“That fucking quack nurse.” Ginn compined as he walked through the streets holding his side.

  He sneaked out the window earlier after Mary went to fetch new bandages. He was all stitched up and the bleeding had stopped, so he figured he better get out of there as soon as possible.

  Mary seemed excited to see him after so long, but Ginn didn’t want to know what a torture-starved and pent-up Mary was capable of… He could only shudder at the thought.

  He could deal with the crazy nurse ter, now he needed to find his dad, tell him about his new powers, about the sky kingdom. They could finally leave this rock and restore the family like they had always talked about.

  Eyes followed Ginn as he walked toward the bar where his dad worked. People gasped as he walked by—how could they not? The famous underground gdiator, taken captive by pirates months ago, had suddenly returned. People thought they’d seen a ghost.

  The whispers traveled faster than Ginn himself, and as he opened the Pickaxe and Shovel’s doors, all eyes were on him.

  The Barman spoke: “No fucking way… would ya look at that Edward, your stolen wallet returned all on his own. Ha!”

  A blonde drunk lifted his head from the counter and looked at the door: “Ginn…” He muttered before groggily turning toward the barman: “What kinda shit did you give me Kreig, I’m starting to hallucinate here…”

  “Dad… what are you doing at work…” Ginn asked, stunned at his appearance.

  Edward snapped out of his stupor after realizing that Ginn, against all odds, was standing before him again. “Huh? No… how are you… back here?”

  “Ha!... ha ha ha!” The barman suddenly erupted into ughter. “You’re caught now, Edward! This must be god punishin’ ya!”

  The barman, Kreig, turned toward Ginn once again: “So that’s how that old drunk kept you around! I mean, Edward? Working here? Ha! I mean, I guess it’s not entirely untrue, without Edward’s patronage, this bar wouldn’t survive! Ha! Ha-ha-ha! Thank the heavens this reunion happened in my bar here!”

  Kreig couldn’t stop ughing after that, making the atmosphere even more awkward for the other patrons who already felt bad for the kid.

  Edward got up from his stool and stumbled toward Ginn: “Let’s… let’s talk about this at home.”

  As he felt a rge, familiar hand rest on his shoulder, he nodded and followed the half-drunken man back to the wooden cabin they called home. He didn’t care about Kreig’s ridicule, he needed to hear the truth from Edward’s mouth.

  At the cabin, Edward spshed some water on his face and drank from a rge bucket, trying to sober up quickly. He took out a chair and started talking:

  “I can’t believe you’re back… I… I thought for sure I’d lost you… What you just saw… I was just taking a break, I swear it-“

  But Ginn cut him off: “Stop it, Mary already warned me about your drinking problem, about what her family took from you.”

  Edward looked up at Ginn, his eyes watery: “So you knew? You knew about what a loser I am?... Then why stay with me? Why give me the money you had to shed blood over? You knew what I spent it on…”

  Ginn sighed: *SIGH* “You know, when you first picked me up from that orphanage, ciming that I was your bastard son and that it was your duty to take care of me, I honestly didn’t believe you. Hell, I still don’t, who would be so shameless as to recim a thrown-away son? But you did resemble me, and you seemed nice enough, so I followed you.

  Later, when you started filling my head with stories about the glory days from back when you were a noble, and the even more glorious days of your ancestors, I was completely bought in. Maybe I’m a sucker, or maybe you’re just a good talker, but I decided to become the heir of this glorious fantasy you made up. It seemed fitting the son of a drunk would be a dreamer.

  I guess it was some sort of messed-up sense of filial piety, but for years, I hoped you’d change. When the pirates invaded our home and aimed to seize that chest of coins meant for restoring the Savate family, I resisted because I believed in that goal. Even though I realized the chest was empty, having been depleted on that poison you drink at the bar. It symbolized so much more to me than mere coins, and I hoped it held the same significance to you…”

  A silence filled the air. Edward was searching for words to say, for a story to fix everything. Talking was the only skill he had honed, the only thing he could be proud of. But right now, his tongue wouldn’t move, his lips were frozen, and the air was caught in his throat.

  Taking Edward’s silence as a response, Ginn continued: “You haven’t changed, and you never will. I will rebuild the Savate family without you. And I’ll begin by reciming this isnd you lost.

  I don’t care if I’m not your actual son, and I don’t care that you drank away all my money. For all your fws, you did raise me and taught me what it means to be a noble. Though you might have had ulterior motives, I did enjoy the time we spent together…

  Which is why I want you to willingly hand over the patriarchal position. I’m pretty sure half the stories you told me were full of lies, but I will erect an empire built on the foundation of those lies, those ideals. Whether the ruling family of that empire will be called Savate is up to you.

  Now, Edward, decide.”

  After a long pause, the old man replied with a defeated: “Yes… you can be the Patriarch of the family… you sure deserve it more than me.”

  With that, Ginn rose from his chair and left. His eyes began to water, but he held back the tears. The previous patriarch had taught him that the head of the family never cries. The head of the family is a symbol of strength and confidence.

  Behind him, Ginn could hear soft sobbing, but his eyes were focused on the castle in the distance. He was going to recim what his father had lost all those years ago.