Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 66: Aswad 13 of 15 “Eagerness” (Part 04)

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A wind that blows away the grass and spring petals in Luke's garden. The sun had climbed to the highest peak and started to descend, shining brightly in the bright blue sky with a sprinkling of white clouds. The tense atmosphere was slightly felt with everyone living and working in the venue, they gathered in the front yard to greet the important guests from the Capital.

As the carriage of nobles, cargo, and carts entered one by one through the main gate, almost all the servants and Shieal who stood along the garden path bowed their heads to the carriage of Drake belonging to the Royal Family. The group who had made the long journey stopped in front of Mansion ⸻ On the way of the stone arrangement in the middle of the flower garden and herb garden. Some went down, and others stayed inside their transports.

The Lady of the House stood on the front porch accompanied by her most loyal servant. She wore a dark blue sleeveless dress with a tight waist, and on both her arms wore long gloves to exceed elbows and high heels on both legs. As if to show his status as a witch, Mavis wears a black conical hat and carries a wand with the end of an Orthorombic crystal-crystal arrangement.

Standing beside her, Fiola was not as usual wearing the typical Felixia dress and was not wearing a kimono. Midi Dress brown with leather belt, on the upper chest and long arms until the shoulders are slightly transparent. At the end of the dress there is an additional lace, and on both legs of the woman is not as usual he was wearing high heels. Of course this time he also hid his nine tails with transformation magic.

The two women stood staring at Drake's carriage parked right in front of the Mansion, waiting for the guests inside to come out to be greeted. Mavis stood up straight and looked at the other nobles who had descended, observing the messengers of other regions as well as the important noble families in Felixia Kingdom.

Seeing that there were some leaders of the region coming directly and not sending representatives, Mavis took a light breath and felt a little uneasy. Considering his son has not returned despite having sent three Shieal to pick him up a few hours ago, Mavis at first glance feels that he will get insinuations from other nobles.

But it was not really that she was worried about, but rather how to explain the situation of her son to her husband. As a mother, Mavis understands that Odo is now very different from what her husband knew a few months ago. Given the brutal nature of Dart when dealing with Devils or his minions, he found explaining it more difficult than serving other nobles in political terms.

From Drake's chariot, the King descended and set foot on the road. Immediately approaching Mavis who was waiting on the terrace, the old man stretched out his hands into the carriage to help his daughter down. On the other side of the train, Dart was down with Prince Ryan.

At the moment where they descended almost simultaneously, Mavis instead of focusing on looking at the Dart but he was surprised to see the figure of Princess Arteria who came down with the King. At first glance in his mind he remembered the condition of Odo, a change in physical form that is not in accordance with his age.

Although he knew the news about Princess Arteria's condition from the letter Dart sent, it still surprised him. Fiola who was standing next to Mavis also felt the same way, briefly sharpening his gaze and trying to trace the magic structure on the body of the blue-haired teenage girl.

“Spirit Magic and Divine Magic?” fiola's mind felt the structure on Princess Arteria's body.

Feeling that someone was peering inside her, Princess Arteria immediately stared flatly at Fiola. The Princess gave a friendly smile to the Huli Jing, then Fiola retorted by bowing his head as a sign of respect.

“What's up, My daughter?” ask the King. Facing towards Arteria and slightly bending over to adjust the height, the grizzled old man wiped the crumbs of cake left on his daughter's lips and said, “Are you not feeling well? Also, you do not usually eat snacks …. Are you hungry?”

The woman with long blue hair shook her head. “Arteria is not hungry yet, just wanted to try a snack. It's a pity that it has been taken but not eaten,” he said with a slightly tired expression.

Not paying too much attention to attitude or thinking about the status of formality, Dart walked towards the Mansion and said, “Come, Gaiel! If the Princess is hungry, we can eat inside. After all, if we continue here those in the back can't go in for a break.”

Hearing that her husband did not show any sense of courtesy, Mavis felt all the formalities that had been prepared were free. Sighing lightly, he also gave a flat gaze towards the Swordsman.

As Dart looked ahead, his footsteps came to a halt when he found out that his wife was a little upset by his relaxed attitude towards the King. At first glance turning his gaze and taking a light breath with a hint of fear in mind, the old man who could not win an argument with his wife walked back towards him.

“Sure, I also want to shower soon!” King Gaiel quickly turned to Prince Ryan, then with a warm smile asked, “Are you hungry too, Son?”

“Not really, Father. I also had a snack that Arteria brought,” replied the teenager dark red hair.

Ryan glanced curiously at Mavis, looking surprised because the blonde woman did not grow old at all since she last met him a few years ago. Not only that, Mavis instead looks a little younger ⸻ The face of the woman is getting brighter and not pale anymore because of the disease.

Arteria approached her brother, then with a thin and curious smile she asked, “What's wrong, Kakanda? Why even stare at Aunt Mavis like that?”

“Nothing ...”

Not paying much heed to Prince Ryan's gaze or how Princess Arteria called out to him, Mavis fell silent staring at Dart before her. She seemed confused in what mind to explain, but at the same time she also felt a little upset because of her own husband's behavior.

“Why are you staring like that, my dear.”

Looking at Dart's anxious face, Mavis simply took a breath and turned her eyes away. “Nothing,” he said in an annoyed tone.

Dart was even more anxious, when he said like that something must have happened and it must have been because of his mistake. Going up to the terrace and holding both sides of Mavis' shoulder, the old man again asked, “Come, my dear …. It's okay, just say it. Are you angry that I said disrespectful to Gaiel? Though already told to prepare for a formal event but I was like earlier?”

“Tch!” Mavis rang her tongue because Dart could guess it right. Turning her face away and getting rid of her husband's hand violently, the woman scurriedly said, “Entah ...”

Dart immediately understood that it was what had upset Mavis. Staying with Mavis for a long time made the old man understand such things, then he also understood that it was like that there was nothing to do but wait for his wife's mood to improve.

Amidst the conjugal talk, Arteria walked over and without going up to the porch she stood looking at the Light Witch. At first glance everyone in the place thought Arteria would ask about the curiosity of Prince Ryan who had earlier looked at Mavis.

But when the teenage girl climbed up and grabbed Mavis' left hand, she looked directly into the Light Witch's eyes and instead asked, “Did Mr Odo have also arrived here, Aunt Mavis?”

It really made everyone who heard it wonder, especially to the arrangement of the questions asked. It was as if Princess Arteria had known Odo and had met him. Mavis understood that the expression of the blue hair woman was not making things up or joking, really purely asking to know where Odo is now.

Dart who for the last half day of the trip listened to the chatter of Princess Arteria and her family vaguely understood what she meant. Dart's face immediately turned deathly pale, thinking of the possibility he could from Arteria's chatter before reaching Luke's residence and the question he asked.

“Mr Princess, you still carry such a joke?” Dart faced towards Arteria, trying to stare lightly but a cold sweat began to pour out. As if he did not want to accept what he had realized, the old man doubted, “There may be my son has a demonic aura like that person. After all, he is only 8 years old and will only be 9 this weekend. Apparently very different ...”

“Devil?” ask Mavis wonder. He immediately turned to look at Dart, staring intently as if asking for more explanation.

King Gaiel and Prince Ryan walked towards the Mansion, climbed onto the front porch and felt that Dart had the same family problems as him. At about the same time, Drake's train began to be driven back to the side yard to be parked to the warehouse along with other means of transportation used by guests.

Nobles, representatives, escorts, and elders began to be visited by the servants of the Luke residence to be escorted to their rooms during a visit at the Luke residence. They did not enter through the main door, but rather the hallway next to the building and headed to the guest rooms near the Hall.

Among the nobles, Thomas and Calista did not get out of place and stood staring at the King and the others standing on the terrace. Although he could not clearly hear what they were talking about, he understood what was going on.

When one of Luke's servants offered to take them to the prepared room, they both refused and instead walked towards Dart and the others.

It made everyone who heard it turn their heads towards Thomas, staring in surprise because it sounded like indeed the young man they had caught on the way was indeed Odo Luke. The King turned towards Thomas Rein, stared in disbelief and immediately approached him.

“Why are you sure he's Odo Luke, Mr Thomas? You never spoke to that young man, ‘kan?” ask the King.

Thomas gasped and turned his eyes away, recalling what Odo asked him not to reveal his identity. “Ti-No, Your Honor …. It's just my straddle, you don't have to think about it,” Thomas said as he took his wife and was about to get off the terrace to join the other noble guests.

However, Lady Calista did not want to move from her place despite having been invited away her husband who looked panicked. The Viscountess looked straight at the Light Witch, silently silent and trembling in fear. Right after Thomas asked his question to the Princess, Mavis immediately put a strong pressure on him.

“Explain to me, Calista ..”

One command of the Mavis made the long black-haired woman bow her head, then obediently said, “Ka-Kata my husband, the young man who has a demonic aura is the Son of the Lady, Mr. Odo Luke …. I don't know why he looks like that and can be there. Forgive me Master Teacher, that's all I know.”

“Do not stare, Calista ..”

Seeing Calista still so obedient to the Witch of Light, Thomas immediately closed his wife's eyes and dispelled their eye contact. The head of the Rein Family was completely paled, feeling that he had taken the wrong action by asking the question right in front of them.

“Dart, explain what it means?” Mavis immediately looked towards her husband. With eyes full of anger he frowned and forcefully asked, “Capture a young man with a demonic aura before coming here? Who are you arresting! Explain to me right now!”

“Why are you angry like that, my dear? He's just one of the devil's minions. Perhaps after the Ancient Demon King perished, the creatures seemed to come out of hiding and wanted to mess up again⸻”

Dart's words came to a halt, completely silent and visibly confused at the expression of his wife. Mavis' gaze completely turned flat, looking at her face filled with dark anger. Mavis rang her tongue in disappointment, then gritted her teeth and took a furious breath.

Quickly glancing towards the King, without thinking about the status or formality of the blonde woman asked, “What does she look like, King Gaiel? What does that young man look like? What happened so you guys had to catch him?”

King Gaiel trembled at a glance to get such a gaze. Although the magic aura did not emanate from the Light Witch, it was intimidation that felt like it was from another dimensional level and made the feathers on its back stand up.

Take a step back while holding Arteria away and release Mavis' hand, then also grab Ryan's hand to protect her. Instinctively, King Gaiel felt that Mavis could be angry and hurt everyone around him without thinking about the consequences.

Princess Arteria did not look scared at all and let go of her father's arms. He immediately stepped forward and said, “Tante, Arteria look at him black hair youth with blue eyes. Wearing a white shirt, then wearing one black glove on one of his hands ...”

Hearing that Mavis just fell silent, feeling a little surprised because the Princess Arteria should not be able to see according to the news circulating. Looking into the slightly different eyes of the Princess, Mavis understood that her eyesight was slightly different from most people.

In Mavis's mind make sure that the young man called is indeed Odo. Of all the people he knew, only his son liked to look like that. Fiola who could briefly read a thought was shocked by what Mavis was thinking. Huli Jing immediately held her employer's left hand before being lifted.

“Mistress, please calm down …. We hear Mr. Dart's explanation,” said Fiola as he quickly held Mavis' magic wand and held it.

Sensing a soaring murderous appetite and clearly directed at him, Dart looked perplexed. He did not dare to step closer or backward, full of worry about what to do for the current situation.

“Dart, what did you do to that young man?”

Mavis forcefully removed her left hand and staff from Fiola's grasp. The blond woman opened her palm forward, activated her magic and really intended to attack.

The runes circled around his wrist, gathering Mana from within and converting Ether from outside into energy. “You caught it, ‘kan? Did you torture him? You hurt him?” asked the Light Witch with a dark look.

“Ta-Tante no need to worry!” Arteria did not expect Mavis to be angry until like that, the woman's aura clearly told her. He stepped towards Mavis, but Ryan immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her back. While still forcing closer, Putri conveyed, “Tuan Odo is fine! Even though he was slashed by Uncle Dart, he could recover quickly! Arteria believes she's in good health out there ⸻”

“Close your mouth first, Deity!” snapped Fiola.

“Deleased?” Both of Mavis' eyes opened wide, glaring sharply at Dart.

Something that held back Mavis' rational thinking was completely broken upon hearing that. Without thinking about the consequences, the Light Witch directly attacked Dart with high-level light magic from close range.

At the moment before the high-temperature energy hit his body, Dart created a Mana compaction shield on his right wrist and resisted the attack. His body was pushed hard backwards for receiving the attack without setting up the horses. But reflexively, he hired the position of the shield and made the dense energy fired turn upward and penetrate the ceiling of the terrace and perforated.

Dart bounced to the point of hitting one of the Mansion's pillars, falling on the floor and instantly suffocating as his back hit hard with no protection at all. The old man could not get up immediately, the shield he had created was shattered and the bones of his right hand were cracked as it resisted the attack immediately without any preparation.

Most of the guests who had yet to enter the Mansion came to a halt when they heard a loud noise and saw a flash of light rush into the air. They began to stare towards the King and the people on the front porch, wondering what was going on there.

“You slashed your own son, Dart?”

“Putra? What are you talking about, Mavis?”

Dart wakes up while holding back pain. The old man could not put up the horses, nor did he want to use his strength to attack the one he loved. “Odo, our son is still a child! Not a being with a demonic aura like the young man they were talking about!” he said it loud.

“You still talk like that?”

Mavis removed her magic barrier, channeled Mana into the wand and used the crystal on the end for the catalyst. With angry eyes, the woman stared intently at her husband. At first glance, Dart recalled the first time he met Mavis on the battlefield, when he also put the same face. Furious that his loved ones were killed by members of Luke's family.

Fiola swiftly held onto Mavis' wand, channeling Mana and dispelling the energy circulation on the activated magic circuit. With great anxiety Huli Jing asked, “Mistress, I beg …. Not in a place like this.”

“Fiola ..”

Just with a sharp glance, Fiola instantly snapped and released his staff.