Woahhhh! Grandpa! You cooked a feast tonight!" Faust's eyes widened with all the food in front of him, he hurriedly sits on his chair, closes his eyes and prays to God in single breath. "God! Please let all this food be digested." Faust says and grabs his fork and knife.
"Haha what kind of prayer is that Fausty? Since you couldn't come to the carnival and eat tasty food, I figured I would cook it to you for dinner." Gus says while looking at his grandson happily with a smile on his face.
"Ahh! How are your eyes now? You haven't told me the progress for you training for today!" He asks with a rather reserved tone. His face is smiling yet a hint of sadness hidden beneath.
"Oh sorry! I was distracted by the food hehe. And we'll, it is taking less than one minute now. And also depending on the distance grandpa!" Faust says while happily chewing his salad.
"I see, don't overdo it and hurt your eyes. And nobody caught you practicing right?"
"Yeah well some did! But I didn't care."
"What! Are you out of your mind? Faust! You need to me tell me, are you for real?"
"Well yes… the birds, small animals saw me practicing right…" Faust says with hesitation, trying to hold his laughter back.
"Oh ok! No dessert for you tonight then. I'm going to go eat it all by myself." Gus understands the mischievousness and teases Faust with his favorite dishes, as Faust lived for desserts and sweets more than anything.
And as Gus is about to leave his chair to go into kitchen for the dessert, Faust realises the danger. "No No No! Why don't you say there is dessert too grandpa haha. I was just kidding, such a cool I am right? I'm a kid right? I get the dessert right? Right? Pweaasee?" He says with puppy eyes trying to please Gus.
"Well, ok, finish your salad first." Gus sits back in his chair and eats with him.
He waits till Faust is done with salad and enters steak. Faust gently cuts the tender meat. He didn't even have to put any pressure on the steak. The knife teared in and cut it smoothly like butter while juices began ogling on the surface of it, the piece which was cut is so delicious looking as steam blows off from it. The red meat in the middle layer of the steak is pink, the texture is smooth and full of flavored juices.
Faust purposely eats slower than he normally does to savour the taste in his mouth. As he is done with half of the steak and shrimp. Gus clears his throat to talk to him.
"Um so Faust! Can I ask you something?"
"Yes Grandpa? What do you need?"
"Do you trust me Fausty?"
"You and Bella are my only family grandpa, do you even need to ask hehe."
"Quit the test for mainland tomorrow, I don't want you to be participating in that." Gus utters the words with seriousness filled in his voice.
It hit Faust out of the blue, the piece of spicy chicken is still in his mouth and the spices kicked out of nowhere. He coughs with the spice kick, reaches out for the glass of water oh his left and settles himself after drinking the whole class of water.
"Wh-ah you are playing a trick on me like I did with you before grandpa! Don't tease me." He still doesn't believe what Gus said. It was definitely a joke, there was no way grandpa mean it for real, he thought.
"I am for real Faust! We don't need to join the Asura's. I don't want you to, for reasons that I cannot say. Please listen to me, once I come back from the mainland with resources and sending off the kids. I will explain everything to you." Gus explains with a sad face, Faust could clearly see that Gus is definitely hiding. If not he would allow Faust to do whatever he wanted.
He drops his fork on the table and jumps out of his chair while slamming the table with his hands while his voice is raised. "Grandpa- i-it is my dream, I have been working from 2 years all to showcase my skills and prove myself in the test tomorrow. To get taken into the elites and go to the mainland, to train and learn from better people and grow stronger." Faust doesn't understand why Gus want him to quit, He would have done what Gus wanted if it was just some other day and some other things.
But after the feud with Roney and Lucifer in Yui's place, the hunger for power grew in the heart of Faust. He wants to explore the world and get stronger to be able to protect whomever he wants.
Gus too jumps out of his chair, he is so desperate in making Faust to quit this test. "Faust! I swear you will be in mainland but not in Asura's house. I'm going to the mainland, I will confirm a ticket for you in another house. Just wait patiently until I come back and take you with me. Trust me! I want you to be with me on this one." The face of Gus shows fear while saying the words
*"Grandpa definitely is fearing something. What is happening and why now! Why! WHY! AHHHHHH!"* Faust closes his eyes tight while gritting his teeth. He is so confused and unsure of what to do now. He is not a rude kid to disobey Gus, he feels bad if Gus is saddened by his actions. He screams in his head while slamming his hands on the table again, this time harder. He then pushes his chair to a side and walks away to the upper floor.
*"I'm sorry Faust! I don't mean to hurt you, but it would be for your best if you don't show up for tomorrow." Gus mumbles in his head and sits back on the chair. He rests his elbow on the dining table, joins his hands together and rubs his two thumbs on his temple with his eyes closed.
The night passes away with both Faust and Gus not sleeping and not talking a word to each other.
In the morning, Faust doesn't go for his regular exercise session. He wakes up at 7am, hurriedly walks over to the bathroom. He takes a hot shower. Goes back to the upper floor again. After an hour. He comes down, fully dressed in enthral clothes, small shining armor on his chest, elbows and shins and a waster sword on his waist.
He looks all ready to partake in the tests. Gus is really surprised, what he feared from last night that Faust might not listen to him has happened. He just stands there looking at Faust.
Faust on the other hand, does not speak a word. He goes out ignoring hot breakfast that is served on the dining table for him.
He breathes in the fresh air, fills his lungs full and calms himself. He turns his face towards Gus who is just standing still without any reactions on his face.
"Do come and watch me grandpa!" Faust says and heads out to the carnival street for the try outs.