Chương 435: Chapter : 435

"It is entirely too late," Sayma stated politely. She clicked her neat pen. She opened her notebook.

"I already adjusted the official schedule. We have a brief window before our border deployment begins. Meeting the families of our unit members builds deep team trust. It is highly efficient for group morale." Elma crossed her arms defensively. She refused to look directly at him.

"I am only coming because Princess Hestia told me to socialize more. I do not actually care about your little house. I bet it is very dusty and messy." Ken looked at Naomi. He gave her his biggest, saddest puppy-dog eyes. He pushed his lower lip out. He tried to look incredibly pitiful.

"Naomi, please," Ken whined dramatically.

"Protect me from this madness. They are going to eat all my snacks. My sister will make fun of my shoes. I need to go alone. It is a severe medical necessity." Naomi chuckled softly. She bumped her shoulder against his arm.

"Your puppy eyes do not work on me anymore, slacker. We want to meet your family. We want to see exactly where you grew up. Grab your bag. We are leaving right now." Ken let out a massive, dramatic groan. He threw his head back and stared at the ceiling.

"This is a total disaster," Ken complained loudly.

"My peaceful vacation is completely ruined. You guys are definitely going to embarrass me in front of my neighbors."

"We will be perfectly polite," Risa promised softly. She smiled her sweet, innocent smile. She held up a small bouquet of colorful flowers.

"I picked these from the garden. I brought some nice flowers for your mother." Ira stepped into the doorway. The water mage stood perfectly still. Her pale face showed zero emotion. She held a beautifully wrapped box of sea-salt chocolates.

"Statistically speaking, presenting premium gifts to parental figures increases approval ratings by exactly forty percent. I am fully prepared for this social interaction." Ken picked up his duffel bag. He dragged his cheap shoes on the wooden floorboards. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.

"Fine," Ken pouted lazily.

"But I am not carrying anyone's heavy bags. And I get the absolute first bowl of pudding. That is a non-negotiable term." The group left the estate. They walked to the transit station. They took a loud, busy train to the Iron Rose District. The train ride was incredibly chaotic. Laxmi argued loudly with Elma about the absolute best way to cook roasted meat. Luna leaned against Zinia's shoulder and fell completely asleep. Sayma read a thick book about regional economics. Ken slouched deep in his seat.

He ignored the noise. He opened a bag of gummy worms. He ate them slowly and happily. They finally stepped off the train. They walked down the normal, everyday streets of the middle-class neighborhood. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The Iron Rose District looked very different from the wealthy Inner City. The houses were quite small. The roads were made of plain dirt and uneven cobblestone. Normal citizens walked around carrying groceries.

They did not wear fancy silk clothes or gold jewelry. They wore simple, practical work outfits. Elma looked around nervously. She kept her spotless white and gold uniform far away from the brick walls. She did not want to get a single speck of dirt on her boots.

"This place is very... rustic," Elma mumbled quietly. She held her pastry box tightly.

"It is home," Ken said lazily. He popped a bright red gummy worm into his mouth. He chewed it loudly.

"It has lots of character. And it has excellent, very cheap bakeries. You will love it." They reached a small, two-story house at the end of the street. The white paint on the front porch peeled slightly in the sun. A small, neat garden sat in the front yard. Ken walked up the wooden steps. He did not knock on the door. He just grabbed the brass handle and opened the front door.

"I am home!" Ken announced loudly. He walked inside. He dropped his heavy duffel bag on the floor.

"Please tell me the pudding is ready to eat. I brought some very noisy, very hungry guests with me." Quick footsteps hurried down the wooden stairs. Jasmin, Ken's younger sister, walked into the narrow hallway. She held a thick math textbook in her hand. She wore normal, comfortable clothes. She looked incredibly annoyed by the loud noise.

"You are so incredibly loud, Ken," Jasmin complained instantly. She frowned at him.

"I am trying to study for my university exams. Why are you yelling right now?" Jasmin stopped walking. She froze at the bottom of the stairs. She looked past Ken. She saw the seven girls standing on her small front porch. Her jaw completely dropped open. She dropped her heavy math textbook on the floor. It made a loud, echoing smack. Naomi stood there in her sleek, dark combat gear. Sayma looked incredibly intelligent and polished in her blue uniform. Laxmi grinned a wild, fiery, confident grin.

Zinia looked massively strong and imposing. Elma looked exactly like a flawless, rich fashion model. Ira stood perfectly still like a marble statue. Risa smiled sweetly with her flowers. Luna let out a sleepy, muffled yawn. Jasmin stared at them. She stared at her brother. She blinked her eyes five times in a rapid row. She could not process the image in front of her.

"Ken," Jasmin whispered softly. Her voice cracked with pure shock.

"Who in the world are these people?"

"These are my coworkers," Ken sighed lazily. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He slouched his shoulders.

"They followed me home. I tried to lose them on the busy train, but they are very persistent. They want free food." Khadija walked out of the kitchen. She wore a bright floral apron. She wiped her hands on a clean dish towel. She smiled a massive, incredibly warm smile.

"Ken!" Khadija cheered happily. She walked over quickly. She hugged him very tightly. She pulled back and looked at the girls on the porch. Her eyes lit up with pure, unfiltered joy.

"Oh my goodness! You actually brought your friends! Come in! Come in! Please, do not stand out there on the porch!" Naomi stepped inside first. She offered a very polite, highly respectful bow.

"Thank you for having us, Mrs. Eliot. I am Naomi. I work closely with your son. He talks about your amazing cooking all the time." Khadija beamed proudly.

"He does? That is so incredibly sweet! Please, just call me Khadija. Take your boots off by the door. I just finished making a huge pot of spicy chicken stew. I hope you are all very hungry."

"I am always hungry," Laxmi announced happily. She walked inside and kicked her heavy boots off. She left them in a messy pile.

"It smells totally amazing in here. You have a very great house." The elite girls filed into the small hallway. The normal house suddenly felt very crowded. They took up all the empty space. Brandon, Ken's father, walked out of the cozy living room. He held a folded newspaper. He wore a simple gray shirt and loose pants. He saw the elite, highly trained warriors standing in his hallway. He looked very surprised, but he smiled a friendly smile.