"Okay... I’ll go with you," Edison said softly.

He glanced back at his grandfather, who was still wiping away his tears, his eyes shining with joy, as if Edison were simply setting off to have fun and learn magic. And perhaps that expectation wasn’t entirely wrong. After all, Edison would indeed learn many things, especially about awakened abilities and the wider world beyond his own.

Kisha, her hands full, was absentmindedly holding Edison’s hand with one hand while juggling several paper bags in the other. Edison gripped the barbecue skewers Kisha had bought from the first stall.

Not long after, they arrived at her mother-in-law’s workshop. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

By chance, Mrs. Winters was guiding an elderly woman inside, someone eager to help with the other side of the workshop, like peeling garlic and onions or cleaning vegetables. She was about to explain the tasks when she noticed Kisha walking in, a child in hand and looking somewhat dazed.

Quickly, Mrs. Winters asked someone else to assist the elderly woman and hurried over to Kisha instead.

"Kisha, my dear, what brings you here? Did you come to visit me?" Mrs. Winters asked, taking a few of the paper bags from Kisha’s arms. Her eyes then landed on the small, adorable boy Kisha was holding.

"And who is this? Are you... adopting a child?"

At the word adopting, Kisha’s mind went blank and she shook her head before she could explain. Seeing her flustered, Mrs. Winters gently guided Kisha and the boy into the workshop and led them to her office. She helped them settle onto the soft sofa, then quietly closed the door behind them.

True to her nature as a gracious host, she didn’t rush Kisha with questions. Instead, she moved to the other side of the office and began heating water in a clay kettle for tea. While the water warmed, she prepared the tea leaves Kisha had gifted her.

Then she opened a large drawer and took out some snacks, choosing cookies, the kind children love. She selected a chocolate cookie and a chocolate-chip cookie, arranged them neatly on a ceramic plate, and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

When she noticed the boy eyeing the cookies, she nudged the plate closer to him. "Have some. They taste good, it’s my favorite," she said gently. The boy took a cookie and nibbled on it in small bites. Mrs. Winters’ face lit up with a wide, delighted smile as she remembered her son when he was young, Duke. She watched him happily for a moment before returning to her tea preparation.

Since there was a child present, Mrs. Winters chose a different drink for him. Her workshop, being one of the most important in the base, had long been equipped with electricity, and she kept a small fridge in her office. From it, she took out two yogurt milk drinks, strawberry and banana. Unable to decide which he might like better, she brought both to the boy.

"You can have them. They’re yours," she said, gently nudging the drinks closer, just as she had done with the cookies. She noticed the boy seemed shy, even a little anxious around people. Having raised a child herself and knowing Duke’s temperament, Mrs. Winters was especially sensitive to the moods of children, more so than Kisha ever was.

Seeing Mrs. Winters offer him a drink, the boy gave her a small, shy smile before taking the strawberry-flavored yogurt drink. Watching this, Kisha felt herself relax, as she slowly reorganized her thoughts.

By the time the water boiled, Mrs. Winters had taken a seat beside Kisha. She carried a tray with the porcelain kettle of hot water, the tea leaves, cups, sugar, and milk, and carefully placed it all on the table. As she arranged everything, she spoke gently, her eyes kind and curious.

"So, dear," she began, "tell me... what’s the story with this little one?"

After gathering her thoughts, Kisha finally regained her composure. "This boy... was entrusted to me by his grandfather."

Before she could say more, Mrs. Winters let out a soft gasp.

"My condolences to him..." she said gently, her eyes filled with pity and sympathy as they rested on the timid boy before her.

"Mom, it’s not like that; his grandfather is still alive and kicking," Kisha said with a small, exasperated chuckle. She couldn’t help but find it a little amusing that her mother-in-law could be like this sometimes.

It was also the first time she’d noticed just how much Mrs. Winters loved keeping snacks. Kisha realized she was discovering so many little things about her mother-in-law for the first time, perhaps because she’d never had the chance to sit down like other daughters-in-law for a casual tea or chat. Her life had always been a whirlwind, spinning like a top.

After a pause, Kisha continued, more seriously. "This boy has a special skill, something that could make him incredibly helpful in the future... or dangerous. His grandfather, not confident he could guide him alone, entrusted his grandson to me. The grandfather owns a stall in the marketplace and... he’s also an awakened ability user."

After Kisha spoke, her mother-in-law placed a cup of tea in front of her and nudged the milk and sugar closer.

"If you’d like, you can add some honey; we also have Scarlet Honey," Mrs. Winters reminded gently as she poured milk into her own cup. Then, her curiosity got the better of her. "So... what is this boy’s ability that has you looking so flustered and nervous?"

"Mind control," Kisha replied simply.

The words hit Mrs. Winters like a jolt. She choked on her tea, the hot liquid scalding her throat and burning her tongue.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Mom, are you alright?" Kisha asked quickly, reaching for a tissue from the side and offering it to her.

"Fine... I’m fine..." Mrs. Winters said, slowly sitting up straight, though the burning sensation in her throat made her wince and clutch it lightly. Noticing this, Kisha quickly pulled a vial of blue liquid from her inventory and handed it to her mother-in-law.

She watched as Mrs. Winters gulped it down, and only when the older woman’s expression softened did Kisha let out a sigh of relief.

"Mind control?" Mrs. Winters muttered, shaking her head in thought. "That’s like giving gold to a clueless child in the middle of starving refugees," she added, letting the idiom slip naturally.

"I know, Mom. And that’s exactly why his grandfather entrusted him to me," Kisha said, her voice tinged with unease. "Even I feel a little nervous... this is a huge responsibility. There’s a possibility that, as the boy’s power grows, he could control not just a group of people, but a zombie horde, or even mutated animals and plants."

The thought sent shivers down her spine. Usually, only the Zombie King could command such forces, so for a human to have that power... it could be an incredible boon to humanity. But if such a person ever turned villainous, it could spell the end of everything.

Mrs. Winters listened quietly, and now she understood the source of Kisha’s tension and worry.

"Alright, but he’s still just a child. We’ll be able to guide him, don’t overthink it," Mrs. Winters said gently. Then a thoughtful smile crossed her face. "And... didn’t we have Daisy? She’s a bit older than him, but keeping him by her side could be good."

"Daisy’s such a cheerful girl, and being around someone close to his age might help him open up a little. Besides, Daisy usually wanders around your territory talking only to plants and flowers. Having someone else to talk to could be good for her, too. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone."

She glanced at the boy, who seemed lost in his own world, oblivious to their conversation. Mrs. Winters hesitated, unsure what to say next. "This..."

"He has mild autism, so it’s natural for him to sometimes retreat into his own world or stay quiet around people. It’s already a good sign that he came with me without any fuss, his grandfather mentioned that Edison gets anxious when he’s far from him," Kisha explained.

"Oh! So his name is Edison, what a cute, yet mature name," Mrs. Winters said lightly, as if the boy’s mild autism didn’t worry her. She knew it wasn’t necessarily a permanent condition; with the right guidance and care, a child could grow out of it.

Mild autism often stems from past experiences or the environment, causing children to withdraw from the world. But given their current situation, Mrs. Winters was confident they could help Edison open up. Kisha understood her mother-in-law’s perspective, and since she didn’t disagree, she let go of her worries and smiled.

"Mom, that’s a really good suggestion," Kisha said, nodding thoughtfully. "Little Daisy is such a ball of sunshine and a chatterbox; maybe she could keep Edison company. That way, he’d also be exposed to awakened abilities, so when he finally awakens his own, he’ll have some idea of how to use it and what to expect."