[Check Out My P4treon For +50 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! And get chapters before publishing them here for free on my p4treon][https://p4treon.com/roooaaa]
===
Father and son stood by the wall.
The wind from afar rustled their clothes.
The dark clouds hung low and heavy, as if pulling the sky closer to the earth.
Philip watched the peeling paint on the wall, his smile now gone.
Allen, on the other hand, looked up at the clouds, squinting with a happy smile, as if waiting for the rain to fall.
No one spoke.
The spring thunder roared first.
Plop.
A large raindrop fell onto the wall, the sound unusually clear.
Finally, someone broke the silence.
"Allen, you are more outstanding and intelligent than I imagined. All these years..."
Philip's voice grew softer, rising amidst the sudden, dense patter of raindrops.
The spring rain fell swiftly, and in the time it took to utter a single sentence, the rain curtain became an impenetrable veil, enveloping the two. The dense rain instantly connected the sky and the earth.
His next words followed.
"You've suffered. I'm sorry."
Allen glanced at Philip, whose eyes were lowered, staring at the wall. The heavy rain fell on their shoulders, outlining their figures with a misty edge.
Allen activated the advanced Water God Style technique, surrounding himself with a faint aura of battle spirit that repelled the rain. The water slid off his clothes, falling parallel to the folds of his garments.
Untouched by the storm.
His clothes remained dry.
"Why are you sorry? I understand the rules of the Boreas family well. As for suffering? I haven't suffered."
"The royal capital is nice. The Water God Style dojo suits me well. Even if I don't return home for ten days or half a month, it's fine."
"I am free."
Philip remained silent in the rain for a moment, saying nothing more.
Seeing this, Allen couldn't help but chuckle. There wasn't a hint of bitterness in his words. Before he fully integrated into the Greyrat family, he had always maintained the mindset of a "game player."
After all, James couldn't stand his excellence, so wasn't it better to stay away?
The dojo was full of people, most of whom spoke kindly. As for the few who didn't, he had spent years teaching them manners, making their words more pleasant.
There was also the black-haired beauty who had lost her parents early, just like him, cheering him on from the sidelines.
Wasn't this just too comfortable?
But now, things were different.
And he no longer felt any hardship.
Because he had gained a "family."
Not the family tied by blood, but the family that Allen, the soul from his previous life, truly acknowledged.
A "family" in this world of Mushoku Tensei.
Who doesn't want to be a family hero?
I'll be the family hero!
Allen sneered.
"You're so serious... Relax. No need to beat around the bush. You just want to seize power in the royal capital, compete for the next head of the family, right? Coming to Buena Village to find me and Rudeus is to pave the way for your future?"
"But are you sure... that we can be the stepping stones on your path? I'm just a little Water Saint, and he's just a Saint-level magician. You don't really think we're that powerful just because we killed a nest of monsters, do you?"
Hearing Allen get straight to the point without any hesitation, Philip wasn't offended. Though the mention of "stepping stones" was harsh, it was something he was used to.
Philip wasn't one for sweet talk either.
Thinking this, the corner of his mouth curved up again.
"Allen... I know how talented you are in swordsmanship. Don't sell yourself short. With your combat skills alone, you can definitely be of great help—"
"That's what I thought before coming here."
Allen turned to look at him.
His voice pierced through the rain, reaching Philip's ears.
"Before coming here?"
The rain soaked Philip's hair, his brown curls clinging to his face, but he paid it no mind.
"Yes, before coming here. But now, I think that more than your combat skills, I admire your abilities, or rather, your potential. You're only eleven. And from what I know, you've spent most of your time at the Water God Style dojo, without any special training from James. You made a name for yourself purely through your exceptional swordsmanship talent, earning recognition in the royal capital's swordsmen circles."
Philip's voice carried a faint tremor.
Whether it was from the cold rain.
Or the heat in his heart.
His words came faster and faster.
"Even so, even so, your 'abilities' are already so mature. Your talent far exceeds your imagination. Come back to Roa with me. I'll teach you everything I know. In time, you and I can reclaim the position of the Boreas family head. The future is—"
"I refuse."
Allen cut him off, inwardly mocking.
'My Mushoku Tensei mission is divided into phases. Your royal capital power struggle arc might overlap with the Asura Kingdom succession arc in my youth. Why would I get stuck in this mud with you? It would just delay me from meeting Roxy and ruin my mission rating.'
'This is nonsense.'
Philip smiled, not even lifting his eyes, as if he had already anticipated this answer. He glanced at Allen, who remained untouched by the rain thanks to his battle spirit.
"Don't be hasty. Let me finish."
"As a swordsman, you crave power. I can see that. And your current swordsmanship proves that you've never stopped progressing. Water Saint, huh? I just heard about it..."
Allen pursed his lips, neither confirming nor denying.
Philip continued.
"Come to Roa. I can provide you with a better teacher, far superior to Paul. A teacher perfectly suited for you."
"You might have heard of her. Sword King—Ghyslaine, the only King-level Sword God Style master. You've likely been training in the Water God Style for years, so you must be lacking a Sword God Style teacher, right?"
"As for what I said earlier... I just feel it's a pity."
Philip turned to face Allen directly, his voice wavering in the rain.
"Your dedication to swordsmanship, as a vessel for power, is important."
"But what I want to tell you is... compared to power, authority is far more exquisite."
"Because."
Philip extended his hand, letting the rain patter against his palm, water flowing across it.
"When you possess authority, power will naturally follow."
"The direction you're pursuing is wrong. You shouldn't just be a swordsman. Your stage should be in the royal capital."
Allen squinted at the rain, smiling ambiguously.
Philip studied him for a moment, a flash of disappointment in his eyes.
"Don't rush to refuse. What I want to say is, whether you agree to my request or not, I am willing to have Ghyslaine teach you swordsmanship. This is my sincerity. For four years. In four years, you'll be fifteen..."
In the Asura Kingdom, birthdays were celebrated at ages five, ten, and fifteen, marking the time when a child could stand on their own, free from protection.
Philip's words mingled with the sound of the rain.
"Then, the sea will be vast, and the fish will leap."
"Even if you want to leave my side then, it's fine."
Hearing this, Allen grinned, his eyebrows raised high, finally looking at Philip with interest.
"To take, one must first give?"
Philip's admiration was palpable, his gaze lingering on Allen's face.
"So, will you accept this 'gift'?"
Allen tilted his head, looking at Philip, and smiled.
Then he turned and walked away.
"I accept."
His figure disappeared into the rain.
His voice echoed again as the wind and rain subsided.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 153 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 90 power stones I will publish the next chapter.