Wasn't Cale Henituse a human!?

II

Cale stepped into the dining hall, instantly catching sight of his father, Count Deruth Henituse, seated with his usual gentle yet commanding presence. Beside him sat his stepmother, Countess Violan, impeccably dressed in dignified attire with her hair primly styled in a bun. His stepbrother, Basen, sat nearby, looking visibly tense and uncomfortable, while his younger half-sister, Lily, beamed brightly, chatting animatedly with her brother.

As Cale crossed the room, all eyes turned toward him. He could feel the weight of their gazes, causing him to tense up. Yet, he steeled his nerves and made his way toward his seat, determined to appear composed.

"You're late again today," Deruth's calm yet firm voice broke the silence as his gaze met Cale's.

Cale's thoughts raced as he sized up his father. 'Deruth Henituse, the one person who could rein in the former Cale's reckless tendencies. He hadn't left the Henituse County because, despite everything, this place was where his roots lay. Deruth was no legendary hero, nor did he possess any great powers, but somehow, under his leadership, the family was incredibly wealthy and held substantial influence.'

'This quiet, peaceful life...' Cale thought, taking in the scene. 'This is exactly what I want-no messy political entanglements or unnecessary chaos.'

His relationship with the rest of the family was less than ideal. Violan mostly kept her distance, aware that Cale resented her presence, while Basen seemed to struggle with even casual interaction. Lily, meanwhile, treated him with cautious avoidance, almost as though she feared him. Cale didn't mind; they lived as polite strangers, and that suited him just fine.

"Take a se-" Deruth began, but before he could finish, Cale, feeling the growing discomfort of standing under their scrutiny, quickly sat down.

An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment. 'Damn,' Cale cursed inwardly, realizing he had just cut his father off mid-sentence. 'I was so tired of standing, I didn't wait for him to finish.'

Violan's eyebrow arched ever so slightly in silent judgment, while Basen cast a confused glance at his older brother. Lily, on the other hand, seemed both enthusiastic and hesitant, unsure of how to engage with him. Deruth, after a brief pause, cleared his throat and gave a small nod, his expression unreadable but likely caught between amusement and a quiet sigh of resignation.

Cale felt his embarrassment grow, his earlier calm now fraying at the edges. Great start, he thought, trying to suppress the urge to bury his face in his hands.

Cale looked down at the feast laid out before him, the scent of rich, carefully prepared dishes wafting up, tempting his senses. The food looked exquisite, every dish a display of the Henituse family's wealth and attention to culinary detail. Just as he was about to take his first bite, he felt a stare boring into the top of his head. Lifting his gaze, he found his father, Deruth, watching him intently.

"Is there something wrong, Father?" Cale asked, trying to mask the remnants of his earlier embarrassment with a nonchalant tone.

Deruth hesitated for a moment before answering, "No... it's nothing."

Cale noticed the hesitation but chose to brush it aside. As he glanced around the table, he realized the others had also been staring at him, only to quickly avert their eyes when they made eye contact. They returned to their meals with a sudden sense of urgency, avoiding further scrutiny.

'Haa, ' Cale thought as he turned back to his plate. 'Looks like they really do find me hard to deal with.'

Pushing the thought aside, he picked up his utensils, focusing instead on the mouth-watering meal in front of him. He sliced into the perfectly cooked meat, the juices spilling out, glistening in the warm light. The first bite practically melted on his tongue, rich and tender, the flavors exploding in his mouth.