CHAPTER 276: HOME [2]

"Alright," Ravene announced, stepping aside with a sweep of her arm, "welcome home."

Eira’s eyes lit up as she looked around the spacious front hall "Oh my god. it’s so open! Look at the sunlight coming through!"

She twirled once, her skirt brushing against Brandon’s leg as she spun, before grabbing his hand to pull him further inside.

Dhayun moved calmly with soft steps as her gaze lingered on the clean white walls and polished wooden floor "It feels... peaceful. A good place to live."

Yverine didn’t say much, but her sharp eyes darted around, looking at the in corners, windows, and doors with her usual habit of noting every detail.

Still, a faint smile stood on her lips as she looked around.

Ravene walked through the hall with her heels clicking against the floor as she gestured toward the living room, which opened wide into a modern kitchen.

Beyond the glass doors, they could glimpse the pool shimmering under the afternoon sun "Close enough to the city if we need, far enough for privacy."

"Privacy is good," Eira sang softly, still exploring, running her hands over the smooth counter in the kitchen "And the air, I can breathe properly here."

As everyone began scattering around to check the different rooms, Eira darted up the stairs, Yverine trailing behind her, Dhayun moving toward the back doors, already curious about the pool and the open field beyond.

The house was quickly filled with footsteps and voices echoing faintly through the new walls.

Brandon stood in the hallway and his gaze landed on Elize and Ravene standing together near the broad window that overlooked the field outside.

Without thinking, he walked up behind them and slipped his arms around both of their waists, pulling them against him in one hug.

"Aunt Elize, Rave..." he murmured warmly, resting his chin lightly between their shoulders.

Both women turned to face him at the same time and they hugged him back in return.

Elize tilted her face upward as she planted a soft kiss on his cheek "How do you like the home, darling?"

Brandon gave a soft nod "I like it very much," he said, squeezing them gently, "you and Rave chose the right home."

Ravene shifted slightly closer and pressed a brief, feather-light kiss to his lips "Glad you like it."

Brandon’s arms tightened around both of them and Ravene whispered "Let’s have threesome later in the pool."

-_- Elize gave her a blank stare "Why are you always pervert minded."

Ravene pouted her lips and hugged Brandon tightly "What’s wrong with wishing to have sex with my man?"

Elize sighed, rubbing her forehead lightly with two fingers as if to chase away Ravene’s antics. "Sometimes I don’t know what is running through your mind and how are you a lead researcher in Ether Science."

Brandon shook his head helplessly and let out a chuckle.

---

The glass door slid shut behind Brandon with a faint click and the sound of water lapping gently at the pool reached his ears.

He stepped out onto the patio barefoot as his eyes adjusted to the brightness.

By the edge, Dhayun was standing and she was moving slowly, looking around.

"Dh–Noona," Brandon called softly.

She turned at once and her expression lightened up when she saw him. "Woonie."

Dhayun stepped forward and slipped her arm through his, hugging him closely.

Her body leaned into his side, her cheek brushing lightly against his shoulder for just a moment before she pulled back enough to look up at him.

"Come with me," she said gently.

Brandon blinked, "Where to?"

"You’ll see."

They walked slowly around the pool’s edge and Dhayun’s grip on his arm never loosened, her fingers threading against his sleeve.

Every few steps she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her lips parting as though she wanted to say something, then closing again.

Brandon noticed, of cours. "You’ve been looking around a lot. Do you like it here?"

Her smile flickered "Mm. It feels... free. Warm."

She leaned her head just slightly against his arm. "It feels like you, Woonie."

The words caught him off guard, pulling his gaze to her.

There was no teasing in her eyes... only a quiet, vulnerable honesty that made his chest tighten.

Dhayun stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him while still holding his arm.

The breeze stirred her hair as she bit her lip lightly, "I don’t know if I can belong here yet... but when I’m beside you, it feels like maybe I could."

Brandon’s throat tightened, and after a heartbeat of silence, he lifted his free hand to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. "You already do," he said quietly.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Dhayun laughed faintly, almost embarrassed, and pulled him forward again.

"Come on," she said, trying to cover the flush on her cheeks. "I wanted to show you something."

She guided him toward the far end of the patio where the view opened wide over the city below.

Still holding his arm, she pointed out over the railing. "Look, Woonie... from here, you can see everything. Doesn’t it feel like... we’re above it all?"

"Yeah..."

---

Ravene slipped into the driver’s seat and adjusted herself with a quiet exhale before looking at Elize who was standing outside "I am leaving Elize, I will go and have a chat with those two girls. You take care of things here."

Elize nodded her head "Alright. Drive safe."

The car rolled forward as Ravene pulled away from the house, leaving Elize standing in the quiet front yard, the wind rustling gently through her hair.

---

A deep sigh escaped Ravene’s lips as she looked at Clarisse and Astrid, who were sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Hm, so you didn’t find anything abnormal at all?"

Clarisse shook her head "No, Miss Ravene. It was a nestled rupture. Astrid pointed toward the core; we went in and destroyed the core."

"When the rupture vanished... Brandon began to act strange."

Astrid scratched her head slightly in irritation ’The heck. Why do I feel like I should know something but I can’t remember.’

Looking at Ravene, she spoke "Madam Ravene, all I know is I sensed three different kinds of ether signatures from Brandon’s body before entering the rupture."

"But after we left the rupture, I felt the three faint ether signatures and one powerful ether signature and that humongous energy in his body was from that signature."

Ravene looked at Astrid blankly ’Tell that sooner, you dumb bitch.’

Clarisse slowly turned to look at Astrid as if asking ’Why didn’t you tell such crucial information this whole time during the investigation?’

Ah! Astrid looked at both of them and placed her hand on her head "My bad... I forgot to mention it until now."

Ravene facepalmed herself and sighed, suppressing the urge to curse out loud "Three different ether signatures in his body..."

Her gaze narrowed ’The three ether signatures should be my energy, Eira’s and Yverine’s...’

’This fourth one should be the one from that ’someone’ or ’something’ which had intimate contact with him.’

Her fingers tightened against the table.

Astrid fidgeted, sensing the shift in Ravene’s mood but oblivious to its depth.

Clarisse, however, remained composed and her eyes flickered once more toward Astrid with quiet disdain before returning to Ravene.

Looking at Astrid, Ravene asked "If you feel that Ether signature again, can you recognize it?"

Astrid nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes! Madam Ravene, of course I can. I’d do anything for you. Anything!"

She leaned forward, almost bouncing in her seat as she added cheerfully "I can lick your heels too, if you want! Or do you want me to be your lifelong servant?"

Clarisse lips twitched in annoyance as she glanced at Astrid in the corner of her eyes.

Ravene blinked once and another sigh slipped past her lips, "...Not what I asked."

Looking at Ravene, Clarisse spoke "Forgive her, Miss Ravene, she is your biggest fan and seems like she got a bit too excited to see you."

Astrid coughed into her fist and nodded again "Ahem... Yes, Madam Ravene. I remember it. If I sense it again, I’ll know."

Ravene leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms under her chest "Hm, then I can use you."

Stars appeared on Astrid’s eyes as she looked at Revene excitedly "You are going to use me? Please do, use me as you wish."

"I don’t mind how you use me, step on me, throw me, command me, anything!"

Ravene’s eyebrow twitched violently trying to process what she is hearing and slowly turned to look at Clarisse.

Clarisse’s She lowered her head immediately, pressing a hand to her forehead as if praying to the heavens above. "Astrid..." she muttered softly with a faint tremor of embarrassment in her tone.

Astrid, however, was undeterred.

She leaned even closer across the table, practically wagging her figurative tail, "I mean it, Madam Ravene! You don’t need to hold back on me. If this is for you, I’ll crawl, I’ll bark, I’ll-"

"Enough."

Hearing Ravene’s voice, Astrid immediately snapped back in her seat and her spine straightened like a soldier caught by her superior officer.

Ravene exhaled slowly, one hand brushing her bangs back.

Her eyes narrowed in thought ’With Charlotte’s authority, we can call in every Empyrean across the continents... Ask this girl to sense their ether and check if it matches with the ether she felt within Brandon...’

Her gaze snapped back to Astrid "Listen, girl. If I entrust you with this, you will follow my command exactly. Do you understand?"

Astrid puffed her chest with pride, and saluted in her own clumsy way "Yes, Madam Ravene! I will not fail you!"

"I will sniff out that ether signature like a bloodhound- ah, actually, you can make me a bloodhound if you want! I’ll-"

Ravene facepalmed herself and let out a long sigh "Why did I expect anything less from you."

Clarisse finally dared to raise her head, though her face was still slightly red from secondhand embarrassment.

She glanced at Ravene and muttered "Still... her talent in Ether Science is not to be underestimated. Her usefulness outweighs... her dumbass personality."

Ravene nodded faintly "Alright..."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING DUMBASS??"