Danzel opened his eyes wide. He felt extremely familiar with Basil's tone that he replied him unconsciously. It felt like he had done that many times already. It just felt right.
"James was a good friend of mine. Naturally, his father is also my father. I am sorry if I have somehow crossed the line."
Basil bowed his head apologetically. He really meant it. He had buried Danzel's body in the past. He had missed the moment they had spent laughing together. It just came out unintentionally.
He was aware that he couldn't act that close to the newly met Danzel. However, Danzel was a bit different.
"No, it's alright. I was just surprised. I kinda like that.. since it feels extremely familiar."
"Ah, I have heard James called you that way too. Is that the reason?"
"...I guess."
Danzel couldn't answer it easily. It was true that James had also called him that way. However, Basil had a unique feeling on him that was extremely familiar to him.
He threw the thought at the back of his head. Then, he looked at Basil as if realizing something. "Oh my! How could I forget to take you to your room?!" He bowed briefly, then continued, "Follow me, you must be tired!"
Basil merely nodded his head with a small smile. He draped his coat over his shoulders, and followed Danzel's lead silently. Deacon was walking beside him.
"I've been curious since I saw him. Is he your pet?"
"He is my Beast Companion."
"Oh! I've heard about that from James. He had wanted one too."
James had been a Knight. He wasn't an outstanding Knight, however he had the dedication to be one. They talked about trivial things until they reached the room Basil would stay.
The room wasn't rented to costumers. It was bigger than the other rooms, and the inside was cozy. It gave off a homey feeling. It was also the same room Basil had stayed in the past.
"It is the best room my inn has. It belonged to James'... I hope you don't mind?"
"Of course, I do not mind! I can not thank you enough for treating with the utmost courtesy, Mr. Danzel."
Basil bowed his head, however Danzel frowned a little than waved his hand. "Eyy.. what's with that politeness? You're my son too, aren't you?" Danzel felt weird once again. He felt like he had said that too before!
"Of course. Even if you're my pops, I need to be polite too," responded Basil with a smile. Again, Danzel waved his hand, "Just don't be overly so."
None of them realized it, however both of them smiled like they had found a long lost family. Ever since he had gone back in time, this was the first time Basil met someone close to him.
He was close with Chester, however they weren't as close as he and Danzel were. It was simply incomparable. It was for this reason that Basil got swept in emotion, and forgot this was no longer his past life.
"It's already time for dinner, so if you don't mind, please join me downstairs. I won't charge any money to you," said Danzel with a wink.
"I will. Don't worry."
"Alright, I'll be waiting!"
Basil smiled softly, and then sighed. He had been emotionally inept for years. Living alone for more than two decades without anyone to care would naturally make one so.
He didn't anticipate he would get swept in emotion. His heart had been empty and cold for long. Once it received warmth, it yearned for more. At least, things turned out well. It would be awkward if Danzel felt creeped out.
He settled his luggage, which wasn't much, into the room, and changed into a more casual clothes. He wore the same pants, however for the top he wore tight fitting blue tee and black jacket.
Casual as it seemed, they were pretty expensive. Durable clothes with Runes carved on them were expensive. Nobody could dispute how good clothes could save their lives. Surely, if one was going on a battle, having a good armour would be advised.
When Basil got out of the room, he also found some people getting out of the room. Some of them were young man or middle-aged man, while most of them were young women.
Familia Inn was known to be a quiet and the most peaceful inn in the entire Raneil Barony. It was also for this reason that women felt safer staying in here.
Most of them were a constant customer here. Therefore, when they saw someone got out from the usually empty room, all eyes were on the person. When they looked at the person's appearance, they were instantly stunned.
Basil didn't bat an eyelash at the looks he received. He had had enough of it already that it started to irk him. He merely moved his feet toward the direction where Danzel would be waiting, the dining room.
He was getting all the look from the people who stayed at the inn along the way, however he remained nonchalant. When he finally arrived at the dining room, he heard sounds of plates being organized.
He entered the dining room while purposefully tapping his foot on the floor to announce his arrival.
"Oh! You have come! I thought it would take you a little longer. I'm surprised you managed to find the way to the dining room."
"I hope I come at the right time."
"Yes, you do! Take a seat first. It'll take sometime for my daughter to finish cooking."
Basil took a seat silently. He looked at the half organized table absentmindedly.
Daughter? What daughter? I thought he had only a son?
He was perplexed. Everything had been going exactly like he had remembered. No changed facts, nothing he didn't know had happened happened yet. However, hearing Danzel had a daughter was a first.
He didn't know it!
'Guide, can changing the past make something didn't exist exist?'
[Answering the Host's ignorance...]
[Rewriting the past has been often associated with going back in time. By going back in time, one would bring the same existence into the time that has been passed by oneself.]
[This would lead to a paradox of one's existence where the future one had originated from no longer has one's existence. The disappearance of oneself by going back in time may or may not cause the erasure of both existence — the past and the future.]
[The often happens case is where one going in back time, in a different timeline, and ends up in a different world too. This would prevent the erasure of both existence, however what one does would not affect the future of the timeline where one is originated from.]
To conclude the long explanation, Basil might have traveled back in time, but he went to a different timeline where everything was different from what he knew.
However, that conclusion was false as everything so far was the same as he knew. One different thing couldn't be associated with different timeline. Then, was there a mishap when he went back in time?
'Fufufu... You are not going back in time, Silly. You rewind the time!'
Vagus' words felt a like thunder striking his head. He didn't think of that possibility. It all finally made sense. Vagus' existence within him, his previous younger self's soul.
The time was rewind, however he and Vagus kept their soul's state! It meant one thing, Danzel hadn't told him in the past about his daughter!
Splendid!
All the thinking had been done in a mere second. With his already intelligent mind and coupled with his reconstructed brain, he could process an information a lot faster than a genius.
Basil nodded his head in satisfaction. So much thinking and contemplation needed to solve one thing that he could solve by just asking. That was Basil. He would never ask, as long as he could solve it by himself.
However, when he couldn't, he would naturally ask. "You have a daughter?" Danzel looked surprised at first, then answered, "I do have a daughter. I guess James didn't tell you?" Basil shook his head negatively, "No, he didn't."
"Hahaha! I guess he had kept his promise to not speak his sister to others."
"Why though?"
"He liked to exaggerate things after all."
The answer came from another person. The voice belonged to a woman, and Basil naturally concluded it belonged to Danzel's daughter.
Basil threw his head toward the direction where the voice came from, and was met with a girl that was around his age. She had shoulder length brown hair, bright skin tone, and a well developed figure.
She wore a simple dress, however it didn't lower her beauty in the least. She put the food on the table and finally looked properly at Basil. Her breath got hitched instantly.
"I can see why James chose not to. I would do the same too, if I have a beautiful sister like her."
He meant it as having a biological sister. He had Shirley, however she wasn't blood related.
"Oh, thank you..."
Danzel's daughter went completely red. She was a young maiden! She was already on the age of wanting to have a romance with the opposite gender. It was normal.
"Has the food ready yet?"
"Oh.. uh.. no. Not yet.. there are some still left in the kitchen."
"I'll be helping then."
"Ah, no, no! Please, you're the guest here. I can't let you do that!"
Basil looked at her calmly and said, "Then, consider me as a family. Family should help each other, no?"
Without waiting for her reply, Basil went into the kitchen. He liked her already. He liked a well mannered child. Don't get him wrong, he was helping her not only because he liked her, but also he had done the same thing in the past.
He was so into his nostalgia that he had forgot to introduce himself and asked her name. Danzel's daughter merely looked at Basil's back in a daze.
"Kuhum..." She was startled by her father. When she looked at him, he said, "Aren't you going to help him?" Her face reddened as she nodded quickly.
Danzel laughed soundlessly. It was his first seeing his daughter behaved like that. He shook his head helplessly and observed the lovestruck maiden from behind.
"He has become too familiar to me that I forgot he is the most good looking young man I had ever met."
...
The table was quickly organized and the three of them were ready to eat. Danzel and his daughter spared a moment to pray before eating their food, and Basil waited silently for them.
"Now that I remember, I haven't introduced myself. Hello, I am Basil. Pleased to meet you."
Basil opened his mouth when the dinner started.
"Ah.. hello. Pleased to meet you too! I am Clarissa!"
She said it louder than she had intended. She looked at Basil's expression to see how his reaction. Luckily, he remained silent. When she thought he wasn't about to answer, he finally opened his mouth.
"That's a very beautiful name."
"Oh, thank you!"
Clarissa became a bit too enthusiastic that night. How could she not? She met a very handsome young man of her age, and he even treated her kindly. She knew that he was different than the other men she had encountered before.
The idle chat continued while they were eating their dinner. Danzel was sending an amused glance at Clarissa in almost every words she said. She was talking about her job as a baker, and many things related about herself to Basil.
Basil took all of them sincerely, and also commented here and there like a brother responding her enthusiastic sister. It truly looked like a family dinner.
Danzel was looking at this and teared up silently. The mood had been gloomy for the past month. However, with just Basil's visit everything seemed back to normal.
Surely, it didn't mean he could forget about his son. His heart still ache whenever he thought about him. However, right then he could say he no more felt gloomy. He looked at Basil gratefully.
Basil naturally noticed it as he nodded his head faintly. A pleasant smile adorned his face the entire time. He was glad he could cheer up Danzel. However, his mind was spinning at miles per hour.
Clarissa. In the past, he had heard that name from Danzel. No, he had met her in person. However, at that time, she had been already six feet under the ground.
Danzel had never told him who she was. All he had said was, "This lady here is the victim of my naivety." Before breaking down in tears.
Basil's eyes shone coldly for a very brief moment that no one noticed it. He could feel it already.. It wouldn't be long until he cut another people's head.