FEAST IN THE CASTLE OF THE LAZY CLOCK

VAJDAHUNYAD CASTLE

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY?

7:07 PM

It took us about another half hour to get back to the palace.The first thing we notice is exactly what you are thinking, the clock is wrong.If it was half an hour's walk plus another on the outward journey, it should be eight at night.But although the elapsed time of it was only an estimate of mine, the clocks on the walls refuse to advance.Although all the clocks that I have come across have been running normally, they are analogical, but although the second's hand advances at its usual rate, the minute hand seems to only advance between a little and nothing.Seeming to follow the theme of this place, it seems that digital watches do not exist yet, so everyone only has pocket watches.It seems that time is not stopped at all, it continues to pass, only that it is still slower.Everything that has been going on is undoubtedly confusing and strange.In a way, I still think it's all just a nightmare I'm having, but I can't find any way to wake up.

Once in the anteroom, we prepared ourselves for a moment to see that everything was safe. Then I told Maria to do things as happened the first time, I would be close to her and finally, Tamamo would be in the background, I told her that she does not try to attract attention and that she only observes everything that happens. When Maria entered everything continued normally, everyone went to her side to congratulate her on her birthday, it was something predictable. What was unexpected is that all the people also approached me to talk to me just as excited and although the topics of conversation were more than anything about catching up with what had happened with each one, from knowing who the that they got married these last years of my absence due to being in the war and even I was surprised when I realized that one of my uncles on my father's side had won the biggest lottery prize in our country. Talking to them I realized that they were all current people, not memory because everyone looked older than I remembered, some had beards and others even had gray hair, in addition to the fact that everyone knew about things that happened later. And with that in mind, I started to worry about what others would say about my current state, looking like a ghost of a fox girl, because I was not hiding anything. I still had not told all my family that I had returned I had been thinking about my mother talking to them little by little and then visiting or calling people, not showing up in the middle of a party like that. But everyone seemed to ignore it or take it for granted. Most family members asked me about my experiences in the war and what I was doing during important moments such as the invasion of Italy or the defense of Germany.

After a long time talking with everyone I finally managed to get to the free buffet area, where I finally had the legendary Hungarian cakes at my fingertips. Out of all the things that weighed in tonight, the cakes were the best, because since we decided to spend a fortune on a party, we decided to spend a fortune on everything, including the best desserts from the best parts of Budapest. Giving rise to the best cakes that I have eaten in my life, and since we were presented with a second opportunity, I did not think to miss it. I was still enjoying my moment of rest when Maria and then Tamamo also approached, who also got a piece each and sat at the same table as me. My sister commented that she also thinks that the people here are really our present relatives because they also comment on how healthy she is. Tamamo for his part commented that people came to talk to her as well and that as with my current appearance, everyone simply takes it for granted that she is my wife, she also added that like her or my mother, she believes that others think that this must be a dream for them, and that is why they are not aware of what is happening here. Adelis was not here right now, because apparently at this moment she is trying to attend to Uncle Jose, who was scared when he saw me when he walked here with Maria and broke a window trying to escape. Which was supposed to happen, only now with a slight change.

After that each one separated again, Maria would continue investigating the party and our family, Tamamo would take care of walk through the castle and review everything, I for my part had something important to do, because once again following the schedule of the event About eight o'clock I would meet him in the forest to talk for a while, the first time it was about things without importance, but that was different now, I would finally see my father again after all these years, and although the that we have had our altercations that does not mean that I do not want to see it, on the contrary, I wanted to see it as soon as possible. But even though the clock had ticked surprisingly fast to 7:45, I still didn't know how long it would be until it was eight o'clock. While waiting a bit on one of the balconies looking at the garden, my grandmother approached me to talk to me.

"Good to see that you are back with us Cesar"

"I thought that I would never see you again"

"Is everything alright in there in Japan?" She asked with a smile

For a moment I looked at her and doubted how to answer, because I did not know exactly what she was referring to.

"Yes, everything is fine"

"Right now Maria and I are going to school normally" I answered her in a simple way, knowing that it would not take me anywhere.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"How weird I thought you were much older to be working and not at school"

"That you hadn't gone to war?"

"But my mind is not what it used to be, so I may have just dreamed it"

"Yes, it might be that"

"So what"

"Won't you tell me about that beauty that's up there?"

"grandmother, what do you mean?"

"Your wife of course"

"You don't intend to introduce it to me?"

"I only saw her up there but the very shy she does not want to go down"

Every time my grandmother spoke I was the one who had the most questions because until now everyone spoke normally, but my grandmother seemed in a way to speak confusedly but dangerously close to the truth. But my grandmother was the typical Latin American grandmother, she was not someone who spoke with mysticisms, she spent all her life planting coffee or cooking for my grandfather, she was a lady who liked rumors and loved sweets. lift her flip-flop and show my mother that she still had a long way to go on the path to throwing Chancla, because not long ago I saw her hit my mother once she forgot to take her to the medical center for being in a work meeting. But tonight I couldn't tell if she really knew what was happening or if what she was talking about was a coincidence that not even she understood

"I'm sorry but she right now I think she went to the dresser"

"But I'm sure you can talk to her later"

"She would love it too"

"Or dear, but you know that I'm not good with important people"

"I prefer to be here and hear the details without disturbing anyone"

"If you don't go, she'll come and talk to you at some point anyway."

"Too bad the other girl is not here with us to join us in our talk then"

"What do you mean?"

"Of the transparent girl of course"

"Your other wife"

"She couldn't accompany us, remember?"

"I feel sad to see that she did not participate in this party"

The latter caused me even more confusion because, in all that we had been here, no one had said a word about her. Everyone took Tamamo for granted, but no one mentioned Momo. Even I had forgotten that she had not appeared until now my grandmother mentioned it. But I think my grandmother was right because except for my father, everyone was inside the castle at this time.I think if she had been trapped here she too would have appeared by now.

"Yeah well, she has her things to do" I said trying to make an excuse for the revelation that my grandmother had given me

"And how is the love between you?"

"Will I finally be able to see my grandchildren soon?"

"Only your sister and your cousin Brayan remain to have children"

"You don't want to be the last in the family, right?" She said with a mocking smile.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think I will ever have children"

"If you know biology, you will know that this is impossible for two girls"

"And what about Luna?"

"Isn't she your daughter?"

"Where the fuck did you get that name from!?" I was so surprised that I even started talking informally with my grandmother.

"Well, my mind is not what it used to be, maybe I just made up that it never existed?"

"But even if she is real or not"

"Why are you so against having a child?"

"Grandma, you may not know"

"But believe me, just by looking at me you can see that he would be a bad father"

"Why?"

"Just because you are afraid of the dark?"

"Your mother suffers from vertigo and that did not stop her when she had that job in that skyscraper"

"Or is it that you are afraid of losing another person again as happened with Nanami?"

"Are you afraid of being alone again?"

"Of course yes"

"Do you think that if I have a child I will be magically happy?"

"That all my problems are going to be solved?"

"Raising a life is not something you can give up on"

"It's something to carry forever"

"Of course I know what it is to create a family"

"Well, this family rests on my shoulders or not?"

"No one would be here if it weren't for me and your grandfather"

"But what you say are just excuses"

"Tell me what are you really afraid of being a father?"

"Just look at me!"

"I look like a ghost, I don't get old, I'm less than five feet tall"

"Once a week something tries to kill me, I have to fight against a multinational company that is looking for the slightest chance to finish me off"

"Do you think it is a good time to think about having children?"

"My whole life is ridiculous, and I am afraid that someone innocent will end up suffering because of me"

"I think you would be a good father" said my grandmother looking at my face.

"The fact that you want to take care of them even when they don't exist yet proves it"

"I'm sure that girl up there in the night sky would be proud to raise her daughters with a strong man who would take care of them from any harm"

"I'm going to tell you a secret"

"When you were not yet born, your father was the most cowardly man that ever existed"

"And one night later someone tried to rob the house with your mother and me inside"

"When your father found out he took a bat and ran nonstop until he rescued us"

"During those five minutes, I saw a man who was not afraid of anything in order to save his family"

"That's when I saw that real good parents are the ones who are with their family when it is really needed"

"You already have the courage and what it takes to be a good father, the only thing you need is to remember this advice and you will move on"

"Do you really think I'll be a good father?"

"My mind is not what it was before, only you can really decide that now"

A huge campaign began to ring all over the place, first one bell, then another. They rang several times indicating the beginning of a new hour, the eight bells clearly indicated what time of night it was now. And with them remembering that I had to meet my father, I said goodbye to my grandmother to go into the forest where he was waiting for me.