Morning sunlight slipped through the castle windows, painting the room in a warm golden glow.
Darven sat quietly on a chair while Nick stood on the balcony, enjoying the cool morning breeze.
On the bed, Eyrx was still asleep.
Nick sighed.
"Eyrx, wake up."
No response.
Eyrx turned to the other side and mumbled,
"Hazel... now you come? I don't have any work to do. Go close the curtains..."
Nick stared at him.
Darven rubbed his forehead.
"Congratulations. You've become his sister."
Nick walked to the foot of the bed.
Without warning, he grabbed Eyrx's leg.
"What are you—"
Before Eyrx could finish, Nick dragged him off the bed.
THUD!
"Ouch! Ouch! What are you doing?!"
Eyrx rubbed his eyes and looked up.
"It's you, Nick."
Nick crossed his arms.
"Finally. Now get up. It's training time."
A while later, after washing up and changing into comfortable training clothes, Eyrx stepped out of the bathroom.
The first thing he asked was,
"Where's breakfast?"
Nick looked at Eyrx.
Eyrx looked at Darven.
Darven looked at Nick.
Silence filled the room.
"You didn't make breakfast?" Eyrx asked.
Darven and Nick replied at the same time.
"We are not your cooks."
Eyrx pointed at them.
"You brought me here. Taking care of me is your responsibility."
Darven stood up.
"How about we all make breakfast together?"
He looked at Nick.
"Come."
Then at Eyrx.
"You too."
Nick frowned.
"I've never cooked anything."
Eyrx nodded immediately.
"Same. I never needed to."
Darven sighed.
"It's okay. I'll do most of it. Just help a little."
"Fine."
The three headed toward the kitchen.
The castle kitchen was surprisingly large, with stone walls and wooden cabinets lining the room.
Darven opened the refrigerator and started gathering ingredients.
Meanwhile, Eyrx sat comfortably on a dining chair doing absolutely nothing.
"Nick," Eyrx said casually, "you told me you never came back after your parents died. Then why does this fridge have groceries?"
Nick looked at him like he was stupid.
"Because I bought them."
"Oh."
Darven pointed at a bowl of fruit.
"Eyrx, cut those."
Then he pointed at a stack of bread.
"Nick, toast those."
Nick grabbed the bread and immediately opened the oven.
Darven froze.
"What are you doing?"
"Toasting bread."
"Not in the oven!"
Darven pointed toward the toaster.
"Use that."
Nick quietly closed the oven.
Eyrx immediately started laughing.
"Master warrior Nick defeated by bread."
Nick ignored him.
A few minutes later, Darven was preparing omelets when he glanced toward Eyrx.
His eye twitched.
"Eyrx."
"What?"
"Why are the fruit pieces bigger than my hand?"
Eyrx looked at the giant chunks.
"They look normal."
"They are not normal!"
Darven took a deep breath before turning toward Nick.
"Pass me the red spice from the upper cabinet."
Nick opened the cabinet.
He found the spice container.
But the moment he grabbed it—
THUMP!
A huge flour container fell directly onto his head.
White powder exploded everywhere.
Nick stood frozen.
Covered completely in flour.
The kitchen fell silent.
Then Eyrx burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
Even Darven had to turn away to hide a smile.
Nick looked ready to commit murder.
While Darven cleaned the mess, a strange smell suddenly filled the room.
His eyes widened.
"No!"
He rushed to the stove.
The omelet was black.
Completely burned.
Eyrx pointed at it.
"You also can't cook."
Darven looked like his soul had left his body.
Meanwhile, Eyrx decided to help by making juice.
He grabbed the fruit and walked toward the blender.
A minute later he suddenly started laughing again.
Nick and Darven looked at him.
"What now?" Darven asked.
Eyrx pointed toward the toaster.
"I think we're not getting breakfast for the next two years."
"Why?"
"Because Nick forgot to plug it in."
Darven slowly turned toward the toaster.
The wire was hanging freely.
Not connected to anything.
Nick looked away.
Darven closed his eyes.
For several seconds he didn't speak.
Then—
"Get out."
"Huh?" Eyrx blinked.
"Both of you. Out of my kitchen."
Nick tried to defend himself.
"We can still help."
"If you help any more, we'll starve to death."
Eyrx immediately stood up.
"Let's go, Nick."
Nick nodded.
"He's right."
The two escaped the kitchen without hesitation.
Behind them, Darven's angry voice echoed through the castle.
And for the first time in days, laughter filled the old halls again.