Betrayed, I Met The Demon Lord

Chapter 35 - Introduction

Several hours later...

"Mom... I'm back... Hehe..." Elizabeth's voice drifted through the house as she entered, her posture relaxed and tired from the day's work.

Amoria, standing in the kitchen, was surrounded by the aroma of cooking food.

"Ah, Liz... How was your day at the guild?" she asked cheerfully yet gently, not turning from her cooking as she awaited her daughter's response.

Elizabeth wearily made her way through the house and leaned against her mother in the kitchen, embracing her gently as Amoria continued to cook.

"Exhausting... Aunt Marcy is relentless..." Elizabeth murmured, her eyes half-closed, resting her head on her mother's shoulder and glancing at the simmering pots.

"...Wow... All this for me... Yay..." she added, her voice trailing off in fatigue.

Amoria chuckled softly. "I might have to scold Marcy next time I see her," she teased.

"No... As much as I want to scream from the muscle pain... I think I need to bulk up a bit before heading to the academy next week, don't you think? They're definitely going to ramp up the training now..." Liz sighed, using her mother's shoulder for support.

Amoria smiled warmly, continuing her cooking with a calm focus. "Well, they will indeed panic and make things more strenuous for the students... Especially for first years like you and Anne."

"Were you here all day? What happened that Aunt Mika had to take you so suddenly?" Liz asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Oh, that... I met with an old friend, one I haven't seen in over a decade, actually before you were born," Amoria replied casually.

"Really? Who is it?" Liz's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Hmhm, Van Hellix. My former party member," she stated proudly.

"Oh...?" Liz responded, a mix of curiosity and confusion in her voice.

"What a cold reaction, Liz," Amoria sighed. "This is your brave uncle we're talking about. He was summoned alongside your father, you know," she added.

"No, I know. It's just... He doesn't have the greatest reputation, that's all. Everyone says he didn't contribute much to the party and just dragged them all down..."

"Haha, if it wasn't for him, your mother wouldn't be here," Amoria chuckled.

"You always speak so highly of him... Was he stronger than father?" Liz asked, her gaze intense with curiosity.

"In every single way," Amoria responded firmly, her expression turning to a frown tinged with spite.

"I'm sorry. I... I also haven't really forgiven father for leaving us," she confessed as Liz buried her head further into her mother's shoulder.

"It's not just about that, Liz," Amoria added reluctantly.

"What?"

"...No, forget about it," Amoria shook her head, dismissing the subject. "That's a story for when you're a bit more grown up."

Liz pouted, her voice a mix of protest and softness. "Stop treating me like a kid...! I'm 17!"

"ALMOST 17. Regardless... You. Are. Still. A. Kid!" Amoria playfully emphasized each word, a teasing sparkle in her eye.

Liz watched the pots simmering on the stove, her thoughts stirring just like the soup that was beginning to boil.

"Hey, Mom... Do you think another dragon like Arutol might attack us?" Elizabeth asked, a hint of worry in her voice.