Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 23: Before the end of the year (Part 01)

Snow fell slowly around the Luke Family residence, covering the courtyard in white and freezing the surrounding irrigation canals into transparent ice. Iron fences and gates did not escape the blanket of frozen grains, wrapping the place with a silent atmosphere on the last day of the year.

A large wagon and a wooden carriage bearing the emblem of the Kingdom of Felixia was parked in the courtyard. Drake, who had pulled the transport, has now entered his cage again and entered a period of hibernation that he should have gotten. Odo's party and the others had returned yesterday night, carrying a crystal quota that could be said to be more than expected.

Still seen passing by the Sheal who were transporting boxes containing monster crystals from the cart, they also cleaned up some of the equipment used during the expedition to be cleaned before being stored back into the warehouse. Standing as a foreman among the Shieal, Fiola watched over them and completely made sure nothing was missing from the results of the expedition being brought.

Fiola walked over to Minda by the wooden train, then asked, “Is there still a lot of crystals?” The moment the long black-haired female gasped at Fiola's resolute voice, she turned around and stared with her eyes wide open.

“No.., it's almost done. But ..., for equipment there are still many that must be cleaned first before being stored in the warehouse.”

At a glance the two of them looked towards the several weapons full of dried blood spots on top of the wagon. Considering the weapon maintenance, Fiola said, “Alright, clean it first so that it completely disappears. Separate with other weapons in the warehouse, later in the spring the weapons will be brought to the blacksmith to be given regular maintenance.”

Mind nodding, he immediately returned to his work with Gariadin and Linkaron to transport the equipment and results of the expedition. Actually they could have unpacked all these items after until last night. But because when they arrive the snowstorm is quite heavy, the demolition of new items can be done now.

Time a few hours later. Although invisible sunlight covered in cloudy clouds, clearly time has begun to go by day. Elsewhere, it was more precisely in the boudoir of Family Head Luke within the Mansion. Xua Lin and Imania were sitting on an elongated sofa in the roughly 20-square-meter room. There are several bookkeeping documents on the front desk of the sofa, a box containing crystals placed not far from the table, and Mavis sitting on the desk containing important files on it.

The workspace is not too magnificent like other rooms in the Mansion, there are only decorative glass decorations that decorate the windows and a sea-themed carved urn in the corner of the room as a decoration. In addition to all that, the workspace is full of warkat and some calculation sheets from the expedition. Xua Lin and Imania were in charge of assessing the quality of the crystal with small scales on the table, then measured the density level of the crystal magic using a manual measurement method by feeling it directly with the skin.

The two of them were also tasked with calculating the number of monster crystals, while Mavis herself did a record to clarify the exact number of crystals obtained and put them in the books. He held onto a quill pen, then began to record the overall results of the monster crystals obtained.

“The overall number of all these boxes are 700 Low Level C quality crystals, 120 Medium Level Quality B crystals, and 100 Low Level A quality crystals, respectively,” said Xua Lin while putting back the last crystal that had been counted into the wooden box.

In the common scoring standard used in the Kingdom of Felixia, monster crystals by their level were distributed into Low Level, Intermediate Level, Upper Level, and Best Level. In the division of the level, the selling point is at Low Level 5 Rupl/gram, Medium Level 10 Rupl/gram, Top Level 50 Rulp/gram, while Best Level reaches 500Rupl/gram.

In classifying the level of the crystal, there is also a classification based on the quality based on the weight of the crystal. The quality of each level is graded from A to E which is divided by the details, namely the quality of A for crystals weighing more than 1 kilogram, B for a weight of about 500 grams and above, namely, C for 200 grams and above, D for 150 grams and above, E for about 50 grams.

After Mavis made the calculations from the assessments and calculations done by Imania and Xua Lin, the wavy blonde woman momentarily broke out in a cold sweat looking at the results of the calculations. 700 Low Level Quality C, 120 Medium Level Quality B, 100 Low Level Quality A. From the calculation of weight alone, all of it has reached 300,000 grams. In classification, it was equivalent to 300 kilograms of the entire expedition result. Indeed most of the crystals were low-level, but still the amount obtained was completely beyond the estimates.

“Xua Lin ..., Imania ..., instead of Odo said his expedition was only looking for 50 kilograms? But why ... is this up to 300 kilograms on its own? Six times its own ...”

Mavis placed the parchment paper on the table, then wiped the sweat that soaked her forehead. From the amount of crystals that much can be ascertained the debt of the Luke Family territory is completely covered, and even has quite a lot of advantages. The overall estimate of the expedition reached around 1,800,000 Rupls. The categorization of those results is almost equivalent to the income of Luke Region in one year.

“Nyonya .., I think this number is reasonable if you look at the number of monsters that were fought at that time. The Goblins were many Early Stage mutated ones, so many low B quality crystals could also be obtained.

Mavis raised her slightly paled face, staring slightly dizzy at the number of monsters they had killed during the expedition. “Do you guys really slaughter this many monsters? You know, this number is like one division itself,” said Mavis while getting up from his seat.

Walking towards the two of them with the approximate paper, the woman sat on the same sofa as the two of them and placed the paper in her hands onto the table. Although it was cold enough to fill the room, but Mavis' sweat could not stop coming out. Wiping the sweat of the face with the sleeves of the lacy black dress worn, the woman momentarily sighed full of anxiety.

Mavis looked at Xua Lin to her right, then asked, “Definitely most Odo who killed the monsters ..” The blond woman's sharp gaze made Xua Lin and Imania difficult to answer.

Since the two of them were also ordered by Odo not to tell him that the black haired child had disappeared, a face that was hiding something at a glance appeared to Xua Lin and Imania. The gray-haired female who was sitting on the other side of Xua Lin ventured to answer, she was communicating with sign language. Seeing the hand movements of the girl in the maid uniform, Mavis did not understand it.

“Hmm, Xua Lin ..., please translate what Imania.” wants to convey

“Eh?” The bear-type Demi-human girl gasped in shock, it was the same as her having to answer Mavis' question in place of Imania. Staring with awkward-looking green eyes, he said, “That kills most monsters is indeed Mr. Odo .... Yes, you could say he did almost all the monster hunting .... We feel like we're just on duty like a crystal collector.”

Mavis did not milk them or anything like that for letting Odo do dangerous things, the blonde woman who always wore a dark color dress was able to understand her child's actions which basically did not make sense. Taking a light breath, Mavis said, “Ya already, if it was Odo who did everything I think there was no problem .... As long as he's fine, that's enough ...”

Mavis stopped looking intently at Imania and Xua Lin, he took the parchment with the results of the calculations. At a glance glancing towards them, the blonde lady asked, “By the way, for the extra wages of this expedition I will give you later when Dart comes home .... He and Thomas should see this report first .... You two don't mind, do you?”

“Ya ..., of course not, Madam ...”

Xua Lin and Imania were a little confused by their Madam's reaction. As far as the two people are concerned, when it comes to his son Mavis will always be anxious excessively and often angry. But when he saw the woman was as calm as she was now, the two servant girls felt a little strange and a little scared.

“Oh, yes .... Where is the Odo now? Is he sleeping in the room?” mavis asked with a fair cheer.

“If Mr. Odo ..., Julia is waking him .... But, earlier it seemed like Julia was confused back and forth in the hallway with an anxious face ..”

Without being told clearly, Mavis immediately understood that Odo was no longer in his room. The woman smiled faintly, then leaned on the sofa and slightly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew where his son was. Looking up at the key line hanging on the wall, Mavis knew that one of the keys hanging from the room was nowhere to be found. The key missing is the room that is still in the Mansion, the Main Archive Room of Luke Region which is in the backyard.

««»»

The cold air due to the snow falling outside did not disturb the concentration of the black-haired child. Sitting on the ceramic floor of the Main Archive Room, he held a parchment that was his own birth certificate. On the corner of the paper is a record of the year of making the letter in the year 2690 of the Pendulum Calendar, in other words about eight years ago.

“Hmm, so so apparently .... When I was born many healers were called. Mom was like that, yeah .... Too anxious like that from the past ..., Dad must have bothered too.”

Odo put back the deed in his hand into a folder of wood nearby. In the folder there is a 2,690 calendar engraving that contains what are the important events that occurred in that year. Not far from where he sat, there are also some wooden folders containing notes from 2,670 to 2,698 today. All of them use the Pendulum Calendar, a system of dating used by the Michigan Continent that is calculated from the beginning of civilization on the mainland after several changes in time.

Odo had read all the archives he wanted to know, from the year 2,670 at the beginning of the Fourth Conference of States and the beginning of peace on the Michigan Continent, until the last one entered the Archives of the Luke Family in the form of debt in the year 2,698 months 12.

In the Pendulum Calendar calendar, the days in 1 year are 365 ¼ days, and in 1 year there are 12 months that have an average of four weeks each month. It was no different from the dating method that Odo had known in his previous life, but in the case of the moon used in the Pendulum Calendar there was no concept of naming. Only 1 to 12 months are used for dating.

“I didn't think such things ever happened .... In addition to the Shieal, it turns out that Mom and Dad are also her past ..”

Recalling what he had read earlier in the archive, the black hairdresser imagined what had happened to his parents when he was young. The initial archive that Odo read about was the establishment of the Fourth Conference of the Land in 2,670 in the City of Miquator after the battle in the Arid Valley.

That year's record was the worst, with several records of Luke's family's deaths just recorded that year. The destruction of the original Shieal Family which was the original branch line was also recorded in the period folder. The fact of continental peace seems to be inversely proportional to what the Luke Family received which lost almost everything and left only the Luke Dart.

In the crew of 2,671, the official marriage of Dart and Mavis was recorded in the city of Miquator. Odo was very aware that the marriage was a political marriage because there were several witnesses who could be said to be important people in the political shutter of the Fourth Country. In the following years, during the period of transition to a period of peace around the year 2671 late to 2683 recorded several Letters of Decree received by the Dart. It was not clear what had happened in that period of the year, but at that time Dart Luke was said to have received several awards because of the many certificates from important people at the Conference.

In 2683 it was also the most distressing for Mavis, a death certificate of his only brother was in the folder of the year and also a record of the Tragedy of Gahon City in the Empire. In the following year there were several other letters saying signs of retirement from duty on behalf of Mavis and Dart, and in that year also Dart Luke returned to his own territory as a Marquess. That same year, a major recruitment drive was held for the government and an overhaul of Luke's territorial system of government.

One year after that, a formal Shieal Selection was held in 2685. That same year, the Luke Scientia Library was completed after nearly two years of construction. There are also several other interesting records of the year, but among them are the records of the Extermination of Demons in the Astral World in 2687 and Vil becoming the Great Spirit Guard of the library officially one year later.

Following the birth of Odo in 2690, there are also several accounts of the preparation of the First and Second Astral World Expeditions and their preparation during the time period of 2693 to 2698.

Finished reading all that, the black hairdresser arranged the existing folders back into the iron shelves according to the source. Sighing for not getting the most information he was looking for, Odo turned around and walked towards the exit. Passing through the neatly lined shelves of cabinets, at first glance his eyes looked to the right and left observing the engraving of letters on some folders that attracted his attention.

“The archive is really neat .... If not wrong way this recording was triggered by King Gaiel himself after ascending the Throne to reduce corruption. Meeting him seems interesting.”

“What are you, Ma'am?”

Julia was surprised that the boy realized it, Odo's shocking intention instantly dissipated. Putting on a pouty face, he pinched Odo's cheek from behind. “You what? Look whose mouth is talking about this? Though ask for a break in the room instead of playing,” said Julia with a tone advising. When releasing the pinch, the child's left cheek slightly flushed.

Turning around and looking at the silver-haired Demi-human, Odo stared flatly as he said, “Who is playing? I found out ...”

“Information?” Julia slightly tilted her head to the right in confusion. Just realizing that the building where Odo came out was the Main Archive Room, the silver cat girl's face paled slightly. The anxiety that Odo's dark past is known a little makes him afraid of being hated by the child.

“A-What are Young Masters looking for inside?”

Odo is aware of Julia's expression and what the cause is, the boy more or less already knows the cat girl's background. Not too blame such a thing, Odo answered the cat girl's question in a relaxed tone, “Letters regarding Coastal City, etc, I need it to do some important things for the region that you lead ...”Disgruntled face is seen on the look on the face of the child, indicating he did not get what he was looking for.

“Coast City? You mean the coastal city that is located a few kilometers to the southeast?”

“Yes, where else?”

Julia put on a faint smile. His tail moved to the right and left, happily finding his master's unexpected weakness. “It looks like you were misinformed. Did you look for it in the archive room, you searched for the name of Coastal City?” julia asked with a smug smile.

Odo did not care about the smile, he immediately said firmly, “Iya, what else? Coastal city yes that city.”

“You think only that city is in the coastal area? Are you sure Coastal City is a city name?”

Hearing that, Odo understood what Julia wanted to say. Odo misunderstands the information, the Coastal City is not a name. Since it was not a name, of course it would not be found in the complex arrangement of a filing. Putting on a flat face, the boy asked, “Aaah, I guess it's definitely not a name. Obviously sought not to meet. So, what's the name of the city? Why is it also often called Coastal City when it has its own name ...”

Julia smiled back arrogantly. Lifting his index finger to the front of his mouth, he said, “What, huh? I told you no, huh?” with a slightly muted tone.

Odo just stared flat. Sometimes he nods because drowsiness begins to master it. From the moment he returned after the expedition last night, the boy had not slept at all and continued to check the archives for the information needed. Although his eye bags did not look blackened, but very clearly he was very sleep deprived.

“Mr Odo?” julia asked confusedly.

“A ... pa ..?”

The child's body collapsed forward, and Julia immediately hugged him in surprise. “EH! Mr Odo? Wh why? Is it sick? Sir?!” julia said as she tried to wake the child whose eyes were closed.

“Tuk .... Please carry up to room, dong ...”

The silvery-haired girl momentarily fell silent with a flat look. Sniffing the child with a bulging body that rests his body, Julia said, “It's big, why ask for a sling?” Odo did not respond, the boy remained silent while drowning his face in the belly of the cat girl.

“Haaah, okay. Stand first right ..., Mr.”

“Ya ..”.

Julia turned around, then crouched down and offered her back to the black haired child. Odo was immediately fat and wrapped his hands around Julia's neck. When the cat girl was about to stand up, she immediately realized that her employer's weight was more than she thought. Julia could not get up, although she had expended more energy she was still stuck in a squatting position.

“Young Master ..., how heavy is it, anyway?”

“My body weight has reached one hundred kilos,” whispered Odo softly.

“EH!?”

“Handering, kok .... I used defense magic to maintain the position of Julia Ma'am to squat continuously,” explained Odo while also hugging tightly the silvery hair girl from behind.

“Oh, that type of magic works to maintain the condition of the object anyway, so it can be used like in— That's not what I mean! Why do you use it too? Didn't ask for a carry to the room?” Julia was upset. He wanted to thrash and lower the child, but his position locked by the defense magic made the girl could only yell in annoyance.

“Mbak ..., what's the name of Coastal City?” ask Odo.

“Eh? Do you want to look for him again? It's already! Rest in the room! You haven't had a break from yesterday, have you?”

“Yes .... But, before that I want to know .... What's name?” ask the boy firmly.

Julia momentarily fell silent, Odo's stubbornness made the cat girl give up. Taking a deep breath, he replied, “Mylta .... The name of the city was Mylta, taken from the name of the Noble Family in the city who served as Mayor as well as the title now has Baron nobles ..”.

Odo momentarily fell silent, he recalled the name that was in the archive he had read. But in the child's knowledge, the depiction of the city in the archives and reality is very different.

“Keep why it can be called Coastal City, Sister Julia?” ask Odo.

“Well, in the territory of Mr. Luke the city is more famous as the Coastal City. Actually many more cities are located in coastal areas, but the city was called that because it was during the war there was a large maritime economy there,” explained Julia.

Odo understood the past word. The end of war also means a revolution in various aspects of a country. When the Great War ended, Odo estimated that the trade route that was supposed to pass through the city had been cut off by another waterway. The opening of free markets and waterways in the Fourth Conference of States may be the main cause of the city is no longer a prima donna to stop in the trade route.

“Sometimes the policy does not have a good impact thoroughly, yes. There is also such a thing even though the policy issued is good,” Odo's mind when he realized the cause of the coastal city had suffered a setback in decades.

“Eng, by the way you can first release the magic ...” Julia started tingling. His legs and body were trembling.

“Ya ..., sorry.”

As Odo deactivates his magic, Julia immediately stands up and jumps up for a stretch. “Then, go straight to bed in the room, yes! Don't wander anymore!” julia said as she walked back into the Mansion. When carrying the child, he realized Odo's weight was already heavier than he remembered. It was not because of magic or anything like that, the child's weight had indeed increased a lot when compared to the last time Julia held him.

“The children did grow very fast, yes ...” The cat girl smiled loosely until her eyes glimpsed, her tail moved furiously until it teased Odo who laid his face on the girl's back. The fat black haired child on Julia slowly closed her eyes again, taking a moment of rest after doing work that a child her age shouldn't have done.

After arriving at Odo's room, Julia immediately laid the child's black hair and covered it with a quilted blanket. Smiling happily at the peaceful look on Odo's face, Julia kissed the boy's forehead.

“Good sleep ...” He turned around and left the child's room. After closing the door slowly so as not to wake Odo, he quickly headed to Dart's office space while jumping around cheerfully.