The sudden *thwack* of two perfectly synchronized "bonks" echoed through the kitchen. Agung winced, rubbing the back of his head as Dia and Eli stood over him and Mari like a pair of disappointed school principals.
"Ouch! Agung hissed, ducking his head. "What was that for? I was being sincere!"
"You were being *shameless*," Dia countered, her fan snapped shut with a sound like a pistol shot. "Doing away with the 'King' titles is a start, Agung, but discussing 'irrigation' and 'plucking flowers' in the same room where sixteen children are currently eating their breakfast is unacceptable! Have you no decorum?"
Eli sighed, shaking her head as she checked on a now-comatose Kasumi. "And look at her. You've broken Kasumi before the day even started. Honestly, Agung, for a man with 'infinite stamina,' you have zero sense of pacing."
The "heavy" atmosphere evaporated instantly, replaced by the much more realistic reality of being scolded by the voices of reason.
Kasumi was currently slumped in her chair, a comical trail of blood escaping her nose while her eyes swirled in dazed circles.
Mari was giggling, completely unfazed by the bump on her head, clearly enjoying the chaos she'd stirred up.
Agung, despite his "creation magic," realized that no amount of power could protect him from the righteous fury of a mother concerned about "proper influences."
Agung held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, his face still a bit red.
"Point taken! Point taken," he said, clearing his throat and pointedly looking away from the 'irrigation' jokes. "No more metaphors. And someone get a tissue for Kasumi before she stains the new floor I just manifested."
He walked over to the dazed Kasumi, his expression softening into something more grounded and genuinely sweet. He reached out, gently dabbing the bridge of her nose with a napkin.
"Sorry, Kasu-kasu. I think we all got a bit carried away with the theater. How about this: No 'royal decrees,' no 'magic tricks' for now. Just you and me. We'll go for a walk along the beach, get some actual local snacks—the ones I *don't* make out of thin air—and just... talk. Like normal people. Or as normal as we can get."
He looked back at the rest of the group, specifically at Dia and Eli.
"I'll be back in twenty-four hours. Dia, since you're already in 'manager mode,' I assume the household is in safe hands? Or do I need to manifest a literal army of robot nannies first?"
Eli crossed her arms, a small, knowing smile finally breaking through her stern facade.
"Just go, Agung. We've got the children. Try to be a gentleman for once—it's much more charming than being a 'King.'"