The trip took two days, with a single stop at night to rest.
Alex spent most of that time planning which potions to make. He almost forgot to buy herbs before leaving the city, forcing the coachman to stop and wait while he ran off to shop for ingredients.
He mostly planned to make healing and mana potions, the ones in highest demand. But he also had another idea — he'd post a request page for custom potion orders, on the condition that buyers provided their own ingredients.
This had a double benefit. First, it saved him the cost of the materials, even if it meant offering a small discount. Second, he could "adjust" the ingredient requirements a little. If someone brought enough herbs for ten potions, he'd simply claim it was enough for eight — keeping two sets for himself.
He was almost certain this trick was common practice among alchemists. After all, if he thought of it, surely others had too.
By the time they arrived at Perrin's Gate, Alex gave a tip to the coachman before hopping off the carriage.
Unlike their first trip, this one was peaceful — no bandits, no trouble. Just the sound of hooves against the dirt road and the rustle of the evening wind through the trees.
The very first thing they did after arriving was rush home.
Susan didn't know they were coming; Alex hadn't had time to send a letter. The academy only announced the fifteen-day vacation three days prior, and he barely managed to pack.
As they neared home, Alex spotted Susan by the riverside, sitting cross-legged and meditating while Eve splashed around in the shallows. The late summer sun shimmered on the water, and Eve's hair was dripping wet — no doubt from playing with Susan's water magic.
They left their bags on the doorstep and walked down the small hill. Eve noticed them first. Her eyes widened, then she squealed and bolted forward, laughing all the way.
"Hahaha!" she cried, throwing herself into Alex's arms and hugging him tight.
"Hello, Eve. Long time no see!" Alex laughed, spinning her once before setting her back down.
Just like that, all the dark thoughts that had been clinging to him from the academy dissolved in her warmth and joy.
Susan, startled by her daughter's excited scream, opened her eyes and turned toward them. When she saw Alex and Marc, her face brightened instantly. She stood and started walking over—
'Splash!'
A ball of water smacked Alex square in the face.
"You naughty kid," Susan scolded playfully, still smiling. "You come back home and didn't even tell your mother first? Tsk, tsk."
Alex blinked the water out of his eyes, half amused. "Well, I only found out about the break three days ago," he said, rubbing his face dry.
Susan laughed and closed the distance, hugging him — with Eve squished happily between them.
"Well, how about we celebrate this over lunch?" she suggested.
There were still a couple of hours until noon — one, if you counted cooking — but they agreed immediately.
As they returned home, Susan went straight to the kitchen. Alex was about to follow when—
"Alex! Teddy!" Eve called.
Both boys turned toward her.
"Formation!" she commanded, standing tall and pointing to the floor in front of her.
Alex and Marc exchanged a glance, then burst into laughter and marched into position like soldiers.
From the kitchen door, Susan peeked out, her shoulders trembling as she tried not to laugh.
"Mhmm." Eve cleared her throat and stretched her hands out expectantly.
Of course — she hadn't forgotten about the promised gifts.
"A man keeps his word," Susan said from the doorway, her tone teasing but warm.
The boys looked at each other and chuckled. Then, like a grand ceremony, they began pulling out one gift after another: plushies, clothes, accessories, trinkets.
"Thank you!" Eve's eyes sparkled as she admired each one.
Alex then turned toward Susan and handed her a box.
"Huh? For me?" she asked, surprised.
"Of course. Did you think I forgot about you?" Alex replied, smiling faintly.
"With words that sweet, I'm amazed you don't have a girlfriend yet," Susan teased as she opened the box. Inside was a jewelry set and a few elegant clothes. Her eyes softened.
"Thank you, sweetheart."
It had been nearly ten years since anyone had given her a gift. Her heart swelled with warmth.
'Indeed,' she thought, 'adopting him was the best decision I ever made — second only to having Eve.'
Marc, however, couldn't leave the peace unbroken.
"Well, I don't know how long he'll stay single," he began with a smirk. "In the last test, we rescued this girl, and she's been hanging around ever since. Ah, Susan, you should've seen Alex's face when she—"
He didn't get to finish.
Alex moved fast — lightning fast — and clamped a hand over Marc's mouth.
"Oh?" Susan's eyes gleamed, lips curving into a mischievous smile. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees for Alex alone.
"Now, now," she said sweetly. "Why don't you tell me more, Marc? In fact, tell me everything."
She looked at Marc but kept her gaze locked on Alex, smiling like a cat with a cornered mouse.
"So, Alex," she continued, "how about you cook with Eve while Marc and I have a nice chat over tea?"
"Ugh…" Alex groaned, glaring at Marc. "You'll pay for this humiliation tenfold," he muttered under his breath.
"Come now, sweetheart," Susan said, smirking. "Why so shy? Don't you want your mom to know about her potential daughter-in-law? Is she that pretty?"
Alex didn't answer. He just picked up Eve and carried her off to the kitchen, trying to hide his burning ears.
From the kitchen, he could still hear the bursts of laughter coming from the living room. His face turned redder by the minute.
Honestly, he thought he'd rather face another bear or gorilla than deal with this kind of torture.
"Why are you so red, brother?" Eve asked innocently.
"Evelyn," he said, trying to sound serious, "just promise me you won't grow up to be like Mom, okay?"
"Why?" Eve tilted her head, then blinked and grinned. "Oh! Did you just call her 'Mom'?"
Alex froze. He had. It slipped out naturally.
"Yeah… I guess I did," he admitted quietly.
When lunch was ready, they all sat down together. The aroma of roasted meat and herbs filled the air, and for a while, everything was laughter and warmth.
Then Eve leaned over and whispered something to Susan.
The woman's eyes widened. She slammed her hands on the table, stood, and marched over to Alex.
Grabbing his collar, she pulled him close. "Say it," she demanded.
"What?" Alex blinked, bewildered.
"Come on! Say it again! How could you call me Mom in front of Eve but not to my face? I've waited a whole year for this moment!" she said, shaking him back and forth.
"Don't wanna," Alex muttered stubbornly.
"Please?" she pleaded, her expression turning from fierce to pitiful.
"Nope," he said, crossing his arms.
"Hmph!" she huffed, turning away. "Fine, don't say it. But now that you have once, it's bound to slip out again. And when it does, I'll tease you to no end."
And just like that, the tension melted into laughter once more. The family gathered around the table, stories flowed freely, and the small home filled with the warmth of reunion.