"Ahahahahha!!! I'm not that sick, Liora!" The raucous laughter echoed through the pristine and magical confines of the Elf Village's medical room. Varian, the elderly patient on the bed, was now completely bald, tended to by a group of skilled elves who monitored his fragile health.
"But Master, you…" Liora's voice trailed off, her concern evident as she gazed at the old man. The medical room was a marvel of elven craftsmanship, seamlessly blending modern aesthetics with ancient magic.
"Cancer won't kill me for real," Varian declared with an air of nonchalance that belied the gravity of his condition. His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of his mortality.
Rizki, observing the scene, couldn't contain his frustration any longer. "Fuck it. I'm out!" he exclaimed, turning to leave.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Varian called after him, his jovial demeanor replaced with a more serious tone. "I want to talk to you first!!"
Rizki, recognizing the need for discretion, motioned for the girls to leave. They asked in unison about his intentions, and he responded, "Manly talk, women aren't allowed."
With the room now emptied, Rizki turned his attention back to Varian. "Tell me what you want to do, and there's no need to hide anything now."
Varian coughed, blood staining his lips as he managed a smile. "I knew you already knew that I'm on my twilight years."
Rizki nodded solemnly. The truth was apparent—Varian's cancer had reached its terminal stage, and his remaining days were numbered. Varian's laughter filled the room once more as he spoke, "I've lived for 600 years and beyond, Rizki. Being a long-lived species like us isn't as glamorous as it sounds."
Then, with a hint of urgency, Varian continued, "I want to talk to you as a person, as the father of my daughters, to express my gratitude."
Struggling to rise, Varian attempted to bow to Rizki, but Rizki gently held him back, concern etched across his face. "Your health comes first," he insisted. "Now, tell me what you want me to do."
"First of all, as I asked you three years ago, marry my daughters!" Varian's request hung in the air, the weight of his words sinking in. Rizki hesitated for a moment before replying, "I can only marry one of them, I'm sorry."
Varian's eyes reflected both his sincerity and his determination. "I know it's a difficult choice, Rizki. But I want all of my daughters to live in happiness, without the fear of anyone being left behind. So..." He coughed, and Rizki hurriedly fetched a white linen cloth to clean him up. "Stop dwelling on the negative. I can only marry Eve, but I can't..."
"Consider it a father's final request. Can you do that for me?" Varian implored with grace and vulnerability, his eyes revealing the truth behind his facade—a father's love and concern for his daughters' well-being, even in his final moments.
Rizki's heart was heavy as Varian's request echoed in his ears. He couldn't help but think of his own father's dying wish, a memory from a lifetime ago.
"Rizki... be the number one, whatever it is," his father had said, and those words had driven him relentlessly. He had sacrificed friendships, sprinted past competitors, and collected a trove of awards and accolades. His pursuit of success had defined his existence, up until a year ago, when he found himself in this unfamiliar world.
Kneeling beside his father's grave, he had etched the man's name into the stone and laid two prestigious world competition gold medals as a tribute. Tears welled up in Rizki's eyes as he reminisced about those times. He was torn, standing at a crossroads between his past and the present, unsure of how to respond to Varian's plea.
After a deep, contemplative gulp, he finally found his voice and said, "I will do it, if that's your wish."
A radiant smile spread across Varian's face as he heard Rizki's decision. "You are Owen Danielle now, Rizki. In our world, every man who marries into an elf family, or a woman who marries an elf, adopts the family name. So, you're Owen Danielle once again."
Varian went on to explain as he removed a colorful bracelet from his left hand and handed it to Rizki. Despite the weight of his past, Rizki chose to honor his parents' memory by responding, "I appreciate the new name, but I will keep 'Rizki' as a tribute to my parents."
"That's perfectly fine," Varian replied, his smile unwavering. He then continued, "In the eyes of the outside world, you will be known as Owen Danielle."
Varian's announcement marked the start of a new chapter in Rizki's life. He handed Rizki a beautiful dagger, symbolizing his acceptance into the elf family. "Rizki's true history will remain a secret forever," Varian declared. "To the world, you shall be known as Owen Danielle."
With that, Rizki accepted the dagger and the weight of his new identity. It was a commitment to honor Varian's request and a chance to embrace a fresh start in this mystical world. The past and the present converged as Rizki, now Owen Danielle, took his first steps into a future filled with uncertainty, but also with the promise of love and family.
Rizki's steps carried him out of the room, leaving Varian to rest. As he moved down the corridor, uncertainty gnawed at him, and he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Did I make the right choice?"
The weight of the decision he had just made hung heavily on his shoulders. Marrying one of Varian's daughters was a significant commitment, and the responsibility of upholding a father's dying wish was a burden he wasn't sure he was prepared for.
However, Rizki had always been driven by a determination to be the best, to fulfill his father's wish to "be the number one." This new path he had chosen, with a new name and a new family, represented a departure from his past life of competition and ambition.
As he contemplated his uncertain future, Rizki couldn't help but wonder how this choice would change the course of his life.