A Day for the Unseen

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  Nanami POV

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  As the day came to an end and the restaurant closed, only the girls who shared their love for César and his family remained. Most of them, like Lisa and Momo, were cleaning and tidying up the place. Levia was sitting on a rock, watching television.

  However, Voranoa, wearing a maid outfit and practicing how to place a tray of empty plastic cups on a table, drew the most attention. The poor animal struggled to remember the number of each table. Adelis, who had already raised three children, decided to use her pedagogical knowledge. She assigned each table to a little animal that the snake could more easily remember. Lucy would take each customer’s order, and Voranoa would deliver it to the tables. If anyone asked how she managed to pretend to be a lamia, she would simply reply, "Company secret," to avoid further questions. However, progress was slow since Voranoa isn’t the brightest, but you could see her effort and that she genuinely didn’t want to fall behind.

  I was talking with César’s mother. Apparently, she also wanted me to help with the family business like everyone else. We were fine-tuning the details of what I could do, considering my limitation of not being alive like everyone else, and figuring out what role I could play.

  "The plan is too dumb. Do you really want me to just walk up and take their order, too?”

  "I'm a ghost! They’ll freak out when they see me!"

  “Don’t worry. The whole theme of the restaurant is fantasy. They'll assume you're a projection or a light trick before thinking you're a real ghost."

  "People are more open to weird things when they’re expecting them, like at a fantasy-themed restaurant. They’ll just assume that weird things will show up, like a ghost or a mermaid.”

  “...”

  “To be honest, I had my doubts about Kazumi and Charlotte, but after that, anything goes.”

  "Just look at Lucy and Voranoa. She's been getting pretty popular with all those personality fights."

  "You mean Lucy trying to stop Voranoa from eating the whole restaurant?!"

  Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell rang. Mei Ling was coming in with the little fairy, Tifa, in her hands. With those two here,

  I realized that all the girls had gathered while César stayed home to play video games again. At first, I thought it was a bit odd, but Maria later explained that they did this from time to time—a girls' gathering they called a "Harem Talk." It was nothing more than a time when they all came together to talk about whatever they wanted or their love lives. It was like a support group where each person had the chance to speak and be heard, validate their fears and doubts, share knowledge, and offer help.

  Since I’m now part of this group of lovers, it concerns me as well. This particular meeting was more secretive than the usual ones, which explained all the anticipation, especially because of who had called for it.

  "Oh, finally everyone’s here. Let's start right away."

  "I know it's strange that I'm the one calling for a meeting of my son's harem, but I think the situation is important this time."

  "As some of you may know, Maria’s birthday is in a few days."

  "So far, that's not really a problem—a small party at home, a couple of calls from my parents, all normal."

  "The issue is that, right after that, on November 22, it’s César’s birthday.

  We have to do something for that day—something big. There’s no other option,” said Adelis, his mother.

  "Birth...day? What pack-word mean? New hunt-day?" Asked Voranoa.

  The slave collar around Voranoa's neck began to glow purple, signaling that her alter ego was coming to the surface to speak with the others—or, in this case, with Voranoa herself. In an instant, her predatory gaze transformed into that of a rational, experienced being. That was Lucy, the other existence—and the void.

  "No, Voranoa. It’s... a day to celebrate someone existing. Like... hatch-day for snakes? But for people, humans."

  In the next moment, the slave collar glowed pink, and with the simple gesture of her wide grin, her moving jaws began to show. It became clear that her skull was actually two halves connected by an elastic ligament, made to swallow things far larger than any human ever could. It was evident that this was Voranoa taking back control of the shared body.

  "And what's so special about hatch-day? It's just any day—sunny, rainy—the eggs hatch at any moment. Humans, not eggs. Voranoa doesn't understand strange word again. Voranoa is animal, no person, no Not-me."

  "Why do humans make noise and sweet shiny rock food only one day?"

  "Is just more like Exist-day aniversary" Lucy responded to her again

  "Exist-day? But... pack exists every day. Why fire-noise, shiny-rock-food?"

  "It’s about joy! Like... when Cesar gave you warm rocks for your nest! We say, ‘Thank you for being you!’"

  "Imagine... your first sun after winter-sleep. Cold bones gone. Only warm-den... and pack saying ‘We see you. We’re glad you’re here.’"

  "Ah! Like... pack-share meat when Voranoa shed old-skin? Hurt-less... because together?"

  "Yes! Exactly like that."

  "Then... Voranoa help guard shiny-rock-food. For Cesar’s... exist-warm-day!"

  The two personalities argued back and forth about the topic until Voranoa—perhaps not fully understanding it—managed to realize that it was a reason for everyone to be happy, and that was the important part, enough for her to be satisfied with the answer. She might not have been like a normal person, but she didn’t care; it was enough for her to simply understand the important feelings behind the message and to see that what she was doing had the approval of her pack. Now, her eyes were focused on the cake they were decorating in preparation—although it was actually Maria’s cake, no one had the cold heart to tell her that.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Is something big really necessary? You know how he is—he has the social skills of an Eskimo."

  "He hates being surrounded by people he’s not close to."

  "Throwing a big event will only bother him," Momo said.

  Maria turned strangely upon hearing the angel girl; it seemed like she had remembered something important and needed to say it immediately, like a witness to a horrible crime just before confessing it to the authorities. So when it was her turn to speak, she mentioned that pain she had and for which she was probably also to blame.

  “I agree with Momo, my brother, although socially functional, is one of those who usually take the hard path if it means not having to talk to anyone.”

  “But I also understand why Mom wants to throw this party.”

  “Again, everything starts with her being the culprit.”

  “Do you remember how a certain mother clearly had favorites? Well, guess who barely got their birthdays celebrated.”

  “Most of them were just a single cake, a birthday song, and a pat on the back.”

  “And like that, for more than 28 years straight.”

  “I think the only time he had a birthday party was when they combined his birthday with Leon’s and invited the whole family... because Leon was graduating from school.”

  “And then they scolded Cesar for not coming out and being the center of attention at the party like his brother was.”

  “No, wait, now that I remember, one time we even forgot, and we recalled it the next day, when Adelis called his cousin Arnold, who had a birthday the following day.”

  “……”

  “All this is nothing more than her way of trying to make up for all the damage she did as a mother who never paid attention to who she was not interested” Maria said in a mocking and sarcastic tone, trying to sound like the villain.

  “I think you’re talking too much... Maria...”

  “You’re not innocent either, you point fingers at others for what you yourself did... it’s just that I don’t have time for that now.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s just as Maria is saying.”

  “I admit that I made big mistakes as a mother, but that’s precisely why I want to try to fix them, no matter how late it is now.”

  “I want him to have a birthday like the one I could never give him.”

  “That’s why I’m asking for all of you your help, please,” said Adelis.

  This time it was Adelis—the busy mother, the proud mother—who was bowing her head deeply before us, asking for help like a desperate cry for aid for her son, whom she didn’t know how to heal.

  We all looked at each other again, worried about Adelis, about the mistake she made and that we had to help heal for Cesar’s sake.

  “I was thinking about throwing him a surprise party.”

  “You know, hide quietly, turn off the lights, take him there and shout surprise along with a cake,” said the mother timidly, trying to continue the conversation after revealing the darkness of her heart.

  “I don’t think throwing a surprise party for a soldier with PTSD who always carries a firearm is the best idea,” Maria teased her mother again, trying to show her that her plan had flaws.

  Tamamo stood up from her seat and stepped forward to stand right next to the mother who was asking for help with something as mundane as planning a birthday party. The goddess answered her prayers, sharing with her the knowledge of someone who had paid close attention to her beloved husband and wanted what was best for him, even if it meant going against his mother's wishes.

  "I am on Okā-san's side. Cesar's birthday is important, not just as a date, but for its meaning. We have to celebrate it."

  "What I think we should do is simply change our approach."

  "He wants to act like a man, even though he now has the body of a voluptuous girl."

  "His way of being is simply that of a girl, but deep down, he's still the same Cesar."

  “...”

  "But he has also said several times that he wants to be pretty."

  "He likes pretty clothes, animal ears, soft things like is own new slime body, pastel colors, and sweets."

  "What if we treat him like a girl for his birthday?"

  "That way, he can be as pretty as he wants for just one day without committing to always acting that way just because he's a girl now."

  "We could take him shopping for clothes, call him "she" instead of "he," remind him that he's a girl, and tell him that his body is soft."

  "But only us, the family, and that's it," said Tamamo.

  "And where do you think would be a good place?"

  "We could do it here, but I think it would be pretty boring."

  "If it's supposed to be an important celebration, then we should go all out, right?" said Lisa, the demon, not really knowing how to help the most important person to her—above herself.

  "And what kind of place would César like?"

  "We know he likes quiet places, which is why he likes the café," added Levia.

  "Hey, do you remember that time we visited his weird memories? When everything felt like a dream, and we had to talk to him for so long before he accepted becoming a slime girl?"

  "Do you remember that strange place they were in? That party room for little kids where everything was padded or made of plastic?"

  "Maybe we could rent a place like that," Tifa suggested.

  "Are you sure that’s a good idea? Renting a place meant for children, for an event where only adults will come?"

  "A demon, a nun, a disabled girl, a ten-meter-long snake..."

  "No kid showing up."

  "The owners of the place are going to ask a lot of questions," I replied.

  "There’s a theme park... maybe we could celebrate it there."

  "But that will definitely be expensive," said Mei Ling.

  "The birthday is for César—the one who’s saved the world multiple times, the one who’s always forgotten."

  "Right now, that doesn’t matter. We’ll figure out the money later," Adelis said, afraid of making another mistake as a mother toward her son.

  "No, I’m sorry."

  "The fact that it’s a small, quiet, and innocent place is important."

  "We can’t just swap it for something else that’s kind of similar."

  "He might say it’s okay out loud, but in his mind, in his emotions, it won’t be."

  "It has to be the children’s playroom."

  "What he seeks the most is that childlike peace—the feeling that everything will be okay, his lost innocence."

  "That he can go back to that place again and again, whenever he wants or needs to," insisted Tamamo, picking up her hand fan and snapping it shut with a thunderous sound, emphasizing her words and unnegotiable point.

  To everyone's surprise, it was the androids who found the perfect place that Tamamo had wanted for such an important event. The girls, who had remained completely silent until then, raised their voices just once—and that was enough.

  "Some time ago, Papa took us to a trampoline center just down the street."

  "He did it to celebrate our special day, trying to give us a day as if we were little girls, even though we're just Dolls."

  "......"

  "That day, he acted quite unusually—high levels of adrenaline, he was smiling."

  "Papa was enjoying that day even more than we were, so we tried to make up excuses to stay longer."

  "Maybe that kind of place is ideal for Papa."

  "Besides, it's close by. He can visit it regularly," azumi and Charlotte mentioned at the same time, in perfect sync.

  "Alright, I’ll make a couple of calls and try to reserve the entire place for that day," Mei Ling said.

  "I’ll take care of the food as always."

  "We need help with the decorations and music."

  "We also need to give him something… a toy, I suppose." Adelis once again began to act like the mother she always has been, this time moved herself by planning another important celebration and, for the first time, a party for her forgotten son.

  “Sorry, I don’t want to sound inconsiderate.”

  “Speaking of his birthday, how old is Cesar going to be?” Levia asked, confused since she didn’t even know her own age.

  “Well, 29 years, right?” Adelis answered.

  “I’m afraid that number is incorrect.”

  “According to the timeline, it is correct that he would turn 29 on November 22nd.”

  “But remember that Cesar first lived through the war against the dragons, fought for ten years, and at the end of it made a wish to the codex to go back to the day everything started—but without the dragons.”

  “And after that, he lived another ten years in the continental war until today,” Tamamo explained to everyone, demonstrating the wisdom expected from a goddess.

  “........”

  “WAIT A MOMENT! THAT MEANS CESAR… IS 50 YEARS OLD!?” Mei Ling shouted, surprised.

  “That makes him much closer to the age of……” Maria was speaking, but abruptly stopped when she saw premature and violent death waiting for her with a devilish smile—it was her mother, subtly telling her to be quiet.