CHAPTER 344: A PARTY?

"Uh..." Brandon smiled wryly, looking at Elize and Ravene standing in front of him.

Both of them stepped forward almost at once.

"Kael..." Elize’s voice carried that dangerous calm that always came before one of her lectures.

Before he could even react, she reached out, gripping his chin firmly and tilting his face from side to side.

Her sharp eyes scanned over every inch of him, searching for cuts, bruises... anything that even hinted at injury.

"You didn’t get hurt, right?" she demanded, though her tone showed her worry more than anger.

Meanwhile, Ravene was circling around him like an eagle.

Her piercing gaze darted up and down, assessing his back, arms, and even his posture to make sure that every bone in his body was in place.

Brandon stood there stiffly with his hands awkwardly at his sides as they both hovered around him.

"I’m fine," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "See? Not a single scratch."

Elize’s eyes narrowed and Ravene crossed her arms. "Not a single scratch... Hm.. After fighting an SS-rank Matriarch and blowing up half the Bleaufort grounds."

Brandon tried a weak laugh "That’s just in the moment-"

He didn’t finish before Elize’s fingers snapped up and pinched his ear hardly.

"Agh-! Aunt Elize!" he yelped, leaning down as she pulled him closer by the ear.

"Why..." she said in her dead calm tone, "did you not call me?"

"I- I thought it was something I could handle!" He quickly blurted out with his eyes darting between them like a cornered kid. "And see, I’m unharmed, right? Completely fine!"

Elize’s grip didn’t loosen, and she leaned closer "You could have been killed. Do you understand that?"

"Ahh, yes, yes! But I wasn’t!" He winced, trying to smile through the pain.

Just then, Ravene stomped on his foot and twisted her heel.

He jerked up, groaning in pain "R-Rave!"

Her eyes narrowed further "Charlotte already told us what happened, Kael."

Elize finally released his ear and crossed her arms with a sigh "You fought two Bleaufort women, with one being a Matriarch... and didn’t think to call anyone for backup? Do you have any idea how reckless that was?"

Brandon rubbed his sore ear "I’m sorry," he said softly, lowering his eyes "It... it all happened so fast. Also, I lost my storage ring in the fight."

Ravene exhaled, her shoulders slumping just slightly "You’re strong now, Kael. We know that. But still, it’s dangerous to fight people like that."

Her lips pressed together as if she wanted to say more, but all that came out was a faint, trembling sigh "You scared us, you know?"

Brandon blinked, and the teasing grin on his face faded into something gentler.

The exhaustion that had been hanging around him since the battle seemed to settle for a moment as he stepped forward, reaching out.

He pulled both Elize and Ravene into his arms, holding them close.

"I’m sorry for scaring you... both of you. But now, everything’s good. Everything’s fine."

Elize’s fingers twitched against his chest before she let out a soft exhale, her hand resting briefly over his heart.

Ravene relaxed in his other arm, her head lowering against his shoulder as if releasing all the tension she had been holding since she heard the news.

Then, in near unison, both women leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Don’t do that again," Elize muttered, still holding onto him lightly. "My heart can only take so many near-death reports in one lifetime."

Brandon chuckled softly "I’ll try not to, Aunt Elize."

Elize tilted her head, eyeing him up and down again before her lips curved into a smile "Also, congratulations on reaching S-rank, dear."

"Should we throw a party?"

Brandon blinked in surprise "A... party?"

Before he could even answer, Ravene’s expression lit up and she nodded eagerly. "We should!"

Elize chuckled "Oh, I can already imagine it... Everyone will lose their minds."

Brandon laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck "You two really don’t have to go that far."

"Oh, we definitely do," Ravene said, jabbing a finger at his chest.

Looking at his face, Elize just smiled and leaned forward to kiss his lips "Alright, we are leaving now, Kael..."

"In the first place, we came here to make sure you are perfectly fine. When you want to come back home, just call me."

Brandon gave a small nod, lowering his gaze briefly. "Also, please don’t tell the others about what happened here... especially Eira. I’ll explain everything to her myself later."

At that, both women exchanged a brief glance "Mhm. We’ll keep it quiet."

Ravene stepped closer and kissed his lips, sucking on them gently "Then see you later, Husband."

With that, Elize gestured to the air beside her.

Space shimmered and tore open like a curtain of light, swirling softly in a ripple of blue and white ether.

Brandon stood watching as the two women stepped toward it, and in an instant, the air folded behind them, leaving only the faint whisper of their ether fading in the stillness of the mansion.

Brandon stood there for a moment longer, staring at the space where they had vanished, before finally exhaling a slow, weary breath. "Yeah..." he muttered softly. "See you later."

---

Brandon leaned back against the headboard, sitting comfortably on the bed.

Florence sat nestled on his lap with her back pressed firmly against his chest, her blonde hair cascading in loose waves down her shoulders.

Brandon’s hands rested on her hips, his fingers tracing lazy, teasing patterns along the soft skin of her abdomen, occasionally slipping under the hem of her tank top to graze the sensitive flesh just above her waistband.

Florence sighed softly, her head tilting back against his shoulder as she stared at the ceiling, "So that’s why... I want to step down from being one of the Noble Houses."

Her hands rested over his hands on her hips, guiding his teasing fingers higher under her tank top.

Brandon’s touch paused for a moment, and his eyes narrowed with concern.

"Hmm..." He nuzzled his cheek against hers "Does Kiera and Eira know about this?"

His fingers resumed their gentle exploration of her abdomen, slipping just a fraction higher to trace the underside of her breasts.

The Noble Houses carried immense power and responsibility, and stepping down could upend alliances.

With a small nod, Florence leaned further into him, her body relaxing against his chest, "Kiera knows, Eira doesn’t..."

Florence’s fingers intertwined with his fingers under her tank top, pressing his palm flat against her warm skin.

He nuzzled deeper, his lips grazing the curve of her neck in a tender kiss as he murmured against her skin, "Do what you like, and also ask Eira about this."

Florence’s decision was hers to own, but he would stand by her, just as she stood by him through his own tangled relationships.

A soft smile curved her lips, and she turned her head, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek, "Thank you, darling..."

Brandon’s smile deepened, and he cupped her chin gently, his thumb tracing the soft swell of her lower lip.

He raised her chin higher, capturing her lips in a slow kiss, and Florence closed her eyes, reciprocating the kiss completely.

---

Kiera lay sprawled across the wide bed as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

One hand rested over her stomach, the other draped limply off the side of the bed and her fingers twitched slightly with the habit of a fighter who never truly relaxed.

"What... do I even do now..." she whispered to herself.

For a long time, her grandmother’s voice had dictated every step of her life.

Every morning began with orders and expectations.

Eat this. Train harder. Endure. Never hesitate. Never question.

And she had obeyed.

Now, the house is quiet.

No sharp voice. No tapping cane.

Just the hum of wind through cracked glass and the faint beat of her own heart.

She turned onto her side, curling her knees closer to her chest.

Her gaze drifted to the old practice sword propped against the wall "I don’t even know who I am without her telling me."

She wasn’t afraid of pain... pain was easy. You grit your teeth and move forward.

But this emptiness, this... freedom, it felt like standing on the edge of a cliff without knowing whether she could fly or would fall.

Her fingers clenched the bedsheet tightly "What am I supposed to do now?"

Kiera sighed, pressing her face into the pillow. "Mother has him now... and Eira also has him."

After a pause, her voice softened, "Maybe I can start by... just learning how to live like a normal girl."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

The kind of smile she hadn’t known she could make without fear of consequence.

Outside her window, sunlight finally broke through the clouds, casting a warm glow across the broken courtyard.