*ೃ༄
The next day...
Sanju was observing the beach before his eyes during the sunrise in early morning, sitting on the flat rock while looking through the distant... he's been in a place like this. In fact, it's where he remembered going there when he went into the first trimester in his college with his ex Phantom raider team members... they have a nice time and able to practice some fight techniques or doing a magic technique during their time in the school life. The past two months has been pretty rough, since he have became the class representative and class monitor.
He sensed that Kinana was behind him and felt her hands tugging his coat, making him yelp at the fifteen-years old's mischief. "Kinana, geez... stop surprising me like that, already..." Sanju mumbled, a surprised sigh escaped his lips. Kinana giggled as she hugged him from behind, he looked up to his right to see everyone was here with him. "Eh? Morning everyone?" he said in confusion. Wait, why is everyone here and why is the sun is in the right direction.
"WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU, ASSHOLE!" Senja hollered, while the others was stunned as it was so... aggressive. Kinana laughed at their reaction, that look on their faces is priceless! Akito rubbed his spectacles with shades with a napkin, before he put them on. "We got freaked out and worried as hell, you know. Not to mention, we've been searching for you!"
Sanju smiled a bit, before he patted his side. "Come here, wanna join?"
Somehow, Kinana was nervous as the other wasn't even moved. She went on the left side and sit beside him, Sanju pat her head and she nuzzle her cheek against his shoulder. Raiden grins as he hopped on the flat rock, he yelped that he almost slipped but Akito use his hand to grip his haori behind him. "You asshat! Don't do that, next time!" Raiden huffed angrily, he still glared at him as he got lifted up and sat next to his friend.
Everyone joined together and look at the sunrise, the soft breeze brushing against their cheeks and radiate some warmth. In fact, this was also the place where they did have their trip together. "So, you come here again... and it reminds you of something?" Akito remarked, Sanju nodded with a hint of smile formed. Kanae sat behind the others with a faint smile. "In fact, yes... before this shit has even started."
All of his friends went to observe, this place was very beautiful and just relax. Karina yawned, before she crossed her leg. "Do you know that this place reminds me of?" she asked, and Sanju can almost say this makes him really upset and relieved--maybe, but his friends was too observant like he is.
"Home..." he muttered, a tear was forming on his eyes as he wiped it away and let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, it reminded me of the places I once went to as a little kid..." Kanae said, as if recalling the old days when her late-parents brought her here when she had a really tiring day in school. Yep, his old home was located here and the people respect his existence because of his unmatched ability, helping the people and those who needed. Sanju have considered becoming an assistant, but only for the need. Senja folded his arms with his eyes closed, humming a pleasant song.
Akito tilted his head to his left, feeling the breeze brushed against his cheek and remembering a kind person who lived here for now. A person whom everyone care and rely on. "So Sanju, did you believe that you should not push yourself too hard and accepting what was happening?" Raiden asked, seeing him tried to get over what has happened and tried to have a new perspective on different perspectives. Sanju thought, he really should think about changing the situation and accepting that not everything will work according to plan--he must prepare himself for what has to be done... all the choices and so on.
In other words, a whole series of preparation and accepting fate.
"Yeah, I already let go of my past and decided to face the truth and learning that there are many different worlds before," he replied.
Akito smiled, while Kanae was sitting beside him. "We are aware of our situation, Sanju. You don't need to do all that yourself," said Kanae, who wasn't even the type to get involve in the action sometimes. "I am lucky to meet you guys, we could stop this bullshit in the world and saved it from its impending doom. Maha... that rat fuck bastard. He would surely get what he deserved."
Raiden crossed his legs as he seated next to Sanju, nodding at his answer and agreed. He often sees beyond the flaws, but also understands well. Although Sanju might be the one to jump in because of what had happened. Senja leaned back, facing the wind and could feel something's off. Maybe they're aware that Haruna had been up to something all this time, no?
"Let's give it a break, we should be relieved, finally."
Kirana clasped her hands as she watched them from the distance with Yukito, she always have the kindest expression on her face--who never had anything to see for. "Aww... what a nice view," she said with a smile, her father observed the group as well when he saw Althair and his crew of his organization watching them as well. Renata was sitting on the highest platform of the rock, while Haruse stood there with his arms folded. Ryoma and Radithya also enjoying the view, Icha was blowing the bubblegum from her mouth as it blows and holding the gadget on her hands--playing her games.
Aldiano was standing beside Althair, keeping his eyes through his mask focused on the sunrise and Salihin ran his fingers through his light beige bangs of his hair. "We should take a holiday sometime, perhaps after this mission is over, Althair. What do you say?" Renata suggested, the Flame Raksha huffed as he folded his arms with a smirk. "Let's see about that."
Meanwhile...
“Sanjaya, Radithya... mind if we can talk? I was thinking, did you have met a person called Sanata Adinata?”
Because Althair wanted to investigate this guy, therefore he could know his whole motives and schemes on why he can’t let go of his hate towards Phantom Beasts even if he had to cost one’s life. “Sanata Adinata...? Wait a minute, have I heard about him before...?” Sanju murmured, looking at his father Radithya who seemed to be familiar with that name. His father sighed, seeming to recall about a mysterious young man who was one of the heroes in the Old World from 50,000 years ago--where his ancestors were born.
“Sanata Adinata is the forefather of Adinata Family and the strongest figure in our family’s history, he was known as the ‘Father of the Adinatas’,” he explained. “Not all of us heard his name spoken since I was a young child and until today, everyone in my whole family told us that he was one of the pillars in the Old World war 50,000 years ago against the Phantom Beasts. He was the strongest man who defeated many Phantom Beasts.”
“But then, it’s been one thousand years since his disappearance. I don’t think he really cares about his descendants, nor he care about his family at all; maybe because he never saw his children or someone related to him in that family ever since one thousand years, despite the lineage continued until today. And... why are you guys asking us about him? I mean, none of us have ever meet him in person.”
Both father and son were wondering why are they searching for a guy who nobody ever seen his face for the past 50,000 years ever. It’s been long ever since that man’s appearance, and none of his children or his family had ever seen him since a very long time. So, the only evidence of his existence are still written in the entire Adinata Family’s Book about their past and family tree.
However, because of some people told their children and their relatives, that an ancient hero existed a long time ago from the Old World. Karuna and Althair stared at each other, speechless. How come a man that no one ever seen, and no one had ever heard him somehow, his family are still existing since today until now. “No wonder he said he never cared about his descendants or his family...”
On the other hand...
“Sanjaya, Radithya... mind if we can talk? I was thinking, did you have met a person called Sanata Adinata?”
Because Althair wanted to investigate this guy, therefore he could know his whole motives and schemes on why he can’t let go of his hate towards Phantom Beasts even if he had to cost one’s life. “Sanata Adinata...? Wait a minute, have I heard about him before...?” Sanju murmured, looking at his father Radithya who seemed to be familiar with that name. His father sighed, seeming to recall about a mysterious young man who was one of the heroes in the Old World from 50,000 years ago—where his ancestors were born.
“Sanata Adinata is the forefather of Adinata Family and the strongest figure in our family’s history, he was known as the ‘Father of the Adinatas’,” he explained. “Not all of us heard his name spoken since I was a young child and until today, everyone in my whole family told us that he was one of the pillars in the war 50,000 years ago against the Phantom Beasts. He was the strongest man who defeated many Phantom Beasts.”
“But then, it’s been one thousand years since his disappearance. I don’t think he really cares about his descendants, nor he care about his family at all; maybe because he never saw his children or someone related to him in that family ever since one thousand years, despite the lineage continued until today. And... why are you guys asking us about him? I mean, none of us have ever meet him in person.”
Both father and son were wondering why are they searching for a guy who nobody ever seen his face for the past 50,000 years ever. It’s been long ever since that man’s appearance, and none of his children or his family had ever seen him since a very long time. So, the only evidence of his existence are still written in the entire Adinata Family’s book about their past and family tree.
However, because of some people told their children and their relatives, that an ancient hero existed a long time ago from the Old World. Karuna and Althair stared at each other, speechless. How come a man that no one ever seen, and no one had ever heard him somehow, his family are still existing since today until now. “No wonder he said he never cared about his descendants or his family...”
“What does he looks like?” Radithya asked.
“He’s just like both of you, just a bit lighter and his eyes are darker; he have that stoic expression and grumpy eyebrows. The only difference was his aura and his tone are cold, bitter and indifferent at times; his hair is a bit shorter than yours, his posture is stiff a bit like a board and his voice is deep and mature,” Karuna described.
Althair sighed, seeing Sanata was truly hard to understand when he often visited his place. “Just two days ago, he’s having a talk with Juha in a room where I can monitor him at any time and any moment if he was a threat for us.”
“For the past centuries, every descendants never know him and whoever know him was a family member and our closest allies,” Radithya replied, Sanju realized that his ancestor Sanata seemed cold and distant from others, and why he wasn’t beaming with so much light and warmth.
He wasn’t like a normal human and a mortal.
***
Sanju was surprised to hear Sanata is actually inside the mansion (from what his employees told him), which made him sweating cold and nervous due to their meeting that happening recently. His father, Radithya was confused as well due to his presence now inside the mansion. "I don't know how to address him, well... he remained youthful like a young man in his twenties but... he lived like 50,000 years after all," Sanju murmured when his employees were unsure what to do if Sanata gets angry. "I mean... should we call him grandpa or just his name...?"
They were wondering if he was going to feel offended when they did both of it because everyone else recognized Sanata as the father of the Adinata Family or referred to as 'Father of the Adinatas'. But... addressing him? And for the way he was cold and hard to understand, his background has no clue or information aside from what he had done back 50,000 years in the past (before he disappeared for a thousand years) in the war against the Phantom Beasts.
The guests also took a particular attention towards Sanata who keep wandering around the hotel, swimming pool, restaurant, bar, lobby and the garden. Not only that, Raiden informed Sanju that he always strolling around the area of the hotel for unknown reasons. And he also heard that he was quite familiar with this place. It's like, he is planning something to either him, his family, or something about the whole country--but it's still vague. Akito tried to talk to Sanata but he refuse to say anything, either about his intentions or the reason he suddenly stay here for a while. The others are a bit irritated, to be honest. Sanju couldn't imagine Sanata was that kind of person, having no compassion or empathy of his actions toward other peoples, he didn't even act differently and just keeping up his composure.
Sanju also received a notice from his employees that Senja almost losing his shit whenever Sanata was being sarcastic to him and his companions, no matter what they did or tried to help. Kanae also woke up from her nap in the lobby when she saw Sanata stood there watching the sky with a blank expression, while she sensed his eyes glancing towards her direction for a moment. Karina also got annoyed because she can't even stand being around him, not to mention he doesn't fucking greet her no matter what. Kinana stayed away from him for about three meters as she can't bare to be near with him and afraid that he would hurt her. She was quite shy to him, and is also curious whether he is nice to others even though he seems to be a rude person who doesn't care about her existence.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this... I think my ancestor haven't seen an actual person in a thousand years and being busy with his life, so..."
Sanju murmured, before he asked one of the servants in his mansion. "What was his favorite food?" he asked, his father Radithya also keeping an eye on Sanata who observed a frangipani flowers in the tree. "Well... he liked macarons, especially the one with light and fruity flavor and some darker and bitter ones as well," one of the servants replied, while Radithya was shocked to hear that. "Wait, macaron? My restaurant have patisserie section and so I am wondering if he likes sweets," he said, before their conversation and thoughts continued on. "Well then, prepare the macarons!"
Radithya ordered his employees, making them nodded and went to the kitchen to prepare some food for him. "A-Are you sure, sir...? This is Sanata Adinata! Although this restaurant's food ingredients are authentic, but he--"
"No, no, don't worry, I'm used to these kinds of people--after all I've seen many generations of people who love to complain," he stated, preparing his chef clothes as he wore an apron while cooking the macarons--with the necessary utensils and tools. Sanju liked his father's cooking and bakery, due to how good and experienced his father was with the pastries. Radithya felt relieved when the meals were made by hands and taste were authentic. "I'll bait him, the method to attract him is by using macarons or just his favorite foods," Sanju suggested, they nodded as their 'idea' has really succeeded.
Sanata stepped into the garden filled with different kinds of flowers and some ponds, he didn't care for the decorations nor bothered with the luxury of his sudden 'inheritance' (regarding about this, he haven't figured out a good name nor he cares even though he wasn't interested with the topic-its just he remained blunt and cynical). Nevertheless, he wears his old attributes from the portrait painting people have made for him with his usual appearance; wearing a nobility clothes with a unique pattern of batik, its texture was not common as its satin, silk, velvet or an usual expensive fibers materials.
Sanata sniffed a macaron's scent which immediately caught his attention, letting the macarons that was prepared on the plate to being eaten. He sighed and sat down while eating them, in fact they were really good and satisfied him. His stomach keep rumbling, he was famished--no doubt he will appreciate these wonderful pastries.
"Eat to your heart content, sire."
Radithya greeted him with a cup of tea, which its label revealed 'DON'T BREAK IT OR YOU WILL BRING NEMESIS ON YOU'...
Sanata raised his brows, wondering if it is not 'don't break a teacup'? "Where did you find those clothes?" he asked, tilting his head slightly at him. "In your mansion," Sanata spoke with a noble-like speech, sipping his tea while keep holding a cup.
Radithya swallowed, nervously tried to make a conversation with his ancestor--when will this curse be over? Radithya seemed to get him easily and make him understand (if he use any analogy or reason) a normal human interaction and the reason why he didn't have his 'complexion' in his home a long time ago. Even if Sanata himself is quite cold and uninterested with all of his family members and his descendants. Sanata took one bite of the macaron, chewing on the macaron with pleasant expression. The chewy texture, mild sweetness--yet strong fruity flavor, mixed with the crunchiness of macaron shell. The texture was lighter than a tart or cake, he loved sweets after all. Sanata really loved macaron and other sweets such as brownies, breads, bagels, cupcakes, pancakes (preferably) and all Indonesian desserts.
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Sanata was busy enjoying his cookies and macarons, they were seated at the outdoor verandah where the flowers were blooming beautifully with its colorful hues--filled with a fragrant aroma that smelled lovely with the trees growing around the mansion. "So... what should we call you?" Sanju asked, sitting beside his father Radithya--both of them has youthful face and physical built which is descended from Sanata himself; a far, far ancestor. His allies were watching from their hiding spot with the curiosity, even Kanae herself curious of them.
"I thought I do not need you to call me by my name or whatever..." Sanata calmly retorted, but his expression turned unamused at Sanju's sudden inquiry--he doesn't even bother to look away. "You can call me whatever you want, you don't need to call me grandfather," Sanata added, while Sanju flinched and feeling dismay by his demeanor as the others was a bit saddened and kept thinking if Sanata has feelings or emotions. "Right... Master Sanata, our apologies."
Radithya addressed him, they give Sanata his dessert to eat while Sanju nodded. Radithya realized he doesn't even care for his ancestry, this guy is like... an ice cube who's frozen inside a huge, bottomless chasm of cold water and the ice crystal will crack. "But, I never imagined that we never did or seen you since a thousand years ago; how was your life right now? In what ways did it go?" Sanju wondered, looking at him.
Sanata didn't even flinch a single bit as his dark brown eyes looked unfazed, stern and cold when he does his tasks. He doesn't even reacting much when they asking a question. They can sense an aura of patriarchal, authoritarian and stoic presence. However, not only he don't talk, he haven't talk for a while after a long time for not conversing with anyone. However, those cold dark chocolate brown eyes of his were... rather melancholic, because he does not have anything to say except just keeping up his demeanor of looking at a distance and listening on the television.
Althair could see how powerful and serious Sanata is while Haruse is observing his movement and appearance, of course they wanted to know why is he suddenly here--and he lived like more than a human lifespan. His employees looked terrified of him, they also don't really understand him but they show him their devotion for their first impression was he had good memory to their deeds and no ill intention towards his own blood descendants or family, or else Radithya would've kick him out if he was a psychopath (which he is not) and have him killed (that's something everyone agreed to do, and all Arbiters had no reason to care).
"All Phantom Beasts are the same, so does Rakshas in the past."
Sanata described, he finished all of his macarons and was eyeing on the cookies that were placed on the plate. The macaron and the cookies did look delicious, like the cookies were made by his ability--the macarons were perfectly shaped and chewy. "I don't know why did I choose my surname 'Adinata' from the first place... then, I realized that it means 'the most superior' in Indonesian, since I'm an Indonesian myself as well. My surname indeed shows how powerful and brave the forefather of Adinata Family, although we--they--wanted it to have a name as 'Adinatha' (most victorious), but there was just a word missing from the name... so, we end up changed it, then my surname become 'Adinata' instead."
Both Radithya and Sanju didn't expect that, at the same time... their allies actually really shocked after hearing the legend of how their family founded and named them. "Back then, I was just a nobleman who lived in a peaceful country--a swordmaster of Javanese swords, we needed some help due to our king didn't intend to help or even assist anyone during war. I was an ancient swordmaster, in fact that my swords was a national artifact. I have to say, that the rest of my families from generations have some part of my blood even though we share the surname Adinata with numerous man. I was indeed born immortal because of the Phantom Beast gene in my body, making myself an Arbiter," he explained, remembering his lives back in ancient period and before he disappeared for a while.
Until, Sanata look down and his hair swayed as he hanged his head. "It was my fault to bring trouble and make this problem even worsen, however the rest of you are fine--despite your life being affected. Don't blame yourself, little ones; you're just a typical mortal and your life are still... meaning in some way."
Everyone didn't know if they're talking to an ancient or a human being.
Sanata hummed, before he folded his arms. “I would like some traditional tea... with honey, without sugar,” he ordered, his voice remained soft and stern—its quite enough for them to understand him. And also, ‘Without sugar?!’ they thought in their mind, feeling how bizarre it was. “I would like some slices of lemon and lime on top as well, slice the lemon peels before throw them into the drink,” he added.
“Alright... Sanjaya, keep the conversation and entertain him. I need to make the drink for him,” Radithya whispered to his son, Sanju nodded when his father left to make him the tea (also telling the others about him). Sanata have no idea what his two descendants are discussing, but he didn’t bothered to care or eavesdropped. “Uh... Master Adinata, did you sleep well last night?” Sanju asked, trying to maintain his cool.
“Yes, I slept for ten hours and that’s all for it.”
Sanju was stunned that he was listening how much he can sleep, it was something else. Sanata blinked when Sanju asked him another question. “I’ve seen your beautiful portrait and how people describing you as a skilled man in history, maybe some beauties you met. Do you... happen to had someone in particular in the past before?"
‘WHY AM I ASKING HIM LIKE A FAN ASKING TO HIS OR HER FAVORITE CELEBRITY?!’
It was a brief of his facial expression and emotion that screamed in Sanju’s head that he couldn’t say such a thing as his eyes found the stoic poker face of the cold and aloof known as Sanata. He’s indeed the progenitor of the Adinata Family, but unlike the Adinata Family’s descriptions; he always ignorant to his own descendants even in work, too. However, he remained serious of his ability to see through anyone and sensed their lies--like a watchdog. He was excellent, no mistake nor underestimated him.
“Yes, that time...”
In the past...
Sanata walk out from his mansion to take a fresh air, he look around his surroundings before he heard a sound of panting in the bushes. He turn around cautiously, until he approached the source of the sound—he narrowed his eyes to see a young woman in her twenties was kneeling. She was pregnant around eight months, which made him feel a bit... odd.
‘... a pregnant woman?’ he raised his eyebrows as he gazed at her in curiosity, only able to check if she’s alright. Suddenly, that woman began to breathe harshly and she fell, before Sanata caught her on time. “I can’t get up... please help me stand up...” she begged, Sanata’s gaze didn’t change before he helped her stood up, watching her stepped forward while he was carrying some of her belongings--carrying them for a while. “Why are you alone?” he asked.
The young woman huffed, after being left by her ex-lover who didn’t take responsibility for her baby-or abandoned her. “I got left by my lover, he disappeared when I’m gone. I was unable to afford anything after that; especially not being able to have a good job or any,” the woman sobbed, placing her hand on her stomach and gently rubbed it in smooth circle.
Sanata grabbed her wrist, he guide her to his mansion—for the hospitality as a warlord or so. The attendants were stoked when they saw the young woman with him, staring in disbelief. They wonder why their master brought the stranger with her, after all they still know their Master was not that trusting. “Get her to the room so she can rest, noexceptions nor failure,” he commanded. “She needs medical aid, any at least.”
“Yes, Master Sanata!”
All the attendants didn’t question him, at least their Master is much kinder than they imagine—even though they still known that someone has a stone cold glare and his stoic expression never seemed to change.
Sanata knew that he was not the type to serve others, he often have the whole soldiers of the Arbiters in the past provided the necessary needs he’d requested, perhaps this would been the exception for him. “What’s your name?” he asked, looking down at her.
“Andini.”
Andini introduced herself, sitting on the bed and rubbing her stomach. Sanata look around, there were other attendants entered the room--to see their Master staying beside her which seemed to be unnecessary. All the medical aid was there with her, their attendance was necessary just to help Andini at this time.
“Where’s your parents, I wonder?” Sanata asked, as if he doesn’t realized there were others in the room except for him. For him, the world never seems to change at all. Andini bit her lower lip, unable to decide on who was the father of her unborn baby. “... My mother died when I’m only four, and my father passed away as well. I have no place to go,” she replied, lying down on her back to allow them to inspect her pregnancy.
Sanata listened to her story, his eyes fell to the window while he was watching outside—unaware of her attention focused on his figure. As for now, Andini become the interest of his uninteresting life—in that he has none. “After all this done, you can stay here. If you want to get a new job, then... I will try to look a job that will be convenient for you,” he stated, rather than ‘I will send you to a worker with good pay’. Andini gasped, before the attendants wondered if their Master actually invited a stranger to live in his house—such as a stray cat living in an antique palace.
No questions were answer because of their Master’s behavior, if he’s not like that then what would’ve happen? Just like what they worried of, their Master is not the type to trust and care for anyone; but this time... something happened to him. “Really?!” she asked happily.
Sanata crossed his arms, he stood up and soon he bid them a farewell—making his way to the front door. He cannot think for the while, but he doesn’t quite understand the intentions of his mind. “Wait, before you go... I want to ask you something. Why?” Andini asked, stopping him from his track—before his gaze met her.
There was a sorrowful gaze he caught, but he found her sincerity. It was the same sincerity that man had seen thousands of years ago. The sorrowful gaze becomes a sorrowful smile, however for him, it was nothing. “Seeing you in that state is truly something to me, like a stray cat who can’t find her way home. Just like me,” he answered, lowering his gaze. “However, you’re carrying a life in your arms. I might never to understand this ‘new kind of love’, it would be unfair for you to say no to your own child’s life,” he stated, looking at her.
“Even I’m used to take human lives in past, it’s because to me; whether to leave you or not, does that count as cruel as my deeds in the past?” he muttered, before turning to her one last time with a somber gaze. There was no softness hidden behind his cold gaze, nothing but the true sorrow. “And... ‘refusing a fellow human being’ would be the most treasonous and unforgivable sin I ever thought about, it was impossible for me to deny it anymore,” his reply surprised her.
‘Woah... he seems to be a nice guy,’ Andini thought, she knew very well since meeting the others. Not many people looked at her with such kindness like her mother and father, not even her previous lover had treated her so well. That is what she thought, once. ‘Unlike my ex, he cares about lust and never like to work... What a jerk!’ Andini pouted while the female attendants listened with curiosity.
“By the way, ‘Master’ is too formal. Please, call me Sanata,” Sanata said and with that, he walk out from the room and proceeded to find something else he required at the moment. Andini didn’t know why, but she felt some sort of... howcome a boy was so unique with a hard glare and a voice to kill? That is what she asked herself.
Andini obtained new outfits from the servants, she thanked them with a bright smile that they treated her like family. Then, she followed them until they entered a room and she was greeted by the Master of the mansion. To Andini, he was not just a man in his twenties, but not even close as a thirty-years old. She wears a bluish-black dress loosely resembling a Hanfu style dress; which is a floor-length dress with batik patterns underneath, with long dark brown sleeves wide at the cuff embroidered with a swirling pattern, and a V-neck, frilled collar similar to kebaya janggan.
Andini also wears a thick, outer gown over her shoulders with a small back train. She wears earrings resembling Chinese lanterns—the color changed into different colors due to the reflection from the light, she found this was all fun to her with her shoulder-length long black hair and deep dark purple eyes. Her slim frame has her mid-section fully exposed for reasons as she wants to reveal the big baby bump, and she wears a black tights with dark brown heeled boots.
She saw Sanata was observing some bookshelves inside the library of the mansion, collecting antiques, and other important historical papers or documents—to add more to his collection. He’s always like a child trying to figure out why and how to solve the mysteries, some sort of, whatever it is it’s not his focus. Sanata wore his spectacles so that he didn’t need to push them off, he was wearing the same outfit of his earlier in the morning, only a bit different.
“Tell me, why do you keep asking me all the time how I felt or how I want something?”
Sanata’s question became a surprise to her, a startled look had grew into her face. “Aren’t you... having the right of choice that I always tend to ask?” Andini’s reply seemed to have confused Sanata a bit, no doubt. The raven-haired girl scratched the back of her head in deep thought of something she wanted to say.
“Well, you behaved like no other boy that I thought you were so sad or if you have any interests,” she explained, seeming not to forget that Sanata must’ve wondered why she doesn’t leave him or anything bad happens to him, right? Then, she cleared her throat. “The baby needs a father, and I think you can be like a perfect parent for my child!”
Andini blurted out, before she covered her mouth; she smiled shyly. “Besides, if the baby is boy, maybe you can teach him a lot and treat him right he wish for?” Andini added, looking at him with her head cocked to the side. Sanata hummed in response, his eyes began to gaze as if something is capturing his attention in a split second, he grabbed the documents on his desk. Deep down, he never had a spouse in the Old World (before he came to this world) while retaining his immortality. Marriage is not that fine when you know that you could die anytime even if you are immortal. “Fine, then we’re...”
Andini was wondering what was Sanata wanted to tell her, in fact the Warlord intended to say was, “Guess we’re done.”
He saw her big round eyes looked at him innocently, he never thought about this would happen to him—seeing a young woman who’s in her twenties was actually marrying him and he was no older than just a few months, and three hundred years more. He approached her before holding her bump by his hand, rubbing her lower abdomen smoothly.
The attendants didn’t really know what their Master going to do, but this might been his strange curiosity or something else. “Hey, have you picked some names already?” he asked, before he listened to the list of names his ‘wife’ suggest with his ears. While he listened, his hand that was rubbing Andini’s bump made her slightly startled—his hand was cold to her warm body, much to her shame that she was startled.
“Uhm... I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, maybe you can help me to go to the hospital,” she murmured, slightly pressing his hand on her pregnancy bump. She looked down, and Sanata raised his eyebrows while looking at her bump. Andini was unable to believe the things her own husband doesn’t know many things for her, such as... to say ‘no’ and ‘negative’.
“I never really understood ‘human emotion’, but—I am always willing to learn,” he confessed, which stunned Andini so suddenly. Meanwhile, in the hospital—it revealed that the gender of the baby was a boy.
Sanata wondered what to name his newborn son for the next ten minutes, until Andini mentioned the word Adinata in replacement for his surname. The Warlord didn’t refuse her, nor any emotions were shown—only a simple nod as a nod, saying: ‘okay’, or ‘I agree’.
“Adam Adinata, how’s that?”
His wife’s beaming face was still smiling, he stared at his newborn son in wonder. The baby’s eyes resembled Andini’s purple color of her eyes, he looked up at his father when his father placed his fingers inside the newborn’s palm. The newborn’s eyes turned dark brown which matching his eye color from his touch on the baby’s little fingers, indicating that the son is part of his bloodline. ‘This child is stronger than expected,’ he mused, not caring that the doctor or the nurses were done or something else.
Sanata cradled the child in his arms, he was always silent all this time. The newborn reached his hand up at his face, while the other remained in his slumber. ‘Finally, a child,’ he thought to himself, while they were in his mansion and Andini was resting (after teaching Sanata how to take care of a newborn), he narrowed his eyes as he realized that the child took a liking on him. He felt warmth in his heart, a strange feeling like what he felt centuries ago; but it’s his first time to feel this warm to the thought of having a baby boy.
However, as time went on. Sanata begins to spend more and more time to concentrate on finding out the secrets of the world—thinking deeply. He remained young and didn’t age for the past few hundred years, while Adam had grown into a preschooler around eight years old. His cheerful smile and the sound of his laughter is refreshing for Sanata, he and Andini spends all their time with their kid whenever they’re busy or not—that was one thing she liked about him; his indirect kindness.
End of Flashback--
Sanata finished explaining about the past he faced, when Radithya and Sanju have imagined what it was happening in his past. “Sounds a lot of thing had happened to you,” Sanju stated. He nodded, although he seems wondering what happened to his other descendants. “I do have descendants, it all started when this woman named Andini got me into marriage. She was unfortunate and pregnant after her lover left her, I let her stay with me. That’s all,” he explained.
Sanata never show his anger or sadness, but his gestures and his eyes says a lot. “However, the child needs a father,” he continued. “I married her because I promised her that I’ll take care of the baby,” he explained further, if there is any exceptions or anything else. He remembered how Andini taught him how to smile (even though the latter refused), to learn to interact with people properly and also in his daily tasks. As for Adam, he also learnt what a ‘father-son’ relationships should be. Sanata still remembered that he will always help him if he felt a little ‘down’, but not many had expected him (a cold, aloof, and stoic) having an eight years old son as his own.
“My wife passed away because of natural causes so does my son, cancer in her tumors that become the cause of her passing. Later in the cemetery, the sight of her smiles made me remember about the precious smile that everyone could’t take from me in the past, the man who always smiling and fighting back.”
He stared at the garden across him as he let a small sigh, before turning to his other eye to his great great-great-grandsons. “Even though I can’t connect to people easily, to me... everything on earth are connected in some ways. There are limits to know everything, and one needs to live longer than one to understand anything,” he said while tracing his hand onto the desk, his eyes gazed somewhere else in the room.
“Oh right, I want to ask you something, who’s ‘that bastard’ you’re looking for?” Radithya asked, which made Sanata narrowed his eyes.
“The Elder Council, but not only them—there are a group of anti-Phantom Beast group. They have similar intention; eradicating Phantom Beasts, but they are extremists because of their hatred against Rakshas; the humans infused with Asura’s Cores. They even loathed Arbiter like me as well, if it’s for killing Rakshas like I am,” Sanata stated.
Radithya sighed, but at least Sanata was truthful of revealing his intention. “I see, so they are quite extreme and dangerous as you mentioned. Can’t blame them, they were even in favor of eradicating Phantom Beasts until the last of their clans,” he muttered, before he folded his arms.
“They tried to get something from me, but I didn’t allow them to touch a single inch of the earth, or else I’ll kill them,” the forefather of Adinata Family stated, crossing his legs. “In addition of Mahatma Kartawinata, all of you may know him—the mastermind of Phantom Eruption in Yogyakarta.”
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