Chapter 210: The Ashcrofts Prepare for Vacation

Reinhard sat on the couch, sipping his coffee as sunlight streamed through the mansion’s windows.

The house had returned to its former glory thanks to the High-Grade Repair Talismans. The damaged walls, broken furniture, and other traces of the recent destruction had all been restored, leaving the mansion looking as though nothing had ever happened.

For once, everything was peaceful.

Then Lily rushed past the living room carrying three bags.

"WHERE DID I PUT IT?!"

Reinhard lowered his cup.

"What are you looking for?"

"My swimsuit!"

He glanced at the mountain of luggage beside the staircase.

"Did you check the seventeen bags you’ve already packed?"

Lily stopped.

"Seventeen?!"

Reinhard pointed toward the pile.

"That’s what it looks like."

"Those are essentials!"

"Of course they are."

Lily hurried away again, muttering about how nobody understood the importance of proper vacation preparation.

Reinhard shook his head with a smile and returned to his coffee.

They hadn’t even left the mansion, and Lily was already causing trouble.

Maki passed through the living room carrying a neatly packed suitcase and a small notebook. Unlike Lily, she had organized everything in advance, including a list of places she wanted to visit.

"Finished packing?" Reinhard asked.

"Yes. Clothes, toiletries, necessary documents, and everything else we might need." She glanced toward Lily’s mountain of luggage. "Some people could learn from proper organization."

"Hey! I heard that!" Lily shouted from upstairs.

"You were supposed to!"

Reinhard nearly choked on his coffee. He decided to leave the two of them alone before their argument escalated.

His next stop was Emily’s room, where he found her arranging the last of her clothes. Yuna was helping her, occasionally folding an outfit or checking whether anything had been forgotten.

Reinhard leaned against the doorway.

"Have you finished packing?"

"Almost," Yuna replied. "I was helping Emily first."

Emily smiled. "She’s been helping me for a while now."

Reinhard walked over and gently took the clothes Yuna was about to pack.

"You know you’re allowed to relax too, right?"

Yuna blinked. "I know."

"Then don’t spend the entire vacation taking care of everyone else. You’re going with us to enjoy yourself, not to make sure we’re all comfortable."

Yuna hesitated before looking toward the window.

"Then... I think I’d like to visit a place where I can watch the sunset over the ocean. Somewhere quiet, where I can sit and enjoy the view."

Reinhard smiled.

"Then we’ll make sure you get that chance."

Yuna’s expression brightened. She hadn’t expected him to agree so readily.

"Thank you."

"Just remember to pack something comfortable. You don’t need to spend the whole trip wearing your usual combat gear."

"I wasn’t planning to!"

"Good. I wouldn’t want you challenging the beach to a duel."

Emily laughed, and Yuna gave him an embarrassed look.

Reinhard then turned toward his wife.

"Now, what about you? Need any help?"

Emily smiled playfully. "Are you offering to pack my clothes?"

"If that’s what you need."

"And if I need something else?"

Reinhard’s grin widened.

"Then I’ll have to hear your request."

Emily stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Stay with me for a little while. We don’t have to hurry."

He immediately returned the embrace, holding her close and kissing her forehead. She rested her head against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his arms.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

Then Emily tilted her head and kissed his cheek.

"I want to try the restaurants in Solmara with you," she murmured. "Not because they’re famous or expensive. I just want to enjoy a meal together without worrying about what might happen afterward."

Reinhard smiled and brushed her hair away from her face.

"Then we’ll do exactly that."

Emily leaned against him again.

For once, they could look forward to something without another crisis hanging over them. That alone made the vacation worthwhile.

After giving them a little more time together, Yuna quietly left the room to finish her own preparations.

Reinhard eventually returned to the living room and settled onto the couch with his coffee.

The mansion was no longer quiet. Footsteps echoed through the hallways, doors opened and closed, and Lily occasionally shouted questions about whether she had packed something important.

Perhaps I should have booked the vacation before telling Lily about it.

His phone rang.

Lucien’s name appeared on the screen.

Reinhard answered with a grin.

"Well, if it isn’t the man who calls whenever something interesting happens."

"Interesting?" Lucien replied. "Reinhard, I’d describe what you’ve done as a public disturbance."

Reinhard laughed.

"That’s a bit dramatic."

"Is it? Multiple major families have already been asking about the Ashcrofts. They want to know what happened, how the Baal Family fell so quickly, and what your family plans to do next."

"Oh? I’m popular."

"Don’t sound so pleased with yourself."

"It’s difficult not to when so many important people are interested in me."

Lucien sighed.

"That’s exactly the sort of response I expected. But there’s something stranger going on. Several companies connected to the Baal Family’s alliances have become extremely tight-lipped. Some refuse to discuss the incident at all, even when directly questioned."

Reinhard took another sip of coffee.

"Oh, that? They might be scared because a Sentinel showed up."

Silence.

Reinhard glanced at his phone.

"Lucien?"

There was no immediate response.

Then Lucien released a long, weary sigh.

"No wonder..."

Reinhard smiled. "You sound relieved."

"Relieved? I’m trying to understand how you can say something like that so casually!"

"What? It’s the most obvious explanation."

"A Sentinel isn’t someone you casually mention in conversation! If one appeared during an incident involving a powerful family, of course everyone connected to it would become reluctant to talk. Nobody wants to attract that kind of attention."

"Then their reaction makes sense."

"Yes, their reaction makes sense!" Lucien exclaimed. "You, on the other hand..."

Reinhard laughed.

"I don’t scare easily."

"Go figure."

Lucien sounded as though he had accepted that trying to make Reinhard nervous was a pointless exercise.

"Actually, this also explains why Aurlieus Security has been subtly avoiding trying to reel you in. They’ve been unusually careful about how they approach the Ashcrofts since the incident."

"Because of the Sentinel?"

"Yeah. They probably don’t want to make a move without understanding the situation. Between the evidence against Baal and a Sentinel’s appearance, nobody wants to be the person who makes the wrong decision."

Reinhard shrugged, even though Lucien couldn’t see him.

"Either way, that’s not something I need to worry about."

"Of course you don’t."

"I don’t do politics."

Lucien gave a humorless laugh.

"I wish I could say the same."

Reinhard grinned. "Sounds like you need a vacation too."

"I’d love one. Unfortunately, someone has to deal with the mess you’ve left behind."

"I’m sure you’ll manage."

"You’re enjoying this far too much."

"Perhaps."

Despite his complaints, Lucien sounded amused. Their conversation soon returned to lighter matters, and Reinhard was happy to leave the political consequences in someone else’s hands.

"So," Lucien asked eventually, "what are you planning to do now? Are you coming back to work soon?"

"Not now. I’m going on vacation with my family."

There was a short pause before Lucien chuckled.

"Honestly, I agree with you. You went from the missions and Blood Kin incident in Elyndor to the Black Moon incident in Marvello, and then ended up attacking the Baal Family after they attacked you. I’d be surprised if you could continue working as though nothing happened."

Reinhard laughed.

"If I’d tried, Lily would have thrown me out of the hospital window."

From somewhere upstairs came a loud shout.

"I WOULD HAVE!"

Lucien burst out laughing.

"At least someone in your family has common sense!"

"Careful. I might tell Lily you said that."

"Don’t you dare!"

Reinhard grinned as Lily shouted something else that sounded suspiciously like a threat.

After a moment, Lucien regained his composure.

"Wait. You said you’re going to Solmara? Do you actually have the money for that? You need at least ten million credits just to begin enjoying the place properly."

Reinhard’s expression turned offended.

"Don’t insult me, Lucien. You know I have money. My tax bracket is practically on the level of the super elites."

Lucien laughed. "Oh, forgive me. I forgot I was speaking to a man who can turn a simple vacation into an economic event."

"That’s more like it."

"Just don’t bankrupt yourself buying everything you see."

"Please. I’m far too sensible for that."

Lucien fell silent for a moment.

Then he laughed again.

"I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep a straight face after hearing that."

Reinhard clicked his tongue.

"I’m beginning to regret answering this call."

"No, you’re not."

"Unfortunately, you’re right."

Reinhard remembered something he wanted to arrange.

"Actually, there’s something I’d like you to do. Send Nephilim and Archon to Solmara as well."

Lucien paused.

"Them too? I’m sure they’d love that, but they’re on a mission right now."

"When will they be back?"

"Nephilim won’t be back for another two months," Lucien said. "Archon should return in a week."

"Then send Archon over when he’s back. I’ll pay for his time."

"You’re inviting him to help, or do you simply want more people around to make trouble with?"

"Both."

Lucien went silent for a moment.

"I genuinely hope you enjoy your vacation. The world might survive a week without you causing a new problem."

"That’s the spirit. I’ll send you a postcard."

"Don’t."

Reinhard ended the call with a satisfied smile.

With the others still getting ready, Reinhard finally had a few minutes to himself.

He stretched his shoulders and considered what he needed to prepare before leaving. Although this was supposed to be a vacation, he had learned from experience that being unprepared could turn even a peaceful outing into an unexpected mission.

"Let’s see. Money, travel arrangements, emergency supplies..."

He paused.

"Actually, I should check my equipment too."

Reinhard opened his inventory and summoned the Merchant King’s Lens.

The legendary item settled into his palm. Its polished surface reflected the sunlight, and faint golden markings appeared along its edge.

The Lens had already proven useful for evaluating valuable objects and determining where they could be sold for the highest price. But its applications weren’t limited to commerce. Since its recent improvement, it could also reveal information about certain exceptional weapons and their E.G.O. requirements.

Reinhard’s interest was immediately piqued.

"If I’m going to inspect anything, I might as well start with my own equipment."

He first examined the Aegis Shield.

A moment later, text appeared across the Lens.

[E.G.O. Awakening Requirement Detected.]

[Requirement: Sacrificing Oneself for Another.]

Reinhard raised an eyebrow.

"Sacrificing oneself for another?"

He leaned back, considering the words.

I’ve already done that for Emily.

The requirement wasn’t particularly difficult to understand. He had risked his life for his wife more times than he could count, and protecting his family had become one of his strongest convictions.

Yet the E.G.O. remained locked.

"Then this can’t be the whole requirement."

He turned the Lens toward Tiamat Bane.

[E.G.O. Awakening Requirement Detected.]

[Requirement: Refuting the Alteration of Oneself.]

Reinhard’s expression grew more thoughtful. "Refuting the alteration of oneself..."

That was considerably less straightforward.

He understood the words individually, but their precise meaning was unclear. Did it mean resisting an outside force that attempted to change one’s identity? Rejecting an imposed transformation? Or something else entirely?

The Lens offered no further explanation.

"Useful. Very useful."

His dry remark earned no response from the legendary item.

Reinhard then examined Uncrowned.

[E.G.O. Awakening Requirement Detected.]

[Requirement: An Extremely Strong Will.]

He nodded slowly. "That sounds simple enough. Until you try to define what counts as extremely strong."

The Lens had given him a clue, not an instruction manual. He was beginning to suspect that each displayed requirement represented only one part of a much larger condition.

His attention then shifted to another set of weapons. "Now, let’s see what these say."

The Lens passed over the Blade of Jade.

[E.G.O. Awakening Requirement Detected.]

[Requirement: A Strong Belief in Oneself.]

Reinhard paused and he read the words again. "A strong belief in oneself?"

His thoughts drifted to Yuna.

She was confident in battle, decisive when danger threatened the family, and willing to stand her ground even against opponents who outmatched her. She had never struck him as someone who doubted her ability to act when it mattered.

If anything, she was one of the most reliable people he knew.

"That’s a strange requirement for a weapon associated with Yuna."

He studied the Lens, wondering whether its display was incomplete.

Perhaps the weapon demanded a particular kind of belief. Perhaps the requirement referred to something beyond confidence in one’s abilities.

Or perhaps the Lens simply couldn’t reveal the full conditions yet.

He turned his attention to the Robe of the King.

[E.G.O. Awakening Requirement Detected.]

[Requirement: Accepting One’s Ideal Self.]

Reinhard’s eyebrows rose. "First, believing in oneself. Now, accepting one’s ideal self?"

He glanced between the two weapons.

The requirements seemed related, but not identical. One suggested conviction. The other suggested accepting something about one’s identity, although the Lens didn’t explain what that meant.

He briefly considered examining Maki’s and Lily’s weapons as well, but stopped himself.

"If the Lens only shows part of the requirement, checking every weapon won’t tell me much more."

He returned the weapons to his inventory.

There was no reason to spend the entire morning chasing incomplete descriptions. If the Lens received another upgrade in the future, perhaps it would reveal more.

For now, he would have to accept the uncertainty.

Still, the requirements had given him something to think about.

A strong belief in oneself. Accepting one’s ideal self. Sacrificing oneself for another. Refusing to let oneself be altered. Possessing an extremely strong will.

They sounded like different expressions of conviction, but the distinctions between them remained unclear.

Reinhard dismissed the Lens and stretched.

"Something to investigate another day."

After all, he was supposed to be going on vacation.

He would try to remember that before discovering another mystery to occupy his time.

Across the room, Lily was still packing, Maki was checking the luggage, and Emily was watching them with the quiet amusement of someone who had already accepted that the trip would be chaotic.

Reinhard had barely settled back onto the couch when Lily appeared with Maki, Emily, and Yuna.

All four were ready to leave.

"Finally!" Lily exclaimed. "Are we going or not?"

Reinhard glanced at their luggage.

"Did you bring everything?"

"Yes!" Lily answered immediately.

Maki nodded. "We checked everything twice."

Emily smiled. "We’re ready."

Yuna nodded as well.

Reinhard stood, pleased to see everyone prepared. He was about to activate the teleportation relic when Lily suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"Wait a minute. Where are your bags?"

Reinhard blinked.

"What bags?"

"Your luggage! You’ve been sitting here drinking coffee while the rest of us packed. Don’t tell me you forgot to prepare anything!"

Reinhard grinned.

"Already stored in my Space Tear."

Lily stared at him.

"That’s cheating! Your abilities are way too convenient!"

"Would you prefer that I carry seventeen bags like you?"

"I have seventeen bags for a reason!"

"Of course you do."

Emily laughed, Maki shook her head, and Yuna smiled at the exchange.

Reinhard took out the teleportation relic.

"Everyone ready?"

"Yes!" Lily shouted.

Space shimmered around them, and the mansion disappeared.

A moment later, the Ashcrofts reappeared outside their other home on Leyline Street, in the Elm neighborhood.

After making sure everyone had arrived safely, Reinhard led them toward the waiting hover vehicle.

Lily climbed inside first, followed by Maki and Emily. Yuna settled into her seat, looking out the window as Reinhard took the driver’s position.

"Everyone comfortable?" he asked.

"Just drive!" Lily urged.

Reinhard laughed and started the vehicle.

The hover vehicle rose smoothly from the road and accelerated toward the highway. Once they were clear of the neighborhood, Reinhard lowered the windows, allowing the warm coastal breeze to sweep through the cabin.

Lily immediately leaned toward the open window.

"This is already better than staying home!"

"You haven’t even reached Solmara yet," Maki reminded her.

"Exactly! Imagine how amazing it’ll be once we get there!"

Emily laughed, while Yuna closed her eyes briefly and enjoyed the breeze against her face. Reinhard increased their speed, letting the vehicle glide along the elevated road.

Lily leaned forward first.

"Wait. Is that Solmara?"

Ahead of them, the coastline stretched farther than she could see. White towers rose above the water, their upper floors catching the sunlight. Artificial islands dotted the sea, connected by bridges and glowing transit routes. Farther along the coast, luxury hotels stood beside private marinas, while enormous entertainment complexes glittered between enchanted gardens and resort districts.

It wasn’t a single resort or a city built around one beach. Solmara was an entire world of luxury and entertainment, spreading along the Golden Coast as if someone had decided that ordinary limits simply didn’t apply there.

Maki looked toward one of the distant islands.

"How many separate districts does this place have?"

"Enough that we won’t see everything in one trip," Reinhard replied.

"Then we need to plan properly," Maki said, already reaching for her phone.

Lily immediately turned toward her.

"No planning! We explore everything!"

"You’ll be exhausted before lunch."

"Then I’ll eat lunch while exploring!"

Emily laughed softly, leaning against Reinhard as the vehicle continued toward the distant skyline. For once, there was no battlefield waiting for her, no opponent she needed to defeat, and no emergency forcing her to measure every moment against the next threat.

There was simply a city ahead of them and time to enjoy it.

Yuna watched the sunlight glitter across the ocean. She didn’t say anything, but Reinhard remembered her request to watch the sunset.

He would make sure they found a place for it.

The hover vehicle raced onward, carrying the Ashcrofts toward the Golden Coast.

They hadn’t entered Solmara yet.

But the vacation had already become something worth looking forward to.