A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night Chapter 116: Bidding farewell to his wives (2/2) [END OF VOL

Laura exhaled slowly, her eyes drifting to the garden's edge as if seeing sothing distant. "A few days ago, when we were ambushed by those rcenaries, I told Kael I would protect him at any cost. That I wouldn't let anything happen to him again."

She smiled bitterly as she continued. "But I failed. Just a day later, he was taken. I wasn't there. Again. The truth is… every ti he's been in danger, one of us was with him. Maybe we bring the danger. Maybe it's fate, or maybe it's just the price of who we are. If things keep on happening, it is only going to get harder, not to bla myself. So, I think giving this a chance might be the right thing."

Kael shook his head. "Don't bla yourself, Laura. I told you already—things happen. We can't always stop them. The only thing that matters is whether we have the strength to face them when they do."

He gave her a reassuring smile, then looked at the others.

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"That's why I have to do this. To gain that strength. But, as I have said earlier, I'll stay in touch every day. I'll share my location regularly. I won't go dark on you. If there was even a single day I didn't do it, you can find and bring back to the palace. I won't protest against it, so please, don't worry too much."

The conversation hit another pause for a mont before, unexpectedly, Shiera spoke up, casually tossing her wooden sword over her shoulder.

"Well, you don't have to go alone."

Everyone turned toward her. So blinked in surprise.

She leaned back with a smirk. "You could tag along with my team. Our team is down by one, anyway. You can join us. We will help you train your Nyx in combat, and if an opportunity arises, you can try taming the beasts. This way, my sisters will be more reassured that you will be safe and you can go on the journey that you wanted."

Kael blinked. "You serious about that?"

Even Amanda looked shocked. "Yeah, I thought you hated him."

Shiera just shrugged. "I still hate to be his wife. And I won't do any charity here. All I will do is keep him alive and give him the pointers if he has the talent to be a monster tar."

Turning her head, she looked at Kael. "But, there is only one problem in this. Wherever we go, not even seasoned adventurers can survive there. The best example is the recent death of my teammate. So, yeah, the risk is there. I won't say that the path will be smooth if you co with us; if anything, it will be filled with nothing but thorns. However, it is still way better than you venturing out there, alone."

Everyone blinked. Amanda's mouth opened slightly, but no words ca out. Even Seraphina, who rarely reacted, tilted her head in faint surprise. lissa blinked rapidly, unsure if she had heard right. And Laura, though still silent, gave Shiera a long, thoughtful look.

Kael, caught off guard, offered a genuine smile, "Thank you, Shiera."

Shiera looked away, muttering, "It's not a problem. I can do this much for my sisters."

Kael chuckled. "Fair enough."

Three days later, the air around the Moonstone Estate was thick with both tension and anticipation.

At the main gates, Kael, Shiera, and—unexpectedly—Mia stood side by side, their packs ready, weapons in place, and Nyx prowling silently behind them like a living shadow.

Kael glanced sideways at his younger sister. She wasn't supposed to be here.

Three days ago, when he had inford her of his decision, Mia's refusal had been firm and instant.

"You're not going alone," she had said coldly, arms crossed in a way that brooked no argunt.

It reminded him of Laura's fierce protectiveness from before. However, unlike Laura, Mia seldom listens to him when she decides on sothing.

As a result, Kael had to agree with her, returning the household managent duties to lissa once again, increasing her workload.

He turned back to the group gathered to send him off.

His wives stood there, each reacting in their own way.

lissa managed a composed smile, but her eyes betrayed worry.

Seraphina gave him a firm nod, a silent vow of trust.

Amanda crossed her arms with a huff, clearly still not happy but unwilling to cause a scene.

Laura, for once, didn't say anything. She simply stepped forward, gave him a soft hug, and whispered, "Co back stronger."

The Queen wasn't there, but she gave her fair share of blessings back at the palace when he relayed the information of his journey to her.

Kael took one final breath, his fingers brushing the tattoo hidden under his sleeve.

He raised his hand in farewell.

"Alright then," he said with a slight smile, "I'll see you all soon."

With that, he turned away from the estate and toward the vast wilderness ahead. Shiera, her teammates Leiza and Orin, and his sister, Mia, followed him behind, leaving the four princesses at the estate.

The next chapter of his life lies ahead.

*

anwhile, far away from the capital city, near the misty borders of the Queendom of Achaea, the air trembled with the sound of crashing waves and the roar of an enraged beast.

Along the banks of a wide, raging river, a lone warrior stood her ground—a silver-haired woman clad in gleaming heavy armor, her halberd dripping with fresh blood.

She was moving with deadly precision as she engaged the writhing coils of a giant river serpent. Its screeches echoed across the valley, but none of that seed to faze her.

A hundred soldiers stood at a safe distance with none daring to intervene. Instead, their voices rang out in unison, chanting her na.

"Athena! Athena! Athena!"

And as if fueled by their voices, Athena lunged forward, her halberd gleaming in the pale sun as she delivered a final, decisive slash.

*Sssshaaaa*

With a guttural hiss, the serpent's head tumbled into the water, its body collapsing into the river with a splash that soaked the banks.

After a mont of silence, the cheers erupted. *Woooo*

The soldiers surged forward, surrounding their commander with reverence.

But Athena rely wiped the blood from her cheek with the back of her gauntlet, her expression hard and unreadable. "Fish out the corpse and separate its core," she ordered briskly, walking past them.

As her soldiers sprang into action, she turned her gaze toward the hazy horizon, muttering under her breath, "An order that I'm not allowed to ignore or refuse, huh. Mother, now you want to return to take command of the Royal Knights… just when you're preparing to step down? What are you cooking this ti?"

Her fingers tightened around the shaft of her halberd.