Reincarnated as a Genius Mage
Chapter 74: Welcome Home

Chapter 74: Welcome Home

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(Jennette POV)

It’s been four months since Ed went missing.

I’ve searched everywhere I know. All the places where he always frequented, not that they’re much. The mercenary guild, and.. no, that’s pretty much it. Except when he had a task.

I’m used to not seeing him for a few days, but..

"No sign of him today too?" I ask the guild receptionist, Mira.

She’s closing her eyes, and she shakes her head, "I’m sorry, Ms. Jennette. But we’ve not seen Blank for the past four months. I think he.. no–"

"But, people said this was the last place they saw him. That you’re the last person he talked to." I speak, my voice’s calm.

"We’ve been over this for the past four months, Ms. Jennette. I’m sorry, but I have no idea where.."

I raise my right hand, signaling her to stop talking.

I immediately walk away from Mira’s desk.

The mercenary guild’s lobby is just as usual; All eyes are on me. And almost all lips speak of me.

"Miss Jenny the wind slicer’s here again today. "

"It must be because of The Nightmare. I heard they’re related."

"The Nightmare? Who’s that?"

"Oh? You’re new here so you don’t know; the nightmare is a mercenary known as one of the five rising stars of the mercenary guild, he only takes tasks at night, and he rose from E to C-rank in only a year."

"Whoa! Where’s he? "

"Shh! Lower your voice else the wind slicer will hear you. She’s a former B-rank mercenary. And, Blank.. he went missing. She’s still looking for him."

I wonder if they think I can’t hear them.

People are funny. Really funny.

"She comes here everyday searchi..."

Their voices fade away as I walk outside the door, and out of the mercenary guild.

My heartbeat fluctuates as my breath goes slightly off rhythm.

It’s okay. I’m calm. No, nothing has happened to Ed.

It must be that he’s training somewhere or something. Yes, he might.. no, he must still be alive!

Yes, he’s not dead. My boy isn’t dead. He promised after all, he promised that he won’t die.

But, if that’s so..

Why do these tears keep pouring out from my eyes?

I wipe them off, but they keep rolling out.

It’s been four months.

No single news or sight of him.

Even if he’s dead, at least his corpse..

"No!" I slap my cheeks. "He’s not dead." I whisper.

But the wind that blows over my dry lips, they know that I’m lying to myself.

I do not speak with conviction because..

"Charlie.." I whisper again. Clutching my chest.

I walk slowly, carefully— heading toward the market to buy the ingredients, to cook his favorite food.

No, not his favorite food. He loves every kind of food.

"Haha.. he’s been that way since he was little. He doesn’t select food. He eats every kind of food. But, maybe it’s just because I’m the one who cooks them." I whisper as I continue walking.

Yeah, but he loves this one more.

I’m at the market now. Different kiosks are lined up on the dirty street filled with children and adults of different types, some buying, the others selling.

As I walk on the cracked, and damaged cobblestone— heading deeper into the market where I usually get it by this time of the month..

"Get your fresh milk here! "

"This way Miss! "

"Oh! Miss Jennette! My customer! Come this way! I’ve got fresh.."

"Miss Jennette! I’ve got.."

"Beautiful miss, would you like..."

They just never get tired, huh?

A bitter smile forms on my lips as I nod at them and continue walking in.

Ah! I’m finally here.

It’s at this spot that the pigeon always brings me my letter every month.

It started eight months ago.

I was at this very spot, just outside the store that sells liver.

The pigeon located me, with a letter in its claws. When I read the letter, it was from Sin Morderego, the sixth circle flame mage and captain of the Flameworths mages.

In his letter, he told me that the pigeon is a special one trained to locate people by their scent or belongings.

The silver necklace I left with Sin, hoping he’d return it when he finally gives me his answer was what the pigeon used to track me.

He still hasn’t given me his answer until this though.

He doesn’t know of my location, only the pigeon does.

But ever since that day, he’s been sending me letters by this time every month through the pigeon.

A small smile forms on my lips as I take the crumpled paper from the claws of the pigeon.

This guy, he acted like he didn’t care when I was still in the Flameworths household, but now what? Sending me love letters?

I tap the pigeon on its forehead, caressing it, and I send it away— to fly back to the west.

I’ve never sent a reply since he started sending me letters, and he always wrote; ’I await your reply.’ and it slowly grew to; ’please reply to me, Jen.’

I’m doing it on purpose. He’s not the only one who knows to play hard to get.

A soft sigh escapes my lips, and I shove the letter in my pocket, and head to buy the ingredients to cook.

I don’t know why I’m cooking this when Ed isn’t here. But, it reminds me of him.

***

I’ve bought everything in the market already, now I’m walking back home, to the house that Ed bought for us.

His trace is everywhere.

The bag with which I hold the ingredients is on my left hand, and on my right hand, I hold the letter which Sin sent.

As I read the contents of the letter, a small smile tugs at my lips.

"Ouch." I exclaim as I sigh softly, touching my head with my hand that’s still holding the paper.

It’s that familiar pang in my head again. The one that feels like I’m being held on a string like a puppet of some kind. It’s been happening more frequently now. But, it’s not like I can’t endure it.

I’ve reached the gate to our house now. It’s open. I don’t know if I left it open before I went out. I can’t remember.

I just walk in, still reading the letter, still smiling.

As I enter the house, I notice the scent is different, but I don’t question it. I just sit on the couch and drop the bag holding the ingredients on the ground next to me.

I’ll attend to the ingredients once I’m done reading the letter.

"So you still leave the house without locking the doors, and walk in without shutting the doors too."

"Yeah, I can’t help it." I reply. My eyes still focused on the letter. It’s too long.

Huh? Wait..

I remove my eyes from the paper, and my gaze flickers upward, catching the sight of the figure on the other couch in the living room.

I throw the letter on the ground as my hands tremble. And with my trembling hands, I seal the gasps coming out of my mouth as hot tears roll down my cheeks.

That cheeky grin on his face, those red eyes, that beautiful, black braided hair, the red robes and that familiar scent of mint and wet chocolate.

"E.. Ed?" I whisper, my voice’s shaking.

"I’m back, Jennette."