Gift of World Tree by: nautilus030

Chapter 12: Family

"I will take you there now, Master."

The old man with a kind smile on his face bent down to straighten the child's collar, and then took the child into his arms.

- I'll be there for you, human.

Cale nodded towards Ron and Black Dragon.

Assassin Ron carried Cale to Duke Henituse' office, walking without making a sound. Some servants on the road saw them and bowed respectfully, then focused on their work.

Soon Ron stopped in front of a door.

Squeak——

The door in front of me was opened.

"You came."

Cale turned his attention to the source of the sound. Sitting on the sofa was a middle-aged man who looked very gentle.

——Human, that is your father.

Raon reminded him in his mind.

In fact, Cale can easily recognize it without the hint of the black dragon.

Cale had seen the portrait of the Henituse family in the corridor before, and there was not much difference between the appearance of the middle-aged man and the painting. Next to him stood a well-groomed woman.

Little Cale made eye contact with these family members. The middle-aged man stared at Cale with trembling eyes, and others in the family were doing the same thing.

Duke Deruth slapped his legs and stood up. Ever since Deruth knew that Cale had become a child, he had been suffering in his heart and was anxiously waiting for the day when he saw Cale. But when he actually saw it, Deruth didn't know how to speak.

Cale was wearing the clothes of his childhood, being held in Ron's arms and looking at him.

The moment he saw the child, Deruth thought he had received God's favor and returned to the past. It seemed that the next second the child would happily throw himself into his arms, calling his father with joy on his face. Deruth could even hear Jour smiling happily beside him, teasing his silly expression.

How Deruth wanted to open his arms and embrace his lover and children.

But none of this happened.

The child just held Ron's neck and looked at him up and down, showing no emotion. Compared to the memory of Cale at this age, the child in front of him felt quieter.

Violan quietly poked Deruth, who was obviously distracted, with his arm.

"Ahem—"

Deruth coughed awkwardly and rubbed his hands on his clothes to wipe off the sweat on his palms.

Ron looked at Deruth's' reaction with understanding eyes, and bowed down respectfully. The child got out of the servant's arms and stood up straight in front of Deruth. Only then did Deruth realize that the child did not even reach his chest when he stood up straight, and was even thinner and pitiful than what Ron described in his report.

'Was Cale so thin as a child? '

Deruth tried to search his mind for Cale's status at this age, but he couldn't think of anything...

He was too absorbed in sadness at that time.

"Cale..."

Deruth took a deep breath and calmly called Cale's name before getting entangled again. The child whose name was called raised his head, and Drews noticed a pair of dark brown eyes full of worry looking back at him.