Family Dinner 2

"Do you love my son?"

The question sliced through the room like a knife. Tyson nearly choked on his drink, his face reddening as Nancy sat frozen in shock.

Seraphina sighed softly, shutting her eyes as if preparing herself. Uncle Edward's bluntness was legendary—delicate subjects were never exempt from his straightforward manner. To him, there was no time to waste on subtlety.

"Master?" Tyson said, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

"It's Dad," Edward corrected, not breaking his steady gaze on Nancy. "So? Do you love him?"

Nancy's breath caught; her hands clenched in her lap as she avoided meeting anyone's gaze. The weight of his question—and the silence that followed...

"Yes," she said, "I do love him."

Tyson's eyes widened, and he quickly glanced at Nancy, still focused on the table. The air between them thickened, emotions swirling beneath the surface, yet Edward didn't so much as blink.

"Why?"

Nancy's head began to spin. Why does she love him? The question caught her off guard. The truth was, she didn't have a clear answer. It was already hard for her to admit that she loved him, but how could she say that out loud, especially to his father, when she hadn't even discussed it with Tyson?

Before she had the chance to gather her thoughts, Seraphina stepped in.

"Uncle, I think you might be pushing a bit too hard. She could feel like you're trying to force her to give you an answer."

Edward's gaze flickered momentarily before he shrugged as if he were not bothered by Seraphina's intervention.

"Right! Dad, she's not a Ranger," Tyson added with a nervous chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood. His smile was faint, but it was enough to ease the tension, even a little.

Edward's gaze remained fixed on Nancy. "It's not just because he has your father's Meta-bot, is it?"

The words left the table in stunned silence. Tyson, in particular, was caught off guard. How did his mentor know about that? He hadn't shared anything about the Meta-bot with him, and Nancy hadn't confided in anyone. So, how did Edward know? And why would he think she got closer to Tyson because of the Meta-bot?

Nancy remained quiet; she felt the weight of his question.

Tyson's voice turned serious. "Father, it's best if you stop here."

But Edward didn't back down. "She traveled from Babylon to Elria. She joined the same school mid-semester, the same class as you, and even became friends with Emily. I wonder why?"

"Have you run a background check on her?" Tyson snapped, his voice edged with disbelief. "Unbelievable."

"It's okay, Tyson," Nancy interjected, "he's just making sure his son doesn't go astray."

"Thanks for understanding," Edward replied, ignoring Tyson's protests. "So?"

Nancy hesitated, glancing at Tyson before answering. "I told him why I came to the city; he knows." Now she looked at Tyson, her words almost a whisper. "I told him why, and I was planning to leave after I saw the Meta-bot, but..."

Tyson's breath hitched at her admission. She planned to leave after seeing the Meta-bot, so why was she still here? Why had she stayed?

"I stayed because I fell for him," Nancy murmured, her voice barely audible, yet the sincerity of her words was unmistakable.

Tyson blinked, bewildered. "What?" he stammered. "What did she just say?"

Edward chuckled softly, a rare moment of levity in his otherwise serious demeanor. Alex leaned back in his chair, a slight grin playing at the corners of his lips, while Sera gave him a knowing look, raising an eyebrow as if to confirm she'd heard correctly. Alex nodded, affirming that this moment was indeed happening.

"I don't know why," Nancy added, her cheeks flushing red. "I don't have an answer for that."

Edward shrugged lightly, his gaze darting between Tyson and Nancy before returning to his son. "Fair enough," he said, his voice blending understanding with finality. "But it's up to you two to sort things out."

Tyson stared at his plate, still trying to process everything that was unfolding. Something fluttered inside his chest, but he couldn't quite name it. The air between them fell into a quiet lull as they continued to eat, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I knew him," Edward spoke up again, his tone quieter, almost reflective. "Victor, a rather nerdy fellow."

Nancy looked up at him curiously. Did he know my father?

Tyson's mind raced as the pieces fell into place. Of course, Edward had participated in the last tournament—he was one of the eight survivors out of hundreds. He must have crossed paths with Victor in the battle room.

"When I first saw Tyson's Meta-bot, I suspected it was connected to him. But I wasn't sure," Edward continued, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke with a mix of acknowledgment and revelation. "But now... I'm certain. It's his Meta-bot."

"So it's true that Meta-bots can change hosts?" Sera asked, her voice filled with curiosity. 

Nancy nodded slowly, her gaze shifting between the people at the table. The importance of what had just been revealed hung laboriously around them.

"He had a few odd theories," Edward continued, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "And some predictions."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, curiosity seeping into his tone.

"Like the summons for a second time?" Tyson asked, and the room fell into a deep silence.

Edward stayed silent, clearly deep in thought,

"What?" Alex asked, feeling confused.

"Nobody survives their second time in the tournament," Tyson said, his words lingering like an ominous warning. "And more often than not, the survivors from the last tournament are summoned for a second time."

The entire room fell silent. Alex and Tyson locked eyes, a realization dawning on them both. Their father, Edward, had survived the last tournament. The odds were not in his favor if he were to be redrafted. He could be sent back into the deadly dungeons, facing the same fate as those before him.

Edward appeared to sense his son's dilemma, and his voice softened. "It's merely a prediction, not the future," he said, locking eyes with Tyson. "And warriors always face their fate."

"That's how it is," Tyson said grimly. "We're battling the impossible."

"Everything is impossible until it's done," Alex reminded him, a spark of determination in his eyes.

Tyson couldn't help but smirk at what Nancy's father had written about humans—their resilience and sheer willpower. Now, he had a living example of that force sitting right next to him: Alex Rogers.

"So, how's your prep going, Sera?" Edward inquired, his tone becoming more casual. "You're about to be president yourself."

Sera smiled, but her expression revealed uncertainty. "I'm not sure I can," she said softly. After all, it's up to the people to decide who they want as their leader.

"Are you running for office?" Nancy asked, her surprise evident. Like most people, she hadn't heard the news. "Gosh, we're about to have a beautiful young president!"

"Oh, come on," Sera chuckled softly, her cheeks reddening. "I'm still quite far from winning the election."

"You will," Alex said confidently, smiling reassuringly. "Since I'm helping you, things will move quickly."

Edward smiled, observing as his son took matters into his own hands.

"I'll appoint Alex and Tyson as your personal guards this Friday," Edward said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Since I won't be there with you at the event."

"What? Why?" Sera asked, her eyebrows raised. "I want you there, Uncle, not them!"

Alex and Tyson shared a bewildered glance, both stunned by the idea.

"What?" Alex exclaimed, torn between feeling offended and strangely relieved that Sera seemed to agree they should steer clear of the political drama. "You want us to guard her? Are you serious?"

Tyson blinked, still processing what was going on. "I have classes to attend."

"You come there just to take long naps, nothing important," Nancy replied with a smirk. "It's better if you're with her."

"Hey! That's a trade secret!" Tyson retorted, feeling Edward's gaze on him.

Why did Tyson still go to school, even though trainees like him hardly needed to be there? To learn? Of course not. He just wanted to escape Master's training. And Alex? Well, he appeared to have joined in the skipping once his father started pushing them nonstop.

"Oh, did I hear that correctly?" Edward chuckled.

"Sera, I will be your personal guard for the day!" Tyson nearly shouted, saluting her. "Just say the word, and I'll be there!"

Alex crushed a cookie in his hand, glaring at Tyson. He was okay with them opposing the idea, but this guy had switched sides faster than a politician after election results.

"Then it's settled," Edward stated, his tone decisive. "Boys, kindly escort the ladies back to their homes."

"Yeah," Tyson mumbled, getting to his feet as Nancy waved goodbye to the others.

"Thank you, Nancy, for the cookies!" Edward shouted from the hallway, his voice echoing. "They're delicious!"

"Wait, you brought cookies?" Tyson asked, his eyes widening as he opened the car door. "Why didn't you mention that to me?"

Nancy slid into the seat with a mischievous smile. "Nothing for you."

"That's not fair!" Tyson groaned as the car engine roared to life, and they drove away.