Return of the Lost One

Hungry

Recalling about the legendary flower that he was looking for, Dugo Zugath struggled to his feet and went towards the door in the small room. As for the moment, he still felt a bit too weak preventing him to do any quick movements.

But just as he pulled it open, a relatively simple wooden living room obstructed his view. He could see that he was inside a small house. It was similar to the house where he lived in the past before he became a slave.

In any case, Dugo Zugath also found someone inside the house doing the cleaning. It was a woman in her thirties. She was sweeping the floor and was talking to someone while doing so. She was cheerful as she spoke but she stopped what she currently doing when she saw him coming out of his room.

Dugo Zugath shifted his gaze and he saw a kid sitting on a wooden chair. It appeared that he was the person that the woman was talking with. The kid also looked at him when he came out of his room as the three of them stared at each other for a while without speaking a word.

“You're awake.” Until finally, the kid who was sitting on the chair was the first to break the silence. He stood up from his seat as he walked towards Dugo Zugath with a bright smile. Naturally, it was the kid that Dugo Zugath had saved before.

“Who are you?” Dugo Zugath didn't remember the other party though. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he was prepared to fight at any moment.

“Oh, oh. Hold on.” Seeing Dugo Zugath's reaction, the kid suddenly came to a halt as he waved his hand in front of him. Knowing how capable Dugo Zugath was, he was scared out of his wits. Thus, he forced a bitter smile as he continued, “I mean no harm. And in fact, I am indebted to you.”

“Indebted to me? I don't know you. You are dreaming.” Dugo Zugath responded impatiently. It was as if he was hurrying the other party to leave from his sight.

“...” The kid who was still wearing a bitter smile was speechless as he failed to find a word to reply.

“Dear, dear. Come over here, little kid. I have prepared a hot soup for you.” Just as the kid didn't know what to say, both of them suddenly heard a pleasant voice that was filled with motherly love.

Dugo Zugath shifted his gaze at the woman as he saw her already bringing a bowl of hot soup on the dining table next to the living room where the kid was sitting idly before.

“I don't need your food. What I need right now is to leave this place and find the Portia. So hurry up and tell me where I am and where is the Purple Mist Forest.” Dugo Zugath responded as if he was talking to someone who was the same age as him.

Growl!

However, what answered him wasn't the woman but his stomach that was longing for the hot soup.

Dugo Zugath was speechless as only then did he figure out that he was actually so hungry. Just when was the last time did he eat anyway? Speaking of which, how long did he fall asleep?

“Dear, dear, eat first and we can talk about it while you are eating.” The woman chuckled softly as a response. Although Dugo Zugath was disrespectful to her earlier, she didn't take it to heart as she even invited him to come and dig in.

Growl!

Dugo Zugath who had his stomach getting excited growled again. And he could only take a nod as a response.

The kid near him smiled at him before he turned around and said, “Let's go, brother.”

“Brother? I don't know you, so don't call me that.” Dugo Zugath responded coldly. But of course, he also followed suit and went to the dining table.

“Of course, you are my brother. After all, you saved my life. Don't you remember me?” The kid wasn't offended as he chuckled softly. It wasn't strange to him that the other party didn't know about him. After all, he might have suffered some mental shock after he healed him with that incredible power. Probably, his memories would return and then remember him after some time.

The kid then continued to walk without waiting for a reply. But when he reached his distance near the dining table and sat on the chair, his bright smile suddenly froze. Because he found out that there was only a single bowl of soup on the table. He couldn't help shifting his gaze at the woman as he asked with a forceful smile, “Ahmm... Aunty, where is my soup?”

However, instead of an immediate reply, he suddenly felt the atmosphere around him seem to go wrong. Cold sweats appeared on his forehead as he found the woman before him, that he called aunty, glaring at him with a dangerous smile.

“How many times do I have to tell you that you should not call me aunty?” The woman who was ready to eat the kid at any moment responded. Her veins had even popped out on her head.

“Oh, r-right. I-I forgot hehe,” The kid scratched the back of his head with his right hand as he replied seemingly having a hard time. But he still managed to force a smile as he went on, “Ahmm, big sister, where is my food?”

“Food? Have you forgotten that you've already eaten?” The woman responded. Her smile appeared to be even more dangerous.

“R-right. I just remembered.” Although the kid didn't really remember that he had already taken a breakfast, he still agreed as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Of course, he didn't forget to force a smile again.

Dugo Zugath from the side watched them for a moment before he took a sit. Since the two of them were busy fighting, he didn't bother chiming in as he dug in without a warning. He really was so hungry now. This was his first time for a long time eating such hot food. Although it was just a rice soup, it was much better compared to the food of the pigs that he had eaten before.

The kid and the woman who was still arguing heard the sound of the spoon hitting the bowl as the two of them shifted their gazes at Dugo Zugath. When they found him already eating, the two of them were silent for a moment before they finally smiled for real.

“How is the food, brother?” The kid asked with a bright smile. Although he too was hungry, he didn't ask for the food from his big sister anymore as he waited for her to just give it in her accords. He was confident that his big sister wouldn't be able to stand watching him being hungry for a long time.

“I told you, don't call me brother.” Without looking at the kid, Dugo Zugath replied nonchalantly as he continued to dig in. The food tasted so good that he even forgot to ask about the Portia and what had possibly happened to him and in his journey.

“But I also told you already that you've saved my life before so you are my brother.” The kid responded with the same smile.

Dugo Zugath suddenly stopped eating as he finally shifted his gaze at the kid before him. Only then did he recall that he had plenty of questions to ask.

That said, staring intently at the kid, Dugo Zugath opened his mouth and asked, “I am curious. You keep insisting on me that I saved your life, but when did I save you? I don't even remember you so how could I do that?”