Raised in Dungeon



DRAFT / UNEDITED

"Who is this uncle?" asked Allen while holding two twins. The boy hung over him, while the girl fell asleep in his arms.

"His name is Bedell. He's from outside of town to see you," said Vash.

"From outside of town?" Allen watched Bedell for a long time, trying his hardest to remember his face.

'This guy is Allen...' Bedell thought with a surprised face. No matter how long he looked at it, the person standing in front of him was identical to the Allen he knew.

"A-Allen... You're really Allen?" asked Bedell again.

"Hmm yes? But I don't recognize you, have we met before?" Allen replied in confusion.

'Even the voice is similar, and the way of speaking too. Quiet and expressionless.

"Allen, hurry up! Hurryyyy Uuuuup!" the little boy on top of his head started beating Allen's head.

"Alright alright... I have to cook it first, meanwhile, you have to wait for about thirty minutes," Allen then called Susan "Susan, can you help me carry Judith?"

"Wait a minute!" Pausing for a moment, Susan emerged from the kitchen, hastily wiping her hands on her apron.

Curiosity tinged her voice as she inquired, "Did you happen to encounter them on your way back?"

Nodding, Allen confirmed, "Yes, I bumped into Iva on my way home. Then they both insisted on coming along."

With a gentle touch, Susan carefully scooped up the peacefully slumbering girl, replacing Allen to carry her. "Fufu, they must want to eat Allen's soup again. And Judith fell asleep on the way again. She's been carried by Allen too many times, she must feel very comfortable when she's with you."

"Really? I thought she was just a sleepyhead."

"That must be so.

Oh speaking of soup, the broth just ran out. It's getting late in the afternoon so we're not making any more."

"Then I'll just make a small portion. Vash, do you want some too?" Allen asked Vash.

"I just finished eating. This uncle bought me one for helping him come here.

I have to prepare hot water for the kids today anyway."

"I see..."

Waving his hand, Vash left the tavern

"A-Allen!" called Bedell In a hesitant and anxious tone.

Startled by Bedell's sudden increase in volume, Allen couldn't help but feel his own nervousness rise. "Y-yes?" he stammered.

Bedell's face lit up with anticipation as he blurted out his request, "Can I watch you cook?!"

Slightly taken aback, Allen fell silent, contemplating Bedell's word. After a few moments of thoughtful consideration, he finally responded, "Okay, but I'll ask the master first."

...

After Rodion agreed, Allen and Bedell made their way to the cozy kitchen.

In the kitchen, Bedell kept watching Allen as he cooked. He found himself fixated on Allen's every move as he skillfully do everything. As the tantalizing smells wafted through the air, Bedell couldn't help but in awe with this current Allen.

'Allen, he's really cooking, and it looks like he's quite good at it,' Bedell thought. However, it wasn't just his cooking prowess that captured Bedell's attention.

'For some reason, he looks happy?'

That also created another confusion in his head, 'has he always been an easy person to read? But indeed, all this time we could clearly feel that he hated us, then sometimes we could also clearly see how his behavior suddenly changed when he was with Lady Felicia.'

Realizing one by one the current Allen, Bedell felt a complicated feeling of admiration and confusion. 'So this is the Allen that everyone in town loves. The hands that he used to kill people with, he now uses to cook for the two little kids who have been looking forward to his cooking.'

After meticulously preparing all the necessary ingredients and diligently stirring the bubbling cauldron, Allen turned his attention towards Bedell. With an air of curiosity, he asked "Hey uncle. You know about me before I went to this region, don't you?"

"Don't call me uncle. I'm only 25 years old. Yes, I knew you back then."

A mix of intrigued and sad expressions crossed Allen's face as he continued " "Ah, I see... Then, did you come here seeking revenge? Who did I kill?" Bedell suddenly comprehended that Allen had purposely allowed him into the kitchen, assuming that he harbored vindictive intentions.

Realizing the misunderstanding that encased the room, Bedell swiftly interjected, his voice filled with sincerity, "No, no! You have got it all wrong, Allen! I never sought revenge! In truth, I have solely observed you from a distance! I've only ever seen and known about you, in fact we've never even really talked!" said Bedell, clearing up the misunderstanding.

"Oh no? Thank goodness," Allen said with a long sigh afterward. "I've tried many times to think of a way to apologize to you, but I never found it."

"Apologize?"

"Yes. For the people I killed, and for their families who came to me.

All this time I felt that things were going too well and I never really thought about what would happen if someone suddenly came for revenge."

'Wow, Allen can talk this much, and somehow his words sound deep, very honest, and full of his feelings,' at that moment all the words Allen said somehow also affected Bedell.

Bedell was deeply disturbed when he came to the realization that murderers might not fit the stereotypical image he had in mind. He had always believed that those who were capable of taking someone's life did so without a second thought, devoid of any remorse or consideration.

'So there are people like this too. I thought people who had easly murder people, did that without thinking about anything,'

This belief had been shattered when he recalled the actions of Allen. In that moment, Bedell had an epiphany as he recollected Allen's expression during those brutal acts.

'Ah... that time he didn't make a hateful face at us, he must have never once felt happy when swinging his blade.'

'Had we talked more like now, could the outcome have been different?' If he and the others had engaged in more meaningful conversations and developed a deeper connection with Allen, could they have influenced him to choose a different path? Such thoughts consumed Bedell, causing his eyes to fill with a distant, vacant gaze.

"W-what?! Did I really kill your family?!"

"No... no... it's not that... I just feel like everything I did in the past was so cruel for giving up and being afraid to talk to you."

Trying to stop his crying as best he could, Bedell then began to say,

"Allen... I am Bedell, one of the soldiers of the noble Earl Boldenville."

"B-boldenville..."

"Rachel asked me to fetch you.

Lady Felicia will soon wake up from her long sleep."

"Felicia…"