CHAPTER 274: A JOKE?

The warm smell of garlic and onions filled the kitchen as the sound of the knife tapping against the wooden board echoed softly.

Elize’s movements were graceful, and each slice was smooth and even as though she had done this routine a thousand times before.

Beside her, Yverine sat perched on the counter and her brows are furrowed in concentration as she tried to match Elize’s pace, though her cuts were still a little uneven.

"Like this?" Yverine asked, holding up a small piece of onion she had chopped.

Her voice carried that faint uncertainty she often tried to hide, as if she was still unused to asking for approval.

Elize turned her head slightly, strands of damp hair brushing against her cheek, and nodded warmly "Yes, dear... do it like that. That’s perfect."

Yverine’s lips curved into a bright smile at the praise.

She adjusted her grip on the knife and continued chopping, this time more confidently, almost humming under her breath.

Elize glanced at her from the corner of her eye, noticing that small sparkle of joy on the girl’s face.

The sight softened something deep inside her, and a chuckle escaped her lips "You know... I feel like I’ve gained another daughter now."

Yverine froze for a moment with the knife halfway through an onion slice.

Her eyes widened, and she turned toward Elize as if unsure she had heard correctly.

Elize met her gaze with an easy, almost motherly smile.

She set aside the knife she was holding, brushed her hands against her apron, and continued, "There’s already Eira, of course, at your age in the family. But she’s always been closer to Ravene, almost like her daughter."

Her tone was soft and then she reached out and gently touched Yverine’s cheek with the back of her hand "And you... you feel like my daughter."

Yverine’s throat tightened, and she quickly looked down, unable to hold Elize’s gaze.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she held the knife, but the smile that spread across her face was genuine, "T-Thank you,"

Elize chuckled again, her heart warming at the shy reaction. She reached out and gently patted Yverine’s head, smoothing her hair as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Now, keep going with the onions before they make you cry," she teased lightly.

Yverine laughed quietly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve even though no tears had formed from the onions yet "Y-Yeah..."

---

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT!!!"

The peaceful kitchen atmosphere was shattered by the loud noise.

Elize, who had been slicing cucumbers, jumped slightly.

Yverine froze mid-chop and both of them turned their heads toward the hallway.

"Wait- wait! Eira, listen to me, I’m sorry!"

Brandon’s hurried footsteps thundered across the floorboards, growing louder by the second.

Before either Elize or Yverine could even blink, Brandon came skidding into the kitchen in a panic, nearly slipping on the polished tiles.

His hair was a mess, his shirt collar crooked, and his face carried the desperate expression of a man who had committed a capital crime.

"Aunt Elize, help! HELP!" Brandon rushed straight toward her, nearly tripping on the edge of the rug.

Without hesitation, he ducked behind her back like a little boy hiding from his mother after breaking a vase.

His hands gripped her waist lightly as if she were his shield, and he peeked his head out just enough to see the entrance.

Elize blinked at him, "Kael, what-"

Before she could finish, the storm arrived.

Eira stomped into the kitchen and her cheeks were flushed red with both embarrassment and anger.

Her hair swayed furiously behind her, and her fists were clenched at her sides.

"YOU!" she snarled, pointing at him with a trembling finger. "COME HERE! TODAY I’M GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS!"

Brandon immediately ducked further behind Elize, pressing himself to her back.

Elize, confused, raised her hand to block Eira’s advance "Dear, what happened?"

Eira gritted her teeth, practically shaking with frustration. "Ask your dear son what he just said to me!"

Slowly, Elize turned her head toward Brandon "Kael?"

Brandon smiled dryly "It was a joke, Aunt Elize. Just a harmless joke..."

Looking at him, Eira yelled "Joke? JOKE?!"

Yverine, who had been sitting stiffly on the counter this whole time, looked between them like she was watching a stage play.

She tried her hardest to keep a straight face but her lips were already trembling with laughter.

Eira jabbed her finger toward Brandon again, "When I said I was on my period, this- this absolute moron called me... ’my cute ketchup bottle!’"

Silence.

Elize blinked once. Then twice.

Her eyes widened slightly and then narrowed as she tried to process what she just heard.

A delicate sigh slipped from her lips as she turned to look at Brandon "...Kael."

Brandon immediately raised his hands in defense, "I was kidding! Just a joke, you know, to lighten the mood! Haha... ketchup, red... you get it, right?"

Eira stomped her foot, "DO I LOOK LIKE I FIND THAT FUNNY?!"

That was the final straw for Yverine.

She slapped her hand over her mouth, but a muffled laugh slipped out anyway.

Her shoulders shook as she desperately tried to contain herself, but it was no use and her laughter burst out in little hiccups.

"Pfft-"

Everyone’s heads slowly turned to her.

Yverine waved her hands quickly "N-no, no, I’m not laughing! I’m-"

But then she broke again, her face turning red as she tried and failed to stifle her laughter "I-I’m sorry, but ketchup bottle... Brandon, what is wrong with you?!"

Brandon peeked over Elize’s shoulder, frowning at her. "Sister Yve! You’re supposed to be on my side!"

"That’s exactly why this is funny!" Yverine gasped out between her laughter, tears forming in her eyes.

Eira’s jaw dropped in disbelief "You’re laughing? At this?"

Elize, meanwhile, pinched the bridge of her nose, finally putting down the knife "Kael, honestly... sometimes I don’t know what to do with you."

Still hiding behind her, Brandon clutched at her side like a child seeking refuge "Aunt Elize, please! If she gets me, I’m dead. I’ll never survive."

Eira lunged forward, but Elize calmly stepped in front of her, holding her back with one arm "Eira, dear. He may be a fool, but violence is not the answer."

"Not the answer?!" Eira yelled, still glaring past Elize at Brandon. "He called me a ketchup bottle because I am on my period! Do you understand how humiliating that is?!"

Elize sighed again and placed her hand gently on Eira’s shoulder "Yes, dear. It was insensitive. But..." She glanced at Brandon’s guilty face and added dryly,

"...you also have to admit it is a little funny."

Eira’s face twisted in confusion "Aunt Elize! You too?!"

That was when Ravene’s voice floated lazily from the doorway.

"Well, if you think about it... ketchup is sweet and goes with everything. I suppose Kael wasn’t completely wrong."

Eira turned to face Ravene in pure betrayal. "NOT YOU TOO!"

At that, both Yverine and Ravene started chuckling together, and even Elize allowed herself a quiet laugh behind her hand.

Brandon’s confidence returned in an instant as he peeked out, grinning smugly.

"See? They get it." He pointed at Eira. "You just don’t appreciate my genius humor."

"GENIUS?!" Eira shrieked, grabbing a nearby ladle from the counter and brandishing it like a weapon.

"COME HERE, BRANDON, I SWEAR-"

Brandon yelped and bolted straight out of the kitchen, sprinting for his life with Eira behind him, swinging the ladle like a sword.

Yverine fell over sideways on the counter, laughing so hard she was crying.

Ravene shook her head in amusement while Elize returned to chopping vegetables with a long-suffering sigh, though her lips carried a faint smile.