Ava followed her back to their land but ended up going somewhere else not far from their house.
They arrived in the middle of a forest where they found a small plain with only one big tree around. On top of the tree stood a small treehouse.
As if noticing their presence, a blue-haired guy opened the door and came out.
Ava widened her eyes as his picture was inside the kid's room. She never thought she would meet someone in that photo and also understood why her mother knew about his pocket watch, the map inside it, and was shocked when she met him for the first time.
"May I know the reason for your visit this time?" The blue-haired guy asked politely.
"Come down here," Ava's mother said in a human language.
Hearing her order, he jumped off the house and landed in front of her without saying anything.
"I met your brother earlier… No, I suppose I should say my daughter met him."
"!!!" The blue-haired guy, Edward Griffith, took a step back while frowning. "You…"
"I didn't do anything to him." She thought for a moment and continued, "All I can say, he is a strong person."
"I know, he is my younger brother after all."
"…" To everybody's surprise, Ava's mother suddenly transformed into a five-foot-tall humanoid figure as she glared at Edward with those bloodshot eyes.
Before Edward could react, Ava's mother grabbed his head and already brought him next to the tree. Without hesitation, she slammed his head into the tree.
Bam.
A loud noise echoed in the surroundings as Edward's head was planted on the tree with blood flowing down his head.
"And now that I have seen him… I can say you are a piece of shit, Human." She glared at him while releasing his killing intent. "The humans, who have invaded this land, always have some selfish desire and greed, including you. However, this is the first time I have seen a human like him…
"Despite the bruises on his body, the hunger in his stomach, and the disappointment of this world, his kindness still remains in his heart. Yet, you are treating him like this while you are calling yourself his brother?" She stomped the ground, turning the area in a one hundred feet radius into a crater with the tree and the house fell down.
"I am angry, Human. There is no such kindness in this harsh world and you're ignoring that kindness to do something like this." She tightened her grip while saying, "If not for the fact he is still trying to find you, I would have killed you by now. Rather than living in the human world, I would rather adopt that human myself."
"…" Edward didn't say anything or scream even though she almost crushed his skull. He could only close his eyes with a sad expression. "Sadly, I'm just a coward… In the end, I couldn't go against my adoptive parents' decision."
"We always pay our debt back and even do it multiple times." She gritted her teeth and said, "And humans… are the most disgusting beings in this world."
"I know what I have done is unforgivable no matter the reason, I know his kindness is pure, and I know his talent is great." Edward let out a long sigh. "I know the humans are disgusting, but I also know that him living in the Griffith Family's environment is even more unacceptable.
"If it continues like this, he will come to the Griffith Family no matter the cost. His kindness will make that decision. That's why… That's why he needs to hate his family. He can't come to the Griffith Family.
"His kindness will be used by all those bastards and the rules of that family will torture his heart. That's why he can't live in that family. Even if I need to die or become the most disgusting person in the world, Theo needs to hate the family so he won't go there anymore.
"The most extreme hate is not anger, it's indifferent. I want him to hate the family so much that he won't recognize us as his family anymore instead of having revenge." Edward grasped her hand with his trembling hands as his voice started shaking. "That's why… I can't go against my adoptive parents' decision."
"There must be another way! Have you ever thought about that?"
Edward's eyes started sparkling as tears came out of the corner of his eyes. He asked while stuttering, "Do you think I haven't asked that question?"
Ava's mother took a step back and released his head. She turned around and carried Ava in her palm. "My point still stands, Human. You all are disgusting.
"Still, I will pay the debt to the kid. I have changed the map with my power… The agreement will still continue, but in the future, I may send Ava to that kid, so she can repay this debt. However, this is for the child, not for you or anyone else. We are not like you, Human." Ava's mother glared at him one more time while releasing her killing intent.
After that, she took off with Ava in her hand.
"Kyu?" Ava tilted her head in confusion. She didn't understand human language, so she didn't know their conversation.
"Do you want to repay his kindness?" Her mother asked with a solemn expression. "To me, it's something small because I found you not long after that. But for you, who have lost for three days, it's like a life-saving grace, especially with the fact it's everything he has to live on."
Ava nodded her head furiously and added, "Kyu (I want to learn the human language too)."
"Is that so?" Her mother thought for a moment and said, "I will teach you about it, but your priority is to get stronger. If what that human said was right, his talent is so great that he will leave you in the dust sooner or later. That's why you are going to start your training right now if you wish to repay him."
"Kyu, Kyu (Mother, the can was so delicious! I want to eat it again, but this time, I want to eat it with him. I want to learn why he can still do something like that)." Ava looked at her with stars in her eyes.
Her mother nodded with a smile. "Work hard then."