Chapter 289: Girls Night

Cassius ignored Julie’s flustered face and then pointed toward the icecream maker in the corner of the tent.

"Oh, and the ice cream’s ready too." He said casually, brushing his hands off after setting the last plate. "There are bowls there, and I even brought some extra toppings, honey, crushed nuts, and chocolate shavings. Make it as fancy as you want."

Then his eyes flicked toward Skadi as he added with a teasing grin.

"And don’t worry, puppy. I know that slab of meat I gave you won’t be enough. The rest of the boar I caught is already roasted and hanging outside. If you want more, go help yourself to another piece. Just don’t eat the whole thing or else you’ll upset your stomach."

Skadi gave an eager little wag of her tail, already eyeing the flap of the tent like she might sprint out there.

Cassius then straightened, brushing invisible dust from his palms, then glanced at all three women with that calm, gentle smile again.

"Take your time, ladies and enjoy your meal...I’ll be outside, where I’ll be eating and sleep tonight. So, you can just come and ask if you need anything."

His words made Aisha pause mid-bite, her brows furrowing slightly as her head shot up.

"Wait...you’re sleeping outside?" She asked, confused. "You’re not going to stay in here with us?"

Cassius blinked for a moment, as if her tone caught him off guard. Then a smirk tugged at his lips, and his eyes glimmered faintly with mischief.

"Oh? The way you’re saying that, Aisha...it’s almost like you want me to sleep with you." He leaned slightly forward, voice dipping teasingly.

Aisha’s cheeks turned crimson instantly, her hands flailing in protest.

"N-No! It’s not like that at all!" She exclaimed, glancing quickly at Julie’s sharp stare, which made her feel even more flustered. "I just meant, there are so many beds here already! You don’t have to stay outside in that musty old tent. It doesn’t make sense."

"Yeah..." Skadi chimed in with an emphatic nod. "You don’t need to sleep out there, Master. You took care of us all day, you should enjoy the comforts of this tent too."

Even Julie, who had been silent for a moment, spoke up softly. Her arms crossed lightly over her chest, and there was a faintly solemn look in her eyes as she said.

"They’re right. It wouldn’t feel right for you to sleep out there while we’re in here, cozy and warm. It would feel...wrong, even for me."

Cassius’s brows raised slightly in surprise. He hadn’t expected Julie of all people to side with them. Aisha and Skadi were understandable, but Julie...he wasn’t expecting her to agree, her being the responsible one and all.

But before he could speak, Julie continued, her voice firm yet quiet, "Honestly, if it were any other man, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask him to leave. Or I’d leave myself."

"...After all, it’s not protocol to let a man stay in the same tent as women. It’s inappropriate."

Her gaze softened as she looked up at him, her expression shifting.

"But you’re different, Cassius. Even though you’re...a playboy." She murmured, her cheeks faintly pink as flashes of earlier memories crossed her mind. "You’re also someone with strong morals which I’ve come to learn, so I trust you. I have no problem with you staying."

Aisha and Skadi nodded quickly in agreement. "We trust you too!" Both of them added.

For a brief moment, Cassius was silent. Their words seemed to take him off guard, and an unreadable look flickered in his eyes. Then he smiled, soft and genuine, the kind of smile that seemed to hold the weight of the world and still feel effortless.

"Thank you." He said warmly. "Thank you for trusting me that much...It means more than you know."

But then, his tone shifted, becoming gentle yet resolute. "Even so...I’ll still sleep outside tonight."

Julie blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"I want this night to be yours." He gestured to the tent, his eyes sweeping over the three of them. "This isn’t just any mission night, it’s a chance for the three of you to relax, laugh, gossip about love lives or anything else girls talk about. I’d rather not intrude...Let’s call it a proper girls night."

Before Julie could protest, he added, "Besides...I want to sleep outside. I’ve spent my life surrounded by luxury and comfort, and once in a while, it’s refreshing to feel like a normal person. To sleep on hard ground under the stars, it’s freeing."

Julie hesitated, lips parting slightly as she considered his words. Eventually, she gave a small nod. "...Alright. If that’s really what you want."

Aisha and Skadi, still visibly disappointed, also nodded reluctantly. They’d been looking forward to sharing the night with him.

Just as Julie was about to say something else, her eyes widened slightly in realization. "Wait. If you’re outside, what about night patrol? Who’s going to keep watch?"

Cassius shook his head with a calm laugh. "You don’t need to worry about that either. I’ll handle the entire patrol by myself."

"That’s—" Julie started, but he cut her off with a soft look.

"There’s no need for concern. It’s stupid to even think anyone could pose a threat to you guys while I’m here."

"...Heh. Even if an army approached, they wouldn’t be able to lay a single finger on you, not while I’m breathing."

His words carried so much weight, so much confidence, that all three women felt a strange calm wash over them. The tent no longer felt like flimsy fabric; in his presence, it felt like an unshakable fortress.

Cassius then glanced outside briefly before turning back to them. "I’ll also be out hunting tonight. Earlier, I spotted more boars, faster, bigger ones. I want to see if I can outmaneuver them and catch them before dawn."

"Hunting?" Skadi asked curiously.

He smirked. "Think of it as a little challenge for myself. I want to prove them wrong about how fast they are."

Hearing this and how he was willing to take all the responsibility himself, Julie lowered her head slightly, her fingers brushing over her plate.

"You know, I’m...I’m not used to relying on someone else this much. It feels strange. But..." She lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes with an almost shy look. "...Thank you. For everything you’re doing."

"It’s nothing at all." Cassius replied softly, his eyes warm. "Of course I’d treat my precious knights this way."

Then he took a step back toward the tent flap. "Goodnight everyone...I hope you enjoy yourselves."

With that, he slipped out of the tent, leaving the three women staring after him with a curious blend of admiration and warmth blooming in their chests.

Skadi then stared down at her plate for a long moment, gently twirling her fork in the creamy pasta as a thoughtful look crossed her face.

"You know...even though I know he’s our master, and he’s a man...I still can’t help but think of Master like my mama sometimes." Her voice was soft, almost sheepish. "It feels strange...but it’s true."

Aisha, who had just lifted a gooey strand of cheesy pasta to her lips, paused and looked over at her with a faint smile.

"I understand what you mean." She said gently. "With him around, it’s like...he’s the best caretaker in the world. He treats us like princesses, not soldiers."

She gave a small laugh, shaking her head.

"He doesn’t feel like a cold noble at all, he feels more like a father figure hovering over his daughters...even though he’s younger than that role should feel."

Then, Aisha’s eyes flicked toward Julie with a teasing glint.

"You know, Captain...if Cassius came with us on every mission, I think I’d happily march into any trench or blood-soaked battlefield without a complaint, since I’d know there’d be a warm meal waiting at the end of the day."

Julie laughed softly, her lips curling in amusement.

"Hah...I don’t think that’ll ever happen. The Holy Guard doesn’t have the kind of budget it would take to hire our boss for every mission."

But as her laughter faded, her gaze drifted to the flap of the tent, the very spot Cassius had disappeared through. Her expression softened as she spoke again, quieter this time, as if musing aloud.

"But...I kind of get it now. With the way he treats women, and the way he carries himself...it’s no wonder so many women fall for him. Back then, I couldn’t understand why they would. But now, after seeing him like this..." She smiled faintly. "It makes perfect sense. He truly knows how to make a woman feel cherished and cared for."

As those words left her lips, she suddenly became aware of two pairs of eyes locked onto her. Julie stiffened, blinking, and turned her head, only to see both Aisha and Skadi watching her with knowing, mischievous smirks.

"W-What?" Julie asked, her voice rising a pitch as she shifted in her seat nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Aisha tilted her head with an impish smile.

"Ohhh...with the way you’re talking, Captain, it almost sounds like you’re one of those enchanted ladies who’ve fallen for Cassius." Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Tell me...have you fallen for him too?"

Julie’s face turned red in an instant as she waved her hands frantically.

"O-Of course not! There’s no way I’d fall for him!" She sputtered. "I’m not like those easy women who just melt when he smiles at them—"

Her words trailed off when she saw the sudden guilty expressions on both Aisha and Skadi’s faces. They glanced away quickly, their flushed cheeks betraying them.

Julie blinked, her mouth parting slightly. "Wait...you two—"

But before she could finish, she let out a sigh and ran a hand over her face. "Never mind..." She muttered, deciding not to dig deeper.

She then straightened suddenly, her brows knitting slightly as she thought of something.

"Though...Maybe it’s just me, but when Cassius was talking about hunting those pigs earlier..." Her voice dropped into a pensive tone. "Did you feel it too? That strange...bloodlust in his words?"

"...It was subtle, but it was there. Almost like he was angry, like he wanted to slaughter them for more than just food."

Skadi gasped and nodded fervently.

"Yeah, Captain! I thought I was imagining it, but now that you say it..." Her voice trembled slightly. "When Master mentioned the pigs, I swear his eyes glimmered a little brighter, and there was this...this coldness about him."

Aisha shivered, her ears flicking. "I felt it too. It gave me goosebumps. My tail even puffed up when he said it."

Julie frowned, glancing between them. "But why would he feel such hatred toward a bunch of pigs? It doesn’t make sense..."

"Maybe they’re the ones who killed his long lost brother." Aisha said suddenly with a completely deadpan expression.

Skadi giggled, slapping her thigh and added, "Or maybe he has some grudge against them in a past life. Either way, let’s not think too hard about it you guys, I’d much rather dive into this yummy looking plate of food."

Julie exhaled slowly, her amused smile softening again. "You’re right. Let’s not focus on that. Instead...Cassius said this was supposed to be our girls’ night. So let’s treat it like one." Her eyes glinted as they turned to Aisha. "Speaking of girls nights...don’t women usually talk about romance?"

Aisha stiffened instantly.

Julie smirked, deciding to engage in the topic she thought of ignoring earlier. "And aince it seems like you and Cassius have been getting very close lately, close enough to make me suspicious, why don’t you tell us what’s going on?"

Aisha’s cheeks flamed red as she waved her hands frantically. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" She stammered. "And even if there was something going on, I wouldn’t have to tell you two!"

She was quite bold when showing off her relationship by herself like she had done earlier. But hearing her own older sister asking about it, made her unable to say a word.

Julie’s teasing grin widened. "Ohhh? That only makes me more curious. Spill it, Aisha. Come on."

"Yeah! Tell us!" Skadi chimed in excitedly. "Or...I’ll tell the Captain myself what I know myself!"

"Shut up, Skadi! Don’t you dare!" Aisha shouted, her face now beet-red as she tried to grab the wolf girl.

Julie leaned back with a victorious smile, watching them bicker. "Ahh...now this is more like it. Just like Cassius wanted."

And so the tent filled with laughter, teasing, and playful scolding, the sound of three women’s voices mingling in a warm and lively harmony.

Outside, under the starry sky, Cassius stood alone in the darkness, smiling faintly to himself as he heard their muffled giggles.

But then, his smile slowly turned cold. His eyes glimmered a sharp, unnatural crimson as they flicked toward a distant point in the shadowed forest.

And then as if he saw something, a low smirk curled his lips as he crouched down, fingers tightening around the bamboo spears he’d been sharpening.

After sharpening their tips so they looked more like stakes then spears, one by one, he stacked them neatly to his right, as the rhythmic scrape of the blade against wood flowed through the quiet night.

"Now that the pigs lurking in the shadows have finally shown themselves..." He murmured, his voice dropping to a low, icy tone that sent a shiver through the air. "...it’s time to begin the hunt."