CHAPTER 135: SACRIFICE

They had fun. The whole day.

None of them could remember the last time they had enjoyed themselves this much.

They hunted, they teased each other, they laughed until their stomachs hurt, and they ate far more than they should have.

Ava had prepared the meal, bringing along spices so the roasted meat carried a rich, savory taste.

Now, sitting around the campfire with bellies full, they chewed on the tender meat and swapped stories and jokes.

It was then that Peri asked, "What about the academy? Neither Luna nor I know how you were during your first years there."

Since Luna had only joined in the third year, she had no idea what kind of student Hades was at the beginning.

Hades leaned back, humming. "I knew the competition would be fierce, so I never held back during the entrance assessment. Thanks to the skills I picked up during my adventuring days, I ended up ranking pretty high."

"How high?" Luna asked, her lips curving into a grin.

He tried to dodge the question, but under the eager stares of all three girls, he finally gave in. "First. And... the gap between me and the second place was pretty wide."

Peri blinked. "Eh? You must’ve had a fan club from day one then."

Hades groaned. "Not at all. It was the opposite. Everyone was wary of me. They called me a savage beast who didn’t belong in the academy."

Luna chuckled. "Jealous brats, that’s all."

Peri shifted the topic. "What about you, Ava? Did you enroll in any school?"

Ava shook her head. "Never needed to. I learned far more in the wild than any classroom could’ve taught me."

Hades nodded. "I can agree with that. My two and a half years at the academy just slowed me down. Back then, even slaying an elder-ranked monster felt like progress. Now I realize how much potential I was wasting."

Luna smiled meaningfully. "Still, you made memories there—bitter and sweet."

Hades nodded again. He couldn’t deny it. The academy had been a big part of his life.

Turning to the elf, he asked, "What about you, Peri? How were you as a kid?"

Peri sighed, "Rowdy, rebellious, and a troublemaker."

"I can definitely imagine that," Hades teased.

Peri groaned. "Well... Mama never stopped me from being myself, as long as I didn’t make serious blunders or hurt anyone. Eventually, I realized where I wanted to take my life."

"And where was that?" Luna asked curiously.

Peri leaned back, her gaze flicking to the firelight. "There was a dream." She let her words trail off, brushing it aside as if it didn’t matter.

But Hades’s voice softened. "If you don’t mind, tell us."

Caught in the tenderness of his tone, Peri sighed in defeat. "I... wanted to win the Gladiator’s Cup. I thought I could be the first female elf to step into the arena against nineteen men—and come out as the champion."

Luna leaned forward, hopeful. "You can still compete though, right? With time, you’ve only grown stronger."

And she wasn’t wrong. Peri’s strength had only grown—and with Hades as her mate, a dragon’s power now tied to her, her chances of victory would have been higher than ever.

But Peri shook her head. "I can no longer participate."

Hades’s brows rose, silently urging her to go on.

Resting her hands on her lap, she explained, "Only those with a tribe affiliation are allowed to enter. But now... I’m Hades’s wife. That means I’m no longer considered part of the tribe."

A quiet understanding settled over the group. Hades realized why she had been so reluctant to share her dream. If she had remained the daughter of the Queen—or even married within her people—she would still have been eligible. But with him, that door had closed forever.

Peri gave a small shrug, forcing a smile. "Don’t worry about it. It was just a childhood dream, something I decided back when I couldn’t even pull the string of a bow."

The air grew a little heavier, prompting Peri to murmur, "Now I just feel guilty for telling you about my dream."

Luna quickly shook her head. "Don’t worry about that. Maybe you’ll find another contest to aim for."

"Yes!" Ava chimed in. "In the Beast Realm, they hold an annual warriors’ contest. Anyone can enter—race, gender, affiliation, none of it matters."

Peri chuckled softly. "I’ll think about it."

Their conversation carried on, the weight of the moment fading as laughter and small stories lightened the mood again.

Yet, as Peri spoke, her eyes kept drifting to Hades. He sat silently by the fire, his gaze fixed on the flames, only breaking his stillness to give the occasional reply.

Finally, he rose. "I think it’s time we head back."

The sun had long since dipped beneath the horizon, leaving the forest cloaked in a dim hush. The buzzing of insects had quieted, replaced by a colder breeze weaving through the trees.

Ava nodded. "Yes. Beasts from the deeper sections start hunting around this time. We shouldn’t take any chances."

She had grown comfortable talking with them, her words slipping free of the formal speech she had once tried to keep. Neither did she notice the faint flicker of Hades’s shadow in the firelight.

But the truth was... no one minded nor did they even notice the change.

They packed some meat and left the rest for the small beasts around.

Ava packed the antlers saying, "They can be used to make good decorations."

Hades chuckled, "Well, it’s hard to carry them."

Ava didn’t seem to have any problem with that so he didn’t offer assistance.

They soon began walking back to the castle.

Ava was walking in front, and his mates were behind him.

Just then, Peri appeared beside him and said, "Hey,"

Hades smiled at her, "Hi."

She didn’t hesitate in speaking her mind, "You are bothered about the contest, right?"

Hades’s lips parted, intending to immediately deny her but then, she would know if he lies.

Heaving a sigh, he said, "I have made you sacrifice many things, no?"

"Yes, but was there any selfish interest of yours mixed in that? Having another mate wasn’t in your plans at all yet you didn’t think twice before saving me."

Hades rubbed the back of his head, "But still,"

"Still nothing," Peri said, stopping and turning to look at him.

While pretending Luna didn’t hear or see anything, she walked past them.

Peri looked into his eyes, and said, "I am happy where I am, Hades. I am enjoying my life. I got a friend like Luna, and a caring partner like you. I am content with my life right now."

Hades had seen it...whenever she smiles, she smiles naturally, not forced. And even now, he could sense nothing but honesty from her voice.

He raised his hand to cup her cheek, "Thank you for giving me a chance."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.