Laziel bit his lip, drawing blood. The silence was deafening.
Alaric keenly noticed something was wrong from his son’s expression. His breathing became heavy the moment he thought of the worst possible scenario.
"Tell me about it." He rubbed his temples, demanding his son’s answer.
Laziel let go of the breath he was holding. He had just narrated shortly about how he and his sisters had gone to the Capital to find their parents, but he hadn’t prepared himself on how to explain Grandma’s death to his dad.
He stared at Alaric, a figure who rarely had time for him...
His dad seemed to be different from the moment he laid his eyes on him, more dignified and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Perhaps the apocalypse had changed him. It was the most reasonable explanation. Otherwise, how could he ask him how he was doing the moment his son entered the room?
Previously, even if he asked such questions, it was all about Zerra.
Complex emotions and chaotic thoughts entered Laziel’s mind in an instant. He looked like he was in a daze, oblivious to Alaric’s expression, which was increasingly grim.
"How did she die?" Alaric repeated, trying to snap his son back to his senses.
"Dad..." Laziel saw his dad didn’t seem to blame him. Unlike his usual impatience, his face was only filled with seriousness at this moment. He became braver, recalling what Nyra had told him. "Grandma got bitten by a mutated zombie centipede."
He swallowed his next words, which were about to mention Zerra’s name. Actually, when Nyra told him that it was Zerra who witnessed the centipede biting Grandma, she had a look of skepticism on her face.
At this moment, Nyra came into the room, passing by Zerra’s figure. She stood beside Laziel, pointing at Zerra, who was standing half a meter from the door. "You can ask her about it."
Zerra stepped into the room, where all eyes were currently on her. She didn’t falter under everyone’s gaze. "Yes, Dad... I was there when the centipede bit Grandma. She tried to save my eldest sister and me, but she didn’t make it."
She was sorrowful about it, but not guilty. There was nothing she could have done with her previous power, where she was physically weak and at the mercy of the plot.
Well, now the plot was developing in a strange direction, and she didn’t know why...
It made her relieved and anxious at the same time. Relieved because her parents might not need to suffer again, but also anxious of the unknown. She was scared. What if things got better only for them to turn worse in the future?
Alaric struggled to take his breath. His chest was stuffy, as if someone had put cotton inside. Before he could collapse, Laziel snatched a chair and put it behind his dad.
He sat down and closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breathing. Anyway, he actually had thought of the worst many times, like losing all his children and mother. Get full chapters from n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
No news was sometimes good news, because it could keep someone hopeful. Now, one of his hopes had crashed.
"Sorry, Dad," Zerra muttered.
"It’s not your fault," Alaric sighed. Perhaps it was the best outcome he could ask for. At least all his children survived. "You all go rest."
Nyra was the first to leave the hallway, scoffing. Laziel threw a complex look before turning away too, taking a bedroom beside Nyra.
The house was small, but it had quite a number of bedrooms. Zerra considered buying this house from Cassias with her supplies. She would find a chance to talk to him about it later.
"Cassias, it might be too late to return now. You should stay here." Alaric told Cassias, just noticing this young man standing beside his youngest daughter.
"Thank you, Mr. Sylvaris." Cassias nodded.
Zerra watched as her dad went inside his wife’s room and closed it. He would need some time to process his emotions.
She turned to the kitchen, followed by Cassias. So many things had happened today, and she was famished. She didn’t want to make a complicated dish, so she just wanted to heat up the canned food. Maybe also make a porridge for her parents.
"Do you want to eat something?" Cassias stopped her hand from opening the canned food.
She looked at him quizzically.
"Just sit there." He pointed to the chair beside the table.
"What are you doing? You are going to cook?" She had a shocked look on her face.
Cassias raised his eyebrows. "Of course. Do you have the gas cylinder?"
There was a gas stove in the kitchen, but they had run out of gas in the gas holder. With doubt in her eyes, Zerra took out the gas cylinder from her space. She witnessed Cassias skilfully connecting the gas stove to the gas cylinder.
She didn’t sit in her chair as Cassias requested, but ended up helping him to cut the vegetables instead.
When Laziel came out because of the smell of food, she also dragged him to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Laziel’s mouth twitched, but the heaviness in his chest eased up inexplicably. Even though that still didn’t stop him from feeling annoyed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zerra crossed her arms on her chest. "It’s your turn to do your part!"
He had water and could materialize it out of thin air. None was more perfect for this job besides him.
"I-I and Cassias, had cooked the dishes." She stuttered a bit at the beginning of her sentence, a little guilty. Because mostly it was Cassias doing the job. The male lead was unexpectedly an excellent cook.
No wonder Nyra always fell for him!
An excellent cook and limitless supplies were a blessing in the apocalypse.
The four of them had dinner without Mr. and Mrs. Sylvaris. They were sleeping when Zerra came to knock on their room, so she decided to save some food for them first. Besides, Cassias’ cooking was really good.
Nyra ate her part the fastest. She went back to her room even before others finished dinner. After Laziel went back to his room too. Well, not before he washed the dishes again after they ate.
Satisfied with his work, Zerra let him go.
"You should wash dishes tomorrow." He grumbled before running away, afraid that Zerra might have more wicked ideas to slave him.
She clicked her tongue when she saw Laziel disappearing in a flash.
There were only her and Cassias in the kitchen now. She cleared her throat. "Cassias?"
"Can I buy this house with supplies?" She asked him with sparkling eyes, even considering bribing him with her fox form, but she restrained herself.
"You already paid for it." He smiled mysteriously.
"Huh?" She blinked, puzzled. Subconsciously, she repeated his words, "I already paid for it...? When did I do that?"
Has her memory failed her? She scratched the back of her head.
"Your parents might have woken up. Give the food to them." Instead of answering, he shoved the tray of food to her.
Zerra took the tray, still in bewilderment. Before she could dig further, Cassias had already disappeared to his room. He will share a room with Laziel tonight. Because the other room wasn’t cleaned yet.
"Mom, Dad, eat something first. You two must have been hungry." She knocked on their room.
Her dad opened the door and let her in. Her mom had also woken up.
"Have eaten something too, Zee?" She asked in a concerned tone. She seemed so lost. Her husband must have told her about what had happened to Grandma.
Grandma was someone she had spent a long time gaining approval from. And suddenly, she was no longer in this world. Her feelings must have been really complex this time.
Zerra slowly nodded. "We all already had dinner earlier."
After she put the tray on the bedside table, she handed over the porridge to her mom, wanting to help her eat. However, before she could take a spoonful of the porridge, her dad took the bowl from her. Then, Zerra was stuffed with a surprising mouthful of dog food.
Her dad fed her mom in front of her eyes!
"Are you still hungry?" Alaric asked worriedly when he saw Zerra’s face. Then, he remembered something...
"No, maybe I am just tired." Zerra muttered. She knew she shouldn’t be a third wheel here. Her parents’ marriage was still so powerful during the apocalypse, and she was happy about it.
"I will go back to my room, Mom, Dad." She excused herself. Her head had started to spin.
Alaric swallowed his words. He could talk to his daughter tomorrow anyway. Seeing her little tired face, he also felt pity for her. "Go to sleep."
Zerra nodded and stood up. Today had been really tiring, and she wanted to take a rest or replenish her energy with crystal cores.
On the way out, she yawned and closed her eyes, not noticing that she had turned into a fox.
Her parents widened their eyes in shock when they witnessed her transformation. The piece of broccoli in Alaric had put in his mouth fell to the floor.