Chapter 4: Free will system

The people in front of Raphael, who were meant to be Elias' family somehow looked exactly like Raphael's dead family.

Elias' father Godfrey Ashdown who sat at the end of the table watched Raphael's sudden outburst of tears. His face bore the weathered lines of a man who had seen too much, likely from working the farm and tending to the household needs. Dark, unruly hair framed a rugged, chiseled visage.

His eyes, intense and brooding, hinted at a depth of emotion concealed beneath a hardened exterior. A scruffy beard covered his jaw. His expression, was both fierce and weary as he watched Raphael.

The collar of his dark coat was turned up, casting a shadow that accentuated the sharp angles of his face. He looked like a man who had traveled long and hard, nothing like Raphael's original father who was a sophisticated well-groomed man who had probably never held a shovel in his life.

Elias' mother left her stew, walked over to Raphael, knelt beside him, and held him in a tight embrace, her hands though calloused from labor were gentle and kind, capable of soothing any hurt with a touch

"Are you okay son?" She asked, her voice evident with concern and care

Raphael wiped the tears off his face with the sleeves of his shirt and took her appearance in. The first thing he noticed was her black hair, lustrous and cascading down her back, framed a face that defied the passage of time.

Her skin, smooth and radiant, bore only the faintest lines at the corners of her eyes, suggesting more laughter than years. Her eyes, a deep, expressive brown, held a warmth and wisdom that spoke of countless stories.

Despite her age, there was a vibrancy to her step and a youthful energy in her smile. She wore her years with grace, her figure still slender and strong, exuding an elegance that seemed effortless.

"Maybe it's that flu that has been going around recently" Elias' sister Nina chipped in, looking at Raphael with curious eyes and a head cocked to the side as if she was inspecting a sick rooster.

Nina was a typical young girl who was nothing above the age of twelve, her black hair similar to her mother's, long and flowing, was tied back with a simple ribbon, allowing her bright, curious eyes to shine unobstructed.

Her youthful face radiated innocence and wonder, with a hint of mischief in her smile.

Dressed in a plain woolen gown, the fabric was dyed a modest shade of blue, indicating her family's decent but humble status. The gown was cinched at the waist with a leather belt, emphasizing her slender figure.

Her sleeves, slightly loose, allowed for freedom of movement as she went about her daily chores and adventures. Over her shoulders, she wore a simple linen shift, protecting her from the morning chill and adding a layer of modesty.

Her hands, though small, were deft and capable, accustomed to both household tasks and playful pursuits.

'There's no doubt about it, these people…they walk, talk, sound, and look exactly like mom, dad and Penelope. But there's no way they are the same people, it's impossible

Is this some sort of joke played by that so-called Goddess of Fate?' Raphael's musing was interrupted by Elias' mother's hand placed abruptly on his forehead.

"His temperature seems to be normal and he doesn't seem to show any signs of the flu, so it must be something else," Eleanor said

Raphael removed her hand from his forehead and shot Eleanor a forced smile, "I'm fine" he said as he helped himself up to his feet before helping Eleanor up too.

He greeted Godfrey and took his seat at the table, which was beside Godfrey and directly opposite Eleanor. Nina sat on his other side, kicking her feet excitedly, as she waited for Eleanor to finish praying for the blessings of Lira, the Goddess of Light before they ate.

They mostly ate their breakfast in silence, even if they tried their best not to show it, Raphael's earlier tear fest got them concerned.

Nina tried her best to break the silence, "What do you call a cow with no legs?" She asked, waiting for someone to reply to her

Raphael recognized what was about to happen, just like the Arcane Days game, Nina was about to crack one of her famous cow jokes. Like a fanboy seeing his idol up close, Raphael lit up.

"What do you call a cow with no legs?" He asked Nina

"Ground beef!" She replied, bursting into laughter

Raphael laughed with her, and she immediately stopped laughing and turned to look at Raphael. It wasn't only her, Eleanor, and even Godfrey who had been silently observing and eating his food turned to look at Raphael as if he had just committed a grave sin.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Nina asked, " Because you never laugh at my jokes and suddenly I'm the funniest person in the room"

Raphael realized now why they were so shocked at his reaction. He was now in the body of Elias and in Arcane Days, Elias never laughed at Nina's jokes no matter the situation, instead he just waved them off and called it a nuisance.

Raphael flashed her a bright smile, "I assure you, I am very much okay sister" Elias said, raising a spoonful of soup to his mouth, to his surprise it was quite good

Nina looked at her parents then back at Raphael, " Okay…why do cows have hooves and not feet?" She asked

"Why?"

"Because they lactose" she answered and Raphael burst into laughter, Eleanor giggled a little and a smile appeared on even Godfrey's stern face.

Their entire table was filled with Joy and positive energy, and they soon went on from jokes to work on the field and finally, Elias' birthday which was the next day.

Raphael looked around and saw a complete family being a family, a warmth filled his heart and he wondered how he was able to survive all those years without his precious people.

After eating, Raphael went around the farm to do his daily tasks of tending to the farm. It was not an easy task but he wasn't complaining, what he did was far more peaceful and fun than anything he had ever done, what could be more fun than actually living in Arcane Days.

Raphael propped himself against a tree that stood lonely amongst the vast plains of Greenfield.

Maybe it was the toll of the day's work or numerous thoughts that ran through his mind, but Raphael did not know when he dozed off.

When his eyes would open, he found himself back in a familiar scenery.

"Welcome back my child" Moera's voice caused Raphael to jerk up to his feet.

He was back in the Garden with Moera like he never left, she was still sipping on her tea and munching on her biscuits.

"You, just what did you do?! My parents, Arcane Days, they were all there. Everything I love is there. What did you do?" Raphael demanded as he rushed over to Moera's seat. He reached out to grab a hold of her shoulder.

Moera gracefully lowered her cup, "Take a seat" she said softly

Raphael immediately found himself sitting opposite Moera, holding a cup of tea in one hand and reaching for a biscuit with the other.

Emory was puzzled by what had just happened, "What the hell? How?" He asked

"Well I am the Goddess of Fate, this much is as easy as breathing for me" she replied

"But that's not why we are here Raphael, or would you like to be called Elias? Don't answer that yet.

So how did you like the free trial? Was it nice? Their times may not be as advanced as yours but, you do have your family back. So it's still a win"

Raphael remained silent, just staring into the cup of swirling tea.

"So would you like to stay in that world and become Elias Ashdown, or accept your fate and I'll return your soul to the king of Hell? What is it going to be?" Moera asked

"Isn't choosing any of the options the same as accepting my fate?" Raphael scoffed

"Ohh, someone is a sharp thinker I see. I wonder how you ended up making stupid decisions in your previous life" Moera chuckled

"But don't worry my child, there's an interesting twist to the second option. Don't ask me what it is, because I won't tell. You have to find out yourself" she continued

Raphael's brow furrowed and his gaze became intense, "This isn't much of a choice, as I said earlier, everything I love is in that world. If I have to become someone else to have them close to me once more, then I will. No question, I don't care about your twists. Just send me back" Raphael declared with more resolve than he had ever summoned in his entire lifetime.

Moera giggled childishly, "Good, Good choice," she remarked

She extended her arm toward Raphael, "Since you have made your choice, I will send you back to that world, with my special twist included.

Now go forth and live your life as you please, away from my embrace. I just hope this time you're able to protect everything you hold dear" she spoke in a calm tone, almost a whisper

Raphael slowly opened his eyes, it was still the same moment he slept off that he woke up to meet, time had not passed.

He sat up and looked at his palm, then balled it up into a fist.

"This time, I will make sure not to lose it all. I will protect everything. From now on Raphael Sorus is dead and gone with my previous life.

I am now Elias Ashdown, only son of Godfrey and Eleanor Ashdown" He declared to himself

Suddenly a strange platform appeared in front of him, it was a flat, translucent square platform that floated before his eyes, and it displayed a message:

[Congratulations! You have acquired the Free will system, you who was chosen by fate will now be steered away from it. Goodluck!!]