Chapter 378: What It Means to Be Family
Hearing it laid out like that, he finally understood how terrible his words had been.
And yet, completely unaware of his own foolish thoughts, the small children slept peacefully in their mother’s arms.
"These children are not objects. They are people with hearts. No matter if they have beast blood, they are the same as us. They are living just like us. Are you saying they are sinful just for being born? Then do you also think I am a foolish human who gave birth to such filthy beastmen?"
The anger of not being understood, and the sorrow of having the people she loved denied, was reflected in her eyes, and he felt like he might cry.
Just how foolish had he been?
"...I’m... sorry. I... sincerely apologize."
"I am not saying you must accept all beastmen, or that you must save them. But... please, do not deny the people I love. They are everything to me. I need them. Because they were there, I am who I am now. I... love them."
The way she held her child so dearly as if they were the most precious thing in the world, overlapped with the image of his own mother.
Only now did Narka’s words from earlier come back to him.
"Anyone would get mad if someone insulted their precious family."
Family.
Just as he cherished his parents, just as his father had loved his mother, Qiong Xing also loved the beastmen who were his family.
He could not possibly feel nothing while seeing them looked down upon.
Beastmen are born slaves.
That was how Rohen had lived, believing it was the natural order, but what crime did these children who only wanted their mother have?
They were chained for nonexistent crimes and worked until they died.
How much had they cried, bled, and longed for freedom?
"I was foolish. I’m truly sorry."
As he desperately bowed his head while holding back tears, he suddenly felt warmth on his cheek and looked up.
"Your hand."
As instructed, he held out his right hand.
It was guided to the soft, warm cheek of the child in his arms, and tears immediately overflowed.
"It’s warm, isn’t it? They are alive. They are precious lives, just like you and me."
"Ah..."
Even with beast ears and a tail, their sleeping faces were no different from any human child.
How stupid he had been to try to call these children slaves.
"Don’t ask me to save them. But please do not deny the existence of those who are desperately trying to live just because of some unknown reason someone made up."
He nodded repeatedly at the gentle, almost instructive tone.
How many people had he and his assumptions hurt?
Even after having his precious people denied, he was still forgiven.
"...Mama..."
Perhaps awakened by the touch of a hand, the child rubbed their eyes and slowly opened them, making his hands tremble.
"You are awake. Good morning, Yue."
"Good morning. ...Why is big brother crying?"
He had not thought they had been listening, but he had been worried they might cry in fear.
Instead, they were concerned about him, which surprised him.
"Because Mama got a little angry. Just like Yue."
He must have been trying to help explain, but the words only confused him further.
"Did big brother get scolded by Mama?"
"No, well... ah... yes."
It was something like that.
He was not sure it was right to say he had been scolded like a child, so he simply nodded.
"Did you say sorry? When Mama gets angry, he won’t talk to you. He won’t listen until you say sorry properly."
He understood how Qiong Xing disciplined his children.
If their beloved Mama refused to talk to them, of course they would cry.
"Don’t worry. He properly apologized. So today, let’s all have breakfast together with this big brother too. Fish for Rui, and apples for Yue and Mao."
"I want to eat!"
Apparently apples were their favorite, because of that Yue immediately tried to wake up Rui who were still sleeping so they could eat sooner.
"—Waaah!"
However, because Rui still half-asleep and being forcibly shaken awake he started crying.
"Yue... then no apples for you."
"Nooo! My apples!"
The crying boy was picked up, and as Qiong Xing stood, Yue chased after him while crying as he headed back into the house.
"I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Mama, I’m sorry!"
So many things had happened in just a few minutes that Rohen’s mind could not keep up.
"...Sigh. Then can you promise you won’t do it again? I understand wanting to eat quickly, but Rui was still asleep, right? If you can promise, I’ll prepare apples for Yue too."
"I will!"
"Then please go bring that big brother over here. As the saying goes, those who don’t work don’t eat. If he’s going to eat, he needs to help."
Everything was happening too fast for Rohen to follow, but when a small hand was held out to him saying "big brother, let’s go," he hesitantly took it back.
He was then strongly pulled along, chasing after Qiong Xing’s back.
"Why is that guy here?"
"Good morning, Leander."
Leander complained irritably upon waking up and seeing Rohen’s face, but Qiong Xing simply returned his morning greeting without concern.
"That guy the other day—"
"Good morning, Leander."
"...Good morning."
Leander had not been used to greeting people before meeting Qiong Xing, but perhaps because of the children being present, there were times he would be scolded if he did not greet properly.
At first he had refused out of annoyance, but as a result he was ignored all day with Qiong Xing calmly saying that it seemed Leander was still asleep, so he eventually surrendered.
"It is true that you can survive without greetings, but greetings are also a way of expressing intention. Like saying ’I’m waking up’ or ’I’m going to eat.’ And more than that, greetings only exist because there is someone to receive them, right? Now that there are people precious to me, I want to do them."
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