Protect

The moment Xavier wakes up. He tried to open the door and it worked.

“Hmm..I hope there is a manual for using this door.”

He hopes his ancestor has left something as a clue. But if they do, the family would not be poor right now in the countryside.

But wait, his ancestor was able to send people from the other side to this side.

If so, why didn’t he send the whole clan to this side?

“Oh…right. This side was at war back then. And since here is more advanced with guns and airplanes, the ancestor may think the other side is much safer. If he saw the world now here he would have changed locations.”

He wondered until he felt his stomach grumbling.

He went to the other side first after refreshing himself in the bathroom.

“Hello.” Xavier smells the breakfast and was elated.

“Xavier!”

Layla stood up abruptly and hugged him tightly.

“I know you are safe but I’m still not appeased until I see you for real.” She wipes her tears and touches his face.

“Why did you only come back now?” Dante also stood up and walked to look at his arms and legs.

“I’m fine Mom, dad. Sorry I scared you. The wolf followed me to the other side but the weight was too much so only its head got inside. Thanks to that there is a penalty and I was not able to open another door for a while. It got fixed only now.”

“It’s good that you are not hurt. Next time it happened just run back to the other side. Don’t worry about us.” Layla said.

Cheska was looking at his brother worriedly but she didn’t insist on squeezing with their parents.

Xavier saw Cheska and smiled.

“Miss me?”

Cheska pouts and walks to hug him. She tears up.

“Those wolves are too much. They have all the animals in the mountain to eat yet they still get greedy. Kon killed three of them but some were able to escape. He didn’t pursue them. The meat was cured with salt. I’ll make them into bacon. If you want to do something else you have it all.”

She said

Xavier touches her cheeks and wipe her tears with his thumbs.

“You cry baby. How can you get married like this?”

Cheska gasps and slaps his hands.

“Bad brother!”

Xavier grins rubbing his hurt hand.

“What’s for breakfast? I’m hungry. Wait. Where are they?”

“Brother Gerald and Brother Harvey are with Kon. They recognized Kon as their master and will train under him.” Dante said.

“I think it is just right. With how you are risking your life for this family, they should bear some weights too. Soon Gerald and Harvey will also have a family. So it’s just right. You should also train too in my opinion.” He said looking at Xavier.

Xavier lips twitch.

“I am fine the way I am.”

“Coward.” Cheska giggles.

“Okay. Let’s eat first.” Layla smiles, touching Xavier's shoulder. Smiling at him.

They are chatting happily in the dining area when the other three men enter.

The two are shirtless and almost out of breath.

Kon looks like a young master in a tribe with authority and fashion.

He sat on the very end of the dining table facing their father.

At first he doesn’t want to sit with them because of his status but nobody agreed with him to eat somewhere else or eat after them.

He was forced to follow the family to eat.

Now he has gotten used to it.

“You two look like you rolled down the mountain.” Xavier chuckles.

Gerald and Harvey both look at him worriedly then relax after seeing his teasing face.

“We did roll in the mountain.”

Harvey sighs.

“My body aches all over.”

“Master Kon, eat more. Don’t forget to hit them a few more times if they ever bully me.” Cheska said giggling.

The fact that Cheska was scared of Kon at first but they become the first to get close was funny.

Kom smiles.

“Okay.”

Cheska looks at her two brothers with a loathing smirk.

Harvey rolls his eyes while Gerald shakes his head.

“Oh…since it was so tense yesterday. I bet brother Gerald didn’t tell you brother Harvey?” Xavier said seriously.

They all look at Xavier then to Harvey who pauses from eating and stares at Gerald.

Gerald still swallows the food because of hunger. He shrugged his shoulders. He doesn’t know what Xavier is talking about.

“What is it?” Harvey asks worriedly.

“Hm..Someone came to the store worriedly asking if I fired you.” He grins.

“What?”

“Ah!” Gerald chuckles.

“She's a beautiful girl. I thought Xavier was teasing a beauty but she actually worried Harvey had a problem because of her.”

Harvey frowns.

“Who?”

“The beautiful girl.”

Harvey snorts.

“I don’t remember.” He said looking down at his food.

“Ah. He is embarrassed. His ears are red.” Cheska pointed it out.

Harvey didn’t look up.

They all stop teasing seeing him so serious in avoiding the topic.

“Should I go with you?” Kon asks.

Xavier shakes his head.

“We are more at ease if you stayed here to look after the princess and the King and Queen.”

“Brother! That was against the rule.” Cheska exclaimed.

They all look at Xavier with wide eyes.

Only Dante didn’t react violently but shook his head.

“Comparing anything to the royal family is against the rules. If you are caught and the royal family take offense. 7 generations of your family…will get killed.” He said.

Xavier sticks his tongue out.

“I was just chatting with my family. The royal family is in the capital. Unless someone so petty goes and informs the royal family, why would they bother with someone like me.” He rolls his eyes.

“Just be careful. Don’t even speak of it.”

Gerald sighs.

Xavier pouts but he also knows there is no law in this world.

“I’ll be careful.”

Kon looks at them. They change the topic and talk about something else.

Kon looks at his plate of food. This family is very warm. They love each other and support and worry for each other. Even in his tribe, he never was surrounded with such warmth.

The royal family is not the only problem, actually they are the least of the problems. Like Xavier said, the royal family is in the capital. This is far south. The trouble that may come their way is not from a higher rank but a minor nobility or middle rank officials.

Even though those people are nothing compared to the real power, in this way back provincial, they are lords.

A normal civilian family won’t be able to fight them.

“Kon?” Layla touches his hand.

“Madam.”

Kon looks up.

The elderly woman smiles.

“I notice you aren’t eating. Do you not like the food?”

“I am fine.”

“Did you upset your stomach?” Cheska asks

“Is it because we pester you to start the practice so early?” Gerald asks worriedly.

“I told you we should at atleast have a cup of coffee.” Harvey shakes his head.

“If it’s upset stomach. I still have medicine in my room.” Dante said.

“Don’t keep quiet if you feel sick.” Xavier shakes his head.

“You must have stayed up late to keep watch. Then these two pester you early. You can say no to them if they trouble you.”

Kon shakes his head.

“I was just thinking about something.”

They all thought he was thinking about his tribe so they didn’t ask just tell him to eat more. One person puts food on his plate one after the other and it ends up in a pile.

Cheska giggles but still pushes a small bowl of dessert.

“Eat a lot.” She said happily.

Kon nods.

The Prince once asked him if he wanted to take a position in exchange for swearing his loyalty to him.

If he has the Prince as a backer…Maybe he can protect this family.