3rd Tekulach of Ausiriel Year 1237

May's POV

It has been seven days since Bell fell into that comatose state... Just when will she come back to us...

Bell has been the last one that was with me back on Earth. She... He was the sole reason I didn't go totally insane back there... I was so devastated that I was the one to go first back then... and knowing what happened to her after I left her left me even more devastated...

I should be the one protecting her, yet... I am unable to do so countless times. I promised her that I will be the big sibling that will protect them all... yet all I can do is just standing on the sideline and look at them shining brightly while I become dim and dimmer. Every time I wanted to do something, someone would have done it better... Petrasha has the brains... Lucy has the might, Christine has the charisma, and Amy has the courage... what can I even do... I am even scared to go and fight when Bel is in such danger...

" Say Bel... won't you wake up now..." I said to her, not caring if she can't even hear me. At the very least this is what I can do... I can't fight, I cant command and I can't think of new stuff... the only thing I can do is to just stay here and take care of you...

" Are you sure you want to continue to stay inside? Why not go outside and take some fresh air... I can take over for a while you know..." Lucy said as she enters the room. 

" Nah... I will stay here... plus, you have more important stuff than this. I am here so let me do the time-wasting task like this ok?" I replied to Lucy which earned me a worried look.

" Taking care of a friend isn't really time-wasting... but if you say so... just don't forget to go down and grab some lunch alright? We can't have you collapse too." Lucy said as she leaves the room...

" It is not that I don't want to go out... But I just don't want to bother them... all of them came over and had their own power-ups... while me... the only thing I can do is just sneakily go around... which is totally useless in this situation... what use is stealth when you don't have anywhere to stealth... which is why the only thing I can do, is just support you guys from the behind. " I said to Bel. 

*growls*

" I will go and take some lunch, please wait for me here Bel..." I said to her as I stand up from the stool and head to the kitchen.

Currently, Bel sleeps in one of the rooms on the third floor, with me, Amy, and also Christine living on the same floor. While heading down, I can see the kids that live with Lucy's adoptive father running around. They just look so peaceful, running around without a care of the world... sometimes, I wonder just why did their parents abandon them... 

" At the very least you have someone that still takes care of you..." unlike me... Fate sometimes is a mysterious thing. It will always hit you when you are not suspecting it.

The bottom floor is even more noisier than the 2nd floor as there are more people here and it isn't just kids. Even the older ones and some adults are here too... Just how many does Lucy's father adopt per year...

I keep observing the situation in the living room and also a common room as I slowly head towards the kitchen. Lucy's father not only adopt elves, but I can also even see several beastkins dwarves and I even saw a lamia I believe. Truly a weird father... But I guess thats good. No matter the race, the children should still feel the love of having a parent. As I went inside the dining room, things get a bit awkward as I see a flustered Christine that is being teased by kids slightly younger than her.

From what I can 'decode' they're still reading her for her inability to speak fluent Zars. Well... She doesn't grow to learn nor speaking that... Nor does she have the blessing like us which lets us understand every language, well except mana language. It is a good thing that they are not swearing using words that Christine doesn't know, otherwise, I feel that their education is a bit failing... Not like I talk shit too... I just said that... Mentally...

In the kitchen is a wolf beastkin that is currently cooking. Seems like today's lunch is stir-fried pork with some veges... Vegetables that look like cabbage... Except red but k know it actually tastes like beetroot... At least the color is correct... I heard they call it reetter... Not that I care about what it's called... I guess this is why I was never interested in cooking...

" Ah Miss May, please wait for a while, shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes. Had to gives the kids the previous batch as they're demanding second servings." The beastkin said. Well, I feel that if you would need to cook another batch after this, cause it will be gone faster than you can think... After all, I felt that there are at least 50 people within this building today... Well compared to the entire extended family of more than 100 people on the first day, today could be counted to be quite calm.

" Nor problem, I can wait a bit.  Oh, can I get a second portion too?" I asked him. If possible, I would want a second serving for Bel just in case that she woke up. 

" Ye sure, for that weird girl up there right? I must say that I never saw a dragonkin like her. Most of those that I saw before have scales, maybe that is how dragonkin evolution works?" the beastkin said. Well... I never saw a dragonkin so I am not sure how to comment on that.

" Maybe can you help me ask her the secret for her evolution? I would really want to live longer you know, well, I believe everyone wants to live as long as they can I guess," the beastkin then said again. Huh? Secrets for evolution... but isn't it different for each person? Would it even be useful for you...

" From your face, I can know you are thinking is it even possible. I must say yes, cause no matter how different every person's requirement for evolution is, there is always a common part. And for me, I would like to know that common part first so that I at least knew that I have one of its requirements done. From what I know, the requirement to evolve into a high variant is to at least have an intermediate skill in either a combat skill or a production skill, skills such as swimming and driving don't count. For high into noble, you need to at least complete something worthy related to your main profession l. From what I heard for blacksmiths it would be an excellent tool, weapon, or armor, for farmers I'd some great harvest. I am on my way to noble so I would like to prepare a bit for the even higher evolutions." The beastkin continues to talk about evolutions. I didn't know anything about this... I'd this why until now I am still not in the noble rank yet? But what do I even do ... Something worthy related to my profession... What is mg profession even...

" Don't worry too much. Even if she doesn't want to tell it is fine. After all, this might be considered a secret or she just completed it randomly haha. By the way, the food is done, just let me get some plates and bowls and you can be on your way~" the beastkin continues his ramble.

" Ah, thanks... I will let you know if she is willing to talk to you." I took the food and just replied to him with a loose promise. Better not promise anything.

" Alrighty, good luck to your friend there. Hope she wakes up soon. The name is Mikael by the way." The beastkin... No Mikael said to me as he continue to put the remaining food into bowls to be given out to the rest of the people within the house.

" Big bro stop flirting with Lucy's nee-san's friends, give us our food!!!" One of the children starts yelling at Mikael.

" Yeah give us our food if not we will tell Lucy-nee you tried to hit on her friends!" another child also yelled.

" Where on Astrea did you all learn this type of talk???" Mikael asked the children while still putting food onto the table for the rest of the children, though his tone is hidden with a bit of anger as if he know who is the one who taught them this stuff...

" We saw dad do this with the new deer girl that came to the guild last week! Then when we ask big sis what is dad doing, she said that dad is hitting on girls!" yet another child answered... Lucy... please control your dad... don't let him flirt with girls in broad daylight in front of his kids, please...

" Kids, what Mr. Welk is called flirting and it is not something you should do with random people. What me and Mikael doing here is just chatting around just like how you all chat with each other ok? While Mr. Welk is your father, there are some actions that he did that you all should not follow, understand?" I told the kids, which surprisingly, they are taking it in properly... I thought they would just ignore me...

" It seems they like you, Ms. May~" Mikael added in.

" And that one guys, is called teasing, do not do that to anything that you don't know, and even to those that you know closely, do not do it too often alright?" I said, clearly a taunt to what Mikael said.

" Yes~~~" the kids replied cheerfully, which caused me and Mikael to laugh too. How long has it been since I laughed so much with my siblings... 

This feels weird... but also pleasant... I guess this is what having a family feels like... right? 

As I am bathing in the nice warm feeling of family, my entire senses are filled with immense pressure ... not just myself, I can see Mikael, and many other adults are feeling it too as they are now either standing still, frozen from the pressure, or are frantically trying to find the source of this dangerous feeling. But somehow... once I stop panicking, I realize where does this pressure comes from...

Its Bel... 

Benokelvin

What is this... can this be counted as a cliffhanger?

It can't be, right?

I will be pumping up chapters to be released on Wednesday since its a special day for me ;3