Supreme Magus

Chapter 4362: Bleak Future (Part 2)

"I know this is supposed to be a happy moment for everyone, but I want you to know that I understand your pain, Auntie Tista." Leria hugged Tista’s waist due to the height gap. "You are a great mage, and I’ll always believe in you."

"Thanks, but what is this all about?" Tista looked around the room, noticing that the others were just as confused as she was. "Why do you think I’m in pain?"

"Uncle Lith and Auntie Solus are already Magi. They worked together on Void Magic, and maybe they’ll also become Rulers of the Flames." Leria said, and Aran nodded for her to continue.

"Auntie Quylla will probably become a Magus too if she decides to share her method to cure our monster friends with the rest of Mogar. The same will happen to Auntie Friya if she understands and shares Infinity Magic.

"You are the only one who doesn’t have the ghost of a chance of becoming a Magus, Auntie Tista. In your shoes, I’d feel sad and left behind."

Tista had never considered the issue until that moment. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and her expression showed it all.

"Leria is right. That’s really sad." Aran nodded. "Don’t worry, Big Sis, when I become a Magus, I’ll mention you in my acceptance speech."

"And so will we." The triplets joined the hug, sniffling. "You don’t have to put on a brave face in front of us, Auntie Tista. We’re family."

A wide range of expressions flashed on Tista’s face, but no one lasted as long as the angry twitch of her left eye.

"Thanks, guys." She said, needing sheer focus to keep the edge out of her voice. "I mean it."

"Don’t worry too much." Morok shrugged. "Someone becomes a Magus, and someone else is content with marrying one. I’m certain that Bodya’s talent will bloom once he becomes a Divine Beast."

"Thank you, Morok." Tista snarled. "Let’s change the topic."

"With pleasure." The Tyrant nodded, unfazed by the not-so-veiled threat in her voice. "Let’s go give the good news to everyone."

"What good news? Your trust in Bodya?" Tista’s eyes flared up with mana while the grown-ups struggled not to laugh at her expense.

"No, I was talking about Friya shutting up." Tista burst out laughing while Friya looked daggers at Morok.

"Thank the gods!" Orion sighed in relief after receiving the news. "No offense, pumpkin, but I’d have rather faced the Gernoffs alone than hearing you talk about dimensional magic again."

"None taken, Dad." Friya whimpered too loudly to be believable.

"I’m happy for both you and Solus, Friya." Protector had an uncharacteristic worried expression. "She has enough for her armor, and you’ve earned yourself a priceless opportunity. I hope I’ll have good news of my own to share. Wish me luck."

"What good news? What’s happening?" Lith furrowed his brows.

"Now that Leran is feeling better, we’ve decided to take a walk in Lutia and see if we still have a home to which to return there." Ryman replied. "I’ve waited to face our neighbors until now because my son was already going through a lot.

"Selia and I have discussed the matter with the children, explaining what they should expect even in the worst-case scenario. Leran says he’s ready, and I believe him."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Lith asked. "My presence should be enough to quell the people’s fear and help them keep a cool head."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Selia said. "If you accompany us, the Lutians would react to Lith Verhen the Divine Beast Magus, not to my Emperor Beast husband or my hybrid children.

"I need the Lutians to express their honest feelings without being afraid of incurring your anger."

"Are you sure?" Lith said.

"Damn sure." Selia replied. "I’ve lived there all my life. If the people of Lutia don’t trust me enough to give my family the benefit of the doubt, then I’d rather move to another place.

"I want to give my children a normal life, no matter if we have to keep moving until we find a town where nobody knows who we are or whose people are willing to accept us."

"Don’t worry, Uncle Lith." Fenrir said with a guttural growl. "I promise we won’t hurt anyone. Too much."

Solkar barked in approval, but the baby boy had no idea what they were talking about.

"It won’t come to that, Lil Sis." Leria said, trying to act confident. "We can always Warp away."

Seeing the tension on the young girl’s and Leran’s faces made the triplets flinch.

"I don’t care what everybody says." Falco hugged them both. "You are my heroes. Thank you for saving my siblings."

"Thank you, Lilia. Thank you, Leran." Teryon and Lenart came next, quickly followed by Rena and Elina.

"You’ve risked your lives to save my baby girl and grandchildren. If someone so much as touches one of your hairs, I’ll send Lith to teach them a lesson." Elina said.

"Thanks, Auntie." The Fastarrow kids chuckled.

Selia and Protector led the kids towards the Warp Gate in the Main Hall after waving goodbye to their friends, hoping that Elina wouldn’t have to make good on her word.

"I don’t care what Auntie Selia says, I’m calling Grandpa Zekell for reinforcements!" Leria said when Life Vision showed her that the Fastarrows had disappeared past the Gate. "He’ll know what to do."

"Good idea." Nalrond nodded, taking his communication amulet out as well.

***

"I honestly can’t believe it even after seeing it with my own eyes time and time again." Selia couldn’t help but smile even though her gut kept twisting into knots. "A Warp Gate in a barn is something out of a children’s book."

The familiar sensation of hay under her feet, the smell of animal feed, and the stark contrast between the marvel of magic and the mundanity of the farm supplies surrounding it helped the huntress relax a bit.

"Why do you say that, Mom?" Leran said. "This barn is just like us. More than meets the eye."

"Well said, young man." Protector ruffled his son’s hair. "Still, your mother is right. Imagine if the King or another important noble had to walk through this place while wearing their fancy clothes to meet the Kingdom’s Supreme Magus."

"That would be funny." Leria chuckled, patting the head of a cow who had craned its neck out of the stall in the hope of a new salt lick.

Once the Fastarrow stepped out of the barn, they were greeted by the farmhands who were checking the defrosting of the cultivated fields and making sure no one had sabotaged their work.

Raaz was just a farmer, but he was also the major landowner of Lutia, and his name carried as much weight as envy. There was always someone who resorted to petty schemes, but they rarely did more than cause minor annoyances.

Lith tolerated that kind of people because their presence gave his parents a semblance of normalcy and forced the farmhands not to get complacent in their work. Those who instead tried to poison the land or place deadly traps were identified by the tower and turned into ashes that fertilized the fields.