"I see. So, Kars, you instructed Flandre to do this?"
Realizing the situation was quickly deteriorating, Kars shook his head repeatedly, trying to defend himself.
"An nephew tricking his own aunt into doing something like this! It's only been a short time! How did you turn into such a bad boy so quickly! Today, I shall properly educate you on your mother's behalf!" Remilia slammed her hand on the table and jumped down from her chair. Despite her utterly serious expression, she felt inwardly delighted. Yes! My chance to regain my authority is now! She intended to use this opportunity to remind her nephew just how immense her seniority truly was!
"Um… Auntie, I think there's a misunderstanding! I only wanted to change the relationship between you and Little Auntie Flandre! I absolutely didn't intend for things to turn out this way!" Kars anxiously tried to explain, hoping to clear up the confusion as Remilia walked towards him with a deadpan expression. However, the more panicked Kars looked, the more satisfied Remilia felt, believing she had successfully re-established her elder authority.
Flandre, the key figure in the incident, watched the situation unfold. She disengaged from Kars's embrace and stood in front of Remilia, arms spread wide.
"No! Flandre won't let my sister bully Kars!"
"Little Auntie Flandre!" Kars looked touched by Flandre's action. Flandre is so reliable when it counts! Little Auntie Flandre truly loves me the most!
Hearing Kars's call, Flandre smiled back at the deeply moved Kars, then returned her serious gaze to Remilia.
"Flandre will protect Kars! Flandre will defeat my sister!"
Flandre's declaration didn't alter Remilia's expression. She slowly raised her hands. Just as Flandre thought she was about to strike, Remilia embraced her instead.
"It looks like Flandre has grown up a little without me realizing it. I'm very happy." The sudden hug caught Flandre off guard, and Remilia's words helped stabilize her mood.
"It seems I can't treat you this way anymore. Flandre, if you have anything on your mind in the future, you can tell me directly. That way, I can know where I didn't handle things well and what made you sad." Remilia's previously stern expression softened, and her voice became gentle.
"Sister…"
Kars smiled happily as he watched the scene between his two aunts. This is exactly how sisters should be! After all, if they don't communicate clearly, the other person can never understand their thoughts, and over time, the relationship will only deteriorate.
"Now, let's get back to the matter of you tricking your own aunt." Remilia released Flandre, her expression snapping back to serious, causing the smiling Kars, who thought the matter was resolved, to instantly freeze.
Why is it back to me again? This genuinely had nothing to do with me! Besides, I was only trying to restore the relationship between you two! Now that you've made up, there's no need to pursue this, is there?
"Little Auntie! I already explained! There was a misunderstanding! You have to believe me! I would never be the kind of vampire who would trick Little Auntie Flandre into doing something like that!"
"Kars, it's good to admit when you've done something wrong. That's what a good boy does."
The person who should have been on his side, Flandre, had now joined Remilia, advising Kars to bravely admit his wrongdoing. This sudden turn of events made Kars feel utterly gutted.
You just said you'd protect me, and now you've switched sides! Little Auntie Flandre! Am I not your favorite nephew? Why are you now agreeing to smack my hands too?
"It's right to listen to your elders, Kars. Don't continue to argue and be a bad boy at this point! Hurry up and hold out your hand!" Remilia held a small ruler, pointing it at Kars.
"This… are you going to hit my hand? But I'm not a child anymore! Being hit on the hand by my auntie is too embarrassing!" Especially the feeling of his petite, child-like aunt hitting the palm of his hand—a grown man—was deeply humiliating.
"You little brat over a hundred years old claiming he's not a child—who would believe that? Hold out your hand!" No matter who showed up today, it wouldn't matter! Remilia was determined to make Kars remember her elderly authority once again!
Facing the intense stares of Remilia and Flandre, Kars reluctantly held out his hand.
"Are you doing this on purpose, child! Squat down!" Remilia looked up at his hand hovering over her head, feeling that Kars was intentionally challenging her height. Honestly, why did he have to grow so big when he's only a hundred-something years old? What weird things did this guy eat all these years to get so huge?
Following Remilia's instructions, Kars squatted down and held out his hand. Remilia took the small ruler, a slight smile on her lips, and struck Kars's palm. The sound was crisp and loud, but the pain was minimal. But Auntie, can you please stop smiling?
"That's for being disobedient! That's for being a bad boy! That's for disrespecting your elders!" Remilia continued to strike, her smile widening as she did so. Kars watched her, unsure what to say. Why was she smiling while hitting his hand? Was this supposed to be fun? That would be going too far…
Though, the actual act itself was hardly anything.
After striking him over ten times, Remilia finally stopped, satisfied. She then gave Kars a final, authoritative look. When she saw him shrink his neck slightly, she was even more pleased.
I really am an authoritative elder after all.
"Kars, does your hand hurt? Do you want Flandre to blow on it?" After seeing Remilia stop, Flandre held Kars's hand and asked. Remilia secretly glanced over, clearly invested in his answer as well.
"My heart hurts…" Kars mumbled, clutching his chest. His body was fine, but his feelings were slightly hurt—though the kind that would heal even if no one comforted him.