Chapter 281: You Gold Digger!

Cassius’s lips twitched, his voice silent as he savored the moment, his eyes glinting with amusement as the two begged, their adorable faces making it hard to resist.

But he knew their bickering would drag on all night if he didn’t intervene, so he decided to do something about it as his hands moved to wrap around their waists, pulling them closer.

"You know what, ladies?" He said, his tone teasing as he looked between them, his arms firm but gentle, their surprised blushes lighting up their faces. "I can actually make both."

"...Bouncy castle, hot air balloon, I’ve got the skills and time for it since it’s not like I’m actually ruling over my territory." His voice was confident, his eyes twinkling as he watched their reactions, the fire crackling behind him.

Aisha’s eyes widened, her voice bursting with excitement as she clutched his arm tighter, her posture buzzing with joy.

"Really? You can make both?" She asked, her tone incredulous as she leaned closer, her face glowing. "You’re not joking, right? We can have the hot air balloon?"

Skadi nodded, her voice equally thrilled as she tugged at his other arm, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Both? Master, you’re the best! A bouncy castle and a balloon?" She squealed, her tone ecstatic as she pressed herself closer. "You gotta do it! Please, please!"

Cassius’s grin deepened, his eyes glinting as he leaned in closer.

"Oh, I can do it." He said smoothly, his voice dropping just enough to make both of them stiffen. "A bouncy castle. A hot air balloon. Easy enough for me."

Aisha and Skadi blinked at him, their curiosity piqued as the firelight flickered across his face. The crackle of the flames filled the silence as he paused, letting the tension hang in the air.

"But..." He continued, his tone turning almost wicked as his smirk widened. "A project this big doesn’t come for free."

Their ears twitched, their tails flicking as they leaned in, eyes wide with anticipation.

Cassius straightened slightly, the teasing glint in his eyes sharpening as he spoke slowly, savoring every word.

"I mean to do so, you’ll have to marry me."

He said, his voice low but clear, each syllable deliberate.

"Both of you. Be my brides...and I’ll make your bouncy castle and hot air balloon as wedding gifts."

He tilted his head slightly, his grin widening as if the idea amused him to no end. "I mean, isn’t it only natural these days for both parties to give gifts to one another? A little dowry of sorts."

His eyes gleamed mischievously, his voice dropping low as he leaned in closer. "And in that sense...I’m more than willing to offer you such grand gifts for the privilege of claiming your hands in marriage."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, the scent of sizzling hog wafting around them as the weight of his words sank in.

"What? Brides?!" Aisha squeaked, her tone flustered as she glanced at Skadi. "Marry you? For a hot air balloon? That’s...that’s absurd!"

Her voice rose, her hands fidgeting as she looked away, though her heart raced with a secret thrill, her cheeks burning as she stole a glance at him.

Skadi’s cheeks also reddened, her voice shy as she looked down, her hands loosening their grip on his arm, her posture shrinking with bashfulness.

"M-Marriage? That’s...um, kinda embarrassing." She mumbled, her tone hesitant as she rubbed her arm, her eyes darting to the ground. "My mom always said you marry for love, not...not for bouncy castles."

Her voice softened, her face flushed as she glanced up at Cassius, her loyalty to her mother’s teachings clashing with her excitement.

"Alright, alright, if you’re not interested, I won’t force you."

Cassius chuckled, his voice teasing as he let go of their waists, stepping back with a sigh, his hands raised in surrender.

"Guess I’ll just stick to cooking for now. No brides, no balloons, no castles."

"Wait, hold on! I didn’t say I was rejecting you!"

Aisha’s eyes widened, her voice panicked as she lunged forward, grabbing his arm again, her face still flushed with embarrassment.

"I was just...thinking it over, okay? Don’t walk away!"

Her voice cracked, her hands squeezing his arm as she leaned closer, her heart pounding with the fear of losing the chance.

Skadi also nodded, her voice eager as she grabbed his other arm, her blush deepening but her eyes sparkling with determination.

"Yeah, Master, don’t go!" She said, her tone bright as she pressed herself against him. "My mom said love’s important, but I already love you tons, so it’s fine!"

"...Plus, a bouncy castle as a wedding gift? That’s perfect!"

"Master, I think—"

But just as Skadi was about to continue, she stopped as she had finally taken in what Aisha had just now, making her eyes widened suddenly, her voice erupting in a panicked shout as she let go of Cassius, turning to Aisha with shock in her gaze.

"W-Wait a second, Aisha, are you seriously agreeing to marry him?!" She demanded, her tone incredulous as she pointed at her, her face twisting with disbelief. "You were just complaining about him a few days ago, saying he was too smug, too bossy, acting like you couldn’t stand him! Now you’re all clingy and saying yes to his proposal?"

Her voice rose, her hands gesturing wildly as she stepped closer to Aisha, her eyes narrowing with confusion.

"What’s that about?...Since when do you like him like that?"

Aisha froze, her entire body stiffening as if Skadi had just pierced her armor. Her heart skipped a beat, her mind reeling as she realized with horror that she’d slipped.

’Damn it, why did I say yes so fast?’

A sharp flush crept up her cheeks as it hit her, Skadi, of all people, had caught her off guard and managed to corner her into exposing her true feelings.

Of course... what Skadi was saying wasn’t wrong. It was true. Deep down, Aisha knew her heart had already betrayed her.

But she wasn’t about to let her younger sister have this kind of victory over her. There was no way she could stand there and admit, "Yes, I’ve fallen for him." Not to Skadi’s face as she’d never let me live it down.

So, she straightened her back, crossing her arms tightly over her chest as she tossed her hair with exaggerated flair. Her expression turned cool and haughty, even as her blush refused to fade.

"Me? Falling for Cassius? Don’t be ridiculous!" She scoffed, her voice laced with defiance as she tilted her chin higher, glaring down at Skadi like she was the foolish one. "It’s not love. Not even close. Ugh, how absurd."

Cassius raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he leisurely turned the hog on the spit, the meat sizzling as if echoing the heat rising in Aisha’s cheeks.

Aisha, catching his amused expression, felt her pride sting harder. If she couldn’t convince Skadi, she’d lose the upper hand entirely.

So she pivoted fast. Her lips curled into a sly smile as she gestured toward Cassius with one hand, her tone turning almost smug as her words poured out.

"You know Skadi, it’s not about love, it’s strategy."

She said, her voice growing more confident as her eyes glimmered mischievously.

"Think about it. He’s one of the most powerful nobles on the continent. Stronger than the Captain in a fight. He’s also loaded with riches, smarter than half the royal court combined..."

She took a deliberate step closer to Cassius, ignoring the way her heart fluttered as she felt the heat radiating off him.

"And let’s face it, he’s pretty damn handsome...Prettier then half the princesses out there I’d say."

Cassius’s smirk widened, his eyes glittering with amusement as he watched her try to dig herself out of the hole she’d made.

"So yeah, marrying him is just...the smart move. Secures my future, gives me comfort, and...well, if I have to look at someone every day, I might as well pick someone easy on the eyes, right?"

Her blush betrayed her cool facade, but she kept her smirk firmly in place.

"So, this isn’t about love, it’s about making the smartest investment of my life...You understand?"

Skadi gasped, her voice sharp with indignation as she pointed at Aisha, her posture bristling with realization.

"Aha! So that’s why you were all touchy, feely after that horse ride!"

She exclaimed, her tone triumphant as she crossed her arms, her eyes gleaming like she’d solved a mystery.

"You were riding behind him, feeling all his power and charm, and you decided you wanted him for yourself! It all makes sense now!"

Her voice rose, her hands waving as she leaned forward, her posture buzzing with excitement.

"You’re just a...what do they call people like you? Ah, a gold digger! A gold digger, Aisha!...I knew it! All those gifts Master gave you the ring, the wands, I thought you were just spoiled, but now you’re admitting it!"

Her voice turned accusing, her eyes narrowing as she pointed at Aisha, her face flushed with anger and upsetness.

Aisha’s eyes widened, her voice sharp with irritation as she planted her hands on her hips, her posture stiffening with defiance.

"Gold digger? Who cares what you call me?" She snapped, her tone haughty as she stepped closer to Cassius, pressing herself against his side, her eyes glinting with challenge. "As long as I get a capable husband like him, I don’t care what you think! My future’s set, and that’s what matters."

Her voice was smug, her hands clutching Cassius’s arm as she leaned into him, her posture possessive as she shot Skadi a triumphant look.

And in response Skadi’s face flushed, her voice erupting in protest as she grabbed Cassius’s other arm, pulling him toward her, her posture bristling with frustration.

"No way! Master’s mine, Aishal You can’t steal him!"

She declared, her tone fierce as she glared at her, her eyes blazing with loyalty.

"I love him for who he is, not his power or money or status! He makes me happy every day, and that’s what matters!"

Her voice softened, her hands squeezing Cassius’s arm as she looked up at him.

"I-I don’t need a fancy title or riches...I just want Master, bouncy castle or not!"

Her voice trembled, her eyes earnest as she pressed herself closer, her loyalty unwavering.

Aisha’s lips twitched, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she hugged Cassius tighter, her posture defiant as she smirked at Skadi.

"Oh, what a sweet, childish answer." She said, her tone mocking as she tilted her head, her eyes glinting with amusement. "But let’s be real, Skadi, power, wealth, status? That’s what secures a future. My reasoning’s way smarter than your sappy ’love’ nonsense."

Her voice rose, her hands gripping Cassius’s arm as she leaned closer, her face flushed with defiance.

"You’re just mad because I thought of it first!"

Skadi’s voice grew louder, her hands pulling Cassius toward her, her posture bristling with indignation.

"Thought of it first? You’re just copying me!" She shot back, her tone heated as she glared at Aisha, her eyes flashing. "I loved Master way before you started getting all clingy! You’re the one trying to steal him with your gold, digging tricks!"

Cassius, caught between them, straightened his back, his voice smooth but edged with indignation as he gently shook their hands off his arms.

"Ladies, really now..." He said, his tone cool and composed, like a man of impeccable breeding trying to keep his dignity intact. "Must you bicker over me as if I’m some trophy to be won? Such behavior is hardly becoming of women of your station."

He brushed off his coat with exaggerated refinement, his hands steady as he turned the spit once more.

"Compose yourselves...There’s no need to tug and claw at one another over my attention. It’s hardly becoming for young ladies such as yourself."

But even though he was acting like a dignified gentleman, deep down...deep, deep down his heart was soaring.

He wanted to throw his head back and roar with laughter, so tickled he could barely keep his composure.

’They’re fighting over me...’ The thought echoed in his mind like music. ’They’re both fighting over me!’

His chest swelled with delight as he tried to suppress the smug grin threatening to betray him.

This was better than anything he could’ve planned. For a while, he’d toyed with how to subtly reveal their feelings for him to one another, whether to let it slip in conversation, or to stage some clever scheme to draw them both out.

But fate, ever generous, had done the work for him, and done it beautifully. They’d exposed themselves in front of each other without him lifting a finger.

As he stood there, the picture of calm nobility, Cassius felt like dancing in the firelight.

’Oh, this is perfect. Absolutely perfect...It seems like the Goddess of Debauchery is really standing by my side.’

He controlled his expression into one of mild exasperation, hiding the laughter that bubbled up inside.

’Play it cool, Cassius. Play it cool and let it all play it by itself.’