Chapter 246: Family Business
<b>[Glenn Delfane Level 10]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">“This the other kid?” Drake asked giving a slight frown.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, that’s Glenn,” Bjorn answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Disgusting gigolo…” Mordred spat, actually hitting Glenn between the eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Mon amour! You know I only have eyes for you,” Glenn smiled, wiping away the dribble on his face with his sleeve, then he stood up extending a hand, “Je suis, Glenn Delfane, Monsieur. At your service.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake took the boy’s hand out of habit, shaking it lightly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Quite the handshake, no?” Glenn said pulling Drake in so that he could whisper something to him, “May I ask what is your type of woman?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nico Robin,” Drake said immediately, then blinked as if he didn’t mean to answer.
<span style="font-weight:400">Glenn gave a confused look, “I do not know who that is, you will have to show meter…But it is not a problem! A man who knows what he likes can only be a good person!” he shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t think that’s how that works,” Drake grimaced.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nonsense! For example, The only woman for me would be Mordred. This makes me a good man, yes?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake opened his mouth to argue, but Bjorn shook his head behind the teen, letting Drake know it wasn’t worth arguing.
<span style="font-weight:400">He finally sighed and took a good look at the boy for the first time.
<span style="font-weight:400">Glenn was fairly tall for a teenager, nearly the same height as Drake. Maybe in a few years, he would even be taller once his growth spurt had finally finished. Glenn had bright blond hair cut short with just enough bangs to cover his eyes. Unlike Mordred, he also wore light armor of leather make but didn’t have any equipment currently on him otherwise. His build was lean and he had mischievous blue eyes, if there was such a thing.
<span style="font-weight:400">If Drake were to sum up the boy in one very annoying word, it would be handsome. And Drake hated it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t like you,” Drake smiled, letting go of the teen’s hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordredughed from her seat while Glenn’s mouth hung open.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well that is to be expected, I am an acquired taste of a more sophisticated palette. No matter. You are the son of the wonderful woman who has put us up, yes? My deepest gratitude Monsieur,” Glenn said not missing a beat.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked over his shoulder at Mordred, “What’s his deal, how do you know him?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred frowned, “He’s a childhood fri-acquaintance…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now now, no need to lie!” Glenn smiled, “Mordred and I are quite close.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred rolled her eyes and motioned for Lucium to roll her inside.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is a tale as old as time. Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy swears to serve her for the rest of his life!” Glen recited cing his hand on his chest.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So you’re a white knight..?” Drake scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That is a paleparison of what I would do for Mordred. She is my angel and I will guard her from anything or <i><span style="font-weight:400">anyone</i><span style="font-weight:400"> who dares to hurt her. Even if she is a little daddy’s girl.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are womanizing trash! He is the son of one of the employees in my parent''s house,” Mordred exined, as she sighed being rolled passed them, “I did not have the best health growing up, so he was one of the few people I could talk to.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah!” Glenn gasped, gripping his heart, “Such is a rose to have such thorns!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake ced his hand to his head, “This is going to be a long trip back I can already tell… Right well, since you are her plus one, she can take care of you. What’s your base ss kid?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am a humble but noble Knight!” Glenn announced, giving a blinding smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake frowned, “I can feel myself aging in real-time. I meant what is the name of your ss, and not the Glenn version.”
<span style="font-weight:400">It was Glenn’s turn to frown as he brought up his status, “I will show you only because Mordred seems to trust you. And I am of course indebted to your mother for hosting us for the time being.”
<b>[Glenn Delfane]</b>
<b>[Race: Human]</b>
<b>[Professions: Empty]</b>
<b>[Earthbound Lance] [Rare] Level 10</b>
<b>[Vitality] 173 (+15%)</b>
<b>[Strength] 69</b>
<b>[Dexterity] 40</b>
<b>[Intelligence] 30</b>
<b>[Wisdom] 30</b>
<b>[Endurance] 110 (+15%)</b>
<b>[Free Points] 0</b>
<b>[Skills Branches]</b>
<b>Empty</b>
<b>[Titles]</b>
<b>First Blood, Two vs One, One vs Many, Fae Killer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Deadman Walking, yer of Sparkles, Awe of Many</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked at the boy’s status with some surprise. He wasn’t lying when he said he would protect Mordred at least. The boy had nearly two hundred Vitality and over a hundred Endurance marking him as a Tank ss, especially when one included his ss name.
<span style="font-weight:400">What surprised Drake more was that the boy had several hard-toe-by titles, including most of the near-death titles he aimed for the teens to get for the stats.
<span style="font-weight:400">“yer of Sparkles? Don’t like things that glitter huh?” Drake scoffed,ughing for the first time since meeting Glenn.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fairies. Lurh little cretines… You could not imagine how disappointed I was to find that fairies were bloodthirsty little bastards with sharp teeth. <i><span style="font-weight:400">Very</i><span style="font-weight:400"> sharp teeth,” Glenn spat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, this status is actually pretty impressive. I’m assuming you’re a tank ss?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Glenn nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good, that actually rounds out our squad pretty well,” Drakeughed, “Okay, that’s it for now. By the way, what did you do to get thrown out of the house?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I asked the green boy what type of woman he liked,” Glenn said tly, “But he became angry and threw me out,” he shrugged, “Some people are just terrible conversationalists.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake stifled augh and walked back inside.
<span style="font-weight:400">—------------
<span style="font-weight:400">Going through the door and shutting it before Glenn coulde back in, Drake looked around his family home, the business as usual still continuing even after he left.
<span style="font-weight:400">He could see parts of the living room and the TV that was somehow still on. Sitting on the couch he could see the back of heads he recognised easily. White hair and wolf ears, auburn hair, short cut ck hair, and of course colorful feathers that were very quickly turning into a frustrated scarlet.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s going on over here?” Drake asked leaning on the back of the couch.
<span style="font-weight:400">“The little man in the box is ying dirty!” Atropos screamed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Quetz doesn’t like this squishy pink monster that eats everything!” Quetz growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You all are just noobs! Bow down!” Landinughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Landin they’re from a different world… They didn’t have video games…” Charlotte sighed pressing buttons mechanically.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This isn’t just any game, this is OG Smash! And Pikachu reigns supreme!” Landin corrected, Ifrit giving a wide yawn in hisp.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drakeughed, “Always knew you were a Pokemon. Where’s Kalik?” he asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He’s in the corner brooding after the French guy asked him something,” Landin said over his shoulder.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right, well. We have two new additions to the gang, including the ‘French guy’ so be ready to deal with them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who is the other person?” Charlotte asked a little worry in her voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked around and found Mordred, pointing her out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“The girl in the wheelchair, Mordred. Technically her helper as well but we’ll count them as one. Either way, enjoy thest day of rxing we’re moving out right after you guys have ranked up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Quetz doesn’t think any part of the long trip was rxing. Quetz lost a lot of feathers on the way…” Quetz cooed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh great… another one….” Charlotte pouted, slumping down into the couch.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake chuckled and let them continue ying, noticing some of the younger children who shared the house were staring up at the beastkin and avian girls with wonder in their eyes making him smirk.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know it’s my reality but it’s still funny how quickly kids adapt,” he muttered while going to the kitchen.
<span style="font-weight:400">There he found his brother Travis the elf girl as well as his mother and Sah Ul’. Lamar and Bjorn were also there stirring something at the stove.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Pretty packed in here isn’t it?” Drake asked, announcing himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, if only someone didn’te into the kitchen to make it more packed,“ Travis grinned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I just thought I’d grace you with my presence,” Drake sneered back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Patriarch,” Sah Ul’ said, noticing him, “I-i made this. W-would you like to try it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sah Ul’ held out a spoon filled with piping-hot liquid that had a very acidic tang to it that Drake knew well.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sinigang?” Drake asked looking at his mom, “We still have powder?”
<span style="font-weight:400">His mother nodded, smiling at Sah Ul’.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sah Ul’ urged the spoon forward, her ears reddening.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake smiled and took a sip from the spoon tasting the tamarind, meat juices, and spice filling his mouth with blissful nostalgia for the dish.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah… That is just amazing. It tastes great Sarah. You learned to do this when I was outside? It was only a half hour at most.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I wanted to learn of your favorite foods. To maketer…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake felt his stomach twist seeing the usually stoic and fierce Sah Ul’ act so demure, her simple statement somehow bringing a grin to his face. And also the fact that his brother was motioning to puke at him, helped as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that right? We’ll have to find ingredients to rece the stuff in the powder then won’t we?” Drake said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have already begun looking! Some of these tastes I can match with food from the vige, but others…I fear will be difficult,” Sah Ul’ answered back, turning somewhat crestfallen.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sure we can figure it out,” Drake nodded back then turned serious for a moment, “Mom, Travis… I think we should talk. Sooner rather thanter.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The previous casual andfortable air in the kitchen suddenly turned dour.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know you’ve both seen the notifications but I don’t know how much you both know about what is going on.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn turned around nudging Lamar who was bent over a pot on the stove. The huge cyclops shuffled around an extrarge spoon in his mouth with a confused look before he took in the surroundings looking at Bjorn and nodding.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then we’ll excuse ourselves, bro, seems like something you want just between the three of you?” Bjorn said, making for the kitchen entry, Lamar, not far behind with Sah Ul’ and the elf girl Drake hadn’t gotten the name of just yet reluctantly following.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sah Ul’ had a more dejected look on her face but Drake gave her a smile to try tofort her as she joined the rest in the living room and halfway.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thanks, Bjorn, I’ll catch you two up on the way back,” Drake thanked, giving the two huge mountains of men ps on the arm.
<span style="font-weight:400">“On what way back? Where do you think we are going, Drake? We are already home, <i><span style="font-weight:400">you</i><span style="font-weight:400"> are home and now you bring your wife. You can start a family here finally and have my grandbabies,” his mother asked confused.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shook his head, “We can’t stay here Mom. Everyone in this house and anyone else willing toe from this city can return with us to ReUnite. My city, that is being built up right now to protect everyone. Protect you, Travis and Dillon! Our future!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What are you saying Drake? You can’t possibly be saying we uproot our lives that we just got back to go across monster-infested forests that contain even E-Ranks?” Travis said butting into the conversation.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am,” Drake said not missing a beat, “I have the strength to protect everyone. And with… with Atticus and the undead on the loose it’s the only ce I feel like I can keep you all safe as well.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Atticus…” his mother muttered, “Is your brother really..?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake nodded, “I’ve confirmed it with someone staying in my city, but there are also the notifications that keep pouring in. Mom,” he said stiffly, looking into his mother’s eyes, “He’s even worse off than he was before…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Travis scoffed, “Yeah, if you can even say that’s possible…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Travis!” their mother snapped, “He is still your brother! And while you live under my roof, you will have some respect for family!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Travis flinched but nodded and kept his gaze even.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Mom…” Drake said warily, “Travis is right.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Their mother scowled looking back at Drake now with some disappointment.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We all know how Atticus behaved before the system. He was distant, he basically hated us when we moved in. Not only that he was never around,” Drake exined solemnly, “And with the system, the power he’s seemed to obtained. Did you know he calls himself a God now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Their mother grimaced, “That… Your older brother has always been confused since your father left us…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake felt his anger boil over for a moment, “Confused?!”
<span style="font-weight:400">He wanted to scream at her for being so naive, for living under a rock since the tutorial ended. But he knew he also held out a small amount of hope that he was wrong. Atticus and he had never been very close. No one from his mother''s side of the family was and he honestly couldn’t recollect why. But he did know the morals his mother instilled in him and to never look down or give up on family, even if it hurt, even if they didn’t want it.
<span style="font-weight:400">Because if you didn’t have family or those you called family, who else was there?
<span style="font-weight:400">He took a deep breath, “I won’t give up on him until I see him and have him exin, but we need to face the reality here, Mom. He has killed people, I’m not even sure how many just for being different than his idea of pure. I have saved children!” Drake said his anger smoldered as he remembered what had been done to Atropos, Clotho, Quetz, and the other countless ves he had freed and he knew were a direct result of them being sold off to Atticus.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Children just like the ones that are in this very house! And I won’t sit by and watch it happen, being condoned by someone in our family.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The heads of the teens swiveled to look into the kitchen but Bjorn shook his head telling them to leave it alone for now and pretending not to hear the conversation from across the hallway.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You think he would go that far?” Travis asked hesitantly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you really going to tell me after the tutorial you haven’t killed people? Haven’t you seen things you wish you could forget Travis? I know I’ve taken lives for my own selfish reasons and to protect people I care deeply for, but what Atticus is doing is borderline genocide.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Travis turned his head down, not wanting to meet Drake’s eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Mom, I would do anything to protect you all. And I will do my best to help Atticus see reason. But I can’t do that in this city. He and others are already on the warpath and there is no stopping it with the system doling out rewards for it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Their mother bit her lip, “Totoy… When did you learn to talk like that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake clenched his hands, “When I had to protect the people around me and make hard decisions… I’ve done things Mom, things I never thought I could because it was me or them. Friends caught in the crossfire… Or kids being put in circumstances they should never be forced to witness-”
<span style="font-weight:400">He was ready to continue his exnation but was cut short, the arms of his mother far too smallpared to him had pulled his head down into an embrace.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know baby… It’s okay… We’ll figure this out like we always do. I know my son is good, all my sons are good,” she said, letting his head up, “Fine, if you think this is good for us Drake, well go.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Really?” Travis asked, “Just like that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, just like that?” Drake parroted in disbelief, “You don’t want to talk about this more?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Their mother shook her head, “Susmarusep! I just agreed to do what you wanted for once!,” sheined, raising arge wooden spoon, “But if you ever yell in my house again, punyeta!” she yelled as she brought the spoon down on Drake’s backside, “I will make it so you can not walk for days loco! And tell those kids of yours to pack up my tevo! I want to watch my soaps!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake ran around the small ind in the kitchen, his mother chasing him with a manic expression and her weapon of choice, the wooden spoon of justice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then it’s decided!” Drake shouted desperately as he ran, “Once the kids have ranked up we’ll head back to ReUnite!”