As they settled down to eat:
Liebe said, "This dark chocolate is nice. A bit bitter, yet still sweet."
Alysa said, "My mint isn't bad either."
Liebe said, "Want to try them together?" After tasting, Liebe said, "Damn, is this chocolate good."
Alysa said, "Yeah, the mint and chocolate go so good together."
Liebe said, "I don't know why this is so interesting. We are literally supposed to be adults right now, and important ones who are supposed to help decide the future of our nation. Yet look at us, just wasting our days with ice cream."
Alysa said, "Well, we may be adults, and no rule says we can't enjoy our missed childhood once in a while."
Liebe said, "You are right. And whoever judges, they're fired."
Alysa said, "Guess so. So what do you want to do all day for our date?"
Liebe said, "I have got it all planned out. First of all, we spend like till 1 or 2 PM sightseeing. I heard they have a great lake canal thing. Then we go shopping. Finally, we go to the banquet tonight as honored guests. And then I guess we go to bed reading a book or something."
Alysa said, "Love it. But aren't you missing something?"
Liebe said, "Let me see. Yeah, we should be at the lake by 11 AM for a fountain water show or something."
Alysa said, "Is that all?"
Liebe said, "I guess so. Or did you have anything in mind?"
Alysa said, "Oh no, no. It's just, you know, it might be related to your mom or something."
Liebe said, "I don't think so."
Alysa said, "Aunt Lilith literally faced two literal monsters yesterday. Why aren't you calling, idiot?"
Liebe said, "Oh that. It's just, you know, well, it's just monsters. My mother can handle that easy. And me calling now, you know, she must be busy. You know, taking care of children is a lot of work."
Alysa said, "I know you will say calling now will be an inconvenience and blah blah blah. I talked to Gelda. It's all great. Mother is busy and so let's do our own thing, let's not interfere or something."
Liebe said, "I don't talk—OK, I don't say blah blah blah, do I?"
Alysa said, "No, not really. But it's just me summarizing what you do. And I know it's hard for you after being abandoned at 7 for 12 years. I know how you feel. We saw, and we know it's hard for you and all. But if the captain is taking 10 steps towards redemption, maybe you can take 1."
Liebe just laughed and said, "10 steps? Damn. Damn. Literally forcefully walking back into my life and becoming a professor to shatter whatever little privacy I had doesn't count as 10 steps, OK?"
Alysa didn't laugh.
Liebe said, "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't funny."
Alysa said, "Good to see you know." As she pulled his cheeks apart and said, "That's for you. Change requires time."
Liebe said, "I don't want to be rude or anything, you know, but I'm pretty sure 12 years should be a pretty good time, you know? Just saying."
Alysa said, "You talked to Doctor Dover. He said it takes time."
Liebe said, "Fine. I will call. It's just, my mother has a better family. A family that lets her be a noble. A half-breed will just get in the way. And even if we somehow reconcile, I know a part of me can never accept it since I will always be in fear that maybe she will leave again for another family."
Alysa said, "And they said handsome people can't have mommy issues."
Liebe said, "I don't have mommy issues."
Alysa said, "You know—"
Liebe said, "Name an issue. I don't have mommy, daddy—I even have granddaddy issues."
Alysa said, "I know, right. But same. I also have issues. People just say my mother was a saint, but I never got to meet her. She died when I was just one. I never got to meet her. And your mother has been the closest thing to a mother I ever had."
Liebe said, "Remember first day of kindergarten when my mom also hugged you and I was like, 'My mommy!'"
Alysa said, "Well, you were a mama's boy."
Liebe said, "Yeah. Looking back now, I would pay anything to get those days back."
Alysa said, "Yeah. It's just, maybe try talking. Since I talk to her a bit, and she really misses you. She is also the closest thing I had to a mother myself."
Liebe said, "Now you are just lying."
Alysa said, "Where?"
Liebe said, "Yeah, yeah. And Gelda died before this story began."
Alysa said, "Well, I excluded Gelda for emotional stuff."
Liebe said, "Yeah, you know what? I'm going to call Mom later today."
Alysa said, "No. You will call her now."
Liebe said, "Can you negotiate?"
Alysa said, "OK then. Call her now or have your cheeks ripped apart. Your choice."
Liebe said, "Truly a harsh decision. But again, if I call, I will tell Gelda you excluded her from your story."
Alysa said, "No, you will not."
Liebe said, "Why? You did the same."
Alysa said, "Do it, or I will pull your cheeks."
Liebe said, "Fine." As he called Gelda.
Gelda picked up.
Liebe said, "Hey, Gelda. How you doing?"
Gelda said, "Good, good."
Liebe said, "Heard Mom had a battle in the academy yesterday. What a joke, am I right?"
Gelda said, "I don't follow, Lord."
Liebe said, "You know, some dumbasses tried to kill Mom yesterday and all, and quite literally left with their lives out of their body. How many times has that happened so far? A billion times last year?"
Gelda said, "3 million, 235 thousand, and 435 times."
Liebe said, "Yeah, that's what I said. Like, who can possibly hurt Mom? And Alysa here was dying of worry, you know. It was hilarious."
Gelda said, "Of course."
Liebe said, "As if a no-name dumbass can kill Mom with some fancy monster devil thing, am I right?"
Gelda said, "Yeah."
Liebe said, "Now the real question: how bad is the collateral damage? Mom didn't turn the whole island into dust or anything like that now, did it?"
Gelda said, "Umm, no, nothing of that caliber. It's more like, you know how you damaged the academy emblem on the main building in your battle with that assassin?"
Liebe said, "Yeah, what about it?"
Gelda said, "Well, ummm, there isn't an emblem anymore."
Liebe said, "Umm, sorry, what?"
Gelda said, "Yeah, Lilith had a bright idea, and now there is like a good 15m hole in the building where the emblem was supposed to be."
Liebe said, "Oh god, I won't hear the end of it from Professor Obsidian. But oh well, I will deal with it when I get back from the World Championships."
Gelda said, "Great. People are fixing it now. Sorry, I meant rebuilding the building."
Liebe said, "Yeah. And exactly how much did Mom get hurt this time? Maybe a hair or maybe a scratch? I actually want to know just to laugh at the dumbasses."
Gelda said, "Well, I umm—I—"
Liebe said, "Just say it. Is the scratch actually more than a papercut or something? Damn, maybe those dumbasses actually had balls or something."
Gelda said, "No, Lord. It's actually that there is pretty decent ligament damage on the right knee and right ankle ligaments. And it's OK now, but in her last hit she used too much force with low mana, and the monster was about 5 tons. And the doctors say it will be a week before she can walk alright, even though it's all healed."
Liebe said, "What are you saying? You are joking, right? What kind of BS is this? As if Mom can really be hurt."
Gelda said, "It's the truth. Some mages had a look at her. She is back on her feet and she is good as new."
Liebe sighed and said, "Give the communicator to Mom."
Gelda said, "Of course, Lord. A moment if you would." As Gelda teleported to Lilith's class and said, "Lilith, it's Liebe."
Lilith said, "Oh, son, it's my son! Everyone, keep quiet. One word and you are dead." As everyone stood still, Lilith said, "Yo, son of a bitch, how are you doing?" As everyone tried their best to hold their laughter.
Liebe said, "Hey, Mom."
Lilith said, "Hey, hey, hey. How are you? Are you enjoying your date or something? Heard the big battle was easy or something? Monsters these days, am I right?"
Liebe said, "Umm, yeah, I guess it wasn't an issue."
Lilith said, "I know, right."
Liebe said, "Actually, Mom, I wanted to talk about something."
Lilith, realizing what Liebe was about to say, nervously said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know you had your big match in Hazen and I couldn't make it. I swear it's because of work. There was like this huge battle—Baladia, the Empire, all attacked us at once, and we were fighting like it was a huge thing. Asten was basically begging for my help. Asten was on the floor and it was hilarious. And I was like, 'I have better things to do.' And then he was like, 'Please, we are begging you.'"
As hearing this, Gelda put her head in her forehead and was like, "If you are going to lie, please just give a better excuse."
Lilith said, "Like I said, a national emergency. There were more than ten thousand ships at our water and all. Otherwise, I definitely would have come."
Liebe said, "Yeah, that's great and all, but I'm pretty sure a 1st Tier S-Class Knight such as myself would have been informed of such a national emergency. And not to mention, my team of First Class Knights and I could have helped and all."
Lilith said, "Oh, that—that—" As she began to bite her nails and sweat, she signaled to Gelda. Gelda mouthed, "Do something."
Gelda said, "I don't know."
Lilith said, "Oh, that—that—umm, it's because, you know, you were so busy with your own thing, we didn't want to, you know, disturb you before the big match."
Liebe sighed and said, "Mom, please just say the truth. I know you were busy because Markus threw a tantrum. Gelda told me."
Lilith said, "I'm sorry. I should have done better."
Gelda nodded in approval and said, "Good. Now you get on your knees and start begging."
Lilith said, "I have no excuses."
Liebe just sighed and said, "Please just be honest. And by the way, the match was cancelled because of the monster and stuff. The match is the day after tomorrow. It will be Gaia vs Zen."
Lilith said, "I will be there no matter what. Not even the end of the world will stop me."
Liebe just sighed again and said, "Umm, Mom, do you really actually think twice before making promises? I know you can't make it the day after tomorrow. I swear, you really do make me worried."
Lilith said, "I promise I will be there on time. You know what? Three days early. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Did you say you are worried about me?"
Liebe said, "Sadly, yeah. I heard how you had ligament damage. And Alysa and I will visit you tonight. Later."
Lilith said, "You two lovebirds visiting me?"
Liebe said, "Yeah. So actually be where you are supposed to be."
Lilith said, "Of course I will be there. See you tonight."
After cutting the call, Lilith said, "Hell yeah! Liebe is worried about me! You know what? Everyone, class is cancelled. Fuck class! Let's get drinking!"
Gelda said, "You really are an idiot."
Lilith said, "Why? Liebe is worried about me, and he is coming to visit. Book a reservation at a nice place and reserve the whole restaurant."
Gelda said, "You seriously don't know what's wrong?"
Lilith said, "No, not really."
Gelda said, "First of all, you are broke. You already wasted the money Liebe sent to support you for this month. And you literally just lied to Liebe about being there the day after tomorrow."
Lilith said, "What are you saying?"
Gelda said, "The day after tomorrow is Markus's birthday. That little brat is far too specific about that. And no matter what you do, he just throws a tantrum no matter what the hell you do. Even the nobles think he is too much, and that's saying a lot knowing how bad the nobles are in our country."
Lilith said, "Fuck. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
Gelda said, "Here is the plan. When Liebe and Alysa come over for dinner, you get on all fours and start begging for forgiveness."
Lilith said, "At this point, teach me."
Gelda said, "Yeah. And not to mention, if it's not good enough, redemption is totally off the table. No biggie."
Lilith said, "Yeah, yeah. Wait—I have an idea."
Gelda said, "Yeah?"
Lilith said, "Here is the plan. I blackmail Hazen into hosting the next round one day later. And if they don't, I threaten to turn their nation to dust. But it will be an empty threat because, you know, I won't do it since Liebe likes that place."
Gelda said, "People call you stupid, but you are a different breed of stupid. If you do that and Liebe finds out it was you, fuck redemption. He will hate you till death."
Lilith said, "Crap."
Gelda said, "Here is the plan. Either get on your knees and start begging, or I get you a rope for the 'till death do you part.'"
Lilith said, "I tried that, dumbass. When Tenebris died, I couldn't die sadly. I tried it all for the past decade."
Gelda said, "Wow, you are such a dumbass. Even God doesn't want you."
Meanwhile, in Hazen:
Liebe sighed and said, "Wow. Mom, another fake promise."
Alysa said, "Hey, no depression here."
Liebe said, "You heard."
Alysa said, "Yeah, that's why I'm happy. I saw she was trying."
Liebe said, "Come on. It's about time she realized what she said. And she definitely can't make it. And then tonight at dinner, she will say some apology crap. It's tiring."
Alysa said, "It's just 9:30 AM and already tired? We aren't done yet. You need to last the whole day, then in bed with me."
Liebe said, "Nah, I give up. I can only take so much emotional baggage."
Alysa said, "Stop being a downer. About the match, I swear Aunt Lilith will be there, and she will be cheering Gaia head-on."
Liebe said, "I really don't get your optimism. I have the same confidence in you guys as you do in yourself for negotiations."
Alysa said, "Damn. Am I really that arrogant and obnoxious?"
Liebe said, "No and no. Just good at what you do."
As they looked down, the ice cream had melted and was on the floor.
Liebe said, "And there goes breakfast." As he got them some more, Liebe said, "Now let's eat."