Chapter 316 - Retrun (2/2)
Mercury looked around and saw he was suddenly standing right outside the gates of Ode
”Right… Portals”
After quickly readjusting his state of mind Mercury walked through the gates, he had been gone a month, though it felt like more than that, his cane tapped against the cobblestone road, the way towards the inn they had been staying was somewhat familiar and when he arrived he asked about Marie and Max
”Oh I remember them, they stayed here about a month ago, Marie has a weapon's shop now, it's on the west street, you can't miss it”
”Thanks”
Mercury walked along the west street and soon he found a rather crowded weapons shop and checked the name
”'Weapon's shop Mercury' huh…”
Mercury walked in and past the store into the back while ignoring the noisy cleck that tried to stop him, from there he followed the rhythmic clangs he knew oh so well and soon he stood behind a slightly lonely looking bare back, as usual Marie wore shorts and an apron when she worked the forge, Mercury showed a smile and changed his voice slightly as he spoke
”If you hit it there the quality will go down”
The hammer stopped before Marie turned around with an angry expression that soon outright melted away when she saw Mercury before she quickly hugged him tightly, Mercury hugged her back as he muttered
”I'm home”
”...Took you long enough”
”Yeah, I know…”
After hugging it out for a bit Marie broke the hug and looked Mercury in the eyes with a cute pout as she complained
”I was lonely you know”
”Yeah, I'm sorry… I kinda got caught by a person powerful enough to have an archangel kneeling before him”
”...You're kidding right?”
”Nope… Afraid not”
”Then are you hurt?”
”No, I am fine, though he did beat me up a couple of times, I think he took a liking to me, therefore he decided to train me for a bit before letting me return”
”I-I see… Sounds like a strange person… Anyway I am glad you're home”
”That reminds me, how's Max?”
”He's fine, he made some friends lately and are out playing till sundown with them”
”I'm glad he's making friends”
”Yeah me too”
Marie took the rest of the day off and spent it on the second floor with Mercury cuddling as he told her about his trip, around sundown Max returned and was very surprised to see Mercury, his face lit up as he quickly ran over and hugged Mercury as he yelled
”Welcome home dad!”
”Yeah I am home buddy”
The whole process of telling about his trip restarted with Max listening along and asking questions it wasn't until late and after a promise to spend the entire day together that Max finally fell asleep, Mercury and Marie fell asleep in each other's arms soon thereafter...
The next morning Max dove into the sleeping couple's bed waking them up and after eating breakfast together before they began walking around the city, it was a perfect day… That is until Max was a little too excited and ran out in front of a carriage, luckily Mercury quickly dove forwards and caught Max in his arms before he rolled out of the way of the carriage, that should have been the end of it, but the owner of the carriage was displeased and stepped out, took one look at Max and suddenly
”Maxwell!?
The noblewoman's yell drove the attention of the entire street as it suddenly ground to a halt and people turned to look at what was happening, the noblewoman yelled again
”Maxwell!”
Max froze and looked at the noblewoman before he hugged Mercury and muttered
”I'm scared dad”
Mercury patted Max on the head to soothe him for a bit before he spoke to the noblewoman
”His name is Max”
At this point, the noblewoman was hysterical and yelled
”Samantha!”
A knight stepped forwards and bowed to the noblewoman that quickly commanded
”Return Maxwell to me, I am sure he'll remember me!”
”Yes Lady Ralmet”
The knight walked forwards towards Mercury and drew her sword before she spoke
”Return young lord Maxwell, kidnapper!”
Mercury sighed before he repeated Mars' words
”'A god takes what they want and they do what they want huh… Well then, this works for me”
Mercury handed Max to Marie before he rolled up his sleeves and stepped forwards
”Why don't you make me?”
Then he slit into a stance, a boxing stance