CHAPTER 9

Blinking…I stared dumbfounded at him.

Uh? …I…Uh?

I was in quite a strange predicament!

“Who you?” I asked.

The man smiled at me, “I am Talon, the second son of the Right Minister of the Emperor.”

Ah! So, he’s my elder brother!

“Are you willing, young one, to have me as your father?”

I couldn’t help letting out some strange noise that made him narrow his eyes.

How…Strange! Is this really happening? …Pfft…What do I do!? Whatever I do, I must not laugh! But…It’s so extremely funny!

Talon was sure that this child understood, but what was that sound supposed to imply?

Stomach growling noises fazed them both back out of their own thoughts.

“Come, from now on you are my daughter, And I’ll take care of you!” Talon smiled, as he started to walk again towards his own residence.

I knew keeping quiet was a smart move…But I so desperately wanted to share the fact that we shared the same father!

My curiosity was indeed a flaw, almost making me do it, just to see his reaction! But…I stilled my mind and laughed hysterically inside my head instead.

I must remember that from now on my ‘stupid father’ is now my ‘stupid grandfather’!

Finding resolve to my secret, I was led to my new father’s ‘house’.

Talon had a daughter already, she was close to my age, but older. Her name was Gabriella and she might not have said anything upon my arrival, but to me it seemed obvious she found me an intruder. Talon also had a son that looked about five years old, his name was Samuel and he seemed to resemble his father a lot. Both father and son had the same goofy, happy and honest smiles on their faces, so, I smiled back at them, in which made them even happier. What a strange situation, where my ‘stupid grandfather’ hadn’t even seen me once, yet, his own flesh and blood son and grandson seemed absolutely satisfied just to see me smile…

With what was happening, I realized that I will be meeting with the old man soon…

Talon’s wife, Celeste, seemed pleasantly sweet and happy, accepting me openly. With my new family, my father gave me the name of Sahara and I was finally in a place where I could have normal food and my own roof over my head. I already preferred this way of obtaining shelter and substance. Being on my own and stealing everything seemed to be much harder and took a h.e.l.l of a lot more effort!

The lazy side of me was sighing in relief and I realized that I should remember to think before I acted now. I can’t just go wandering off and stealing anymore. If I showed bad behaviour, they’d probably do as they did before and be rid of me…

So, even though it was a strange situation, I was going to make the most of it!

Funnily enough, I was accepted openly by not just Talon’s immediate family, but by my ‘stupid grandfather’ as well. I met him for the first time the day after Talon found me and I couldn’t help being rather astonished by his happiness.

“You are still so young, and yet you have started to cultivate! How fortunate!”

He seemed to show his age, not like many books where elders stayed beautiful. He looked like he had worked hard and had experiences behind his eyes. Looking at both my real father, and new father, I saw the similarity between them. They both had the same circular face with brown hair and brown eyes. To my preference, I preferred Talon as my father, with his age. Having a 45-year-old as my father, wasn’t something normal for me.

h.e.l.l, a father having thirteen kids wasn’t normal for me either! Men must have been a lot more hornier in the olden days! Oh wait! That’s right, there’s also better contraception on Earth…Yeah.

Now, seeing this person and hearing his words, reminded me of one thing that hadn’t changed from the books I used to read. That was the obvious greed in his eyes. Even though he was lightly touching my head in a gentle manner, I could already see him want to calculate my future as a p.a.w.n…

Being only two and a half, I was easily picked up and put onto the old man’s lap.

The ‘stupid grandfather’ laughed at my shocked face and said, “She is indeed remarkable! She even knows to be wary of this man! Very well, she will become your second daughter! I approve! Talon, you must let her continue her cultivation and treat her well! Prepare her papers and then we will celebrate her joining the family in one month.”

“I will do as asked father, and will treat her very well. I already consider her to be my child.”

The ‘stupid grandfather’ laughed happily again and pinched my cheeks. “What a treasure to have found!”

You’re an idiot!