This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 22 - A Place to Stay (2) - Part 2

Instead of the resentful tone he used before, Obella’s call was calm and unremarkable.

At Obella’s call, Zerdan sighed and turned his head.

There was no way to resolve things by just avoiding them like a cat, was there?

“Where have you been all this time? Where’s that guy?”

“Liffree is gone. Don’t worry, he won’t be coming back. Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to control anyone again, and it seems he’s come to his senses. I don’t see any need to explain where I was.”

Zerdan answered nonchalantly.

I thought that if he were my brother, I would have just punched him, and looking at Obella, it seemed he shared a similar sentiment. Despite his usual expressionless face, there was a subtle hint of anger.

“…Why haven’t you mentioned what happened in the past until now?”

Zerdan’s gaze shifted to Terisier as if he suspected that Terisier had said something.

Terisier, receiving my touch, simply ignored the question.

“Do you want me to be honest? I didn’t see any need to tell Bella, who’s been cared for, that our parents were conducting biological experiments on us. After all, if I said that, you’d probably doubt my words first.”

“Not doubt, but…”

“You’re probably still wondering if it’s true. Our parents treated you and that guy well.”

“Because it was a useful ability?”

At my question, Zerdan looked at me with a strange expression, then nodded in agreement.

“It wasn’t about how important a son with shared blood was, but how useful the abilities were. That’s what mattered to them.”

“Even so, if you had shared that, we might not have misunderstood and harbored such resentment towards you. We might not have fully understood your actions, but we might have at least empathized.”

“Bella.”

Zerdan called out to Obella.

The matter was already settled. Obella understood this, but Zerdan had long since given up and moved on. Zerdan was never one to seek understanding now. If Terisier hadn’t been involved, Zerdan would have continued hiding things and dealing with misunderstandings until the end.

“It’s all in the past. Discussing it now seems pointless, so let’s drop it.”

Zerdan spoke firmly despite his smile. Obella fell silent at his resolute words.

Zerdan then stood up, making no attempt to stop him. I watched him for a moment before letting out a sigh. If these brothers weren’t so much to my taste, I’d likely just ignore it.

I grabbed Zerdan’s wrist as he passed by. Surprised, Zerdan looked at me with a puzzled expression before releasing my hand and lightly kissing the back of it.

A sly smile.

“Are you going to miss me?”

Obella was in shock, but Zerdan remained his usual self. I couldn’t tell how he felt inside, though.

I smiled back at Zerdan.

“Yes, I will. So why not stay for dinner and spend the night? There’s no one waiting for you anyway. How about staying here for me?”

“…I’m not particularly keen on that proposal.”

Zerdan looked at me as if trying to understand my intentions. His expression suggested he couldn’t figure out why I was insisting on keeping him here.

Despite his reluctance, he didn’t leave immediately, so I smiled even more pleasantly.

“I just wanted to see you a bit longer since it’s been a while.”

To be honest, I had been wondering about the whole ‘brotherly’ thing, and given the current atmosphere, it seemed like there might be a chance after all. Previously, it seemed like a lost cause, but now…

Zerdan flinched at my wistful remark, a rare response from him. Normally, he’d handle such comments with his usual charm, but now he turned away with an unfamiliar stiffness.

The irritation from the cat on my lap, flicking its tail in annoyance, suggested that my words might have led to some misunderstandings.

Well, I suppose a jealous man is somewhat endearing, so maybe I should leave him to it.

* * *

When Sidon didn’t return home, Khan, who had been waiting for a long time, grew frustrated as dinner time approached with no sign of him.

It was obvious he had gone to Obella’s place again.

Initially, Khan had thought Sidon might be visiting frequently to see the mind-controller woman who was part of his family, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

‘That woman seems to have a strange allure that draws people in.’

Khan had been curious about why Zerdan, who was usually interested only in those with useful abilities, was drawn to her. It was clear she was different from an ordinary woman.

Khan felt a similar emotion toward her, more as someone he wanted to serve than merely protect. If Khan, as a superior, felt this way, what did Sidon feel towards her? Sidon might not have any particular feelings, but there must be some degree of affection.

Khan sighed as a dark shadow wavered beneath his feet and soon enveloped him entirely. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a somewhat familiar building.

Obella’s house.

He’d never imagined he’d be so comfortable entering this place, but life had its twists and turns.

Diswen, who was passing through the living room, looked startled by Khan’s sudden appearance.

“Oh… hello?”

“……”

Khan simply nodded in response to Diswen’s awkward greeting.

Diswen, at a loss for words, hesitated before carefully asking.

“Are you looking for Dian… or rather, should I say, for Sidon?”

“Yes, where is he?”

Since Diswen had learned that Sidon disliked his original name, she had been using Sidon instead. Khan glanced around, expecting to find Sidon lounging on the sofa in the living room, but the sofa was empty.

He didn’t seem the type to be in the bedroom unless necessary. Had he not come here?

Seeing Khan frown, Diswen offered an awkward smile.

“Sidon went out for a bit.”

“Out? To where?”

“No, he went with the group shopping.”

Diswen’s bright smile made Khan touch his ear as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

“That bastard?”

Diswen couldn’t maintain her composure at Khan’s harsh term for his sibling, but she understood his reaction given the context.

“Yes, well… it wasn’t exactly his choice.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Sidon, referred to by Khan as “that bastard,” was currently in Moa Ablon’s arms, but in the form of a small brown puppy.

“You need to get some fresh air sometimes, Sidon. Staying indoors all the time isn’t good for you, you know?”

“Too much trouble…”

Sidon, having been grabbed by Moa Ablon and brought outside, was displeased but slightly relieved that he wasn’t walking on his own.

In his puppy form, thanks to Terisier’s ability, Sidon looked somewhat disheveled.

Terisier walked alongside Moa Ablon, looking bemused.

“Did you have to go this far to bring him out?”

“I need to build up his stamina. It’s not good if he just lies around all the time.”

“Why does he need to build stamina?”

“There’s some exercise I want to do with Sidon. Right?”

Sidon didn’t respond, but his tail wagged from side to side, indicating he understood the implication.

Even as a puppy, his droopy eyes and lack of energy were unmistakably like him.

Finding him cute, she patted his head. Next to her, Zerdan commented.

“It seems Miss Moa Ablon enjoys exercising a lot.”

Zerdan had probably picked up on what Moa Ablon meant by her actions.

Moa Ablon closed her eyes and smiled sweetly. Her neatly tied hair, now reaching her shoulders, made her look demure, but Zerdan knew well how devious that smile could be.

Zerdan chuckled with resignation.

“Is there a need to go shopping? With that man’s abilities, it doesn’t seem necessary.”

“If it were Terisier’s abilities, he could create anything, including material things, without needing to buy them. But using abilities for mundane tasks isn’t the way to go. Obella wouldn’t allow it, and Terisier seems to be considerate as well. If it were my abilities, I would have done it myself.”

Moa’s nonchalant remark made Terisier look at her with disbelief. However, he quickly nodded, finding it quite typical of Moa Ablon.

“If you need something that requires abilities, just let me know. If it’s possible, I’ll help.”

“You seem to say that so casually.”

“Well, it’s how you view me.”

Terisier’s comment momentarily stiffened Moa Ablon’s expression, but she quickly returned to her usual smile as she heard Sidon’s mumbling.

However, Zerdan, noticing the fleeting change in Moa Ablon’s expression, remained silent.

Terisier was out shopping for Obella, accompanied by Moa Ablon, who tagged along out of boredom, and Sidon, who had been dragged out. Zerdan, who had no real reason to stay where they were, followed them. Although it was an unusual combination, no one seemed particularly uncomfortable.

Terisier, though slightly bothered by Zerdan’s presence, felt more at ease with his apparent attempt to act like a stranger, avoiding any mention of past events.

As they were about to head back after shopping, an unexpected encounter occurred.

If no one had approached Moa Ablon, who was waiting with Sidon in her arms, things might have been different.

“Isn’t that the woman from last time?”

Moa Ablon, who was playing with Sidon’s paws, looked up at the familiar voice. A large man stood right in front of her. His massive frame and heavily furred limbs made him instantly recognizable. Moa Ablon smiled upon seeing him.

“‘That woman’? It’s rather impolite to refer to me like that.”

The burly man was a subordinate of Zerdan and had fought her when she was with Terisier. Although he was her first combat opponent, their match had gone well due to their favorable matchup. She hadn’t seen him since, so she thought he might have perished. It seemed he was nearby after all.

Moa Ablon’s green eyes gleamed with interest.

“Well, what a coincidence. I’ve been looking for you since then, and finally, we met.”

The man seemed to still be brooding over their past encounter. As he reached out with a scowl, Moa Ablon observed quietly. The man grabbed her shoulders firmly, pulling her towards him.

Given the surrounding presence of people, the man seemed to want to move to a more secluded location.

The pain she felt was minimal, as she wasn’t truly hurt. Though the man thought he was gripping her tightly, she had already adjusted his sensory perception.

In reality, his touch was gentle, only applying pressure through her clothing, so she wasn’t experiencing any significant force.

Moa Ablon pretended to be helpless, moving as he directed her, maintaining her façade.

Sidon looked up in confusion, but Moa Ablon lowered her head and smiled secretly at the man.

Meanwhile, Terisier, who was unaware of the situation, finished his calculations and spoke to Zerdan, who was standing with his arms crossed beside him.

“Could you at least carry the luggage if you’re going to stay?”

Terisier complained while lifting the luggage, but Zerdan was looking elsewhere.

Seeing Zerdan’s fascinated gaze outside, Terisier followed his gaze, and his expression soon hardened.

A familiar silver-haired woman was being led away by a man. Only her back was visible, so Moa Ablon’s expression could not be seen.

Terisier tried to rush over, but Zerdan blocked his path by extending his arm.

“Let’s go slowly. Since Moa Ablon was smiling, it should be fine.”

“She was smiling? …What is she thinking now?”

Only then did Terisier exhale in relief and calm his tense body. However, his concern remained, and he set off at a brisk pace. Zerdan, following behind him, wore a slightly dark expression.