Then, Leona hugged Sokram from behind, turning him gently toward the girls.

“See? My disciple is not only a talented young warrior but also an excellent teacher,” she purred teasingly, nuzzling her nose against his ear while switching her gaze menacingly between Savannah and Amber.

Her tone carried both affection and warning. “So wait until Sokram comes of age before acting on anything, alright?”

“I-I-I… wouldn’t dare!” Amber stammered, her voice rushed and laced with nervousness.

“I already told him I’d work hard to repay him for sharing his knowledge with me. And besides, he was the one who mentioned marriage contracts, no! I mean, he said he wanted to write a blood contract first.”

Savannah, too frightened to speak, merely nodded in agreement, her wide eyes darting between Leona and Sokram.

“Master, please don’t tease them like that,” Sokram interjected firmly, freeing himself from her embrace.

He turned to face her, his expression earnest. “They’re my friends, and they’re incredibly talented. You know how much I hate seeing talent go to waste.”

Leona didn't back down, staring down at her disciple intently.

Though pride flickered in her sharp green eyes as she watched him stand up for his companions, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of protectiveness.

Sokram was more than just her disciple; he was like the son she always wanted, and she would do anything to shield him from harm.

“And what about the fox?” Leona asked pointedly.

“She’s Lucille’s daughter,” Sokram explained calmly, maintaining his composure under her scrutiny.

“She offered me the loyalty of the entire Purple Pavilion in exchange for the cultivation method, but that’s not why I’m considering teaching her. The details can wait until later.”

Hearing the names Lucille and Purple Pavilion, not only Margiory, but also Hannah widened their eyes, only to instantly conceal their reactions.

They finally understood some of the motives behind their grandson’s moves.

Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, Sokram added, “Actually, tomorrow I promised to visit her and meet her mother. Would you come with me? It might be safer if I have backup when dealing with someone like Lucille.”

“Of course,” Leona replied without hesitation. “Lucille is a good woman, a little too clever. But yes, you can count on me.”

“I’ll go too.” Hannah’s voice carried an unyielding firmness.

This wasn’t a request; it was a declaration.

But Sokram wasn’t surprised when Margiory declared she would be joining in as well.

“Perfect! I’ve been wanting to meet Mistress Lucille for ages, but she’s always too busy. Now I have an excuse to tag along. You don’t mind hiding me beneath your wings, do you, baby?” Margiory teased, her lips curling into a mischievous grin.

“Not at all, Nana,” Sokram responded with a matching smile, his greedy glint unmistakable. “I’m happy I can count on the two of you.”

“Always, baby,” Margiory answered warmly, sharing his conspiratorial smirk, while Hannah chuckled softly at their antics.

“Alright then, I’ll see you at your house in the morning. Now let me put these two wolves to bed,” Leona said, giving Sokram a tender kiss on the forehead before dragging a grumpy Karini and a stupefied Layca back into the palace.

Sokram wasn’t worried about Layca leaking sensitive information about him.

He trusted that Leona would handle it discreetly.

After all, despite being married to Lycius, Leona maintained close relationships with other women outside their marital bond, a customary arrangement among ferals.

Marriage customs varied vastly across the different humanoid races.

For humans and dragons, infidelity or seeking affection beyond the boundaries of marriage was often considered betrayal.

Among humans, such acts were outright taboo.

Stolen story; please report.

Dragons, however, operated differently: female dragons could seek companionship among other women within the harem, but only males were permitted to seek more women to expand their harems to gain prestige.

A larger harem elevated a dragon’s status significantly.

Ferals, on the other hand, approached relationships with remarkable openness.

Betrayal occurred only when pre-established agreements were breached. In Leona’s case, her role as the dominant partner in her marriage allowed her to expand their network of lovers as she saw fit, provided no children resulted from those unions except through her designated husband.

Though no other man had ever entered her eyes so far.

Similarly, Lycius, her husband, was forbidden from fathering children with any other woman besides his wives.

And Layca’s closeness to Karini left no room for doubt that she was one of their lovers, a part of their most trusted circle.

Sokram’s two grandmothers decided to escort Amber home first, as she lived in the city slums.

Unlike Lucy, Amber lacked the protection of the Purple Pavilion, making her more vulnerable.

Though Amber initially refused their offer, Sokram insisted.

However, Margiory noticed the girl’s discomfort regarding her living conditions and intervened.

“Let the girl go,” Margiory said gently, addressing Sokram. “I promise nothing bad will happen to her within these city walls now that she’s under your guidance and service. No one will lay a finger on her, I assure you.”

Turning to Amber, Margiory added with a warm smile, “Little girl, prepare yourself. Your fate changed the moment my grandson chose to take you under his wing.”

Amber looked at Lady Androny, confusion etched across her face, but Margiory merely winked. “You’ll understand soon enough. Have a nice night.”

Amber bid them farewell and left, unaware that one of Margiory’s many shadows now trailed her silently, ensuring her safety.

Even the precautionary step of hiding her spatial ring containing her books and a share of the ‘compensation’ proved unnecessary, but Amber couldn’t have known that.

“Thank you, Nana,” Sokram said brightly, smiling at Margiory as they walked Savannah to her family estate, which happened to be on the way to theirs.

“Anything for you, baby,” Margiory replied proudly, casting a triumphant glance at Hannah, who responded with a playful scoff.

Not long after dropping off Savannah, they arrived home.

Upon entering, Sokram was greeted by two distressed and slightly angry-looking mothers.

“It wasn’t my fault! I can prove it!” he declared, preemptively raising his arms.

Even with Hannah confirming his innocence earlier, they still demanded proof.

Sokram retrieved the recording crystal and handed it over before excusing himself for a much-needed bath.

Washing dried beast blood off wasn’t easy, but when he finally descended the stairs, his mothers no longer looked angry; they looked proud.

The recording of his fights was playing on repeat, captivating their attention.

The blueish light from the projection illuminated the dimly lit room, casting a soft blue glow on the faces of his mothers as they leaned in closer.

Sokram placed another recording crystal on the table with a soft clink. "You can watch this one afterward. It's from today."

His voice broke their focus, prompting them to pause the playback.

“We’re sorry, dear,” Hilda said, approaching to hug him tightly.

“When we heard you were accused of insubordination, we assumed you were acting out because Licarus refused to accept you into the Extermination Hall.”

“Well, it seems everyone expects me to act spoiled and bratty lately,” Sokram joked, returning the hug. “At this rate, I might start believing I can be.”

Miralyn joined in, wrapping her arms around him as well. “Congratulations on your first mission, son.”

They lingered in the embrace for a few moments before releasing him.

As they stepped back, Sokram remembered something.

“What about Klaus and Michael?”

“We decided to host them tomorrow so you can rest properly beforehand, alright?” Hilda answered matter-of-factly, making it clear that ‘we’ meant she had made the decision, leaving no room for debate.

Sokram nodded in agreement, knowing better than to argue.

Just then, Astrid sneaked up on him, catching everyone off guard as she hugged him tightly.

Hilda and Miralyn exchanged suspicious glances, but Astrid quickly deflected their curiosity.

“Baby bro, you’ve got to teach me some of those spells you use to move around so effortlessly,” she teased, attempting to throw her mothers off track.

To her surprise, Sokram didn’t hesitate.

After releasing the hug, he placed a handwritten book on the table where they’d been watching the recordings. “It’s all in there. I wrote it myself; you can learn whatever you want.”

With that, he headed to the kitchen, grabbed a snack, and returned to sit beside them for a while.

“Where’s Nana Brunhild?”

“She’s out on a mission with Lady Liaranna,” Hilda replied.

While Astrid, eyeing the book curiously, asked, “Are you sure you’re okay with us reading through your spells?" Still struggling to understand Sokram's detachment from such things.

He's always obsessed with acquiring new knowledge, yet he shared it so freely.

“Sure, it’s just primary magic, nothing special,” Sokram shrugged casually.

“But the Killing Blade techniques are different. I can’t share that unless you become my disciple, and only once I’m recognized as a master by the Grandmaster.”

He laughed lightly, though everyone knew he wasn’t entirely joking.

If they asked, he’d teach them in a heartbeat.

The only reason he’d wait was to honor the traditions he learned from Leona.

Finishing his snack, Sokram kissed his family goodnight and headed upstairs.

But just as he reached the top of the staircase, a voice called out.

“Periklis!”

He dashed back downstairs. “I forgot my Peko!”

“Don’t worry, the guards said your mounts will stay in the palace stables overnight,” Hannah reassured him, chuckling along with the others.

“You must be exhausted, hm? Never seen you forget anything before.”

“Yeah, hehe, I guess,” Sokram replied with a sheepish grin, though his thoughts betrayed his calm exterior.

Beneath the surface, his mind buzzed with anticipation, not fatigue, but excitement over tomorrow’s meeting with Lucy.

Ever since discovering that Lucy was Lucille’s daughter and Luke’s sister, he’d struggled to push thoughts of the past to the back of his mind.

Even during his bath, there was no escaping them.

Finally settling into bed, Sokram’s mind flooded with anticipation. Tomorrow would mark the day he’d reconnect with one of the members of his harem from his previous timeline, not merely a lover or concubine, but a true confidant.

The possibilities swirled in his head, keeping sleep at bay.