[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights II: The Shadow of Justice

Episode 29.5: Boxing Gloves

"Bye, Nico. Thanks for everything!" Teresa said as she waved at me.

I smiled and waved at her. "Hope your trip goes well!" I yelled, waving back at her.

Teresa turned around and followed her mother, brother, and Akari into a limo sent here by Lady Saya. It was rather surreal to think that the queen of this universe sent it to my place. We rarely got visitors here.

I sighed as I turned around and glanced up at my rundown burger joint. Mom and I had saved up money to buy it. Yet, I had failed to sustain it. I was an awful business man. Perhaps I should've sold it. No, I couldn't give up on it. Not after everything my mom and I went through in order to get it in the first place.

I'll use the money I get as a soldier of the kingdom to repair this place. Then, once Mom is out of the hospital, I'll be able to show it to her in all its glory.

I gasped.

Mom!

***

I closed the door of my place and rushed over to the nearby hospital. I didn't stop running until I stood in front of room 274. My hand shook as I reached for the door knob. It had been weeks since I had last been here. Would Mom be mad at me?

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Inside, I saw a red-haired woman staring outside with longing eyes.

"Mom," I spoke up as she didn't turn to look at me.

She gasped. "Nico, you're here! I've been waiting forever for you. What kept you so busy?"

I gave her a shy smile. I couldn't tell her that I had been dealing with some military matters. She didn't even know that I had joined the military. I didn't wish to burden her fragile heart with worry about her only son.

I smiled. "I've been busy with practice and work."

Her face beamed. "Work, huh? Is the restaurant finally getting customers?"

I pulled over a seat and sat down. I kept my golden eyes on her scrawny arms. She'd lost more weight since I last visited.

"A bit. I also had a few guests over. Uh, hope that you don't mind."

"Guests? Well, as long as one of them wasn't a girl."

I turned away and scratched the side of my face. "Well, two of them were."

"Nico... are you a two-timer like your father?" she asked with a straight face.

"No, I'm not! I'll never be like that guy! Also, I'm not into either of them like that. They're just friends. The mother and brother of one of them also stayed over."

"Oh, I see." She giggled. "I'm glad that you finally made some friends, though."

My eyes widened in surprise. She had a point. I had always wanted to make friends, but didn't even realize I had already made some recently.