11. Common sense

The grand palace halls echoed with Luminous's determined footsteps as she approached Acheron and Milim. Today was the day she would instill common sense into Milim, even if it took years. She had a plan and nothing would deter her.

"Milim, Acheron," Luminous called, her voice echoing through the corridor. The two turned towards her, curiosity evident in their eyes.

Milim groaned, already sensing what was coming. "Do we have to, Auntie Luminous?" she whined.

Luminous gave her a firm look. "Yes, Milim. You need to learn proper behavior and common sense."

Milim crossed her arms, pouting. "I'd rather fight! This is so boring!"

Luminous's patience was wearing thin. "Milim, you need to understand that fighting isn't everything. There are other important things to learn."

Milim stamped her foot, her eyes flashing with defiance. "No! I don't want to! This is stupid!"

Without another word, Luminous cast a quick spell, encasing Milim in a magical barrier. "You will stay in this barrier until you agree to learn," she said sternly.

Milim struggled against the barrier, but it held firm. "This isn't fair!" she yelled.

Luminous turned to Acheron, who watched the exchange with her usual calm demeanor. "And you, Acheron, will join us. It's time both of you learned some common sense."

Acheron inclined her head in acknowledgment. "As you wish, Luminous."

With Milim subdued and Acheron willing, Luminous began the first lesson: table manners. She laid out a proper dining setup, complete with multiple utensils for different courses. Milim fidgeted in her seat, her eyes glazing over with boredom.

"Now, Milim, you use this fork for the salad and this one for the main course," Luminous explained patiently.

Milim huffed, barely paying attention. "This is so boring!"

Acheron, in stark contrast, picked up the utensils with precision, arranging them in perfect alignment. She proceeded to eat with exaggerated care, taking tiny, precise bites.

Luminous sighed, watching Acheron's meticulousness. "Acheron, you don't need to be that precise."

Acheron paused, looking confused. "But isn't this what you instructed?"

Luminous pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, but... never mind. Just try to relax a bit."

The days turned into weeks, and Luminous found herself in a constant battle. Milim resisted every lesson, her bratty behavior becoming more pronounced with each passing day. Acheron, meanwhile, continued to take every lesson to an extreme, making even the simplest tasks unnecessarily complicated.

So, she decided to let Acheron to her own devices.

---

One particularly frustrating day, after yet another failed lesson, Milim crossed her arms and glared at Luminous. "Why don't you teach Auntie Acheron too? She's the one who really needs it!"

Luminous glanced at Acheron, who stood at attention, perfectly still and ready for whatever instruction might come. She sighed deeply, realizing the futility of arguing with Milim. "Fine," she relented. "Acheron, you will join Milim in these lessons."

Acheron nodded, her expression unchanged. "Understood."

As the lessons continued, Luminous's frustration grew. Milim would not listen, and Acheron took every instruction to absurd lengths. When learning how to greet people politely, Milim ignored the lesson entirely, while Acheron delivered grand, overly formal introductions that left everyone else feeling awkward.

The years passed, with Luminous tirelessly trying to impart common sense to Milim. Despite the challenges, Milim remained as bratty and childish as ever. She often ran away from her lessons, only to be brought back and punished by Luminous.

One particularly chaotic day, Milim had managed to evade her lessons for hours, hiding in the palace gardens. Luminous found her sitting in a tree, a smug grin on her face.

"Milim, come down this instant," Luminous demanded, her voice firm.

Milim stuck out her tongue. "Make me!"

With a sigh, Luminous cast a spell, gently lowering Milim to the ground and encasing her in a barrier once more. "You know the rules, Milim. No more running away."

Milim crossed her arms, pouting. "I hate this! Why can't I just fight?"

Luminous knelt down, looking Milim in the eye. "Because, Milim, there is more to life than fighting. You need to learn how to interact with others, how to understand and respect different situations."

Milim just pouted more, her defiance unbroken. "Whatever."

As the days continued in a similar fashion, Luminous's frustration grew, but so did her fondness for Milim and Acheron. Despite the constant struggles and the seemingly endless cycle of lessons and punishments, she had grown to enjoy her time with them. Their antics, while frustrating, brought a sense of liveliness and unpredictability to her otherwise orderly life.

One day, while Luminous was preparing yet another lesson, Milim approached her with a curious expression. "Auntie Luminous, are you going to marry Auntie Acheron?"

Luminous felt her face heat up instantly, turning as red as a tomato. "W-where did you get that idea, Milim?" she stuttered.

Milim held up a book Luminous had assigned her to read. "From this book! It talks about people getting married and living together."

Before Luminous could respond, Acheron walked into the hall. Noticing Luminous's flushed face and steam practically coming out of her ears, Acheron stepped closer, peering into Luminous's eyes with her usual lack of respect for personal space. "Luminous, are you alright?"

Luminous's embarrassment and frustration reached a boiling point. Unable to hold it in any longer, she kicked both Milim and Acheron out of her room. "Out! Both of you! I need a moment!"

Acheron, looking puzzled, glanced at Milim as they stood outside the room. "What just happened?"

Milim grinned mischievously. "I asked her if she was going to marry you."

Acheron tilted her head in confusion. "Marry?What is that?"

Milim shrugged. "I don't know. I read it in a book. Anyway, wanna play? Which means fighting, of course!"

Acheron nodded, her confusion giving way to understanding. "Alright, let's go."

As Milim and Acheron sparred in the courtyard, Luminous watched from a distance, a small smile forming on her lips. Despite the chaos and the challenges, she wouldn't trade these moments for anything. They were her family, and she cherished every unpredictable, lively moment they shared.

(End of a chapter)