Chapter 4: New Ties
1100 Words
It's already dark when they arrived home, making Beau more nervous because his dad told them not to stay out late.
"This is our home, Aelia. Come on, come inside," Beau invites.
They're about to enter when his eyes catch Hebrew, who seems to be leaving quietly. "Go ahead, leave, and let's forget about each other."
Hebrew stops and scratches his head at his friend's words. "Come on, Beau. I'm scared of Uncle Dew getting mad."
Beau just pulls Hebrew inside, and they both freeze when they hear Dew's voice.
"Didn't I say not to stay out late?" The two are taken aback by Dew's presence. "And who is this lovely lady?"
The two seem tongue-tied, unable to respond due to the nervousness they feel. They don't know how to begin explaining what happened earlier.
"All right, Hebrew, come inside, and you too, miss. It's better if we just chat over dinner," Dew says, leading the four of them to the dining table.
"By the way, what's your name, miss? And where are you from? I don't think I've seen you around our place before," Dew asks Aelia as they eat.
"I-I'm Aelia Epstis. I'm from the town center... But, I'm originally from the Euphica Kingdom," she answers, revealing her background to Beau and Hebrew for the first time.
"Not surprising since you're a beastman," Dew comments. "I'm Dew Azro. I'm Beau's dad, and you can just call me uncle."
"By the way, I found out earlier that there was a Chief Class Beast attacking the center. If I didn't know that White Mask showed up to help, I almost left to go there. Luckily, you weren't harmed," Beau's dad says, expressing his concern for them.
"Dad..." Beau looks at his father, seemingly anxious about what he's going to say. "The truth is... when that monster showed up, we were there. In fact, it appeared right where we were eating."
"What? Are you guys okay? Hurt? Is there anything wrong with you?" Dew stands up in concern for their well-being.
"Calm down, Dad. We weren't harmed because we quickly moved away. But, many got injured and were stung by the venom of the scorpion," Beau explains.
"It's an 8-minutes Scorpion, and those stung by its venom are sure to die if not immediately treated. However, the antidote is challenging to find and very expensive. I'm sure many died because of that monster," Dew somberly states.
"No one died, Dad," Dew was surprised with Beau's statement.
"How?" Dew looks at his son, astonished.
"B-Beau, what happened?" The dining table falls silent due to Dew's question.
Dew hesitates and glances at Hebrew and Aelia, who avoid eye contact. Then a thought crosses his mind, a fear he'd rather not acknowledge.
"I hope what I'm thinking isn't true," he sighs.
"Beau, what really happened?" Dew demands an explanation from his son with authority.
"I'm sorry, Dad, for defying you. No one died because... because I used my healing ability," Beau confesses with courage.
The three was taken aback as a sudden surge of magical energy erupted from Dew, causing every glass on the dining table to shatter violently. The water jug itself seemed to explode with an arcane force, drenching the entire dining area in a torrential cascade. Dew's water manipulation, usually a serene ability, had transformed into a formidable and ominous display of power, reflecting the intensity of his emotions.
"I'm the one at fault," Aelia says, surprising Hebrew, Beau, and even Dew.
"No... It's not your fault, Aelia. You didn't—" Beau doesn't finish his sentence when Aelia speaks again.
"I'm the one at fault. Not your son or Hebrew," Aelia insists.
"I don't understand anything anymore. Please, explain what really happened, Aelia," Dew requests, trying not to shout in anger.
"It's my fault that your son used his abilities. I am a slave, and my master was stung by the scorpion's venom. Beau only managed to heal my master because, in return, he asked for my freedom. They helped me gain freedom from slavery, something they shouldn't have done. So, it's my fault," Aelia tearfully recounts, surprising Dew.
Dew looks at his son, who remains silent and with his head bowed. Now he understands why his son did what he did. His son is just too kind, willing to do everything to help others, even at the cost of his safety.
"I apologize for my reaction, even before hearing the whole story," Dew asks for forgiveness from the three.
"And you're not at fault, Aelia. No one has the right to enslave anyone, regardless of their race. We all have the right to be free and do whatever we want," Dew reassures Aelia to ease her distress.
"And you, Beau, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into. I hope you're ready for the possible consequences," Dew reminds his son.
All the water that had surged returned to the faucet, shimmering with iridescent hues, gradually drying them with a gentle touch of ethereal air. This was the manifestation of Dew's mastery over water, a magical control that surpassed the mundane.
They resumed their meal, and that was when Aelia recounted the story of her parents and siblings. She told them that her parents were merchants who traveled to the Greyton Kingdom. The revelation that shocked the trio was when she recounted the tragic attack that claimed the lives of her parents and two siblings, an event that occurred two years ago.
The chaos also took the lives of Dew's wife and child, an event that haunted Dew's memory. Even Beau was affected, as he still blamed himself for the death of Dew's wife and child. If he hadn't been assisted by Dew, he believed he could have saved his family.
The chaos that unfolded two years ago cast a shadow on the dining table, and the memory of Dew's wife and child lingered like phantoms, visible only in the heart-wrenching emotions etched on Dew's face. Even Beau, felt the spectral presence of what could have been.
"Now, we are your new family, Aelia. Our home is open for you to make it your own. From now on, I'll treat you as my own child, just like Hebrew. Consider me a father and in this house, you are free to do whatever you want," Dew's words carried a magical resonance, like an incantation welcoming a lost soul. His words resonated with a soothing magical aura, weaving an invisible cloak of protection around her wounded spirit that brought tears in Aelia's eyes.
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[1] Euphica Kingdom - Kingdom of Beastmen.
- Writer
