A Father's Duty

A week have passed by after returning from the other worlds. Noctis took the time off to rest and play with the chipmunks.

Helen, and her mother-in-law, Hera, helped Somnus about the matters of the Kingdom.

2 days after they returned from Toriko World, a messenger dove arrived for Irene stating that she was needed as another Kingdom is trying to invade. Noctis understood and told her to come back quickly. He gave a book to Irene and told her to give the book to Dimaria and told her to have Dimaria enter the army under her regiment.

He knows that what Dimaria needed is experience to polish her skills. The book he gave to Irene was the breathing style he created for Dimaria, the breath of the Storm which focuses on attack speed rather than movement speed.

What he had in mind is having Dimaria at the center of the storm that is calm while rampaging against surrounding enemies. He knows that Dimaria is a vanguard that will surely rush to the center of the enemies to cause trouble for the enemy general, but that is if Dimaria manage to capture the essence of the Breath Style and master it.

Irene then left leaving Noctis with the chipmunks. At first, the kids panicked after not seeing their mother for days. Noctis and her mother explained to them that their mother is working and will come back soon.

At the end of the week, Irene came back quickly and was hugged by the crying chipmunks.

'*Sigh* Looks like I'll have to help Irene out so that she could return quickly. The chipmunks really relies on their mother a lot.' Noctis thought as he sighed.

"What is it, dear?" Irene asked after consoling the chipmunks.

"Just thinking of going with you. That way, we could return as quickly as possible." Noctis said and Irene knew the reason why Noctis is saying it. She looked at the chipmunks who are grabbing both of her arm while Erza was hugging her mother from behind. Her hug was tight, not letting go of her mother at all.

Seeing the sight in front of him, Noctis couldn't help but chuckle. They are trying way too hard to pin their mother down, especially their try hard faces, making the kids look cute.

"Erza, Pitou, Kagura, let go of your mother now. She's not going anywhere, right, dear?" Noctis said and Irene sat down and hugged the chipmunks.

"That's right, mama's not going anywhere, okay? Mama had work to do." Irene tickled the chipmunks in her embrace making them squeal as they tried to get out of Irene's hug.

After the children escaped from their mother they run towards their father for protection.

"Hehe, your papa won't be able to protect you from me!" Irene said as she run towards the chipmunks.

"Let's go, run!" Noctis carried the three and ran around the garden making the chipmunks giggle.

"Papa, go!"

"Papa, fast! Mama is coming!"

"Papa, dodge!"

The chipmunks were squealing as they ran away from Irene. After a few minutes of playing, the chipmunks were tired due to squealing too much.

"Go to your grandmother, quick! She'll protect you. I'll hold your mother. Now, go!" Noctis put the three down and told them to run and find their grandmother as he hugged his wife causing Irene to redden as she was hugged unexpectedly.

Seeing their mother being held by their father, they quickly ran inside to find their grandmother. After the kids left, Irene's role as the monster was finished but Noctis wasn't letting her go just yet.

"Noct... I'm warning you! Not he-!" Irene didn't get to finish what she was saying as Noctis kissed her deeply.

"I've missed you." Noctis said after separating with Irene. Irene took the surprise attack hard and hugged her husband tighter as she placed her head on her husband's c.h.e.s.t.

"I missed you too." Irene's voice was almost inaudible but Noctis' hearing was still able to hear it.

"Don't worry, I'll go with you next time and finish that war quickly. We will be able to return quickly that way." Noctis said making Irene nod.

"Meanie." Irene said and Noctis separated from the hug and pulled her to the patio and they both sat down.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Noctis asked as he knows Irene best. He saw that her fingers was fiddling when she returned from Alvares and brought her to the patio to talk. Irene inhaled deeply and spoke.

"King Spriggan will be coming with August to form an alliance with Lucis and told me to relay it to you and your family." Irene said which made Noctis slightly surprised.

"Right, I forgot about him." Noctis said as he thought of Zeref.

"Dimaria is also being taught by the two troublemakers and they saw Dimaria's potential. I was surprised about it too. I told Dimaria the reason why you wanted her to join the army. I think... Dimaria misunderstood your instructions." Irene said while looking weirdly at Noctis. Noctis made a confused face and Irene spoke which made him understood the reason.

"Dimaria started challenging everyone in the camp. At first she was always beaten but she would always return to challenge them again and Juliet told me that Dimaria was improving at a monstrous pace. It took her 5 times to defeat a normal foot soldier. The soldier then challenged Dimaria but was defeated again. Dimaria then started challenging everyone once again and when she was defeated, she would lay low and meditate before challenging the same person again until she defeated that person." Irene said with a helpless face.

Noctis wasn't able to refute that. He knows that Dimaria is stubborn but he didn't think that Dimaria would start challenging everyone at the camp. Noctis thought that Dimaria is on her way to become a maso just for the sake of improvement.

"At least she was practicing within your camp. If she fought in the war, she would immediately die." Noctis said while giving out an excuse.

"That's not the case... she was challenging others from the other camps too." Irene said and Noctis facepalmed as he swore to meet and knock the hard head of that stubborn disciple of his.