Chapter 4: Magic, Curses, and the Father I Have Yet to Meet — Part 2

Let me tell you a little about my mother in this life.

Her name is Eris Greyrat.

She’s already nineteen years old, and if I had to describe her in a single phrase… she’s a beast.

She’s even rougher and more hot-tempered than Ghislaine—who’s already clumsy and violent enough as it is. Until Lady Nina and Lady Isolte stepped in to lecture her about personal grooming, she carried herself with such a wild, feral aura that she hardly seemed like a woman at all. Back then, she barely spoke properly with anyone but me and Ghislaine.

Yet, despite her wild nature, Mother was once the daughter of the Boreas Greyrat household, a prestigious direct-line noble family ruling over the Fittoa region.

As for how she met Father, Rudeus—it all began when her fathers, my grandfathers in this life, assigned him to her household as both her guard and tutor. Father, being born into a branch family, was brought in when he was only seven years old.

At that age, he was already a Water Saint-ranked magician, skilled enough that even a small nation—or rather, a collection of villages—would gladly hire him as a court instructor. Yet, the Boreas household didn’t just summon him to teach magic and literacy to their daughter. They also tasked him with tutoring Ghislaine, who was a fellow swordswoman working under the same roof. That alone shows just how powerful and influential the Boreas family was.

Back then, Mother wouldn’t listen to a single other tutor, resorting to violence whenever anyone raised a hand against her, which inevitably led every teacher to give up on her. But Father… Father never retaliated. Instead, he patiently used his words and demonstrations to earn her understanding, teaching her reading, arithmetic, basic magic… and for some reason, dancing as well.

Despite receiving little allowance and being sent away from his birth family, Father still crafted a handmade staff to celebrate Mother's progress in magic—a sign of how much he cared for his disciples. He was eventually recognized by Mother’s household as well. On the day she turned ten—an age celebrated much like the Coming-of-Age rites among the nomadic tribes—the entire Boreas family held a grand feast and presented him with a custom-made staff in honor of his efforts.

It’s said that Father, who had cried only once when he first struggled with Mother’s violent outbursts and sought Ghislaine’s help, couldn’t hold back his tears that day from sheer joy.

Perhaps out of pity, my grandfathers decided to officially take him in as a son-in-law, sending Mother to his chambers. That day, they made a promise: on the day of Father’s coming-of-age ceremony, five years later, they would truly be united.

But their happiness did not last.

One day, Father went to demonstrate his ultimate spell, 『Thunderclap Cumulonimbus』—a magic that summons thunderclouds capable of causing catastrophic flooding, too dangerous to cast within town limits. Accompanied by Mother and Ghislaine, they climbed a hill just outside the city.

Then, without warning, a pillar of light rained down from the ominously colored sky. In the next instant, Father and Mother were transported to the Demon Continent—a harsh, unforgiving land far more dangerous than anything they had ever known.

This was the start of the Teleportation Disaster, a great calamity that wiped the entire Fittoa region from the map.

There, the two of them were saved by Ruijerd Supardia, a warrior of the Superd Tribe—a race notorious across the land as demons and monsters, reviled since the days of the Demon God Laplace and infamous for their green hair. But Ruijerd told them the truth behind the curse that tainted his people’s reputation.

Father, moved by the injustice done to Ruijerd and the kindness he’d shown them, swore to clear the Superd Tribe’s name. Together with Mother, the three formed a party called "Dead End" and became renowned across the Demon Continent.
(It was also during this journey that Father received his Magic Eye.)

After over a year of hardship, they finally reached the nation of Millis, where Father reunited with his paternal grandfather for the first time since he’d been sent away at age seven. But Grandfather, unaware of the scale of the disaster, harshly scolded Father—accusing him of neglecting his birth family while he “played around” with Mother.
(Sending him away in the first place and then blaming him later… truly, what an unreasonable man.)

Father was deeply hurt by those words, and it’s said that Mother, who had always been the one protected, spent that night comforting him. I admire them greatly for keeping the promise they made to each other—not breaking it even then.

After reconciling with Grandfather, Father used the travel funds he was given to cross the sea. Along the way, he rescued Grandfather’s mistress and her daughter from slavers who had taken advantage of the chaos caused by the Teleportation Disaster.

By this time, three years had passed since the disaster, and Mother had reached her coming-of-age ceremony. It was also around then that they encountered the Dragon God Orsted, a man said to be one of the strongest beings alive.

Orsted spoke only a few words… then attacked without warning.

He utterly defeated the three of them.

Even Ruijerd, who was said to be a greater warrior than Ghislaine, was knocked down. Mother, who by then had earned Ruijerd’s acknowledgment as a swordswoman equal to a Sword Saint, was crushed effortlessly. The only one who managed to land even a single wound on Orsted… was Father.

Even after being impaled through the chest, Father clung to life, refusing to give in. From then on, he dedicated himself to mastering Orsted’s techniques, determined never to lose again. Watching her younger husband push himself so hard to protect her, Mother was consumed by her own sense of helplessness.

Shortly after they finally reached the remnants of the Fittoa region, they parted ways with Ruijerd after three long years of traveling together.

But what awaited them at home was devastation.

The Fittoa region lay in ruins. Mother’s family—the Boreas Greyrats—had been annihilated, the household dissolved. (It was around this time that they reunited with Ghislaine, who had been teleported to another country.)

Grandfather and Grandmother were killed at their teleportation site, and Great-Grandfather, the head of the house, was executed by schemers who used the disaster as an excuse to seize power. Those same conspirators even demanded that Mother become the mistress of their new puppet head in exchange for “supporting” the reconstruction of Fittoa.

That night, with everything lost, Mother and Father broke their five-year promise and finally became one. (Not exactly the kind of story you tell children… even if it led to my existence.)

Afterward, Mother was deeply ashamed. She had broken her oath, crushed Father’s still-growing body with her own hands, and failed to protect him as she once swore she would. So, she cut her long, beautiful hair—the pride of any Boreas woman—and abandoned her noble name. Together with Ghislaine, she set off on a journey of harsh training to gain the strength needed to stand alongside Father… and one day face the Dragon God Orsted again.

『No matter how strong someone looks, they all have weaknesses. I hated being protected all the time, so I chose this journey. But I’ve made you lonely, haven’t I, Edith… I’m sorry. I’m such a pathetic mother.』

Whenever Mother speaks of her and Father’s past, her usually curt and taciturn demeanor softens—but she always ends the story with these words.

Mother is a beast. Fierce, reckless, and terrifyingly quick to act with her fists before her words.

And yet… I respect her deeply.

She never used her birth or noble status as a crutch. She gave up everything she had and chose the path of strength—for the sake of the man she loves and swore to stand beside. That courage… that resolve… I admire her more than anyone.

"Mother, let’s grow stronger together… and go find Father."

"You’re a strong girl, Edith… You truly are our daughter."

And so, today once again, Mother and I renew our vow—to one day reunite with the father I have yet to meet.