"It was just a joke," Avendial paused to dust off his clothes, noticing the soft expression on Rivia's face that suggested her world had come crashing down.
This realization led him to suspect that a significant misunderstanding had arisen from his words. He clarified, "I was being sarcastic; use your common sense. I would have been only four years old when Lin was born. How could I possibly be his father?"
"!"
"Oh, Ahem, yes, correct." The first to respond was Aria, who, despite her initial doubts, reflected on his words and began to question her own understanding.
She had seen the status and then thrown his comments back at him, realizing he didn't typically joke around—aside from the occasional teasing.
For a brief moment, she had taken him seriously, but now she understood how illogical her reasoning had been.