Chapter 4: Journey

*AETHERIUS*

After our stroll through the village for almost the entire day, my parents and Viola's parents gathered at our house for dinner before our departure. Our journey would take nearly 2 weeks to travel to the southern capital to enroll my siblings in the academy and return. We would spend 4 days traveling from Shira to the capital, take 2 days to explore the capital and buy necessary items for my siblings' classes, and then another 4 days to return.

Because of this, our parents allowed Viola to spend the night with us. After dawn, we hurried to finish packing the extra belongings. The carriage we hired was ready to depart. My parents bid farewell to Dominic and Sonia, and my siblings and I said goodbye to Viola.

"We'll be gone for two weeks and then we'll return, so train as much as you can to see if you're really making progress or just slacking off in training, alright?" I said to Viola. "Yes, after you come back, we'll have a little duel, so you better be prepared," she replied confidently.

We boarded the carriage. "Haha, I look forward to that," I replied. "Take care until we return," I said to Viola's family. "See you the next time we have the opportunity to come back," Trevor and Layra said to Viola's family.

"Okay, we'll take care of your house while you're away. Good luck, kids, take care," Dominic shouted. "Keep training, Layra, I'll teach you another technique you'll like when I return," Sonia said to Layra. "I look forward to that," Layra replied to Sonia, and so we set off for the capital.

A few hours later

As planned, there were monster attacks during our journey. My father and my siblings easily took care of them as they were trained, and my father was strong. My mother stayed with me and Elowen, guarding the carriage.

"Phew, that was tiring even though there weren't many monsters," my father said as he wiped the sweat from his face. "Yes, it was exhausting," Trevor and Layra said in unison. "Darling, is everyone alright?" my mother asked. "Everything's fine, nothing to worry about. After all, if something went wrong, we have the family ace, don't we, Ther?" "Of course, Dad, as always, the one who does nothing," I said with frustration since they never let me fight when something like this happened. "Alright, alright, someday I'll give you the chance to fight them, Ther," my mother said.

"Whatever," I said to my mother, although it's childish of me to get mad despite my physical age, so I always let it pass, but my fighting spirit screams at me to jump into battle. "Ready here, we can resume the journey," my father said to the driver.

We were already a day away from Shira where we were. We had to pass through a dangerous hill where we again encountered monsters and defeated them. Three days passed, and we were at the checkpoint near the entrance to the capital. We passed without any problems thanks to my parents' guild friend. He was surprised that I was the same height as my mother, but from the aura of his fire element, I could tell he was strong, although I didn't know if he was on par with my father.

Anyway, we arrived at the capital without any problems, passed the inspection smoothly, and now we were heading to the LEVIATHAN guild, where my parents belonged. There we met more of my parents' friends, a pretty receptionist in her twenties, with curly black hair and brown eyes, named Nora Notch. "Hello, guys, it's been a while since I've seen you here. How have you been?" the receptionist asked.

"Very well, Nora, we're all doing well so far," my father said. "And how about you? How have you been?" my mother asked. "So far so good, I thought I had found a good man, but he turned out to have some issues," Nora replied, looking downcast.

"Ah, this must be little Elowen. Wow, she inherited your eyes and hair," Nora said, almost drooling as she looked at my sister. "And these must be your two older children, Trevor and Layra. You both look taller than the last time I saw you," Nora said, looking at my siblings, then looking at me, "and this one here looks very curious, eyes of different colors, one green and the other purple, your hair white and pale blond at the tips, it's the first time I've seen something like this," Nora said as she inspected me, "from what I see, you're Aetherius, what a name," "couldn't you have chosen a shorter name?" Nora asked.

"I've asked myself that several times, but I got used to it," I said as I looked closely at the pretty receptionist. In my mind, I hoped I didn't have a perverted look now, "oh, wait, let me call the guild master."

But as she turned around, a powerful aura that I hadn't felt in a long time appeared descending the stairs, "Haha, look who we have here, it's been a long time since I've seen you all," a woman appeared, slender, taller than Viola's mother, her hair crimson red with orange-tipped, her lively orange eyes surprised me, bronzed skin like my father, midriff-baring top, high-waisted pants, with more bust than Nora and a scar on her left arm. If I was mesmerized by Nora, with her, I was drooling, "hello kids, my name is Atheria Roger, I wield the lightning element just like your mother, and I wield a light sword, and my core is at the green stage."

By instinct from my past life, I pulled my mother's arm and whispered in her ear, "Mother, can I marry that beautiful woman when I graduate from the academy?" At the same moment, I regretted saying it because apparently, I said it normally instead of whispering, the guild master looked at me in astonishment, as did my parents and siblings, "oh, thanks, I guess," she said embarrassed, red from the tips of her ears as she looked away.

Mi father laughs loudly, my mother gave me a blow to the head "Aetherius", apparently I offended her, Trevor in shock by my comment, Layra just laughs silently, even Elowen was surprised, "you're being unfaithful to Viola, brother Ther, I'll tell her when we return" says Elowen, "wait Wen no, I just said it instinctively, dad, mom, Miss Atheria, please forgive my offense" I bow a little seeking forgiveness while I also turned red with embarrassment, ahhh I hope they don't tell Viola otherwise it will be a problem.

"it's okay, you flatter me with your words, even though I'm already in my 30s" she says irritated, anyway what brings you here, my dad clears his throat "we just passed by here since Trevor and Layra will return to the academy tomorrow and we're buying the things they need".

"Oh I'm glad to hear that, come to our armory and see if you like a weapon, consider it a gift from me" says Miss Atheria.