Strongest Alchemist System
—Different World Lines (Part 2)

The next day, we started getting ready for a picnic.

“Hey, Riku, can't you help this father of yours to carry all these things. Don't you intend to show your male nature a little?” call me when he puts all our luggage in the trunk of the car.

Hearing that, I who was currently sitting in front of the house while snacking on candy, answered him in a relaxed tone of voice.

“No, dad. Actually, I am also working, because my dream when I grow up is to become a CEO. Right now I'm at a rehearsal to monitor my employees who are at work. Come quickly, pick up all those things, or I will end your career as an employee!”

“Sial, I'm sure you will definitely make the dark industry later. I'm really worried about your future. I can only hope you're not stabbed in the back by your own confidant.”

“Thank you for the advice, but don't worry, dad. I don't mean to make something like a confidant. Everyone will move in my palm if I slap them with a lot of money.”

“You're the worst CEO ever. Sometimes I wonder if you're really a father's son or not? Where did your nature come from? Do you really have genes from your father and mother?” my father said with a tired face.

Doubting his own son like that, he was truly the worst father.

“Don't worry, yeah. I obviously have the mother gene, my genius comes from her superior gene. But, I guess dad is right, I also sometimes think whether dad is really my dad or not?”

“Alright, let's stop this conversation, I'm sorry! So please don't continue this sensitive talk, or dad will start doubting his own father's love!” my father shouted desperately and tried not to think about what I said seriously.

He really is a troublesome father.

After that, while we continued talking like this, the door of the house suddenly opened, and there Shina along with mother walked out.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

They were currently wearing white one-piece dresses and similar straw hats. It was perfect for summer clothes like now.

Not only that, they also braided their long black hair in the same style, making them both a perfect combo for a beautiful girl in the summer.

Seeing that, my father and I froze.

We were both fascinated and captivated by the beauty of both of them.

“What do you think?” asked my mother with a gentle smile and swung her dress a little gracefully.

“Onii-sama, is Shina beautiful?” shina asked who also imitated my mother's movements.

At that time, simultaneously my father and I gave our steady thumbs to both of them.

It seems I am really his son.

...****************...

“Alright, is everything ready? Is no one missing?” asked my father as soon as he entered the car and sat in the driver's seat with his mother beside him.

Shina and I sat in the back seat.

“Everything is ready, well!” shina answered enthusiastically.

But, the one who answered was only him, so it made the old man a little unhappy.

“Hey hey, I didn't hear my other son's voice, is it possible that he missed?” Looking at me who did not answer, my father asked once more, and everyone looked at me with hopeful eyes.

Yeah well, well, I'll do it, I just need to cheer, right?

“O-Ooohh...” cried in a slow voice.

It's a little embarrassing.

“Hey hey, I still haven't heard you?!” ask my father again.

It made my eyebrows twitch.

He's really noisy.

“O-Oooohhh!”

I raised my hand and cheered in an even louder voice.

Hearing that, my father smiled and he started to turn on his car engine.

“Good, it looks like everything is ready. Time off! Strong grip, because dad will race!” my dad said, and he started running his car.

“Yeeyyy!”

On the other hand, my mother and sister looked very excited.

They are a really noisy family.

I breathed in tired.

Just seeing them makes me tired.

As the car began to run, I leaned my head against the window of the car, and looked out at the car with a lethargic face.

It will be a very exhausting day.

While thinking about it, we finally set out to go on a picnic together.

...****************...

During the journey, there were absolutely no obstacles whatsoever that occurred.

I casually ate the snacks I had with my sister, while my mother and father were also busy chatting with themselves.

“Onii-sama, when you get there, what will you do?” ask Shina.

“What will I do? I guess I'll just go hunting rhino beetles,” I replied while eating the snacks I had.

Perhaps because of hearing our conversation, my father responded to my answer.

She laughs. “Ahaha, just for now you look like a normal kid. Do you intend to do a beetle fight at school? It was really nostalgic, I also did it first,”.

But, hearing that I tilted my head in confusion.

It seems he misunderstood.

“Who said it was for fighting? I intend to sell them, because right now the rhinoceros beetle fight is becoming a trend in my school. I'm sure it will sell for a great price,” I argue.

“You really, can't you just slightly behave like a normal child?” reply my father back with a word that is hard to understand for a normal kid like me.

What did the old man say?

I'm obviously a normal kid who just likes money.

For example, I was told to choose whether I wanted superpowers or powers that could make money easily. I will definitely choose the second option.

I am not much different from the kids in general.

“Onii-sama, will Shina be able to come with you?” shina asked with her innocent smile.

I stroked his head. “Of course, let's search together,” I replied with a wide smile.

Hearing that, he looked very happy.

Well, after all Shina had a weak body, so she very rarely could go out playing like this. Therefore, he also had no friends to play with, so it was only natural that he was looking forward to a picnic this time around.

As I was thinking about how to help Shina make friends, suddenly my father stopped his car suddenly, it made me a little surprised.

“What's up, dad? Why did you suddenly stop?” I asked in annoyance, and leaned my body into the front seat to see what was happening.

But, when it was also—

“Riku! Down!” My father screamed frantically, and pushed me back into the back seat.

“Ouch! What was—” It made me flinch in shock, but my voice stopped as soon as a loud sound came from the broken car glass.

‘CTar!’

“Huh?”

At the same time, my mind immediately stopped working, my heart was pounding, and my breathing became irregular.

‘Zruut!’

Right in front of my eyes, I saw the bodies of both my parents being pierced by an iron pipe. It cruelly pierced through their stomachs and chests as they tried to protect us with their own bodies.

“Hah! Huh! Huh!” My breath gasped, and my body began to tremble.

Upon seeing that, my father extended his hand slowly, and caressed my cheek with my hand filled with his own blood.

It made my eyebrows raise.

“Share your sister, Riku. You're a strong kid and smart too, so I'm sure you can do everything yourself much better than dad,” he said with a bitter smile.

What's this guy saying?

This is not the time for that, if I move to ask for help, surely they still have time to be saved.

“Uuh, dad..”.

At that very instant, my sister who had previously fainted from the impact finally started to wake up and opened her eyes slowly.

But, I immediately pulled her close to me and closed her eyes.

He can't see this, even if my brain is hard to work, but I know that this kid can't see what I'm seeing right now.

“Eh, Onii-sama? What was? Shina can't see anything,” said the child who was still confused by what happened.

But I did not intend to let her know what was happening, so I got stronger hugging her body near me, and closed her eyes with my trembling hands.

Shit, what am I supposed to do?!

I can't move from here, while my throat is currently dead because I can't regulate my breathing properly.

Though I must immediately help them, why only at this moment did my mind become deadlocked!

“Onii-sama, this hurts! Please let go of Shina! What really happened?!” shina yelled as she tried to pull my hand out of her eyes.

No, that can't be.

He can't see this. Whatever happens, I can't let Shina see this.

While tightly hugging Shina's body, my mother extended her hand to Shina, and she gently stroked her head.

“Shina, I'm sure you'll be a beautiful girl,”.

“Mother?”

Shina looked confused, but my mother ignored her and continued to stroke the child's head with tears that started to drip.

“Please forgive mom for not being able to give birth to you with a strong body. I'm sure Shina also wants to play out with sister, right? And go to school together, right? Please forgive mom for not being able to fulfill all that.”

“Mother? What was? Why are you crying?”

“Don't worry, Shina. You have a great big brother all over the world. So, I'm sure she can take good care of you. From now on, you have to obey what your brother says, do you understand?”

“….”

Shina just fell silent, because she didn't know what was really going on, nor did she know how to respond to everything my mother said.

Then, mother extended one more hand towards me and stroked my head.

At that moment, I was immediately silent.

“Riku, take care of your diet properly. Even if I can't cook you anymore, you still have a lot to eat. If you're older, you can't stay up a lot, and if you want to play games, you can only play games one hour a day, see?”

“.....”

“I'm sure one day you'll be a great man, but by then you shouldn't be arrogant. You also have to pay attention to your surroundings well, and help everyone who needs help, and also— Geez, is that too much? Sorry, I talk too much,” said my mother with a small laugh.

“….”

Hearing that, I just lowered my head in silence with my body still trembling. I tried so hard to hold my hot eyes and wanted to cry.

Upon seeing that, my father suddenly said with a big smile.

“Oi oi, what is it? Since when did my son become an easy man to cry. Grow up to be a strong boy, Riku, and one day find a great woman like your mother! When you find him, you have to protect him no matter what happens, do you understand?” abugn.

“….”

“—Oh, but you mustn't forget your sister either! If Shina is seduced by the trash man, right then you should protect her properly, or dad will be angry!” continued my father.

He's such a stupid father, why only at a time like this would he say something nice.

I held back with all my tears from spilling. Then, I answered all their orders with a wide, trembling smile.

“Send to me! I will definitely do well!”

When they heard that, the two smiled with calm faces.

After that, the two of them started moving back, exerting all the remaining energy they had and hugging our bodies together gently.

“Please forgive us for not being able to continue with you,” my mother said.

“You are well,” said my father.

“We love you both so much,” said the two of them while hugging us affectionately.

Then—

“....”

—They breathed their last right in front of me.

At that very instant, while biting my lips with remorse.

The tears that I had been holding back, finally spilled out as well.

“Hiks…! Hicks…! Father..., Mother..”.