Many started to find their seats. Groups who were hostile towards each other took tables that are far away from each other. As much as some were tempted to start conflict, no one wanted to incur Red's wrath.
Cale discussed with Red once more over the identities of the members of the audience. Just as they finished talking, Cale briefly made eye contact with his father. He stiffened before immediately looking away.
Damn it. He already fought murder machines, dragons and even gods! Why does he feel so nervous over family matters?
-"Huh, so there's that half-witted fool."
The teen version of his biological mother's voice sounded displeased.
Even if it was only a brief moment, the redhead had easily seen the desperation in his father's eyes. He honestly wished his father just hated his trash son, so it would be easier for Cale to cut ties with the them, to allow his father to live with his own second family happily with no longer having to deal with a problematic son whose red hair only reminded him of his dead first wife. But of course, nothing's ever easy.
The redhead traveler felt someone place a hand on his shoulder while another grabbed his arm. He turned to see Menogias and Lumine giving him worried expressions.
"Let's go. Paimon and the others already found our table." Lumine told him.
-"Cutie, try to relax. Your real family is with you."
Cale didn't even get the chance to say anything when both of them silently dragged him to their table. Lumine and Menogias stealthily shared a glance with each other. They knew more than enough of Cale's past to know what he is thinking right now.
Deruth's heart broke when his son (Did he even deserve to call him that?) looked away and didn't bother speaking with him. Cale must hate him for being such a terrible father. He deserved this treatment after years of neglecting his son.
Violan gently held her husband's trembling hand while she and her children stared at the redhead in sorrow.
Even those who worked in the Henituse Estate, including Ron and Beacrox, had their eyes on the trashy young master the whole time. Even with his demand for alcohol earlier, they couldn't help but look at him in uncertainty, especially with his strange company.
The table the children and Shiki Taishou took was a large round table with a curved sofa. Cale sat on the sofa with Lumine and Menogias by either side of him. Paimon sat next to Lumine, feeling hungry again despite having just eaten. Raon and the kittens lied down on his lap while Endora swam in a large fish tank that suddenly appeared out of nowhere at the center of the table. Shiki Taishou simply floated above the table along with the rest of the Mini Seelies.
Taylor and Paseton urged Cage and the whale royalty (and Archie) to sit with those from Teyvat, because out of everyone here (except for their loved ones), the former cripple and half-Whale felt most comfortable sitting with the company of the redhead and his friends and the two also wanted to introduce them. Shickler told the rest of the whale tribe that was transported here to find a table of their own as their royalty will be sitting with Paseton's friends.
Maes and his siblings also wanted to sit with Cale and the others. However, Maes was sharp enough to notice the tension in his hyung's form when looking at the redhead. The wolf boy frowned at the glare that the black-haired man is giving Cale. He and the other children knew the story behind it. While he couldn't blame the man's anger, he is letting his emotions affect his view on Cale too much without considering that there was more to the redhead than simply being 'trash'. From the looks of it, his hyung probably only heard of the black-haired man's side of the story.
As much as Maes wanted to sit with those of Teyvat, he wanted to make sure his hyung was okay. Because physically? He looks fine. But emotionally? He looked like a mess, which is clear as day on his hyung's face. If the wolf children sat there, it would cause unwanted tension since his hyung was probably with this black-haired man, judging from how the latter and the redhead woman looked at Lock fondly earlier like he's family.
Maes excused himself for a moment before running towards the Teyvat table that now had Cage and the whale royalty as new occupants. The wolf boy explained the situation to Cale over why he wanted to sit with Lock.
The redhead just huffed and reached out from the table to ruffle his hair, "You don't need to ask my permission for this. Just go spend time with your hyung."
Maes nodded with a smile before going back to his hyung.
Lock and Rosalyn stared at Cale as if they couldn't figure him out. His calm demeanor and the way he acted just now contradicted what they previously known about him. Choi Han just narrowed his eyes suspiciously and was worried and confused over how the wolf children could view the trash in such a positive way.
Lily stared in envy, gripping Basen's sleeve tightly. Cale never once patted her head like that before.
(But perhaps, Cale already did back in her earlier years, but she was too young to remember it.)
Meanwhile, those who sat at the Teyvat table introduced themselves to their new occupants.
"My name is Lumine, and this is Paimon, our emergency food."
"...What?" Cage and the whale royalty (plus Archie) stared at the blonde girl, unsure if they heard it right.
"It's just their inside joke." Taylor explained, chuckling as he remembered that he and Paseton had the same reaction back then.
"And that inside joke stopped being funny ages ago!" Paimon complained.
The brown-haired man greeted next, "I am Menogias, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"I am Shiki Taishou."
"My name is Endora."
"I'm On."
"And I'm Hong!"
"I am the great and mighty Raon Miru! Don't you forget it!"
"A dragon!?" Cage gasped, but not loud enough for anyone outside their table to hear it.
The ex-priestess and whales looked shocked to see a dragon among the colorful group. Said dragon was on Cale's lap, having just undone his invisibility. However, his form is currently underneath the table so no one has noticed his presence yet (except for the other hidden dragons in the room).
Raon huffed as he went back to cuddle with the kittens. Cale sighed softly as he patted the little dragon's back. Drawing chuckles from the other members of the table.
The blue-haired woman blinked wide-eyed before clearing her throat, gaining everyone's attention, "My name is Witira, future queen of the Whale Tribe. I thank you for taking care of my dongsaeng."
As part of the whale tribe, Witira had the urge to assert her dominance as the strongest of the beast people. The whales are very prideful that they will not back down even against a dragon. However, she felt that will only be rude of her in front of these people, who are from the other world.
"Wow, she's so pretty..." Paimon whispered to Lumine, though she was heard.
Witira smiled, "Thank you, little one."
"I am Shickler, king of the Whales. And this is my subordinate, Archie." The whale king introduced himself as he gestured to the quiet killer whale, "Again, as my daughter said, I cannot thank you enough for being there for my son when we were not."
"Uh, don't mention it." Cale looked away, a slightly blush adorning his face. Even with all the praise and admiration he got from Teyvat, he still felt a bit uncomfortable and unused by it, especially from strangers.
"Uh, I'm Cage, excommunicated from the Church of Death!" The ex-priestess said proudly, having somewhat gotten over the fact that a dragon is right next to them.
"You look rather proud by that." Shiki Taishou commented with a bit of confusion.
Cage nodded vigorously, "Of course, I am! I had to act all nice and innocent and it's so damn annoying! I felt so free the moment I was kicked out!"
The whale tribe looked rather surprised at how proud Cage was. From what they knew about land matters, didn't humans consider being part of a church a blessing?
[A/N: Do other races have Churches like humans? I don't know much of the religion of other races.]
"She'll get along well with Rosaria..." Lumine commented.
"Rosaria?" Cage asks.
"A friend of ours." Honestly, Cale is still surprised himself how the word friend seemed so natural for him to say now, "She's a nun and she hates how uptight her Church is. We actually just mostly see her at the tavern to drink."
Cage looked incredibly happy at that, "Now that's my kinda woman! You gotta introduce us sometime! I'd love to have a drink with her!"
"Now did somebody say "drink"?"
"WAAH!" Paimon screamed, clutching to Lumine's dress.
Everyone at the table turned to see a grinning drunk man with blue hair and green eyes now sitting at their sofa. The purple-haired guy standing near their table looked ready to throttle his friend and nervous of going near them.
"Who the heck are you!?" Paimon questioned.
The newcomer just laughed, "Name's Bud! Bud Illis! Anyone who can drink well is my friend!"
"Oh? Can you hold your own well?" Cage grinned, pulling out several shot glasses from who knows where.
"Did she have those glasses with her the whole time?" Was the thought of most occupants on the table.
Bud grinned even more widely, accepting her challenge, "I should be asking you that."
"Oh, boy... Tone-Deaf Bard would've loved to come here." Paimon commented.
"Come on, Taylor, you join too!" Cage nudged her best friend. She honestly still couldn't believe that Taylor is just sitting right next to her, chatting happily with everyone. She felt like crying again at the thought of being able to do their drinking competitions again like old times.
(At this point, Cage just sort of forgot that the reason their here was because of the possible doom of their world. But she didn't care for now, as Taylor is alive again.)
Taylor chuckled, having the same sentimental thoughts as Cage, "Alright, alright. Though, I won't lose that easily."
The Mercenary King turned to Cale, "What about you, friend? Care to join?"
The whole time since they got a new addition, Cale had been observing Bud the whole time. Despite his slurred movements and flushed face, his eyes were clear and observant. Looks like this wasn't just some drunkard.
Even though they just met, Cale already knew that they have a lot in common.
The redhead smirked, "You said earlier you wanted to try some Teyvat wine?"
The way Bud brightened felt like staring at a sun.
(Almost unnoticed by everyone, Glenn just groaned and sat next to his friend, resigned to his fate.)
As Cale walk away to get some wine at the back of the room, where all the food and drinks are at, another discussion occurred at the table.
"Lockfolk?" Witira looked at the fellow aquatic lifeform in curiosity.
Endora floated above the fish tank, "Yes. Our kind merge with water bodies as a way of understanding one another, so our minds can coexist without division. When understanding other lifeforms, we observe and study, even imitate their forms. We are also capable of making water bitter or sweet."
"That's very interesting." Shickler commented, intrigued. From that description alone, the Lochfolk would be the embodiment of water itself, even compared to water Elementals.
"I am curious to see the water bodies in your world, even if Cale told me that it isn't as varied as Teyvat's."
"Give up on that while you still can, pipsqueak." Archie spoke for the first time since they arrived at this table, "Those damn mermaids corrupt the ocean with the smell of their corpses and you'll probably become the most bitter Lochfolk alive if you swam there."
"I see." Endora stared at the killer whale in thought, but remained undeterred, "But I still wish to witness it."
"Can you really make water sweet?" Bud asks curiously.
Endora circled around the tank, "Try it out yourself."
Bud briefly dipped his finger into the tank before pulling it out and licking it.
"Huh. It's really sweet."
Paimon stared at Bud incredulously, "Did this guy seriously tried water from a fish tank?"
Menogias chuckled, "At least Endora is the only fish there."
Meanwhile, as Cale was getting their drinks at the table.
"C-Cale?"
"Ah... Fuck."
The redhead turned to see Eric Wheelsman, who is accompanied by a worried Amiru Ubarr and Gilbert Chetter.
-"Ah, is this your elder brother when you were a kid, cutie?"
Damn it. Give him more time to sort out his thoughts! He's already nervous being around with so many people of his homeworld, he wasn't ready to talk to them yet!
Desperate to hide his wild, conflicting emotions, Cale instantly schooled his expression to outward indifference, "... What is it?"
"U-Um, well..." Eric stuttered, glancing at Amiru and Gilbert, who looked just as clueless and helpless.
In all honesty, it was only through impulse that made Eric approach Cale. He had seen the sorrowful looks on the Henituse Family and how neither side made any attempt to talk to each other. He really wanted to speak with his dongsaeng, but it was as if he was looking at a completely different person. He was no longer sure over how to approach him. The shy little boy nor the trashy teenager that he was familiar with were no longer there, replaced with a man whose demeanor seemed to be as cold as ice.
Cale observed the way Eric stumbled over his words. He supposed that Eric was just as nervous as he was, even if he didn't show it.
All three of the Northeastern nobles flinched when they heard Cale sigh.
"You didn't think things through before approaching me, did you." It was a statement, not a question.
Eric flushed at the accurate statement, "Ah, that's..."
"Look..." Cale cut him off before Eric could excuses again, "I don't think we're ready to talk yet. Not me, not you, not them. None of us are. Let's just... take our time first."
"B-But, Cale..."
Whatever Eric had wanted to say got stuck in his throat and ignored by the redhead, who took several bottles before going back to his own table.
-"Take your time. You don't need to speak with them if you don't want to."
Eric helplessly stared at the back of the retreating redhead he called his dongsaeng. His heart pained from how Cale sounded so... tired. Gilbert placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort while Amiru solemnly stared in the same direction as Eric.
Within a few minutes, everything will begin.
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Sorry it's not a react chapter yet, I initially wanted to make the viewing in this chapter but it would take too long.
I'm trying to make shorter chapters because I get burn out and lose motivation when I write it too long like the first chapter.
Still, I hope that my characterization was, at least passable, ehe...
Even though I don't read the novel, I love Bud, he's so fun.
*Edit: So yeah, teen Jour is here. It'll be elaborated little by little as to why she's there. It's really hard to fully insert teen Jour's presence since this is already a posted chapter so I decided to just give her a few lines for now in this chapter.