[ April 15th, 2015 ]
[ District M, Adler's Family Residence Villa ]
" Do you like cake, Ragna? " Aidan's mom, Mrs. Aida asks as she brings up some cake, a self-made chocolate cake that looks not-so-good.
" Mom, did you make it by yourself, again? " Aidan asks his mom, for he knows his mom decides to prepare things by herself again.
" Aidan... " Mrs. Aida scolds him with a low tone while maintaining a soft smile in front of Ragna who just, silently looks at her.
" ... "
"( Aidan, does this kid even talk? )"
"( Hey mom, he's 5th years old... )"
"(At that age, many still can't pronounce their names, so be grateful if he can at least say some words, probably. )"
" Thank... you... " Ragna says to them, quickly taking the cake and the fork, eating it properly in a swift.
* Mrs. Aida and Aidan get shocked, their mouths are wide open. *
" Aha, I see you like the cake, Ragna! " Mr. Alan comes as he sees Ragna finishes his cake instantly, he a good table manners for a kid his age.
"( Wow, that is, super. )"
"( I didn't realize he already had a napkin tied before he ate the cake with no difficulties, I don't remember if I can do that at his age. )" Aidan sees that kind of miracle, for him, he always thought he's different from the other kids due to his parents and many people around him telling that he's quickly-adapted to things for such a young age.
But this time, a new challenger comes in, and it seems he's doing this like he's already been doing it many times before.
"( Ragna's a new breed, I can see that. )"
"( Is it just me, or do I feel that those come after me had become more different as my life progresses? )"
"( Hell, seeing this I wonder if he's a Blue Blood Member, living in this place to avoid the turmoil between many Family Members. )"
" Umm..., Ragna. " Aidan calls him.
" You must been taught so well at home, didn't you? " the question asked but no answer was given.
"( Should've expected that. )"
" Well, Ragna... "
" I just want to know if you happen to have family that waits for you at home and..., do they mind having you with us for some time, it's going to be evening soon, and... "
" Grandma... " Ragna replied.
" Grandma..., home..., late..., Mom... Dad..., airplane..., Uncle... Raid. " Ragna says those words as Mrs. Aida and Mr. Alan begin to interpret them in their minds.
"( So he's on his grandma's care, I see... )"
"( As suspected, if his parents are the ones who are guarding, then there's no way this kid will be far from home and the whole District didn't go into chaos. )" Mrs. Aida thinks quickly when hearing it.
"( It makes so much sense now if he could go out alone like this, I guess his family's a busy one, especially... )"
"( His uncle, probably works as an Inquisitor or perhaps the rumored creation of the so-called 'Hunter Association'... )" Mr. Alan thinks about it.
" Does your grandma always come home late? " Mrs. Aida asks.
" Grandma..., home..., evening..., quarter to six... "
" Okay, that's unusual..., is she still working or something? "
" Work, Temple..., District..., umm..., R... "
" District R? " Mr. Alan asks while Ragna nods.
"( District R? Temple? The Holy Temples* are District H... )"
"( Is the Grandmother some sort of a Priestess who wants to open a new temple in that District?..., or perhaps she's part of the- )"
"( No, if she's part of 'that', then there's no way she would let her 'descendant' roam around or perhaps leave them unguarded. )"
"( Especially when he says his parents are on an airplane, they must be doing things overseas as well as his uncle in the Dungeons, thus, makes me wonder what kind of job his Grandmother does in the temple besides 'that one' that immediately came to my mind. )"
" Ragna... " Mr. Alan calls him again.
" About your grandma, what is her name? "
* Doorbell rings. *
" Grandma Rory!? " Ragna stands up immediately alarming the family as they see a woman in the fence from the window near them, seeing a black-white robed brown-white hair old woman touching the bell.
Mr. Alan sees the old woman with a sharp stare, his intuition begins to get the curiosity out of him as he sees Ragna sprinting from his chair, opening the door, and calling the woman on the fence.
" Grandma Rory! Ragna..., here! " Ragna calls the old woman, waving his hands so she could see him.
" Ragna! " said the woman as she saw him, as it happened, Mr. Alan quickly approached the fence and opened it for her.
" Ragna's grandmother, I presume? " he asks when seeing what Ragna's grandmother looks like, seeing her old face but still maintaining some good remnants of her youth face. But despite her face, Mr. Alan looks at her attire, beginning to realize what she worked for as a living.
" Ah, you're... " Grandma Rory too noticed something out from Mr. Alan.
" Mr. Adler, from the 'Adler Potioneutical* Manufacture'? " Grandma Rory recognizes Mr. Alan, for the company she stated is what Mr. Alan has had a hold on from his position of the Adler Family. This Manufacturer is the one that supplied the Holy Temples if they needed many Potions to support them in Perilous Times.
The two locked their eyes as Ragna approached their position, followed by Aidan and Mrs. Aida who saw what Ragna's grandma looked like.
"( I don't know about it, perhaps old age made it impossible for me to think of them as relatives. )"
"( But... )"
"( What's with the overall Black and White Robe...? )"
"( Shouldn't those who worked in the temple use White Robes? )"
"( I thought Black Robes are for the Inquisitors only? )" Aidan asks himself, while on the other hand, Mrs. Aida sees the old woman and goes into sweats as Ragna comes to his granny with a huge smile.
" Ragna, Grandma's so sorry... "
" Grandma just had an urgent meeting from the Temple, they require Grandma to discuss some things. "
" Things...? " Ragna asks her as Grandma Rory picks him up and holds his little body with her hands.
" Yes, dear Grandson," she tells him while sobbing happily, she was grateful she finally found her grandson in the place she predicted he would go.
" Things that only Grandma could be spoken to with the others who accompany my work... " Grandma Rory explains while Mr. Alan sees her and replies with a low tone.
" Yeah, things that only the likes of you are allowed to know," he whispers as Grandma Rory thanks him and the family so much for taking care of Ragna while she's gone while also mentioning since she knew Ragna often came here with his dad or his uncle, she knew that he must've not gone far hence she rings the bell of their place, which resulted in her finding him safe and sound.
But before she leaves.
" Wait...! " Aidan calls her as he asks his dad to let them take a photo since this is a birthday party and he is quite thankful that there's someone that would visit him for the day.
Hearing that, Mr. Alan could only look at Grandma Rory while she looked at Ragna as he nodded, giving her the signal.
" Okay then, this is your first time having friends... "
" Fine then, Ragna. "
They all have a photo, as Mr. Alan did by doing a selfie to all of them before Ragna and Grandma Rory leave them for good.
...
( That night. )
" Father... " Aidan called Mr. Alan as he saw him and his mother at the dining table, eating their dinner.
" You're awake? " Mr. Alan asks his birthday boy, now he's officially seven years old.
" Yes, the cake makes me full and sleepy. "
" But... "
" I woke up because I want to ask you something. "
" What is it, Son? " Mr. Alan asks.
" Ragna's Grandmother... " Aidan says it all of a sudden, which makes his parents pause the thing they're doing now, especially Mr. Alan.
" Ragna said she works at the Temple, but her robes don't look like she's a Priest... "
" Her robes are Black and White, while Temple Priests use only White clothes while the Inquisitors wear the opposite... "
" Besides that, I remember you once said all those from the Temple are meant to do 'chastity', to serve the gods only by not marrying, so they shouldn't have kids, so...? " Aidan asks but Mr. Alan suddenly says.
" You mean 'chained' to the gods...? " Mr. Alan suddenly says that but Mrs. Aida suddenly rises from her seat.
" Aida, stay here. " Mr. Alan stops her which she follows as she sits again in front of the confused little Aidan.
" What's going on? " Aidan asks while looking at his serious face Father.
" Aidan... " Mr. Alan calls him.
" You should take a seat... "
_______
Extra:
* Holy Temple.
See Chapter 64: Holy Temple Evacuation
* Potioneutical.
It's like Pharmaceuticals but the Subject here is Potions, so it was called like that.