Tian shifted his sitting position a little, feeling a little hesitant to express his wish. "Actually, Dad, I still want to buy another goat.
His father was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "I see, you want to buy another goat. I'm sorry Dad, Tian. Dad could only buy you one goat before. I know you wanted more, but…"
Hearing his father's apology made Tian feel bad. He lowered his head for a moment, then looked at his father with eyes full of respect. "It's okay, Dad. I was too selfish to ask for that. I know Dad has tried hard for our family."
His father patted Tian's shoulder gently, as if he wanted to shift some of the burden from his son's shoulders to his own heart.
"No, Tian. You're not selfish," he said softly but firmly. "You just want to do the best for all of us. And Dad… Dad is proud of you."
He smiled faintly, warm but meaningful. "Tomorrow, if the weather is friendly enough, Dad will accompany you to buy the goat."
Tian nodded, a faint smile adorning his exhausted face. "Okay, Dad. I'm going to my room first, to rest."
"Sleep well," his father replied, nodding slowly.
Tian walked towards his room. His steps were heavy but relieved. The door to his room closed slowly, leaving the dining room in a hanging silence.
Elara and David were still sitting at the dining table, which now only had empty plates and the faint aroma of spices. The old chandelier emitted a warm yellowish light, creating soft shadows on the walls of their wooden house.
Elara stared at the teacup in her hand, before finally speaking in a low but trembling voice.
"Honey… how long are we going to keep hiding this from Tian?"
She lifted her face, her eyes filled with worry. "If only we had told him from the start, maybe he wouldn't have been in danger earlier. Maybe all of this… could have been prevented."
David took a deep breath, leaning his body heavily against the chair.
"I know, Elara. I know how hard this is," he replied in a low, thoughtful voice. "But we have to be patient… just a little longer. Until Tian is truly ready to take care of himself."
He stared at his wife deeply, as if trying to convince himself and the woman he loved.
"If this secret gets out to them… everything could be much more dangerous. Not just for Tian, but for all of us."
Elara lowered her head, holding David's hand that was lying on the table.
"Are you sure he'll really be strong enough to face everything when he finds out?"
David smiled slightly, but there was a proud glow in his eyes.
"Elara… he's my son. Tian Anderson. He may not realize the power he has yet, but the blood that flows in his body is mine and yours. We just need to give him a little time… and trust."
After a short pause, he added while taking a sip of his tea that was starting to get cold,
"Besides, all the little fights he's faced… could be preparation. Life won't always be kind to him. We can only make sure he's tough enough to survive when the time comes."
Elara nodded slowly, still looking into her husband's eyes.
~The Next Day
Tian woke up to the sound of his mother calling him loudly. "Tian! Wake up! How long are you going to sleep? It's morning, and we have to have breakfast!"
Tian blinked, his eyes still heavy as rocks. "Mom… five more minutes…" he whined, trying to pull the warm blanket away.
"There is no 'five more minutes'! Now wake up, or you won't get breakfast!" his mother threatened from outside the room, her voice firm but full of love.
Tian snorted, feeling too lazy to get up. However, after a while, he finally gave in and got up. With heavy steps, he squirmed out of bed, washed his face, and joined his family at the dining table.
When he arrived, his father was already sitting at the table with a face that still looked a little like he had just woken up, yawning while rubbing his eyes. The aroma of warm bread and vegetable soup filled the room.
"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad," Tian greeted with a wide yawn, his voice hoarse.
"Good morning, lazy boy," his mother replied with a sarcastic smile. "Let's eat quickly, before it gets cold!"
His father, who was still half-conscious, chimed in. "Yes, Tian, you should learn to manage your time better. It's not good if you come home late too often. We're worried too."
"Okay, Dad, Mom," Tian replied as he began to eat his bread and soup quickly. The sound of his spoon hitting the bowl indicated how hungry he was.
After he finished, he gulped down the rest of the soup in his bowl and the milk in his cup, then stood up excitedly. "I'm done, Mom, Dad!" he said, his cheerful voice flowing.
"Ahh, Tian! Before you go to the meadow, can you please get some water from the well near Mr. Orlen's house? Because our water is almost running out," his mother requested in a soft tone.
Mr. Orlen was the village head in their village of Thorn Root.
"Yes, Mom, just leave it to me!" he said as he picked up a large wooden basin.
"I'll go first, Mom, Dad!" he said goodbye.
"Be careful, son, don't slip," his mother said.
"Yes, Mom," Tian replied.
Tian was seen pulling a wooden bucket from the well, the sound of flowing water made him feel refreshed. After he was done, he lifted the bucket filled with water that could weigh more than 200 kg easily, as if it was just a light burden.
When he arrived home, he immediately put it in the bathroom. It seemed that his father was ready to go to work.
~ ~ ~ ~
"Oi, Tiannn!" shouted Damar while waving at the village border, his smile wide.
"Oh, Damar! Even Ark, Lian, and Aris too. What's up? It's rare for you to gather this early?" asked Tian, surprised to see his friends.
"Oi, Tian! Is it true that you defeated a mother boar, one that big?" Ark immediately grabbed Tian's shoulder, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Ark, you're so impatient. I haven't even answered yet!" said Damar, a little annoyed but still smiling.
"That's right! Ark, it's you," Lian continued, chuckling.
"This is important, you know! How is it, Tian? Is that true?" Ark insisted, impatiently.
"Yes, yes, that's true. I did defeat the mother boar, but her name is Giant Boar," Tian replied proudly, his smile wide.
"Giant Boar? Is that so! Damn it! I'm left behind again!" Ark grumbled as he clenched his fists in annoyance.
"But don't think you've won completely, Tian! One day, I'll definitely catch up to you!" Ark exclaimed excitedly, his eyes sparkling with ambition.
Tian chuckled then patted Ark's shoulder. "Okay, I'll wait for you. But don't take too long, okay?" he said jokingly.
Damar, who was beside Lian, grinned as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Hahaha, Ark, you've always said that, but you're actually falling further behind Tian!" he teased.
"That's right! You better give up, Ark. You'll never be able to catch up to Tian," Aris continued with a chuckle.
Continued...