Concealed Emotions

…

A week has passed since the incident. Just like most humans would do, they're doing what they can to recover.

Marco and his friends recovered quickly thanks to Nina's healing ability. The same cannot be done to the Regate Marines captain, Drugo Alabasta.

He's lying down on the soft hospital bed, trying to recover his fractured backbone. Oddly, though, he denied Nina's offer to heal him. He said he wanted to keep his pride as a great explorer and a captain of the Regate Marines. Nina didn't really bother, so she accepted it anyway.

General Rhun of the knight order had regained consciousness a few days earlier. His first step into the returning to the castle fort was cherished by the people of Napre, welcoming their beloved general's return. Rhun Roderick, the Vanguard General was bestowed by the king the greatest honor of a Hero for defeating the demons and knocked back the Imperial Army.

Marco and his other party members didn't join the party held by the Naprean King, even though they were invited by General Rhun personally. Marco stated, "I'm sorry but I'm not interested now. My friend is still recuperating. Maybe next time,"

The friend in mention was Aily. She just returned conscious a day ago. She suffered rough concussion from crashing head first during Mastermind's magic attack. Even though her injuries are completely healed, but concussion is one different thing that cannot be simply healed with magic.

Right now, at the hospital where Drugo was taken care of, the party discusses about what they should do next.

"Gwaah… Don't expect me to bring you fools back to Areda *cough* *cough*... not with me in this condition." Drugo explained harshly. He was accompanied by two marines.

He's not lying, however. Nobody else can commandeer the Regate man-of-war battleship aside Drugo Alabasta himself. The ship's mechanism was modified to his liking, so it means nobody else can control the ship besides the captain. Initially meant so that his ship would be rendered impossible to hijacks, now it's a backfire to them. They're sitting duck here at Napre.

"Good god, uncle, ain't Nina can give you a blink-of-an-eye healing?" Marco asked funnily. "Ahah, unfortunately, he didn't want it, Marco," said Nina sitting beside her sister near the door.

"Stare..." Marco looked at his white-haired uncle.

"Stare..." Scias joined the staring contest.

"H-Hoi! T-That's not what I meant, I swear!" Drugo desperately tries to defend himself.

"You don't deserve her magic you freak, bweee!" Aily mocked him. Her words just now caused a collateral catastrophic shock to his psychology once more. He's stunned from being insulted again by a mere 14-year-old girl.

"Tee-hee-hehehe-hee," Nina giggled. "Aw… okay, Aily, that's just rude." She turned into her unassuming smile. "Now, apologize," Aily was forced to apology. Marco and Scias laughed after seeing Aily nearly stared Drugo into death.

…

..

.

"Anyway... you guys won't be able to go back to Areda for some time... nor going anywhere by sea," Drugo explained hoarsely.

"I know." Marco responded. "I never said that after done here at Napre we will return immediately to Areda, you know?" Marco stated, "Heh… you're right. A retarded ass like you wouldn't be that quick to stop. Then, what're you gonna do, Marco-boy?" Drugo asked.

"Simple. Go by land, is it that hard?" Marco casually stated.

The room turned silent.

"…by land, you say?" Drugo face-palmed in pity, "You retard, have you forgotten the hellish warning from our 'king'?!" He added fiercely. He wanted to sit himself but was unable due to his broken backbone.

"Uh… nope," Marco funnily stated and smirked smugly. Drugo literally holds his forehead in dizziness. He thought, "Did his nephew forget it on purpose?" He then palms his face. His marines also do the same.

Few seconds later, Drugo sighs once, then continues sighing again but even much longer "...are you f**king serious? What am I supposed to do now..." Drugo opened his eyes and glanced at his nephew.

"Hehey...~" Marco smirked mockingly, "Do you think I've forgotten? HAHA!

…

…

…Uhuh… S-Sorry."

Marco got lectured by Drugo, as a result.

…

"Ahem! AHEM! Uh… I really can't stop the Istinggars from going out, huh...?" Drugo talked to himself. "Hah? Oh, come on, uncle, you're also an Istinggar."

"Yes, but I had no intention to keep that name with me. All of Istinggars are explorers. Even I am one of them. But I'm not as retarded as they are." Drugo stated.

"This might be another repeated thing for you but let me tell you once more:

My real name is Drugo J. Istinggar.

I am your uncle, because I am your late papa's little brother."

Marco smiled when he heard him saying it out loud. Nina and Aily were surprised that Drugo actually from the same clan as Marco. "Psst, sis?" Aily whispered to her sister. "Hm?"

"Did I just hear him saying 'late papa'?" she asked quietly.

"—Oi, even you're whispering I can still hear you two." Drugo looked sharply. "Eeek! I'm so sorry! I don't mean anything bad. I'm sorry Marco!"

"Ahahaha, that's okay, Aily. Well… it is true that my dad has died long time ago. But no worries, he's resting in peace now."

"What about your mother?" Nina asked curiously. "…" Marco went silent for a second.

Nina quickly understands. In her mind says, "His mother has met her demise as well. Poor Marco…"

Marco raises his head and showed a sprinkle of happy expression in his face clearly. "Don't you worry, guys… even though they're gone, I'm still carrying their hopes and dreams on my shoulders!"

"Hopes and dreams?" Aily carefully asked. "Yup, it's our clan's dream… to go to the legendary Grand Altar." Marco replied boldly. Nina and Aily are amazed by the Istinggars' dream. Drugo, however, didn't share the same amazement. He rather shows a grievous face.

In his mind, flies so many thoughts, "…Marco…

…

…you can still show smile when saying that, huh?

What the hell with that 'hopes and dreams'? What do you mean by your parents' have rest peacefully?"

Drugo gashes his teeth and breaks the atmosphere, "Enough of this, MARCO!"

Marco got shocked and so does his friends. "U-Uncle… what's the matter?" he asked. Drugo felt pierced in his veins. He knows too well that Marco acts as if he didn't know. "Your resolve hasn't changed at all, Marco… no… it has been fortified and rose into a greater level!" he said loudly. As a result, he coughs a few times.

"…Marco… I believe you had the same idea as I do when we fought against Mastermind," he stated roughly. "What do you mean…?"

"Don't act as if you don't know. He implies that he's a Dragonia. Such words I believe you won't overlook."

"…" Marco was stunned with no words to counter his uncle. The room was quiet, so quiet yet too intense. Nina and Aily had no idea what triggered Drugo to talk aggressively. Scias also felt the same. "…Miss Nina, Miss Aily… and also Sir Scias, I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but may I kindly ask you to leave us both personally… please."

"…alright." Nina, Aily and Scias leave the room without further asking. "You two as well, boys." Drugo told his marines to get out as well.

…

…

…

Marco still remains unmoved. He looked down to the floor. "What is it that you're trying to tell me, uncle…?" Marco started asking with a rough tone. Drugo's fierce is about to blaze off sky high, but he diminishes it for the sake of his nephew. "What am I trying to tell you? Heh… as usual you're too retarded Marco. Too retarded to try masking your true emotions with that smile, it disgusts me."

Marco raises his head and looked at his uncle. Slowly, his smile ruptures off and beneath that fading smile lies the expression of an everlasting grief. "Yeah…" he said quietly. "I did realize it, uncle. Mastermind is a Dragonian."

"But even so… a dragon race like him won't stop me from going to the Grand Altar, uncle!" he said hoarsely. "Heheh… using the guise of going to the Grand Altar as an excuse… how ridiculous."

"I truly mean it! That's what my mum and my dad's wish! I will carry it out!" Marco shouted.

…

"…Marco…" Drugo quietly calls him. "…you're very good at making faces. But you're too bad to hide your true intentions. From the beginning… I trusted that going into exploring might be a good rendition for you to relax down. But when you said that you want to go to the Grand Altar… I'm sorry, my boy. You are outright lying."

Marco steps back in shock. His eyes shudders, his entire body trembles, his heart feels like being torn to pieces, and it hurts him when his own family called him a liar.

"When you were a boy, you're such a spirited, carefree, kind, wholesome, all sorts of good stuff within you. You joined in your parents' footsteps by becoming an explorer. And yes, all of us were proud that you managed to join the main squad in your age of eleven. I still remember you said that you want to explore the world and wanted to be the greatest explorer ever lived. You were very spirited into exploring the world, adventuring with every Aredanians, especially your parents.

But sadly… Your motive of exploring the world changed when your papa and mother died…

Your dream is no longer a will to be the greatest. Your true intent is only your will to avenge their deaths."

—Drugo ended his long speech. He stared into the ceiling for some time. Marco trembled in his shoes, his heart feels like being pierced by thousands of thorns. It hurt him, it pained him, yet… he didn't deny it nor try to refute.

Quietly, inside the tense situation, Marco sheds tears. He scrunches his face in anger, "It is the only thing I can do. I don't want to hear from someone who ran off and dumped their entire squad to save one life."

The person Marco was referring is no other than Drugo himself.