cough cough cough ourph. gulp

I watched as this man, dressed like an assassin from a fantasy world, struggle to dress his wounds. Though it was pretty obvious it wasn’t working judging from the pool of blood slowly creeping out from underneath him.

After a while I had gotten bored since he clearly was going to die and started walking away.

“Do you want to bet that before you could take another step I could throw this dagger straight through your skull?” said a gruff voice behind me.

I guess this is the part where I should be scared or something. But without looking back, I answered “Go ahead” and continued to walk away with a steady heartbeat.

I didn’t know what to expect but I had thought I would’ve gotten to see something more interesting than a dying man trying to act tough. Deciding I’ve enough, I went back home to my cozy bed and fell asleep.

I continued my night roaming activities for about a month after that incident, hoping to find more interesting events to appear. Sadly, I always came home disappointed. Finally, I decided to just stay in one night. Too tired to wander. Seriously, who in the family decided on an Easter egg hunt? I was beyond exhausted.

Just as I was drifting off to nothingness, I felt a shadow loom over me. Annoyed, I slowly turn over to see that almost dying man standing there. Though he didn’t look like he’d be dying anytime soon.

“Well well well look who we have here,” he said in a quiet but playful voice.

I rolled my eyes. “Great, a grown man with chuunibyou.” Continuing to ignore him, I turned over trying to get back into that comfortable position I was in earlier. However, before I could find that sweet spot, my 4 layers of blankets were peeled like an onion by that man.

“God dammit!” he hissed, “How many blankets does this kid need? If you’re so cold, why did you wear so little wondering out at night?!”

“Ahhh. Help. A pedo.” I said in a bored monotone voice while waving my hands unenthusiastically.

The man glared at me. “How would you know what a pedo is anyways?”

“So you are a pedo. Gross…” I gave him a disgusted once over.

“First of all young lady, personal preference is personal preference. We don’t just as long as it’s consensual. Don’t give me that mumbo jumbo about how kids can’t consent cause they don’t know any better. They have danger radars as much as anyone. Also I AM NOT A PEDOPHILE!” He shouted after a long rant.

“If you knew my room was sound proof why bother with whispering in the first place?”

“It was just funnier that way. But…” He gave me a questioning look. “Aren’t you gonna ask how I got in? How I knew the room was sound proof?”

“You gotta be an idiot if you think Clains is a utopia. So? Aren’t you gonna get on with it? Do I really need to ask?”

“You… truly are no fun. Well tell ya what. I see that you’ll be the perfect successor for me. So why don’t I help you solve your problem and you call me master~” he said as if he was doing me a huge favor. I rolled my eyes again.

“If you truly think I’ll be your perfect successor then I’m pretty sure you know what you’ve just said was an insult to me.”

“Oh come on. I help your family get rid of any opposition and you help me run my place. Win – win!”

I pulled all my blankets back over me and snuggled to get into my perfect position. “It’s not a win-win since clearly you’re dumber than I thought you would be.”

“Look little lady I don’t –”

“Look you big dumb oaf, if you don’t get to the point there’s no longer any reason for me to waste my breath on you. Win-win? My opposition is your opposition. We have the same enemy. Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor Neral.”

The man immediately became vigilant. His eyes grew sharp and that playful manner he displayed was no longer there. “You’re… interesting…”

“You know, for a what, 90 year old? You’re pretty in shape. Though I can’t say the same for your brain. It’s clearly degrading.”

“I’m 89.”

“89. 90. You’re still considered a senior citizen aren’t you? You’re just heading closer and closer to your grave and you know it. You’re running out of time but your plans aren’t in place. You’ve also gotten weaker. After all, if you were in your prime, that knife wound would’ve never landed. But now it’s nearly fatal isn’t it?” I smirked.

“You’re playing a dangerous game missy.”

“No. You are. If you wish you redeem your capabilities in my eyes right now, I suggest you get to the point. Otherwise, see yourself out. I need my beauty sleep after all.”

The (old) man took a moment of silence before a defeated sigh escaped from his lips. He walked to the nearest chair and plopped down.

“It is as you say… I can’t believe I’m getting help from a 4 year old…”

I waited for him to continue. But he took so long I started to drift off to sleep. When I finally reached the first dream cloud, it got pulled from right underneath me.

“Tell me what you know about me.”

“Do you wish to anger me?” I said in a furious voice, even though I knew it sounded childish and cute.

“Just tell me…” He said in a resigned voice.

Taking a deep breath to calm my anger, I said “Neral Avengle. Born Neral Arc, heir to the Arc family of Drones City – capital of the underground world. Fell in love with a rival’s family’s daughter. The Arc family waged wars on the Avengles and only the daughter managed to escape. Eloped and took his wife’s last name. Relocated to Dysus City where you made the Avengle name reappear. However, The Erries, a subsidiary family of the Arc kidnapped your grandson and managed to brainwash him. You can’t bear to get rid of him but you also can’t help but plan for what ifs. Though it’s too late. He’s already begun to act. Shall I continue any further? As much as I love seeing the light fade out of your eyes, I would prefer my sleep over dealing with you.”

“You know, my great-grandson is pretty cute. He loves to follow me like a little duckling. As much as it pains me, I just have to prepare him as much as possible for a grim future. My deal is –”

“No.”

“You haven’t even heard it!”

“Whatever you want to say, it would probably require me to expend a lot of energy to do. How would that be beneficiary to me?”

“… You are smart enough to know that the Arcs don’t have enough power to influence Clains right now but they eventually will. You are the type that will only crush those to cross you. But they are not. They will crush all those that they wish to crush. There will be no future for the Isens if the Arcs aren’t dealt with.”

“You know, I never got why we must consider the future. I get that it’s good to have backup plans but we are living in the now. Why do I need to care about my descendants when I have things I need to deal with now. Why should I care about them when I have family I need to protect now?”

“You may think that way but –”

“You’ve spread yourself too thin. You’re pretty lucky to be able to live through 4 generations of your family. But most people? They don’t. If the family dies out, that’s on whoever messed it up. You can’t prevent a playboy being born 3 generations from now. You can’t prevent a hikikomori descendant 7 generations from now. You can try to protect all you have now. You can try to educate all the ones you have now. You did a pretty good job with your son but clearly you’ve failed your grandson. But that’s not totally on you. Your grandson is your son’s responsibility. He is the next head after you. It is his turn to rule the Avengle. If he can’t keep is son safe, how can he keep the Avengle safe? Yes, one person may need help. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with help. But this is what separates a king from his advisors. The king makes the decision in the end. And so… Neral, you may no longer be king but you have one usable authority. What is your wish?”

“NERAL is no longer a haven for the Avengles. So take them. Lead them. I just want them to have a place to go. I want them to have a place to belong to. I know you can do that. That is the favor I wish to get from you. In return, you may use them however you wish. They will follow your commands. If you wish to integrate them with the Isens, you can. I just want to prepare a home for those who have followed me so faithfully all these years.”

“And your family?” He gave me a questioning look.

“I’m assuming the Avengles you’re talking about are the ones who were nameless. The ones who you took in and adopted the Avengle name. But I’m asking you. What about your family. The blood ones.”

“Hahh….. Leave it up to faith. Just… make sure they get a proper burial if anything happens.”