Chapter 798: You Have Your Family By Your Side
Both women gasped.
Carmela especially felt her heart racing as she murmured under her breath.
"...Family?"
It was like she’d never even considered that word before. Like she didn’t even know she had one.
Cassius nodded firmly.
"Of course, family." He spoke enthusiastically. "Whether it’s me, your husband—" He teased, making both of them roll their eyes. "—or Maria, who considers both of you her daughters."
A look of fondness appeared on both their faces at the mention of Maria’s name.
"Or Aqua, who always wants to be part of your close relationships." Cassius continued, and they smiled at the thought of his bubbly sister.
"And don’t forget Isabellele, Portia, Nala, Vivi, Diana, Julie, Aisha, Skadi, or anyone else in this mansion."
He pulled them closer, his voice overflowing with warmth. "They’re all your family!"
Both of their bodies heated up—not with excitement, but with a profound sense of warmth.
Hearing someone say ’family’ so openly, so genuinely, was overwhelming.
Cassius didn’t stop there. His eyes shone with trust and conviction.
"With all of us by your side, we’ll make sure to get through all your struggles together."
"If your hands start shaking because of something you see, someone will be there to grab them."
"If you start crying because of sounds that remind you of terrible things, someone will be there to wipe your tears."
He gently patted Carmela’s cheeks. "Whether it’s me or anyone else, your family will always be by your side."
Their hearts absolutely clenched at his words.
The warmth in his eyes, the sincerity in his voice—it was overwhelming!
"That’s why." He continued, pulling them both into a tight embrace. "I believe you can do it."
"I believe you can overcome your past and become stronger than you already are."
He chuckled softly as he jokingly added,
"Which is honestly a bit scary for me. You might even become more powerful than me after that."
"Then I’ll be the one getting bullied."
Both women chuckled despite themselves, the tension slowly melting away.
"But nonetheless." Cassius said softly. "As long as both of you can live carefree lives, lives where you don’t have to think about the past at all..."
"...I don’t mind becoming a normal mortal."
"If that’s what it takes, I’ll give up all my power and sacrifice everything for you."
Hearing such genuine words, words that felt like they came from the very depths of his soul made their hearts race uncontrollably.
He would really do it. He would sacrifice everything just for them.
Finally, Cassius pulled back, still holding both of their hands.
"So." He said, his voice full of challenge and warmth. "Are you going to wallow in your past your entire lives and let your fear rule over you?"
He squeezed their hands gently.
"Or are you going to move forward with me and the rest of your family?"
"Break through the shackles that have been holding you back, and step into the light?"
Carmela and Joy were completely overwhelmed.
Just moments ago, they’d felt as if the darkness was going to swallow them whole.
They’d felt trapped, helpless, unable to escape the chains of their past.
But Cassius’s words, his sincerity, his unwavering belief in them, and most of all, his declaration of family had broken through that darkness.
He was giving them a new family to replace the ones they’d lost.
He was showing them that they didn’t have to be defined by their traumas.
And suddenly, the chains didn’t feel so tight anymore.
Joy moved forward suddenly, pulling Cassius along with her to his surprise.
Her face was determined, almost fierce as she urgently said,
"Come on, Cassius! Just how long are you going to make us wait with all your useless words?"
"Let’s go to that festival already!"
It was as if he was the one holding them back, not the other way around.
Carmela did the same, pulling him along with a stern, almost scolding tone.
"I’m quite a picky person, you know that?"
She glared at him, but there was no heat in it.
"I’ve lived for so many years. I’ve seen all sorts of festivals and occasions. I’ve even snuck into the royal palace a couple of times and witnessed grand celebrations."
She bared her fangs in a mock threat. "So if this festival you’re so proud of is really not good, I’ll definitely bite you for exaggerating it so much."
Cassius stared at them for a moment, utterly speechless.
Then he let out a chuckle.
’They’re dragging me along.’ He realized. ’Instead of me dragging them, they’re the ones pulling me forward.’
His heart swelled with satisfaction. He’d done it. He’d helped them take that first step.
Now they were moving forward on their own.
With that thought in mind, he let himself be dragged along, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
—
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the festival grounds.
The moment they stepped through the main gate, where countless people were rushing in and out, both Carmela and Joy came to an abrupt halt.
Their eyes glowed with pure awe and their mouths fell open in shock.
After all, the sight before them was simply overwhelming!
Even though they hadn’t properly visited the festival before, they’d caught glimpses of it during the day, and even then it had been impressive despite all their negative emotions toward such celebrations.
But now, with the sun long set and the stars twinkling high above, the festival had transformed into something truly magical.
Beautiful lights lined every surface—strung between lampposts, wrapped around ride structures, woven through the branches of trees.
The rides themselves were illuminated with thousands of tiny bulbs, creating a dazzling display of color and motion.
The stalls glowed with warm lantern light, casting a golden hue over everything.
The entire festival looked like a glowing wonderland, a dreamscape brought to life!
Joy stared in a daze as her eyes took in the massive rides—looping coasters that sent screaming passengers hurtling through the air, their joyful shrieks echoing across the grounds.
She watched a spinning wheel rise high into the sky, its passengers laughing as they were lifted above the treetops.
Carmela’s gaze was drawn to the bustling stalls, each one offering something different.
She could smell the delicious aromas wafting through the air—roasted meats, sweet pastries, spicy noodles and her stomach growled despite herself.
She saw children running past with cotton candy, their faces smeared with pink and blue sugar.
In one part of the grounds, a parade was making its way through the crowd, dancers in colorful costumes twirling and leaping to lively music.
In another section, a fire dancer was performing, breathing massive plumes of flame into the night sky while the crowd gasped and applauded.
Nearby, an acrobat walked a tightrope so high up that she seemed to be dancing with the stars themselves.
Everywhere they looked, there was something new.
Something they’d never imagined seeing before.
Something that made their hearts race with excitement rather than fear.
They looked like two children who had just stumbled into a fairy tale.
Cassius watched their reactions with immense amusement.
Seeing these two fearsome avengers reduced to awestruck children was a sight he would treasure forever.
He grabbed onto both of their hands, pulling them forward.
"Come along now!" He said with a warm smile. "It’s so much more prettier on the inside!"
And he was right.
As Cassius dragged them deeper into the festival, Joy and Carmela felt themselves being immersed in the vibrant chaos.
People laughed and smiled everywhere they looked. Families walked arm in arm.
A group of kids wearing animal masks ran past Carmela, and she caught herself smiling at their antics.
A large mascot,.some sort of fluffy creature she didn’t recognize approached Joy and waved it’s hand.
To her own surprise, Joy waves back.
It felt like they had been transported into a completely different world.
A world where the past didn’t exist. A world where only joy mattered.
...Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
Both women still felt a flicker of hesitation when they’d first stepped through the gate. The trauma was still there, lurking beneath the surface.
But with Cassius’s warm hands guiding them, that hesitation quickly melted away.
They walked past game stalls where parents tried to win prizes for their children.
They passed small carousels filled with young couples.
They saw a dance competition where elderly pairs twirled and spun to lively music.
Finally, they reached the center of the festival.
"Oh look!" Cassius suddenly said, his voice bright with recognition. "It looks like the rest of the gang is over here!"
He smiled fondly. "They seem to be having the time of their lives."
Carmela and Joy quickly looked over, and they realized it was true.
The entire family was scattered throughout the area, each of them immersed in activities that revealed sides of themselves they normally kept hidden.
—
Diana was the first sight that caught Joy’s attention.
The Holy Healer. The dignified, always-proper Lady Diana was currently riding one of the scariest roller coasters in the entire festival.
But she wasn’t sitting demurely with her hands folded in her lap.
Oh no.
She had her hands thrown up in the air, laughing with pure, unadulterated joy as the wind whipped through her brown hair.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth open in a delighted scream that was completely at odds with her usual composed demeanor.
Behind her, grown men were screaming in terror.
But Diana? She was having the time of her life.
Finally, the roller coaster screeched to a halt.
The other riders stumbled off with pale faces and wobbly legs. Diana, however, remained seated, looking positively radiant.
A young staff member approached her hesitantly.
"Um, Lady Diana? Do you...Do you really want to go one more time?"
Diana tilted her head gracefully. "Is there a limit to how many times I can ride?"
"N-No, my lady!" The staff member stammered. "Anyone can ride as much as they want. Not to mention you’re Lord Cassius’s wife, so this entire ride technically belongs to you."
She hesitated, then added, "But I just think you might start feeling sick like the others if you go too many times."
Diana’s smile was serene. "It’s alright, dear. I know my limits, and I can safely say that I could ride this a hundred times or more."
The staff member’s eyes went wide. "A hundred times?"
Diana nodded serenely.
At first, she’d been nervous about riding. Her daughter had practically dragged her onto it.
But after that first drop, that first rush of adrenaline, she’d been hooked.
It reminded her of the feeling she got during high-risk operations—the thrill, the intensity, the razor-sharp focus.
But there was no life-or-death pressure here. No risk of failure.
Just pure, unadulterated joy.
The staff member sighed and gave her a small smile before signaling the operator.
The ride started moving again, and Diana’s laughter once again echoed through the night.
Joy watched this shocking sight, shaking her head with a wry smile.
"I hope no one gets injured tonight." She muttered to herself.
"Because even if someone calls for a doctor, Auntie Diana doesn’t seem like she’d be willing to leave her ride."
