I got home, and it felt like I was having a panic attack.
"Mom! Mom!" I started shouting through the house. She appeared, startled, rushing to hug me.
"Hey, darling, calm down," she said, stroking my back.
"Ru— run! We have to run now! Let's pack your things and Dad's. We need to leave," I said, already trying to pull away from her, but she held me tighter. My father arrived, panting as well.
"Tharon, what happened?" she asked, still holding me.
"Calm down, Drystan. Calm down, don't panic — it's just some monsters the witchers will eliminate. Everything is fine," he said, placing his hand on my shoulders.
But I know: five Kikimore Warriors. There must be a Kikimore Queen, plus the Workers. They're a colony — three days from this village — no witcher would accept that. Impossible! In the game, it was easy, but here it's real life. Shit.
"No, no, no! We have to run! Didn't you see, Dad? Five monsters! They melted them! Did you see their size? Don't you think there are more? Do you think a witcher with no emotions will accept this? We have to run now!" I said, struggling to break free, but my mother wouldn't let go — too strong.
"Mom, listen to me! There's no way," she looked at me with a faint smile.
"If you're scared, son, that's normal — it's your first monster. Those mutants will accept, after all, we'll pay them. The elder will handle it," she said, stroking my hair.
My father went into my room, grabbed my coin pouch, and took half.
"Drystan, everyone in the village is contributing. I took your share. Stay here with your mother; everything will be fine," he said, but I felt a note of disappointment in his voice. My mother squeezed me and whispered in my ear:
"Darling, your father is ashamed — he's getting angry. Go to your room and calm down."
What? I stayed silent. They're insane, we have to run! She let me go, I went to my room, sat on the bed. My mother closed the door with a smile. I was furious — they think the witchers will face this damn horde! We have to run.
I stayed quiet until she called me for dinner. At the table, my father was eating in silence — we all were. Until my mother spoke:
"The witchers will arrive tomorrow, so you can rest, son. They'll take care of it."
I just nodded. After dinner, I went to my room. I had saved 660 Florins so far, but it seems my father took 100. I lay down, my mother came to kiss my forehead and blew out the candles. I closed my eyes, but I couldn't sleep — thinking my house could be attacked kept me awake.
Hours passed until I heard my mother and father talking:
"What is it, dear?" she asked.
"Nothing, just tired," he replied dryly.
"Speak, Tharon, I know you're thinking."
"Speak? What's there to say? I thought I had a strong son, but now he trembles in fear like a girl — vomiting and wanting to run like a coward—"
He didn't finish. I heard a sharp slap and then silence.
"Don't you dare speak like that about my boy, Tharon! Sleep on the floor until you learn to act like a father. He's a child, not a warrior!"
"My son trembles like a coward. Don't you want to know? Leave me alone."
My mother gave a dry laugh:
"Really? Should I remind you how you ran? If you think you're a coward, don't blame our son for your blood!"
There was silence until my father burst into loud laughter — but soon stopped:
"Yes, yes, it must be my blood. Since I ran like a coward… I should refer to you, lady of noble blood. Tell me, Anneliese!"
I shuddered — the slap she gave echoed through the house. Silence lasted until my mother spoke harshly:
"Don't you dare say that, you filthy man. Don't forget: it was you who ruined my life, getting me pregnant. It was because of you I was banished!"
She began slapping him repeatedly, whipping:
"Wretch, how dare you!" — slap — her voice rose — "Filthy trash!"
My father stayed silent.
"I hate you, hate you, hate you! If it weren't for Drystan, I would have killed you already!"
After that, she was panting heavily:
"Get out, get out of my sight, coward!"
"Perd—" He didn't finish — my mother screamed so loud it startled me:
"GET OUT, NOW!"
Silence followed until I heard my father's footsteps leaving the house. My mother began to cry, begging forgiveness, whispering:
"Cursed be the day I met you, cursed be him… Father, mother, forgive me… I miss you, miss you so much…"
She cried for hours, until everything went silent.
What was that? I thought to myself. What madness is happening? Those surnames are noble! Shit, could they be fugitives or banished?
Then everything fell into silence — no screams, just a silence that filled me with fear and the anger I was feeling. Thinking of how to make them escape: if I talk too much, it'll be strange; if I explain, it'll be strange. I am just a child who's never left the village — they'd wonder how I know all this. And now they've fought…
I waited calmly, sat down slowly, tiptoed to my coin pouch. "System, I want to buy 1 spin!" In seconds, the pouch grew lighter. Looking at it mentally, I thought "inventory"—and the pouch simply vanished, but I felt that whenever I wanted, it would appear.
[ 1 gacha life, DO YOU WISH TO USE IT?]
Yes… and please let it be something strong and good… everything was going wrong, it started spinning, spinning until it stopped. I looked at what I got and:
Shit! Shit, son of a bitch! Why?! Why?!
[CONGRATULATIONS HOST FOR RECEIVING 2x Bottles of WHITE WINE FROM TEMERIA
PRODUCED IN THE ROYAL VINEYARDS OF TEMERIA, NOT AS STRONG AS TOUSSAINT'S BUT WITH A SMOOTH AND REFRESHING FLAVOR.]
[System: Stored in Host's Inventory.]
I'm screwed! Why only this?! What do I do now? How will they believe me?! My mind felt like it was about to explode. I went back to bed, couldn't sleep anymore… but sleep came anyway. The more I fought not to sleep, the more it pulled… until I finally dozed off.
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