But just as she was dwelling about her future partner, Aisha’s solemn mood lifted as a playful smile crept across her lips, when her amber eyes caught something on something in the distance.

She nudged Julie with her elbow, her tail flicking with renewed mischief.

“Hey, Captain.” She said, her voice lightening. “While we’re over here debating kids or no kids, looks like someone else is real excited about the idea—and it’s pretty obvious from what they’re up to.”

Julie blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“What are you on about?” She asked, her tone wary as she followed Aisha’s gaze.

Her eyes landed on the cluster of knights below, and then she saw it—Skadi, weaving through the group like an eager pup, her silver hair glinting in the sun as she chattered away.

Julie’s lips twitched into a wry smile, amusement and exasperation bubbling up as she realized what Aisha meant as Skadi was currently practically buzzing with curiosity, her hands gesturing wildly as she peppered the knights with questions, her expression so earnest it was almost comical.

Down among the knights, Skadi had latched onto one of the older women, a grizzled veteran with a scar across her cheek.

“Hey, you!” Skadi called, her voice bright and commanding as she pointed at the knight. “You’re a mother, right? You’ve had a kid?”

The knight raised an eyebrow, smirking as she saw the wolf girl coming towards her. “Yeah, I popped one out a couple years back. Why? You need something, chief?”

Skadi’s eyes widened when she realised she found her target, her tail wagging faintly behind her as she leaned in closer, practically vibrating with curiosity.

“What’s it like? Having a kid, I mean. Does it hurt a lot? How do you know what to do with it once it’s out? Do they cry all the time? Oh, and how do you feed them—like, do you have enough milk, or do you have to borrow some from someone else if you run out?”

The knight burst out laughing, nearly dropping to her knees as the other knights around her snickered.

“Gods, slow down, chief! It’s not a battle strategy! And yeah, giving birth hurts like hell—imagine pushing a melon through a keyhole. But you figure it out quick. And they cry, sure, but you get used to it. And milk?…” She hefted her chest with a grin. “…Plenty to go around, no borrowing needed—though the little one back at home is a greedy little beast!”

Skadi nodded vigorously, her brows furrowing as if she were committing every word to memory and was even going as far as to take some notes. She then darted to another knight, a woman lounging against a crate, her armor scuffed from last night’s revelry.

“You! You’ve got kids too, don’t you? What’s the weirdest thing they do? Do they ever stop moving? And how do you keep them from running off into the woods or something?”

The knight chuckled, scratching her head.

“Got three of the little terrors. Weirdest thing they do? Well, one of ’em keeps eating dirt—says it tastes like chocolate. And they never stop moving, not even in their sleep—kicking me in the ribs half the night. And keeping ’em from running off? Good luck. I’ve tied bells to mine so I can hear ’em coming!”

Skadi’s mouth dropped open, her silver eyes sparkling with fascination.

“Dirt? Really? That’s so weird! What if they eat something bad? Do you have to fish it out of their mouth? Oh, and what about when they’re tiny—do they fit in your hands, or are they bigger than that?”

The knights around her were doubled over now, their laughter ringing across the grounds.

“Gods, chief, you planning a litter or what?” One teased, elbowing her playfully. “You sound like you’re ready to pop one out tomorrow!”

“Yeah!” Another chimed in, grinning wickedly. “If you want to be a mama so bad, just say it! We’ll set you up with a man in bed—Master’s got plenty of beds to practice on!”

Hearing this, Skadi’s face flushed a brilliant red, her ears flattening as she waved her hands frantically.

“N-No! It’s not like that! I’m just just doing research, okay? Research! I’m curious, that’s all!” Her voice pitched higher, flustered and indignant, but the knights only laughed harder, their teasing relentless.

“Research, huh?” One knight drawled, waggling her brows. “What, you scoping out how to handle a pack of pups? Bet you’d be chasing ’em around like a headless chicken!”

“Or howling lullabies at the moon!” Another added, mimicking a wolf’s cry that sent the group into fresh peals of laughter.

Skadi stomped her foot, her blush deepening as she glared at them.

“S-Shut up! I’m your superior, you know! Show some respect!”

But her scolding fell on deaf ears—the knights just grinned, unfazed, their giggles echoing as they waved her off.

Overwhelmed, Skadi huffed, spun on her heel, and bolted toward Julie and Aisha, her tail swishing in a flustered frenzy.

She skidded to a stop in front of them, her chest heaving as she clutched a crumpled scrap of parchment covered in hasty scribbles—her ‘notes’ from the knights.

Aisha’s eyes narrowed instantly, a suspicious glint sparking in them as she leaned forward. “Oi, Skadi.” She said, her tone sharp and teasing. “What’s all this about since today morning? Are you really pregnant or something? Should we drag you to a healer to check? I mean, all those baby questions are kind of suspicious!”

Skadi’s eyes widened, her face turning an even deeper shade of crimson as she flailed her arms.

“What?! No! Of course I’m not pregnant! I’m not—Argh, mind your own business, Aisha!”

She clutched her notes to her chest like a shield, glaring at Aisha before turning her attention to the parchment, muttering under her breath as she reviewed her scrawl.

“Dirt—eating…bells…melon through a keyhole…Ugh, why’s it so complicated?”

Julie and Aisha exchanged a glance, their dismay mingling with amusement.

Julie sighed, rubbing her temple as she watched Skadi mutter to herself, clearly still rattled from the teasing.

“She’s hopeless.” Julie murmured, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.

Aisha snickered, crossing her arms.

“Hopeless and obsessed. I bet she’s already planning how to juggle five kids at once—probably thinks she can wrestle them into submission!” She shot Skadi a sidelong grin. “You sure you’re not hiding a little pup in there, Skadi? It might be hard to see through that six pack of years that you’re so proud of.”

Skadi whirled on her, baring her teeth in a snarl.

“I said I’m not pregnant! Stop it, you nosy cat! This is serious research—serious! I’m just…preparing! For the future! That’s all!”

Her voice cracked with embarrassment, and she buried her face in her notes again, her ears twitching furiously.

Julie shook her head, her wry smile softening into something gentler.

“Alright, alright, leave her be, Aisha.” She glanced at the flustered Fenrir, then back at the knights still chuckling below. “At least someone’s enthusiastic about the idea of kids—even if it’s in her own weird way.”

Aisha smirked, her tail flicking as she leaned back.

“Yeah, weird’s one word for it. I wonder how long til she’s asking us how to change diapers!”

She laughed, but her eyes lingered on Skadi, a flicker of curiosity still dancing in them as the Fenrir hunched over her notes, oblivious to the world.

And jjst as Julie was mulling over Aisha’s teasing quip about Skadi, a murmur of voices rippled through the air, pulling her attention—and everyone else’s—toward the edge of the grounds.

Heads turned, and a hush fell over the chattering knights as two figures emerged from the mansion’s shadow: Cassius and his ever-so-adorable butler, Lucius.

And to Julie’s surprise, Cassius looked nothing like the disheveled, lustdrenched man she had fled from that morning.

Gone was the rumpled, sweat-soaked figure tangled in sheets; now, he strode forward with an effortless grace, dressed in a crisp white shirt tucked into tailored black pants that hugged his frame just right. The fabric stretched subtly over his broad shoulders, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows in a casual yet commanding way that made him look…Well, Julie had to admit it to herself, handsome. Strikingly so.

His dark hair was swept back, still faintly damp as if he’d just bathed, and the sunlight caught the sharp lines of his jaw, lending him an air of refined nobility.

The knights around her seemed to notice too—whispers of “Is that really him?” and “He cleans up nice” fluttered through the ranks, their eyes widening as they took in the man who’d toppled their world the night before.

It was hard to reconcile this poised figure with the barely-adult devil who’d dismantled their forces with ruthless ease.

Beside him, Lucius trotted along, his slender frame clad in his usual impeccable butler’s uniform—black vest, white shirt, and a tie knotted with precision.

And what was even more surprising was the fact that the two were currently bickering like an old married couple as they approached with Lucious clutching a small compact of makeup in one hand, waving it insistently as he nagged Cassius with exasperation and determination in his tone.

“Master, please, just a dab of this!” Lucius pleaded, his voice high and frazzled as he gestured at Cassius’s neck. “Those hickeys—gods, they’re glaring! You can’t go out like that in front of your new knights order! It’s indecent! Let me cover them up before you disgrace yourself!”

Cassius swatted at Lucius’s hand, his grin wide and unrepentant as he sidestepped the butler’s fussing.

“Oh, come off it, Lucius! I don’t need your powders and makeup—I’m not some sort of actor in a play! And these…?” He tilted his head, proudly displaying the constellation of red and purple marks peppering his neck, courtesy of Isabelle’s fervor. “…These are acts of love, you prude! Isabelle poured her heart into every one, and I’m not about to erase them just to look prim for a bunch of warriors who’ve seen worse!”

Lucius groaned, clutching the compact tighter as if it were his last lifeline.

“Acts of love? Master, they look like you lost a fight with a leech! You’re their lord now—have some dignity! What’ll they think, seeing you stroll up like you just rolled out of a brothel?”

“They’ll think I’m a man who enjoys his mornings!” Cassius shot back, laughing as he shoved Lucius’s arm away again. “Besides, they’re knights, not nuns—doubt they’ll faint over a few love bites. Quit hovering, you mother hen—I’m fine as is!”

Their squabbling carried them closer, Lucius darting around Cassius like an anxious shadow, still brandishing the makeup while Cassius dodged with the ease of someone well-practiced at evading his butler’s fussing.

The knights watched, some stifling giggles, others exchanging amused glances as the pair finally reached the edge of the assembly.

And seeing that they were already there, Lucius sighed in defeat, tucking the compact into his pocket with a muttered, “They’re going to think that I’m a useless butler who can’t even do his job possibly because of this.” before straightening up to stand at Cassius’s side, his expression smoothing into one of resigned professionalism.

Julie also snapped out of her daze, the sight of Cassius jolting her back to her role.

“Line up!” She barked, her voice cutting through the murmurs. “Assemble, now!”

The knights scrambled into formation, their laughter fading into a disciplined rustle as they fell into neat rows.

Julie, Aisha, and Skadi stepped forward, joining the front line to face Cassius and Lucius, their presence a silent bridge between the master and his new legion.

The air grew taut, a obvious tension settling over the grounds as the two sides stood opposite each other—a freshly forged contract of loyalty and service hanging between them.

The knights eyes fixed on Cassius, curiosity and wariness mingling in their stares and they braced themselves for the usual noble inaugration—a long-winded speech about his greatness, his lineage, how fortunate they were to serve under such a magnanimous lord.

It was the standard fare at these inaugurations, a chance for haughty aristocrats to speak and boast.

Some knights already looked ready to tune out, their shoulders slumping as they anticipated a droning history lesson about his family’s exploits, mentally preparing to doze through the ordeal.

But Cassius surprised them all.

As instead of starting to speak about how far the Holyfield estate ranged, he stepped forward, his steady gaze sweeping over the ranks, and after a brief pause to clear his throat, he did something none of them expected.

He bowed.

Not a shallow dip, but a deep, respectful bend at the waist, his head lowered in a gesture that radiated genuine deference.

A collective gasp rippled through the knights, their eyes widening as he straightened, his expression earnest and unguarded.

“Before I say anything else…” Cassius began, his voice clear and resonant, carrying across the field. “I want to thank you—all of you for your service. I know you might not hear this often, if ever, but what you do…It’s brave. Beyond brave.”

“You stand as shields for the people, risking your lives every day to keep them safe, to uphold what’s right. You put your bodies on the line, your blood, your breath—and that’s not something small. It’s not something anyone should take for granted.”

He paused, letting his words sink in, his eyes meeting theirs with a quiet intensity.

“I’ve seen knights before—plenty of them—but I’ve never met a group like you. You’re not just blades for hire or tools to be tossed aside. You’re warriors with heart, with grit, and I’m damn honored to have you under my banner.”

“…Last night, you faced hell and came out the other side, and that’s no small thing. So, from the bottom of my heart—thank you. For what you’ve done, for what you’ll do and I just want to say that I see you, and I respect you.”

Hearing this little speech, the knights stood taller, a swell of pride rippling through them as his words hit home.

Some blinked rapidly, caught off guard by the lump in their throats, while others squared their shoulders, chests puffing out as a rare sense of recognition washed over them.

For once, they weren’t just disposable pawns in a noble’s game—they were seen, valued, and by a lord no less.

Whispers of “Did he really just say that?” and “He’s…Thanking us?” darted between them, their earlier cynicism melting into something warmer, something genuine.

Julie watched, her own surprise flickering beneath her composed exterior.

She’d braced for awkwardness, expecting a rocky start to this new alliance—Cassius’s brash, lustful nature clashing with the knights guarded loyalty.

But in mere minutes, with a handful of heartfelt words, he’d bridged that gap, earning their respect with an ease that left her quietly impressed.

Even Aisha, beside her, tilted her head, he eyes narrowing slightly as she muttered. “Huh…Didn’t think he had that in him. Lustful or not, he’s got a knack for this.”

Skadi, still clutching her crumpled notes, nodded absently, her earlier fluster forgotten as she stared at Cassius. “Master’s really good at talking.” She said simply, her voice tinged with awe. “Then wouldn’t that mean our future pups would also be good at speaking as well?”

Julie didn’t hear Skadi’s commen as her gaze lingered on Cassius, a faint spark of admiration stirring in her chest.

Whatever else he was—lecherous, ruthless, unpredictable, he knew how to lead, and that, at least, she couldn’t deny…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep