THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

LANUVEL NIKITIS POV:

The next day, the priest bring Sophia in the early morning, I slept on the sofa because I didn't want to bother mom by waking her up so I am the first to hear him when he knocks at the door. 

"Yes, one minute." I go and open and she is here, all cute but still wearing the church's outfit. "Hello, my little dear, how are you?" 

"I…I am fine." 

"She is a little shy but don't worry. She will be more open as she gets used to be around you." 

"I truly hope so. She is so cute. You are really cute,, you know that?" I pat her head and she blushes once again. AH, so very cute. I hope the others will come to visit today so I can brag about you to them.

"Now, I will take my leave." 

"You won't even eat breakfast?" 

"No, I have an urgent matter to attend to." 

"Okay." 

The priest leaves and Sophia stays at the door, with a bag only half packed. Well, time to seduce the little cutie.

"So, Sophia, what do you want to eat today?" 

"I…I am not hungry auntie." As soon as she says that, her stomach denies her and grumbles, though not too loudly. Ah, you are really cute.

"Don't worry. You can eat whatever you want here, okay? Let's take a bath first. What do you say?" 

"T-thanks you, auntie." 

"It's nothing. You are part of the family now. Everything will be fine, okay?" 

"Yes, auntie. T-thank you." 

I grab her bag and she enters the house after me. During the bath, she doesn't speak much and mostly looks at my stomach. You too feel like they are growing every day, right? I really wonder if they will boys or girls. 

Mom comes out while I am wiping her body and she immediately jumps on her.

"Oh, my little cutie pie!! You are finally here!!" 

"H…H…" I don't know if it is because of fear or surprise but Sophia's face distorts like she is in pain and she tries to say something but nothing comes out of her mouth.

"Mom, you are scaring her." 

"Eh?" Finally, she realizes it and lets the child down, who immediately runs behind me. Well, look at what you have done now.

I look at mom and she just acts apologetic while looking away. 

"D-don't be scared, okay? I won't hurt you." 

"You are scary." 

"Urgh…" Mom holds her heart while crouching on the floor. What are acting all hurt for? You asked for it. 

"Come on, Sophia, let's leave her here."

"Y-yes." 

***

One hour later, while I am cooking something for our breakfast, somebody knocks at the door. 

"Yes, I am coming." I said that but mom runs over and opens the door before I can even get out of the kitchen. You…

"Hello!! We have come to see the kitten!!" 

That voice!! She is already fine?!

"Farner?!!" 

"Hey!! I am back!!" 

When I look outside the kitchen, Farner's face is the first thing I see. She also almost broke my neck by grabbing my head since it was the only thing that was sticking out of the kitchen. But it has been so long that I don't care.

"I am so glad to see you, Farner!!" I embrace her with all the energy I have. 

Farner and Roxcia were absent ever since they came back from Onklah. Excia told me that Farner got heavily injured and even though she was healed, she had some trouble with her body so she was getting treatment at the special center where Kevin was brought. As for Roxcia, I only know that she went into seclusion. I don't know the details I was asked to know pry into it. 

"And so am I!! Excia kept saying that you got more fat for no reason!! You don't look like you have changed at all!!" 

"What?" Excia said what?

"Sigh…This idiot. I never said she got fat." Excia then enters the house as well, followed by everyone. Al, Samson, Germinia, Peter, even her…Keltia. She still looks a bit sick but she is better than before. 

She couldn't bear it when the news of her father's death came and tried to kill herself from what I heard. Excia told me that Peter lost some fingers to prevent her from killing her and even refused to get it healed afterward. Excia really helped me a lot by giving me all the latest info when they came back. If not for her, I wouldn't have known that Sir Frankher was dead and I wouldn't have been able to go to his funeral. 

"That's what you said." 

"I said her stomach grew, that's all."

"Isn't that the same thing?" 

"You…Look at her before talking." 

Wait, Farner hadn't noticed until now?

Farner releases me and takes a step back to look at me properly. Her eyes grow wider as she does. She really hadn't noticed.

"Idiot." 

"Idiot." For once, we are in perfect synch, Excia and I.

"…Sorry." 

"It's nothing." 

"So, how is the mother of my future pupils doing?" 

The others finally enter as well and I see Sophia running upstairs. I guess she can't get used to it so quickly. In fact, I am surprised she managed to stay here for so long.

***

"Kel, I haven't seen you in a while." 

"Yeah, I had to handle some family matters and mother came back as well so I was trying to have some quality time with her." 

"I see." 

Although I would like to talk with everyone, Kel's case is the one that interested me the most. I know how it feels to lose your father just like that, even though you had seen him the day before. Now that I think about it, I am sure father must resent me from his grave. I must be the worst daughter he ever gave birth to, falling in love with the man who killed him and even getting pregnant. I haven't told mom about it and I don't plan on doing it. I just hope no one will ever mention it. 

"But let's not talk about me too much. You are the star here." 

"No, I would rather much talk about you guys. I heard Peter's finally did it." 

"Excia…" Kel immediately looks at Excia. Sorry, Excia. I thought it was not a secret anymore. "I was going to surprise her." 

"Sorry. But hey, it's not like it's a bad thing, right?" 

"You bet it is not! Peter, you better take good care of your wife!" I smack Peter's back since he was sitting next to me, and he spits out a bit of his tea. Oops. "Sorry, are you okay?" 

"Cough…Cough…You still have that brute strength in you?" 

"What?!!" That's rude!! "I am not that strong!! Look at Farner!!" 

"Hey!! It's phude to doint at deodle!!" 

"Don't speak while you are eating!" Farner gulps down what she had in her mouth and rapidly cleans her mouth.

"It's rude to point at people!! And I am much gentler than you!!" 

"Oh yeah? Said who?!" 

"Can't you guess?" 

"He would never say that about you!" 

"Why don't you ask him once he is back?" 

"Oh, I will. And you better prepare for the surprise." 

"Fufu…Ahahaha!!" Kel breaks on laughter while looking at us. Finally, you look like your normal self. This is what you need. To laugh and forget. To laugh and find the strength to advance forward. "You guys are getting along now! You are so funny!"

"We aren't getting along!" 

"Yeah, why would I get along with rude people!" 

"I am not rude, Farner!" 

"You are! Look, You are still pointing at me!" 

"That's because you still have sauce on your mouth!" 

"Ahaha!!" 

With Kel's laugh, our conversation continues, and the mood gradually becomes more and more comfortable, warmer, and more joyful.

After an hour or two, we have talked about so many things and laughed so much I can hardly say I feel lonely anymore. It feels good. It really feels good to have people around you and to be able to laugh like this. But if only…if only you were here as well.

"You should stop thinking about him. He will come back." Farner who had moved next to me after our little argument whispers to me. 

"You say that but you have just the same look as mine." Just like she could read my expression, I can read hers. We are both thinking about the same person so it's easy to guess. "By the way, did William come to see you?" 

"Nope and you?" 

"Not for now. Are you sure he looked like what Excia described? I have a hard time believing it; the second part of it at least." 

"Believe it or not, it's true. He had the same eyes as that giant dragon and then his body turned into one as well. A majestic belgium looking dragon. The dragonroad…" 

"Dragonroad…" I always thought that name was lame but I guess it had a meaning more than anything. Now I guess we know what it was supposed to mean. 

"He really got us good. Hiding such a power all this time." 

"You can say that again."