Chapter 804: Wrestling Injuries
Finally, Theo couldn’t take it anymore. He stomped forward, clapping his hands together sharply.
"OKAY! THAT’S ENOUGH! FAMILY HUG OVER!"
He began scattering the group like chickens.
"Go, go, enjoy the festival! You can hug each other as much as you want later, but right now, the festival is happening!"
The girls pouted but accepted their father’s orders.
The little ones immediately grabbed onto Joy’s clothes and started dragging her toward the rides.
"Come, come, Big Sis Joy! Let’s go on that spinning one!"
"It goes around and around so fast!"
"Mommy is too scared to ride it with us, so YOU have to come!"
Fufu climbed onto Joy’s head again, settling in like she’d found her permanent spot.
And hearing all these adorable pleas, Joy had the biggest, brightest smile on her face.
"Of course, darlings! I’ll take you wherever you want! Just tell me, and your big sis will do anything for you!"
The girls cheered.
"Big Sis Joy is the best ever!"
"I love you so much!"
Joy’s heart melted completely.
Meanwhile, Skadi grabbed Carmela and Olga’s hands.
"Come on, you two! I heard they opened some new food stalls on the other side! I can smell something amazing!"
She sniffed the air dramatically. "I think it’s octopus! Grilled octopus with sauce! It smells just like Master’s cooking!"
Olga laughed. "I am quite hungry, and I haven’t had a chance to try the festival food yet."
She turned to Carmela with a concerned expression.
"But what about you, darling? Can you eat normal food? Is it alright for you?"
She leaned in and whispered,
"After all...you are a vampire."
Carmela stiffened.
Olga quickly added so that she didn’t misunderstand,
"Skadi didn’t reveal your secret, if that’s what you’re worried about."
She then looked embarrassed by how foolish her daughter and explained,
"It’s just that in her letters, she mentioned so many details about you—how she offered you blood and you always refused, how you have really sharp teeth, how you don’t like the sun because it’s bad for your health..."
She pulled back, looking guilty. "I just put two and two together. I hope you don’t mind that I know."
Carmela shook her head quickly. "No, of course not." She paused, a shy smile forming on her lips. "I’m just surprised that even though you know what I am, you still treat me so normally. It’s...strange."
Olga rolled her eyes affectionately.
"Vampire or not, all I know is that you’re Skadi’s best friend and my newfound daughter!"
She patted Carmela’s cheek. "That’s what’s more important."
Carmela felt her eyes shimmer again.
She had a third mother now!
She’d never expected to have two, let alone three!
"Come on!" Skadi tugged on both their hands. "I can’t wait any longer! I might die of hunger!"
"Your appetite is as big as ever." Olga chuckled as she let herself be pulled along.
Theo watched his entire family being led away, his heart breaking.
"Olga! Wait for your husband!"
He started running after them, his movements weak and unsteady. He was panting within seconds, clearly not the strong man he used to be.
Just then—Cassius appeared at his side.
"What do you think, Father-in-law?" He asked, a grin spreading across his face.
"Should we go have some fun of our own? Maybe some father-in-law, son-in-law bonding time?"
Theo’s expression twisted with disgust. "As if I would ever associate with the likes of you!"
He sped up as much as his frail body would allow, desperately trying to catch up with his wife before Cassius could get any ideas.
Cassius watched him go, his grin widening.
"Running away from me, Father-in-law?" He called out. "I’m hurt! Truly wounded!"
Theo yelled something back, but it was lost in the wind.
—
Aisha watched as the others disappeared into the crowd, a small smile playing on her lips.
She had declined their invitation, her heart set on spending this precious time with Cassius alone.
Turning to him, she was about to suggest they try the spinning teacup ride she’d been eyeing all day—
—when she noticed his gaze was still fixed on the retreating figures of Olga, Theo, and the gaggle of children.
"Cassius?" She prompted, tugging gently on his sleeve. "What’s on your mind?"
He blinked, as if pulled from deep thought, then looked down at her with a sheepish expression.
"Actually, Aisha...I have a question about my father-in-law and mother-in-law."
Do you think you could answer it?"
Aisha was taken aback. She’d been expecting flirtation, maybe a little teasing—not questions about the family.
But she recovered quickly, nodding her head.
"When it comes to Auntie Olga, I know quite a lot. We spent a lot of time together when I visited with Skadi, and she’s pretty open about what he likes. So fire away!"
She paused, her expression growing slightly awkward.
"But if it’s about Uncle Theo...well, I don’t think I can help you too much."
She quickly added, "Not because he’s cold or anything! He’s been nothing but warm to me."
"It’s just...he’s a bit more reserved. Doesn’t talk much about himself. And also he’s quite brash, you know? He speaks his mind without really thinking about his words."
"He’s a very straightforward man."
Cassius couldn’t help but chuckle. "That’s certainly one way to describe him."
He remembered their first meeting vividly.
Theo had pulled out his sword the moment he laid eyes on Cassius and had tried to chop him into pieces on the spot.
It had taken Skadi, Olga, and three knights to hold him back. E
ver since then, they’d acted like archenemies whenever they were in the same room.
But Cassius couldn’t really blame the man.
If he had a daughter as adorable and precious as Skadi, and if that daughter had been stolen by the most depraved noble on the entire continent...
...well, he would probably be trying to chop someone into pieces too.
In truth, Cassius found Theo’s hostility rather cute.
It was amusing, watching the old wolf puff out his chest and try to protect his family. It was almost endearing.
"Well." Cassius said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "That’s not quite what I was going to ask anyway."
Aisha tilted her head. "Then what?"
Cassius hesitated, looking slightly awkward. "I want to know about...well, about their children."
Aisha raised an eyebrow.
"I mean." Cassius continued, scratching his head. "I want to know why exactly the age gap between Skadi and her siblings is so huge."
"Skadi is in her twenties, she’s a full-grown woman. But her siblings are barely out of diapers."
"The oldest is what, eight? And then there’s the seven-year-old, six-year-old, the five-year-old, the four-year-old, the three-year-old..."
"It’s like they were pumping out babies every single year. They must be a very loving couple to be that active, if you catch my meaning."
He added with a knowing grin to which Aisha’s face flushed slightly.
She understood exactly what he was implying and the thought of her aunt and uncle in that context was...uncomfortable.
"But here’s what doesn’t add up." Cassius continued, his expression turning thoughtful.
"If they’re such a loving couple, why did they only have Skadi and then just...stop for fifteen years?"
"That’s a long time to go without any affection between a couple that supposedly loves each other very much."
He looked at her seriously. "Was there some kind of problem between them? Did their relationship break down?"
Hearing this doubt, Aisha fidgeted, her tail swishing nervously behind her.
She glanced around as if checking for eavesdroppers, then motioned for Cassius to lean closer.
"Well...I do know the actual reason." She whispered. "But it’s...kind of embarrassing. And private. Skadi told me in confidence."
"If it’s something personal like marital problems, you don’t have to—"
Cassius began, but Aisha cut him off.
"No, no, it’s nothing like that!" Aisha said quickly. "Auntie and Uncle love each other very much. They’re honestly such a romantic couple."
"Every time I see them, Auntie Olga is always by Uncle Theo’s side, saying such sweet things to him."
She got a dreamy look in her eyes.
"And Uncle Theo loves Auntie Olga just as much—he just doesn’t show it as openly. He’s always quite shy when it comes to his wife."
Cassius smiled knowingly. "Basically like you."
Aisha’s face went even redder. She opened her mouth to protest, but then realized that she and
Theo were actually quite similar. They both loved deeply but struggled to express it openly.
"Anyway!" She said quickly, desperate to change the subject. "The point is, they love each other quite a lot. It’s not what you think at all."
She took a deep breath, steeling herself.
"The real reason is actually quite...embarrassing. Something they would never normally tell anyone outside the family."
She glanced up at him, her expression softening.
"But family too, aren’t you? I guess there’s no harm in telling you."
She grabbed onto his clothes, pulling him down so she could speak in a whisper.
"But you really can’t tell anyone this, Cassius! I’m trusting you with this secret."
"If this matter got out, especially among the women in the household who love to gossip Uncle Theo would die of embarrassment!"
"He would definitely come for your head for leaking his secrets!"
Cassius held up his hand solemnly. "Cross my heart. Whatever you tell me stays between us."
Aisha took another breath, her expression turning wistful.
"Their story is actually quite sweet, you know. They were born in the same village—childhood friends."
"Their families were close, so they grew up together. By the time they reached their teens, they’d already started developing feelings for each other."
She smiled softly.
"And when they became adults, they joined adventures together as a duo. They were quite the formidable pair, actually."
"Everyone in the village knew them as the Wolf Duo, cutting down monsters and protecting the weak."
"Skadi told me about that." Cassius nodded. "She said her mother was a huge inspiration for her to become a knight..."
"...even though I still find it hard to believe that such a gentle women was once a warrior."
"Even I found it hard to believe at first!" Aisha agreed.
"Anyway, because they obviously loved each other, Uncle Theo finally gathered all his courage, which was quite impossible for someone as shy as him and proposed to his childhood sweetheart!"
"And Auntie Olga accepted without hesitation." She continued, her voice warm. "Just like that, they were married."
Her expression shifted to something more uncomfortable.
"And then...well, you know how things go when two people love each other very much. It didn’t take long for Skadi to be born."
Cassius nodded sagely.
"With a wife like Olga, all softness and warmth and fluffiness, I can’t imagine it took very long. She’s practically a magnet for...well, you know."
Aisha flushed and lightly smacked his arm. "Don’t be crude!"
"Just stating facts."
But then Aisha’s voice dropped lower, and her tail began swishing nervously.
"Here’s where it gets...embarrassing." She murmured.
Cassius leaned in closer, his curiosity piqued.
"Even after Skadi was born, they didn’t stop loving each other."
Aisha continued, her face now the color of a tomato.
"According to Skadi, they always...wrestled with each other in the bedroom all the time."
Cassius blinked. "Wrestled?"
But then realisation hit.
"Ohhh...That sort of wrestling."
Aisha nodded vigorously, her ears fluttering.
"Skadi said Auntie Olga would always drag Uncle Theo into the bedroom, and they’d come out quite a while later."
"Whenever she asked what they were doing, they’d say they were ’play wrestling.’ But most of the time, Uncle Theo would try to resist or pull away, and Auntie Olga would just drag him away anyway."
Cassius couldn’t help but laugh.
"So my mother-in-law is fierce in every aspect of life. Good for her."
"It’s not funny!" Aisha protested, but she was smiling despite herself.
"But it also makes sense." Cassius nodded his head. "She looks so lively and young despite her age, while father-in-law, he...well..."
He glanced at Aisha with a sympathetic expression.
"...he looks all shriveled up and weak like he’s had all his vitality sucked out."
Aisha couldn’t help but agree. "Yes, he does look quite...worn out."
"But wait." Cassius said, his brow furrowing. "I asked you about why there was a gap between the children."
"Why are you talking about their wrestling life?"
Aisha’s face burned even brighter. "I’m getting to that! Just be patient!"
She cleared her throat awkwardly.
"When Skadi was about two, Auntie and Uncle were wrestling together."
"And Auntie got a little too...enthusiastic, if you know what I mean. And it led to some devestating consequences."
Cassius leaned forward, intrigued. "Too enthusiastic how?"
Aisha’s face was the color of a tomato now.
She couldn’t bring herself to say the words aloud, so she simply held up one finger and then bent it at a sharp 90-degree angle.
