"Melissa, take good care of yourself. If you feel homesick, come back and visit us. Do not become unruly and do not cause trouble for young master Lucien. Visit us often, my dear," Melissa's mother said as she hugged Melissa tightly. Her voice was so soft and meek that it seemed she might start crying at any moment.
"Umm." Melissa nodded and added, "I will miss you too." Melissa's eyes filled with tears, and she seemed barely able to hold them back as she looked at her mother, who was also on the verge of tears.
"My lord, we should hurry. The ship's engine is already running." Lucien turned toward the source of the voice, a man in a white suit and a captain's hat. He was clearly the captain of the ship, standing behind him, waiting for him and Melissa to board the ship.
It was an enormous ship, resembling the waterships from his previous world that ran on water and were often used by pirates in the movies he had seen. The ship was built from wood and steel, and its wings were white, crafted from a mix of cloth and the skin of some beast. In this world, it was a marvelous achievement to build a ship that could fly.
Lucien nodded to the captain and turned back toward Melissa's family, who were openly showing their affection. He felt embarrassed and overwhelmed by the scene, so he took a few steps back, trying to keep his distance.
Lucien looked at Melissa, who looked especially beautiful today. She wore a pink gown, and her braided hair flowed down to her waist like a waterfall. Her parents also looked surprisingly handsome and elegant in their new set of clothes. Melissa's father had black eyes and black hair and wore a black suit like a merchant's, while Melissa's mother, who also had black eyes and hair, wore a blue dress. Despite living under harsh conditions for so long, Melissa's mother and father still looked beautiful. They were, after all, the parents of one of the heroines of the story.
"Son, won't you give me a hug?" Lucien's mother asked. He turned toward her. He looked into her silver eyes, which were filled with expectation and sadness, and he felt a pang of sadness.
Lucien struggled internally; he was a grown man now, and hugging his mother did not suit his noble status. "Don't you like your mother?" she asked again, her voice now small and almost pleading.
Before he could think further, he found himself moving forward and ended up hugging her. His mother felt so small and weak compared to how he used to see her as a child. When she was healthy, she had always seemed so strong, like a mountain that could not be broken. It had all changed when she became ill, and seeing her so weak again after watching her smile yesterday, he couldn’t help but feel deep sadness.
When he let go of the hug, his father reached out his arms and hugged him, too. His father's embrace was strong, and he tapped Lucien's shoulder with his large hands, as if to show how proud he was. His father was genuinely proud of him.
Lucien freed himself and stepped back. He saw that his mother had faint traces of tears in her eyes as she watched him and Melissa's family, who were all on the verge of crying but trying hard to hold back, not wanting Melissa to break down as she left for the academy. But Melissa's family was failing miserably, so much so that Melissa's eyes were filled with tears, though she still managed to hold herself together.
"Ahem, Lucien, make sure to take good care of Melissa. And come visit us often now that your mother is healed. She would like your company and wants to talk with you about everything you have been doing. She might not have told you, but she wants to apologize for all the years she missed, not being there for you," Lucien's father said with a forced cough, trying to divert Lucien's attention to him. Melissa's mother also let go of her hug, and they all waited, holding their breath. Lucien felt their stares were full of concern about the Duke’s family’s dynamics.
"Sure, I would try to visit on my free time. Also, Mom, you do not need to apologize for it," Lucien replied, turning to his mother, who looked at him expectantly with sadness in her eyes. She must have felt sorrow watching him leave so soon after her recovery, and he felt guilt that he had to leave so soon.
"Son, promise me you will look after yourself. If there is ever something weighing on your heart, do not hesitate to come to us or share it with us," Lucien's mother said, her voice soft and trembling as she struggled with the pain of watching him leave. Tears filled her eyes, but her voice, which had returned to normal yesterday, was so weak at this moment.
"Alright," Lucien said with a nod. He did not know what more to say, and his answers were short and curt. But since his mother was still watching him, waiting for a more thoughtful response, he added, "I will let you know if something is bothering me."
Lucien's mother smiled, and his father also smiled and nodded in satisfaction. It had been a very long time since Lucien had seen his father smile like that. The old man had lost his joy after Lucien's mother fell ill from the black miasma's corruption. They had tried everything, but nothing had helped heal her until yesterday.
"Melissa, we are getting late. Quickly board the ship." Lucien turned to Melissa, who seemed surprised that he had turned toward her and spoke to her so suddenly. She had probably been watching his family's drama, just as he had watched hers, and was probably startled by his sudden turning toward her.
Melissa nodded, and seeing that, Lucien began walking toward the academy. He carried nothing in his hands since all his belongings were stored in his dimensional ring, and most of his things were already in his personal dormitory at the academy. Melissa, too, did not carry anything; she had not brought anything with her, and he had promised to help her buy things at the academy since the academy’s city had everything one would need. You just need money, and you'll have everything at your fingertips. And, he had plenty of money.
"Dad, make sure to take good care of Mom. Mom, you too, take care of each other," Melissa shouted as she hurried after Lucien, walking beside him and keeping a few inches of space between them.
"Mother and Father, make sure to take good care of yourselves," Lucien called out, infected by Melissa’s contagious shout; he ended up saying something he would rarely say. He could see without turning his head that his mother was resting her head on his father’s shoulder as they watched him leave the city in the airship.
***
On Patreon, you can read 50 chapters ahead. Your support would greatly help me continue working toward completing the story.
Patreon link: /imissmysun