Mushoku Tensei: The Sword, the Magic Hat, and the Love System

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Day of Reunion, The Time of Night Talk



In the end, what was meant to be a quick visit turned into a full entrance into Allen's bedroom.

The main door downstairs had already been locked for the night. Naturally, Allen had to climb back in through the window to stealthily open it, and Roxy, not wanting to disturb anyone at such a late hour, was left pacing unsurely inside once let in. Back and forth it went until the suggestion came out awkwardly—"Why not come up to my room for a drink of water?"

Candlelight flickered between them on the table, the flame casting long shadows as the two sat in silence.

Earlier, in the romantic blend of moonlight and the effect of shared darkness, words had flowed more easily, closing distance in mere exchanges. But now, illuminated in full candlelight with clear views of each other's faces, and with only a single meeting behind them followed by two months apart, the air was unmistakably awkward.

This situation, while already uncomfortable, reached its peak when Roxy noticed the miniature figurine of herself still placed on Allen's desk. The detachable kind.

Allen stared blankly at Roxy as she frowned, examining the little figure.

[Even after witnessing this multiple times, the host's layered techniques remain admirable. First, a bit of back-and-forth to bring her into your room, and now allowing her to see the figurine—an implicit nod to the depth of your thoughts about her...]

Allen clutched his face in despair.

'God no, I forgot the figure was even there! As for the whole leading-her-in... I can explain. It was really just basic human interaction under the effects of ambient lighting!'

[Ambient lighting, huh? Shall I extinguish the candle to give you the full "darkness effect"?]

'No. Thanks. Kindly leave.'

[Understood~ Sweet dreams~]

As the smoke-like words vanished, Roxy's cool voice cut through the silence.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Allen blinked, looking up at her. She had already taken off her mage's robe and sat upright, trying hard to appear composed.

Her blue eyes shimmered with candlelight, catching soft ripples of green.

Allen stared into her eyes and muttered, "I was feeling off before. I'm fine now."

For this moment, time paused.

Seeing Allen's dazed expression, Roxy blinked.

"Are you... trying to flirt with me? I'm not quite sure I understand."

Allen beamed. "That's perfect!"

Roxy, slightly confused, turned her gaze to the room. "This brings back memories. This was my room for two years."

"Yeah. There aren't any spare beds in the house. This is the only guest room. We'll have to wait until Paul and Zenith wake up in the morning to tidy something up... tonight you can just make do here. Uh..."

Allen trailed off.

'Damn it, what am I even saying?!'

Roxy turned her eyes back to the figurine. Her expression didn't change much.

"I guess so. It's too late to bother everyone. I'll just sleep here at the desk. This doll... it's Rudy's handiwork, isn't it?"

Allen glanced at the too-realistic mini Roxy on the table and twitched. "Uh, maybe you can ask him directly tomorrow."

Roxy turned to look at him. "Oh? Did you make it then?"

She reached for the figure, then shook her head. With a small yawn, she laid her head on the table.

Her eyes fell again on Allen.

"The earth magic technique is familiar. He's quite mature for his age... I almost forgot you're both still kids. By the way, Allen, what did you do back in the capital to have your family... well, never mind if you can't talk about it."

Allen scratched his head. "It's nothing too complicated. Just a matter of noble politics and power struggles. You might not know this, but in the Boreas family, there's a tradition. During childhood, successors to the family compete. The winner becomes the heir, and the losers must pass their firstborn male child to the victor, who raises him as their own to prevent internal strife."

He pointed at his face. "I'm one such adopted son. Though raised in the capital by James, I'm actually the biological son of Philip, mayor of Roa."

Roxy, lying on her arm, slightly widened her eyes. "Mayor Philip? Then... how do you know you're his son?"

Allen, ever the improviser, continued. "My supposed mother treated us kids differently. It made me suspicious. Comparing timelines of pregnancies, I deduced the one she favored was likely her real child. A little digging into Boreas customs confirmed my suspicions."

"So the assassination attempt... they found out you were snooping?"

"...Maybe. But more than that, I always lacked the proper respect for James. He values power above all. Philip, with his ambitions, is a threat. He had every reason to target me... and no one else stands to gain from it."

"I see."

"As for seeking out Uncle Paul, I couldn't just reconnect with Philip. That would tip off James. Luckily, Paul took me in."

Allen stopped talking. Roxy was already asleep, head resting on the desk.

He smiled at her sleeping face and gently moved her to the bed using precise ki control.

Then, extinguishing the candle, he pulled out a map from the drawer and a pen.

Under the moonlight that spilled over the old parchment, Allen drew a new circle: northeast of Rigart City, in the Donati territory.

His voice was soft.

"A bandit base in the southeastern woods, tracking me, sparked by Roxy's return... the start of a butterfly effect. Will this place cause more ripples?"

"What an eyesore."

On the bed, exhausted from her travels, Roxy had already drifted into peaceful sleep.

(End of Chapter)

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