The Book Of Flowers
Father Son
-- West Side of Miralius, Elf Settlement Flowers ---
"Hoy!! Stop flying around!!"
Verdea was busy chasing those kids. They flew here and there avoiding him. I was even surprised because they seemed to understand the terrain here
"Oberonian. Come play with us" A boy asked me
But I refused his request because I just wanted to sit in the place
I told the boy to fly back with his friends. He did the thing I said then started trailing Verdea with a mischievous smile
"The children are very energetic..." Zaphir moaning
"They're young, so let it go. It's good for them, isn't it?"
"... Is that so...?"
I immediately realized Zaphir's sad face. He looked up, but his eyes looked like there was regret in his heart
"Why?"
"..."
He was silent not answering. He just kept on looking at the children who were flying with those Fae
"... Remembering something?" I asked again
"... Oberonian"
"Why?"
"What was luna like?"
...
...
You just asked now, huh...?
I'm a little angry. But I don't have any right to directly scream in his face right now. After all, it would ruin the mood of all those kids
Do I have to answer yes?
"... Not much has changed from him. After we worked under Verdea, the only change I realized from him was that he didn't want to see you again. He even went so far as to propose not to return to Miralius when the new celebration approached first"
He was always firm but loving. She's the second oldest in our group, right below me. But, she always felt like my older sister, as well as the others. I trust him more than anyone, and vice versa
From childhood, he was taller than me even though I was a man. Then, he's better at fighting than I am. Had I not had more Mana and melee techniques, he would have defeated me easily
He is stronger than me in heart. He dares to ignore his lifelong goal of getting his father's attention after working as Verdea's bodyguard...
...
"In conclusion, only one has changed from him. He never pursued your sight again. Even you realized it during these days isn't it, until you were confused and asked?
Is that answer satisfactory?"
...
I'm waiting for a response from him. But silent. No sound came out, let alone a word
He looks sad and gloomy. His mouth opened a little like a person who had already lost his mind. His body became stiff like a stone
It seemed, what I had just thrown out made him too surprised
This... Makes me think a little of our past...
...
"Oh?"
I turned my head when I heard a surprised voice from the side and found Luna with Luxor standing there
"Lilena, Luxor. How fortuitous. Do you want to visit the kids too?"
"Well, that's how it is..." Luna answered
He then glanced slightly at Zaphir who did not dare to raise his eyes in the slightest
"Then help Verdea take care of them huh? Those kids are pretty recalcitrant" I distract him
"Come Luna. We play for a while with the kids" Luxor interrupts with a baby boy in his arms
He showed the child's face to Luna, and Luna responded by stroking the baby's face slowly using her index finger
"You're the one who left. I'll see with Vainzel"
"Huh!? Hmph! No exclaiming!"
Luxor then handed the baby back to the mother who was standing not far from him
He then asked some Fae to approach him, then immediately flew into the air and instead went to jail Verdea with the children. I can see Verdea's raging face from here...
Substantial. I told you to help her, didn't I...?
"So, where are Eleanor and Albert? They don't seem to be seen watching their residents" Luna opened the conversation and began to sit on my other side
"Eitherway. He's been here before. But when I came, he immediately rushed away"
"Maybe there's some business. After all, with your power in Miralius, he won't be able to mess around, will he?"
"You need to stop being so wary of others"
...
Zaphir did not seem to want to follow the conversation. I occasionally glanced at him from earlier, but he didn't even move the slightest bit of his facial muscles. Luna also seems to be assuming that her father is not here or anything like that
"... Wh why? Just leave him alone"
...!
I was a little surprised Luna found out I was glancing at Zaphir, even trying to take my attention back
"But, he looks moody, doesn't he?"
I really suck at being a mediator. Please help me so that these two children's fathers don't confuse me anymore...
"... I told you to ignore him, didn't I?"
"Luna"
"It's okay Oberon"
?!
Zaphir suddenly got up from his seat. Not long after, he walked away somewhere saying
"Not to worry about me"
...
I hope that if Luna behaves like this, it's not true. But my guess is wrong
Luna must have been acting this way in front of Zaphir as well, and that was what made her so confused by Luna's change
...
"Would have... I went after him. She didn't look all right" I said and started waking up
"... What about Verdea and the kids?"
"You two are here, right? After all, if any of you are disturbed, it is my responsibility to eliminate it, right?
You're my friends"
I left quickly so I could catch up with Zaphir and not lose track of him
Luna just took a sigh full of complaints, and went back to watching the children
......................
"Zaphir! Zaphiro!"
I ran slowly towards him, but he also tried not to be overtaken. He sped up every step of the way, but over time, I got right behind him
"Why? Don't you have a chance to have a casual conversation with him?"
"What opportunity?"
"T-wait. Keep your steps down first!"
But he didn't even let himself down in the slightest
"I said walk slowly!!"
I accidentally pulled it to a stop with my tendrils
I couldn't keep up with the tempo of his movements at all. In fact, I would waste energy if it were like that
"Listen to me now!" I called out to him who had stopped
"I always listen"
"But you don't want this right now, do you?"
"..."
Good, he finally felt less tense. That means he just wants to talk in this place
I slowly removed my tendrils from her body, then reassembled both of my gloves
"You should know, if you or Luna continue to behave like this, the two of you will never get along. One of you has to make a move to change it"
"..."
"... What the fuck is that look of yours?"
His gaze was filled with despair. His face looked slack even though he was trying to hold it in place. His mouth opened slightly, and his eyes looked teary
He is sad. It was the first time I saw him despair like this. My authoritative teacher who always beat me on the spot when training as a child, now looks lethargic and helpless
"... Excuse me. L'm... Looks like I'm looking for water first-"
Before he could make a move, I gave him my bottle
"The first rules of adventurers. Always bring basic necessities for your supplies"
He slowly took the bottle from my hand, then sipped as much water in it as possible
Zaphir immediately felt refreshed. He then handed the bottle back, but it was empty when I checked it
"... There's no need to worry too much about me with Luna. He has chosen not to depend on me anymore, has he? He's not a kid anymore, and that's his choice. I want to honor that choice"
...
I don't blame them both. Luna had never received any attention from her father, and her mother had not been around since she was born. But, what did he expect from an Elf born in the midst of a brutal war where most of his closest people were gone?
Zaphir doesn't know how to pay attention. He only knew how to swing that knife in his hand to kill anyone who hurt an Oberon. He has also experienced a great deal of loss over the centuries of his life. Then...
What he had just experienced could probably be considered a loss. He will no longer get the attention of his son...
"All right then. But, please take care of yourself"
I don't have to say anything else. I'm sure if I lecture him, he'll get weaker. I'd better leave him as he is for now
"I beg the teacher. You're important to me. So is Luna" I said while holding her shoulder
He looked down lethargic, it was obvious that he was not sure of the words coming out of my mouth
"Am I really important to him? What did I do that made him think I was important?
He's not a kid, like I said. There's nothing else I can do to fix our relationship"
...!
That's not what you should be
...
...
I'd better go. I don't want to ruin the mood...
With that, I also decided to keep an eye on the kids again. Leaving behind Zaphir who was walking in the opposite direction to me, I left with a heavy heart
...
If you ask, yes. I did blame myself again, just like when we were little in the Dark Forest back then. It was the first time I blamed myself, and it didn't stop there
I always blame myself when I'm between these two kids' fathers. On the day Zaphir preferred to lift myself up at that moment, and ignoring the same Luna was also hurt
Zaphir is more concerned with his duties than his family. And if what I fear is true, it will bring ruin to both of them. And I am the cause
Or so I always thought. After all, such thinking has its logic too, right?
...
But I salute Luna ever since. Even though her father's attention was always directed towards me, she never had any resentment or jealousy towards me at all. He trusted me as much as I trusted him
...
The story between the two fathers of this child I'd better save for later. I just wanted to add because indirectly, I remembered the two of them when I rewrote this story
They are an important part of this story. Whatever they were going to do later, it all revolved around the three of us. After all, the one who settled the matter between the two of them later on was Verdea
Haha... That kid can really do anything...
Let the answers and solutions between their problems arise later. So, I hope you guys still want to see it through to the end
Oh, and one more thing. I just remembered that Verdea actually realized that there was something troubling between Zaphir and Luna. He noticed it when Zaphir left while he was still playing with the children in the air
