Chapter 33: A happy family

Garnt took upon himself the responsibility of teaching his eager cousin– Kara, a spirited girl, and the mischievous twins, a boy and a girl. It had been a few weeks since he brought the twins, and they had been adapting the teaching of Garnt rather fast since they were obedient to him and they started to act more human instead of just like wild animals.

On this particular day, as the soft light of the sun filtered through the entrance of their ginormous cave, Garnt gathered his young students around him. With a serious expression, he began to impart the wisdom that he gained through Eva and his own research.

"Listen well, for today we learn about fire," Garnt's voice resonated within the confines of the cave. "Fire is our ally, but also a force that demands respect. It can warm us and protect us from predators. Yet, if not controlled, it can consume all in its path."

The children listened with rapt attention, their eyes wide with wonder. Garnt continued to explain the art of taming fire and the importance of using it wisely. Gundo was also beside them listening to the lesson, since she decided to take over teaching kids in future, so she observed how Garnt did it.

Ayra was practising outside with her newly renewed spear, which was built with new and sturdy wood. In order to avoid repeating any mistakes that had happened in the past, she decided to embody her best version to protect the kids as well as the most special person in the group.

As Garnt concluded his lesson, Kara approached him with an affectionate hug.

"Thank you, brother. It was such a good lesson," Kara beamed, her eyes reflecting gratitude.

Garnt patted her head gently, a proud smile on his face. "You're welcome, Kara. Remember, learning is the path to survival. I will support all of you, so try to absorb everything slowly."

Just then, Kara's gaze shifted to the girl among the twins, a knowing glint in her eye. It was a gaze filled with rivalry and jealousy, and without knowing these girls were starting to compete with each other for the affection of Garnt, as well as in other areas like combat and education.

However, the boy in the group was the complete opposite. He was a little aggressive when it came to fighting, but at other times, he was completely calm, with a demeanour that seemed strange for a kid. The real surprise for Garnt was when he used his analyzer to check their ages and discovered that they were two years older than him.

'To think that they were older than me, looks like I'm the real weird one here'

Garnt thought looking at Kara.

With a playful grin, Kara turned to Garnt, her voice dripping with mischief and excitement. "Brother, do you think Mother would let me practice with her new spear?"

Garnt chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "What is this? Curious about fighting? You should ask her, but I think you should start with a dagger rather than a spear, or just a small one. Even I can't lift Aunt's spear since it's too heavy,"

"Fine, I'll ask, I want to be strong so I can protect our family," She muttered and ran outside to see her mother.

Garnt looked at the twins, his mind racing with an idea. He wanted them to spend more time with his family, and he knew just the thing to bring them all together. As he pondered, Eva's voice chimed, drawing his attention. She alerted him about new items available in the entertainment section of the system.

[Take a look, since you have so many points, you might find something interesting.]

Trade & Transactions

Food: Energy bars (50), Seasoning pack (500)

Entertainment: Wooden football (200), Wooden Chessboard (500)

Clothing: Locked

Shelter: Locked

Medicine: Locked

Weaponry: Locked

Curious, Garnt opened the entertainment menu and saw a variety of options, but one caught his eye – a simple ball. A playful smile crept across his face as he considered how this could be the perfect way to encourage interaction among his siblings and family.

[Well, I don't have to explain right? You already learnt so many things from the modern age so you know what this will do. But this is wooden instead of modern rubber balls, so it will be hard to play.]

"Doesn't matter, it will be good training, as well as entertainment for them," Garnt said and bought the football. It appeared out of nowhere surprising the twins.

With the wooden ball now in his possession, Garnt wasted no time in gathering his excited sibling and Aunt for a new adventure in the form of a modern game. As they gathered outside of their cave, he held the wooden football in his hands, a glint of enthusiasm in his eyes.

"Listen up, everyone!" Garnt's voice carried with it a mixture of excitement and determination. "Today, we're going to play a game that might be a bit different from what we're used to, but I promise you, it's going to be a lot of fun and will be a good training different from our usual one,"

Curious faces turned towards him, the twins still marvelling at the unexpected appearance of the ball. Garnt's enthusiasm was infectious, and soon, his family's scepticism gave way to intrigue.

"This," Garnt held up the wooden ball, "is a football. It might not be as bouncy or lightweight, but that's what makes it interesting. It's going to require more skill and coordination to play."

He began by demonstrating the basics – how to control the ball with their feet, how to pass it to one another, and how to score goals. The ball's wooden surface made it challenging to predict its movements, but that only added to the excitement. Garnt's patience and enthusiasm were unwavering as he guided his family through the initial awkwardness.

"Remember, the goal is to work together as a team," Garnt emphasized. "Communication and cooperation are key. And most importantly, have fun with it! Don't worry about making mistakes – that's how we learn."

As the game started, laughter filled the air. There were stumbled steps, moments of intense concentration, and the occasional accidental trip over the wooden ball. Yet, with Garnt's encouragement, they persevered. The twins, who were initially surprised by the unconventional ball, were now running alongside everyone else, their competitive spirits ignited.

Everyone except Gundo and the baby started to enjoy the sport, but Garnt quickly had a sudden realization and decided to leave them to play the sport.

He ventured deep into the cave, where they stored the majority of their food and various vessels for different purposes. In the corner, a woman was crying, her face wearing a distinctly depressed expression.

[You can be cruel when you choose to be—just look at her. It's almost as if you did the very same thing to her that the gigantic man did to those kids.]

"She is just weak, I don't even know how she survived until now. She can't even hunt properly, all I asked from her was to hunt her own food everyday," Garnt objected Eva's words and looked at the woman crying in the corner.

"You still couldn't hunt! What a useless woman, Ayra taught you how to do it and you're still crying like a baby," Those were some harsh words came out of Garnt's mouth, but he was truly frustated with how Ganna acted.

"I'm sorry- I will do it right, please don't throw me away," Ganna begged almost kissing Garnt's feet and he couldn't help but pity her.

"Whatever, if you can't do it, you're the one who's suffering, I don't have anything to do with it," Garnt left her and went back to see what Ayra and the other kids were doing, and he was surprised to see his usual workaholic mother cheering them from the side.

"Mother, how is it? Are they doing good?" Garnt asked excited to know how she was thinking and she suddenly pat his head showing her care.

"Look at them! All of them are happy because of you. I'm really proud of you, my baby," It wasn't much, but that was all Garnt wanted to hear – the satisfaction that would last forever. He knew this was just the beginning of his journey, so he accepted her compliment and decided to join his new family to have some fun.