The Dungeon lord : Women, power and monsters

By the time Tolu reached the shop, the sun had nearly disappeared beyond the rooftops.

The front shutters were already halfway closed.

Tolu stepped inside. "Uncle Aremu."

Aremu looked up from the counter. "Tolu."

He smiled. "You’re back."

Tolu returned the smile. "Yeah."

Aremu glanced toward the door. "Perfect timing. I was just about to close up."

Tolu looked around the shop. "You’ve already finished?"

"Almost."

Aremu picked up the last few things that had been left on the counter and put them away.

"You can help me with this."

Tolu walked over. "Sure."

They finished closing the shop together.

When Aremu finally locked the front door, he stretched his back. "Come. Let’s go upstairs and eat."

Tolu followed him.

The two climbed the stairs to the small living area above the shop.

Aremu prepared their food while Tolu helped set the table.

They sat across from each other.

For a while, they simply ate.

Tolu wasn’t particularly hungry, but the quiet meal felt comfortable.

Eventually, he looked at Aremu.

"Uncle."

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Aremu looked up from his food. "You just did."

Tolu smiled. "I’m serious."

"So am I."

Tolu shook his head asking anyway. "Why didn’t you ever get married?"

Aremu paused.

Then he smiled. "That’s what you’re thinking about?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don’t know." Tolu shrugged.

"I’ve just never really thought about it until now." Aremu picked up another piece of food. "Maybe I was too busy."

"You’re not that busy."

"I run a shop."

"You run a shop and complain when three people come in at once."

Aremu laughed. "Exactly. Imagine adding a wife to that."

Tolu smiled. "That’s not an answer."

"Fine." Aremu leaned back. "Maybe I never found the right woman."

Tolu raised an eyebrow. "You’ve never found one?"

"Apparently."

"You’ve lived in this town for years."

"Which makes it even more impressive."

Tolu laughed.

Aremu continued eating. "Maybe I’m too old now."

"You’re not even 40 yet."

"I feel old."

"That’s because you complain about your back every morning."

"My back has earned the right to complain."

Tolu shook his head. "Uncle."

Aremu smiled. "What?"

"You’re avoiding the question."

Aremu looked at him for a moment.

Then he sighed. "Maybe I just liked being alone."

Tolu frowned. "That sounds like another excuse."

"It is."

Tolu stared at him.

Aremu finally laughed. "You’re persistent."

"You taught me to be."

"I regret that."

Tolu smiled. "But seriously."

Aremu put his spoon down. "What makes you so interested?"

Tolu hesitated. "I was thinking about the future."

Aremu’s expression softened. "What about it?"

"I might leave town someday."

Aremu didn’t immediately respond.

Tolu continued.

"There are bigger cities. Stronger adventurers. Stronger monsters. If I stay here forever, I might never become anything more than an Adept."

Aremu nodded slowly. "I see."

"I was thinking about Ilebi."

Aremu looked at him. "That’s a long way from here."

"I know."

"And you want to go?"

Tolu lowered his gaze. "I don’t know."

Aremu waited.

Tolu sighed. "Part of me wants to."

"That’s normal."

"But..." Tolu looked at him. "I don’t want to leave you."

Aremu became quiet.

Tolu continued. "You’re the only family I have."

Aremu’s expression changed. "Tolu..."

"I know you can take care of yourself. I’m not saying you can’t."

Tolu smiled faintly. "But I’ve always had you."

Aremu looked down at his plate.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he smiled. "You really want to know why I never married?"

Tolu nodded. "Yes."

Aremu leaned back in his chair. "The real reason?"

"The real reason."

Aremu took a slow breath. "Because I didn’t want to."

Tolu frowned. "That’s it?"

"No."

Aremu’s smile faded. "I didn’t want to bring someone into my life when I knew I wouldn’t be able to give them what they deserved."

Tolu listened.

"When your parents died, you were still a child."

Aremu’s voice became quieter. "I had already lost my brother."

Tolu’s expression softened.

"Your father." Aremu nodded.

"I could have remarried. I could have started another family."

He looked at Tolu.

"But I couldn’t convince myself to do it."

"Because of me?"

Aremu shook his head immediately. "No."

Tolu stared at him.

Aremu continued. "Not because you were a burden."

"I never said—"

"I know."

Aremu smiled."But I need you to understand."

He leaned forward. "When your parents died, you didn’t just lose them."

"You lost your entire home."

Tolu was silent.

"And I knew that if I married someone else, there was always the possibility that she wouldn’t accept you."

Tolu’s fingers tightened slightly around his spoon. "I couldn’t take that chance."

Aremu looked down.

"I had already failed your father by not being there when he needed me."

His voice became rougher. "I wasn’t going to fail you too."

Tolu swallowed. "Uncle..."

Aremu looked back at him. "So no."

He smiled. "It wasn’t because of you. It was because I chose you."

The words hung in the quiet room.

Tolu stared at him.

Aremu chuckled softly. "And before you start blaming yourself, don’t."

Tolu looked down. "I wasn’t."

"You were."

"I wasn’t."

"You’ve always been a terrible liar."

Tolu laughed quietly.

Aremu reached across the table and tapped his forehead with one finger. "You were never the reason I didn’t marry."

He smiled.

"You were the reason I had someone to come home to."

Tolu’s eyes became slightly wet.

He quickly looked away.

Aremu noticed but pretended not to.

After a moment, Tolu spoke. "Do you regret it?"

Aremu thought about the question. "No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."

He smiled.

"I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like." Then he looked at Tolu.

"But wondering isn’t the same as regretting."

Tolu nodded.

Aremu continued. "You grew up."

He smiled. "You became an adventurer."

"I haven’t done much yet."

"You don’t have to have conquered the world for me to be proud of you."

Tolu looked at him.

Aremu leaned back. "You’ve already become someone your parents would be proud of."

Tolu’s eyes lowered again. "I wish I remembered them more."

Aremu’s smile softened. "That’s alright."

"Sometimes I feel like I’m forgetting them."

"You’re not."

Aremu reached for his cup.

"You remember them through the things they left behind."

Tolu looked at him. "Like what?"

Aremu smiled. "Your stubbornness."

Tolu laughed. "My stubbornness?"

"Definitely your father’s."

"What about my mother?"

"Your ability to argue."

Tolu laughed again. "That’s also my father."

"Then perhaps I should stop blaming your parents."

They both laughed.

The heaviness in the room slowly faded.

After a while, Tolu looked at Aremu again. "If I do leave someday..."

Aremu nodded. "You will."

Tolu blinked. "You think so?"

"I know so." Aremu smiled. "You’re not meant to stay in this little town forever. I’m not gonna tie you down either."

Tolu looked down. "But you said—"

"I said you shouldn’t stay forever." Aremu pointed at him. "I didn’t say you should abandon me. Who knows I might finally get married."

Tolu smiled. "I wouldn’t."

"I know." Aremu stood and began collecting the plates.

"I want you to go see the world."

Tolu stood to help him.

"Get stronger." He handed Tolu a plate.

"Make mistakes."

Another plate.

"Get into trouble, find love."

Tolu laughed. "That sounds like a terrible plan."

"It’s the best plan I have."

They carried the dishes toward the kitchen.

Aremu looked back at him. "And when you finally become some great adventurer..."

He smiled. "Don’t forget your old uncle."

Tolu smiled. "I couldn’t if I tried."

Aremu nodded. "Good."

They continued cleaning together.

Neither of them mentioned that the day Tolu left might come sooner than either of them wanted.

For tonight, they were still under the same roof.

And that was enough.