Once Aegon was done with Amon, he decided to head back to the city. Although he wanted to check out the Academy, he wanted to be prepared for the exams even more.

Days of travelling had exhausted him, so it was better to rest properly. He could check out the Academy later anyway, though the main reason he withdrew was because of the Red Viel.

He didn't really want to trouble others for no reason. He knew Hecte and her group were powerful, so their presence would surely put everyone on edge.

Every place he would visit would make people tense and worried.

'They would probably think I came to attack.'

And so, he withdrew along with Cali and Xavier, who were already waiting for him. The Academy was busy preparing the exams, so they didn't really have any classes.

Only after the exams would the new year start properly, so everyone was on a vacation till then. That was how Xavier got the time to fetch him here.

Upon getting back, they faced a very difficult question.

"What do we eat?" Xavier was the one to ask that.

"We can go to a restaurant," Cali said, trying to avoid the piercing gaze of Aegon.

"Cali!"

She flinched and tried to smile, "Yes, Little Gon?"

"You didn't learn to cook?" Aegon asked with a raised brow.

He remembered how once the two sisters had fought over Xiu's food and swore to learn to cook better than each other. What happened to it?

"Well, umm, I had other things to focus on," Cali replied, still not meeting his eyes.

"Tsk! Tsk! Sis, how will you find a good husband like this?" Xavier shook his head in disappointment, which only earned him a loud smack on the head.

"Who asked for your worthless opinions?" Cali glared at him. "You're the last person to point it out anyway, you failed product."

"Nah uh! You can't put me in there because I can actually cook edible food. It'll be just bland, but still edible," Xavier didn't seem offended as he continued to tease her with a smile. "You should know how to cook, Sis."

"Shut up! I don't need to know how to cook just to marry someone. Also, I'm not marrying, so it doesn't even matter. I'm fine the way I am."

"Yeah, yeah, just say you're bad at it. Last time you tried cooking, it exploded worse than when me and Gon tried to make Explosive Soaps."

Of course, that earned him another beating, which he tried to avoid but how could Cali, who was already a Rank 5 Knight, let him go?

By then, Aegon had found his way to the kitchen, and looking at the pristine, completely new-condition utensils, he was left speechless.

'Why the hell did you buy them if you weren't even gonna use them?' he thought with a smile. 'Still, they're clean atleast.'

He began to prepare some quick meals while staring at the siblings' fight through the large window. It gave a perfect view of the hall.

'Not marrying, huh. She really is taking after Xiu,' Aegon thought, hearing them. 'But she's an idiot for that.'

He didn't know clearly if Xiu ever wanted to marry or not, but she had dropped that idea completely to raise him up. It wasn't a lie to say she really gave a major portion of her life to him.

He really wished she would focus on her own life, but she always answered with something that said he was her life, so she was focusing on her life.

'Stupid Xiu. I hope you can focus on your life now that I'm here.'

This was one of the reasons why he wanted to come here alone. He didn't want Arnold and Xiu to spend their precious life on him. He didn't want to snatch it away from them.

While lost in thoughts and cooking, he didn't notice someone's presence in the kitchen.

Xavier appeared beside him and asked, "What are you making?"

"Just quick chow mein," Aegon replied, while picking up the soy sauce. At least it was fresh and in good condition.

"Anything else?" Xavier asked, already licking his lips in anticipation.

"Not really. I'm not a master chef, so I only cook some decent food," Aegon replied offhandedly while still working on the noodles.

In fact, the skill [Master Chef] was catching dust in his inventory, but he didn't use it. Food was sacred for him, and he wanted to learn cooking himself.

Sure, he could become a master chef in seconds from the skill, but what was the point?

Most of the things he had accomplished in this life, the system played a huge role in them, so he wanted some achievements that solely belonged to him.

Just like how he made the terrace farming from scratch. He wanted to experience the feeling of achieving that success that came from his hard work.

He never hesitated to take power-ups from the system because he didn't really care about the power itself, but what came along with it. And it was a necessity in this world.

Good cooking wasn't a necessity for him, but a hobby. So, he never assimilated with that skill and there were a few more like this.

'I will become a master chef with my own efforts. If things become too simple, it gets boring.'

"I know, but you're way better than me. Your food is too delicious, though not on Aunt Xiu's level. Not even close," Xavier said, as he started helping him.

"That's obvious," Aegon said. "By the way, you did that on purpose, didn't you? You could have just said cooking is a basic necessity for survival."

"Hehe, then how will I annoy her?" Xavier grinned and said. "The more she hates, the better it is for me because her reactions are fun."

"Reactions as in you getting beaten up?" Aegon asked with a roll of his eyes.

"It's fine. It's fine." Xavier waved his hand for a second before focusing again. "I have healing magic for a reason. I can endure a bad beating because it's worth the reaction she gives."

"You're the most stupid healer in this world," Aegon chuckled at that. "Who uses healing magic like this?"

"Ragebait others and when you get beaten up, just heal yourself," he added. "The medal for Best Ragebaiter of the century should go to you."

"Haha! Right? I am that good," Xavier cackled with loud laughter.

"Little Gon!" Cali cried out as she leaned at the window. "Please use your flames on him."

All of a sudden, Xavier shivered hearing that as a terrible memory surfaced. He had played a rather big prank on Aegon, which resulted in the destruction of a toy that Xiu gave him.

What followed was Aegon using his special flames to burn his head. Although he was careful not to leave behind any scars or deep pain, it still turned him completely bald.

He shivered once again and pleaded, his eyes watering with tears, "My big brother, please don't listen to her. She's just talking nonsense."

"W-What? Little Gon, you have to get justice for me." Cali began tearing up. "He actually said how he's gonna sell me in a political marriage and that's why I should know how to cook."

Xavier almost coughed up blood hearing that and glared hatefully at his sister. When did he ever say that?

As if sensing his gaze, Cali stuck out her tongue before going back to crying again. Oh, how Xavier wished he could rip apart her fake tears.

Aegon didn't even bother glancing at them and simply continued with his work. He had long gotten used to these overgrown kids who liked to be dramatic just for the fun of it.

He couldn't even bring himself to dislike it, because he enjoyed it all too. So all he did was just silently entertain himself.

'I am three years younger than one and six than the other, yet it feels like these two are the younger ones.'

It wasn't like they acted this way everywhere. No, it was particularly reserved for their close ones, and for everyone outside, they had a different personality, which was mostly a fake persona to deal with the world.

This was also why he enjoyed their banter, as this was just them in their free spirit. They considered him one of their own, so they always showed their true selves to him.

It was heartwarming.

Once the chow mein was made, its delicious aroma filled the air, making the two forget about their feud and almost jump toward the food but a glance from Aegon was enough for them to back away.

They went to wash their hands, and then the three of them ate the chow mein silently or rather, they were so busy enjoying it that they didn't even speak.

Only after they were finished did they give a thumbs up to Aegon.

"It's the second-best chow mein I've eaten."

"For me, it's still the best. I still haven't tried the chow mein of Aunt Xiu."

"You can when you go back," Aegon spoke as he looked outside through the window.

The world was still stuck in the dusk, but time still moved.

Tomorrow would be the day the world would witness his talent and the hard work of a decade for the first time.

'I am both excited and nervous. What a contradictory feeling.'

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