Raised in Dungeon



After safely escorting Pascoe back to his home, Allen, Rodion, and Susan walk through the snowfall towards their way homes. As they trekked through the cold air, Allen's thoughts drifted to his recent conversation with Pascoe. Over and over, he replayed the words exchanged between himself and Pascoe, hoping desperately that he had said the right things.

As they finally arrived at their destination, the snow clung to their clothing and weighed down their limbs.

Allen couldn't shake his feelings of unease. The conversation with Pascoe had left him unsettled, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was something he could have done differently.

"Susan, today you really have to stay here. It's already starting to snow," Rodion said.

"I won't! I'm going home!"

'Yeah, stubborn as I expected,' Rodion thought.

Rodion took the umbrella and two thick cloths from the storage shed and gave them to Susan and Allen.

"In that case, Allen. Take Susan home."

"Eh? But wouldn't that bother Allen?"

"No problem," Allen replied.

Susan's house was located a little far from the main road; they had to walk two kilometers to get there.

On the way, Allen was daydreaming, still thinking about Iva and Pascoe. Susan was also silent, she knew that Allen was thinking about something, and she didn't want to disturb him.

"Susan, do you have a mom?" asked Allen suddenly.

"Yes I do. Why so sudden?"

"Where is she right now?"

"Mom passed away..."

Allen continued asking, "Do you think your mom loves you?"

"Of course, I know that mom always loved me."

"How did you know that?"

"Eh? I don't know how to answer that if you say so.

Maybe it's because she always tries to make me stop crying, stroke my head, or scold me when I do something wrong."

"Then what about Iva? Does she hate Pascoe?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I talked to Pascoe earlier. He was crying because he thought his mother hated him. But I can't give him a definite answer.

Because I don't know at all.

I don't know if she hates him or not."

"Of course, I'm sure she doesn't hate him."

"Why? How can you be sure?"

"You saw, didn't you? How Iva loved the two babies in her womb. How she tried to give birth to them normally.

I'm sure when Pascoe was in her womb, she did the same.

She was willing to endure pain for her baby; she was willing to be exhausted for her baby; she was even willing to kowtow to you because you gave her hope that she wasn't sure she could grant.

Allen, if I become a mother, I can't possibly not love the baby I've worked so hard to raise..."

Susan's explanation made Allen sure of many things.

There was no doubt that Iva would love Pascoe.

But...

What about Allen?

'Then maybe mother doesn't love me since I wasn't even born from her belly,' Allen thought.

...

On the way to Susan's house, Allen suddenly felt someone's gaze behind him.

"Susan, you're being followed," muttered Allen.

Susan just gave Allen a little smile while she bowed her head.

"You already know? Or maybe you have good senses and have known about them since the beginning?!" asked Allen.

"No, that's not it. I didn't feel it; I just knew. It's happened quite often."

"Often?"

"Yes, every time I come home from the tavern, people always follow me. It's normal because I'm carrying money."

"Isn't this dangerous? How have you been able to escape them?"

"Usually I just run to the house as fast as possible and lock the door. But now there's Allen, so maybe it's okay."

"No way that is okay. I'll try to deal with them now."

"Don't! It's useless."

"Why?"

"Just by attacking one person won't change anything. It's not just that person who knows I have money. Sometimes two people follow me, sometimes three. I find myself trailed by one to three individuals-complete strangers seeking for money. Those are just random people who need money."

Allen didn't understand but knew how stubborn Susan was, so he wouldn't ask further. But he suggested, "Then you should just stay at the tavern."

"I said it's fine, I'm fine. Look, we're already here."

They finally arrived. Allen scanned the small, unremarkable house in front of them. It's just a one-meter-long concrete house, with wooden doors and windows. It's dirty and weathered but sturdy enough to withstand thieves entering the house forcibly.

"Master suggested me to use my money to upgrade the window and door, so it would be fine."

"I see…"

'If Master already knows about this case, maybe this is something we shouldn't worry about. Or probably the reason he asked me to take her was because he wanted to know Susan's real situation,' Allen thought.

"Susan, welcome," a thin adult man from the house next to Susan's approached them,

"Allen, he's my neighbor, Mr Gorste. He was my father's close friend. Our families have been quite close for a long time."

"Greetings, I've heard about you from Susan. You're that handsome other-worlder, right."

"Mr. Gorste! Don't say anything that could cause misunderstanding!"

Allen just nodded.

Susan then explained, "Do you see his house next door? Mr Gorste runs a woodworking business. He often stays up all night doing crafts, so don't worry. No one will attack me at home."

"Don't worry, Allen. Our family is always looking out for Susan."

"I understand, I'll be going then," Allen replied as he turned back.

"See you tomorrow."

As soon as Allen turned back, he could feel that the people following Susan were starting to disappear. He looked around; hungry people were sitting on the streets, and many were drinking in front of the minibar.

"People following Susan are people who are desperate for money. Tomorrow, I'll force her to stay at the tavern instead."

Meanwhile, as usual, the moment Susan stepped into her small, lonely house, she locked the door behind her, shutting herself away from the rest of the world. The silence within the four walls echoed the emptiness in her heart.

Then she buried herself in her rough straw mattress. She clutched onto her brother's pillow, a small comfort in her otherwise desolate existence. She whispered to it, her voice filled with loneliness and despair.

"Brother... today was more tiring than usual. When are you coming home?"

A wave of sadness swept over her as she faked herself to realize that her brother was never coming back. The weight of his absence was heavy, and Susan couldn't help but let her tears fall. Her sobs echoed through the stillness of the night until she eventually cried herself to sleep.

...

The night was bitter and cold. Because of the water month, the dawn starts at half past seven, making Susan to wake up late. Susan had snuggled up in her bed, drifting into a deep slumber as she waited for the dawn to break at half past seven.

However, her peaceful sleep was soon rudely interrupted by a loud knock on her door.

-KNOCK KNOCK

"Oh no! I overslept!" cried Susan while immediately lifting her body.

"I have to take a shower first!"

Groggy and disoriented, Susan glanced towards the door, half-believing that the sound was just another fragment of her dream.

Then there was another knock on the door.

-KNOCK KNOCK

She heard the knock again, more insistent this time. Excitement flooded her veins as she realized it was no dream; it could only mean one thing. Her older brother had returned from his travels abroad! She sprang out of bed, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she hurried towards the door.

"No way! Big Brother is home!"

Fumbling with the lock, she flung open the door, her heart pounding in her chest.

"BROTHER ARE YOU-"

But to her dismay, it wasn't her beloved brother on the other side.

"I originally intended to wait, but since it's been a while, I might as well knock," it was Allen, standing at her door in his thick winter clothes.

"Allen? Why did you come here?"

"I talked to the Master about the person following you. He said he had often forced you to stay at the tavern, but you didn't want to. So he asked me to pick you up every day."

Disappointment washed over her, but simultaneously, a sense of happiness blossomed in her heart as Allen was in front of her house again, offering himself to pick her up.

"Oh, is that so? You shouldn't have to do something like this."

"I'm just doing what Master asked; after all, your house isn't that far away."

"I see, thank you, but sorry, I will ask you to wait again. Can you wait a moment? I'll get ready."

"Alright."

Susan closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her face flushed with embarrassment. She closed her eyes, trying to push the memory of how she had mistaken Allen for her brother out of her mind. She held on to the door, trying to steady herself.