Before Lucy and Timothy’s unresolved tension reached its peak, a wolf-kin from the Silverfang family burst into the room, his face etched with panic.

“Where is the Alpha?!” he called out urgently.

“What happened?” one of the elders asked, concern etched across his face as he took in the newcomer’s panicked demeanor.

“The nobles from Frozen River are here,” the messenger explained breathlessly. “Their matriarch left her two sons in our state, saying she had business in town. But when she returned, something enraged her, and now she’s on her way…”

His voice trailed off as the woman herself appeared at the entrance.

Her wavy, long, ashen-white hair swayed gracefully as she strode forward with an air of pure elegance.

Her beauty was undeniable, but her sharp, cold expression made it clear that she was enraged.

Behind her stood two tall, muscular blond men, acting like her bodyguards.

One was clean-shaven with neatly styled hair, while the other sported stubble and a messy hairstyle, though both bore a striking resemblance to each other.

But when her gaze landed on Sokram, her stern expression softened instantly.

Sokram noticed her too and greeted her warmly. “Nana Marg!”

“Baby! I heard…” She began rushing toward him for a hug, but stopped abruptly, wrinkling her nose at the smell clinging to him.

“Ugh, what is that smell?”

“Oh, right, haha,” Sokram chuckled sheepishly. “I just got back from my first hunt. Four-Armed Boars, we caught a bunch!”

He beamed proudly, retrieving a spatial ring from his glove carrier and holding it up for her inspection.

Margiory examined the contents of the ring, her eyes widening in surprise. “That’s incredible for a first hunt, baby.”

However, as she handed the ring back to him, she pinched his ear firmly. “But your mother told me you were misbehaving, a complaint of insubordination on your very first hunt? Seriously?”

“Ouch, Nana, it wasn’t my fault, ouch!”

Despite his protests, Sokram didn’t resist.

Letting her pinch his ear would serve him well later when she learned the truth.

At that moment, the doors of the City Lord’s office swung open, revealing Hannah, Licarus, and Kamal.

Kamal froze mid-step, his eyes widening as he processed the sight of Margiory pinching Sokram’s ear, and how close they seemed.

Sensing his worries, Hannah grinned evilly and swiftly interjected, "Margiory, it wasn’t his fault.”

“You know each other?” Kamal’s worry was evident in his eyes.

Another member of his family hurried over into the room, blurting out, “Alpha, the nobles of Frozen River are…” before realizing it was already too late and snapping his mouth shut.

“What do you mean it wasn’t his fault?” Margiory demanded, ignoring the commotion around her while focusing intently on Hannah.

“I’ll explain better later, but the gist of it is that the Silverfang boy got jealous because Sokram was too flirty with the elf over there,” Hannah gestured vaguely toward Savannah, “and used his grandfather’s influence to raise a false complaint against our grandson. But everything has been resolved already…”

Hannah glanced mockingly at Kamal. “Right? Alpha Silverfang.”

“Yes! Yes!” Kamal nodded hastily, turning to the wolf-kin who had just arrived. “Did you bring what I asked?”

“Yes, Alpha!” the man replied, handing over a spatial ring in a rush.

Kamal checked its contents briefly, aware that everyone was watching the unfolding scene.

Some understood his predicament more than others; Kazzah’s desperation grew visibly by the second, while Sokram’s team tried to piece together what was happening.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Kamal approached Sokram, extending the ring with an almost pleading smile.

For someone of his stature, this was uncharted territory. “Here, young one, the compensation we discussed. I hope we can let bygones be bygones and start a good friendship, not only for the sake of it but also for Eversnow’s sake.”

His tone was markedly subservient this time, but Sokram detected something unusual.

Glancing at Margiory, realization dawned. “Oh, you’re the noble from Frozen River! Haha! Fate is truly a prankster.”

Accepting the ring, Sokram patted Kamal’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Uncle. We’re cool. You’re truly a wolf of your word. I’m sure my grandma and you will do great business, and someday, so will I.”

Margiory, quick-witted as ever, grasped the situation immediately.

“Well, besides this compensation, the Silverfang family is hosting a feast where I planned to introduce you officially as part of the family, to let them know that although you don’t carry our name, our blood runs in your veins, baby.”

What she said next nearly caused Kazzah to choke.

“Besides, after I told them my grandson loves boar meat, they assured me they’d have plenty prepared.”

“Feast?” Sokram asked, connecting the dots but allowing her to continue.

“Well, you know how Nana wants to move here to stay closer to you and Astrid, so I started looking for business partners. Then I began talks with the Silverfang family, and I’ll be investing in their stores and allowing them to resell some of our products.”

Margiory scanned the room, surprised to see the reactions her connection to Sokram elicited.

Even Leona couldn’t suppress her giggles. “Heh, so the commission for hunting boars was because you wanted to spoil him?”

“Well, I love spoiling my grandchildren,” Margiory smiled warmly at Leona before turning to Sokram. “Why don’t you invite your friends to join us? Since you hunted together, you should eat together, right?”

“Is it happening tonight? Because we’ve just returned from the mission, and everyone is exhausted.” Sokram hesitated, unwilling to accept such an invitation without considering his team’s physical and mental condition.

Seizing the opportunity to strengthen bonds, Kamal suggested, “How about we postpone it for three days from now? This way, you and your team can get proper rest.”

The friendly smile on his face hinted at his ambitions, but Sokram appreciated straightforwardness, it made people easier to deal with.

Margiory approached business dealings with a similar mindset.

She sensed Kamal’s efforts to mend fences after whatever had occurred before her arrival. She also recognized an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage.

Deciding to test the waters, Margiory adopted a hesitant expression. “Sure, I’ll find accommodations for my sons and their families…”

But Kamal cut her off mid-sentence. “No, no, I can accommodate you and your family, Lady Androny.”

At the mention of the name Androny, a collective gasp rippled through the room.

It became abundantly clear why Kamal was going to such lengths.

The Androny family, though minor nobility in rank, was the wealthiest family in Norwinter and one of the five richest in the Northern Continent.

“Right… My sons and their families can stay with you then, but I’ll stay with my grandson. I want to hear the tale of his first hunt. Thank you for being so hospitable,” Margiory flashed an enchanting smile that made the old wolf-kin blush slightly.

Turning to the two men still standing silently behind her, she instructed, “Klaus, Michael, be ready to bring the children to meet their cousin. I’ll see if Hilda can receive us tonight.”

“Oh, so these are my uncles? I thought they were Aura Master bodyguards like Uncle Alain,” Sokram remarked curiously.

He knew them well, or rather, remembered them fondly.

Unlike his father, these two had always accepted him into the Androny family in his previous timeline, and he doubted this time would differ.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he was proven correct.

While Alain was treated as a servant by his cousins, his uncles had always respected him deeply.

Hearing that they were comparable to him, their approving smiles spoke volumes.

Klaus, the more extroverted of the two, greeted him first. “Good to finally meet you, nephew. My mother can never stop praising you, haha.”

Michael studied Sokram carefully, nodding approvingly. “Yes, so much so that your cousins are all quite jealous of you, especially with her insistence on moving here despite the looming war. But seeing that you’re not afraid of a little blood shows you’re a fierce warrior at least. Though I would like to test that personally.”

Margiory’s brow furrowed slightly as she detected a faint note of jealousy beneath their words, a subtle reminder of the familial dynamics at play. “You two are too old for that, but you’ll have time to test his potential later. For now, go get your children ready.”

“Yes, Mother,” they chorused obediently, turning to leave.

Before they disappeared, Sokram added with a bright smile,

“I’m also glad to meet you two, Uncles. Uncle Alain told many stories about Klaus the Wild Hunter and Michael the Iron Wall. I hope we can spar later so my uncles can teach this young dragon a few moves.”

“Spoken like a true Androny, haha,” Klaus praised, while Michael nodded silently in approval.

“Sigh… You shouldn’t fan such flames, baby,” Margiory teased, shaking her head in mock exasperation.

But then Hannah whispered into her ear via voice transmission, “Impossible for him not to fan those flames. He’s Brunhild’s grandson, too, after all, and you know what she’s known as, right? The Battle-Junkie Widow.”

Margiory let out a soft chuckle, meeting Hannah’s amused gaze.

Looking at Sokram’s enthusiastic expression, she knew it was true.

But as she turned back to Kamal, her demeanor shifted, becoming stern. “Alpha Silverfang, I don’t know what happened before I arrived, but I hope I can trust the well-being of my family to you.”

“Please, Lady Androny, I assure you, it was nothing more than my reckless grandson acting like a spoiled pup. I’ve already apologized to Sokram, and so has Kazzah. I hope this won’t hinder any future endeavors,” Kamal replied humbly.

His expression turned serious as he added, “As for the well-being of your family, it’s true that we of the Silverfang act differently from most wolf-kin, but we are not cowardly mutts who bite when your guard is down. We are still honorable warriors of the north.”

“Good to know I chose the right wolf to do business with,” Margiory nodded, extending her hand for a handshake.

As they clasped hands, a cold glint flickered in her eyes, hidden beneath her enchanting smile.

A single thought echoed in her mind: ‘No one would dare harm those I love. No one.’