Chương 438: Chapter : 438

Ira reached down smoothly. She took a chocolate cookie from the plate. She took a small, quiet bite. She did not smile, but she looked very content in the warm room. Khadija walked out of the hallway. She carried a large tray of small, clear glass bowls. The bowls were filled with rich, golden caramel pudding. The incredibly sweet smell filled the entire living room instantly.

"Dessert is finally ready!" Khadija announced happily. Ken jumped up from the floor immediately. His lazy attitude vanished for a split second. He moved with incredible, flawless speed.

"Pudding!" Ken yelled excitedly. He rushed over to his mother. He grabbed a glass bowl. He grabbed a silver spoon. He practically inhaled a massive bite of the dessert.

"This is the absolute greatest creation in the universe. Everyone needs to eat this right now. It is mandatory." The girls hurried back into the living room. They all took a bowl of caramel pudding. They sat around the cozy room. They tasted the delicious dessert.

"Oh my goodness," Naomi groaned happily. She closed her green eyes.

"This is amazing. It melts instantly on my tongue." Laxmi scraped her bowl totally clean in ten seconds.

"Mrs. Eliot, you are a magical chef. Can we please take a whole pot of this back to the estate?"

"I will definitely pack some containers for you to take home," Khadija laughed brightly. She loved seeing the girls enjoy her homemade food. The afternoon flew by in a happy haze of laughter, stories, and delicious food. The elite warriors totally let their strict guard down. They forgot about the rigid Royal rules. They forgot about the upcoming border deployment entirely. They just acted like normal, happy teenagers enjoying a peaceful day. Zinia helped Brandon fix a broken metal hinge on the front door.

She used her strong muscles to hold the heavy wood in place while he secured the screws. They made a fantastic team. Risa showed Khadija a special, magical way to mix water and crushed eggshells to keep bugs away from the garden plants. Khadija took careful notes on a piece of paper. She treated Risa like a sweet second daughter. Luna slept peacefully the entire time. Nobody bothered her at all. It was the absolute best nap she ever had.

Sayma helped Jasmin with a very complex math equation for her university studies. Sayma explained the difficult formula with perfect, polite logic. Jasmin finally understood the math problem. She thanked Sayma profusely for the help. Naomi and Ken sat together on the front porch. They watched the sun slowly dip lower in the sky. The air turned very cool and breezy. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"You have a really great family, Ken," Naomi said softly. She leaned her back against the wooden railing.

"They are so warm and welcoming. I can totally see why you want to protect your peaceful life here." Ken slouched his shoulders. He looked at his quiet childhood street. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"They are the best," Ken agreed lazily. He gave her a goofy, relaxed smile.

"They do not ask me to run laps in the morning. They do not throw hot fireballs at me. They just give me caramel pudding. It is a flawless, perfect system." Naomi chuckled gently. She bumped her shoulder against his arm.

"We only throw fireballs at you to keep you alert, slacker. We want you to survive the battles."

"I survive by hiding perfectly," Ken joked. The front door opened with a soft creak. Sayma stepped out onto the porch. She pushed her glasses up her nose. She looked a little bit sad that the day was ending.

"It is getting late," Sayma announced quietly.

"We need to return to the estate now. We have to prepare our tactical gear for the border mission tomorrow. Princess Iris expects us to be completely ready." Naomi nodded firmly. The fierce vanguard leader returned instantly. She stood up perfectly straight.

"You are right. We cannot afford to be sloppy. Let us gather the team." They walked back inside the house. The girls started putting their heavy boots back on. They thanked Khadija and Brandon multiple times for the wonderful visit. Khadija handed Naomi a large, secure plastic container filled with leftover chicken stew and extra caramel pudding.

"You girls take care of yourselves out there," Khadija said warmly. She hugged Naomi. She hugged Sayma. She even hugged the emotionless Ira. Ira stood perfectly stiff but did not pull away from the warm embrace. Jasmin walked over to Ken. She punched him lightly on the arm.

"Do not do anything stupid on this mission, Ken," Jasmin warned him softly. Her eyes looked a little worried.

"Do not try to be a brave hero. Just stay behind your friends. They are incredibly strong. Let them do all the fighting." Ken rubbed his arm playfully. He gave his sister a big, goofy grin.

"I am a professional coward, Jasmin. I will hide behind the tallest rock I can possibly find. I promise I will not do any extra work." Jasmin smiled. She hugged him very tightly.

"Good. Come visit again soon. And bring the girls. They are much cooler than you."

"I am very cool," Ken argued lazily.

"I have a great jacket." The 13th Unit stepped off the wooden porch. They walked down the quiet dirt road. They headed back toward the transit station. The sun set completely. The streetlamps flickered on, casting a warm yellow light on the path. The girls chatted happily as they walked. The visit had completely refreshed their spirits. They felt deeply connected to Ken. They understood his humble background. They loved his normal, cozy family. The bond between the team was incredibly strong now.

They truly felt like a united, unbreakable family. Ken dragged his feet at the very back of the group. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He carried the plastic container of leftover pudding. He slouched his shoulders as far as they could go. He looked at the girls walking ahead of him. He saw Naomi laughing brightly with Laxmi. He saw Sayma talking politely with Zinia. He saw Luna rubbing her sleepy eyes. He saw Ira holding Risa's hand to keep her safe in the dark street.

Ken smiled a very small, very genuine smile in the shadows. He hated the Succession War. He hated the corrupt politicians. He hated the endless cardio. But he absolutely did not hate this team. He cared about them a lot. He wanted to make sure they all survived the upcoming battles at the border.

"I will keep them totally safe," Ken promised silently in his mind. He popped a piece of strawberry candy into his mouth. He chewed slowly.

"I will let them do all the flashy fighting. I will let them get the glory. I will just stand in the dark shadows and make sure nobody touches them. It is the perfect, lazy plan." He swallowed his candy. He let out a loud, dramatic yawn that echoed down the quiet street.