Sara was the first to wake up. She blinked slowly, then smiled when she saw Lys lying between her and Mira. Both girls were curled against him like they belonged there. Sara stretched her arms above her head, her bare shoulders peeking out from under the thin blanket. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Lys's cheek; her lips were warm and a little dry from sleep. However little sleep it was.
"Hey… wake up, sleepyhead," she whispered, gently shaking his shoulder. "I have to go home now."
Lys made a low, tired sound and cracked one eye open. He reached out without thinking and caught her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers. "Already?" His voice was rough from sleep. "Stay a little longer. The sun's barely up."
Sara gave him a soft, regretful smile and shook her head. She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "Lady Elowen's father is coming back today to take her back. You don't know how hard it is to receive a noble. I need to go there fast, and prepare everything for his arrival, fast."
Lys sat up slowly, the blanket sliding down to his waist. He didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he tugged her closer until she was half-sitting on his lap. "Then eat breakfast with us first. You can't walk all the way home on an empty stomach, especially after the heavy workout last night. I'll make something quick; it won't take long."
Sara laughed quietly, the sound warm and fond. She rested her forehead against his for a moment. "You're really not letting me leave hungry, huh?"
"Nope." He grinned and stole a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Doctor's orders."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Fine. But what is a Doctor?!"
Lys got stuck, he stuttered and said, "Uh, don't worry about it. I spoke wrong."
He stood up, stretched his arms high until his back popped, then pulled on a loose shirt. Even after all the intense sweating and activity last night, he didn't feel that much pain or weakness in his body after waking up. The passive skills Basic Regeneration and Enhanced Stamina were working just fine, even though he was not aware of it most of the time.
He walked barefoot to the kitchen. On the wooden counter, he found some eggs, a few carrots, onions, and a bunch of fresh greens his mother had bought yesterday. He rolled up his sleeves and started working.
Sara sat at the big scarred table, chin resting on her hand, watching him with sleepy eyes. The morning light caught in her messy hair and made it glow.
"You look cute when you cook," she teased softly. "Didn't take you for a person who could handle a knife without cutting his fingers."
Lys chuckled as he chopped the onion. The sharp smell rose up and made his eyes water a little. "And what kind of person did you take me for?"
Sara laughed, the sound light and happy. "You know, the type who can do heavy work, put food on the table. Definitely not the type who could handle delicate stuff."
Lys chuckled after he heard that.
From behind came soft, sleepy footsteps. Mira appeared, rubbing her eyes; her red hair was a wild mess. Her nightdress was wrinkled and hung loosely on her shoulders. She looked sleepy but shy, a faint blush still on her cheeks when she saw both of them.
"What's so funny?" she asked, voice still thick with sleep. She padded over and sat down next to Sara, yawning.
"Oh, Mira, you up. Nothing, your brother is making breakfast. Sit here." Sara gestured for her to sit beside her.
Mira sat on the chair just beside her.
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After that, the three of them talked about how today is going to be a busy day and so on. The warm sound filled the big kitchen and chased away the last sleepy silence. Lys stirred the eggs and vegetables in the pan. The sizzle was comforting to the ear, and the smell of onions and herbs slowly spread through the room, making everyone's stomach rumble.
"Breakfast is almost ready," Lys said, tasting a small bite from the wooden spoon. He added a pinch of salt from the clay jar. "Hmm, tastes decent. Not as good as I thought it would be, but it'll do."
Sara leaned forward on the table, smiling. "It smells amazing. I'm already hungry."
Mira nodded, still smiling. "Me too. I didn't know you could cook like this now."
Lys turned around and looked at Mira. "Hey, can you wake Mom? Tell her the food's ready."
Mira froze. Her cheeks turned bright pink again. She looked down at her hands and shook her head quickly. "I… I can't. What if she… knows? About last night? I'd die right there. I can't wake her up. You go."
Lys raised an eyebrow but didn't tease her. He could see the shy panic in her eyes. "Alright. I'll do it. You two just sit tight."
He turned off the mana-stove, covered the pan to keep it warm, and wiped his hands on a cloth. As he walked toward the back room, he found the door to be a little open.
The door was half-open to be exact, and she was still asleep, lying peacefully on her bed. Her long red hair spilled across the pillow like silk, and her face looked calm and beautiful in the soft morning light coming through the tiny window. She looked younger when she slept, the usual tired lines around her eyes almost smoothed out.
Lys knocked gently on the wooden frame. "Mom?"
Elara stirred. Her eyes opened slowly. When she saw Lys standing there in the doorway, a warm, but sleepy smile spread across her face. She sat up, pulling her thin blankets around her shoulders.
" Lys… good morning, sweetheart," she said, voice still husky from sleep. "You're up early."
"Yeah, Breakfast is ready," he replied softly. "Come eat with us."
Elara blinked, surprised. "Huh, Who made it?"
"I did."
Her eyes widened. She stared at him for a long moment. "You? But… you always hated cooking. Even when I tried to teach you, you would run out the door, complaining it was boring and that real men hunted instead."
Lys shrugged with a small, easy smile. 'Well, it seems the idea of a real man was terribly wrong in the eyes of the previous owner of this body.'
"People change, Mom. I felt like doing it today."
Elara looked at him a little longer, something soft and wondering in her gaze. Then she nodded slowly and stood up, smoothing her nightdress. "Well… I'm glad. Let's go eat before it gets cold."
Together, they walked back toward the dining area. The smell of warm food grew stronger with every step. At the table, Mira and Sara were already waiting, plates set out, fresh water poured into clay cups. Mira still looked a little shy, but she smiled when she saw them. Sara waved cheerfully.