Damon entered where his father was. Upon entering he can feel the heavy atmosphere. He always wants to avoid these kinds of situations because the discussions are always the same, he sat opposite to his father.
“Father, Lala would like Aster to stay for a few days.”
“Did you get her consent?”
“Yes father.”
“Let Aster know I want to speak with her.”
“Yes Father.”
“By the way. I want to tell you something.”
Damon’s expression turned sour as if he already knew what his father was going to say. “I told you father, I don't want to become a grandmaster knight,” Damon just looked down at the floor not wanting to face his father.
“You know that you can’t keep running away from your responsibility. Not only that because you skip a few of our training and look at what happened to you. You got your essence almost compressed,” Ruhav looked at in disappointment. “So what happened? How did your essence get compressed?”
He doesn’t want to tell his father what happened because he knows that his father will get disappointed even more. That’s why he just stayed quiet and avoided looking at his father’s eyes.
Ruhav pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Just tell me, I promise I won't be mad. I’m just worried about you okay? I will not forgive myself if something bad happens to you,” he looked at him sincerely.
Damon finally looked at his father. “Fine, I was attacked by a herasti back in the forest. And I…” he paused for a moment because he fears that his father will worry about him even more.
“You almost died.”
“Yes, but Aster saved me, she healed. That’s why I owe her my life. She even helped us defeat the two herasti. Look father, I apologize for skipping some of our training but I promise I will train with you again so I can improve and you won’t need to worry about me.”
“If you don’t want us to worry about you then don’t be reckless! You have to understand that bravery alone is not enough. Even the most veterans still lose a fight. Please Damon, learn to listen!” Ruhav’s face wrinkled in worry.
“I’m sorry,” he avoided looking at his father again.
“How about this, I‘ll give you a year to prove yourself. Not only to bring honor but also show us that you are strong enough to avoid death.”
Damon's eyes lit up and filled with hope and smiled. “Don’t worry father, I will! Thank you!”
Ruhav can only keep his frustration at Damon’s behaviour, he only hears what he wants to hear. “Well then, that’s all for now. You can leave and bring Aster here.”
“Yes father,” Damon left the room with a big smile on his face.
Ruhav can only let out a sigh. “You are just like my brother aren’t you, Damon,” he muttered to himself.
While Damon is walking to Lala’s room he thinks of ways to prove himself, places to go and people to help. When he arrived at her room he knocked. “It’s me Damon.”
“Enter!” Lala’s cheerful voice can be heard from the other side of the door.
Damon enters the room and sees Lala teaching her how to use magic. “Just like that! Wow you are a good sister!”
“It’s thanks to you Lala,” Aster and Lala smile at each other.
“You two seemed to be getting along pretty well,” Damon joined the two and sat down on the floor. “What are you teaching her Lala?”
“Basic magic like the elements and other stuff.”
“She’s really helpful and easy to follow. Lala is such a good teacher,” When Aster said that, Lala had a gloating expression on her face.
Damon smiles knowing that they both get along, then suddenly remembers something. “By the way, my father wants to speak to you later.”
“R-really? Why?” She became nervous.
“I don’t know. Don’t worry, it’s probably something about how you can return. Also,” Damon smiled from ear to ear. “He finally gives me a chance to choose my own path.”
“Really?!” Both Aster and Lala were happy with what he said. “I’m happy for you Damon,” Aster gave him a congratulatory smile.
“Thank you,” he smiled back. “Anyways, I will escort you there since you aren’t familiar with our home yet.”
Aster tensed up. “Sure.”
“Don’t worry, even though our father is strict he is a good man.”
“If you say so,” she still felt nervous meeting his parents.
The two of them made their way to the same room Ruhav was in when he spoke to Damon. Aster can’t help but feel anxious about meeting his parents and he noticed her discomfort. “You’re going to be alright,” he smiles at her and knocks at the door. “Father, Aster is here.”
“Enter.”
Aster heard a male voice and took a deep breath, when Damon opened the door she saw a man and woman sitting at the couch side by side.
“So, those two are Damon’s parents. They look so intimidating,”
she became more anxious upon seeing them. The two of them sat on the couch opposite to Damon’s parents.
“So, you are Aster,” Era raised one of her eyebrows and looked at Aster with disdain. Aster can see that Era is not very fond of her.
“We heard what you did and I must say I’m impressed,” Ruhav looked at her with approval.
“Thank you!” Aster looked at Era but she did not seem impressed.
“I heard you want to see a high priestess?” Ruhav asked
“Yes sir.”
“Sir? How disrespectful!” Era was mad at how Aster addressed Ruhav.
Ruhav on the other hand was understanding. “It’s alright, I understand that she is from another world. They might have a different way of addressing someone.”
Damon can feel his mother's annoyance towards Aster. “By the way, Aster, I was not able to tell you that my mother is a high priestess. She can help you go back to your world.”
Aster was surprised. “Really?! But aren’t priests or priestesses not allowed to get married?”
“In our world, they can. Especially my mother. The children of a high priest can inherit their holy essence. That is why it is allowed and highly recommended to get married and have children,” Damon explained.
“But there is a problem getting you back to your world,” Ruhav becomes serious.
This made Aster uneasy. “What’s the problem sir.”
“There are two ways to get to another world. First is if you went here on your own. Second, if someone summons you. Since you had no idea how you got here that would mean someone summoned you here,” Ruhav looked Aster in the eye.
She was confused. “Who would summon me here?”
“That we don’t know and you’re here for a reason. But, we think you were summoned by Lumina. So you’ll be staying here for the time being and would need to train you.”
“B-but I can’t stay here! My younger sister is waiting for me. Though we have maids, my sister needs me! I want to go back! Please, ma’am help me return,” she starts to panic.
“I will if I can, but I can't. If you were summoned by a god and I have no control over it. I will lose my holy essence if I defy a god.”
“There must be a way. Please, I need to go back!” Aster’s eyes start to get watery.
Damon felt sympathetic towards Aster. “Mother, is there really nothing you can do? What if you can speak to the god that summoned her here? Speak to Lumina?”
“How?! Lumina has been gone for decades now,” Era starts to get annoyed.
“Can you at least summon my sister here?” Aster said while tearing up.
Era let out a sound of frustration. “I can try, but it will take a while so don’t be impatient!”
“Thank you ma’am,” Aster bows at Era.
“It’s My lady,” Era is trying to control her anger. “You must address us properly. Even if a god has summoned you here, you still need to show respect. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma- my lady,” Aster bowed again at Era.
“Mother, don’t be so hard on Aster! You of all the people should be the most patient and understanding. You’re a high priestess mother, you should be the one who shows kindness towards others.”
Era looked at Damon angrily. “How dare you talk to your mother like that!”
“Damon, it's alright. It’s my fault anyway,” Aster holds Damon's arm.
“Your son is right. Just calm yourself Era,” Ruhav paused for a moment and a mischievous smile emerged from his face. “Ah, I know what will calm you,” Ruhav naughtily looked at Era.
Era looked at Ruhav in disbelief and slapped the back of his head “You will be sleeping on the floor tonight,” Era looked at him angrily before leaving the room.
“Damon! You shouldn’t have talked to your mother like that! What if she won’t help me?!” Aster was angry at Damon.
“Don’t worry, father can handle mother,” Damon looked at his father.
“Way to pass the problem to me,” Ruhav looked at Damon in disbelief. After that little fun they had he returned to being serious. “Anyways, tomorrow is the start of your training along with sons.”
“Tomorrow? Already?”
“Time is precious. The earlier you can master your power the earlier you can return.”
“You’re right. Thank you, my lord,” Aster bows to him.
“It’s the best I can do to help you fulfill your duties. Not only that, he gets to train again,” Ruhav looked at Damon.
“After the incident, I will train even harder to avoid any more accidents.”
“Good. That’s all for now. You two can do whatever you want for today,” Ruhav stood up and left the room.
Aster and Damon also left the room. “Aster, since we have a lot of free time today I will show you around so you can get familiar with our place.”
“Sure!”
And so Damon showed Aster around and she was astonished. Just like at the village when she first arrived she showed a child-like wonder even though it was just a normal home for Damon and their family.