Rias and I headed for the operations room set up in the underground shelter for a final meeting before launching our defense.
As we continued down the hallway, I caught a glimpse of a couple seated on a bench, probably the parents of one of the visiting children… Looking at the woman, I felt like I had seen her somewhere before.
The second the man spotted Rias, he walked over. “U-um… Lady Rias? What’s going to happen to the school…?” he asked in a worried voice.
“Don’t worry,” Rias answered with a reassuring smile. “This shelter is well-built. It should hold up to any terrorist attack. On top of that, the teleportation square will be ready by the time the enemies reach us, so we’ll get you all out of here safe and sound.”
Hearing this, the couple’s anxious looks eased somewhat.
“…My son…he took it all in stride,” the man murmured. “He wasn’t blessed with demonic powers, and he’s been shunned from society for it all his life… But he’s still our child. We waited longer than a century to have him. We’ve nurtured him, hoping he can find a way to realize his potential…”
—.
…He was in the same boat as Sairaorg.
“Other children his age can use their powers without any trouble… He lost his smile when he realized he’s different to the others… But then we came here…and it came back. I haven’t seen anything like it since he first learned about the Breast Dragon,” the man confessed with tears in his eyes.
…I couldn’t imagine their pain, watching over their son as he struggled without the use of any demonic powers. This school must have been a beacon of hope for them.
Sensing a presence nearby, I glanced around—and laid eyes on Rossweisse and the child.
It was Lirenkus—who jumped straight into his parents’ arms.
“Mom! Dad! Look, look!” Lirenkus said, thrusting his hand forward.
A second later, a small flame appeared over his palm for the briefest of moments.
“Fire magic!” he exclaimed proudly. “See, I can use fire magic!”
The father was taken aback at first, but quickly leaned down to wrap his arm around his son with a beaming smile.
“…Ah… Great job!” he exclaimed, tears streaming down his face.
Behind him, Lirenkus’s mother was quietly bawling her eyes out as well.
This sight—something typical demon families would take for granted—was no doubt something both parents had long wished for but given up on. And now, it was theirs. No wonder they couldn’t keep their emotions in check.
“You’re Lirenkus, right?” I asked. “You came to my show a while back?”
“Yes! Thank you so much!”
His mother startled. “You remember us?”
Seeing him running down the hallway, I recognized him at once.
“See! The Breast Dragon didn’t forget about me!” he exclaimed proudly.
“Yes, I see.” His mother chuckled.
“How did you find the school?” Rias asked him.
“I love it! Do you think I’ll be able to get stronger here?”
“I’m sure you will,” Rossweisse said, patting him on the head. “I’m impressed to see you didn’t give up. You succeeded because you kept pushing yourself. No matter what happens, you have to believe in yourself. Okay?”
“Yes, Ms. Rossweisse!” Lirenkus answered.
With that, his parents took him by the hands and led him back to the waiting area.
After seeing them off, the three of us continued to the operations room.
“…He’s been practicing for ages, it seems,” Rossweisse remarked. “He said he wanted to get stronger so his mom and dad wouldn’t cry anymore.”
…In his own way, Lirenkus was thinking about his parents. He was just a child, but he wanted to be strong for his mom and dad.
Rossweisse broke into a soft smile. “Whatever type of magic you use, it will always have a use for you, as it will for someone else…”
Yes, that was what Gondul had said during her lecture.
Rossweisse let out a small laugh. “My grandmother used to say that to me all the time when I was a child. I thought I understood, but maybe I didn’t see the whole picture… Now, I feel like I can understand the true meaning of what she was saying.”
I couldn’t fail to notice the cheerful, sunny cast to her features.