After a while, Skyler finally stepped into the familiar room the academy had given him. The lights flickered on automatically.
The room was exactly as he left it: the bed was a mess, with a jacket tossed on top.
"Hah, it feels like ages since I left."
He exhaled as he shed his upper clothes, dropping them carelessly on the floor and staggering toward the bathroom.
The silver chain around his neck sparkled, as did the storage rings on his fingers.
Skyler checked the storage ring his father had given him and quickly pulled out his phone and dialed his mother's number.
As the call rang, he turned on the water, letting it fill the built-in bathtub.
Even in the middle of the night, his mom picked up on the first ring. A sleepy voice drifted from the other side.
"Hello...?"
"Mom, it's me."
Skyler chuckled when a soft thud echoed through the phone, followed by a muffled groan, sure his father was kicked awake.
Riya's voice steadied, a wave of relief washing over her.
"I didn't see the number. My dear son, it's you! Thank goodness, you are back safely! You suddenly called and asked me to pick up Riruru without any explanation. When we found out what happened, we were worried."
Johnson took the phone from her.
"Well, if you entered the Battle Royal, you would have made the decision carefully. But are you okay? Do you need help? Should we leave for the Academy right now?"
Skyler quickly assured them.
Knowing his mother, he knew she was already getting ready to come see him.
"No, wait, I am fine. There is really no need for you two to travel so late at night. The map the professor gave me was right, or else how could I have returned so soon?"
Johnson stopped his worried wife.
"That's a relief."
He paused for a moment, as if consulting with his wife, before clearing his throat.
"Son, your mom still isn't convinced. She wants you to send some pictures to her. No, maybe a video call would be good?"
Skyler noticed the blood staining his body and that he was only wearing trousers. He declined the incoming video call.
"Not now, Dad. I'm in the bath. How about I send some pictures when I'm finished?"
"Okay. But remember to send them."
"Dad, what about Riruru? Is she okay? If possible, can you send her back to me? I can't leave the academy for a while."
Riya was the one who responded.
"Don't worry, Riruru is fine. She was angry when you left. But seeing me, she calmed down. However, Sky, she's not with us."
Skyler's heart sank instantly. He sprang to his feet, forgetting the bath to search for her.
"What? I told you to take care of her!"
His mother's voice rose in concern.
"Calm down, son. Let me finish first."
Skyler paused, his feet tapping impatiently on the ground. He only felt somewhat relief when his mom explained what happened.
"Dear, Riruru didn't come with us. We tried, but maybe she wanted to wait for you. She's with the Vice Principal assistant, Lorian. We called Lorian daily to check on her. You can go pick her up anytime from her room."
Skyler sank to his heels, exhaling softly.
On the other hand, his mother was feeling quite troubled. While she didn't disapprove of his connection with Riruru, his behavior was becoming increasingly extreme.
This was quite concerning. Still, she held back, thinking that she was overthinking.
After all, Riruru was just a beast, one that Skyler had only recently met. He was likely preoccupied with her since he had a habit of fixating on sparking things. And Riruru's eyes could easily be likened to rubies.
Skyler quickly answered Riya when she asked if he was alright. He stood up and went back to the bathroom. This time, he wanted to take a quick shower so he could go and pick up Riruru as soon as possible.
For now, his heart had calmed down.
He chuckled when his mother said she would come visit him tomorrow.
"Mom, I told you I am doing well. I will send you plenty of pictures to prove it. There's no need for you to come all this way. It's only been a week since Charles and I left."
Riya wanted to complain. But she decided to just let him be for now. She would give him a scolding when he returned home.
"Okay, if you say so. We won't come. Still, make sure you eat a healthy meal now that you are back. I remember you complaining about not liking roasted meat."
Skyler hissed as his mother continued to rant about how much he worried her.
"Okay, okay. Bye. I will talk to you later."
He chuckled when he heard his mother complaining to his father about how their son was in such a hurry to end the call.
"Mom, I love you both and I miss you both too, just as you miss me. Take care."
With that, he ended the call, hoping his father would survive his mom's nagging.
"He should protect his son's ears."
He smirked and took a quick shower. Then, wearing his academy uniform, he took a lot of pictures and sent them to his mother.
After that, he rushed out of his room and started looking for Lorian's living quarters.
It took him a while, because the academy was quiet at such an hour, but after getting a message from his mother, who roughly told him the direction to Lorian's living quarters, he finally found the building she lived in.
This time, he had concealed his storage rings inside a pouch he discovered.
He woke a sleeping worker on the ground floor of the building to ask for Lorian's room number. The worker was hesitant to let him enter, but Skyler was stubborn and soon he was standing outside her room.
Lorian was shocked when he knocked on her door in the dead of night. She was in her nightgown, her untied hair flowing down her shoulders. But his eyes went behind her.
"Sorry, but I'm here to pick up Riruru."