Because of Xiao Xingxiu's personality, there weren't many strict rules at the Sebastian family dinner table.
It resembled a warm, Eastern-style family meal—everyone chatting about random daily happenings, light jokes and small stories sprinkled between bites.
Xiao Xingxiu and Theresa talked the most, their conversation flowing endlessly from one topic to another. They were never short of things to discuss.
Sebastian, meanwhile, focused on eating—one bowl after another—listening in on the conversation. Occasionally he tried to interject, tossing in a few comments, but he was usually ignored halfway through and promptly talked over.
Whenever that happened, Sebastian simply went back to eating. If he really couldn't hold back from expressing his opinion, he would repeat himself several times, gradually raising his voice until someone finally responded. Only then would he continue eating, satisfied.
Sometimes he became the main speaker at the table, sharing his own ideas—but rarely received any support.
The Xiao family dining table had always been like this: noisy, lively, and cheerful. Even with guests present, they acted the same. Instead of being put off, Edgar gradually warmed up and joined in the friendly bickering.
As for Homelander—John—he spent most of the meal apologizing to Theresa, regret and shame spilling over as he confessed everything he had done earlier.
He had wanted to harm such a gentle woman. In his mind, that alone was practically unforgivable.
He even explained his past and the anger that had built up inside him, all in hopes of winning Theresa's forgiveness.
Theresa listened to his story and naturally felt compassion for the poor child who had grown up in a lab.
He was the same age as her own son, and yet their fates couldn't have been more different. Sebastian had parents who loved him; Homelander didn't even know what his parents looked like.
Theresa's kind nature blossomed into a maternal instinct. She hugged Homelander, offering the comfort he had never known, and kept piling food into his bowl.
Homelander melted instantly in that warmth. Holding the huge steak Theresa gave him with both hands, he glanced toward Sebastian with a stubborn, competitive glint—then began wolfing down the meat as if declaring I can eat more than you.
…
…
Edgar continued chatting and eating, but his eyes never strayed far from Homelander.
And when Homelander began recounting his tragic childhood, Edgar immediately sensed something was changing.
When he later witnessed Homelander competing with Sebastian for Theresa's affection, Edgar felt a subtle pang of disbelief.
He never imagined the defiant, uncontrollable Homelander could be won over so easily.
But thinking about it… no matter how strong Homelander was, he was still, at his core, a 13-year-old boy.
The best way to discipline a difficult child was simple: give him a good beating, then follow it up with genuine kindness.
Sebastian had already given him the beating. Now Theresa was giving him the warmth of a real home. Anyone would defect under such a combination—especially a boy starving for affection.
If the Sebastian family managed to tame Homelander, all that meant was that Sebastian would receive a slightly larger share of profits. But the benefits? They were enormous.
An ape raised without a mother grows vicious. Children are no different.
If Theresa could fill the void in Homelander's heart, then Homelander would become docile—manageable.
And by entrusting him to Sebastian, Edgar would also secure Sebastian's support. That was the most important part.
Edgar could sense something unmistakable within Sebastian…
Order.
A presence he had only ever felt from certain high-ranking officials across the ocean.
Even if Edgar couldn't judge Sebastian's moral alignment, one thing was absolutely clear—Sebastian was someone who respected rules. Someone who played the game.
Order requires rules. And someone who follows rules is someone you can work with—win or lose, they accept the outcome. Such people were rare and precious.
Edgar felt no discomfort getting along with the Sebastian family. Humans respond naturally to sincerity, and sincerity was exactly what the Sebastian household radiated.
Their straightforward warmth made Edgar feel a respect he hadn't felt in years—something he craved deeply.
And the Sebastian home itself was harmonious. A good environment. Honest, kind people.
Sebastian's own character reflected the upbringing Theresa and Sebastian Xingxiu had given him—clear morals, proper values, no drugs, no drinking, no degeneracy. Upright. Refined.
Sebastian Sebastian was the very image of a noble young man. Nothing like Soldier Boy's thuggishness, nor Homelander's deep-rooted cruelty.
This was, Edgar realized, the best possible outcome. As long as he maintained Sebastian's goodwill, the two strongest Supes would stand behind him—his CEO position would be unshakable.
When Edgar thought about the older woman the board had sent to handle Homelander, he couldn't help but sneer.
Those shareholders believed they could secure Homelander's loyalty with a washed-up "leftover woman." They had no idea how pathetic she looked when compared to a real mother.
How could an extreme feminist—with no children, no partner, and a worldview that treated men as disposable—ever hope to serve as a genuine mother figure?
…
…
After dinner, everyone cleaned up together. Sebastian took John into the yard to walk off the meal.
"Wanna play catch?"
Sebastian held up two pairs of gloves and a baseball.
"Yes—let's start!"
A rare sparkle of excitement flashed through John's eyes.
Boom—Bang—
"Hahaha!"
"Oh my God—this feels amazing!"
The baseball shrieked through the air like an artillery shell each time they threw it. Every pitch carried the destructive force of a cannon blast.
Yet both boys caught the ball effortlessly.
More than that—they were having fun. Genuinely having fun, for perhaps the first time in their lives.
"Only equals can become friends," Edgar murmured from the patio, sipping tea beside Xiao Xingxiu. "I've never seen Homelander play like this."
"I'm happy for Sebastian," Xiao Xingxiu said. "He's too strong. It gets lonely."
"That's John's luck too," Edgar replied, though he heard much more hidden behind Sebastian Xingxiu's words.
For example—how could Sebastian be lonely if he had only awakened his powers yesterday?
There was only one explanation.
Sebastian had been hiding his power all along… waiting for Soldier Boy to die before stepping into the spotlight.
Edgar didn't know why Sebastian feared Soldier Boy—but with their agreement sealed, it was too late to care.
From now on… it would be Sebastian's era.
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