Chapter 201:After birthday (2)

Chapter 201: 201:After birthday (2)

Ding

Thomas pulled out his phone, unfortunately. With three other guys around him, it was practically a guarantee that they would try to see what was happening. Leaning their heads over this shoulder as they tried to catch a glimpse.

---

:I really miss you right now...

Attached image

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In an instant, the expression of the three of them immediately worsened.

Thinking in unison, ’This damn guy..!’

"What’s wrong? I realize it is rude to look at my phone during conversations, but I was worried it may have been an emergency."

Arthur (forever alone due to personality despite arguably being a 9/10 in terms of looks) turned his head away in disgust.

"Don’t talk to me. You damn popular guy. "

Zachary (shut-in whose only hobby is training. Constantly fighting allegations of liking men) followed suit. Turning his head away, letting out an angry tch.

"Must be real nice."

Raymond (unable to say the real reason. Partial reason: Alone by choice. If Ellen’s name was choice.)

"Is this what number one is like?"

Clearly he was still salty about being second place.

Tch, dating was overrated anyways. Same reason why Raymond made sure to constantly instill the proper core values in Erin. You had to teach them young, so they would remember it old.

Always reject any guy that approaches you!

"Raymond. Why are you also angry?"

"Huh? The same reason as you two of course."

A vein quietly snaked its way across their foreheads. While Raymond was always a nice person to talk to, in this particular instance. He didn’t have any right to be angry. Being reminded of his obliviousness was enough to further anger the other two.

"...you keep quiet as well you damn bas—

"Guys. We’re losing track of ourselves. There’s something more important."

It wasn’t often Zachary was the voice of reason. This alone was enough to shock the two of them back into clarity. The three of them were bachelors after all, they definitely couldn’t allow the fourth to betray them like that! Even if it required dishonorable actions, as long as they were in it together. Everything would be fine.

"You’re right. Let’s make this quick, I have to get back soon for Erin."

"Alright. By the way, how did Erin react to the gifts?"

"Many of my friends seemed very concerned when I inquired about a gift for a young girl of Erin’s age. It was quite a struggle to choose."

And just as fast, they forgot about the previous topic they were previously discussing. Gone, out the window.

Due to Raymond and Ellen’s...selfishness, the main date had been reserved solely for them. While the others were forced to give their congratulations the next day. Something which got them a lot of dirty looks. In the words of Lucy, ’Stop monopolizing your daughter!’

Raymond rubbed his chin, a serious look on his face as he pondered seriously.

"Let’s see..."

He pointed at Zachary, "Life in jail."

Then Arthur, "Death penalty."

Finally Thomas, who braced himself mentally.

"...My life is yours."

"?"

Now Raymond considered himself a pretty sane and sensible guy. Living with Ellen might have shook that sanity and sensibility just a little bit. But he was still very normal (by his own standards).

But he had to set his boundaries!

"Zachary. Tell it to me straight. Why in the world would you buy a toy piano for Erin?"

"Aren’t you already teaching her the piano?"

"...Ill haunt you in your dreams you bastard."

Raymond hadn’t thought about it much at first, simply thinking of it as another way for Erin to practice and learn while still having fun. Something he heavily prioritized given his own history with learning. Except he had not accounted for one thing.

The noise.

Every day. Every hour. Almost every minute. Raymond’s ears were filled with pure noise pollution, it wasn’t really Erin’s fault. Since the toy itself couldn’t make any actual notes properly. Raymond doubted even he could make something good out of it. But it was so damn annoying!

It disrupted his sleep, his afternoon nap, his evening nap after lunch, and just about every time he was at home.

Since he couldn’t take it out on Erin however, he chose the next best guy.

"You even bought one that’s rechargeable?! Do you even know what it’s like to live with that noise constantly?"

"Ahem...does she like it though?"

"Just you wait."

Raymond was a very patient man after all(sometimes). Living long tended to give you that kind of trait. Even if it was ten, twenty years in the future. The day Zachary finally had children of his own, Raymond would be there waiting. Waiting with the most diabolical gifts that were pushing the limits of what was barely legal.

Although, Zachary had never even been in any relationship ever. So would he ever have children..?

"Ah dammit, you like guys don’t you? Are you planning on adopting?"

"What the f-

"Stop!"

Raymond held a hand out, preventing Zachary from swearing and sullying the age rating of this novel.

It was also because he didn’t want to accidentally maybe contaminate Erin, but there was always a balance.

"Arthur, I’ll give you a minute to explain yourself."

"..."

"Nothing?"

Arthur’s gift was equally as heinous as Zachary. If Zachary was a curse that Raymond could at least dispel by blocking his ears. Arthur might as well have slapped him twice on both cheeks.

’Never in my life have I ever had to clean glitter out of a carpet!’

Raymond knew a lot of spells, from broad use spells. To spells that were useless outside of one extremely rare occurrence. But even he didn’t have a spell to pick through glitter and clean it off. It was too small to be feasibly picked off with magic, and his magic didn’t recognize it as something that needed to be cleaned.

"Is that why your shirt looks so glittery today?"

He snapped his head at him, "Shut up Zachary. You know damn well why it’s glittery today."

"Okay."

"At least someone got a good gift. How come Thomas and Noelle were the only ones with good gifts?"

A rechargeable toy piano, glitter bombs, a wooden sword, and the most heinous of all. A water gun.

Raymond had never felt his own affection rating for anyone drop so fast in his life. Whether is was being hit in the legs with a wooden stick that seemed to be indestructible. Or being sprayed in the face with water when he least expected it. Raymond very nearly stormed each of their apartments in order to demand an answer.

Compared to Noelle’s and Thomas’s gifts. A dragon onesie and dragon diy set. Which were likely picked out with the help of other actually normal people. Each of these gifts while great for Erin, horrible for Raymond as her main caretaker.

"Don’t worry. I always get my payback."

Nearly an entire block away in the academy, a certain brown haired girl shivered. Surrounding her were several animals, most bizzarely was a massive horse that seemed to be on fire. As well as a massive grey wolf bigger then her.

The four of them sat around a bit longer. Before someone finally brought up the dreaded question.

"How’s the preparations for the final exam going so far?"

Raymond glared at Zachary.

"Now why would you say that? We were having such a good time."

"I’m just curious, they said that they’re changing the format for this year so I’m excited to see what they’ve come up with."

Naturally the battle maniac was excited over this.

"I’m doing...okay."

Of course, Raymond’s current definition of okay was rather different then what most expected.

...

"Is...is all of this really worth it?"

Raelynn and Raymond both quietly leaned back in their chairs. Staring up into the ceiling.

The new spell idea from Ellen was definitely amazing, and Raymond would have loved to work on it...if he was at his peak that is.

But the problem with his current level of strength, was that even if he did create the spell. It would be useless if he couldn’t use it. The whole point of the spell was to be essentially a worser version of Borrow Future Strength after all.

The two of them let out a sigh in unison.

"Maybe we can do it without?"

"Not sure, they only barely clinched the win last time, and that was after a lot of infighting between the others. "

Naturally, they wanted to get first place again. If not for the rewards, then for the pure vanity.

Especially since as a compensation for the new experimental final exam. The academy was even giving extra rewards to every student!

Now sure, Raymond had absolutely no use for any of the rewards since they were useless to him. But more free stuff was always better.

Yes, it was this that kept him motivated.

"...is all of this really worth it?"

The two of them stared back up into the ceiling again.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t actually a very strong motivation.