"Eh, who's this?"
"Brandon, don't tell …."
It was their first ti inside Brandon's place. Or rather—Alia's place.
And so they looked around.
At least, at first.
Until the little elven girl erged from the room with her sleepy eyes, all dressed up for the party while dragging a stuffed teddy bear.
"Ah?"
Aurelia rubbed her sleepy eyes and was imdiately startled upon noticing the new faces.
Her eyes started to moisten as she looked around for the faces she was familiar with.
Eventually, her eyes landed on Brandon. With no mont of hesitation, she rushed towards him and hid behind his back.
Everyone else, to be precise, Raven, Reinhard, Claire, Amy, Rachel, and Cyrus stared at him with incredulous expressions.
"Uhm…."
"You…."
"You're a father?"
While the others hesitated speaking up to blurt out the truth considering Brandon's family was here, including Alia, Claire on the other hand was bold enough to pose the question.
"...."
Brandoon stood speechless for a mont. The others instinctively turned their heads towards Alia, who was helping Belle, Brianna, and the other staff in setting up the table.
"No?"
Brandon tilted his head, dumbfounded. What went in their heads to even ask that?
"Firstly, I'm a minor."
Technically.
But they gave him the look as if they couldn't believe it.
"...."
Anyways.
"Secondly, does the tiline make any sense? I'm seventeen, and she's ten. Are you saying I beca a father at seven years old?"
And of course.
"Lastly, do I look like her?" Your next journey awaits at mvl
Brandon pointed at Aurelia's hair, then her face.
"Wait, he's right, guys. She's way too cute to be related to Brandon."
Raven said, pointing at Aurelia as he looked at the others who still didn't seem to believe in Brandon.
"...."
For so reason, those words were kind of annoying.
In any case.
"Go on, Aurelia. Like we rehearsed."
"....Un."
Aurelia nodded her head, albeit reluctantly.
She looked at the people around her, who looked back at her with interest.
"My na…. is…. Aurelia…."
She recited the lines she had practiced dozens of tis with Alia.
"Hello there, Aurelia."
The first one to have greeted her was Claire. Brandon could tell she was imdiately smitten by Aurelia's charm.
Then, it was Raven's turn to greet her.
"Nice to et y—"
"Uhm…. My na is…. is…. Aurelia…."
"Yes, hello. I'm Rache—"
"Aurelia…. I'm Aurelia…. My teddy is Bran…. My friend is Princess Sparkle…. I'm…."
Aurelia was repeating the sa lines over and over again, flustered. The others, on the other hand, found the sight cute.
"I'm Aurelia…. I'm…."
"She's so cute~!"
Claire couldn't help it anymore, and grabbed the little elven girl, hugging her and pressing her cheek against her cheek.
"Aaang~!"
"Have fun, Aurelia. Be nice to her, guys."
Brandon turned around, leaving them to their own devices as he heard the door was knocked.
However, before he could reach for the door, Alia suddenly appeared.
"I'll get it. I think my guest arrived."
"Oh? You invited soone?"
"Yeah, a new friend I recently t."
Brandon was curious. Just who could Alia's new friend be?
From what he knew, most of Alia's friends were busy due to Imperial Army matters.
The mont the door opened, Brandon's eyes widened in shock as he took in the familiar sight.
"...."
All he needed to see was the strand of pink hair to know who it was.
And she too blinked her eyes. They montarily stood still and blinked their eyes together as they looked back at each other.
"...."
"...."
Alia alternated her gaze between the two, rather confused by their frozen expressions and asked.
"Brandon? Have you t Illya before?"
It was Illya.
Yeah, the Primordials Seventh Seat, Illya.
A cold blooded killer.
A rcenary.
And now?
She was dressed really girl–ishly with a santa hat to finish the look.
"No, just surprised you made a friend."
"....What do you take for?"
Alia frowned.
In any case, Illya stepped inside the apartnt room and briefly glanced back at Brandon before entering the living room.
She only had one thought in her mind at the mont.
'....So that's how Blank looks when he's not trying to gouge soone's eyes out.'
It was surprising.
To think he could appear normal in front of so many people.
No wonder his influence was spreading fast.
Illya was glad she had never antagonized him unlike Hein, the Ninth Seat.
If anything, the normal Brandon seed scarier knowing how he actually was.
In any case, there were still other guests that hadn't arrived yet.
Clap—!
Belle clapped her hands together, grabbing everyone's attention, and they all gathered around the table.
"Woah…."
"These look amazing!"
"Thanks for preparing all this, Miss Locke and Belle."
The others stared at the food laid on the table in awe.
A perfectly roasted turkey sat at the center, surrounded by mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and rolls. Mini quiches, lasagna, and fresh salad completed the spread.
Belle and Brianna had added festive touches, red and gold table runners, pinecones, twinkling lights, and flickering candles.
Belle smiled.
"The staff did most of it. We just added so charm."
Of course, the staff were dismissed after getting paid, with incentives for the additional help.
By now, they too should be enjoying Christmas with their families.
Then, all of a sudden, the door was knocked once again.
"That should be my guest."
Brandon spoke, heading for the door.
And indeed, the mont he opened the door, the familiar sight of Evelyn entered his peripheral vision.
However, there was a person right beside her, carrying a bottle of what seed to be a really expensive wine.
While he expected it would be Vanessa, it seems like it wasn't the case.
In fact, the person right beside her was even more surprising as he was taken aback.
"Miss Lianna!?"
Reinhard's voice rang out from the back, clearly surprised by the guest Evelyn had brought.
So Lianna…. was the friend Evelyn was talking about?
How surprising….
Just a couple months back, Brandon and Bellion were spying on her activities, only to find nothing about her.
"Miss Lianna?"
Brandon spoke with familiarity.
"You're…. Brandon Locke, right? The one from the awarding ceremony?"
"Yeah, that's ."
Evelyn alternated her gaze between the two.
"You two know each other?"
"We've t."
In any case, Lianna stepped inside the apartnt. Reinhard suddenly appeared and helped her take her coat off, and took the wine off her hands.
"Let get that."
"...."
"You know her too, Reinhard?"
"Yes, Miss Evelyn. I owe her quite a lot."
"Is that so? My, what a small world we live in."
Indeed, it was. Evelyn made a friend, huh?
"I'm not that incompetent…."
Evelyn frowned, as if she read his mind.
"I didn't say anything."
That being said, it seed like all the guests had arrived, and they all gathered around the table.
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