Chapter 16: Dilema

Daus scanned around before slowly approaching Felix, much like a burglar. He had the physique of a lady killer but his strange illness made him unsteady in the presence of women. When in a room with women, he stutters. Felix thought it was funny.

"Don't worry, Daus. Nami is busy at the blacksmith quarter. She won't be coming in here until later this afternoon."

Relief washed over Daus's face. "Thank god."

"So, what problem did you want to discuss with me?"

Daus cleared his throat, leaning forward. The look on his face was serious. "Felix, what keeps you from helping the Alderans?"

Felix rolled his eyes in response to Daus' question. "It's this again. I already refused your father's request, right."

"But Switzerland is famous for its wealth of pre-apocalypse medical technology. I'm sure there will be a lot of ancestral books buried there. This is your best chance."

Felix snorted in annoyance. There were many reasons why he didn't accept the offer. One of them was Anastasia's attitude. There was also something else that put him in a dilemma.

"Tell me, Felix. What is your reason?"

Felix pushed his body back against the sofa. "Tell me your reasons for forcing me to accept this offer. There are many hunters out there. They could use their services."

Felix studied Daus's reaction. Confusion. He was sure the boy didn't understand why his father was forcing Felix.

"Felix, if it's about the money. The reward this time is quite large. Or the matter of the impoliteness of one of the aldermen earlier, I'm sure everything can be negotiated, right?"

Felix was reluctant to reveal the main reason, reluctant to be called a plethora of excuses. However, Daus insisted. "Listen, don't tell this to anyone. Before Basil left, he asked me to look after his family. What do you think if I leave, who will look after them? Especially now that you see how Finn is doing?"

Daus was silent for a while, until Finn's voice startled them. "Please, please."

Felix and Daus rushed to the bathroom. Finn had fallen down and a towel covered his waist and lower body.

"What happened?" Felix helped Finn out of the bathroom.

"I tried to open the door, but the floor was slippery with soap. I fell down. Funny, how fun it used to be to surf on the slippery bathroom floor."

After Finn returned to his wheelchair, he entered the room alone, reluctant to be helped.

"If I leave, who will help him into the wheelchair?"

"There's me and my mom. You take it easy."

Felix realized that while he was away hunting, Daus and his mother were faithfully looking after Basil's family. But the trip to Switzerland took more than a week. The return plus the search for the bunker ruins would take a month. He was reluctant to trouble the Mahakam family. "You'd better go home, Finn."

"I heard there's also a lot of medical supplies. Who knows if there's a leg for Finn. You know, the ancestors' biotech was great. They were able to make lifelike artificial arms and legs. You can help Finn by finding a leg for him."

"Go home." Felix pushed Daus out through the backdoor. "I'll think about it later. I want to rest now."

Felix closed the door and found Nami filling a glass with water. "How long?"

Felix's throat was suddenly parched. That brusque tone of voice had completely drained the water of life. Had she heard Felix and Daus' conversation?

"Why the silence?" Nami moistened her throat with water, and after placing the glass next to the gallon of mineral water, she opened the side door. "You've learned how to use your heart, right? Use your heart. Choose your path. Don't use us as an excuse for you to be stuck in one place."

The look in those eyes took Felix's breath away, a cold look that pierced his heart. "We're Longswords after all, we're not weaklings who need your pity." And the door closed from the outside.

It was quiet again. There was the faint sound of hammers hitting the Anvil and Nami chatting with customers.

Felix was sinked in a dilemma. He never thought of Nami and Finn as a burden or a reason for him to be here. He just wanted to make sure everything was okay.

On the other hand, the opportunity to explore the ruined bunker with the alderans was rare. Even fifty hanters couldn't match them. This opportunity was great for finding books and maybe giving Finn a leg up to walk back.