Seeing the enormous beast in front of her, which exuded a sense of imminent danger, Therese was utterly stunned when it started wagging its tail like a harmless puppy.
The once majestic image of the Demon Wolf King had crumbled before her eyes.
This wasn't a fearsome Wolf King—it was acting like a giant husky!
"No, I can't allow you into the city just based on your word alone.
Even if you really are from the Asura Kingdom, allowing such a dangerous creature into the city is too risky.
If something happens, I, Therese Latreia, would never be able to bear the consequences.
So, I'm afraid you'll have to turn around and return the way you came," Therese said firmly, showing no sign of backing down.
Despite the Demon Wolf King acting harmless, Therese wasn't swayed. The beast's mere presence was intimidating enough, and if it turned hostile, the whole city would be thrown into chaos.
"This knight has a point," Wood muttered, realizing that getting into the city might be harder than anticipated.
Just as Wood was preparing to make one last effort to plead his case, the argument seemed to catch the attention of someone inside their carriage—Zenith.
As soon as Zenith stepped out of the carriage and overheard the knight captain introducing herself, her face immediately lit up with recognition.
"Therese Latreia? Is it really you? How have you been all these years?" Zenith asked, her voice filled with excitement.
No, it wasn't just Zenith who was emotional. Therese, upon seeing Zenith, was even more moved than her elder sister.
Removing her helmet to reveal a delicate face that bore a striking resemblance to Zenith, Therese shouted, "Sister Zenith!"
The two women rushed toward each other, embracing warmly.
After their emotional reunion, Zenith pulled Therese over to the group and began introducing her to everyone.
"Let me introduce you. This is my sister, Therese Latreia, the fourth daughter of the Latreia family, and your aunt," Zenith announced proudly.
When introducing Philip and Hilda, Zenith referred to them as "friends." Therese showed little interest in them, but she politely nodded since they were friends of her sister.
However, Therese's real focus was on Wood, Norn, and Aisha. After all, Zenith had just called her their "aunt," which meant these children were her nieces and nephews!
But which ones? Was it just one of them? Or perhaps all three?
Zenith had always had a close relationship with her other sisters, despite her long-standing feud with their mother. Therese, in particular, had always been fond of Zenith, often following her around as a child.
"This is Aisha Greyrat, the third daughter of our family. And this is Norn Greyrat, the fourth daughter," Zenith explained, introducing Aisha and Norn to her sister.
While Zenith was speaking, Wood had been keeping a close eye on Aisha's reaction.
For Wood and Norn, Aisha was their sister. They shared the same blood, without a doubt. But for Therese, though she was the aunt of Wood, Norn, and Rudy, Aisha wasn't technically her niece.
If Aisha were an ordinary child, Wood wouldn't have worried. But Aisha was an incredibly perceptive and intelligent girl, and with Lilia's upbringing, her emotions were quite sensitive.
Wood had been concerned that during the introductions, Aisha might feel left out.
However, when Zenith introduced Aisha as the third daughter and made no mention of her not being biologically related, Wood felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders.
He noticed Aisha's expression—she seemed frozen in shock.
By introducing Aisha as her own child, Zenith had fully embraced her, acknowledging her as part of the family.
Zenith had finally come to terms with her feelings and accepted Aisha as her daughter, putting to rest any lingering concerns about rejection.
Zenith's introduction served two purposes: first, to ensure Aisha was accepted by the Latreia family, and second, to prevent Aisha from overthinking her place in the family.
After introducing Aisha and Norn, Zenith then turned her gaze to Wood.
"And this young man is Wood Greyrat, the second son of our family and the one I'm most proud of."
As a mother, she should love all her children equally. However, it was undeniable—Wood made her exceptionally proud.
Both Rudy and Wood were intelligent, mature children, but Wood's emotional intelligence and the way he cared for his family set him apart.
It wasn't that Rudy wasn't capable, but Wood had a more nuanced approach to family matters, always thinking of everyone's feelings.
He was the first to step forward whenever danger loomed, putting himself at risk to protect others.
Zenith couldn't deny that during the teleportation disaster, they were incredibly lucky to have had Wood by their side.
If not for him, she, Norn, and Aisha likely wouldn't have survived the dangers of the Moving Labyrinth.
Upon hearing Zenith's introduction, Therese's eyes lit up even brighter. She rushed over to Wood and the others, arms wide open for a big hug.
Sensing the impending danger, Wood immediately used his Shave technique to dodge out of the way, leaving Norn and Aisha trapped in Therese's tight embrace, their faces contorted in discomfort.
It was Therese's first time being an aunt, and she was overjoyed. Plus, both Norn and Aisha were incredibly adorable, which made Therese even more excited.
However, she quickly realized that one of her nephews had managed to slip away.
Therese wasn't just a knight captain; she was also a skilled swordswoman, likely on par with Paul, at the level of an advanced swordsman.
Yet, even with her abilities, Wood had easily dodged her.
"Wow! No wonder Sister Zenith is so proud of you. You may be young, but you're already quite the warrior! But you won't escape your aunt's love that easily!"
And so, an odd scene unfolded at the city gates. A knight from the Holy Order, clad in full armor, kept trying to bear-hug a bald teenager, who effortlessly dodged her every attempt.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 400+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a