Read Blood, Status, Ethnicity, and Nationality :: Chapter 48

Daphne surveys Stairmount's parents' house. It is completely different from what she always imagined before. Evidently, Stairmount's parents' house appears no different from her cyber mansion in Pluto, even her mansion looks better, because it locates in a well-appointed cyber apartment added with a beautiful and well-maintained public garden, and not in a small alley like this. Then. Mrs. Rivers isn't as upper-class as she has imagined, either; this woman is modest in appearance and doesn't differ much from the women in the city of Sapphire. Slowly, her feelings of inferiority begin to subside. Especially when she finds Mrs. Rivers who treats her son with love and warmth. As soon as the door closes, Mrs. Rivers immediately hugs Stairmount tightly. "Schynn... Schynn! Mom misses you so much!"

"Yes, Mom... I miss you so much, too." Stairmount also hugs Mrs. Rivers tightly.

"Actually Mom and Dad really want to pick you up at the airport! But you don't allow it because you worry that Chrono will target us..."

"Yes, Mom... it's safer this way..." No, it is still the same. Even worse.

"How long have you been in Pluto, Son? For four years, right? You gave no reply to my messages, didn't answer the calls, you know, we were scared to death because of you! Especially when we heard that Neptune invades Pluto, then when you called us and said that you ran away from Chrono, you know, your Mom almost fainted right then and there! Good thing your Dad was able to quickly take control of the situation!"

"I'm so sorry... Mom..."

"No, you're not wrong. It is just, your mommy is too worried about you! When I finally see you, and hug you, and you're alright, I feel... these tears can run down my cheeks." Mrs. Rivers releases her son from her arms. "Take off your disguise, Schynn. It's strange to see you like this."

"Okay, Mom..." Stairmount walks over to the sink and washes his face.

"Your daddy is out for a bit. I'll call him right away, to let him come home as soon as possible! Ah... I really want to prepare a dinner party, to welcome you home!"

His mother looks so happy, this makes Stairmount feel even more guilty. Because he is about to do something that his parents - especially his father - in particular, forbid him to do. He will commit the most severe of disobedience of all time, a moment later.

On the other hand, Daphne keeps observing Mrs. Rivers. Stairmount said earlier that Chrono has taken his parents into custody. But now, why does Mrs. Rivers still stay at her house? Actually, what is going on here?

"Mom, I heard that Chrono takes you as the captives." It turns out that Stairmount also senses the confusion Daphne is pondering about.

"Ah, no. Who tell you about that?"

"Then why didn't you open the door earlier?"

"Oh, so you have come previously? Just now, I went to buy some stuff for our store."

"How about Dad?"

"Your Dad was at home. Well, maybe he was receiving calls or something like that at that time."

"Oh..." Damn it, the timing is just right when that old demon sent me that message! Stairmount curses inside his mind.

Now he has finished removing his disguise and returns to his former self. "Daphne. You can remove the makeup here. And Mrs. Yalle, as well." He says to Daphne and Mrs. Yalle.

"Ah... well... alright..." Feeling uneasy, Daphne and Mrs. Yalle walk toward the sink. "Please excuse us..."

"Yes... please..." Mrs. Rivers also feels uneasy. A second later, she throws Stairmount a demanding look, as if saying, You have to explain all about this!

"Ummm, Mom... I'll explain everything when Dad gets home, okay?..."

The doorbell rings. "It's your daddy, he has returned home! I'll open the door in a moment." When Mrs. Rivers opens the door for her husband, the sound of her cheerful voice soon echoes loudly. "Dad! Schynn is home! Come here, quick!"

When Mrs. Rivers opens the door for her husband, Daphne and Mrs. Yalle have returned to their original selves. So, when Mrs. Rivers returns to the living room with her husband, both of them soon get stunned as they find their real guest.

"This... is your friend you introduced earlier... Schynn..." Mrs. Rivers is astonished, having no idea that Stairmount's 'male' friend is actually a beautiful young woman.

"Yes. Let me introduce, this is Daphne Yalle, and this is her mother."

Mr. and Mrs. Rivers give a polite greeting to Daphne and Mrs. Yalle, and they reply with the polite greetings as well.

Mr. Rivers soon approaches his son, "Schynn..."

"Dad..."

"You!..."

Suddenly Stairmount cries out, as if he is releasing all of his frustration, "I am really sorry, Dad! I... I am really an unfilial son!..."

"What's going on?! Why do you suddenly say that?!"

"Actually I should have listened to your advice not to join Chrono. They are indeed the truly cruel people!..."

Thus, Stairmount tells the incident of the genocidal operation in Sapphire, which led him to finally be forced to flee and by then come here, and which also led him to take Daphne and Mrs. Yalle with him.

"So, this mother and daughter are ethnic Neptunian in Pluto?" Mr. Rivers turns his gaze to Daphne, and a gleam of pity radiates from his eyeballs. Likewise with Mrs. Rivers.

Stairmount translates what his father said. Daphne and Mrs. Yalle nod.

"They're not very good at Jupiterian language," Stairmount explains.

"It's okay, Schynn... it's just... we are really shocked." Mr. Rivers sighs. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"I think, it's better to explain it face to face... as to not make any misunderstanding and instead cause unnecessary worries..."

"Why do we have to worry about this? We indeed have to help those in need. And," Mr. Rivers said earnestly. "Even more, you are supposed to be more convinced to go to Saturn, Schynn."

Stairmount's heart skips a beat. His father's words make him automatically remember the cursed task from Mr. Landlord.

However, he doesn't tell his father about this. No, he won't be able to tell all of Saturnian people all over the Planet about this. He can't do that, especially at this moment, although he is so eager to do it since he really wants to ask for an explanation or a solution to avoid that damned task. His tongue seems to turn into stone whenever he remembers this matter.

"You're not safe here. You have to be in disguises everywhere. And your friends as well, you said they aren't accepted by Pluto Embassy either, right? But Saturn supports Neptune. Saturn even opens the broad path to receive the arrival of the Neptunians. So, come on. Maybe at that time, you were so panicked that you couldn't get clear thoughts. But now you must be able to think clearly. This is a very good idea, right?"

"So, if I go to Saturn, then everything will be alright?"

Stairmount stares sharply at his father, who looks astonished, not because of the question, but because of the way Stairmount asks him.

"If I go to Saturn, will my life, as well as Daphne's and her mother's be safe?" Stairmount asks. "Will it really be safe for us, Dad?"