Childhood Friend of the Zenith

“...What did you just say?”

My father scowled at the nonsense I had just uttered early in the morning. He had just woken up, his exhaustion clear as day. His messy, unkempt hair was oddly amusing to look at.

I chuckled and spoke.

“You remember what we talked about, right?”

The one favor he had agreed to grant me. I brought it up again and said—

“I need to go to Shanxi. And as far as I know, Vice Leader’s hometown is also Shanxi.”

“……”

Shanxi Province. It was not only my father’s hometown—it was mine as well.

“Something has come up there that I need to take care of. I’d like your help in getting there.”

“Ha…?”

My father let out a bewildered exhale, as if my blatant demand was too absurd to even process.

“...Shanxi? And what exactly is your business there?”

“That’s a bit difficult to explain. Which is why I’m asking for a favor.”

“……”

At my words, my father’s face twisted slightly.

What I was essentially asking for was help with something I couldn’t even explain.

“New recruits of the Martial Alliance cannot leave the premises for half a year unless they’re on a mission. You should be well aware of that.”

“Yes. I know.”

I knew it all too well.

Though, amusingly—

‘So it was only half a year back then?’

By the time I had been rolling around in the Alliance, I remembered the restriction being three years.

But now, in this timeline, it was just six months?

Something must have changed along the way due to past events.

‘Well, whatever.’

Six months, three years—what did it matter?

‘It’s not like I plan to stay here that long anyway.’

I had no intention of rotting away in this place for six months, let alone three years.