Chương 436: Chapter : 436

"Well," Brandon chuckled deeply. He tossed his newspaper onto a side table.

"This is a very full house today. Welcome, everyone. I am Brandon. I am Ken's father." Zinia stepped forward. She offered a firm, highly respectful handshake. Her grip was very strong.

"It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Zinia. We deeply appreciate your hospitality." Elma stepped inside cautiously. She looked at the simple wooden furniture. She looked at the worn-out rugs on the floor. She felt very awkward and out of place. She held out her small box of premium vanilla pastries. She kept her eyes glued to the floor.

"I brought these," Elma stammered softly. Her cheeks turned slightly pink again.

"They are from a bakery in the Inner City. It is a gesture of goodwill." Khadija took the fancy box. She smiled warmly at the nervous blonde girl.

"Thank you so much, dear. That is incredibly thoughtful. We will definitely have them for dessert after the stew." Ira stepped forward with perfect posture. She handed Khadija the box of sea-salt chocolates.

"Statistically speaking, presenting chocolate improves mood levels during unfamiliar social gatherings by forty-two percent." Khadija laughed a bright, happy laugh. She did not find the robotic girl weird at all.

"You are absolutely right about that! Come into the dining room, everyone. I will set the table right now." The girls walked into the dining room. They sat around the rectangular wooden table. The table was a little bit cramped for eight people. They bumped elbows. Naomi sat next to Ken. Sayma sat next to Jasmin. Luna immediately rested her head flat on the table and closed her eyes. Jasmin sat perfectly still. She felt completely overwhelmed by the beautiful, powerful women sitting in her dining room.

She looked at her lazy, messy brother. He was slurping a glass of cold water loudly. He looked totally unbothered by the situation.

"I do not understand this at all," Jasmin whispered to herself. She stared at the elite warriors.

"How did he do this? He cannot even match his own socks in the morning." Khadija brought out a massive, steaming pot of chicken stew. She set it carefully in the middle of the table. She brought out a basket of fresh, warm bread rolls. She poured cold drinks for everyone. The spicy, delicious smell filled the entire room. Laxmi took a huge bite of the stew. Her golden eyes widened in pure delight.

"Wow! This is very spicy! This is amazing! Naomi, you absolutely need to learn this recipe!" Naomi tasted the stew gracefully. She smiled a wide, genuine smile.

"It really is fantastic, Khadija. Thank you so much." Ken grabbed three bread rolls at once. He stacked them high on his plate.

"I told you guys. My mom is the absolute best chef in the Empire. The fancy palace food is completely terrible compared to this." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Khadija walked behind Ken. She affectionately patted his messy black hair. She looked at the girls around the table.

"You are all so beautiful and incredibly strong," Khadija said kindly.

"I worry about Ken out there in the capital. He is not very brave. He does not know how to fight with a sword. Do you have to protect him a lot during your missions?" Ken nodded enthusiastically. He swallowed a piece of bread.

"They protect me every single day, Mom. I am a very fragile person. I always hide behind large rocks. They do all the intense cardio for me." Naomi bumped Ken's shoulder playfully. She laughed a genuine, fond laugh. She looked at Khadija with respectful eyes.

"He likes to pretend he is completely useless, Khadija. But he actually helps us a lot. He has a very smart brain. We rely on him." Jasmin almost choked on her water. She coughed loudly. She stared at Naomi in total shock.

"Smart? My brother? Are we talking about the same Ken Eliot? He got a C-minus in basic math last year. He forgets to tie his shoes." Sayma smiled politely. She pushed her glasses up.

"Academic grades do not always reflect true tactical intelligence, Jasmin. Ken has a very unique way of looking at complex problems. He offers completely different perspectives. He keeps our entire team grounded." Elma looked down at her bowl. She stirred her hot stew slowly. Her face flushed a very light pink.

"He is very observant," Elma admitted softly.

"He notices things. Even when he acts like a complete idiot." Jasmin felt her brain entirely short-circuit. She looked back at her brother. Ken was currently trying to balance a silver spoon on his nose again. The spoon fell off and landed on his lap. He let out a dramatic, lazy groan.

"I am living in an alternate reality," Jasmin muttered softly. She grabbed a warm bread roll.

"These elite warriors actually respect him. The world makes absolutely no sense today." The dinner was a massive, undeniable success. The girls loved the spicy food. They loved the cozy, warm atmosphere of the normal house. They did not care about the small dining room. They liked the normal, everyday feeling. It was a fantastic break from the strict, stressful environment of the Succession War.

After dinner, the group moved directly into the cozy living room. Luna immediately found the worn-out, comfortable sofa. She curled up into a tight ball on the cushions. She pulled a knitted blanket entirely over her shoulders.

"This couch is amazing," Luna mumbled sleepily.

"It is so soft. I am never leaving this spot." Brandon laughed loudly. He sat down in his favorite leather recliner.

"You can sleep there as long as you want, young lady. Make yourself at home." Zinia walked over to a small wooden shelf near the window. She looked at a neat collection of old, hand-carved wooden animal figures.

"Did you make these, Mr. Eliot?" Zinia asked.

"I did," Brandon smiled proudly.

"It is just a relaxing hobby. I carve them after my long factory shifts." Zinia picked up a small wooden bear. She admired the highly detailed carving.

"This requires very steady hands. It is beautiful work. You have real talent for this." Brandon beamed. He loved talking about his hobby. He and Zinia started a very friendly, engaging conversation about woodworking and heavy tools. They got along perfectly. Risa sat down on the soft rug. She opened her sketchbook. She pulled out her bright colored pencils.

"Mrs. Eliot, your garden outside is very pretty. Do you grow tomatoes in the dirt?" Khadija sat down on the floor next to Risa. She smiled warmly.

"I try to grow them, sweetie. But the nasty bugs always eat the leaves before they turn red. It is very frustrating." Risa smiled her bright, innocent smile.

"I can help with that! I know a very good natural trick to keep bugs away. I mix crushed eggshells with water. I can show you later!"

"I would absolutely love that," Khadija agreed happily.