Chapter 4

"Brother. You must have some valid reason as to why you have a human child in your arms."

"Step-sister, you must have some valid reason for sticking your nose into my business."

"Stop doing that."

"Shut up."

After I said that, the human fetus started grumbling.

"It's hungry." The woman said as she pointed at the thing in my arms. "It hasn't even been long since it last had that thing humans call... Ah right, milk mixture." I said as I frowned.

"Unlike you, brother, I have settled down with a husband and have a 5 years-old and 1 year-old kid I take care of every day. I know what a hungry child sounds like." What? This crazy woman got herself a spouse? Is her husband blind or something?

"You got married to a human?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't like their species." I added as I sat down on the grass.

"You are being incredibly rude right now, dear brother. And about hating their species, isn't that the same for you?" She sighed as she sat across me, carefully sitting on the grass.

"And yes, I married a human. In fact, he's the sweetest thing that could ever exi-"

"I don't remember asking for details on your spouse." I cut her off, holding up a hand. A few moments passed by in silence.

"So exactly why are you here?" I asked, adjusting my seating position as I tried to get comfortable with sitting on the ground.

"Well, I wouldn't be here if I didn't hear that loud explosion accompanied by someone's magic I was too familiar with. I figured you'd still be here, since you always enjoy looking at what you used to keep calling 'art'" She exclaimed subtly as she stared at me like I was some troublemaker.

"Sister, you're making it sound like I'm some kid who can't manage on my own. Well guess what, I can." I said, attempting to end the conversation.

Only for my stomach to send out the signal that I was hungry. It grumbled, the sound suggesting I haven't eaten anything in days. Which was kind of true... I actually forgot when I had last ate food.

"Come on little brother, a little food won't hurt." The woman gestured as she stood up, dusting off the dirt on her skirt.

"And you're not the only one hungry. The child you're taking care of needs feeding to. And you don't look like you have the resources to feed it." She added right away, probably noticing that I was going to turn down her offer.

"I don't want to know what human food tastes like. If their babies drink that weird white substance, I don't think I'm ready to know what adult humans eat." I said swiftly.

"Oh you'd be surprised. Human food tastes a hundred times better than chewing on raw tentallion meat." She chuckled. Gesturing for me to hand her the fetus.

"I'll take care of the little one. So let's go to my home. Maybe you could even stay the night." She said as she stared back at me who was staring at her warily.

I sighed and gave her the fetus. "I'm really tired now. I don't think I'll be able to sleep, but please don't try anything like selling me to the black market or slave auction. I've had enough for tonight."

"Little brother, even if I only have father's blood, I still see you as a brother. I haven't even participated in the attack on the Fire Blossom clan. So you can relax and settle for calling me a coward, okay? You should try trusting me a bit more." She sighed as she pulled me up with her other hand that wasn't holding the fetus.

"Now come on, it's about time we mended our relationship, about time I stop being a coward and treat you better, and about time you try seeing me as a sister for once." She said as she smiled, her figure basking in the elegance of the moonlight.

Seriously though, this night wouldn't be what someone would call a normal night... It was almost like I was playing into fate's crazy plans.

I let out a tiny smile. Maybe this type of chaotic night wasn't too bad.

~~~~

When we arrived in the neighboring town, I was greeted with the sight of a street so silent yet so peaceful. Everyone was in their respective spaces, eating dinner with their family.

It was almost nostalgic.

I shivered as the unfamiliar feeling went down my spine. "It feels as peaceful as back then, right brother?" The woman said quietly as she stared at me, studying my face as she looked out for the reaction I was going to give.

I just sighed and looked at the ground. "It's nostalgic to the point I feel suffocated." I mumbled.

It was followed by the woman's silent chuckle. "Don't worry, my home isn't too peaceful. It's quite wild actually."

And with that being said, the door of one of the houses opened wildly, a child running towards us.

"MOMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! WHERE WERE YOU?!" The child had shouted, making me wish I never deactivated my noise cancellation barrier.

"Mari. Why is your child being louder than the human fetus I picked up." I gritted as I covered my ears as the child started ranting on how the woman suddenly walked out.

"Shhhhhh quiet now my little dewdrop. I just decided to invite your uncle to spend the night with us. Come on now, greet your uncle Mono." She said as she ushered the child towards me. Oh man is what I think is gonna happen, actually gonna happen-

"GREETINGS UNCLE MONO!" Yep. What an overly enthusiastic child.

I forced a smile and tried to sound as peaceful as I could. "What a cute child we have here! How is this adorable creature my niece! Man I should have visited sooner!" I gritted through my teeth as the child's eyes sparkled even more with every word I said. The sly giggle from the child's mother could be heard in the background.

"Enough with the pleasantries Aria, is daddy currently cooking dinner?" Maria asked the child whose name seemed to be Aria(what unoriginal naming to be honest) while patting the child's head.

"Yes yes and he's cooking everything in this BIIIIIGGGGGGGGG pot!" Aria said in such an excited manner as she flailed her arms around, probably trying to show how big the pot was.

What's bothers me the most is that the child is the spitting image of my step-sister, just, way more enthusiastic. How is this even genetically possible-

Was it something about alleles...? I wasn't paying attention to my lecturer when that was discussed...

But like. This child is literally- She looks too much like Maria?!

"Oi Mono. Stop gawking at my child and get in here." The woman called out as she gestured at me to get in the house.

As I walked in, the first thing that greeted my nostrils was the magnificent scent of cooked oxiry meat.

The second thing I saw was a brunette fetus that hardly looked anything like Maria. Wow, what a trope. This kid's features must take after the father then.

And the third thing I saw was the thing that sent chills down my spine for the second time that night. It was a man who's physique was as huge as a tentallion.

He was wearing a pink apron that was in no way a match for his bold features. The... do humans call it a spatula? It looked so small in his hands...

"Would this be my adorable brother-in-law?!" The man bellowed as he dropped the spoon in his hands and dashed towards me, scooping me up too easily and suffocating me. I can't breathe-

This... This thing is the human Maria married? Is he even human?! Just as I felt like passing out, the faint sound of a fetus wailing could be heard. Which one was crying this time...

... I might regret saying that this chaotic night wasn't so bad. This... This is too chaotic for my taste...