"So it was like that..." Grandpa said with a grim face.
"The bastards!" Aunt Skadi was infuriated.
The mood was so heavy in the main hall in the keep, the family's heads and adults as well as us ten participants of the clan were all present.
"Father! If it wasn't for young Jon, the matter would have taken a worse turn." Uncle Vali said.
"Yes, it is true." Hafthor spoke up.
Everyone looked at me with strong emotion in their eyes. I hate being the center of attention in embarrassing moments like this.
"Jonhild! You have done the Clan a great favor more than you can ever imagine. I don't know how to thank you or to reward you with, grandson." Grandpa stood from his seat and came to me, he grabbed my shoulders and shook.
"Ehem! No need to mention it, I wouldn't have done it without everyone's help anyway. We are family after all, there are no favors between us."
Grandpa laughed and nodded, he then gave me few pats on the shoulder. If it was me from half a year ago, I would have seen my HP bar reach a critical state.
"Son, you have done well!" Jonrad was also there with Hilda, the stood right next to me.
I nodded with a smile.
"Alina!" Grandpa called. "Your valor was proven in the battle too, I wouldn't have thought that you little thing would be this scary."
"Grandpa, don't say that!" Alina seemed to be getting along really well with Grandpa Turmond.
"Hafthor! You fended your brothers and sisters the most, Heimdall has brought you up well."
"No need to mention it, old man. Just give me some of the mead kegs that you hide from Aunt Hilda." Hafthor is always true to his desires.
"Sigh! Wulfur and Jullanar, you two have our thanks and you are hereby treated as family members from now on."
""Thank you!""
Jullanar said with respect and Wulfur was delighted.
I winked for him and he nodded.
Grandpa kept going around the youngsters saying congratulations and thanks for our participation in battle.
"As the last announcement! The Dare Dragon Company is a valuable ally to us from now on. We will help them build their ships and aid them in the time of their need. I also personally thank the... what was it again? Ah... I thank Chief Executive Officer Jon Dare for his aid and for rebuilding the old town of Winterhold once again. This will be announced to tell the world that Jon Dare is a new honorary member in the clan and to make his company an ally to our allies." Grandpa said and Aunt Skadi was recording behind him.
This was for the sake of keeping my identity as Jonhild Firemane away from my identity as Jon Dare.
"Now as it was all said and done, you young ones go and rest. The day after tomorrow, you all will be gathered in the courtyard to face the final challenge. As for Wulfur and Jullanar, you are considered adults as long as there are no more challenges in your families' heritage." Grandma said.
Wulfur and Jullanar nodded.
This marked the end of the day and I followed the lovebirds (Jonrad & Hilda) home. We arrived later and found Nurina who was sitting there reading a book while stroking Nefertiti.
"Jon, Jull, you will find dinner under the net over there. Heat it beside the fireplace." Hilda said as we went in.
It seemed to me like 'you will find dinner in the fridge, go heat it by the microwave' but I resisted the urge to laugh.
"Yes, ma!"
I went to take care of my empty stomach and Jullanar followed me for the same purpose.
Hilda laughed and went to see her business, Jonrad went out to drink with Tyr, and Nefertiti joined me for some cuddles while acting all cute.
I felt really good eating this cold dinner in this house. I started remembering some memories of my past life when my family used to live that normal life, the only thing that was missing was the sound of my parents fighting over the Drama and the Soccer Game.
I unintentionally giggled and shook my head.
"Is this what they call normal life?" I wondered out loud.
"Boring, right?" Nurina replied without looking.
"What kind of a life can be normal when we go to a battle in the morning and eat dinner at home in the evening anyway?" Jullanar wondered.
Hmmm! I guess she is right.
I finished eating and started playing with Nefertiti. I was being healed be her fluff.
I killed a lot of people today, I think I need a bath.
When I asked Hilda, she told me about some water springs near the Fire Garden where the area is warm as the water gets heated just by passing beside the garden.
Sigh! They have a free water heating system too. Just like the one in my bathhouse.
Well, let's get done with it.
***
The place was a bit dark but it was just what I needed, I could even get a faint sense for the energy from the Fire Garden here.
Anyway, it was bath time. The small spring was surrounded by some lush greenery that could adapt to the warmth of the area, it also added some privacy to the place.
I was sitting there submerging myself in the beautiful sensation of the warm water and my head started thinking left and right. Nefertiti was playing in the water and practicing swimming.
The place was quiet and I was confirming the music list that the System managed to extract from my memories. I didn't know I heard all these songs in my past life, the most annoying ones were the <Unknown Song> that normally were songs I heard somewhere without knowing anything about.
I just put all of Mozart's music clips in a folder and was about to cast 'Magestereo', the enhanced version of 'Magespeaker', but I felt a presence around me.
I looked to where it was coming from and I saw someone looking at me...
It was...
... was...
... like... this is bad...
... who in the world is that?
My head functioned really slowly for a second there...
... a second?
Maybe a bit more than a second...
... the other party was too, frozen in place...
"My oh my!"
I couldn't help but wonder... and what a wonder!
"Mynameisjonsixteenyearsoldandsinglenicetomeetyou!"
I said something strange but the other party seemed to not understand a word I said.
The other party seemed not to have thought someone would be here and came unprepared.
"S, S, S, S, S, S, S, S, Senior?!"
Huh?
"Senior? Who is that I wonder?"
She was calling for someone called Senior for some reason! If there anyone here by that name, I would tear apart the space and send them away to the realm of Molag Bal or just Fus Ro Dah them towards the Fire Garden.
"S, S, S, Senior D, Don't look!"
"Senior? Who is Senior? Is that bastard causing you any trouble, young lady?"
"... I didn't know you are here, I am sorry." She said with a shaky manner and tried to turn around, for some reason she seemed at a pinch.
I instantly jumped from my place and warped a large towel around my waist. The girl was about to trip over but I moved fast and caught her.
Once I held her body, I felt it was not weak at all, she sure is very trained and seemed very able. Why would someone like that get to be so afraid in a second?
"Are you okay?" I asked the girl.
She looked at me with a reddened face, it seemed getting too close to here may have caused her to get embarrassed.
"Oh! Excuse me."
I helped her to stand and backed off a bit, she was looking at me with a fearful expression on her beautiful face.
Hmmm! First of, to describe her face is something a bit... well, I would need someone who can write poems to describe her.
Let's just say, if I was a mirror, I would find it too sinful to reflect her image.
If I have a frame rate viewer on my vision, it would have gone under 15.
If I am a video card, I would burn out after taking all that burden of viewing her face.
If I am an author, I wouldn't have any words to write about her more than that.
So let's just skip to the chase, she is beautiful... and for some reason afraid of something.
To make such a girl afraid, let me just put my hand on that bastard. I have watched 'Hannibal' series and I will give them a piece of that.
"Senior..." The girl was about to cry.
Dammit! This guy is getting on my nerve.
I unleashed my Aura and shielded the girl from its effect and focused my Magicka on my voice.
"That one called Senior. If you don't get your ass over here in the next second, then don't blame me for being merciless when I find you!"
My voice echoed around reached far and wide yet no one replied.
"Such a nerve! It won't end nicely for him if I found him one day. Young lady, don't be afraid. This person will be punished for ignoring you."
"... Huh?" The girl looked at me and tilted her head. She seemed not afraid anymore.
"Don't you recognize me?" She asked.
"I certainly haven't had the pleasure. If I ever met you before, there is no way in Oblivion I would forget that."
Who would forget such a beauty?
"it's me, Alina?" She said.
"Alina?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm! Who's that?"
"... It is me."
"Oh, you are Alina!"
"Yes!"
"Hmmm! Nice to meet you, I am Jon."
(╥ω╥`)
She was making a pitiful face for a reason.
Still, her name! Where did I hear it before?
___________________________________
-Bonus-
▪ Senior
"Found you, Senior! Prepare yourself." (Jon)
"Dragonborn! You will never defeat me." (Senior)
"Will never defeat you? Who do you think you are to ignore that girl Alina. You will pay for it with your life!" (Jon)
"Don't think you can the only one who can use the..." (Senior)
"FUS RO DAH!" *Teleport* "FUS RO DAH!" *Teleport* "FUS RO DAH!" *Teleport* "FUS RO DAH!" *Teleport* "FUS RO DAH!" *Teleport*
"Haha! Don't underestimate my Pentagram Unrelenting Tornado!" (Jon)
"NOOOOO!" (Senior)
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