As everything tries to separate the love dogs, the power of their family stands still. The uncovering of the real criminal must be victorious… even if it means cutting their mate bond.
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(HESSUEL'S POV)
I lost her again... but this time, I let her go.
Hedwelch and Danteleon are leaning on my chest. Unlike Danteleon, Hedwelch's eyes, secured in my right arm, are wide open at me. While I've been staring at the ponytail on my right wrist, even just a little scent of her hair is left in here. I reclined my back and exhaled. I watch my way out from Plandreas through the window, and the farther it takes, the clearer it is to me that I'm on my own now. Acro is with me nevertheless!
It's more worrisome to think that I am a father of these two than exciting! I'm starting from nowhere, at least I have the prior expenses I might need. The one thing that worries me is, who would protect them whenever I leave the house for work—especially since we are werewolves. That's one of the tips I learned from my father but I didn't expect the reality to be more complicated than teaching it!
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My father and I were resting our elbows on the crib whilst watching Hedwelch and Danteleon sleep with the pishnies. He couldn't come with me—which was absolutely unfair because he was the root of our chaos, I requested another concealing coat. I'll look more human with my dark skin and black hair again.
"They look like me~," father said, leaning his chin on his palm.
"You didn't make them," I intervened in his narcism.
"Of course, not. They have my genes, too."
"It's my genes."
"You have my genes."
"I have yours and they have mine."
"It's the same thing!"
"No! The heredity is not!"
And then I laughed at the futile fight after him. "It's always the best thing in having kids! you wanted to know who they look like! It's a wonderful blessing that they came from you, flesh and bone."
"But how..." I glide my fingers to my little ones. "I know they're adorable but the obligation to them is not. How can I be a father to them?"
This time, he speaks to me seriously, "Are you worried? That is already a sign you're being a father to them. You'll have to think about ways you can eliminate those worries. To you, or any man who loves their children, being a father sometimes comes naturally. You'll want to protect them, sustain them, or make them see how beautiful life can be. Humans say that this world is miserable enough to produce more life, but that rationality depends on how the parents of a child show the world to them... because the child's parents are their first world.
"Well, seeing your family with plates filled with food on your dining table, a roof above their head, and a mattress beneath their soles will quench your tiredness of work. That's a brief definition of how being a father is. Remember, it's part of the romance you made with your wife. You're a coward if you limit your perspective. Hence," he taps my shoulder, "you can have your own version of fatherhood."
It was the very first advice I got from him as my real father. And that felt even more intimate than any word before. I put a smile on my face. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Son, I entrust you with this world. It's up to you to continue what I've started or not." He pointed at my neck until I figured out I'd been wearing the same necklace he gave me before. "You are the guardian of this place now. You can come here anytime you want. This world won't be enough for werewolves to live, but you can make this a refuge, too. This is the only shelter I can provide for you. You may call this place after my name~"
"'The Haiban' instead of 'The Haven'?"
"Not bad."
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It was my father's gift before he said goodbye. The curt time we had won't be an adequate reference for me to tolerate him! I came back to my senses when Hedwelch laughed. That's when I noticed Tanya making faces to entertain him from behind our seat.
"Your father is too occupied in daydreaming~!"
"And now you're trying to seduce my son?"
"Seduce? Goshness! If a baby is looking at you, it's your chance to make their day and your day too!" She shakes my jaw and her nails almost mark my skin.
"Ms. Tanya, I know you. Whatever you do is seducing. You can't change my mind now."
She sat beside me, crossing her legs and looking at me. "I can't tell if it's a compliment or not, darling. Aren't you tired of carrying two babies at the same time? I can lend you an arm~" She begs and playfully greets Hedwelch.
"No, I'm perfectly fine. Make your own baby."
"Come ooon~!" she complains. I'm nonchalantly staring through the window during her silence. And then she speaks again saying "I really admire your appeal, silver babe."
"That won't work on me—"
"I'm telling the truth!" she chuckles. "I should be sorry I traumatized you the first time we met."
"..." I gave her a chance to see my glance. "What's that? I didn't open the topic about it."
"That necklace reminds me of it." She points at it. "Let's be on good terms, shall we? I'm truly sorry. I won't hit on you again." It's refreshing to see her smiling innocently. I sighed. "Are we good now?" she insisted and I nodded. "Now that's a 'good' bye!" I partially lent her Hedwelch to play a little, but when he felt distant from me, he started crying. Eventually, he stays in my arms.
We arrived in the improved city of Lanbarc and I did my part in my first step here. The Small Vil. is back to how lively it was, but the unwelcoming glance of my neighbors is something. I bought a basket carrier for babies and laid Hedwelch and Danteleon in there, covering them with the fur cloth Dandeline made for them. Then I visited the field Uncle Cormelio owned. The field of veggies is now tangled in the tall grasses. The scarecrow is drowning in it, too.
The situation inside the dome garden is almost the same. Our neighbors must've thought that we abandoned this place. I laid the carrier on the center table, gathered everything I can take with me, and put it one by one in my leathered sling bag; the clothes, the journals, and hygiene tools. Anything can fit in inside this enchanted sling bag made by Dandeline, too.
I spend half an hour silently touching everything here for the last time while reminiscing about all this dome garden witnessed throughout my life. 'Twas a brief moment when it became a memory. "Hm, perhaps all things are temporary in this life," I said to Acro who's been reminiscing with me. I mortgaged the lot in the village chief house and after a few paper requirements, then the property was sold for 15 million—my sentimental attachment is added to the price.
It was startling when I almost got stoned, my reflex avoided it. “Get out of here, werewolf! You monsters! You killed our people!!” A raging neighbor started and then the rest of the victims followed. I only made it out through the help of the chief and a memorable patron.
“It is best for you not to return here,” Curt said after he escorted me outside the Small Vil.
“I’m sorry, and for the death of your child, too—”
“Don’t mention it.” The warm approach is gone. I have no way back to how I used to live here. All I could do was to officially turn my back from it.
I bought white flowers and paid a visit to Uncle Cormelio's grave but outside the gate, I saw Sr. Amos standing in front of his gravestone. Tanya and her Omegas met me outside and begged to play with Hedwelch and Danteleon again. I lent them the carrier with Acro to encounter Sr. Amos alone. He's been silently standing alone here and I dared not to approach first. I offered half of the white flowers I bought to Uncle Cormelio's grave when I noticed a sheet of steel reshaped like a rose.
I stood beside him without saying anything for a couple of minutes. I waited for him to leave first for I wanted to spend time with Uncle Cormelio's grave for the last time but it didn't happen. He finally cut the serenity,
"You're probably thinking about my right to stand in front of a friend I killed."
"No, I'm not. I'm thinking about how he'll reprimand me in heaven once he discovers that I mortgaged his farm."
"..."
"..."
And to think that we're conversing casually after the deadly battle we had, it's suspenseful. We're both supposed to be dead but we're standing in front of a man who is still dead. Very strange in terms of feeling.
He says, "What I think is... I don't deserve forgiveness from my friend. It was all clarified to me when I met your father again. I pushed all of your buttons, then asked for your forgiveness I am not worthy of. I lived the longest life among werewolves and I've seen the cycle of tragedy. What's more disappointing is I became a part of that rotation. I murdered your clan, your mother, and then the man who nurtured you. I ruined more than half of your life. I don't think this word is effective but I'll still want to say... sorry for everything I had done to you. This is my last will."
And I answered him without looking, "I can accept it now. Besides, I am flawed as well." I speak as softly as a recently awakened one. "I disappointed Uncle Cor, too. I shouldn't have raved my own justice. I... I was so immature... until now. We're not invalidating our negative emotions about our tragedies, but our reaction was the fuel to the fire.
"I'm sorry, too. You murdered your own family, you stained your claws with the blood of your loved one, I'm sorry you killed your little ones. I'm sorry on behalf of my father." I could never realize he's been shedding tears until I offered him the rest of the white flowers on my hand.
"It is the first time," he explains, "that I felt that the crime wasn't my fault."
My hand flinched but remained extended.
And he couldn't contain the relief I think he was feeling. He accepted my white flowers, and in exchange, he offered me a hand. The grudge is gone. I don't have enough strength to contend with him. I just want peace for my little ones. By shaking our hands, we concealed our anger.
Forgiveness is not justice. Forgiveness is emancipating from the pain.
We parted our ways for the last time, two Omegas accompanied me to the airship that will take me miles away from Plandreas, and the rest accompanied Sr. Amos to the hands of the justice in Lanbarc metropolis.
"This airship will take you to the south region. You can ride the train to choose which village you'll live in or you can live in the city itself. You're on your own," the Omegas instructed. They left when I stepped inside the airship. I watched the city through the glass window, and this is probably my last glimpse unless I sneak in next time. It's just me, Acro, Hedwelch, and Danteleon.
To a new place, with all the resources I have left, it's exciting!