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Since then, due to the birth of Fina, the newest member of our family, Maria and Lyell stopped coming to Raum as frequently as before.

As expected, raising a child meant you wouldn’t have so many chances of going out.

Actually, I wanted Finia to go back too, but she stayed behind in Raum to care for me. My first menstruation had a big influence on that too. Since my condition was easily ruinable, Maria insisted that I needed Finia as a caretaker.

In consideration of Maria who could no longer come over so much, I started to visit the northern village more frequently to see my sister’s face. Naturally, I couldn’t return there on my own – it was done with Maxwell’s cooperation.

“I’ll be off then.”
“Okay. Say hi to them from me.”

During the weekend, I visited Maxwell’s mansion so we could head to the north. Cortina followed us quite often to check in on them, but she had to mark the tests this time around, so she couldn’t do that.

“I really wanted to come along though… I really, really wanted to come along!”
“I got it already, I’ll pass your greetings.”
“I really, really, really wanted to come along though!”
“You cannot just ignore your academy work.”
“Are you getting in my way, old man!”

Cortina was glued to the desk at Maxwell’s mansion, and forced to grade the papers.

“I couldn’t see Nicole’s face back in the day, so I didn’t want to repeat the same mistake and planned to engrave it in my mind!”
“Be at ease, I shall do that in your stead.”
“That doesn’t make me any happier!”

Cortina protested by knocking on the test, but she knew how to separate work and private matters. She didn’t force herself along, but simply came to see me off.

Thus, Maxwell and I came to the village that was my second home.

After opening the nostalgic door, and quickly throwing a greeting, I rushed towards Fina right away. She looked so wrinkled back when she was born, but after getting cleaned up, her sleeping face was adorable just like Maria described it. Nay, this was already angelic.

“Ngbu..”
“Come on, at least say I’m home, Nicole.”
“Sorry, mom. And yeah, I’m home.”

It was still risky to hang the talisman I made on the baby’s neck, so it was hanging on the bedside instead. There was no knowing what the baby would do the moment you took your eyes off, after all.

If she turned around in sleep while it was hanging on her neck, the string could possibly suffocate her. As such, it was still not time to put the talisman to work.

“Actually, where’s dad?”

I couldn’t see Lyell around, who tended to take a rest from work ever since Fina was born. He was working as a guard in this village, which gave him a lot of free time, so this was unusual.

Still, whenever monsters appeared, he was immediately called for help, so you couldn’t really say whether he had a lot of time on his hands or not.

“Ah, he was called by Elliot so he’s gone to Tryad.”
“To the capital?”

The capital of the Northern alliance, Tryad. It was the capital of the old Tryad kingdom, which was left as is even in the Northern Alliance.

Since it was so far away, they probably sent a magician who could use Teleport or Portal Gate to bring him along.

“Yes, it seemed that there was something he just had to ask Lyell.”
“Something to ask…”

It was rare for Elliot to approach Lyell like that. Honestly, Lyell was a muscle-brain like me, so he was not the best guy for consultations. Yet, he was called for exactly that…

“Marriage talks again?”
“That can’t be it. Unfortunate it may be for you, Elliot is still head over heels for that sweetheart of his.”
“It’s not unfortunate at all.”
“Ah, right, you have Cloud, after all.”
“He’s not in my zone either.”

This damn love gossiper! I don’t have any interest in guys. Just give it a rest and realize that already, good grief.

“Oh dear, Nicole is still all about friends rather than boys. Maybe even Fina will beat you in finding the first love.”
“That is highly possible.”
“As a mother, I wished you’d deny that, you know?”
“Well, sorry I guess?”

Too bad for her, but a future where I would give birth to her grandchild was bound to never arrive. Pitiful it may be, that was the natural providence. Or maybe it wasn’t.

At any rate, Fina’s birth was significant even from that perspective. I couldn’t leave any offspring, but Fina could continue their bloodline in my stead.

It was the weekend, so I could stay in the village for a day. Maxwell couldn’t leave Cortina alone, so he returned back for the time being.

He had his fill of playing with Fina, and then muttered “I can brag to Cortina about this,” so he was probably getting punished right about now. Well, she probably wouldn’t overdo it.

After I also fully enjoyed the return to my house, the day darkened, and Lyell finally returned. The magician accompanying him bid us farewell with a bow and returned back. Maria tried to offer him a cup of tea, but he politely refused it.

After returning, Lyell had quite a displeased expression on his face. It rivaled the one he had when Elliot brought up the marriage talks. Maria of course sensed that too.

“Dear, what’s wrong?”
“Hmm, well… I guess you are related to this too.”

After saying that, Lyell told us what he heard in the royal palace. It was something I had personally experienced. In other words… About the sect that was conducting the Devil Summoning at the Evil Dragon’s nest.

“Devil Summoning using the grudges left behind by the Evil Dragon, huh. That is quite a disturbing method.”
“Moreover, they seem to be made up of Half-Demons. The frequent kidnappings that happen in the northern parts seem to also be connected to them.”
“I… Wish they could turn over a new leaf, but that doesn’t seem to be possible.”

It would be one thing if they were only involved in the slave trade, but they also committed kidnappings and even Devil Summons, so no one could stick up for them anymore. Maria also realized that, hence her sadness.

“Not everyone can stand strong in the face of discrimination like Reid.”
“Indeed. He really was outstanding.”

Please stop, I feel weird hearing you two hold me in such high regard. Besides, which part of an assassin like me was supposed to be outstanding.

“Also, the one who had brought that information turns out to be the woman called ‘Haumea’.”
“Haumea… The one that Cortina assumed to be Reid’s reincarnation?”
“Yeah, in addition, the Adventurer’s Guild number that she presented them turned out to belong to Maxwell.”
“At that point… We can safely say that she is Reid.”
“Yeah. We really have to get some answers out of Maxwell.”

Lyell replaced his frown with a happy slime, and Maria was quick to follow suit.

The two exchanged happy looks. It seems that they were wholeheartedly glad about my reincarnation.