Kayden gave a warm and gentle smile to the crew and replied, "I'm back! How have you been, everyone?"
While he was saying this, everyone proceeded in his office, two of the nurses immediately prepared warm tea for everyone while listening to the conversation.
"The hospital has been as peaceful as ever. It just became busy a few weeks ago, in preparation for the winter." The elderly man wearing a winter garden outfit answered thoughtfully.
Although he was the one who had the most humble appearance among the seven, everyone including Kayden, looked at him with deep respect and reverence.
"Elder Oscar, thank you for always looking out for the crew." Kayden sincerely looked at him with gratefulness in his tone.
Letting out a chuckle, he replied warmly, "I am just an old man wanting to spend the rest of my life in the herb garden. You and the crew in this hospital have just made me have a more lively retirement life."
Then he let out a dejected sigh and continued, "If only that little girl didn't run away. She could have enjoyed the lively winter preparation for this year. She loved that time of the year the most."
Hearing the old man's words, the rest of the crew showed worried and dejected faces. It showed that Elise's disappearance carried a heavy weight in their hearts.
Kayden and Leon also couldn't help feeling down as they were greatly affected by the crew.
Leon also knew the crew personally, they were the ones who took care of Elise the night she was rescued from the madman.
They were Kayden's assistants he found along the way in his exile as Eins. They stumbled in Riverfort, where they met the village retired potion master, Elder Oscar.
Deeply interested in his craft, Eins approached the Elder, who was posing as an herb keeper, and studied under him the know-how of medicine and potion making. Elder Oscar was also shocked of Eins talents and took him in, along with his small crew.
When the borders of Seirende became chaotic, the lack of medical facilities near the borders became a great concern.
Thus with the support of Leon and General Farauld, Elder Oscar, Eins and the crew established a small hospital to treat the wounded around the borders - the Riverfort Hospital.
"Doctor Eins.. on your trip just now… Have you found any clue on Elise's whereabouts?" A fair looking lady, wearing a doctor's robe, with her facial features as pure as a freshly bloomed lily, anxiously asked Kayden.
"Regarding that, I already found Eli.." Kayden straightforwardly replied, he couldn't bear to see them dejected and he also promised to live on, keeping Elise's memories in his heart.
"Really?!!!"
"Oh thank heavens!!"
"How is she? Is she doing well?"
"She didn't get kidnapped, did she?"
Series of relief and questions were thrown at Kayden the moment the crew heard the news of Elise being found.
Prior to coming here, Kayden met with Eli and extensively discussed what information they would be telling to the Riverfort Crew, regarding her life up until now.
As such, Kayden has already prepared the things he had to say.
Letting out a helpless smile, he started to explain the story he had agreed with Eli.
"She was doing well and good, actually she didn't have the face to see us all because.. She initially felt that she had let us down."
"Why would she feel that???"
"We love her truly!"
Another series of exclamations roared in Kayden's office.
"Sigh… that was because she became pregnant." Kayden just dropped the bomb to cut the story short.
This crew of his were really a lively bunch. So he had to save his energy or else he would be exhausted if he carelessly accommodated them in the conversation.
"…"
True enough, dropping the bomb made their bright minds short circuit. They were dazed in shock.
Finally rendering them speechless, Kayden took the opportunity to finish the story once and for all, otherwise they will start to go nuts again.
"She ran away precisely because of that."
"However, along the way someone attempted to hurt her, almost causing her death."
"Two great people from the capital rescued her and took her in as god granddaughter."
"The reason my trip has been prolonged was because I also stayed by her side until she gave birth."
"She gave birth to a lovely little boy, we call him Little Han!"
"Oh, by the way, because she was taken in by the great people, she learned a lot of things and caused her to achieve a few things in the capital."
"I reckon that the news about her will reach us in a few days, considering our distance from the capital."
"As for how she specifically lived in the past months, I'll let her be the one to tell you once the time is right."
Kayden told them all this information in one breath that he couldn't help but pant after saying all these things.
"P-pregnant…"
"B-baby…"
"L-little Han.."
The seven still continued to freeze in a daze, looking like they were struck by lightning.
It was the gentle looking doctor who finally broke down and exclaimed, "Waaaaaah our little bun was already a mom!!!"
She was finally followed by the others, also going hysterical.
"Aaaaah…. Our little innocent sister took over us and went ahead in being a mom!"
"I think I will die a virgin... Little Eli even beat me to 'that'!!!"
"Say, did she get curious when we taught her the difference between a man and a woman?"
"I regret telling her about that!!! Whaaah!!"
"Why… When.. How!!!"
"WHO WAS THE BASTARD WHO TOUCHED HER????" Elder Oscar roared in anger.
Kayden and Leon, the 'bastard who touched her', listened awkwardly at the crew who were getting worked up about the revelations that happened.
Sensing Leon's uneasiness, Kayden cleared his throat and tried to calm them down, "'Would it really matter right now, I mean Little Eli is very happy right now."
"Oh.. Is she?"
"She was not having a hard time, wasn't she?
Upon mentioning Eli's well being, the crew started to calm down, looking at Kyden with skeptic looks.
"Believe me! Here, I have even secured a recording of my cute nephew for all of you to see!" Kayden immediately took out a projection stone and activated its contents.
The recording was quite different from what he made Leon watch, because it was for the seven to see. It was a short recording of Eli and Little Han greeting everyone.
In this video, the quality is obviously lower to distort Little Han's obvious features coming from his father Leon. But that didn't mask his overflowing lovableness and cuddliness.
After that, the recording shutdown.
"That's our nephew?"
"Oh my, how could he be so charming!"
"Hmmm, that bastard is sensible enough to contribute some good genes, making my grandson look more handsome and adorable.." Elder Oscar gave a satisfied nod.
Leon, the bastard: …
"Sigh, I really thank the heavens that she is alright and that we have a little healthy baby to dote on!"
"But the problem is, we are far from the capital! Sigh.."
"Now that you mentioned it.."
"Doctor Eins, when will Elise visit Riverfort?" This time it was the other man wearing a doctor's robe who asked.
"About this, I really need to tell this to you right now." Kayden then pointed his hand towards the disguised Leon who up until now, made his presence almost invisible that the seven forgot that Kayden actually had a companion.
Finally seeing Leon, the crew were extremely startled because they really didn't realize that there was another person in the room.
"This is Inspector Andre, he is here to conduct some investigation regarding Eli's attack." Kayden explained.
"Greetings everyone. Just as Doctor Eins explained, I will be here to handle the investigations about the attack." Leon tactfully cooperated with Kayden and immediately conducted himself as a stern and mysterious detective. "Nice to meet you all."
"Because of the near death experience, Lady Elise couldn't be rest assured to go out and travel up until we get into the bottom of the mysterious person who intentionally attacked her while she was on the run. I hope that you all could help me in solving this case, for Lady Elise's peace."
As soon as Kayden and Leon mentioned the matter, the crew was also reminded about the attack that was mentioned, frowns appeared on their faces.
Fully understanding the implications of letting the culprit run around, Elder Oscar responded, "Rest assured, we will cooperate with you in this investigation. We must apprehend the culprit as soon as possible, lest he will discover that she is still alive!"
"We commit to help too!" The other responded.
"Thank you everyone!" Leon replied in a cordial manner.
"The first thing I needed was to retrieve the entry and exit records in the village one year ago, just a few weeks before she ran away." Leon didn't stand ceremony and communicated the things he needed.
He proceeded to interview them one by one until the rest of the day to also get information first hand.
While Leon was doing this, Kayden, who was working on the documents left behind because of his journey, heard a knock on the door.
"Doctor Eins, it's me Sofia.." A gentle yet confident voice rang after three soft knocks.
Taking off his gold rimmed spectacles, Kayden stared at the direction of the door and replied, "Come in.."
