Retired S-rank father becomes a teacher

Some cultures celebrated birthdays every year, some celebrated the 15th or 18th, and some celebrated every five years. Now, in the new world, there was something else to celebrate: rank ups. In some parts of society it was seen as a bigger milestone than a birthday.

Which is why Silas was standing in a shopping mall in front of a jewelry store, looking through the display of earrings and necklaces and rings, trying to find something to gift his newly ranked up daughter. Victoria.

His eyes were on a pair of amethyst studs, they were simple but elegant. They would match her eyes and he thought she would love them.

“Nope,” he shook his head and looked away.

It was missing something...a personal touch. A pyjama popped in his mind, the one that had ‘papa’ written on it. Something similar, he would like to make a ring for Victoria with his signature. A subtle way for her to always remember her dear young dad.

He went to the store clerk and asked if they could engrave the amethyst earrings with a special message. The girl at the counter blinked and nodded, saying yes but it would take a while.

No. The dinner was tonight and he needed to gift her it before that. So he decided to buy the earrings and have someone else engrave them. The clerk gave him the pair of earrings, carefully setting it in a box, and he left.

An idea popped into his head. One person was perfect for this job and he knew where to find them, they were just a continent away.

A portal opened in the middle of nowhere in a snowy field, somewhere in Greenland. There, one of the Hunter Association’s research lab stood, with its white walls and dome shaped building that blended in the environment. Inside was the one woman who could do this for him.

Walking into the building, the guard not even bothering to question the Space S-ranker as he walked through the halls and took the elevator to the fifth floor.

He stopped in front of a door with a nameplate that read ‘Dr. Ivalu Olsen’, one of his colleagues back in the day and one hell of a crafter. A knock sounded on the door and a voice replied. “Come in,”

The door slid open to reveal a cozy office, filled with books, papers and trinkets. At the desk sat a woman with curly auburn hair tied up in a bun, her brown eyes focused on a microscope. Her lab coat was slightly open revealing a black sweater and her lips were chapped from biting them.

“Just set them down over there and make sure the labels are—” She recognized the space mage. He smirked.

“Long time, no see Iva.”

A giant icicle flew at his head, which he easily dodged, his smirk not fading. Iva jumped over the desk, a small ice blade in her hand. She slashed at him but he teleported behind her.

“Watch it, I just came to ask for a favor,” Silas said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

The blade hovered near his throat, her eyes still narrowed on him.

“A favor? You... you asshole, you show your face after all these years for a favor?” Her voice was sharp, her ice magic making the air colder.

He laughed, his eyes glowed with amusement.

“Yep. It’s urgent though. Come on Iva, we were friends right? Or has old age made you forget?” He teased.

Iva growled, her grip on the blade tightened.

“Friends? You abandoned me in the middle of a dungeon! You said you would be right back but you never came back. I had to fight my way out of that shithole and almost died! Some friend you are.” She spat.

That was true. A valid reason wasn’t enough to forgive him so he didn’t give one. Berlin and him had to rush back when Sulena appeared. She knew that.

“Okay, okay, I messed up. I’m sorry. But this is really important to me. So can you help me?” He showed her the box.

Hearing it was important she lowered her weapon and snatched the box away from him, curiously she opened it but when she saw that it was just earrings, her anger boiled over.

Punches, kicks, and all sorts of magic were thrown at him but Silas dodged each one with ease. The whole lab shook as they went at it. When Iva was out of breath she stopped, putting her hands on her knees.

“I hate you. You piece of shit.”

He had a smile on his face as he dodged an ice shard that flew his way. The smile then turned apologetic, and he patted the dust off his shoulders, smoothing his clothes. A pang of nostalgia washed over him.

“Yeah, yeah I know. Now, do you think you can engrave those earrings for me. I want to spell ‘papa’ with my blood on them. They are a present for my girl,” Silas explained, his tone softening.

Iva looked up, her hair messy and her glasses crooked on her face. She snorted. “Okay. I’ll take your blood, make your little daddy-daughter trinket, but don’t ever show your face in my lab again unless you want to get on your knees and lick my boots.” She walked back behind her desk and grabbed a giant needle from a drawer.

He rolled his eyes and walked over to her, rolling up his sleeve. “Thanks, Iva.”

She stabbed him with the needle, not being gentle and took his blood in a tube. One milliliter, two milliliters... five hundred milliliters. How much blood was she going to take?!

“Umm... you could stop at any time now,” he said as he felt himself getting a bit lightheaded.

The doctor gave him a sly grin and removed the needle, a satisfied look on her face.

“It takes alot of blood to engrave something. Even more if you want it to last. So shut up and wait for a moment,” she said as she prepared the earrings on a table and used her magic to start the process.

He sat down on a chair and sighed. What was he expecting from Iva?

Twenty minutes later, she was done, and handed him the earrings. They were beautiful and the engraving of ‘papa’ in his blood was visible, frozen by ice magic so it wouldn’t fade.

A smile formed on Silas’s lips. It was perfect.

“Thanks, this means a lot,” Silas took the box and stood up to leave.

“Whatever. I did it for the money,” Iva grumbled as she sat on her chair, taking her glasses off to rub her eyes.

“Money? I didn’t offer you any money.” He tilted his head in confusion. This was just a favor.

Iva put her glasses back on and smirked. “10 million for the engraving. I expect it to be in my account by tomorrow or the ice will melt and your precious gift will be ruined.”

Silas stared at her for a long minute before he let out a laugh that echoed in the room.

“You’re extorting me?” He shook his head, a grin on his face.

She shrugged. “You deserve it.”

Damn, he did deserved this. He couldn’t help but find it funny though.

“The extra blood you took will pay the bill then,” he winked and opened a portal.

As he was leaving, the words ‘fucker’ echoed behind him.

Returning to his home, he went up to the second floor where Victoria’s bedroom was. He knocked on the door, excitement filling him at the thought of giving his gift