77 I'm Back

Riku's mother and I walked in side and everyone turned around to look at us. They all had big smiles on their faces. I asked Ki to fetch a gift that I had put in the carriage and she bowed politely before coming back inside with a small chest.

Setsu, Riku and their mother all looked at me for a moment before Riku's mother said " Oh little Yu you shouldn't have" Before smiling brightly.

I let go of her hand and walked up to Ki who presented me the box. I then handed the box to Rikus mother. Riku and Setsu crowded around their mother to see the gifts that I had brought.

" This is rather heavy Yuki" Riku's mother said before Riku took the box from her and placed it on the dining table with an ooph.

" It's not much but.. You have all been really good to me so I had arranged for a thank you gift." I said smiling.

" We can't.." Riku's mother said before I cut her off by saying " You haven't even seen inside it yet!"

" I didn't think I could come empty handed after those wonderful treats you gave me last time. Please open it." I said smiling broadly.

Setsu put on a big grin and flug open the box. Inside were the gifts I have prepared for them.

For Riku I had found some fine poetry books in the library that grandfather no longer read but were rather valuable, For setsu were some fine clothes that I thought would fit and for their mother a painting of Riku, Setsu and her self that I painted.

It was a terrible painting. It had all three of them drawn with " Home Sweet Home" written on the bottom with their house in the background. There was also a rather large Kithun paw print that Kibbles had contributed.

It definitely looked like a child my age had crafted it.

The frame had been made by willing a plant to grow around the picture. The heft of the box was due to the pot plant that was used.

There was also a pouch of gold that Ki had added in and a small yet fine dagger from Ren.

" Ki and Ren also pitched in because they really enjoy their time spent with your son. I hope you will enjoy the gifts" I said with a nervous nod.

Setsu grabbed his clothes that were considered quite fine. They were a dark grey robe with gold trim and some training pants as well as a sash that had beads on the side. He ran upstairs like the wind and we herd thumps from the ceiling before he ran back down.

" HOW DO THEY LOOK!?" Setsu shouted excitedly.

" You look like a prince" I said smiling not telling him that they were in fact fit for royals to wear.

Everyone nodded in agreement before Riku looked at the books and scrolls. He picked on up and stared at it for a moment before sitting down without saying a word.

" 'The Green Messenger'- Popular tale from the Green Sea Duchy" Riku mumbled before picking up another scroll.

" These books… are incredible.. Thank you! I never thought I could read such rare volumes!" Riku said smiling.

Setsu grabbed the dagger that Ren had contributed and tested its weight before smiling.

" Can I really have this?" Setsu said grinning.

" Know how to use it?" Ren replied.

" Not yet but I will!" Setsu replied rubbing his finger under his nose.

Riku and Setsu's mother just stared at the painting I had made without saying a word before putting it up on the window sill.

She turned around to me in slow strides and hugged me.

" Thank you Little Yu, I love it!" She said after displaying it proudly.

She then walked up to Kibbles before she patted his head and said " Your paw print makes it even more special"

" Yuki! I think she likes it!" Kibbles said before rubbing up against her hand.

We said our final goodbyes and Ki, Ren, Kibbles and I watched their waving figures disappear into small dots.

We got back without to the estate without too much fuss and I walked up to my grandfather's study door before knocking.

" Come in" Grandfather said with a stern voice.

I walked in and bowed before running up to grandfather and hugging him tightly.

" Woah slow down kiddo what is all this?" Reo said flustered as he dropped the quill in his hand.

" Just felt like it" I said in his ear as I hugged him tight.

Kibbles was right behind me and jumped on his lap covering Reo in head rubs and purrs.

Ki and Ren who had followed us excused themselves after saluting.

" Uh I Uhh.. erm" Reo said flustered before wrapping an arm around me.

" That is all I needed" I said before standing up straight bowing and leaving the room with Kibbles who had jumped on my shoulder.

I looked back before I exited to see grandfather smiling and apparently frozen solid.

I smiled brightly before I walked into my room got out of my stuffy clothes and put on my training gear.

I also untied my hair as Kibbles watched.

" Going to the training ground before dinner?" Kibbles said telepathically.

[ Mm I have to work of that meat we just ate ]

We walked down stairs, went outside down to the back of the estate to see the training ground I had been using.

It was rows and rows of various plants that I had willed to grow followed by a few plat spirit beasts that had to be fed meat.

They hummed happily as I approached.

I grabbed a bucket nearby and fed the carnivorous types before making my way to the center and sat down to meditate.

I took some breaths to calm myself as I sat down and thought of my spirit beast Irenic. A small figure of a mighty stag appeared behind me and the plants swayed slightly. Sweat rolled down my cheeks and as I tried to will my spirit best to become more clear.

It was hard to feel serene with all the troubles I was faced with and the peace in my mind was swapped with a sense of urgency.

The stag instantly vanished

[ Again! ]

I closed my eyes to try and meditate willing the beast I had seen in my soul to appear. This went on for several hours until I was exhausted and fell back on the floor.

My days after had fallen back into routine. I trained in the morning followed by more lessons but this time I tried to dig up as much information as I could about all the people that may be relevant to not only finding my father but also the people who could potentially be my down fall in future.

My only goal was to make sure the Akiyo family would survive the potential onslaught that could unfold.

A peace treaty was signed in the time I trained between Vance and Tama. I was told by Lady Yu that students from Vance would be coming next year. I knew this would happen I prayed that it wouldn't but it was inevitable.

I wondered if Sora would come.

I wrote inside a small book all of the events that I could think of from the game and decided to see if any of them would match.

If they did then perhaps I could get a step up on my enemy.

[ The male lead who ever you are… I am coming for you! ]

The old Yuki's birthday had finally come.

I was surrounded by the Tama rich and elite I was no longer worried about what they thought of me. I said some quick greetings before I snuck out with Ki, Ren, Kibbles, Nathaniel, Riku, Rosli, Setsu and Leopold.

We all headed to my training grounds with some cake and privately celebrated until it was time for everyone to leave. I had used this time to ask the royals about all the people who were considered potential love interests in the game. I had also spoken about their brothers so Rosli would not get angry at me.

I had collected some Doki Doki Dollars, trained as much as I could and gathered information.

Was I ready?

I had no idea but it was finally the day before I had to enter Main Magicus School for the Gifted Elite.

Thick bags had formed under my eyes as I poured over all the information that I had collected. The book looked like an incoherent mess written in code, that looked like an alien conspiracy theorist had written but it made sense to me.

I put it down and stoked Kibbles who was lazing on my desk.

He looked at me half asleep before he shoot slightly. His eyes opened wide and the third one on his forehead and once again appeared. I ran to my door and quickly shut it before closing the windows.

Was it the message from cupid that I had been patiently waiting for?

Kibbles opened his mouth wide.

The systems voice rung in my ears and I passed out at my table.

When I opened my eyes again I was in a garden and Cupid was staring down at me who was sitting on the ground like I had been dropped.

" Welcome back Yuki… Did you miss me?" Cupid said with a grin.

" I'm back" I said as I rubbed my eyes.