Aster Veren
Episode 201's

- Esther

"... when will the child return?" I muttered after successfully putting Yuna to sleep in my room.

Then with quick and careful steps, I went downstairs to clean up all the mess that happened this afternoon. But my steps stopped in the middle of the road when I saw Dean who was cleaning up all the mess.

So he's back? And busy cleaning up all this mess? My mind watches his figure from above. Then I took my foot back down the stairs to get closer to her.

"When did you arrive?" Manya surprised.

I saw Dean's body being shocked because of me, then he quickly turned towards me with a surprised expression. I who saw it could only hold my laughter because of it, only this time did I manage to surprise him. I am usually surprised by people.

So this is what it feels like to surprise others?

"You haven't slept?" Ask him to return to the pile of bread into the basket.

"How can I sleep?" I asked her back to help her, "when did you clear all this up? Has it been a while?" I couldn't stop my curiosity.

"Oh, I forgot." The answer is really no intention.

"Hah~ then go shower and eat. After that I'll treat your wound." I stopped him and grabbed the bread basket in his hand.

"What?"

"What is what? I told you to go take a shower and eat. Is it less clear?" I asked to meet the black bead.

"... It seems like I can't fight you?"

"Hehe, really? Then go." I said it again while putting on my best smile when Dean showed me that unpleasant expression.

"Yes-yes I'm going." Break it with resignation.

"ah! Don't wake Yuna up. He just went to bed after dinner." I said a little screamed to stop his steps that would climb the stairs in front of him. Then I saw that he had already put on a faint smile before continuing his steps back towards the top floor.

***

"Done." I said after throwing away some dirty bread and baskets that could no longer be used.

I looked at the wall clock that was showing at 09:05 p.m., and then I locked the door of the store and undo my intention to sweep and mop up the shop floor because it was too late. Not to mention my body that felt crumpled due to going through a pretty heavy day today.

"... It looks like uncle won't be coming home tonight. I also couldn't reach him because I didn't have a cell phone. The house phone used in the store was already broken due to the chaos this afternoon. So inevitably I'll have to wait until tomorrow to ascertain aunt's condition." I said as I moved my feet towards the top floor.

Should I go early in the morning to see my aunt?

"You're coming." Dean said as I got to the top, I saw him enjoying his dinner while watching a television show. Night news?

I took my foot into the kitchen to bring the P3K box and put it in front of Dean. Then walk towards the small cupboard that was stored beside the television shelf, take out a dry towel from inside.

"I've treated my wounds before I eat." Ceplos Dean as I walked back to him.

"really?" I asked to frown, not believing his words. But the man just nodded his head quickly to answer me.

"Ah, I can do that myself. Stop that!" The protest I didn't listen to.

"If you could do it, you would have done it since then, right? Brother and sister both have bad habits huh?" I still rubbed his hair with a towel in my hand.

"A—have I told you I could be Faren myself."

"Ya—ya, you can. But let me finish it and stop protesting okay."

"Hah~ yes alright," he murmured after sighing deeply. Eventually Dean gave up and stopped rebelling, making it more comfortable to dry his hair.

"Dean—" I stopped when I heard the voice of a television news anchor. My eyes widened in shock as news of the village chief hoarding and embezzling money appeared on television.

That fast? My mind really doesn't believe what I'm seeing now. Though there hasn't been one night I saw them in that storage shed. But the news about the village chief has been broadcast on television?

"Uwah ... The influence of the Alterio family is terrible huh?" I murmured again to remember the figure of Carel who might be involved in broadcasting the news tonight. Or ... is there any possible interference from Mr Albert? This area is closer to its place than the place of Alterio.

"yes too. Why am I just realizing it now?" I said considering that the Alterio family has no right to guard or interfere in the matters of territory here. The coverage of the Alterio family will be in its territory up to the eastern border. But this region is not in the east.

"What's? What did you just realize?" Dean asked me. It seems he was secretly watching my words.

"Ti—no, it's done stay you comb. I'm going to save the P3K box back to da—" I replied to a halt when Dean's hand suddenly grabbed my hand, giving me the reflex to sit next to him.

"What's a—ada?" I asked when our views met.

"Your injuries haven't been treated, have you? Let me treat." It made me notice the red scratches on my hands. I really don't remember that I had a cut on my hand from my fight with those men.

"Ah—ya, I forgot to treat it."

***

- Carel

I stepped my foot into Mr. Albert's study with my annoyance that I was trying to ease out of control in front of him. Especially when it comes to my family's good name, I can't act as casually as I used to.

"You're coming." His words welcomed my arrival, "sit down." It allowed me to sit on the sofa facing him.

I quickly threw my body onto the sofa and sat down on my feet to return the old man's sharp gaze.

"So, can you explain it to me, sir?" I don't want to talk much about the things that make me so curious now.

I immediately went to his place when Dwi told me about Mr. Albert who gave residence to the Tesar in the area around here. Besides, I also want to ask for an explanation from him who did not give permission for Victor to enter his territory.

Yeah, it's really weird, isn't it? Why was Tesar given permission and Victor wasn't? Then what the hell is with the village chief who corrupted it? Does he have no intention of arresting him himself? Why ask Alterio's family for help? My mind felt a pain in my head as it received orders from Dwi to come to this place and investigate the village chief.

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Thanks for reading...