"D-daddy...?" Albert called out, his voice barely audible.

Oliver looked at Albert. "Yes?"

"Why did Grandpa take Jean...?" Albert's fragile voice trembled.

     Oliver glances at Gregory, searching for guidance and affirmation. He locks eyes with his spouse, silently seeking consent before responding to their son. Uncertainty seizes Oliver—as if an invisible barrier impedes his ability to construct the words he desires to speak.

     Gregory looks back at Oliver, mirroring his hesitance and doubt. A conflict of emotions rages within Gregory, hindering his ability to respond. Still, he understands that Oliver is awaiting his answer, and the moment's weight compels him to offer a slight, hesitant nod.

"...It's because... he..." Oliver's voice shuddered with timidity. "He seeks vengeance."

"Why? What? I... I don't understand..." Victoria's words stumbled, failing to form a coherent question. "...Why... why does he want revenge...?"

"What even happened in the first place...?" Elizabeth's voice trembled, wiping off her tears as she sought answers.

Oliver's gaze shifted, briefly meeting Gregory's eyes.

"...Go on. It's time for them to know the truth," Gregory told Oliver.

     Oliver takes a sharp breath through his nose, his lungs filled with the bittersweet pang of sorrow. He then sighs, releasing the weight of his burden. Carefully, he lowers himself to the ground, his knees gently connecting with the surface, facing his children.

"My children..." Oliver spoke, his breath unsteady. "...What I am about to reveal may bring you great distress. Are you sure you wish to learn about the past...?"

The children nodded bashfully. "Mhm..."

"...Cal... he is..." Oliver glanced at Gregory. "...He is Gregory's father."

"So, that makes him our grandfather...?" Victoria asked.

Oliver mustered the strength to speak the truth. "...He is your grandfather," he said.

Victoria's eyes widened, her lips pressing together as she processed the truth.

"What made Grandpa take Jean away...?" Elizabeth questioned, her voice tinged with sniffles.

"As I mentioned, he seeks revenge against our kind—the Podeshires. Specifically, he wants me. I am his remaining target," Oliver explained.

"Remaining target...?" the children exchanged confused glances.

Oliver fought back tears as he continued to recount the painful truth. "I am the sole survivor of the assassination that claimed the lives of my entire family. Cal... took everything away from me when I was young..."

The children's jaws dropped in shock as they looked at each other with worry.

"W-why did he take away your family?" Victoria's voice quivered with curiosity.

"...It was... a brutal war in Asbranne..." Oliver gulped, gathering the strength to share the painful past. "...Nations clashed in conflict, and men were sent off to fight, while women were sent as caregivers for the wounded soldiers. Among those brave souls were my father... my biological father... and Gregory's mother."

"Oh... what happened next?" Victoria inquired, her words mumbled amidst her sniffles.

"...Nightmare built chaos; everything descended into utter turmoil. No one knew what was happening, but the only instinct was to fight," Oliver recounted, his voice carrying a tinge of sorrow. "...If I recall correctly... Gregory's mother tragically lost her life... at the hands of my father's power..." Oliver's gaze met the glistening eyes of his children. "This act fueled Cal's desire for revenge... to avenge his wife by seeking the annihilation of my family..."

"Oh..." the children gasped.

Oliver shook his head gently. "And now... Cal wants to eliminate me... to bring an end to it all."

     Fear engulfs Victoria, Elizabeth, Albert, and George, permeating every inch of their beings. Terror plagues their minds, prompting them to emit fearful squeals. Terrified, they huddle together, clinging onto one another in their seats.

     Gregory reaches out, placing a warm hand on Victoria's head. Gently, he brushes his children's faces, his palm smoothing away their worries. Gregory then sighs as his gaze drops to his knees.

"Shh, you'll be fine..." Gregory whispered to his children. "You'll be..." Gregory stated.

     Oliver gently lays his palm on Gregory's shoulder. His eyes remain fixed on the floor, avoiding direct eye contact with anyone present. He then sighs heavily, carrying the weight of his emotions, before he finally finds the strength to speak.

"Greg..."

Gregory gazed at Oliver. "...Yes?"

"We cannot waste any more time," said Oliver. "I must go now and bring back our son."

"What...?" Gregory gasped, furrowing his brows.

     Oliver rises from the floor, his limbs and joints burdened by the weight of his problem. A slight stiffness accompanies his movements as he turns to face his companions. With an unsteady gaze, he looks at each of them.

"Everyone," Oliver rasped, his voice strained. "I need to go now."

Gregory quickly stood up and wrapped his arms around Oliver's waist. "Oli, please. Please... let me come with you."

"Greg, I've already told you. I can't," Oliver responded, shaking his head.

Sarrah approached Oliver and Gregory, flanked by Sophia and Edgar. "Greg, you need to stop being clingy, alright?" Sarrah told Gregory. "There have been many times Oliver almost lost his life due to your interventions. If he is confident to do it alone, let him be."

"I cannot let Oliver face my father alone," Gregory asserted.

"And why's that?" Edgar asked, stepping forward.

Gregory turned his gaze towards Oliver. "Oli... believe me. Please."

"Greg, no. Please..." Oliver's eyes dropped to the ground, weighed down by the heaviness of the situation.

"Just take me with you. Take us with you. We'll be by your side," Gregory pleaded with desperation. But, before Gregory could finish his words, Oliver cut him off.

"Cal warned me not to bring anyone along. Or he would harm Jean. Do you want that?" Oliver grunted.

"No... what I mean is... we'll be with you," Gregory clarified. "We'll, uhh... we'll stay far in the background, invisible. Do you understand? Like- we'll hide somewhere else and inspect how things will work out? You know?"

"...Oh," Oliver's comprehension dawned as he began to grasp Gregory's intentions. "...Is it... necessary?"

"Trust me. If Cal wants you to come alone, I am confident enough to believe that he has tricks up his sleeve," Gregory stated. "That's why our friends and I must check up on you from far away."

Oliver glanced at his companions.

"I... understand..." Sophia said.

"...I think he has a point," Sarrah contemplated, her thoughts aligning with Gregory's perspective.

Oliver's gaze locked onto Gregory. "...Why should we trust your words, though?" he asked.

"...I know Cal because he is my father. And I'm his son," Gregory replied.