Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 980: Section 639: Wild Banquet (Part 1)

Chapter 980: Section 639: Wild Banquet (Part 1)

When Malin opened his eyes again, he felt the soft breathing of the cubs in his arms. Turning his head to look out the window, the sun was already sinking in the west. From the far western edge of this Rongma Palace, Rongma City at the foot of the hills was preparing to embrace the night.

He shifted the cubs gently with Spiritual Energy, letting them leave the warmth of their father’s chest as they continued to slumber. Malin rose, kissing each of them one by one, and then placed them onto the soft cushions.

Turning around, he saw Clovis had already awakened. Sitting on the rocking chair, the Bunny Girl’s face was beaming with a full smile.

"I knew it—you are a good father." When she finished speaking, the Bunny Girl got up and walked toward the door. Malin followed her closely, passing through the door behind her with his Spiritual Body.

"Have you had any dreams about our children recently?" Malin asked, trailing behind Clovis, looking at the Bunny Girl in front of him with a mix of curiosity and equal anticipation.

"No, I’m a Mage. Perhaps it’s because I lack sufficient Spiritual Energy talent. Among my children, only Nanachi and Tot have seen me as of now." Clovis turned around, stepping backward as she spoke, her calm smile faintly lingering on her Bunny Girl face.

"Maybe it’s because some more renowned children intercepted those dreams before they could reach the others," Malin jested, trying to smooth over the conversation while catching sight of a little girl with tentacle-like limbs scurrying across the ceiling.

"Susu, be careful not to fall," Clovis called out.

The little girl responded by darting down to the floor, then ran over to Clovis with open arms, asking to be picked up. Clovis gave her a warm smile, lifted the girl into her embrace, and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Malin turned his head and spotted a black cat staring at him. With a raised eyebrow, the cat immediately leapt straight into Malin’s arms.

Downstairs, Malin took the cat food handed to him by the mouse maid and placed it in the corner. The black cat—named Sophie—happily began eating her dinner.

Malin then grabbed the little girl mischievously nicknamed Susu by the other girls to stop her from trying to steal Sophie’s food. He carried her off to the dining room, feeding her with far tastier food—no way could he let this silly girl get used to snatching cat food. Imagine the embarrassment if word spread about that!

Besides, for those who knew just how wild this little troublemaker could be, the story was easier to explain. (On her first day back at the palace, she beat up the palace’s War Dog squad and stole their lunch without Malin and the others even noticing. They only discovered something was off that night, and when an animal communicator asked the dogs, Malin nearly choked on his disbelief.) For those unaware, though, they might think Malin was mistreating her!

After feeding the little rascal and once again lecturing her not to compete with poor animals for meals, Malin prepared to depart for the North. He kissed each of his girls goodbye one by one. When it was Clovis’s turn, the Bunny Girl refused his farewell and instead stood up: "I will represent everyone and go to the North with you. Lulu’s been handling everything alone, and it’s too much for her."

"I’m heading to the battlefield. This is outrageous!" Malin’s eyes widened.

Clovis, the Bunny Girl, stared back at him with her large, unwavering eyes: "You said it yourself—this is the war of all people in this world."

Malin was exasperated, but in the end, he relented to Clovis’s request—because she was right. This war belonged to everyone in this world, and everyone had to face it.

It was Malin himself who had said so. If such a war left no one exempt, what argument could he make? Was he supposed to show his girls that he was a hypocrite with double standards?

"Then obey my orders. If I’m bringing you to the battlefield, it’s not for you to cause me trouble." Malin laid out his terms with Clovis, and the Bunny Girl nodded emphatically in agreement.

Considering the children still needed care, Malin ultimately decided to bring Clovis along to the North. Tonight was the final Champion Banquet of the training camp—a riotous feast dubbed by the soldiers as "The Champion’s Frenzy." All those who had won championships would, tonight, exert every ounce of their strength. Malin couldn’t let them down.

Besides, the sky over Rongma had already dimmed; no doubt the stars were now visible in the North’s night sky.

......

Night fell.

Electrum glanced uneasily at the pocket watch in his hand. Malin had said at noon he’d return to Rongma, but it seemed he hadn’t returned yet. This made Electrum deeply anxious, especially because the champion had just emerged victorious among three finalists. The lucky lad had immediately been ushered toward the baths under Electrum’s insistence that he couldn’t meet Malin in his current dust-covered state.

But men—being men—could never be trusted to bathe as meticulously as women. So when this fellow was still inside only five minutes later, Electrum began to grow nervous—what if Malin didn’t return tonight?

While he was deep in thought, the bathroom door swung open. The fresh new champion appeared, looking remarkably improved. He had even washed his hair and used a human-made beard grooming gel—an item Electrum himself only indulged in once a week.

Blast it, that stuff was ridiculously expensive! How much had the lad used? His hair was combed so slick it practically glowed, yet somehow he was done in just five minutes. Did he only wash two spots or something?

"Mr. Electrum, has Lord Malin returned?" The young man asked while donning the coat handed to him by a comrade, looking toward Electrum.

"Not yet." Electrum didn’t dare fabricate an answer to the champion’s question. After all, while the lad might lack the nerve to challenge Malin himself, there was an undeniable eagerness in him to stab Electrum in the back at the slightest misstep.

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