Chapter 156 Dining With Leeways

[Author's note: I thought about introducing almost all the Leeways at once before proceeding to tell about them one by one. So even if you find any difficulty in remembering all the names and relations at once, it is fine cause I will recall each of them along with their names and descriptions later on]

I just stood there for a few moments in a daze before shaking my head a little and moving ahead. While I didn't really need to worry about Reagen, I still wish I could have done something about his situation. But I guess leaving him on his own would be the best thing to do for him… and for me as well… for now, I guess.

I looked up at the sky and saw that the night had already arrived before I counted another day passing. I should move up my game too. The time for the Academy's entrance test was just around the corner, too.

'About 9 days left for that. If we calculate the time taken to put the Parasite down to be one whole day at max, I have about… 5 days to get to know all the other Leeways. Well… that's not a lot of time, I suppose,' I thought as I then began walking towards the dining area, where I should find the kids of the Leeway family. While I do not need to get along with them, I think bonding with them will help me in the long run… let's see, first there is… Maxwell Leeway, the kid whom Dolos was trying to manipulate into going down the basement.

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Then there is Blake Leeway, the elder son of Elaric Leeway. If I remember correctly, Maxwell is 8 years old and Blake turns 5 this year.

The other child is the younger sister of Irene, Lia Leeway, who had left this castle two weeks ago to live in Arcadia City with Maximiliam Leeway, the younger brother of Bernette. Lia and Maximiliam are the same age, each being 13 years old.

Then there is the five-month-old daughter of Elaric, Iris Leeway.

So in total there are 5 children: Iris(5m), Blake(5), Maxwell(8), Lia(13) and Maximiliam(13).

'Iris being too young, the only ones I can interact with are Maxwell and Blake,' I think as I ponder a bit more.

After recalling each and everyone's name, I moved towards the dining area. It took me some time to reach the hall, but I still made it on time as the dinner was just being served there with some of the family members sitting around the table preparing to dine.

I saw the main seat was empty, where Mark should be sitting, and on the two chairs on its left and right, Cedric and Elric. Cedric's wife, Martha Leeway, was also absent from the dinner… hmmm.. If I remember correctly, it was Martha who took Lia and Maximiliam with her to Arcadia City helping them prepare for the entrance test of the Academy which should be 3 years later.

There was Bernette and her mother Britney sitting on the other side of the table and when my eyes reached them, they were already looking at me. I nodded at them, at which Bernette nodded in return while Britney just ignored me and concentrated on putting food out on her plate.

The others still haven't arrived yet, so I just moved towards Blake and sat beside him, making everyone focus their gazes on me. Well… it has been a while since I had sat together with them to have dinner… wait! It's actually the first time I am eating dinner outside of my room.

'Well… I guess it would be more odd, if they didn't look at me like that,' I thought as I smiled before pouring some gravy into my plate before proceeding to take something else. It was a bit awkward as everyone on the table was concentrating on me while I was helping myself to the food.

"Hey fellas! What's the food for… eh?" I heard a cheerful voice as I turned only to find Elaric along with his wife, Olivia Leeway, with their child, Iris, in their arms. Elaric just looked at me with a dumbfounded expression before both of them slowly and silently moved to the table to their respective seats.

Not even a moment later, I heard another voice which sounded really grumpy for some reason…

"I am home-" but that voice too stopped speaking as the person made eye contact with me. Unlike Elaric, who was dumbfounded, the new guy, Reeve Leeway, got confused as he looked at me. Then, he too silently just moved a little before stopping as he realised something.

For the next few moments, he just stood there as he looked at me and I wondered what he was trying to do. He was just standing there looking at me without making any sound at all, though his expression looked like he wanted to ask something.

"Ummm… Zero… you are sitting in his place," I heard Bernette speak with an awkward smile before I realised what was going on… each place here is fixed, eh? Ummm… what should I do now?

'Hmmm… getting up would be a really nice thing to do, so for now I decided to be a bad guy and not get up… Sorry Reeve.' I nodded at myself on the inside before proceeding to eat.

Reeve looked at me and sighed. So did Bernette and Elaric, as they gave a slightly pitiful look to Reeve before looking at him, wondering what he will do now.

"Come sit here, Martha is not present so it should be fine," spoke Cedric as he smiled at Reeve and Reeve nodded before moving towards him. I kinda wondered what Reeve was thinking, but looking at him, it seems that he didn't mind it much.

A few moments later, I saw the other guys were still waiting and not eating anything, at which I turned to Blake, who was sitting beside me and whispered in a slow voice,"why is everyone not eating?"

Blake was a chubby kid with black hair and black eyes and was currently wearing a formal white shirt over brown pants. His height was about half of mine, or perhaps a bit more, and looking at him, he was a bit scared. I believe he wasn't really that good with strangers.

Though before Blake could speak anything, I heard a really stern voice coming from the opposite side,"What are you trying to do?!"

Olivia leeway, the mother of Blake and wife of Elaric, was looking at me with a stern gaze.