Chapter 1017: The Dinner That Changed Change

"And then, a dash of filtered blackberry sauce with reduced sweetness to latch onto the very thin but crispy rice batter."

"Father, why would you fried chicken the steak? The only toddler here is Enel."

"Fried chicken the steak? Do not be stupid, Lucifer. It is just frying the venison in rice and tallow to add a layer of crispiness to it, the venison was sous vide, so the—"

"You know a lot of terminology for someone who can not even boil an egg, my dear sister."

"You... can't boil an egg, Renna?"

"That... I... I can."

Riley was currently walking around the table and serving his children. He initially thought that none of them would actually come to his invitation after what he had done, but seeing all of his children at the table, he could not help but nod to himself.

"Riley..."

And as he passed by Katherine, she brushed her fingers on his arm before resting her head on it and closing her eyes,

"...Thank you for trying. I can feel how difficult this is for you."

"I suppose so, Katherine. But please... all of you may start enjoying the meal," Riley then gestured to everyone to start, only for them to just look at each other before awkwardly looking back at Riley.

"Riley..." Katrina let out a small chuckle, "...Aren't you going to join us?"

"But I cooked this meal for all of you, Katrina," Riley shook his head, "It would not be—"

"Daddy..."

And before Riley could finish his words, he felt a tug pulling down on his clothes. He did not really immediately look down, but after another tug, he crouched down, only for Enel to wrap his arms around his neck.

"What is it, Enel?" Riley asked as he carried Enel up.

"You can sit on my chair, Daddy," Enel patted Riley's back several times, gesturing to Riley to sit on his chair, which was meant for a child and would definitely not be able to fit Riley.

"Enel, do not bother your father," Esme was about to stand up, but Riley shook his head and told her to just stay as he walked toward Enel's chair. And as soon as he got closer and started to sit down, the chair suddenly morphed into a bigger one.

He sat Enel on his lap and started patting him on the head.

Esme stared at the two for a few moments, before a small hint of a smile crawled on her face. She doesn't really hold any romantic feelings for Riley, what she had for her was utmost respect — and to have his child was the greatest honor she perhaps would ever achieve.

She was not the only one smiling among the mothers, all of them were, even Katherine. Katherine imagined what life would have been if Riley was at this point of his life when they had Karina. Would he also perhaps hold her?

"Well..." Katrina lightly clapped her hands before grabbing her cutleries, "...Let's eat?"

And as soon as she said that, Renna excitedly rotated her plate so that the meat was placed in the optimal position for her; immediately slicing a piece for hers to consume, and consume she did. Eating her father's food was really the only time Renna truly expressed herself like a normal child; even holding her cheeks as the taste wrapped her mouth entirely.

"Hm, child," Lucy let out a small scoff as he unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap, eating as elegantly as possible; his glass of milk, inside a wine glass.

"This is..." Arthas's eyes just widened in shock as he tasted his father's cooking, almost not believing what he was tasting, "...You cook better than grandma and mom."

"You have not learned how to cook better after 600 years, Katherine?" Riley looked at Katherine while he sliced a piece, but he did not eat it and instead carefully fed it to Enel, whose mouth was already as wide as it could be.

"Not at your level," Katherine let out a sigh, almost feeling depressed as she tasted Riley's cooking again after so long. She was not the only one feeling extremely nostalgic, Karina was currently taking in very deep breaths as she finally remembered just how...

...just how much she wanted Riley's attention. The longing in her eyes could not even be compared to Katherine's — Katherine wanted Riley, Karina needed him.

And now, as she watched as her father fed her youngest brother, she also imagined what it would have been like if it was her on his lap. It was ridiculous, she had already lived for several centuries, and yet now that her father was here, all she wanted to do was be a child again.

"Do you also want to sit on my lap, Karina?"

"Huh...?" Karina blinked a couple of times as she realized that Riley was actually staring at her, "Wh—who wants to sit on your lap? I'm... I'm technically centuries older than you, Dad."

"Perhaps," Riley just shrugged before feeding Enel again, who had his mouth open and was pointing at it and urging Riley to feed him, "Technically you are, but I have experienced eternity already — Dr. Caitlain should have told you, or Hera."

"That..."

"Talk later!" Enel covered Riley's mouth, "Eat now!"

The mothers could not help but let out a small chuckle as they saw that — but true enough, however, no one else spoke while they were still eating. It was only after the last one of them let go of their knives and forks that someone opened a conversation — and surprisingly enough, it was Renna.

"Father," Renna took in a short but very deep breath, "Your past, it matters. And I really appreciate the fact that we are important enough for you to tell it to us, thank you."

"Hm."

"And I know this is presumptuous of me, but may I ask you for a favor?" Renna looked her father in the eyes, "Can you be a good person from now on? A real good and kind person."

"I do not think that is possible, Renna."

"Try," Renna took in a small gulp, "Please."

"Well, I can try," Riley nodded as he stood up from his seat, carrying the now sleeping Enel and resting him on his shoulder. Riley then moved around the table, approaching Karina and then handing her Enel.

"Why... are you giving him to me?" Karina did not really know what to do as she just looked at her mother while holding Enel. Katherine, however, just smiled and nodded at her.

"You have been looking at him the entire time we were eating, Karina," Riley said as he backed away, "I suppose you wanted to hold him too?"

"Of course, our dear oldest wants to hold him," Lucy smirked as he approached Karina, squishing Enel's small foot while nodding, "The soles of Enel's feet are very squishy."

"Yup, I can attest to that," Arthas chuckled as he too, stood up and approached Karina. Renna also approached them, and the mothers could really only smile at the view of their children finally bonding with each other in a... peaceful manner.

"His... feet really is squishy," Karina slightly giggled as she started pressing Enel's feet, "He... looks so vulnerable. Arthas could already survive being thrown into the sun at his age."

"He is a normal boy, Big Sister Karina," Renna shook her head as she brushed Enel's white hair, causing him to cuddle deeper onto Karina's arms, "Aside from his vivid imagination, he has no abilities like the rest of us."

"The big eyes he keeps on mentioning that are watching us?" Karina softly chuckled as she looked at Enel's resting face, "Do we know if it's—"

"Hm?"

And before Karina could finish her words, everyone turned to look at the terrace. And there... Aerith landed.

"Mom...?" Arthas blinked a couple of times as he watched as Aerith casually enter the house, "I... I can explain! K... Karina was the one who wanted to leave!"

"Excuse me...?" Karina raised an eyebrow as she looked at Aerith, "Auntie, that's not true at all!"

"Aerith, don't blame the kids," Katherine let out a small sigh as she moved in front of Aerith, "I also wanted to go. It... Aerith?"

Katherine could really only blink a couple of times as Aerith completely ignored her and just walked toward Karina and the others. Renna and Lucy, just staring at her with slight amazement — they have always heard things about the original Megawoman, and now she was here...

...but something seemed wrong.

"That is not Aerith, everyone. It is Ahor Zai," Riley shook his head, "Did you want something, Ahor Zai? It—"

It happened so casually that no one felt it, not even Riley, and not even Esme. Ahor Zai was a being that completely had no presence at all, absolutely none. Any of her intent can't be felt beforehand, or could be predicted. The people in this apartment could very well include the strongest beings in the entire remaining universe, and they may very well be capable of sensing her intent — but only if it was truly just Ahor Zai, and not a Primordial borrowing her body. Then, and then, no one could very well even sense anything.

And that included...

...stabbing Enel right through his small neck.