Friend.

Joanna Frazier gripped the shackles wrapped arm due to her motherly instincts that wanted to ease the hidden pain of the shackled man, but ambience that exploded out of him at her actions told her of how unworthy she was, but she couldn't let go of the shackled man's forearm that was too big to even be held with both of her hands.

Since another concern remained in her mind, it was concern that she wasn't aware of what it could turn into if left unanswered.

"... Is that really my son?" Anna asked in a trembling tone, she could feel that the white-haired man was her son, Keith. Her motherly instincts screamed at that fact, but the way he was behaving was too much to be accepted with an 'Oh, okay.'

He looked more horrifying than the monsters that nearly killed her off before she was rescued by Caesar and his family, who had appeared out of nowhere with weapons in their hands, they hadn't been able to escape through the previous gates due to them being too far away and it being too crowded, so they too had their own fair share of gory scenes and situations, hence, Keith's actions had been too much to accept even after Ivan's explanation; even if they wouldn't claim to have seen the gory situations in all its glory, they had accepted and adapted to those scenes gradually, over the past month, but,

Whatever it was, the person who claimed to be Keith was too extreme to be her son. Caesar's family had been their friends before Keith and Caesar were even born, and Caesar and Keith were childhood friends, they knew about each other more than what their own parents knew, so Keith's actions against Caesar was just unacceptable!

Caesar was Keith's well-wisher and he had been the same even after his own little sister was born, and Keith's actions against him showed how little Caesar mattered and how little Keith respected him.

As her thoughts wandered, her strangely loud heartbeat forced to gaze at the green-eyed man, who had his gentle gaze on her hands. To her, who was a 5'3 foot tall, the shackled man who seemed to be about 7' foot tall looked like a giant; a dignified noble giant.

But,

Even then,

She didn't want to let go of his shackled arm that had began to burn her palms.

"Madam Frazier, please let go before you get hurt even more." The man's words may sound like a threat to those who didn't know of the situation, but the figures around him understood the concern in his tone, thanks to which she let go of his shackled arm as a subtle sizzle sounded from her palms.

Ivan glanced at the retracted but burnt delicate palms and flashed an small smile that seemed to be conveying an apology yet didn't seem to be conveying anything at the same time.

"I can not pry into the Frazier family's affairs, more than I already have. Now, if you will please excuse me." Ivan uttered and turned before walking away.

But,

He halted right in front of Keith.

"Sir Keith, I need you to meet me after you have dealt with your family's affairs." He ordered.

"Your Majesty!" Keith exclaimed under his breath as he straightened his back while Ivan walked away after a nod of acknowledgement.

★

His Majesty's actions had been noble and benevolent, Keith's still alive mother was the proof of that, else Keith could even see his mother's beheaded body standing still whenever the situation's probable consequences flashed in his mind.

"..... Keith, you rascal! Your behaviour excelled extremes!" Caesar abruptly exclaimed as he walked towards him and wrapped his arm around Keith's neck, lowered his body as he tightened the headlock.

"Caesar?" Riley called out questioningly.

"Uncle, there was nothing wrong as that guy, Ivan explained!! We, no, I had a fight with him over proposing to a woman on whom I had a crush on, but turned out that that woman instead had a crush on our boy Keith here! I had hit him first, so I told him he'll get a chance to strike first next time, maybe it was because of the things happening, he must have been mentally drained!! So, he reacted a bit excessively, and I'm not even hurt that much, so there is nothing to worry about!!" Caesar exclaimed loudly as if trying to make his words resound in their minds. And as if convinced by his words, five pairs of gazes landed on Keith, who was still confused over the situation.

"Play along." Caesar whisper while lowering and slightly tightening his grip around Keith's neck as if snap him out of his trance.

Understanding dawned at those words and Keith simply flashed a small smile at the gazes directed at him before voicing a low "sorry" at Caesar.

"... Is that so..... You better apologize to Caesar, young man!" Joanna scolded Keith and turned to hug her husband, without voicing the roaring question in her mind.

But, Riley didn't stop himself from voicing his doubt.

".... Why is his hair dyed white then?"

"..."

Silence reigned over them, but Caesar came up with a believable explanation in that very instance!

"Hmmm.... I heard that if the pain experienced crosses over a certain threshold, one's hair could turn white in a matter of seconds. And as for his eyes, I believe the "MP" from our previous status screen or whatever is the cause of that." Caesar explained in a best way he could.

And with a loud gasp, Joanna snapped her head to face Keith and instantly rushed towards him, cupped his face while Caesar let go of the headlock and backed away by a few steps.

The mood instantly turned harmonious while Caesar and his little sister, Vania Wolfe, hid their snickers behind their palms, while gazing at Keith go under a serious interrogation and check-up by his mother.

After a few minutes.

Keith eyed Caesar and they excused themselves.

"How did you even come up with that explanation?" Keith asked after taking a few steps away from their parents.

"Anime~" Caesar exclaimed teasingly.

"....."

"..... Was that true or what? Why are you silent?" Caesar asked with a chuckle.

"..."

".... Wait, was I correct?"

"..." Keith merely nodded in agreement without glancing at Caesar.

FHUMP-!

Caesar abruptly hugged Keith and patted his back, the hug was abrupt and weird, but was also strangely comforting.

".... I'm not into guys." Keith muttered with a chuckle after patting Caesar's back as a thank you.

"Oh come on!" Caesar pushed Keith back with a scoff, but both of them soon exploded into a loud laugh.

"Thank you man." Keith muttered with his head lowered. Caesar scoffed in response, but noticing how serious Keith seemed about that apology, he simply nodded and patted Keith's shoulder as he walked back towards their parents as Vania waved her hand, calling for him.

With a deep exhale, Keith gazed around in search of a certain King, which didn't take long, and he rushed towards the three noble figures at a distance.

*

Seconds later.

"Your Majesty." Keith muttered as he bowed at Ivan and stayed like that without raising his head. His actions might seem strange from the outside, but he cared for nothing. No matter what, His Majesty Ivan had saved him from being treated as an outsider in his own family, which Keith was extremely thankful for.

"You may rise." Ivan affirmed while continuing to gaze at Keith with a curious glint in his green eyes.

"Sir Keith, I shall be blunt." Ivan stated and then voiced a question that froze Keith.

"What are so fearful of?"