Chương 163: Chapter : 163

"Giant frogs!" Ken yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

"Frogs the size of cars, Jasmin! They had these massive, slimy tongues! And wolves with huge bone spikes sticking out of their backs! It is an absolute madhouse out there. I thought I was signing up to carry a few suitcases and maybe sweep a floor. Instead, I am trapped in a constant survival game." Khadija walked into the kitchen carrying three small bowls filled with rich, golden caramel pudding. She set one down directly in front of Ken, sliding a silver spoon next to it.

"Now, Ken, don't exaggerate," Khadija scolded gently, sitting down at the table with them.

"I watch the news. The 13th Unit is doing very well in the Succession War. The reporters said your team successfully cleared a massive criminal organization the other day. It sounds like you are doing very important work for the city."

"The team is doing important work," Ken corrected her, immediately grabbing his spoon and digging into the pudding. He took a massive bite, closing his eyes in sheer bliss. The sweet, sugary caramel melted in his mouth.

"Oh my goodness, this is amazing. But anyway, as I was saying, the team does the work. I just try to find a comfortable corner to hide in until the yelling stops." Jasmin let out a loud, mocking scoff.

"I cannot believe Princess Iris hasn't fired you yet. You are the laziest person I have ever met. How do you even survive the missions if you just hide?"

"I am an expert at staying out of the way," Ken bragged proudly, swallowing his dessert.

"Plus, the girls on my team are totally terrifying. They handle the monsters, and I handle the moral support. It is a perfectly balanced system." Jasmin leaned forward, her curiosity finally winning over her desire to tease him.

"What are they like? The rest of the unit, I mean. Are they just as snobby as the other nobles?" Ken scraped the side of his bowl, thinking about his mismatched, chaotic coworkers.

"Well, my direct boss is named Naomi," Ken explained, waving his spoon around.

"She has bright red hair and a very serious anger problem. She literally yells at me if my shoelaces are untied. But she makes a really good grilled cheese sandwich, so I forgive her. Then there is Sayma. She is the Vice-Captain. She reads books all day and talks like a college professor."

"She sounds smart," Jasmin noted approvingly.

"She is too smart," Ken complained.

"Then we have Laxmi, who loves setting things on fire way too much. Zinia, who lifts rocks for fun. Luna, who actually sleeps more than I do, which is incredibly impressive. And Ira, who talks like a robot and absolutely refuses to share her chocolate with me, no matter how nicely I ask." The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Khadija laughed a soft, bright laugh, resting her chin on her hands.

"They sound like a very lively group of young women. It sounds like you have made some real friends, Ken."

"They are not my friends, Mom. They are my wardens," Ken joked, taking another huge bite of pudding.

"They are actively trying to make me wake up at five in the morning to do cardio. It is a severe violation of my personal boundaries. I just want my slow, peaceful life back." Jasmin shook her head, returning to her textbooks.

"You always want a slow life. But you are right in the middle of history right now, Ken. You should try to actually participate instead of just complaining about it."

"Participating requires effort," Ken stated flatly, scraping the absolute bottom of his bowl to get the last drop of caramel.

"And effort is the enemy of happiness. I am perfectly content being the background character who occasionally gets free snacks." Ken sat back in his chair, completely relaxed. The loud, terrifying battles, the political manipulations of the Round Table, and the constant threat of the other Princes felt a million miles away. Here, sitting in a slightly cramped kitchen in the outer districts, he was just Ken. He wasn't a servant, and he certainly wasn't a masked mastermind pulling the strings of the Empire.

He was just a guy enjoying his mother's cooking, totally thrilled to be away from the chaos. But of course, the peace in the kitchen was about to shift, as his mother decided to ask the one question that always made him want to hide under the table.

Khadija picked up Ken's empty pudding bowl and smiled warmly across the small kitchen table. The afternoon sun was spilling through the window, casting a cozy, golden light over the room.

"So," Khadija started, her eyes twinkling with a sudden, highly mischievous maternal curiosity.

"You are spending all of your time living in a big estate with a group of highly talented, elite young women. Tell me the truth, Ken. Are there any beautiful girls at the mansion who have caught your eye?" Ken froze. He slowly lowered his spoon to the table. Jasmin immediately stopped reading her textbook. She slammed her book shut, resting her elbows on the table, and leaned forward with a massive, teasing grin on her face. She was completely ready to absolutely roast her brother.

"Oh, this is going to be good," Jasmin laughed, pointing a finger at him.

"Come on, Ken. Tell Mom the truth. Is there a fancy knight girl who actually tolerates your nonsense?" Ken slouched deeply into his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He let out a loud, dramatic scoff, looking back and forth between his smiling mother and his laughing sister. He knew exactly how to handle this situation. He needed to lean entirely into his goofy, overly confident slacker persona.

"Please," Ken said loudly, tossing his head back with an exaggerated, arrogant flip of his messy black hair.

"You guys are totally missing the point. It is not about whether they catch my eye. It is about the fact that none of them are even remotely close to being fabulous enough to match my unparalleled greatness." Jasmin let out a sharp snort of pure disbelief.

"Your unparalleled greatness? You are wearing mismatched socks right now, Ken."

"That is a fashion statement, Jasmin!" Ken argued, waving his hand dismissively.

"I am a total catch. I am hilarious, I know how to avoid doing chores, and I am very good at finding the most comfortable spots to take a nap. Any girl would be absolutely incredibly lucky to date me. But those girls at the estate? They are way too stressed out. They care about points and swords and politics. They do not appreciate the fine art of doing absolutely nothing." Khadija chuckled, resting her cheek against her hand.

"Oh, Ken. You cannot hide behind your jokes forever. Eventually, you will meet a nice, normal girl who understands you."