Chapter 190: A Day With The Family

Reinhard had expected Axom City to be busy.

He hadn’t expected the entire street to start staring at his family the moment they stepped out of their carriage.

A young man carrying shopping bags stopped in the middle of the pavement. Two women standing outside a café exchanged startled looks before one hurriedly pulled out her phone. A group of Awakeners near a fountain fell silent, their attention fixed on the five people walking toward them.

Then someone shouted.

"Wait! That’s Reinhard Ashcroft!"

The reaction spread through the street almost immediately.

"Emily Ashcroft is with him!"

"That’s the woman who survived the Black Moon!"

"I heard she reached S-Rank again!"

"Is that really the Ashcroft family? I thought they’d still be recovering from Marvello!"

Lily looked around with sparkling eyes. "We’re famous!"

Maki adjusted her glasses. "You only realized that now?"

"I knew we were famous. I didn’t know people would recognize us while I was shopping!"

Before Maki could answer, several people approached with phones in hand. One young woman hesitated in front of Emily, clutching her phone to her chest.

"Excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt, but could I take a picture with you? I’ve followed your recovery ever since the Elyndor evaluation. Seeing you stand here like this is incredible."

Emily’s expression softened. "Of course."

The woman nearly squealed as she moved beside Emily. Reinhard stepped into the picture as well, and Lily immediately squeezed herself between them. Maki and Yuna joined before the photograph was taken, turning what should have been a simple picture into a family portrait.

"Thank you!" the woman exclaimed. "I’ll treasure this forever!"

Another person approached Reinhard with a notebook, followed by two young Awakeners asking for his signature. Soon, a small crowd had gathered around them.

Reinhard signed a few items before looking at Lily, who was already posing for another photograph.

"You seem to be enjoying this."

"Of course! People want my autograph!"

"Try not to charge them."

Lily gasped. "I would never!"

Maki glanced at her. "You tried to charge me for borrowing your hairbrush yesterday."

"That was different!"

Yuna laughed as another group asked for a picture. Even Emily couldn’t help smiling at Lily’s indignant expression.

They eventually escaped the crowd with help from a nearby shopkeeper, who opened a side entrance and ushered them through. As the door closed behind them, the street outside erupted into excited chatter.

Reinhard looked through the window at the people still trying to catch a glimpse of them.

"Well, that was unexpected."

"You sound disappointed," Emily teased.

"Not at all. I’m simply wondering whether I should have brought more pens."

Lily immediately turned toward him. "You should have brought a whole box!"

...

Their first stop was a well-known clothing boutique in Axom City’s commercial district. Lily had chosen it after declaring that a proper outing required shopping, and she marched through the entrance as though she owned the place.

The manager recognized the family almost instantly.

"Mr. Ashcroft! Mrs. Ashcroft! It’s an honor to have you here."

Reinhard returned the greeting politely, but the manager was already calling for staff to prepare a private selection of their newest products.

"We would be delighted to offer your family our best collection," he continued. "And please accept a forty-percent discount on anything you wish to purchase."

Lily stopped walking.

"Forty percent?"

"Of course."

She slowly turned toward Reinhard, her eyes shining with dangerous enthusiasm.

"Reinhard."

"No."

"I haven’t asked anything yet!"

"I know that expression."

The manager laughed nervously, but Reinhard simply waved away the concern.

"Let my family choose whatever they like. Put everything on my account."

Maki glanced at him. "You don’t even know how much we’re buying."

"Then I’ll be surprised when I see the bill."

"That isn’t how budgeting works."

"Fortunately, I’m very wealthy."

Lily was already browsing the displays. Emily followed at a more relaxed pace, while Yuna found a jacket she liked and began examining its stitching. Maki tried to keep track of their purchases, but her efforts became increasingly futile as Lily discovered another section of the store.

A staff member approached Reinhard with a stack of clothing. "Would you like us to prepare these for your wife, sir?"

"Certainly."

"And these for your sister?"

"Yes."

"And the items selected by Miss Maki and Miss Yuna?"

"Everything."

Maki looked over. "You’re not even checking what’s in those bags."

"I trust my family’s taste."

"That’s not the same as knowing what you’re paying for."

Reinhard smiled. "Maki, if the worst thing that happens today is that I spend too much money on my family, I’ll consider it a successful outing."

She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

"That’s annoyingly difficult to argue with."

The manager returned with the final bill and looked increasingly astonished as Reinhard paid without hesitation. The store offered to deliver everything to their residence, and the staff requested a group photograph before the Ashcrofts left.

Lily signed a shopping catalogue for one of the employees, then proudly announced that she was officially a celebrity.

"You’ve signed one catalogue," Maki reminded her.

"One catalogue more than yesterday!"

Outside, Reinhard carried a small bag containing a gift he’d selected for Emily. The rest of their purchases were being delivered, leaving the family free to continue exploring.

Emily noticed the bag and smiled. "What did you buy?"

"That’s a secret."

"You’re terrible at keeping secrets."

"I’m excellent at keeping secrets. You’re simply very good at ruining them."

She slipped her hand into his, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead before they continued walking.

...

By lunchtime, the Ashcrofts had visited a restaurant overlooking Axom City’s central plaza.

The staff recognized them as soon as they entered and offered them a private table beside the window. Several customers whispered excitedly, while a few brave enough to approach asked for photographs.

The restaurant manager insisted on a discount, explaining that hosting the Ashcrofts was an honor. Reinhard thanked him and ordered enough food to fill the table.

Lily stared at the dishes arriving one after another.

"Reinhard, I think I love Axom City."

"You loved Axom City before we arrived."

"Now I love it more."

Maki examined the growing collection of plates. "We ordered enough food for twice our number."

"And yet you’re already reaching for the roasted dumplings," Lily observed.

Maki withdrew her hand. "I was checking whether they were properly cooked."

"With your mouth?"

Yuna burst out laughing, while Emily shook her head in amusement.

Reinhard picked up a piece of roasted meat and placed it on Emily’s plate. "Eat. You spent half the morning walking around, and you need to recover from your breakthrough."

"I reached S-Rank, Reinhard. I didn’t run across the continent."

"An important distinction. You should celebrate by eating more."

Emily rolled her eyes but took the food. A moment later, she picked up a spoonful of mushroom soup and held it toward him.

"Your turn."

Reinhard blinked. "You’re feeding me?"

"You’ve spent the entire morning making sure everyone else has what they want. Let me do something for you."

He accepted the spoonful with a smile. "I could get used to this."

"Don’t become spoiled."

"Too late."

Emily fed him another spoonful, and his delighted expression made Lily stare at them.

"That’s unfair! Why does Reinhard get fed?"

"Because he’s my husband," Emily replied.

Lily immediately turned to Reinhard. "Can I have someone feed me too?"

Maki pushed a plate toward her. "Here. Feed yourself."

"You’re so cruel."

"You’re twenty years old."

"And hungry!"

Yuna laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink.

After lunch, Lily caught Reinhard by the sleeve and pulled him away from the others for a moment.

"Listen," she whispered conspiratorially. "I found a list of places in Axom City we should visit. There’s a luxury shopping district, an arcade with Awakener competitions, a dessert street, and a market where they sell rare accessories."

Reinhard looked at the list she had pulled from her phone.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Since we entered the first shop."

He examined the destinations. The shopping district had several boutiques, the arcade offered competitive games, and the market specialized in rare items that could be difficult to find elsewhere.

His smile widened.

"Lily, I think you’re a genius."

"I know!"

"Let’s keep this between us for now. If Maki sees this list, she’ll calculate how many hours we have left and try to organize everything into a schedule."

Lily gasped. "We can’t let that happen!"

"Agreed."

They returned to the table wearing suspiciously innocent expressions.

Maki narrowed her eyes. "What were you two discussing?"

"Nothing," Reinhard answered.

"Shopping," Lily said at the same time.

Reinhard slowly turned toward her.

Lily smiled brightly. "What? We were discussing shopping!"

Maki stared at them before sighing. "I’m going to regret allowing you two to plan anything together."

...

Yuna proved to be the most enthusiastic guide of the afternoon.

Reinhard had expected Lily to drag everyone between shops, but Yuna surprised them by leading the family toward an outdoor entertainment district filled with games, food stalls, and small competitions.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Emily’s hand. "We’ve spent enough time looking at things to buy. Let’s actually do something!"

Lily immediately followed. "There’s an arcade over there!"

Maki looked at the crowded district. "I thought we were supposed to be relaxing."

"We are relaxing," Yuna replied. "That’s why we’re going to have fun."

Before Maki could object, Yuna had pulled her into the group.

Their first stop was a target game in which participants used harmless Mana projectiles to strike moving lights. Lily immediately challenged Reinhard, claiming that her experience with the Sword of Chaos gave her an advantage.

Reinhard accepted, only to lose the first round when Lily hit every target before he finished his opening shot.

"Ha! I win!"

"You were watching my hands instead of the targets," he protested.

"You should have been faster."

Maki stepped up next and won by carefully predicting the targets’ movement. Yuna followed, scoring almost as well, while Emily took her time and finished with a respectable result.

Reinhard looked at the scoreboard.

"I have been betrayed by my own family."

"You’re welcome," Maki replied.

They continued through the district, sampling sweets and playing games until even Maki stopped checking the time. Emily found herself laughing more than she had expected, no longer constantly thinking about her lost rank, her recovery, or the Black Moon.

Those memories hadn’t disappeared. They simply weren’t the only things occupying her thoughts.

Reinhard noticed her smile and gently squeezed her hand.

"Having fun?"

"Very much."

"Good. Then let’s keep going."

They had barely reached the next street when a group of Awakeners stepped into their path.

The leader, a muscular man wearing an expensive combat jacket, looked the Ashcrofts up and down before scoffing.

"So these are the famous Ashcrofts? I expected something more impressive."

His companions laughed.

"We heard you were responsible for stopping the Black Moon," another said. "Must have been exaggerated. Anyone can look impressive when the public doesn’t know the whole story."

Lily’s smile disappeared.

Maki sighed as though someone had interrupted her meal.

Yuna, however, simply continued walking.

The leader stepped in front of her. "I’m talking to you."

An invisible pressure descended.

The three Awakeners slammed to their knees, their bodies suddenly too heavy to lift. Their hands struck the pavement as they struggled to breathe beneath the overwhelming force.

Yuna didn’t even turn her head.

Neither did Maki, Emily, Reinhard, or Lily.

The five Ashcrofts continued walking, leaving the arrogant Awakeners kneeling in the middle of the street.

For a moment, the surrounding crowd went silent.

Then someone laughed.

Phones rose into the air as people recorded the humiliating scene. The leader’s face turned red while his companions struggled to lift their heads, but the pressure remained until the Ashcrofts had passed.

"That was the entire fight?" someone asked.

"They didn’t even look at them!"

"I think they were being generous by not stopping."

Lily glanced back and grinned. "I didn’t even get to swing my sword."

"You’re welcome," Maki replied. "You can save your weapons for someone who deserves the effort."

Yuna looked over her shoulder with a cheerful smile. "Come on. There’s a dessert shop nearby, and I heard their honey cakes are excellent."

Reinhard stared at her in surprise. "You planned this entire afternoon, didn’t you?"

"Maybe."

"You’re more dangerous than I thought."

Yuna laughed and pulled Emily toward the next street, leaving Reinhard to follow with the others.

For the rest of the afternoon, the family explored Axom City, bought more things than Maki considered reasonable, and attracted enough attention that several shops offered them discounts simply for visiting. More people asked for pictures and signatures, and Reinhard cheerfully paid for every meal and purchase his family wanted.

By sunset, Lily was carrying a list of places she wanted to revisit, Maki had reluctantly purchased several items from the research district, and Yuna was already proposing another outing.

Emily leaned against Reinhard as they watched the lights illuminate the city.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He glanced down at her. "For what?"

"For giving us today."

Reinhard smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "You don’t have to thank me for wanting to spend time with my family."

Emily rested her head against his shoulder.

For once, she let herself enjoy the moment without wondering how long it would last.

...

The following morning, Reinhard brought a bowl of mushroom soup into the living room, where Emily was relaxing on the sofa.

"You promised me breakfast," she reminded him.

"And here it is."

He sat beside her and offered her a spoonful. Emily accepted it with a smile before taking the bowl from him and returning the favor.

"You’re becoming very comfortable with this," she teased.

"I’m a fast learner."

She was about to reply when every window in the room shattered at once.

Reinhard and Emily’s eyes widened.

A tremendous explosion shook the house, sending furniture sliding across the floor. From somewhere down the corridor came Lily’s furious roar.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Maki shouted over the rumbling. "WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!"

The house shook again, and Reinhard was already on his feet. His playful expression vanished as his Danger Intuition screamed at him.

The Baal Family had arrived.

And they were early.