BXBX NOVEL Chapter 99 Family (4)
"Father, Uncle... Professor?" he exclaimed, recognizing his family members whom he had not seen for a very long time but feeling surprised by the sight of Professor Joshua.
First of all Eren had yet to grasp his current location or understand the events that had unfolded since he lost consciousness. He had forgot to ask his mother as he got emotional seeing her after a long time but now his mind was filled with questions.
However, before Eren could ask any questions, Professor Joshua seemed uninterested in providing answers. He simply remarked, "I will see you at the banquet," and swiftly departed, leaving the family alone.
Eren was left perplexed by the mention of a banquet, struggling to make sense of the situation.
However, before he could gather his thoughts, a large and sturdy hand patted him on the back. It was not just a pat; it was a vigorous gesture that nearly choked him.
"Hahaha, my nephew, you have made me proud! Hahaha," Huges exclaimed with elation. He was ecstatic after witnessing Eren's accomplishments, having heard about them from the vice master of the Justice Tower.
The Pendragon family also received many tokens of thanks from the survivors who praised Eren to no end.
"The Sleeping Pendragon, huh? I like it!" Huges continued, oblivious to the confusion plastered across Eren's face. He continued to pat Eren's back, repeatedly subjecting him to a near-death experience.
"Huges, that's enough!" Hubert interjected, pulling Huges back by placing a hand on his shoulder. Recognizing Eren's confusion, he suggested allowing him some time to comprehend the situation.
Hubert gazed at his son, a smile unconsciously forming on his face. He surveyed Eren from head to toe, then gently placed his hands on his son's head.
'Children grow too fast..'
The last time Hubert had seen Eren was three months ago when Eren set out for the Freljord academy, but now that he is seeing him after some moths, he could barely notice his own son.
Eren had grown too much in such a short time and Hubert was happy with his growth while a part of him wanted to see the growth of his son with his own eyes, he also understood that it is for the better for Eren to stay in the Freljord academy than in their remote barony…
Hubert gently ruffled Eren's hair as silent words passed between them. Eren understood his father's feelings without it being explicitly expressed.
He just closed his eyes as his father's hand rested on his head. It was a foreign yet comforting sensation.
Even though it was just three months ago they last met from his parent's perspective, from Eren's point of view, the last time he had seen his parents was when he was fourteen in his past life, and over seventeen years had elapsed since then.
His memories of them were faint, his recollections limited to the urn containing their ashes—a somber reminder of his family's loss.
At the age of fourteen, Eren was too young to fully comprehend the depth of parental love. And before he could, he was left with the cold ashes of family and he only had hazy recollections of his family and father.
However, the warmth he experienced in that moment felt different. It was a feeling that didn't bring discomfort or pain; rather, it offered solace and a sense of belonging
'It doesn't feel bad at all….'
Eren thought, holding back his tears and keeping his head down staring at his father's feet.
***
After spending some time talking with Eren, Hubert proceeded to explain what had transpired while Eren was unconscious.
Two days had passed since they arrived at the royal palace after receiving the message from the Tower of Justice and learning about the situation.
And as soon as they arrived in the capital they were welcomed with royal treatment and were immediately escorted to the royal court where they met the emperor and other officials of the empire.
The details of what had transpired was explained to them by the vice master of the Tower of Justice, Aurnox.
They also received praises from all the officials for bringing up such a bright and upright child, which made his mother, Sears Pendragon puff her chest.
Huges was also on cloud nine hearing about his nephew's achievements and boasted that he was the one who taught Eren on how to wield the sword.
While his father didn't show it on the outside, he was incredibly proud of his son too.
Hubert recounted the events which he had learned from Aurnox to the confused Eren.
Including how Eren's bullet had torn apart the arm of the rebel leader, a peak seven star knight and the timely arrival of reinforcements led by Grand Duke Agnus after Eren had collapsed, which forced the rebels to retreat.
And the subsequent death of one of the rebel leaders who had consumed poison and the escape of another injured rebel leader.
Hubert also mentioned the banquet arranged by the Emperor to honor those who had fought against the rebels.
Hearing all the details from his father, Eren was taken aback by the revelations.
Firstly, he found it hard to believe that a single bullet from the Rifle of Death could inflict such severe damage on a peak 7-star knight.
He had only managed to use that single bullet by imbuing all his mana, using all the available buffs and skills, but the power of the rifle of death far exceeded his imaginations.
However, he couldn't ignore the fact that he had collapsed immediately after firing the bullet, his mana depleted.
Nevertheless, he believed that as he increased his star level, he would be able to recover faster and use the rifle as a powerful tool in dire situations. But thinking about it now, he was unsure if he could wield the weapon once again since it was taken away by the royal soldiers.
If he could, then it would serve as an insurance policy, allowing him to eliminate a single strong enemy effortlessly. However, if faced with multiple opponents, even weaker ones, it could become problematic. Eren contemplated the scenario of what might have occurred if reinforcements hadn't arrived after his collapse. Matsya, despite losing an arm, could have easily killed him with a single blow, leaving him defenseless.
What truly surprised Eren was the nickname he had been given: "The Sleeping Pendragon." He didn't quite know how to respond to it. It wasn't necessarily bad, but something about it didn't sit well with him either.
Another unexpected development was the Emperor's decision to host a banquet. Eren harbored doubts about whether it was truly the Emperor's idea, considering his aversion to parting with his possessions.
Maybe it was all an act to look good in front of the citizens but Eren didn't mind that since he now had the chance to ask for the rifle as the reward. Of course, if the emperor would grant his request or not was still not known, but he hoped for the better.
Nonetheless, the news of Professor Lloyd breaking through to 8-star status brought Eren joy. It meant that the professor would be officially recognized as the youngest Archmage on the continent. Eren also inquired about his fellow students, who had returned to Freljord Academy, but there was no information regarding Princess Aurora.
"I just hope she is okay," Eren thought, remembering the look of despair on Princess Aurora's face during the rebel attack. Nonetheless, Eren cherished the time he spent with his family and his uncle, who kept patting his back and claiming credit for teaching him good swordsmanship, despite swordsmanship having little to do with his accomplishment of fighting against a 7-star knight.
Amid their conversation, Eren interrupted with a question, "By the way, Father, how long was I unconscious?"
Hubert, caught off guard by the query, hesitated before answering truthfully,
"Five days."
"Huh?" Eren's surprise was evident as he processed the information.
"You were out cold for five whole days." Hubert said, delivering a blow of shock to Eren.
Eren was at loss of words as he got to know that he was unconscious for five days and as if his stomach too realized the fact just now, a loud earth shaking sound was heard in the room.
—***---
Daily Chapter Release~