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Shortly after the three of them went upstairs, a cacophony of sounds began to wash over Allen, who was silently leaning against the staircase:
Zenith's hoarse, furious shouts;
The thud of someone kneeling on the floor;
Tearful apologies;
The sound of Zenith storming out of the room;
The rustling of clothes being pulled and tugged;
The thumps of fists hitting Paul's body;
Rudeus's pleading voice begging Zenith to stay;
The gradual calming of the emotional outburst;
Paul and Lilia's self-reflection and their honest feelings about the family;
Their kowtowing and promises for the future;
And finally, Rudeus's voice asking Zenith to pass judgment on Paul and Lilia.
Silence then enveloped the upstairs.
Allen, standing at the foot of the stairs, clenched his fists nervously.
This was followed by ten minutes of complete silence.
Then, Zenith began to cry. At first, it was soft sobbing, but it quickly escalated into heart-wrenching wails.
The infidelity scandal of the Greyrat family had come to an end.
Zenith...
Had chosen not to leave.
Allen let out a long sigh of relief and sat down at the dining table, pouring himself a glass of water to calm his racing heart.
Family drama.
So intense.
By the time the crying upstairs had completely subsided, an hour had passed.
During this time, Allen found himself feeling confused. He had clearly been involved in the infidelity incident, but no matter how much he called out to the system, it refused to appear and give him a score.
He was baffled.
Finally, the sound of footsteps echoed down the stairs. Allen turned his head and saw Lilia helping Zenith down, while Paul, scratching his head with a look of relief, followed behind. When Paul noticed Allen, even his thick skin couldn't hide his embarrassment, and he awkwardly avoided eye contact.
Paul eventually straightened up and reached out to help Zenith, only to have his hand slapped away by her, her eyes still red from crying.
Paul quickly glanced at Allen, then sheepishly lowered his hand.
In short, Paul's authority as the head of the household was completely gone.
Allen couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. He looked up at Zenith, whose eyes were swollen from crying, and at Lilia, who was visibly remorseful, her eyes also red.
'Even though I relied on my knowledge of the novel to help Lilia... this is just too much. They've become sisters now? Zenith is really too kind... I wonder how many lifetimes of good karma Paul must have accumulated to deserve her...'
Allen shook his head internally and reached out to help Zenith as well.
But instead of taking his hand, Zenith pulled him into a tight hug.
She buried her face in his shoulder and began to cry again.
???
Allen's face froze, and he was completely stunned. He blinked, awkwardly patting Zenith's shoulder as she clung to him, and shot a questioning look at Rudeus behind her.
Rudeus simply smiled and winked at him.
Still confused, Allen turned to Paul.
Paul scratched his head and finally spoke up.
"We told Zenith what you said earlier... Allen, you really saved us."
Allen blinked, about to say something polite in response, but before he could, Lilia also hugged him. She wrapped her arms around both Zenith and Allen.
Next was Paul, who hesitated for a moment before awkwardly joining the group hug. When Zenith didn't push him away, he let out a sigh of relief.
Rudeus, standing to the side, chuckled and gave Allen a thumbs-up, poking his arm playfully.
Finally, Zenith's voice broke through the silence.
"Thank you... Allen, really, thank you..."
Caught in the middle of the group hug, Allen tried to force a smile but couldn't quite manage it.
A strange feeling welled up in his chest, leaving no room for his usual sarcastic thoughts.
The last time he had felt this way was during his reunion with Roxy in the forest... This strange feeling was...
A sense of complete immersion.
In their embrace, amidst the flapping of butterfly wings that had once again altered the course of events, Allen felt that he was truly living in the world of Mushoku Tensei, not just as a spectator or a player in a game.
The warm atmosphere, the heartfelt gratitude, and the genuine emotions were overwhelming.
Unable to fully describe his current emotions, Allen simply felt a warmth in his chest. After a long pause, he finally responded to Zenith's words.
"You're welcome..."
A system notification appeared before his eyes.
[There is only one path to 20 points, and you are on it.]
[You facilitated Paul and Lilia's self-redemption and restored Zenith's dignity. You have earned the genuine gratitude of everyone involved.]
[Evaluation: The gap between hearts has been bridged, and now the distance between family members has closed.]
[Childhood participation level increased.]
[Current stage: Childhood. Cumulative participation score: 90 points.]
[You are so close to a perfect score, but the final step is often the hardest.]
[Good luck, host.]
In the end, while Allen remained in a daze, he received heartfelt thanks from Zenith, Lilia, and Paul. Even Rudeus came over and playfully punched his side, saying, "You did great, Allen!"
But Allen felt as if he were in a dream.
Now, in the middle of the night, Allen was still sitting at the table, lost in thought.
On the table in front of him was a crumpled letter, its words faintly visible in the flickering candlelight.
Dear (scratched out)
...Dear Allen,
Sorry, I thought I'd written the wrong word, but it seems I was mistaken. I don't have any more paper, so I'll just have to continue on this one...
Anyway!
It's been four months since we last saw each other. I've been traveling along the Asura Kingdom's border from Rikert City and haven't had the chance to write to you. A few days ago, I finally settled down in Usrel Territory, and I thought it would be a good time to write you a letter.
Unfortunately, I might not be able to receive your reply until I find a more stable place to stay (scratched out).
Ah... You would write back, right? Ugh, I started writing without thinking, and now I can't even fix my mistakes because I only have this one sheet of paper...
After this, I plan to cross the Red Dragon's Jaw and explore the labyrinths near the Dragon King Mountains. Don't worry, I won't go near any conflict zones, so you don't need to worry too much... You would worry, right? If not, just ignore that part.
Speaking of the Red Dragon's Jaw, it's close to a dense forest area with many broadleaf trees. I've heard that in autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow, creating a scene like flickering flames at the foot of the mountains. It reminds me of the forest where we first met, though the leaves were green back then. Still, under the campfire light, it was quite beautiful.
I think the Red Dragon's Jaw must have a similar view.
When I pass through, I'll collect some leaves and send them to you.
Today is... let me check, September 24th. I'm not sure if this letter will reach you in time for your birthday.
It just occurred to me that this is your tenth birthday... Haha, it's funny how I often forget how young you are.
Along with this letter, I've sent you a birthday gift... When Rudeus turned five, I gave him a magic wand as a gift. When we parted ways, I gave him a charm. But for you, I hesitated for a long time, unsure of what to give...
So... I just... bought a magic stone necklace from a street vendor. Unlike Rudeus's red magic stone wand, this one is a blue magic stone necklace...
I thought... you might like blue?
But... the craftsmanship isn't great. The string is a bit crooked... I guess that's just how it is, so please accept it as it is. Don't look down on it...
That's all for now. I feel like there's so much more I want to say, but I can't seem to put it into words.
...
Allen,
How have you been lately?
...
When I settle down again, I'll write to you.
By then, maybe you'll be able to write back.
Roxy.
Allen read the letter again, which had arrived a few days ago via a courier. He slumped over the table and pulled out a necklace from under his shirt.
The necklace held an irregular blue magic stone, encased in a net-like structure made from a durable plant fiber called thorn hemp. Though simple in design, the stone shimmered with a deep blue glow under the candlelight, reminding Allen of Roxy's blue eyes.
As for the craftsmanship... it was indeed a bit rough.
'Is the craftsman's skill really that bad? Or did Roxy make it herself and didn't want to admit it? In the original story, she never lied in her letters to Rudeus, always stating facts. So it's probably just the craftsman's poor skill.'
Allen twirled the magic stone in front of his eyes, watching the candlelight reflect off its surface, casting arcs of light across his vision.
"...Immersion... The two times I've felt truly immersed were both due to the butterfly effect... The original storyline doesn't evoke the same emotions."
The image of Zenith hugging him with tears in her eyes, and Paul sincerely patting his shoulder, flashed through his mind. After a moment of silence, Allen tucked the necklace back under his shirt. He pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer and wrote three lines in Chinese:
「Great Teleportation」
「Zenith's Imprisonment」
「Paul's Death」
...
His gray eyes stared at the words, his gaze flickering.
The night grew deeper.
A few days later, the snow stopped.
The aftermath of the infidelity incident triggered a new wave of butterfly effects.
In his promises, Paul had mentioned wanting to spend the winter at home with Zenith and Lilia, both of whom were pregnant. It seemed that even in this world of swords and magic, the early stages of pregnancy carried a risk of miscarriage.
Especially after Zenith's emotional turmoil.
As a result, Paul didn't participate in the usual winter monster hunts this year, choosing instead to stay home with his family.
A few days after the snow stopped, Allen's birthday arrived.
In the Asura Kingdom, birthdays at ages five, ten, and fifteen were considered particularly important. So, with Zenith and Lilia secretly making preparations, the Greyrat family threw a rather grand birthday celebration for Allen.
To be honest, when Allen came out of his room that morning and saw everyone in high spirits, he was completely baffled.
It wasn't until the celebration began that evening that he realized it was all for him.
And why was it grand?
Because after the continuous snowfall, there wasn't much food left in the house for a celebration. Despite this, Paul had asked Roa to bring back some high-quality monster meat, which he spent hours cooking into a hearty stew.
After dinner, Paul tried to drag Allen into a "swordplay performance," but Allen, horrified, quickly declined. Instead, Paul enthusiastically performed a dance, which made Zenith and Lilia, who had been gloomy just days before, burst into laughter.
Rudeus, meanwhile, used his precise magic control to create small firework-like displays to liven up the atmosphere.
In this festive mood, Allen, still somewhat stiff, received birthday gifts from the family.
Paul gave him a beautifully crafted sword hilt, taken from one of his old adventuring swords. It held great sentimental value for Paul, who said he hoped Allen would one day become a capable adventurer.
But then Rudeus muttered, "More like he didn't have time to go out and buy anything."
This earned him a scolding from an indignant Paul.
Zenith had made Allen a custom-fitted swordsman's outfit. Though the stitching was a bit rushed, the materials were of high quality.
As for Lilia, as the family maid, she didn't seem to have the standing to give a child a gift in such a setting. She simply sat quietly, smiling as Allen accepted the clothes and was awkwardly pulled into another hug by Zenith.
It was worth noting that since she had been fully accepted into the family, thanks to Zenith's insistence, Lilia was no longer treated as just a maid. She now ate at the same table as everyone else.
At this moment, on this night.
Lilia lowered her eyes, smiling as she avoided Allen's panicked gaze when Zenith refused to let him go.
She placed a hand on her stomach, lost in thought.
'Allen only looks this flustered at times like this... He's usually so mature...'
'...Now that I think about it, there were several times when he gave me a cold, thoughtful look while I was watching Paul... He must have despised me, a woman who interfered in someone else's marriage...'
'But when the crisis hit, he was the first to speak up, and in the end, he was the one who saved me...'
'It's like a dream... He directly exposed my cowardly desire to quickly face punishment, but he didn't insult me or try to kick me out. Instead, he gave me a chance to redeem myself and save this family.'
'And Rudeus, who guided me to take the final step.'
'The Greyrat children are far more mature than their age suggests.'
'But there's no doubt that Allen and Rudeus saved me and my unborn child. To be honest, I used to dislike Rudeus, and I found Allen's gaze unsettling... But now, I shouldn't think that way. They are my and my child's saviors, people I should respect.'
Lilia watched as Allen tried to grab Rudeus, only for the latter to dodge with a laugh, and smiled gently.
"...If the child in my belly is born safely... If it's a girl, let her serve Allen well. There's no blood relation, after all... If it's a boy, let him follow Rudeus and become his sword."
On the night of Allen's birthday, as he was being passed around between Paul and Zenith, Lilia quietly made plans for the future.
The birthday celebration lasted until midnight. Allen finally managed to escape the clutches of a very drunk Paul and, under the gentle gazes of Zenith and Lilia, returned to his room.
But the moment the door closed behind him, the smile on his face froze.
"Allen, make sure to get to bed early~"
Zenith's voice came from the hallway outside. Allen leaned against the door and replied.
"Okay~"
As the footsteps faded away, Allen walked over to his desk and pulled out the "memorandum" he had been reviewing almost daily from the depths of a drawer.
The candlelight flickered in front of his face, casting his figure in a still, shadowy silhouette.
Finally, as the candle was about to burn out, Allen added a line next to the words 「Great Teleportation, Zenith's Imprisonment, Paul's Death」.
「Let go of the savior complex. Respect the characters' fates.」
After writing this, the candle finally went out, plunging the room into darkness.
The thick darkness seemed to swallow Allen whole, like a beast waiting to devour its prey.
After an unknown amount of time, a short, mocking laugh broke the silence.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
Allen lit another candle, and as the light returned, a cold voice passed judgment on himself:
"Savior complex? Respect the characters?"
"Hypocrite."
He picked up the pen again and crossed out 「Let go of the savior complex. Respect the characters' fates.」, replacing it with three new words.
「Future Sight.」
After writing this, Allen let out a long sigh, finally relaxing his shoulders, which had been tense for days.
He slumped into his chair, tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows across his face, obscuring his expression.
...
Outside the window.
The snow began to fall again.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 115 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 80 power stones I will publish the next chapter.