The dinner continued without anyone knowing what Basil was thinking. All of his thoughts remained in his head. Not even his facial expression revealed a little bit of hint that he was thinking deeply.
'How did you know that I rewind the time?'
'To be precise, you didn't rewind the time, something inside you did. Naturally, I know when the mysterious being you met in Dreamland possessed my soul.'
'I see.'
Basil couldn't just accept it. He had to be sure that it wasn't just Vagus' idle assumption. She wasn't very bright in that aspect.
'Huh! Why am I feeling irritated?'
'Ignore it, my Love. It is nothing more than your imagination.'
'Fufu.. if you say so.'
Easy!
The food was good. Basil didn't expect a baker would cook such a delicious food. Naturally, he was always honest in his praise.
"You are a great cook. They are very delicious."
"D-d-do you think so?"
"Yes, I am always honest in my opinion."
"Thank you..."
Her voice was so small that one might wonder what she just said. However, Basil wasn't a normal person. He could hear her perfectly. Danzel was too as he merely shook his head in amusement.
"Youngsters..."
The current mood was the best he had ever had in the whole month. He was happy that the warmth his family had lost, had somehow restored a little bit.
The dinner finished in the time that felt so quick. They usually ate to fill their stomach and went to help the cafeteria cook serving the food to the lodgers. However, this time, they really enjoyed themselves.
"Thanks for the food," said the three of them in unison.
Basil stood from his seat and was about to pick up the plates on the table, however he was stopped by Clarissa.
"No, no, no. Let me do it! It has always been my job. You can rest assured."
Basil smiled faintly and said, "I have told you to treat me as a family, not as a guess."
Clarissa was about to retort when Danzel chimed in, "Why don't you let me do the dishes? You can get to know each other." He smiled slyly at Clarissa and winked at Basil.
'Tch! This old man. Hey! Can't you see that he is taken!?'
'No, he can't. He can't even see you,' remained in Basil's thought. He was intelligent enought to avoid another headache inducing trouble.
"Alright. You can tell us if somehow you changed your mind."
"Don't underestimate me. This old man here is strong enough to do the dishes alone."
"Hm. At least you are aware you are old."
"This brat!"
They looked at each other's eyes, before bursting in a small chuckle. Clarissa who was looking at the two of them was surprised, before following suit. She unconsciously teared up at seeing her father laughing. It had been a long time since she saw him like that.
It had been also a long time since Basil could chuckle. A very long time. If anyone from Woster Region saw him right then, they wouldn't believe what were they seeing.
Basil hadn't looked humane since he went back in time. His facial expressions gave nothing on what he was thinking. He was so composed that he looked like a doll.
He couldn't help it. No matter how much he had accepted the fact that he had returned to the past, there was still a sense of incongruence in his mind.
He was living in the time he had passed. He knew what would happen. He already knew the people he hadn't even met. Therefore, no matter how great he was, adjusting himself to the time where everyone didn't know him yet wasn't easy.
Luckily, he could still find solace in Danzel. When he met Danzel, even if Danzel was younger, he could feel the same feeling Danzel gave in the past. When he talked to Danzel, he also felt the same warmth he had got from Danzel in the past.
It felt like he was finally home.
...
Basil was sitting on the rooftop of Familia Inn while gazing at the stars. Ever since he practiced [Star Withering] he started to like stargazing even more. He felt invigorated whenever he saw the stars.
"Do you love stars so much?"
"Hm. I found that recently, I like stargazing."
"Did you not like it before?"
"It was not as much."
"I see..."
Surely, he wasn't alone. He was together with Clarissa. She wasn't a stuttering mess anymore as she had composed herself apparently. However, she couldn't get rid off that easily, as she still stuttered from time to time.
"C-can you tell me about stars?"
Just like then.
Basil looked at her and smiled faintly, making her already beating heart beat faster. He returned his gaze at the sky and said, "Sure. I hope you will not be bored out of your mind." He patted the floor beside him and said, "Here..."
"Oh.. okay..."
Clarissa could only respond in a daze, and sat beside Basil. She moved a little bit closer than she should be, however Basil wasn't bothered.
He pointed his finger at the sky, at motioned at twelve twinkling stars as if drawing a pattern. "That is Aquarius, the Water-Bearer. He was the most beautiful boy in Ancient Greece that gods love him," said Basil like a father telling a story to his child.
"Just like you then?"
"Do you think I am beautiful?"
"Yeah.. you do.. sorry, if I somehow offended you."
"It is okay."
Kids tend to not know what they said.
With that conviction in mind, Basil resumed his story. He threw the fact that Clarissa was someone of his age at the back of his mind.
"Although Aquarius was the most beautiful, his beauty brought him a not so pleasant fate instead."
"What is that?"
Basil smiled sagely and motioned his finger at ten twinkling stars and drew a pattern. "His beauty attracted Zeus. It made Zeus couldn't help himself to kidnap Aquarius with the help of Aquila, The Thunderbolt Eagle."
"Who is Zeus?"
"Zeus is the leader of the Olympian Gods of Ancient Greece."
"It wasn't as bad...? I mean, he was kidnapped by a god."
At this, Basil shook his head and continued, "Zeus kidnapped him and made him his personal servant. His job was to bear the jug that contains the elixir gods drink. At night, he had to serve Zeus in another aspect..."
Basil's face darkened, and Clarissa followed suit. She was a mere commoner. She couldn't afford to pay for school. She could read, however she didn't learn anything about history or literature. How could she know the story would turn out to be that bad!?
Basil could somehow relate to this boy named Aquarius. When he first read the story about myth and gods from The Age of Chaos, he held an instantaneous contempt toward most of all the Olympian Gods.
However, who he hated the most was Zeus. If he were to meet him, he would sure make Zeus regret ever kidnapping Aquarius. He had been traumatized by the story that he had ever dreamt the same thing happened to him.
"Huuh... Let us move on to the next star?"
"Ah, yes... It will be better!"
Clarissa naturally agreed. As long as she could make him forget her comments on the previous story, she was fine. No, she was eager!
Basil kept telling about many constellations he knew to Clarissa. His storytelling about them was so good that Clarissa felt like it was a bedtime story. She had always had it in her childhood, however she didn't know that she missed it.
Unknowingly, she fell asleep on his shoulder. Basil stopped his storytelling and held her head with his left hand tenderly. In response, she snuggled even further.
"Did you enjoy the story too?"
"...I do. How do you know I am here?"
"A Mage never tells his secret."
"Haha. I don't know that I have stumbled upon a capable Mage."
Danzel shook his head and chuckled before showing himself. He moved beside Basil and sat on his left.
"Thank you for visiting us, really."
"We are family."
"Yeah... At least, I can still keep the meaning of this inn."
"..."
Basil stayed silent, however it wasn't an awkward silent. They merely enjoyed the sky and the atmosphere. Both of them felt comfortable. It was like they were having the moment they hadn't had for centuries.
Not long after, Danzel stood up and carried Clarissa in his hands. She was sleeping soundlessly, that she looked like a baby in his hands.
Danzel looked at Basil silently for a moment before saying, "Welcome home, Son."
He didn't wait for response as he turned his back toward the doorway leading to downstairs. When he opened the door, he finally heard a reply.
"I am home, Pops." Both of Basil and Danzel merely smirked.
Click.
The door closed and the silence returned. Basil looked at the sky then closed his eyes.
"It is a good night to train."
Naturally, he would never forget his training!
...
Morning came, and Clarissa opened her eyes. Her mind had been burdened by the thought of her Dad for the past month that she couldn't enjoy her sleep. However, last night she had the best sleep of her life!
Then, she tried to recall the memory from last night. She was sitting side by side with Basil while listening him telling a story about constellations. Then, she...
"..."
What had she done?! She had no recollection of what had happened right after. Her mind became blank. There were so many what ifs in her mind currently.
"I.. I need to ask him. But.. it will be embarrassing!"
She was already blushing madly while thinking about something that might have happened but didn't happen.
"I know! I will ask Dad about it... No!"
Then, she returned back to square one. It seemed she was adamant on thinking that what she was thinking had actually happened.
It was just a misunderstanding, however how could she know?
She got out of her room and headed to the bathroom to clean herself. She needed to cool her head too. She was thinking about the dirtiest thing that she hadn't thought she could think of currently.
It was early morning. Since she was heading to the private bathroom and not many people had awaken yet, it was very quiet.
Unfortunately, it wasn't as quiet as she thought. There was a sound coming from the bathroom. She was so into her mind that she couldn't hear it.
Click.
She opened the door, and noticed the interior was foggy. She was surprised since she didn't expect her father would prepare the warm water already. She smiled at that, and her mind calmed down her bit.
Then, she waved her hand to clear the fog and properly looked in front of her. Her hand stopped, her body stopped, her heat stopped, and her mind shut down.
In front of her, stood someone with a firm muscle and a beautifully sculpted body. He had a bright skin that was whiter than most of women's skin. His face was also equally pretty and handsome. In short, he was Basil.
Basil didn't show any reaction to it, as he merely swiped his hair back and pull out a handkerchief from his Spatial Bracelet. He gave it to the statue named Clarissa, and put it on her hands.
"You seem you need it."
There was a pool of blood on the floor below her already. That was the best he could do. Asking her what happened would only worsen the situation. Acting ignorant in times like this was the best choice.
Click.
The door opened, and then closed as Basil exited the bathroom.
Thud!
Clarissa lost her consciousness for a good one minute before resuming her activity.. She believed it was all a dream.
