(A/N: Please note that the culture in the story is different and so the way of addressing people, their interactions, lifestyle, etc.)
"Then I must thank you for being such a compromising man! You sure have given me a concrete reason to visit your shop once again!" Jack said with a smile, while Natalia was dumbfounded.
She couldn't understand why the direction of the conversation went zigzag. He even brought Lord Hardy into the conversation for whatever reason. It seemed like he was not satisfied with the reward he got. Then, Elric got ready to sell the sword for the exact price that Jack wanted! What the hell just happened?
After thinking for a while, she shuddered as she understood that Jack had guided and twisted the conversation just to obtain the sword for the desired price.
While Elric decided to make a good connection rather than focusing on profit with the man that should only be befriended.
After that, Jack bought other accessories necessary for survival under Natalia's guidance and they left the shop.
It was already three hours when he had promised his mother to return in one. It will be lunchtime soon. He didn't know if she would be angry.
"Well then, I must go home now and feel the wrath of my mother, haha. See you tomorrow," Jack said.
"Little hero, I can't wait to see you tomorrow," Natalia wrapped her hands around his neck as she licked her lips seductively. She gave him a light peck on his lips and separated.
Jack could only make a wry smile for this vixen. He waved his hand and left with large strides and arrived at his home in no time.
...
He knocked on his door just to be greeted by his mother's beautiful smiling face, "I am home," he said in a low voice.
"Jack, you have returned! Look Willy's grandparents have come to meet you," Rita smiled and dragged him inside.
As Jack entered inside, he saw two old people approaching him. He understood that these were grandparents of his friend William who had gone missing along with him. Now he will have to answer them.
The grandma approached him and caressed his face with both of her hands as a gentle smile adorned her wrinkled face. With slightly moist eyes, she asked, "little Jack, it's great that you have returned… Is everything alright? You aren't hurt somewhere, are you?" The first thing she asked was his well-being.
"Of course grandma, I am alright," Jack answered with a smile.
"Haha, what are you saying, Martha? Little Jack is not little anymore. They said he even slew a wyvern yesterday. He has grown into a fine young man!" the old grandpa said as he patted Jack's shoulder while suppressing his sadness.
"Little Jack, have you seen our William...?" Grandma could no longer help asking with a quivering voice, a lot of expectations blurring her sight.
Jack's heart hurt. He doesn't know anything, how should he answer her expectant gaze? So he lowered his head.
"Grandma… I don't remember anything… all I saw were monsters…"
"Sob… sob…" Martha sobbed covering her mouth as her husband hugged her. "D-dear, sob… first our children, and now our only grandchild left us too… He wasn't even fortunate enough to live a little of his life… sob… and we are still living shamelessly… with nothing but suffering and loneliness... sob…"
"Sigh… that's… what must be written in our fate… There is nothing we can do," grandpa consoled and grandma silently cried for a few minutes.
Jack and Rita exchanged glances while sadness covered their eyes. It was contagious.
"Aunt Martha, who said you are lonely? Your other grandson has returned safe and sound, and your other children are still standing right beside you," Rita said gently.
"Haha, that's right! See, our little Jack is still helplessly standing there. At this rate he will also stop calling you grandma!" said grandpa and Jack smiled.
"N-no, he won't do such a cruel thing, right little Jack?" grandma said hurriedly and Jack replied, "Of course, why would I do that?"
A small smile appeared on her teary face. It has already been 8 months, so the grandma was able to recover from her sudden sadness. While grandpa, as a man, had no right to show any weakness in front of anyone.
They then sat on the wooden sofas as they chatted about Jack's journey.
…
*Knock* *knock*
While they were chatting, they heard a knocking sound. So Rita went to open the door. A mature woman and a middle-aged man were standing outside.
"Oh, welcome Sue, Mr. Richard, we were expecting you," Rita greeted them with a smile.
'Of course, you would, since your son has returned,' Sue was a little angry. "Where is your son? I heard he had returned?" Sue asked.
"Yes, he is here. Please come inside," she said with a big smile.
Jack saw a couple entering inside. One was a good-looking mature woman appearing in her mid-thirties while the other was a middle-aged man with a protruded belly.
Sue approached Jack and angrily asked, "Jack, where is my son?" as her gaze penetrated his soul.
Jack stared at her face, speechlessly. The first thing that she asked was what he didn't know. He helplessly looked towards his mother who gave him an apologetic look.
"I am asking, where is my John? Are you deaf?" seeing him avoiding her gaze, she again increased her pitch.
"I-I am sorry, aunt… I don't know. I have lost my memories…" Jack answered, lowering his head.
Sue furrowed her eyebrows, "You think your lie would work on me? If that was true, how come you are home, safe and sound?" she asked, tossing any reasoning.
She grabbed his collar, "You were the one who brought him to a mission, right? You were their leader, right? How are you going to take responsibility?" Her voice cracked as her tears started leaking.
Jack could only lower his head and stay silent. He wasn't Jack and it wasn't his responsibility, but that doesn't mean he can run away from it. Since he has accepted Jack's body, his strength, and his family, he will also have to accept what comes with it as a price.
Seeing the situation getting out of hand, Richard approached his wife and separated her from Jack. "Calm down, Sue. He doesn't know anything. He came out from that cruel forest somehow. It's already a miracle that he is even alive. It's just that our son wasn't that fortunate…" Richard consoled as he hugged her.
Sue was already bawling, "Why? Hic… why did he return...? Why didn't my son return?" She cried loudly.
She couldn't understand the unfairness of the world. She was jealous of Rita who could smile happily because her son had returned. She was unhappy because of Jack's return, who had only done a job of opening up her wounds.
"That's enough, Sue…" He sat her on the nearby sofa while Rita brought water for her. He approached Jack, "I'm sorry for my wife's rude behavior," and apologized.
"You don't have to apologize, uncle. Aunt's anger is valid… she is just sad…" Jack sighed.
Richard forced a smile and patted his shoulder, "It's good that you have returned. I see that you have even matured a little." And Jack smiled.
Sue sat there silently, her gaze lowered. Richard helped her and they both left after saying goodbye. The grandparents also left, not before instructing Jack to visit their house often.
…
Jack sighed as it had taken a toll on his mind. It was already late for lunch.
"What about father?" He asked while eating.
"You don't have to worry about him, his lunch has already been delivered," Rita answered and Jack nodded.
They then started talking about trivial things. While talking, Jack noticed that her gaze had changed. Her gaze wandered on his chest, his neck, and his lips.
Rita had noticed a large dried stain on his underwear earlier when she was washing the clothes. She got drawn to its intoxicating smell and couldn't help taking a sniff.
She didn't know that a strong manly aroma would enter her nose, tingling her long hibernated lower part, making her heartbeat rapid. Her body would then heat up and her free hand would involuntarily move into her panties. She would pleasure herself while sniffing his underwear until she cums several times, releasing her pent-up desires.
…
Rita noticed her own unusual behavior. Her body was heating up in the presence of her son. Her husband had become impotent a long time ago and couldn't recover despite consulting several physicians. So she hadn't had sex for several years.
And earlier, she had released her suppressed desires when she wasn't in her senses when that happened. When she recovered, she couldn't help but feel guilty for being such a shameless woman.
She knew that the stain was her son's cum and she knew that it was a result of a wet dream. She had complicated thoughts regarding it but that soon got overshadowed by her guilt. She could only try to forget what had happened and distract herself by her son's happy smile and his hoarse yet pleasant voice.