Chapter 955 954: More Family

Chapter 955 954: More Family

Being able to finally say that they were truly my family, and that I could address them as such was an interesting feeling; I had... almost always - after the first few months or so, anyways - considered them as my family.

A mixture of the instincts of the body I had inhabited, my brain developing like it had once before, the state of my mind and the craving I had for a family yet again, the need for something stable and warm and loving compared to what I did have before... all of that merged together and allowed me to easily accept them as family, but now I could finally say it.

Perhaps it was late, but like many people say, it's better late then never, and I would have to agree; for the longest time, I had looked at Mother Ria and seen her as the Countess - someone I was to look at from a confusing distance that was both far and close, and someone that I needed to treat with respect but also someone that I was far too close to to always address by their title...

It was a confusing thing that's for sure, but I suppose the elevation from servants to Nobility for Mother and I made it far easier to switch things up to their proper, deserved states, so now we were able to address one another as we had long since felt we should.

She was very much like a second Mother to me, if only because she taught, provided, and protected me like a Mother should, while the Marquess did the same, albeit in her far more crass and informal style.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

That was all the more evident now as I looked to the side, where I could see Mom lounging on the floor casually tossing Lakshmi into the air and catching her as she fell back down into her hands, with Mother watching on with a slightly worried expression as her eyes followed the lavender skinned baby going up and down - even as said baby giggled and laughed with each launch into the air, that instinct to keep her baby safe made it hard to trust even a Knight of Cinder with something like this.

Meanwhile, lounging on the sofa and running her hands slowly through Alessandra's golden hair, Mother Ria also watched Mom do as she wanted with a small smile on her face as she groomed the baby Elf in her lap, who was gradually dozing off as the warmth and comfortable bliss of being pampered got to her, though she certainly made a fighting effort to not fall asleep as she shook her small head and looked this way and that.

"Mother, when are your parents supposed to arrive? It was sometime today, right? Should we just stay in today, or can we..?"

Jahi's voice broke the comfortable silence - well, silence save for the laughter of Lakshmi, anyways - and we all turned towards the older Elf as we expressed our own curiosity at the question, only to smile wryly as she raised a brow and instead asked "Even if they arrived tonight, or tomorrow morn, would it kill you to remain inside with us today? Just for once, truly sit back and relax? Hm?"

I glanced at Jahi and smirked at how she frowned before letting out a sigh, her broad shoulders slumping slightly as she grumbled "No, no it wouldn't... just wanted to know if I could go spar or something instead of just sitting around..."

He snapped shut the heavy book in his hand and nodded once as he looked at us, his green eyes filled with recognition as he asked "Ah, are you the two Dogkin that we've heard about? Julie and Katherine Zara, I believe? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Taking a step forwards, he extended his free hand to Mother first, who hesitantly shook it as she looked between the two with concealed confusion; when it was my turn, I almost flinched at the shock that traveled up my arm, something that the man seemed to catch as his brow arced for just a moment.

"Father! Really now?"

Mother Ria stepped forwards and let out a sigh, only to stiffen as the woman muttered "Ria...", her blue eyes landing on her daughter and narrowing further as she watched an equally blue hand drape itself over the younger Elf's shoulders; when the amused and carefree voice of Mom joined in, well...

"Madam Haniel~! Mister Haniel~! Welcome, welcome~! It's been a few years, no? It is a shame we aren't back at the Asmodia Estate, but hey, who can complain about the Palace, hm? Come in~! We can have some tea and catch up?"

lightsΝοvεl ƈοm Letting go of my hand, the older man 'smiled' gently as he nodded and said "Yes... I think that would be excellent, Chordeva...", and I didn't know what to do since his eyes remained as neutral as before, while his wife seemed to be trying to kill Mom using just her gaze, which... honestly might have worked on someone with a weaker will and not as carefree as Mom was...

So I just stepped to the side and let them walk inside, though Mother and I exchanged glances as we gently took the heavy coats off of their shoulders, which the two Elves let us do as their attention was quickly stolen from any of us as someone else walked closer.

Jahi stopped a few feet away from the two, and in her arms were both Lakshmi and Alessandra, who were both staring curiously at the two newcomers - Lakshmi with what seemed to be just the question 'Who are you people?', while Alessandra seemed to recognize and understand that they were just like her own Mom, making this a rather peculiar and interesting thing for the Elf baby.

The room went quiet again as those three 'new' members of the Asmodia Family looked at the two main members of the Haniel Family, their two separate and strong genetic trees entwining and bearing two separate fruits that now stood in front of them.

Two separate, wonderful, strong and unique fruits, which captivated the two older Elves as they looked between Jahi, Alessandra, and Lakshmi too, before finally returning their gaze to the branches that had come together and entwined to bear these fruits.