Ravene comforted him for a while as she continued patting him.
A bit later, Brandon calmed down and Ravene leaned forward placing a kiss on his forehead "For now, don't think much about it... What's done is done, and if Elize never regretted her decision, then you have no right to regret it on her behalf."
Brandon's gaze lowered and he gave a faint nod.
Ravene's expression softened, and she absentmindedly began patting his head again, her nails lightly grazing his scalp.
It was a habit of hers, one she had developed when he was younger, back when he was still just a clueless kid who needed comfort from time to time.
At this time, she remembered something and asked "Brandon... if you can use ether, then you must have gotten a Genesis Mark."
Hm? Brandon raised his gaze to look at her eyes "What is a Genesis.. Mark?"
With a nod, Ravene began to explain "It's like an Awakener's mark—a sort of etheric tattoo that appears somewhere on your body when you first awaken."
"It's proof that your body has successfully bonded with ether. The shape and design of the mark are unique to each individual, but their appearance also indicates your current rank."
Brandon blinked in mild surprise and instinctively glanced down at his hands.
He turned them over, inspecting the skin, but there was nothing there... no sign of any strange markings.
He rolled up the sleeve of his jacket, checking his forearm just in case. Again, nothing.
"Maybe it's in your chest..."
Ravene reached out to the hem of his jacket and gently pulled it up.
Brandon hesitated for a second, but then, seeing no reason to refuse, he raised his arms to make it easier for her to lift his jacket and undershirt.
As the fabric slid up, Ravene's gaze landed on his torso and she put the jacket aside.
"Oh..." Ravene was amused by his muscles and reached out, her fingers touching his abs "You have certainly grown a lot... Look at you. When did you get these?"
Brandon shook his head helplessly and looked down at his body to check if there was any Genesis mark.
And there he saw it.
Just beneath his left chest, a black spiraling tattoo curled into a complex, intricate design with delicate lines weaving into one another in a mesmerizing pattern.
"Oh, is that it?"
Ravene glimpsed at the tattoo and raised her hand, her delicate fingers drawing circles around the tattoo "Hm.. Looks great."
"This tattoo defines your rank. Right now, judging by its size and pattern, I'd say you're at E-Rank. The lower the rank, the simpler the Genesis Mark appears."
"But as you grow stronger, your tattoo will evolve..."
"I see.." Brandon's gaze narrowed in contemplation.
The idea fascinated him.
But then, as his thoughts drifted, so did his eyes.
Before he even realized it, his gaze had flickered downward, tracing the seductive curves of Ravene's body as she sat comfortably on his lap.
His eyes lingered on her plump chest, rising and falling with each slow breath she took.
The smooth expanse of her exposed collarbone, the dip of her cleavage peeking through the tailored cut of her blouse… It was hard not to look.
Ravene, of course, noticed immediately.
Yet she didn't react, nor did she tease him right away.
Instead, she simply let him look, a small, knowing smile curling at the corners of her lips as if waiting for him to speak first.
And he did.
"I wonder…" Brandon finally muttered and his lips quirked into a slight smirk as he lifted his gaze to meet hers "Where does my dear Aunt Ravene have her Genesis Mark?"
At his question, Ravene's smirk deepened ever so slightly. There was a flicker of amusement in her dark eyes... almost as if she had been expecting him to ask.
She lifted a delicate hand and, without hesitation, pointed towards her chest.
"The under breast... " she said, tapping just beneath the curve of her bust. "Right below my underboob."
Brandon blinked.
Ohhh…
That was not the answer he was expecting.
Amused, he let out a low chuckle, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her chest "That's… a rather interesting location."
Then, after a beat, he looked at her again, curiosity creeping into his voice.
"What rank are you again, Aunt Rave?"
Ravene tilted her head slightly as if debating whether or not to entertain his question.
But in the end, she did.
"S-Rank."
He leaned in just a little "I wonder… what an S-Rank Genesis Mark looks like."
At this, Ravene finally let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head "Pervert."
Brandon simply shrugged, entirely unbothered by the accusation. "It's for research purposes. I am not a pervert."
Ravene arched an eyebrow "Mm-hm. Sure."
She reached out suddenly, pinching his cheek between her fingers. "You are a cheeky brat, though."
Brandon winced slightly but didn't pull away. "Ow... okay, okay. That's uncalled for."
She released him with a laugh before reclining slightly in his lap, crossing one leg over the other.
Her heels clicked softly as she adjusted her posture, her sleek black stockings accentuating the length of her toned legs.
Then, with a knowing glint in her eye, she said, "I was just kidding."
Brandon raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
"My Genesis Mark... It's not on my under breast."
Brandon's expression fell slightly "…I see," he muttered, sighing in mild disappointment.
"So where is it then?"
Ravene smirked again and this time, she didn't speak right away.
Instead, she uncrossed her legs slowly, before gesturing downward with a single elegant finger.
"It's on my thigh."
Brandon's gaze instinctively followed her movement, his eyes trailing downward to her legs.
She was dressed in a fitted black office skirt that clung to her figure, paired with sheer thigh-high stockings that contrasted deliciously against her smooth skin.
The way her leg was positioned, crossed at the knee, drew just enough attention to the curve of her thigh.
For a second, Brandon could only stare.
Then, he exhaled softly as a smile appeared on his lips "…Now that's really interesting," he muttered.