Nova nodded before he and Rieka prepared to follow the maid. They both looked toward Asia, who smiled shyly and said,

"I’ll go get freshened up and join you guys soon."

By now, Asia had remembered why Nova had come to the estate in the first place. Since Nova was here, it was only natural that Rieka had come with him as well.

"Alright."

With that, Nova and Rieka followed the maid inside the estate.

The interior was just as magnificent as it had appeared from the outside. Every corner was decorated with expensive ornaments, elegant furniture, and luxurious decorations, making the entire mansion feel grand and majestic. It was the kind of place that an ordinary person could only dream of living in.

Of course, this was the estate of a duke.

With its countless rooms, vast halls, and lavish architecture, it perfectly reflected the status of one of the kingdom’s highest-ranking nobles.

As Nova walked through the mansion, he saw numerous maids and servants busy with their duties, giving him a glimpse of what life was like for the kingdom’s nobility.

After walking for a short while, they arrived at a grand hall reserved exclusively for receiving guests. As soon as Nova entered, he saw his parents sitting opposite Duke Theodore, casually chatting with him.

The atmosphere was much more relaxed than Nova had expected. He had thought it would be rather tense, but instead, everyone seemed at ease.

The moment Theodore saw Nova and Rieka enter, he smiled warmly.

"Nova, Rieka, come over here."

The two walked forward.

"I didn’t get the chance to say this earlier, but first of all, I’d like to thank both of you. As members of the Frostholme Hunters’ Guild, you participated in the battle even though you weren’t obligated to."

He nodded appreciatively.

"That alone proves your bravery."

Theodore continued,

"Since neither of you visited the guild yesterday, you probably haven’t heard the news. Every guild member who participated in the battle has been rewarded with one thousand gold coins. William has already distributed the rewards to the others."

The Duke gestured toward Rodrick, who had been quietly standing beside him.

Rodrick immediately stepped forward, carrying two pouches filled with gold coins before stopping in front of Nova and Rieka.

Theodore smiled once more.

"I thought that since you were already here, I might as well present the rewards to you personally."

"Consider it a small token of appreciation for two wonderful young talents."

Nova and Rieka accepted the reward. Nova hadn’t expected to receive such a large amount of money, but he understood why Theodore was personally giving it to them. After all, the Frostholme Hunters’ Guild was originally affiliated with the Duke’s family, so it was only natural.

"Thank you, Lord Frost," Nova and Rieka said in unison. Theodore smiled before turning his attention to Rieka.

"I hope Tharuk is doing well. And... please tell him I’m sorry. He lost five of his people because I couldn’t protect all of my citizens."

Rieka gently shook her head.

"Grandpa doesn’t blame you. It was something none of us could avoid. Besides, the entire tribe is grateful for everything you’ve done for us all this time."

"You don’t have to say that," Theodore replied with a faint smile. "Anyway, I heard my daughter fought alongside you during the beast tide. She spoke very highly of your skills. I hope the two of you can become good friends."

A trace of helplessness appeared on his face.

"She doesn’t have many friends. She’s always been alone, so her personality has become rather cold. She rarely smiles or opens her heart to anyone."

Rieka nodded in understanding.

Nova already knew that much about Asia. She rarely left the estate and hardly interacted with people outside her family. Yet, despite that, he had already seen so many adorable expressions from her in such a short time.

Thinking about it, a faint smile appeared on his face. He already liked Asia very much, and he was determined to make her truly happy one day.

"Now, coming back to the main topic," Theodore said. "Edward officially holds the position of Vice Commander now, and a house within the city has been allotted to him. You’ll be able to see it soon enough."

He then looked at Edward and continued,

"Since you’re already here, why don’t you stay at the estate for today? Tomorrow, I’ll arrange for a few men to accompany you to the village and help transfer all of your belongings to your new house. It should be ready by then."

"But, my Lord..." Edward was about to refuse. Theodore had already done so much for his family that he didn’t want to impose on him any further.

However, Theodore interrupted him with a smile. "Don’t say no. You’re my guest today." Edward could only fall silent. He glanced at Jenna, who simply nodded with a warm smile.

Turning back to Theodore, he finally said,

"Alright, my Lord."

Theodore smiled in satisfaction. "Good. I’ll arrange for a few maids to attend to your needs during your stay."

He then stood up from his seat. "I’ll have to take my leave now. Unfortunately, I have to go deal with a rather annoying person."

As he reached the door, Theodore looked back at Rieka. "You can stay here as well. I’m sure Asia would be happy to have you as her guest."

With that, Theodore left the room, followed by Rodrick.

Nova watched them leave and couldn’t help but understand exactly who the "annoying person" Theodore was referring to.

A certain fat young master immediately came to his mind.

Soon after, two maids entered the room and politely asked Edward and Jenna to follow them. Nova told his parents he would take a look around the mansion and that they could meet up later.

Rieka stayed behind in the room with him. A short while later, Asia entered wearing a beautiful yet casual blue dress. Her hair was still damp from the shower, a few strands clinging to her creamy white skin that seemed to glow softly in the morning light.

Her rosy lips looked even juicier, and although her breasts weren’t as large as Rieka’s, they were the perfect full size — her figure looked curvy yet elegant. She looked absolutely stunning.

Nova’s gaze lingered a little too long on her chest. Asia noticed immediately and quickly covered herself with one arm, her cheeks turning pink.

"What are you staring at, you pervert?"

"Cough cough... I wasn’t staring... I was just admiring how beautiful you look after your shower," Nova said with a playful grin.

"Shut up!" Asia’s face turned bright red. She shouted in annoyance, then sighed heavily. "Where are my father and your parents?"

"Your father went to meet that fatty, and my parents are resting in their room," Nova replied casually. "We’re staying at your house as guests today, so be nice to me."

Asia wasn’t surprised — she knew exactly how her father’s mind worked. She ignored Nova’s teasing and turned to Rieka. "Why aren’t you saying anything? He’s your lover, yet he’s openly flirting with me right in front of you."

Rieka shook her head gently. "It’s not like I don’t care."

She looked at Asia with calm, sincere eyes. "I know he loves me very much, and I love him just as deeply. If he wants another woman by his side, he can have her. I won’t stop him... unless she’s a bad person.

And I can clearly see that you like my darling, and he likes you too. As far as I can tell, you’re not a bad person."

Asia was completely speechless. She had expected Rieka to be jealous, angry, or at least uncomfortable watching her lover flirt so openly. Instead, Rieka was saying the complete opposite. In her shock, Asia almost missed the part where Rieka openly said she liked Nova. Her face flushed deep red.

"I-I don’t like him!!" she shouted, flustered.

Rieka simply shook her head and sighed softly, a small, knowing smile on her lips.

Nova listened quietly as Rieka spoke. He honestly hadn’t expected her to be so understanding. Maybe it was because she was born in this world, where having multiple partners was common.

Or maybe she simply loved him so much that she was willing to share him. That was the love of a beastfolk — their emotions ran far deeper and more intensely than humans’.

He glanced at Asia, who was now stealing looks at him from the corner of her eye, clearly unsure what to say. Nova smiled softly and asked, "What is it?"

"You told me you could help me cancel my engagement," she said. "How exactly are you going to do that?"

Nova paused for a moment, then gave a mischievous, almost evil smile. "Let the night come."

"..."

"..."

Both Asia and Rieka exchanged glances. They didn’t know what he was planning, but it definitely didn’t sound good. They decided to leave it for later. Asia cleared her throat and said, "Let’s go. I’ll show you guys around the mansion."

Nova shook his head. "You two go ahead. I still have a few things to do." With those words, his figure blurred and he vanished from the hall.

Thanks for reading...