god! The old deck!” Anna cried out, her voice high-pitched with excitement.

“I can’t believe you still have it!” Nick added, practically bouncing in his seat.

Suzuka grinned widely.

 “Well, I did secretly borrow it a few times back in the day, so I guess it’s only fair I kept it safe! Now, who’s up for a good old-fashioned game? Let’s see if you two can still beat me.”

And so, the card battle began. The room filled with the playful bickering and laughter of the intense game, as they fell back into old rhythms. The stakes were high - cookies and candies like in the old days, as Suzuka playfully upped the ante. Anna tried to bluff her way through, while Nick’s excitement often gave him away, but it was all in good fun.

As the game wore on, the first casualty of the night came. After a few hours of back-and-forth, Nick began to fade, his eyelids drooping as the excitement of the day took its toll. He valiantly tried to stay awake, but before long, he slumped over on the couch, completely out cold. Suzuka chuckled, pulling a blanket over him as she ruffled his hair.

 “Sleep tight, little guy.”

Next, Antonio’s exhaustion caught up to him. After years of anxiety and worry, the emotional toll of the day and the comfort of being surrounded by loved ones seemed to catch up with him all at once. He finally resigned from the game, admitting defeat with a dramatic yawn.

 “I think I’m done for the day, too. You two keep at it,” he said with a sheepish smile before collapsing next to Nick on the couch for a short nap.

That left only Suzuka and Anna, who were more determined than ever to win the next hand. Anna’s energy was still high, though her eyes sparkled more with nostalgia than actual competitiveness.

“You think you’ve got me, don’t you? But this time, I’m going to win.” Anna teased, shuffling the cards. 

 “Oh, you think you’re going to win, huh? I’ve been playing with adventurers and mercenaries, so my game’s gotten pretty sharp. You might be in for a surprise.”

They played for a few more hours, the atmosphere more intimate now, filled with gentle banter and laughter. Anna’s face beamed with happiness, her earlier embarrassment over the lack of a party long forgotten. Suzuka had a way of making everything feel okay as if no matter what was going on in the world, there was always something to celebrate.

Finally, as the last cards were played and the game came to an end, Anna let out a dramatic sigh. 

“Fine, fine, you win,” she said with a pout, though her smile betrayed her true feelings. 

“But next time, I’m totally going to beat you.”

Suzuka chuckled, leaning back in her chair. 

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

As Anna stretched out, her eyes glanced over to Nick and Antonio, both of whom were still sleeping soundly on the couch.

“Look at the boys. They’re really knocked out, huh?”

Suzuka's eyes lingered on Antonio for a moment.