Chapter 229: The tea party where no one drank tea (three)

I already knew certain things about my family but there were various other things that I didn't know. And today all those things just became clearer.

Sigh.

Why did my existence have to be so complicated? 

"So, basically, if I wasn't born, you guys wouldn't have had to separate?" And a lot of people wouldn't have had to die including gramps.

Both mom and father looked at me with very surprised eyes. I guess they never expected a question like that. 

"No, Helio. You are our son, the proof of our love. You were never the cause of our separation. I'd have had to leave regardless: after all, my first contract with Hyora is still valid and I'd gone out of my way to make another one with her. I'd made a deal with Hyora despite your mother's opposition. I had to save you and Hyora was the only one who could do a complex seal like that. But that came for a price and your mother didn't want that. She wanted us to look for another way. But your grandmother-" He stopped and looked at mom. "Her mother had died the same way, for the same virus and there was no cure for that. Your older brother had died the same way…" He sighed. "Your mother went almost mad for a time. We tried to have another kid but that never really worked out either. We were losing your mother Helio."

"But it did, Elsa's-"

Wait-

It couldn't be-

"She is-"

Father smiled. "She was the daughter of my twin brother, Alfred's. Her parents had died the very same day she was born. It was a tragedy but that very same tragedy kept your mother sane, at the very least."

I'd had heard both names somewhere. Albert and Alfred.

I took a seat and kind of just stared at the sky. "What the actual fuck?"

"I see her as my daughter and it'll never change," Mom said. "And I believe you love her as your sister as well."

"I do but-" I sighed. "Let's talk about this later I guess." I sighed some more. I couldn't really think straight, nor look at anyone. One too many surprises…What was next, the moon falling from the sky? "But did you really have to go with that? And what was your deal with Hyora anyway?"

All this time Hyora was just smiling as nonchalantly as ever and the people around us were staring- as usual. 

"He married her," Mom said. "That's why I hated both of them. I actually didn't know they'd done two seals on you: at the time I wasn't really in the best shape, as you'd imagine." She let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "I thought after he went to her and did the seal, he left with her. I never knew he did all that due to the contract, I…" Mom became a bit too quiet. 

I guess I wasn't the only one getting surprised today.

I took a deep breath. For the meantime- I really, really needed something to distract me. "Alright, we're done with that. You were saying something about our families uniting? You do understand what that means right?" I stared at Hyora.

She'd been awfully quiet all this time.

"But of course." Hyora was kind of looking at me in a very weird way.

"And whom would I be marrying?"

"Well, your father never really ended up marrying me-" Hyora pouted slightly. "Your grandfather didn't either." She pretended to be sad.

Grandma snorted while mom kind of looked funny. All this time she thought father had married Hyora- actually I thought the same- so I had the exact same look. And I had a bad feeling where this was going. 

"So-" Hyora smiled a bit too sweetly- creepy. "You'll marry me." I couldn't believe that woman could say that out with a straight face like that.

I took a look around, and people were too quiet- not a word. Okay, so everyone was surprised, even most of the Battlesuins.

WoW.

'Seriously?'

I released a sigh. That sounded nice and maybe that would have been for the best. 

If, if, she wasn't the sole reason why our family had to separate. Yeah, I wanted to blame her- I really did. And she was also a thorn in my eyes. And more importantly, wasn't she like really, really old? She had kids my age for crying out loud!

"Well, I guess this is why you guys are here?"

"Nope." Uncle finished a whole bottle. "I'm just here as backup. All the decisions are yours- at least for today." He winked. 

Yeah, that wasn't helping. 

Mom and the rest were also quiet. Marg was as expressionless as usual. 

My friends had something ranging from amused to terrified looks. The terrified one being Merin. 

"Well, you can come out now." I turned on my saber. 

"About damn time, I was getting too bored." Enira came out with a small giggle.

Our whole family stood up. 

"I guess it's unavoidable now." Grandma laughed. 

"Like you were trying to avoid it." Uncle also laughed haughtily cracking his knuckles. 

The Battlesuins also got up.

"Like you are one to talk." Auntie rebuked him almost immediately.

"I'll, I'll help out…" Merin mumbled in a very wimpy voice. Seriously, what the hell was that dude doing here?

"We'll help out as well," Eve said. The three girls, Eve, Leilis, and Selene all agreed on something. 

Finally, mom smiled. "I'm frustrated, I really am. I came to this place eighteen times but not once saw him- I should have known." She fumed. "I'll" She shivered with rage as she made a fist and a gust of wind flew by. "You'll pay with your dear life- the life you so cling to without any regard for others."

Hyora's smile never really left. "I guess negotiations have failed. And it would seem you have brought a snake with you."

As I thought, she and Enira were acquaintances. Because both were glaring at each other rather affectionately.

"Sorry to say but your tea party without tea kind of sucked. And I have fourteen years' worth of payback for with you, with interest," I winked.

These fourteen years, I had to see mom drink alone in the dining hall, staying up late, looking distantly at the door. These fourteen years, I had to listen to people talking about their dads like they were saints or something. These fourteen years, I had to fulfill the role of more than just an older brother, the firstborn… I had to live without a father and though mom tried her best, it was impossible to fill his empty shoes….

Oh yeah, there was a lot of interest due.

"But it's a shame you underestimate me and my family." She gradually lifted herself up and it was almost like she was radiating energy- as her dark red eyes glowed ever so more. 

The evening was almost over and in darkness, she glowed and two translucent wings became visible on her back: almost like an angel. 

Technically, they were bat wings though.

"And it's a shame you'd think I'd go for secondhand goods like you."

She chuckled very loudly and in a high-pitched voice. Well, that was new.

"Funny, your grandfather said the same thing."

"Really?"

Seriously, just how old was this woman?