Chapter 301: Charles Gates

"What... are you saying, Evans?"

It was as if a flicker of light was ignited inside of Charlotte's eyes as she watched Van continue to talk to himself. As soon as she heard something about her son being seen by him, all of her thoughts quickly centered themselves.

"High Human Van... you mean the man you saw in the Gate could be High Human Charlotte's daughter?" Lorei, who still has not touched the food given to her by Charlotte, finally had an excuse to join in on the conversation.

"The man he saw? When? When did this happen!?" Charlotte quickly shifted her attention to Lorei.

"More than a week ago," Lorei said as she approached the two, "I escorted High Human Van to the Gate, but before he could ride through the River, he saw an old man standing there... but he suddenly disappeared and then the gate went all crazy."

"Wait, are you sure?" Charlotte then once again turned her attention back to Van, "Are you sure it was my son?"

However, Van was still lost in his own world, his thoughts seemingly clouding everything else.

"Evans!"

Finally, after a few more seconds, Charlotte could not help it anymore and light stomped her foot on the floor, causing the tavern and its close neighbor establishments to feel a quake on the Branch.

But still, Van did not answer. He just raised a finger towards Charlotte, as if telling her to wait. And a few seconds after that, he nodded his head and walked closer towards Charlotte, "Yes. It's your son, I fully remember now. I have only seen him for a short time during our stay in Africa, but I am sure it was him. He looks a lot like you."

"My son... my son is here," upon hearing that, Charlotte's legs felt like they suddenly became noodles, causing her to fall butt first on the floor, "It's been... it's been so long."

"Wait, I am confused."

But before Charlotte's tears could echo throughout her dilapidated tavern, Lorei's voice interrupted her cries.

"You have a son?" Lorei blinks her eyes a couple of times in confusion, "That's such a great coincidence, isn't it?"

Hearing Lorei's words, Van and Charlotte also could not help but feel slightly confused, "What do you mean?"

"Well..." Lorei suddenly slightly felt awkward as Van and Charlotte focused their attention on her, "The Vanir, including High Humans, can't have children. That would mean your son died and also became a High Human, so it's a pretty good coincidence, no?"

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"Oh, so that's what you meant," Charlotte let out a sigh before shaking her head, "We're not High Humans, giant. We're from another world entirely, I am sure the boy here has already told you the same."

"I have," Van let out a sigh of his own, "I have told her countless times but it would seem it's easier to believe we are these High Humans instead of beings from another world."

Hearing their words, Lorei could not help but chuckle, "Surely, you jest. I didn't know High Humans are capable of such unified humor."

"She's a lost cause."

Charlotte whispered.

"I know," Van shook his head as he looked up at Lorei, looking at her as if she was some kind of child. But after a few seconds of making Lorei feel stupid, Van looked Charlotte straight in the eyes as his tone became serious, "You said you've been here for more than a thousand years, is it really possible that you haven't seen anyone you know of? Maybe you've just forgotten? Maybe it's even possible that you've seen your son?"

"Even if my memory becomes corrupted beyond repair, I am sure I will never forget the memory of meeting my son here," Charlotte quickly said as she crossed her arms, "I am sure I would remember it... I am sure."

Her words by the end, however, somewhat showed the strength she had in her voice to be fragile. And soon, her face slowly once again turned younger as she looked towards Lorei.

"Sorry, Evans. It seems I have a customer, I will be back in a while," she then said.

"..." Van could not help but close his eyes in sorrow as he heard Charlotte's repeating words, "Miss Charlotte... She's not a customer."

"Right, right."

Van had no idea how many times he had to repeat the same conversations with Charlotte before her mind finally found it fit to store some memories. If only Hans was around, then maybe he could have done the same thing he did with Evangeline.

Or maybe it's different? Maybe Charlotte isn't just meant to live this long and her mind was already slowly fading away.

But whatever the case was, Van did not really mind having to repeat things for Charlotte. She was the first person he met in this unknown world, he wasn't going to give up on her, no matter what happens.

***

Early in the morning, the Branch still had no signs of moving away from Jotunheim, but considering Lorei told him that it usually takes weeks before it starts moving again, he just decided to use this time to relax, and also to try and see if there was anyone else he knew on the Branch.

But no matter how many times he goes from one end to another, all he could see were an onslaught of different races. With him leaving a trail of lightning, as well as his feet producing wings of light as he did so, the inhabitants of the Branch were all starting to create several rumors, and for some reason, most of them mentioned the end of the world.

Van noticed that death was looked at differently in this place. Instead of sorrow, regret, and sadness; they worship death. They strive to have the best death possible.

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Dying surrounded by people you love, dying gloriously in battle, dying filled with wealth, dying from fulfilling one's purpose-- these were all looked upon by the people of this world. They work and strive so that they may die leaving a meaning in life.

If one dies poor; if one dies alone; if one dies without having found a purpose-- then one could consider themselves a failure. They have romanticized death so much that they even have a name for the end of their world-- Ragnarok.

Moving through the Branch, Van had also noticed something-- the Branch had its own ecosystem. There were animals and monsters here, it might even be bigger than Jotunheim. Van was currently on the roof of Charlotte's dilapidated tavern, trying to look past the clouds that covered Midgard. It was weird, he thought.

Back when he was on Jotunheim, Midgard looked so clear. He could see its oceans, its lands. But now that he was near it, he could barely see anything as a sort of fog covered it. He also could not run across the Branch to enter Midgard, as the thick fog that covered it almost felt like a wall of air. It was not only suffocating, but Van felt himself almost drowning in sand once he tried to enter it.

If he gets the chance, he would try running through the sky to see if he could actually pass through Midgard's atmosphere from space. The only thing stopping him from actually proceeding with it is Charlotte.

They just found each other, what if he indeed manages to pass through, but something inside would prevent him from coming out? He would leave Charlotte, who had been alone for more than a thousand years, alone again.

Right now, the only plan they had was to wait. Wait until the Branch moves so that Van would be able to search the other Realms for any sign of their friends… or at least a clue as to where they actually were.

Charlotte had already said that they couldn't use the River, as they weren't actually a part of the Vanir. But Van still wanted to try as soon as they reached the next Realm-- Muspelheim.

"Van, I've prepared food!"

Van's contemplations were then disrupted by the sound of Lorei's voice, who was calling for him from the front of the tavern.

"Right."

Van then quickly jumped from the roof, landing right in front of the huge door of Charlotte's tavern. He had already noticed it before, but all of the establishments here had 2 doors, one for the giants, and the other for the smaller races. But for some odd reason, Van found himself not wanting to pass through the smaller door.

"What's the… what the."

Van's eyes could not help but blink a couple of times as Charlotte's tavern, which was completely empty yesterday, was now packed full of people. He couldn't even find Lorei anymore, who just entered a second before him.

"You always seem to find the most interesting companions, Evans."

Charlotte then quickly walked towards Van as soon as he entered. Charlotte was currently wearing an apron, carrying a gigantic barrel of alcohol on her shoulders.

"She's a cook, this one," Charlotte chuckled as she looked around her tavern, "I haven't seen this place this lively since the first day I built it."

"...You mean no one dined on the 2nd day?"

"Damn right," Charlotte burst out in laughter. Now that she looked a lot younger, her seemingly brass personality no longer matched her face. "Once you leave, make sure to leave her with me, okay? I could use a helper around here."

"I am not going to leave you behind, Charlotte," Van then quickly said as he looked Charlotte straight in the eyes, "If you wish to stay here for now, then I will stay with you."

"S… sheesh, what's with you?" Charlotte rubbed her nose, "Just because I look younger you're trying to get your hands on me now?"

"...That's not--"

But before Van could respond, Charlotte already ran away, serving alcohol to her customers. Seeing this, Van could not help but let out a sigh as he decided to make his way to the kitchen.

"Evans."

But as he made his way through the crowd, a whisper suddenly filled his ear. He quickly looked back, and as soon as he did so, the scenery around him completely changed into a litter of gigantic trees; with the only source of movement the old man in front of him, who had his hand placed on his shoulder.

"We need to talk, Evans."

It was none other than the old man he saw back in the explosion-- Charlotte's son, Charles Gates.

"You… are Charles, correct?"

"I am flattered that you know who I am," Charles let out a small chuckle as he removed his hand and stepped back, "But that's the extent of my excitement. I came here to warn you, Evans."

"Warn me?"

"Stay away," Charles quickly said, "Just stay with mother. Stay away from the happenings of this world. If not…

...we will be forced to kill--"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

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