Chapter 346 - Between Her Father & Brother

"So, child, what is it that you wish to discuss with me?" Perun asked softly as soon as they were out of hearing distance from the house.

He and Suzuki Aki had stepped out to the yard and were now crossing the Zen garden towards the gazebo. Perun walked ahead while the other followed after him respectfully like a loyal subject. Aki's aura was so formal that the King was reminded of the stiff Fredek.

"I…"

Aki's voice trailed off but Perun waived his words off as he signaled for him to go to the gazebo first so they could sit down. As soon as they did, Aki became all the more rigid, making Perun smile.

"Aki, you don't have to be so rigid and formal with me. After all, in this world, you are Ali's brother, and I am merely a brother-in-law," Perun stated with an amused twitch of his lips.

It was evident, most especially with his amethyst eyes that he found this tidbit very funny.   "How older are we supposed to be again compared to you?" He was referring to his and Gin's age against Aki's since they were twins.

"Two years," Aki answered finally a bit less tensed compared to earlier but was still anxious. He cleared his throat. "I… I wanted to talk to you to apologize…"

Aki decided to go immediately to his concerns as first, he didn't want to waste Perun's time, and second, he wanted to get things off his ċhėst the soonest. Since hearing that he had come, the older Suzuki had been trying to think of ways to ask for forgiveness to his sister's parent.  

"Oh?"Perun raised a brow. "Whatever for?" He already had an idea now what the apology was about, but he didn't believe that it was necessary. Still, if this would help the other feel better, he wouldn't mind hearing him out.

"Because I failed as a brother," Aki answered what was expected. "I think you already know what happened with Ara – Alinea here, in this world," he said with a bitter smile. "I nearly lost her because I was too preoccupied with myself. Also…"

The younger man's jaw clenched as he remembered all those events when his sister was hospitalized and he still thought the worst. "Also, for not believing her."

Even if she survived and he promised to be a good brother, he still believed that she was the one at fault until Ryuu and Gin told him otherwise. He hadn't realized that she was the victim all along until someone else told him. In that aspect alone, Aki knew that he was the worst brother there was.

Silence hung between them for a while with Perun studying Aki's sincerely agonized expression. His violet gaze bored through the surface and seemed to see through even his soul.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" he asked softly afterwards.

Aki was confused. He was expecting to be at least reprimanded. Alinea was Perun's beloved child after all. "Because I failed your daughter… I already apologized to her, but I wanted to say sorry to you too…"

Perun looked at him again for several seconds before letting out a sigh. "Well… I failed my daughter too. I failed her for thousands of years," he said quietly. "We can never change that, but, we at least still have this chance to make it up to her, no?"

The last part of Perun's words came out in a breathy whisper that Aki's eyes widened, realizing what they really meant, and he felt relieved. Perun was telling him that his sin was nothing compared to his – but in spite of, that it was okay to feel remorse as long as they would work hard to correct them.

"You're right," Aki said, finally with a smile. A great weight had been lifted in his ċhėst. He was really glad that he talked to the other.

"You should head back. With all the deities and demigods in this place, she might start to forget you if you leave her too long," Perun said so seriously, alarming Aki. The older Suzuki knew about mortals being attracted to divine inheritance.

"I'm just teasing you, of course," Perun continued with a grin. "Nobody will do that to Chiaki, here. Besides," he said as he paused. "You're a demigod yourself, even if the blood is not that much. You're charming enough for your love," he added, and Aki laughed.

"I'll head back, then. How about you?"

Perun looked like he didn't want to leave the seat yet. His faze scanned the garden and spotted a cherry blossom tree not far away from the gazebo. It was already early spring, and the weather had become warmer. It was enough for the pinkish-white blossoms to thrive.

He shook his head. "You go on ahead. I will maybe take a nap over there," he said as he pointed at the tree, and Aki nodded before leaving.

============

"What's going on?"

Alinea leaned forward as she posted the question in Gedian language. She also made sure that the only people who could hear her were Gin, Ryuu, and Ivan. Chiaki and Yuuka were seated at the far back of the discreet SUV they had opted to take, which Gin drove personally. Ivan sat next to Gin, while Ara and Ryuu sat in the middle.  

Ryuu patted her head. "We'll talk when we reach Cedar Palace," he told her enigmatically, not bothering to speak in Gedian.

Alinea frowned but didn't insist. She knew that speaking in a different language in the presence of people who didn't understand it was rude. But she was just too curious that she couldn't wait to hear what's happening, and she spoke in Gedian just in case it was something that neither Yuuka nor Chiaki should know.

With a sigh, she settled back in her seat. It wouldn't take long for them to return anyway. However, she had this nagging feeling at the pit of her stomach that something was totally off, and it was related to Yuuka. She had also realized that when Gin and Ryuu insisted that she come to the Cedar Palace with them that the woman was somehow involved in something that the Homura House needed to deal with personally.

Could it be… shadow lurker?

Alinea frowned as she discreetly glanced at Yuuka who sat quietly at the back as she stared out the window.

No.

Alinea shook her head. It couldn't be a shadow lurker. If it was, she would have known about it as the spawn in her soul would feel excitement at the dark elemental and would try to devour it. Dark elementals, after all, cannibalized each other to strengthen themselves. She would have felt a murderous intent within her if that was the case.

So, what could it be?

Alinea glanced up at Ryuu again and sighed. She felt restless, but she would bear with it for now.