Kazien stood in the middle of the room, while his father, mother, and siblings stared at him unblinkingly. The stares were sharp, probing, as if they wanted to peel open his skull to find the truth.
Kazien sighed heavily, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, looking at each of his family members' faces one by one. "Is there something wrong with my appearance?"
The silence broke instantly.
"You still don't realize why we are looking at you like this, Kazien?!" exclaimed Duchess Larina. Her voice wasn't loud but carried enough pressure.
Kazien frowned, his brain spinning fast to figure out the reason. "Is it because I brought Aunt Elisa here without telling you first?"
"You foolish child!" cut in Duchess Larina quickly, her voice rising an octave. "I never had a problem with Elisa! We are actually happy she's back! But what I have a problem is about him, your cousin standing over there!"
Kazien's heart beat a little faster.
"Why do you want to marry him?!" his mother continued, demanding an answer. "He is your cousin, Kazien! Your own biological cousin! What is going through your mind?"
Kazien fell silent, his eyes widening slightly. He really didn't expect that his entire family already knew about his relationship with Allen.
No wonder they've been looking at me with those strange stares since earlier.
The atmosphere grew tenser. Duke Elgard also looked at his son with a gaze of disappointment, as if demanding a logical explanation for a decision deemed to violate common norms.
However, before Kazien had a chance to open his mouth to defend himself, someone had spoken up. And that person was Alvin.
"Father, Mother..." Alvin's voice sounded calm but firm, breaking the tension. "Please don't blame Kazien. In the beginning, Kazien strongly refused the idea."
All eyes turned to Alvin. The golden-yellow-haired high elf took a breath to steel his nerves.
"However, I was the one who kept urging him to accept Allen immediately. I was the one who forced him. If you want to be angry, go ahead and be angry at me! Not Kazien." Alvin confessed honestly.
Duchess Larina gasped, her anger suddenly subsiding, replaced by confusion. "B-But... why did you force him like that, Alvin? You... you are his fiancé. Why would you let him marry someone else, let alone his own cousin?"
Alvin smiled faintly, a smile that implied his anxiety.
"I'm not sure I can give him full comfort in the future, Mother." Alvin answered softly. "You know my condition. Someday in the future, I will carry his child and transform into a woman completely. During those times, I might have difficulty serving him or accompanying him."
Alvin turned to Allen, who was standing shyly near Elisa.
"If Kazien doesn't want to look at my face when I am in the condition of becoming a woman, at least he can smile happily looking at Allen's cute face. Allen can give him the happiness that I might not be able to provide when I am in female form."
The room went silent instantly. Alvin's explanation was so sincere and full of sacrifice that it left everyone tongue-tied to argue. Duchess Larina held her forehead, feeling dizzy yet amazed by the magnitude of Alvin's love for her son.
On the other hand, Duke Elgard felt his chest tighten with guilt. He looked at his son with regret. He realized he had been prejudiced.
I should have understood my own son's character. Kazien is very stubborn when it comes to Alvin, but he would surely melt if Alvin asked or even begged him. He loves Alvin very much. If he agreed to marry Allen, it must be because Alvin asked him to.
Elgard sighed deeply, releasing the remnants of his anger. But I got carried away by emotion and accused my son of nonsense.
"Kazien..." called Elgard softly. "Forgive us for having prejudiced thoughts about you. Your mother and I should have understood your feelings for Alvin very well."
Kazien nodded slowly, his face calm again. "I understand your concerns. At least, Father and Mother now know that I will never betray Alvin, unless it is his own request."
Duchess Larina lowered her hand from her forehead, looking at her son intently. "So... how do you feel about Allen now? You couldn't possibly marry him just out of pity or Alvin's coercion, right?"
Kazien turned to Allen. Allen looked down, his cheeks blushing red. Kazien smiled warmly.
"Honestly, right now I already love him very much, Mom. Although I refused him at first because of our status, over time, I became happy because he was willing to be by my side without hesitation. Not even for a bit did I think of betraying him, let alone abandoning him." Kazien confessed without hesitation.
Kazien chuckled softly. "Moreover, his face is really cute! Who can resist a face that cute?"
The tense atmosphere finally melted. Some of his siblings laughed quietly hearing that honest confession.
"And one more thing," added Kazien, glancing at Arken who stood silently. "I hope Arken doesn't fall in love with me. And is happy just being my brother. If he ends up having feelings like Allen, Alvin and I will definitely be in a dilemma again."
Arken remained silent, but in his heart, he didn't know his true feelings for his brother. However, Arken's expression could be guessed by Alvin and Allen.
"I can indeed be firm, even cruel to other people or my enemies. But I am very weak towards my own family. Losing the smile from my family's faces even for a moment... that immediately makes me feel frustrated," Kazien confessed honestly, saying everything on his mind as if wanting to release all his burdens.
That honesty seeped into the hearts of every Altavis family member. Ritalia, his twelve-year-old sister, looked at her brother with sparkling eyes. She understood those words very well.
Now I understand everything he did to me back then. No wonder when my brother wanted to leave for the capital, he asked me to accompany his departure with a smile, not tears. He just wanted to see me happy.
Ritalia smiled sweetly, a sincere smile aimed specifically at the brother she was proud of.
Seeing that smile, Kazien's defenses crumbled.
Zap! Zap!
Using Blink magic, Kazien moved locations in the blink of an eye. From the center of the room, he was suddenly sitting on the sofa with Ritalia on his lap, hugging his little sister tightly.
"Brother!" squealed Ritalia, surprised but happy.
"Why are you smiling sweetly like that? Did you miss me?" teased Kazien while pinching his sister's cheek playfully.
"Of course I missed you!" answered Ritalia spoiledly, leaning her head on her brother's broad chest. "I sent letters many times! Did my letters not arrive there? Why didn't you reply?"
Kazien's face turned slightly serious. "Sorry, Ritalia. I haven't had time to go to the guild to check for letters. There were so many problems we had to face in the capital."
"Problems?"
The voice of William, his eldest brother, interrupted their conversation. He stared with a curious face. "What problems, Kazien? Is someone bothering you?"
Kazien sighed, his gaze sharpening. "The Delfilian family. They planned an assassination on us, but failed."
"What?!" exclaimed William and the others in shock.
"And all those assassins outside... they are the people who were initially hired to kill us. But now they are mine."
The answer that came out of Kazien's mouth made the Altavis family's blood boil. They were incredibly furious at the Delfilian family for daring to disturb their family member.
Ritalia held her brother's arm anxiously, her eyes scanning Kazien's body looking for injuries.
"Brother, are you okay, right? You're not hurt, are you?"
Kazien smiled reassuringly, stroking Ritalia's hair. "You can see for yourself, right? I am fine! It is they who are destroyed."
Kazien then remembered something. He turned to Arken, who had been standing silently near Elisa, looking a bit awkward in the middle of this nuclear family reunion.
"Oh right, his name is Arken, our new family member."
Kazien waved his hand, asking Arken to come closer. Hesitantly, the boy stepped forward. Ritalia looked at Arken's handsome face now standing next to Kazien.
"Hello, Brother Arken, I am Ritalia. Nice to meet you." greeted Ritalia friendly, extending her hand.
Arken accepted the handshake nervously. "Hello, Ritalia. Nice to meet you too. My name is Arken, I just turned thirteen."
Not only Ritalia welcomed Arken. William and his other siblings also approached, welcoming him with smiles and warm greetings.
"Welcome to the Altavis family, Arken!"
"Wow, we have a new family member!" exclaimed Raliana.
The warmth Arken received was so sincere and abundant. He felt something he had never felt before, a sense of unconditional acceptance. He felt cared for by everyone.
Arken looked at Duke Elgard and Duchess Larina with teary eyes.
"I-Is..." his voice trembled. "Is it really okay for me to be part of this family?"
Duke Elgard smiled broadly, a warm fatherly smile. "Of course! Consider us your own family! We accept you with pleasure, Arken! This house is your home too now."
Arken's defenses crumbled. His happiness welled up so greatly that it could no longer be contained. Tears of happiness trickled down his cheeks in front of everyone.
Kazien, who was still sitting, immediately pulled Arken closer, embracing him with his free arm while wiping the boy's tears.
"I told you, didn't I? You would surely be welcomed warmly by everyone here." whispered Kazien softly.
"Sob... Brother Kazien... Uwaaaaa...."
Arken's cries broke out. He hugged Kazien's neck tightly, pouring out all his emotion and happiness. Around them, the Altavis family watched the scene with affectionate gazes, welcoming the new member of their family with open hearts.