Building The Strongest Family

When Arthur and Ashley arrived home, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, ushering in a blanket of darkness.

The two glowing moons hung high in the sky, surrounded by a twinkling sea of stars, casting their ethereal light upon the world below.

Arthur parked the car in the garage and stepped out, his gaze drawn to the mesmerizing moons above.

He stood there speechless, marveling at their beauty.

Although he was aware from previous memories of Arthur that Panterra had two moons, witnessing them firsthand was an unexpected shock.

Shaking his head in disbelief but with wonder still gleaming in his eyes, he entered the mansion alongside Ashley.

"Welcome, Master Arthur and Miss Ashley," Alfred greeted them as they stepped into the living room, his expression as stoic as ever.

"Evening, Alfred," Arthur replied with a nod and a warm smile.

"Good evening, Uncle Alfred!" Ashley chimed in sweetly.

"Dinner is ready. The First Master, Second Master, Third Master, and both elder Misses are already at the dining hall along with several other family members," Alfred informed them.

"Okay," Arthur nodded before turning to Ashley. "Come on; let's go eat."

Ashley smiled and followed him as they made their way to the dining hall.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a long marble table set elegantly in the center of the room. The aroma of dinner wafted through the air as servants busily served dishes to those already seated around the table.

Among them were his second uncle Nathaniel and second aunt Emily.

Also present were three older relatives: his first uncle Julian Osborn, a middle-aged man with bright eyes framed by black hair streaked with gray, and his third uncle Richard Osborn who appeared gentle despite being in his late thirties.

Richard had deep-set green eyes and brownish hair that complemented his kind demeanor; however, Arthur knew better than to underestimate him based solely on appearances.

Opposite Nathaniel sat Margaret Osborn, Arthur's first aunt, who radiated elegance even as she approached her late thirties.

With her long black hair cascading down her back and a perfectly sculpted face adorned with luscious lips and milky white skin, it was clear she took great care of herself.

Seated around the table were also Arthur's little sister Elizabeth and three cousins: George, William, and Edward, though many more cousins were missing from this gathering.

"Big brother! You're back!" Elizabeth exclaimed excitedly as she leaped from her chair toward Arthur.

Her blonde hair bounced cheerfully with each step while a faint blush graced her cheeks.

With tender skin that seemed almost luminous under candlelight, she threw herself into his arms.

"You're growing up so fast! Remember to act like a lady now," Arthur teased playfully yet affectionately.

"I don't care about that! You're still my big brother!" Elizabeth pouted playfully before giggling again.

Arthur shook his head, a tender smile lighting up his face as he lovingly stroked Elizabeth's blonde hair. "Hey Liz, did you only see your brother? What about me?"

Ashley's cheerful voice chimed in from the side, her smile brightening the room as she looked at Elizabeth.

"Ahhh, big sister Ashley! Of course, you're the one I love the most!" Elizabeth replied sheepishly, hurrying over to give Ashley a warm hug.

"Arthur, Ashley, both of you are back! Come and sit down; dinner is ready!" Julian called out with a welcoming grin, gesturing for Arthur to take his place at the head of the table.

"Yes," Arthur nodded appreciatively and made his way to the table.

He settled into his seat, casting warm glances at his uncles and aunties gathered around him.

"Arthur, I heard from Emily that you resolved the remaining crisis at the company?" Margaret asked with an encouraging smile.

"Ahh yes, Aunt Margaret. We no longer owe anything to the bank, and there's enough breathing room for the company for now," Arthur replied confidently.

"You've done well, Arthur. Your timely assistance has truly saved us. If we had gone bankrupt... well, we wouldn't know how to face big brother or our ancestors," Richard, his third uncle said with genuine emotion shining in his eyes.

As those words hung in the air, silence enveloped them, a mix of gratitude and worry reflected in their expressions. The atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken thoughts.

"Come on now! The company is safe again; let's not dwell on sad things," Julian said lightly with a chuckle to lift their spirits. "Let's eat!"

"Yeah! No sad talk at the dining table!" Margaret added playfully while giving Richard a gentle nudge under the table.

Richard just scratched his head sheepishly and smiled back.

Arthur felt warmth swell in his heart as he watched them interact, this was family.

Shaking off any lingering heaviness from earlier conversations, he turned his attention to the extravagant dinner spread before him.

He swallowed hard, realizing that the breakfast he had enjoyed earlier was nothing compared to this feast.

The lavish meal laid out in front of him completely transformed his understanding of how the wealthy live.

Although he hadn't yet tasted any of these mouthwatering dishes but from the memories of the previous Arthur, he knows some of the dishes.

For starters alone there is we: Aquaflare Ceviche :fresh Aquaflare fish marinated in zesty tidepool citrus and served with crispy seaweed.

Starshroom Soup : a creamy delight made from rare starshrooms;and a delicate salad bursting with frostbloom petals, arctic moss, and crystalized snowberries, all drizzled with glacial vinaigrette.

Lumina Caviar : Glowing, pearl-like eggs from the bioluminescent Lumina fish found in the crystal-clear waters of Aquarion. Served with crispy seaweed crackers** and panterran sea foam**.

Cloudberry Salad :A light salad made with cloudberries, sky lettuce, and honeyed nuts, dressed with skyflower vinaigrette.

As for the main course there is :

Flame-Grilled Skybeast : a tender cut of winged creature from Zephyria, grilled to perfection with solarflare truffle butter and accompanied by roasted sunroot vegetables; followed by

Aetherial Mouss :an airy dessert crafted from cloudberries and lunar honey, topped with shimmering edible stardust; Crystalized Glowfish, pan-seared delicacies paired with starlit quinoa;

Galactic Venison :slow-roasted to perfection in starshroom glaze alongside moonlit wild rice.

As for dessert! The lineup included layers of sweet delight like

Skyberry Parfait :a heavenly combination of skyberry cream, cloudberry jam, and honeyed granola; an enticing.

Emberfruit Tart :filled with emberfruit compote and crowned with flame-kissed cream; shimmering.

Tidepool Gelée : made from tidepool nectar and sea pearls; delectable.

Nebula Tart : filled with nebula cream and topped with edible star fragments; and a delightful.

Snowflake Parfait : featuring layers of snowflake cream, frozen cloudberries, and crystalized honey.

As Arthur inhaled the intoxicating aromas wafting through the air, his eyes widened in anticipation.

His mouth watered uncontrollably as he watched others dive into their meals. Unable to resist any longer, he joined them.

With each bite he took, he closed his eyes in blissful satisfaction as flavors danced on his palate.

"Now this is what I call delicious food!" Arthur thought to himself as happiness swelled within him.