The annexed mansion was where the future heirs of the Volkov clan lived during their training and studies. This tradition started just over one thousand years ago, soon after the S-Kingdom government was formed after a long, tiresome war with the N-Kingdom.

Originally a family rooted in the east, the arctic tundra, but after a political shift with the monsters in the east. They moved their family to the West, while only the grand elders and ancestors remained in the clan’s territory in the Siberian.

‘Well, that’s interesting…’

Nikolai stood watching the distant tower and mansion in the east, something he learned would become him after last night’s meeting with his grandfather. His mind became boggled with new information and choices to make.

Because of the barrier in the main clan building, his mother couldn’t manifest her spirit well and only broke through and communicated with him via telepathy a few moments before.

Now she started teaching Nikolai information about the Volkov family, why they came to the West and why this compound lacked any supreme elders or ancestors other than his grandfather and a few retired hunters.

‘Hunter… the name given to active werewolves in the Alliance.’

[Nikolai, do you understand the situation a little better now?]

Elizabeth’s voice was conflicted and light, indicating worry. Her figure was invisible to Nikolai’s Obsidian eyes, which meant he couldn’t see her face.

However, he accepted that thanks to his mother—the current situation became clearer.

‘Yeah, but why did they suddenly change their plans? I cannot understand why the alliance would approach me after so long of silence.’

[Well, it’s mostly because of me and your father… in the past, we forced your grandfather into a corner, asking him to sign an oath to ensure that our families wouldn’t be affected by the ritual and what might have happened.]

‘I see…’

[In reality, Viktor insisted on being a part of the ritual to help ensure its success, but your father didn’t want to get him in trouble, and thus, they fought over it and became estranged.]

The information his mother gave him made the situation and each side clearer. A father who wanted to protect his young son was about to undergo a dangerous ritual, and another father wanted to protect that same man and his child.

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‘So what brought them together… it cannot be something simple.’

Nikolai closed his eyes, leaning back against the comfortable cushioned backrest of the bay window, his hand gripping tightly.

A series of ideas and memories flashed through his mind, from the event with the wraiths and the cave to the attack from Ryan’s father and those bullets that could nullify monster blood.

‘No is it a mixture of all these events, Anastasia’s return and my appearance?’

He didn’t want to become arrogant or put himself higher than he was, but Nikolai couldn’t deny that his value seemed to increase each day. He could last a minute, fighting Nikita with just their physical bodies after a month and one week of awakening.

Nikolai understood that his strength was still lacking compared to that of a seasoned warrior or elder of a royal or high noble family, but his strength wasn’t something to be ignored.

[Your thoughts are close to the truth, but you miss the fact that your father is worried.]

[Worried he cannot protect you from the coming storm.]

‘What storm?’

Although he knew the current state of S-City was rather volatile, Nikolai didn’t think it would be much worse than usual.

[Do you think the adults left just because of Anastasia that day?]

[How could they neglect your victory over true blood without reason… In fact, the Nosferatu clan tried their old tricks and attacked this place with a large force.]

If he spoke honestly, Nikolai’s heart became heavy with disappointment after that fight.

He had defeated someone he believed to be his best, yet his father and all the people from his mother and father’s clans vanished like smoke in the air.

‘You’re right… I felt that way, but did they truly have a reason?’

Although Nikolai found the situation ridiculous, his feelings and mood were always jumbled when regarding family. They confused him. He wasn’t like many other people or children, and before his memories returned. In his mind, the only family he understood and accepted was his father, Ivan.

So, watching him vanish after that fight really made him want to scream in frustration.

Nikolai leaned against the window.

The tapping of raindrops and the rumble of distant lightning filled the room, and flashes of lightning lit up his face, reflecting the dark forest below the fortress.

He wondered what the best plot of action would be, though instead of thinking alone, he chose while reaching for his phone and nodding to himself.

‘I know you and dad are probably moving to help and secure my future, to keep me the safest you possible can. But there are people I must ask and speak to about when it comes to future actions…’

[…]

Elizabeth’s silent response spoke a thousand words because he could hear her smiling while breathing softly and murmuring.

[I see…]

‘You seem to understand me with just that… is it the power of a mother?’

[A loving mother* My silly son, well, what are you waiting for… call those girls.]

After all…

Nikolai didn’t feel bad knowing his mother understood his plans or thoughts well. Instead, he was comforting, his eyes closed softly, taking slow, deep breaths as a wave of peaceful calm washed over him.

He grasped his phone with a smile on his lips and tapped a message—the same message for three women and a slightly different message for the last.

[I see that even now, you treat Sarah differently, with a lot of respect and a slight distance.]

‘Sarah is different from Nikita, Selene and Risa. I want to see her dreams come true, not to be narrowed down by my desires and wishes, so since she became my squire, I have no desire to hold her down or restrict what she chooses in life.’

With his messages sent, Nikolai could finally relax. He then sent another message to his father. He tossed the phone onto the bed a few metres away while rubbing his temples, trying to focus his mind.

[What if she seeks to become your lover?]

Elizabeth loved to tease Nikolai, and the deeper his bonds with the three women became, the rarer were the moments when they could be alone for long periods.

‘That’s impossible, she’s likely asexual. However, if they was her true desire… I cannot say I would deny her that either.’

[You are too soft! Selene will cut it off!]

.

.

.

A few minutes passed while silence remained, but Nikolai’s lips curved into a devilish smile. “No, as long as it’s not me chasing the woman, I believe even Selene would forgive me. Right?”

Creak-Shatter—!

The vase close to the other side of Nikolai’s bed dropped and shattered into pieces, while three women stood shocked like cats in a headlight.

Nikita, Selene and Risa stood with their hands up—no… another girl stood with them, shorter and trembling like a terrified mouse.

“Oh… that girl is with them, too. Nagisa must have explained everything to them the moment I left, and Nikita returned home.” He gazed at the four women, his lips curled into a bitter smile, wondering when they would arrive.

“Right?” Nikolai’s face looked different from usual.

The dim room was illuminated by the moonlight and flashes of lightning from the bay window. His crimson and obsidian eyes shimmered coldly, reflecting an unnatural light.

Nikolai stretched out his arms and legs, wincing at the feeling of pins and needles.

“Phew… don’t act so shocked, come closer.” His right hand beckoned the women. Their faces looked quite amusing, with eyes gazing upon him like newborn kittens.

“Do I look that handsome?”

Of course, Nikolai only joked with them, but Selene and Nikita instantly nodded while inching closer. Risa turned her face to the side and peeked at him while pouting. As for Kumiko, her face looked rather cute, with big eyes and soft pink lips. The sight of her trembling and her tails swaying to show her feelings amused Nikolai.

“Nikolai… you really called for us like you promised…” Selene’s hands quivered as she held her phone and read the message.

Though they had told him to speak to them in the future, she hardly believed he would instantly start to do so. Selene and Luna both accepted that it might take him weeks or months to adapt. “Of course, I am not complaining! Don’t misunderstand.”

“I know, don’t worry… it’s just something more important than I thought.” His voice remained low and calm, yet the echo of his deep words seemed to comfort at least the vampire princess, who approached faster without doubts.

“Nikolai, let’s live together, hehe. I don’t care what you do since you understood my warning and worries!” Nikita never made things difficult, but the night they spent in his bed likely caused their bond and relationship to change like this.

“I am just here because you called for me…” Risa huffed, but her red cheeks and the fact her distance closed faster than both Selene and Nikita made Nikolai’s heart calm, worried one of them might reject his proposal.

“I’m glad you three came, and Kumiko… we didn’t get a chance to speak well earlier, but it seems we might have to speak and learn about each other in the future. Is that okay with you?”

The golden fox nodded but hid behind Selene, her beautiful blue eyes shimmering like gemstones before Nikolai’s words stopped the atmosphere of the room.

“Do you see that mansion?” Nikolai pointed to the annexe his father and grandfather wanted to send him to. Then he turned back to the girls, who tilted their heads in curiosity.

“I want you all to live with me in that mansion.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep