No More Pain For This Villain.

Raven stood outside the academy gate, but she wasn\'t alone. Beside her stood Rose and Chris, all three of them waiting for Ren, who had gone back inside the academy after they had all gathered outside.

Today\'s plan was to roam around the city and show his parents around.

He went back inside, saying that he needed to lock the door of his room.

"He\'s sure taking his time," said Chris.

Rose looked to her side and saw Raven fiddling with her fingers. She wore a very cute outfit—a lavender sundress and a sun hat. Her hair was braided, and her ears peeked out from under the hat as her face turned a bit red.

Her right hand was still in a bandage, though.

Raven had come a bit late because she couldn\'t sleep, thinking about Ren all night long. When she did arrive, Ren wasn\'t there—only his parents.

The trio stood beside each other but still hadn\'t spoken a single word. Just like Raven, Ren\'s parents were also not familiar with situations like these. Yesterday they had Ren with them, so it was fine, but now that he wasn\'t there, none of them knew how to start a conversation.

But Rose seemed to have enough courage to say, "You look very cute in that outfit." She leaned to the side as she complimented Raven.

"Huh?" Raven looked up and then at Ren\'s mom.

Raven looked up, her eyes wide with surprise as she met Rose\'s gaze. "Thank you," she mumbled, her blush deepening. She hadn\'t expected a compliment from Ren\'s mom, and it made her feel both shy and happy.

Rose smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "It\'s no trouble, dear. You really do look lovely."

Chris, sensing the awkwardness dissipate slightly, added, "Yeah, Raven. You look great. I\'m sure Ruu will think so too."

Raven\'s blush deepened further, and she looked down, trying to hide her smile. "Thanks."

At that moment, Ren appeared, jogging towards them with an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry for the wait! I had to make sure everything was secure." Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn

THUP*

Raven\'s bag slipped from her hand as she saw Ren.

Standing in front of her was Ren, wearing a plain white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and baggy black pants. He had a pendant around his neck—the convergence amulet. His hair was pulled back in a bun, with a few strands falling to the side of his forehead. This left his whole face in clear view, unlike his usual look.

With his already great looks, he actually grabbed quite a bit of attention. From the looks of it, there were a few dozen students now swarming afar, pointing towards everyone.

"Haa- What?" Ren asked as he bent and picked up the bag for her.

Ren looked at Raven, noticing her outfit for the first time. "You look... really nice, Raven," he said.

Raven\'s eyes met his, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them. "You too, Ren," she said softly.

Rose and Chris shared a glance, both smiling and talking with their gazes.

Clearing her throat, Rose tried, "So, shall we get going?"

The group began to walk, with Ren leading the way. As they moved through the city, he pointed out various landmarks and told stories about each place. His parents listened intently, occasionally asking questions, while Raven, Rose, and Chris contributed to the conversation with their own anecdotes.

The city was bustling with activity, and the sights and sounds seemed to breathe life into the day. Street vendors called out their wares, children played in the streets, and the aroma of fresh bread and spices filled the air.

They stopped at a small café for a break, sitting outside under a large umbrella. Ren\'s parents were visibly relaxed, enjoying the lively atmosphere.

"This place is wonderful," Rose said, taking a sip of her coffee. "It\'s so vibrant and full of life here. I\'ve never been in Solstice before."

Rose had seen most of the world—well, as much as she knew during her adventurer days alongside Chris and Marylin.

Ren picked up a coffee in front of him as he leaned back a bit. He\'d been very relaxed since the morning.

"It really is," Ren\'s father agreed. "Looks like we chose a good place to study, Ruu."

Ren smiled, "Yeah, it has its charm."

Raven looked around, her eyes shining with curiosity. "What\'s that building over there?" she asked, pointing to a grand structure down the street.

"That\'s the old library," Ren explained. "It\'s one of the oldest buildings in the city and holds a lot of rare books and artifacts." He\'s never been inside, but he knows.

"Can we go inside?" Raven asked, her excitement evident.

"Of course," Ren said, standing up. "Let\'s finish our drinks and head over."

As they continued their tour, the group grew more comfortable with each other. Laughter and conversation flowed easily, and the initial awkwardness was long forgotten.

By the time they returned to the academy, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over the city. Ren\'s parents looked content, and Raven seemed more relaxed than she had been in a long time.

"Thank you for today," Rose said as they stood outside the academy gates.

Ren smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "I\'m glad you enjoyed it."

He hadn\'t been with his family for a while, so it was a great time for him too. He made sure they got to see around the city.

"We can go to the nearby town—" he said, but before he could continue, Rose stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

Chris gave a weak smile, "About that... we have to leave tomorrow, Ruu." A sudden shift in the atmosphere was visible.

Ren raised his brow and gazed down at his mother as she stepped back. "What? You said you were here for a while," he said, confused.

"We did, but now we have to go back to Grav tomorrow," Chris said.

Ren paused, sensing that something was up. "And why\'s that?"

"Haa, nothing. It\'s just that it looks like there was a robbery in our shop. We were informed by Marylin as she has returned for Black Wings," Rose explained.

Ren\'s expression shifted from confusion to concern. "A robbery? Is everything okay?"

Rose nodded, though her worry was evident. "Marylin said it\'s not too serious, but we need to check on things and make sure everything is secure."

Chris added, "We hate to cut our visit short, but we need to handle this quickly."

Ren sighed, understanding the situation but still disappointed. "I understand. I wish you didn\'t have to leave so soon."

Rose gave him a reassuring smile. "We\'ll be back soon, Ruu. And you can always visit us whenever you get the chance."

Chris nodded in agreement. "We\'ll miss you, but we\'ll see each other again soon."

Raven, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "I\'m sorry to hear about the robbery. I hope everything turns out okay."

"Thank you, Raven," Rose said, appreciating the sentiment.

Ren hugged his parents tightly. "Take care, both of you. And let me know if there\'s anything I can do to help."

"We will," Chris replied, patting his son\'s back.

As they pulled away, Rose looked at Ren with a soft smile. "Stay strong, and keep making us proud."

Ren nodded, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "I will. Safe travels."

Before leaving, though, Rose looked back and stepped near Raven. She opened her arms for a hug.

"It was nice meeting you too, Mrs. Hilton," Raven said, feeling the warmth of that hug.

Rose pulled back a bit, saying, "Take care of my son for me." She had that cheeky smile.

Raven\'s face turned red. She looked behind and saw that Ren was talking with his father, oblivious to the words his mother had said.

"I-I will," Raven managed to reply, earning a chuckle from Ren\'s mother.

Rose liked this girl. She had a very good feeling about her, and whenever she saw Ren smiling and talking freely, it reminded her of the dark times he was in before coming to Solstice. Now he was happy.

With final goodbyes exchanged, Ren watched his parents walk away, feeling a sense of longing. He turned to Raven, who was looking at him with empathy.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Ren took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I\'ll be fine. Just wasn\'t expecting them to leave so soon."

Raven nodded. "Well, it\'s fine. We can visit them again."

"We?" Ren asked, "You\'re going to come with me?" He wasn\'t asking, just teasing.

"If you want, I can come wherever you want me to." But Raven didn\'t even stutter as she replied, she was serious.

Ren chuckled as they returned inside the academy.

It was a nice day... after a long time.

A Very Nice Day Indeed Satan03