C14 A Day With Isla and Seth's Past 2/7

*Cough! *Cough!

Despite having an embarrassing moment, he still went out his way to reject my statement.

"Why do I have to be your heroine?! If anything, you should be the heroine!"

"Enough kids, you brought visitors today so act conventional in front of them. I'm sorry about this Lai."

"No, it's alright mother, rather than that, we should cheer for them more so that we can finally be rid of the ravaging monsters around us."

He said 'mother', it suits him. I'm marrying him to make it legal.

"You're such a good boy Lai, if only these kids could take after you."

"I will take after him mom!"

My cute little brother suddenly voiced his proclamation.

"Is this little man gonna take the ceremony too?"

"Yes, he's taking the one prepared for tomorrow."

We weren't the only ones taking the ceremony. Most of the kids around the city are required to take it at least once a month. It was made like that so that the kids could little by little grow their belief and have strong enough faith to be able to receive their blessing.

"These youth's are the hope of the future."

"Stop talking like an old man Lai, you're still 18, you know?"

Kids aren't commonly blessed at such a young age. It's because of the way they think, their minds are still all about games and such. The youngest was Lai, at the age of 15 he received the blessing of the angels.

He was a special case because nobody knew where he completed the ceremony. Most people believed that he snuck in one of the cathedrals at night when everyone was sleeping and held his own ceremony by himself, but Lai strongly asserted that 'that' wasn't the case.

"Lai, how did it feel like when you received your blessing?"

"How did it feel… Hmm normal? It's not really something incredible. If I were to describe it then it's just like that feeling you get after you relieve yourself from a very heavy load in the toilet, or seeing a baby being born after so much push."

"Those two are the same thing!"

"Are you saying, pooping and birth have the same feeling?"

I asked my brother who compared two somewhat similar scenes in a sincere tone.

"Receiving the blessing seems painful, I got my fill from these two blessings already, so I don't think I'm planning to add another."

Just what is 'that' feeling?

"I think he means the 'after feeling', not the whole process."

"Can we please not talk about these stuff on the table?"

My mom has a point. All these talk about excretion is making my tummy ache.

"I'm going, please excuse me!"

I dashed to the comfort room to release a big one and thought:

"Arrrgh! *plop Ahhh~"

So this is 'that' feeling you get?

It was… refreshing?

After I let out the 'bomb', I washed my hands then went back to the table only to find out that Lai already left.

I gazed at mom as if to ask where the visitor went and she answered:

"He said he was going to drop one too."

The effect is crazy.

"Isla, finish your food and go get dressed. We're going to be late for the ceremony.

I stared at the plate containing the remainder of the 'stuff' I flushed earlier only to lose the courage to eat it.

She expects me to eat the leftovers after all that?

"I lost my appetite, so brother you can have it! I'm changing now!"

My brother ate my food and also went to the bathroom afterwards and mom cleaned up after our mess while waiting to go next.

**

-After our endless 'bombardment' at the bathroom, I was finally done changing into the 'Religious Habit' clothing. It was a 'tunic' covered by a 'scapular' and 'cowl' with a veil over my head. All black in color. In short I looked like a nun.

Staring at my 'Nun-like' appearance in front, my mom said:

"My daughter is really cute."

"We've done this every month. Why do you keep saying the obvious?"

It's already been a year since we've been doing this.

"I know, but this scene never ceases to amaze me, the clothes really suit you. Why don't you become a nun instead and give up hunting some monsters while risking your life like your father."

"No, I can't do that mom, I have to marry our handsome neighbor, or else, his genes will go extinct! And please don't bring dad into this, he has no place in this conversation."

Our father went missing after he was sent outside the walls. It's been 5 years and still no news ever came back.

"Now, don't be too hard on your father dear, wherever he is, I'm sure he'll always be thinking about us."

I ignored my mom's words and walked away towards the mirror to get a better look at myself.

"I will do it this time."

**

-Everything was all set and we were ready to depart. My mom was going to drive me with her scooter so we had to leave my little brother to our handsome neighbor down the third floor.

"Be good to your older brother bro. Don't cause trouble for him. Okay?"

"What do you mean older brother?"

He showed me a wry smile.

I wanted to talk back but Lai answered first.

"Don't worry about him. I'll take care of our little brother. So you can go focus on the ceremony instead."

"Mom! Sis is acting weird-... ow ow awww!"

My face was suddenly burning up from his unique assurance so I pinched little bro's cheeks to divert my attention and also to disguise my flustered face as Lai said something really embarrassing in a casual tone.

Geez! This guy just keeps on talking crazy!

I know I started it, but it just feels different when it comes from him.

"Hahaha"

Lai's soft laughter filled my heart with butterflies.

I turned around to hide my blazing red face and slowly walked away while saying:

"I leave my brother in your capable hands! Be sure to guard him with your life, because this will be the last time you'll be taking care of him while we're away. Promise not to cry when I take away that role from you when I come back as a newly born blessed one!"

"Okay! I promise!"

My little brother answered.

Surprised by the sudden turn of events I faced his way and rebutted:

"I meant Lai! Don't just go taking somebody else's response!"

"Just go already! No need to be so dramatic about it, you're just gonna fail again anyway."

"Why you little-"

"Isla…"

I stopped my words as Lai suddenly called my name and answered in a startled tone:

"Yes?!"

"...Good luck!"

Lai gave me a tender smile as he waved goodbye.

"Yeah! Good luck Sis!

My little brother copied Lai's actions which looked really cute in my eyes.

These guys…

"I'll do my best!"

I left the scene with my heart filled with determination and soon reached the lobby while being greeted by my mom's disgruntled face.

"You sure took your time, huh?"

She said sarcastically.

"Ahehehe"

*sigh

"Just hurry up we're gonna' be late."

I rushed to the motorcycle and reached for the helmet to put it on while sitting like an angel at the backseat.

"Let's go!"

**

We arrived at the cathedral and saw the strangely busy priests running here and there.

One not so busy priest approached us and said,

"We're sorry about the ruckus, this way please."

"What's going on here? Why is everyone so frantic?"

My mom asked the staggering priest leading us to the altar. The priest was showing us a deranged expression which had both of us worried.

"There was a large scale expedition last week and the missing people from 5 years ago were found stuck inside a large cave."

"5 years ago? Isn't that the one dad was in?"

Surprised by the sudden revelation, I unconsciously joined the conversation while mom on the other hand turned frozen stiff.

"You had a family in that group? If you want to take a look please come this way."

As he redirected our destination we quickly followed his lead.

"Most of them were seriously injured. Some even lost their limbs because of the monster they fought on their way back."

The priest kept talking along the way as we rushed to the cabin where the missing people said were being treated.

"God please let him be safe."

My mom kept whispering these lines as if praying with all her might. The word that kept spilling out of the priest's mouth must have really had her anxious.

"Oh my God!"

*gasp

"F*ucking-"

Mom called for God, I let out a loud gasp and the priest… cursed?

Finally making it to the cabin, we saw a line of injured people laid outside the building being treated by the church's priests.

"Just what in the world is out there?"

Ignoring the priest's bold reaction, we immediately started to look for dad's whereabouts.