Aisha’s face turned a deeper shade of red, her eyes wide with mortification. “You…You…!” She stammered, her voice trembling. “You absolute—” She gritted her teeth so hard it was a wonder they didn’t crack.

“Haha…Don’t blame Skadi for the accidents you made, Aisha or else—”

But before Skadi could finish taunting her, something shifted beneath her feet.

After hearing a deep, low rumble she glanced down just in time to see the earth itself move beneath her.

Then—she was gone.

With zero warning, the ground suddenly swallowed her up, pulling her down until only her head was sticking out like a trapped mole.

Skadi let out a yelp, eyes darting wildly. “H-Hey!!” She yelped. “What the—?!”

But before she could finish, she saw Aisha crawling towards her face flushed and tears welling up in her eyes and then without any hesitation whatsoever, she began hammering her head with her tiny fists in a rage.

“H-How could you say something like that, you damn dog?!” She yelled, her voice choked with mortification. “Do you have no shame?! And how dare you go around smelling people’s pee, you damn pervert!”

She continued to clobber Skadi, her blows becoming increasingly frantic, a mixture of anger and genuine embarrassment fueling her actions. The rhythmic thwacks echoed through the clearing, a stark contrast to the earlier tense atmosphere.

“Ow! Hey! Stop it!” Skadi yelped, her voice muffled by the earth surrounding her. “I was just telling the truth!”

“The truth?!” Aisha shrieked, her voice reaching a fever pitch. “There is no truth! You’re making it up! And even if it were true, you don’t just go around announcing it to everyone!”

“But why not?” Skadi asked, her voice muffled but still indignant. “It’s just pee! Everyone pees!”

“Not in their pants!” Aisha retorted, her blows becoming more forceful. “Especially not in front of someone who just humiliated our entire squad!”

“But he’s out new master! He’s not an outsider anymore!” Skadi protested, her voice wavering. “And it was only a little, so it doesn’t even count as peeing your pants!”

“That’s not the point, you bed wetting mutt!” Aisha yelled, her face now a mask of pure, unadulterated mortification.

Cassius let out a low chuckle, watching the entire exchange unfold with pure amusement. He leaned slightly toward Julie, smirking as he gestured lazily toward her two subordinates—one half-buried in the ground and the other still flushed red with humiliation.

“You’ve really got an amazing left and right hand, Captain.” He mused, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm. “One that pees her pants out of fear…” Aisha immediately shot him a glare of death. “…and another who’s peed herself so much that she can now detect when others do it.”

“Truly a splendid team.” He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with mock admiration.

Julie, kept her expression calm, though there was the slightest twitch in her smile. She refused to let her pride be dented, so instead, she exhaled lightly and gave a small, diplomatic smile.

“Well, young prodigies always come with their own quirks.” She said smoothly, her voice carrying a tone of forced patience. “It’s only natural.”

Cassius’s smirk widened. “Ah, yes. Just like how a prodigy like yourself always trips over pebbles.”

Julie’s cheeks turned slightly red as she slowly turned her gaze toward Cassius. “That was a one-time thing.” She said, her tone controlled but defensive. “It won’t happen again.”

Cassius quirked a brow, clearly not buying it. “Won’t happen again?” He repeated. “How confident.”

Julie straightened her posture, fully intent on restoring her dignity. “Of course.” She said smoothly, tucking a strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear. “A single mistake does not define a warrior of my caliber.”

For a moment, it almost seemed like she had successfully shut down the topic.

Almost.

Until—

Skadi’s betrayal arrived.

From her grave, Skadi’s voice rang out like a divine proclamation of truth.

“Yeah, there’s no way that’s true.” She said, her tone disturbingly casual. “Captain’s clumsiness is so notorious that everyone in the legion decided that the day she doesn’t screw up a simple task because of her clumsiness is the day the end of the world is coming, so there’s no way she’s going to follow through with what she said.”

The world froze.

Cassius sucked in a sharp breath, pressing a fist against his lips, as if holding back a full-blown laugh. Aisha, who had been enjoying Julie’s struggle just seconds ago, immediately stiffened.

Julie?

Julie slowly—very slowly—turned her head toward Aisha.

“Aisha.” She called in a voice that sent shivers down the spine of everyone present.

Aisha gulped. “…Yes, Captain?”

Julie smiled. A cold, merciless smile.

“In the name of maintaining discipline within the Sacred Guard.” She said lightly. “Please continue to clobber Skadi.”

Skadi’s ears shot up in panic.

“Wait—Wait, Captain—!!” She yelped, thrashing in her dirt prison. “Don’t just order me to be beaten because I spoke the truth!!”

But her pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Oh-ho-ho, with pleasure, Captain.” Aisha cracked her knuckles, her earlier embarrassment completely wiped away, her expression glowing with righteous vengeance.

“Alright, mutt.” She said with a smirk. “You had your fun, now it’s my turn.”

Skadi, still half-buried, flinched. “W-Wait, let’s talk about this—”

But before Aisha could unleash divine retribution, a voice interrupted.

“That’s enough.”

The command was calm but carried absolute weight.

In the next instant, before anyone could even react, Cassius bent down and thrust his hands into the soil.

Julie’s eyes widened in shock. That was Aisha’s hardened earth. Normally, removing someone would require undoing the spell or forcefully breaking through it with brute strength.

And Cassius did just that with zero visible effort.

His fingers pushed through the compacted earth like it was nothing more than soft sand. The solid ground cracked and split apart, crumbling beneath his hands as if its very existence bent to his will.

Julie barely concealed the way her breath hitched. She knew Cassius was strong, but the way he casually broke Aisha’s magic—something that usually took direct countermeasures—was another reminder of just how absurdly powerful he was.

Even Aisha, who had prepared to beat Skadi senseless, froze for a moment, her instincts kicking in.

Cassius, entirely unbothered by their reactions, slid his arms further under the earth until his hands found their target.

Skadi, still confused about what was happening, let out a small yelp as she suddenly felt his hands securely grip under her arms.

Then, effortlessly, he lifted her straight out of the ground like she weighed nothing.

It was ridiculously easy.

As if he were picking up a puppy which, considering the way he held her, was exactly what she looked like.

Skadi blinked in surprise, her wide silver eyes staring up at Cassius as he held her firmly in his arms. Her belly was facing upward, completely exposed, her tail flicking in confusion. Her wolf ears twitched as she looked at him innocently.

Cassius, without an ounce of shame, smiled down at her.

“There we go.” He said smoothly. “No one is allowed to bully my adorable little puppy anymore.”

Skadi’s ears perked up immediately.

Her tail wagged harder, and she gave Cassius the most blatantly joyful expression of the night.

“A-Are you siding with Skadi?!” She asked, her voice almost shiny with excitement. “Are you actually trying to help me out, Master ?!”

Cassius, still holding her comfortably against his chest, tilted his head slightly and coddled his tone as if soothing a small child.

“Of course.” He said, his voice rich with mock sympathy. “They were being unnecessarily mean to you, weren’t they, Skadi? They acted like such big bullies, right?”

Skadi’s ears flattened dramatically. She whimpered, as if to fully sell her victim role.

“Mmm…” She nodded, her expression pitiful as she clutched onto Cassius’s sleeve for extra effect. “Y-Yes, Master …They were bullying me just because I was being honest!”

Aisha opened her mouth to protest, but Skadi was too fast.

She turned her big, innocent eyes up at Cassius, her voice tragically mournful. “Is there really no place left in the world for honest people like me?”

Cassius sighed theatrically, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, there isn’t.”

Julie pinched the bridge of her nose, already seeing where this was going. “Young Master —”

But he wasn’t done.

He gently adjusted Skadi’s position, still holding her with ease, and let out a soft chuckle. “That being said, I truly appreciate your honesty.”

Skadi’s ears perked again. “You do?!”

Cassius nodded. “Yes. And because of that, I’ll make you a deal.”

Her tail wagged furiously. “A deal?!”

Cassius grinned. “Anytime they bully you for simply being honest, you can just come complain to me.” His eyes gleamed mischievously. “And I’ll make sure to tell them off.”

Aisha jerked forward in outrage. “Excuse me?!”

But Skadi had already stopped listening.

Her silver eyes sparkled. “Really?” She gasped, clinging onto his sleeve like an excited child. “You’d do that for Skadi?!”

Cassius smiled down at her. “Of course. After all, I’m your new master now, aren’t I?” His smirk grew wider. “Taking care of my pitiful little puppy is part of my duties.”

The stars in Skadi’s eyes multiplied.

“Master …!!” She practically trembled with emotion, looking up at him like he had just saved her entire world.

“You! Stop feeding into her delusions!” Aisha, beyond exasperated, groaned.

“This is going to be a problem.” Julie, rubbing her temples, sighed deeply.

Skadi, on the other hand, had already made up her mind.

“You’re the best master ever!!” She beamed, rubbing her cheek against Cassius’s sleeve affectionately.

Cassius chuckled. “Glad you think so.”

Seeing this obnoxious sight of her two mortal enemies that she had made up in her mind cuddling with one another, Aisha physically recoiled. “Stop wagging your tail! You’re a knight, not a pet! Have some dignity!”

But Skadi paid her no mind. She had already found her new safe haven.

Cassius, still holding Skadi effortlessly in his arms, then cast a thoughtful glance toward the path leading back to the mansion. He exhaled softly before looking up at the eager wolf girl.

“Skadi…” He called, tilting his head slightly. “Since I have to carry the other two as well, would you mind sitting on my shoulders?…It’ll make things easier if someone’s on top.”

He didn’t even get to finish the thought before Skadi launched herself onto him like an overenthusiastic pup climbing a tree.

“I get to ride master?!” She gasped, her eyes shining with pure, unfiltered joy.

Cassius barely had time to brace himself before she scaled him with the agility of a beastkin born to climb. Julie and Aisha also watched, completely dumbfounded, as Skadi scrambled onto Cassius’s shoulders with the speed of someone climbing for their life.

And once she was securely perched atop his broad shoulders, she spread her arms wide, her tail wagging wildly.

“Hah!” She cried, throwing her head back in awe. “Look at me! I’m so tall right now!!”

She laughed triumphantly, looking down at everything with wide, sparkling eyes.

“This is incredible! This must be what it feels like to be a king!” She said, dramatically extending a hand over the horizon. “No—a god! This is my domain now!”

Cassius chuckled. “Feeling powerful, are we?”

Skadi grinned. “Master, this is the best! I can see everything from up here!” Then, with zero mercy, she suddenly pointed downward—specifically at Aisha.

“Aisha, you were already puny and short, but now—” She let out a mocking gasp. “—you look like a tiny ant!”

Aisha’s brows twitched violently.

Her fingers curled into fists.

Her teeth gritted.

“Skadi.” She growled. “I am going to throw you off that high horse if you don’t shut up in the next five seconds.”

Skadi giggled mischievously, kicking her legs lightly, absolutely delighted by the reaction.

Julie, meanwhile, narrowed her eyes at Cassius, her earlier amusement replaced by wary suspicion. “Wait a moment.” She said, voice sharp with caution. “What do you mean by ‘carrying the other two’?”

Cassius turned to her with a smirk that made her stomach sink.

He didn’t answer her directly.

Instead, with zero hesitation, he suddenly bent down and—before Aisha could even react—scooped her up.

Princess style.

Effortlessly.

Aisha, who had just been sitting on the ground mere seconds ago, found herself cradled in Cassius’s arms like some delicate noble maiden which made her eyes widened in shock, her face flushing an even deeper shade of crimson.

“Well, since none of you seem capable of walking.” Cassius said, his voice smooth and teasing. “I thought I would be a good master and carry you all back myself.”

Julie’s surprise was evident, her normally composed expression momentarily faltering. But Aisha’s reaction was far more explosive.

“You! L-Let me go!” She shrieked, her voice a mixture of rage and embarrassment. She flailed her arms, attempting to scratch Cassius’s face like an angry cat. “I don’t need your help! I can go back by myself!”

Skadi, from her perch on Cassius’s shoulders, chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. “Yeah! Let her go! She might make you stink of pee too!”

Aisha’s face contorted in a mixture of fury and mortification. “Skadi! Shut up!” She yelled, her voice echoing through the clearing. She then turned her attention back to Cassius, her struggles intensifying. “Put me down this instant before I scratch your face off!”

Cassius, however, remained unmoved by Aisha’s protests. He simply adjusted his grip, ensuring she was securely held in his arms.

“Now, now.” He said, his voice laced with playfulness as he admired how light and frail she felt in his arms. “Where’s the gratitude? I’m merely trying to be a gentleman.”

Aisha, her face burning, continued to struggle, her attempts to escape becoming increasingly frantic. “Gentleman?!” She spat, her voice laced with incredulity. “This is an actual kidnapping! Put me down this instant or else I’ll have you arrested in the name of the Holy Guard!”

Skadi, perched atop Cassius’s shoulders, giggled. “She looks like a squirming fish!” She exclaimed, her tail wagging excitedly. “A very angry, very stinky fish!”

Aisha’s eyes narrowed, a primal urge to silence Skadi rising within her. She was ready to pounce, to pull the silver-haired menace down to the ground and settle this once and for all.

But just as she was about to launch herself, a sudden movement caught her attention.

To her utter shock, Cassius bent down towards her face, his eyes gleaming with an almost mischievous light as he slowly moved towards her face. The sudden proximity sent a jolt of panic through Aisha.

She froze, her breath catching in her throat. In her awkward, princess-carried position, she was completely vulnerable, unable to react.

‘Is he…Is he going to kiss me? Is this what he meant by taking liberties with his knights from time to time? Is he really going to go through with what he said, even when the captain is watching?’ She thought, her mind reeling.

The idea of her first kiss being stolen by this infuriatingly charming but irritating man sent a wave of conflicting emotions through her, especially knowing that Skadi, who was happily watching from above would never let her forget about it and would probably spread it to everyone in the squad.

That was probably a fate worse then death and the only way she would be able to live with it is if she took the head of the man who forcibly stole her lips, even though she had no idea how she was going to take down the behemoth of a powerhouse who was slowly inching towards her trembling, pink lips…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep