Chapter 41 Alphonse's Letter
"G-grandfather...?!" I mumbled in disbelief as the carriage took me further away from Anabelle.
She smiled lovingly at me, as she waved. I was too stunned to reciprocate her energy, as I waved with my mind in a stunned state.
While her answer explained a lot of things, it brought about even more questions. To think my own grandfather had been my tutor for so long, and I was left unaware.
"Mum calls him Alphonse... I called him that too. Other than the slight display of affection they displayed once in a while, I couldn't sense any kind of family bond..."
Still mumbling to myself, I looked at the book she had given me before I left. Rubbing the cover slightly with my hand, I calmed myself. There had to be a reason for them to have hidden it from me.
After I calmed down a little, I looked out the window and caught one final glimpse of Anabelle, as well as the few members of our household that saw me off.
The rest of them were busy taking care of the mess that Liliana's death caused, as well as checking for similar incidents that might have occurred in other areas.
My farewell was not as exciting or as emotional as expected, however... this much was enough.
Soon, the manor began shrinking in size as I drifted further from it. Perspective made everything appear very little, and my mother vanished from sight. Smiling at myself, I retracted my head from the opening of the carriage window and sighed.
"Huu... I've become quite emotional, uh?"
Shrugging off the sentiments welling up within me, I refrained from thinking unnecessary thoughts.N♡vεlB¡n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.
"The book... let's see what Alphonse's gift is all about... or should I call him Grandfather now?" I whispered.
No, that would just feel too weird.
Opening the brown leather book, I saw a letter on the first page. The envelope had a red seal affixed to it, making me slightly curious. Only nobles and distinguished families used such seals.
Anabelle once addressed me as father, and I used to call her daughter. However, that all changed when she became a full-fledged Magic User and got my approval to be a comrade in the art. That's why we now use our names to address each other.
The reason why I never referred to you as my grandson or demanded that you treat me as your grandfather, is because I was brought in as a tutor and so I had to act in such a manner. After your training elapsed, I recognized you as a fellow Magic-User, so there was no need for us to address ourselves in such a manner.
It's funny how our family relationship never defined us throughout our stay together, and even after.
If you take a good look at your name, Jared Leonard Alphonse Sereth, my name exists there. This is because my Magic-Oriented household's name is the Alphonse Household, and my true name is Alphonse Gerald IV. We decided to hand over my daughter in marriage to your father as a result of an alliance between both households. As a symbol of our alliance, our family's name was incorporated into your family's name.
I certainly hope this has answered some of the questions you may have concerning things. While I know that all I have said may be too much for a child of your age, I know that you are a special child, Jared and you do not need to be treated like a normal boy.
I certainly hope you act in a manner that will make both households proud.
As a pupil whom I took under my wing and as my beloved grandchild, I certainly hope to hear of your exploits in Ainzlark.
Take care of yourself, Jared. ~
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After reading everything Alphonse said, I had only two thoughts. The first was that this was a darn long letter!
'He could have told me all this during one of the times we goofed off. This is a lot to take in so suddenly, damn it!' My thoughts rang.
After taking a few moments to sort through everything I had just read, a smile formed on my face.
The second thought I had after reading his letter was that of gratitude.
"I'm happy about this, Alphonse. I'll be sure to do my best!" I grinned, with a deep fire of determination burning in my eyes.
