Should I be offended?

Gavril failed to see a hand sharply directed to his head, and a loud, painful thump was heard. "Ouch!"

He irritatingly shifted to the person beside him, who was the perpetrator. "What was that for?"

The woman repeated his words annoyingly, "What was that for?"

Her slender arms were revealed from the cloak, as she clutched the weapon behind her. She neatly positioned it behind one of the sofas, as she unabashedly sat down. "I'll sit down first. My legs are too tired from walking."

Her cloak remained, seemingly having no intentions of exposing her face. It wasn't dirty, or else, Pane would burst from anger.

Among the three, Gavril was the only one whose face was uncovered. He was blessed with a distinctive facial features. He has raven-colored, shoulder-length wavy hair with his bangs partially adorning his forehead, sharp straight brows, a tall nose, and supple lips.

Even so, his magnetic appearance was eradicated by his haunting black eyes. His stare made others feel he knew everything and nothing could be hidden from him. It's peering at people like a savage predator.

Unfortunately, for Devon, who has a couple of secrets, he was his nemesis.

Gavril habitually dragged the cloak on his head when entering a house. But after seeing the boy's expression, he began reflecting on it. "You don't have to fear me, kid. I won't hurt you." He slowly walked away from Devon and whispered, "For now."

"Kid." A woman's mocking voice retorted to his insolence. "You act as if you are way older than him when you are the same age as Devon."

Gavril's fearlessly responded, "Well, I've been physically conscious for 20 years, while he's not."

He slowly removed the cloak from his body and hung it on the coat stand. "So, technically, I'm older than he is." He tilted his head back at them. "Right, Pane?"

He interpreted the silence as an approval, so he continued. His face bloomed with a mocking smile, "… Well, compared to your age, we are young."

"You--!" Those words triggered the cloaked woman. She was about to reach for her large hammer, but a man grasped her hands. "Relax, Mika."

Gavril's face was filled with bitterness, but his eyes looked unperturbed. "You've been targeting me, since a while ago, woman."

"Stop teasing her." The hand of a man chopped his head. "You almost stained her cloak when you swung your sword in the forest."

"Is it my fault that she's blocking my pre--."

Pane interrupted, "Both of you, shut up."

Devon thought he would see an angry father for the first time. He waited for the outburst, but nothing happened. Instead, Pane lured the visitors to the dining table and coldly commanded, "The food is prepared."

Pane's icy words contradicted his real emotions, which were radiating from his eyes. His gratefulness could not be masked by his outward conduct, and Devon could see through it.

The three excitedly rushed to the location of the mouth-watering smell, contrasting to their mysterious aura. They lunged towards the food, as though they hadn't eaten for days.

Gavril: "Give me the ham."

Mika: "Hey, don't steal my food!"

Another man: "Calm down, everyone."

The man glanced at Pane, "Sorry, we haven't eaten for days. We kind of eaten all of our stored food on our way here."

Looking at his dad's reaction, Devon slowly calmed down and gradually began to accept the outsiders, knowing that they could be trusted. But he still asked Lime to stay with him, as he intently watched the man with darkness in his eyes.

Gavril, who felt the stares, shared with Pane, "I think I scared your child."

"As expected of you." The cloaked man, who was gracefully wolfing down a humongous ham, with a monotone voice replied.

Mika gnawed a chunk of oven-roasted leg and gleefully added, "Well, with your face, it's not unexpected."

"What's with my face?" He put down two gigantic legs he was consuming and grasped the large sword beside his seat. He used the wide blade as a mirror and thoroughly inspected his face.

"… Well, I do have some scratches on my face." Gavril put the sword on the table. "But it makes me look more manly. A badge of honor."

He was talking about his long, diagonal scar extending from his right eyebrows, down to his right eye. Fortunately, his vision wasn't affected.

In the living room, Devon ate a portion of the meat with Lime on his side. He noddingly agreed to the man's words and quietly asked himself, "Won't their clothes interfere with their eating?"

Assuming that Devon was talking to it, the robot explained, "Because they are not used to it, Master."

In their background, A loud smack resounded, as Pane commanded Gavril to take any weapons off of the dining table.

"Sorry--" His attention was partially drawn to his dad's distracting actions. "--Not used to what?"

"The light, Master." Lime speedily responded.

Devon's face slowly filled with doubt after clearly hearing the response. His intense gaze stayed on two cloaked stranger, probing hints about their dislike of light.

His eyes glinted, "… Is there not much light from where they came from?"

The cog of his brain started to turn, but he pushed his thoughts aside for now.

"Where is it so I can remove it from my list?" He half-seriously asked but did not receive a reply from the usually lightning-fast robot.

He was about to ask again when his father drew his attention. "Devi, come here."

Devon hesitantly got up from his spot and cautiously strolled in front of the four individuals. His father patted the sit next to him, "Sit here, Devi."

He slowly went to the dining room and walked directly to the person he was comfortable with--Pane. However, his blue eyes never left the three. He was like a hissing kitten, trying to intimidate the three resting tigers.

It was a funny sight.

"Kid, relax. I will not eat you." The cloaked woman tried to ease the tension, but Devon just hid his face behind his father's back.

Behind the cloak, a smirk with a hint of disdain appeared on her face.

Pane explained in Devon's place, "It's the first time he had seen another human being other than me for a long time. Let him get used to it."

In Devon's mind, he knew he does not associate fear with human beings, but there's something wrong about the three that made him uneasy. They feel dangerous.

"Well, let me explain why they are here, Devon." Pane looked into his eyes, observing Devon's attitude toward his next words. "They will be your instructors."

Devon hanged for a moment and asked, "To gain weight, I need three?" His face looked confused. 

However, his question garnered a loud sound of laughter from the three. It made him feel like they were laughing at him. A pink blush spread on his face.

His father, knowing his embarrassment, held his hands under the table and softly patted it. "No. They will teach you other things."

Pane turned to them and ordered, "Now, introduce yourselves to him."

"You already know me." Gavril winked at him as if the oil juices around his mouth were non-existent. "I'll train your combat skills."

Combat skills?

The other man beside him elbowed him in his stomach and almost caused him to spit out his food. "I'm Rafiel, responsible for your strategic education."

Strategies?

Rafiel predicted Gavril's revenge and easily blocked his hands without looking. He added, "I'll teach you the art of war."

War?

"The name is Mika, your instructor in military robotics, specializing in mecha." A woman's voice interrupted him, stopping the simmering conflict between the two. While she was speaking, her red bloody nails glinted, as if agreeing with her owner's words.

Military?

"I'm Devon. Please be kind to me." He courteously replied. "But why do I have to--?"

The peaceful atmosphere was destroyed upon hearing the crude Gavril, "You know, Devi." He slowly lifted a barbecue stick on his plate and compared its thickness to Devon's arms.

"Let's start with that body of yours."

"..." Devon felt offended for various reasons.