Jessica was fretting over what to wear to the bonfire dance tonight.
Despite having bought various beautiful clothes and even styles that Malin liked, the werewolf girl really didn’t want to wear a skirt.
She had been following her grandfather since childhood and preferred to dress like a man, to fight like a man.
But today... if those girls all wore the clothes Malin liked and she went her own way against his tastes... Jessica really didn’t want to disappoint her grandfather.
Her father had been seriously injured in a fight and had been receiving treatment at the Church lately. Although he didn’t think like her grandfather that his daughter needed to pursue Malin, when he heard that Malin had defeated the zombie bride, he still hoped Jessica would spend some time with Malin.
At least, such a feat indicated that Malin had a strong bloodline. In this world, a powerful bloodline was countless times more important than a noble surname. Without the former, the latter was just a laughable noun.
Jessica’s feelings towards Malin were conflicted because she somewhat disliked him—he was too cute, not resembling a warrior, so cute... that Jessica simply couldn’t bring herself to like him.
Even knowing he could sweep through the higher grades, Jessica still couldn’t grow to like him.
But the werewolf girl knew in her heart that she had always been pursuing a powerful bloodline for her children—on this point, Jessica and Faye were the same. They were young girls, but more so women who were ready to become good mothers one day, not wanting their children to lose at the starting line.
Malin’s bloodline was strong enough to give Jessica’s children an advantage from birth. Even in parental advantage, Jessica was completely outclassed—whether it was affinity with Spell Formations or physical fitness, Malin was superior in every way.
Having grown up in such a world, Jessica didn’t even dare to think that she could have Malin to herself—that was too unrealistic. Women stronger and more excellent than her were also attracted to Malin.
Faye was one of them. Jessica only had a modest six in affinity with Shaping Spells, whereas Faye’s near ten performance made it clear that her peer had a far brighter future than her.
Even she was attracted to Malin... Jessica had never felt as pessimistic as she did today.
In the end, the werewolf girl picked up the silk stockings from her bed, wrapping them around her slender legs, securing her tail with the clasps at the back, and then put on the leather shorts she would never normally wear—it was Jessica’s last bit of pride. The upper body was dressed in an everyday short sleeve top and a thin leather jacket.
The overall tone was gray. Looking at herself in the mirror, Jessica wondered... was she too thin?
She had been eating vegetables for the entire last year, and the werewolf girl couldn’t even remember the taste of meat. Her once sturdy legs had also become slender. Although she was no longer a chubby girl... even her strength had diminished a bit.
The last time she saw Lillim, the little lamb, she clearly had fat on her legs, but Malin seemed to like her quite a bit... What kind of guy was Malin anyway?
With doubts and unhappiness, Jessica left her room. As she opened the door and went downstairs, she heard the whistle blown by her brother, along with that very annoying question: "Sis, where’s my brother-in-law?"
"Daughter, although I don’t want to interfere in your personal affairs, today..." Jessica’s father, as a werewolf, even though his legs were injured and he had a problem with his back, still asked curiously.
"Malin said he’d come to pick me up." Jessica spoke and pouted—Malin had heard that in a few days it would be her birthday and insisted on giving her a gift today.
Although Jessica really liked the pair of mountaineering axes on display at the hardware store... they were too expensive. Jessica felt that even if she were Malin, it wouldn’t be possible to buy such an expensive gift for a girl he had just met less than two months ago.
It wasn’t a bouquet of flowers.
"Malin, that little Superman?" Her brother was somewhat curious: "I heard he has a sister, is she cute?"
"...If you want to die, you can try." Jessica thought her brother must be insane. This little brat, relying on his good looks at school, had already flirted with several girls. If Malin knew this kid was thinking of making a move on his sister, even without that girl Maya scratching his face, he could probably beat the fool into a dead dog with the streetlights—as Malin had previously done to some young wolf from the Rhode family and his friends. It was no longer a secret among the noble circles and the Church, especially after Malin hammered him and the Rhode family acted like nothing had happened.
Probably, the beating would be in vain.
"What, my brother-in-law could hit me too?"
"Even if he doesn’t, I will. You can try it. If you upset Maya, make Malin worry, and cause your sister to fall into the loser’s bracket, you can imagine who would be most likely to hit you first." Jessica looked at her father after saying this. He smiled, picked up the walking stick next to his wheelchair, and lightly but firmly struck his son, making the little werewolf yelp and clutch his bottom.
"Sir, there’s a young master Malin with two young ladies looking for Miss. They had an appointment, so I let them in," a guard entered the hall.
"Alright, Father, Malin is here." Jessica smiled, walked to the door, and then received her long-awaited birthday gift from Malin’s hands.
"You said you liked that pair of mountaineering axes with azure quenching, but they were already ordered by someone else, so this time I got one of the same quality for you, happy birthday," Malin said with a smile.
Jessica nodded happily: "Thank you, Malin." After speaking, she bent down and kissed Malin on the cheek.
"Have fun, my daughter." Her father, as if not seeing his daughter’s affectionate display, said goodbye to her very happily instead.
"Wait a minute! Why are you, sister, going out to play with such a dwarf!" Jessica’s brother suddenly burst out, "As the eldest son of the family! I challenge this gentleman to a duel! Only by defeating me can you have the right to take my sister away!"
Jessica was perplexed—what are you thinking, you little rascal, challenging Malin?! Don’t you know he solo clears grades five through eight in half an hour every noon?! Do you have any idea the force that hits your body when a lamppost smacks into you at the speed of sound?!
You understand nothing! You little rascal!
"In that case, Mr. Malin, why not come and properly educate my foolish child," said Jessica’s father.
"Since Uncle says so, I’ll accept," Malin said with a smile and walked out alone, followed fearlessly by Jessica’s brother.
Jessica’s father maneuvered his wheelchair to the floor-to-ceiling window, joining his daughter and the two ladies Malin had brought along, watching the duelists take their places in the yard.
Jessica’s brother took a steel sword from one of the guards: "Come on! A true man uses the real deal!"
"Is weapon selection up to us?" asked Malin.
Jessica suddenly laughed—knowing Malin, she already guessed what he had in mind.
"Of course, I wouldn’t want anyone to say I’m bullying the young!" Jessica’s brother replied with great bravado.
So, everyone watched as Malin turned around, took the stone pillar that was meant to be used as a trellis support, and hefted it in his hands.
The stone pillar was about three meters long, split into two halves, with each weighing around one hundred ten pounds.
"By the way, I still don’t know what your name is," Malin asked, smiling, and holding the pillar in one hand.
"Link, my name is Link," Jessica’s brother nearly stumbled over his own tongue.
"Alright, Link, shall we begin the fight?" Malin said and then swung the pillar in his hand, creating an explosive sound effect.
"I, I surrender! Please, take my sister away!" Jessica’s brother shrieked while dropping his steel sword.
Jessica’s father started laughing.
Jessica covered her face—her little rascal brother was bringing shame to their family.
But Faye reached out and patted Jessica’s back: "Don’t worry, we’re going to pick up Lillim in a bit."
Jessica got the hint.
The werewolf girl also began to laugh.
Lillim stood obediently behind their father and mothers, already dressed in Malin’s favorite outfit, waiting with her father and mothers for her brothers to make a decision. As a little lamb, although Lillim didn’t possess great sensibilities, today she could feel that her brothers had no courage to face Malin, who would soon come to pick her up.
Hmph, they always say I’m the little apple of my brothers’ eyes, but when it comes to this moment, these idiot brothers are scared of Mr. Malin’s deadly violence.
"You three children, is there not one among you willing to fight for Lillim?"
"Dad, I think as the eldest brother, it’s only right to give my younger siblings a chance to show themselves," the eldest son replied righteously.
"Dad, my injury isn’t healed yet," the second son Jon said, immediately clutching his ribs, looking as though he was in unbearable pain from a serious injury he suffered in a nasty event a few days ago.
"Dad, I think the elder brothers should go first. I’m just the third son, and although I’m willing to protect Lillim, I shouldn’t usurp my elder brothers’ rights, nor should I take away their duties to act," said the third son, a fifth-grader who had just returned from vacation at the Church of the Goddess of Harvest. After he finished speaking and looked at his two brothers, his face was full of anger.
After a conversation between the father and mothers, they turned around and made a decision: "Since you all exhibit such fraternal respect, when Malin arrives, the three of you will go together. Isn’t Lillim your little angel, your sweetheart? Whoever dares not go today will have his allowance docked for a year."
Lillim smiled happily—her father certainly didn’t disappoint.
Her clumsy and stupid brothers really needed another lesson from Mr. Malin!