Chapter 445: Congratulations!
As Nala snuggled next to Cassius in the warm waters of the hot spring, her head resting gently on his chest, she let her thoughts drift. Her tail coiled loosely around them, swaying in the water as she imagined her future—not just as Cassius’s partner, but as part of his home, his family.
She smiled to herself, picturing little ones darting through the halls of his estate. Mischievous, playful, maybe a bit too clever for their own good, just like her. Tiny Nalas with flicking tails and sharp grins. She’d teach them how to tease, how to laugh, how to love.
And Cassius would be there, arms crossed, sighing dramatically while pretending not to be completely enchanted.
But then, Cassius stirred beside her and broke the silence with a sly smile.
"You know." He said, his voice soft but firm. "I was actually thinking of putting that ring on your finger again. After everything that’s happened...well, it feels like we made our vows in our own way."
Nala immediately perked up, her eyes glinting with excitement.
But then he continued, "Still...after that ceremony of yours, the way you poured your heart out, that sacred rite of your people, I feel like putting a simple ring on your finger now might seem...blasphemous in comparison. Like I’d be forcing my tradition onto something already so beautiful. I don’t want to overshadow it."
Nala’s joy faltered...Then, outrage.
She then suddenly grabbed his shoulders, shaking him like a stubborn tree.
"No, Cassius! Absolutely not! That’s not how this works!"
He blinked, taken aback by her sudden intensity.
"That ceremony was for me!...Nala! For my heritage! I did that because I wanted to keep it alive. I wanted to honor it. But don’t you dare start thinking that means I’m gonna give up on the human way too!"
"But—"
"The ring. The ring is the most important thing! That’s the part girls dream of! Doesn’t matter what species, elf, dragonkin, slime—whatever, every girl wants that moment where the guy drops down on one knee, pulls out a stupidly shiny ring, and says those cheesy words. It’s the best part!"
She huffed, crossing her arms under her chest, clearly not finished.
"So, I am not..." She declared. "...letting you take that away from me. No way...You hear me? The moment I saw that ring last night, I already fell in love with it and there is no universe where you keep it and I don’t wear it!"
She paused, flushed now, glancing away for a second before muttering under her breath.
"Besides...I kinda wanna show it off to my friends. So...I need it. Like, right now."
Cassius gave her a slow, teasing smirk.
"Wow, Nala. You’re really going hard for that ring. Makes you sound like a greedy little girl who’s just after my money."
"Maybe I am." She narrowed her eyes at him, leaning in close, a mischievous grin on her lips. "What are you gonna do about it, Cassius? Push me away?"
"Not a chance." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Even if you were after every coin I have, I’d still choose you. Honestly...having someone like you beside me? Worth every treasure in the vault."
That made her sputter with laughter, cheeks burning. "You really are the cheesiest man alive."
"And yet, you love every cheesy line I say."
"Disgustingly so."
Cassius’s grin softened.
"Then how about this? I could give you the ring now. I mean, it’s a starry night, a moon hanging like a pendant, and we’re alone in a hot spring after basically marrying each other. Super romantic setting."
She nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes. Keep going. I like the way this sounds."
"But..." He trailed off, scanning the mist that curled around them. "I think I’d prefer...someone else here too. A witness. Just one. Or a few. Not for validation or anything, it’d just make it feel more...eternal. Like the moment lives beyond just us. That someone else saw and felt it."
Nala blinked.
"Well, yeah, I get that. Having someone to share the moment with sounds kinda sweet...But, uh, there’s no one else here."
"Grandma’s already made sure we had this whole place to ourselves. That was kinda the point. Privacy. Why else do you think I did all those things with you, hmm?" She flushed and poked his chest.
"That’s true." Cassius gave a thoughtful hum. "The village’s off-limits for tonight...but not everyone is barred."
"What?" Nala looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"There are three people Wanda would definitely allow past her ban." He said cryptically. "Three...special ones. Like you. So it’s not really a crime to let them in."
"What three people?" Nala narrowed her eyes.
Cassius didn’t answer at first. Instead, he lifted a finger, and subtly pointed behind her toward the edge of the hot spring.
Her ears twitched. Slowly, she turned.
Three unmistakable heads were peeking from behind the rocks at the entrance.
Wide eyes. Curious, guilty faces. And the moment they realized they’d been spotted...
"Aisha? Miss Julie? Skadi!?" Nala gasped, jumping back into the water with a splash.
The three were caught in the act—all wrapped in towels—clearly having come for a bath themselves, but also clearly having been watching for some time.
Taking a step out and completely revealing herself after getting caught, Julie raised a hand with a sheepish expression. "Uhm...Hi?"
Aisha looked more amused than embarrassed. Skadi was covering her mouth with her hand, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Took you three long enough to stop hiding." Cassius smirked, waving lazily.
"Wait. You knew they were there?!" Nala whipped her head back at him. "Since when?!"
"Since the beginning." He just shrugged, casually lounging back into the water.
"What beginning?!"
"The beginning beginning. The part where you got all passionate and started licking my face with your double tongue."
"You—!" Nala turned red as molten ruby. "You mean—you let me do all that knowing people were watching?!"
Cassius just grinned, while Nala snapped to the trio.
"And you three! What did you see?! Exactly what did you see?! Tell me right now!"
All three hesitated. Aisha pretended to suddenly find the rocks interesting. Skadi spun around and looked at the moon.
Julie, ever the responsible one, sighed and stepped forward slightly, clutching her towel tighter.
"We didn’t mean to eavesdrop." She said honestly. "We didn’t. It’s just...when we got here, we saw you two. You were kissing, and it was really...intense. And then things just...escalated. And, well..." She blushed furiously. "We kinda...didn’t know when to leave. Or how."
Nala’s mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. "Y-You watched the whole...the proposal?"
Julie nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah...It was beautiful, Nala."
"Super romantic." Aisha nodded too, grinning.
"And also, kinda spicy...you know with how Master’s hand went inside of you." Skadi beamed, the mischief finally spilling out.
Nala looked like she wanted to scream, but her face couldn’t hide the gleam of pride beneath the embarrassment.
Cassius, ever the showman, leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "See? Eternal. Just like I said."
"You’re the worst." Nala shoved him playfully into the water.
She then turned sharply to the three towel-wrapped intruders, still lingering awkwardly at the spring’s entrance, and jabbed a finger in their direction with righteous fire.
"You lot! Don’t you even think about making fun of me for anything I just said or did, got it? Because—because I saw you three too, alright?! You’re not that innocent!"
The trio blinked in surprise.
"I saw the things you were doing with Cassius last night!" Nala huffed. "So don’t act like I’m the only one who got caught in something embarrassing!"
Immediately, all three women froze. Their flushed faces turned even redder, their smiles evaporating as the weight of Nala’s words hit them.
Julie’s hands shot behind her back in horror. Aisha’s eyes went wide. Skadi let out a tiny squeak, while Cassius chuckled low under his breath.
"You really have guts, Nala." He said with amusement. "You do realize these three aren’t just pretty faces, right? They’re some of the most dangerous and powerful women on the continent. Provoking them like that...?"
Nala didn’t flinch.
"That was before." She said boldly. "Before your proposal, I might’ve backed down, might’ve kept quiet...But now?" She poked at her own chest. "I’m family, too. And when you’re family, there’s no need to walk on eggshells. No more formality, no more fake smiles. Just honesty. Brutally honest if needed."
The three women stared at her for a moment, taken aback—until Aisha suddenly laughed.
"Wow. You really don’t hold back, do you?" She said with an amused smirk. "It’s not even been a minute since the proposal and you’re already acting like you run the household."
"Of course!" Nala grinned triumphantly. "If I don’t make my mark now, I’ll get bullied later. Gotta show who’s boss early."
Skadi’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
"That’s it, Nala. That’s it. I like your style." She gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up, wiggling her fingers for effect. "Everyone should be as assertive as you. You’ve got guts and glamor. I respect that."
Julie, still pink in the cheeks, sighed and spoke softly.
"Honestly...you shouldn’t be saying all that to us, you know." Her eyes shifted downward. "We’re not above you. In fact...we’re kind of in the same place. I mean...none of us have even properly entered the household yet."
Nala blinked, then turned to Cassius. "Is that true?"
Cassius gave a sheepish nod. "Yeah...I’ll just they all confirmed their feelings around the same time as you."
"I see." Nala muttered with a newfound understanding, before she slowly slithered out of the hot spring, wrapping a towel around herself. She walked over to the trio and extended her hand.
"In that case..." She said. "...we’re all comrades now, heading into the same wild world together. So let’s try to support each other."
She shook hands with Aisha and Skadi easily. Julie hesitated, then took her hand too, her face still bright red.
"I-it’s not like I’m his woman or anything." Julie stammered. "Don’t get the wrong idea..."
"Captain..." Aisha and Skadi groaned in unison.
Nala raised an eyebrow and turned to Cassius again. "Is that true?"
Cassius looked at Julie for a moment, then replied with a soft smile. "Julie and I...have a unique relationship. She is my woman, but also...not? It’s complicated."
"Complicated how?" Aisha asked, frowning in confusion.
"No matter what you call it, she’s part of the family. That’s what matters." Cassius simply shrugged.
Hearing this, Nalalooked back at Julie, who flushed again as Nala grabbed her hand firmly.
"Well, then you’re a fellow combatant now. Let’s survive this madness together."
Julie smiled shyly. "Th-Thanks..."
Then, she added sincerely, "But you really don’t have to worry about all that dramatic political drama between wives. You know, the stuff you hear about in noble houses, poisonings, sabotage, power games..."
Nala’s eyes widened. "...Poisonings?!"
Julie nodded. "Oh yeah. It happens. In other noble houses...But not here."
"That’s the difference with Cassius. Somehow, he’s created a home where everyone’s happy. Where we all feel safe. Whenever I go over to his estate, there’s laughter. Smiles. Warm meals. It’s more like a big, chaotic family than a battlefield."
Cassius emerged from the hot spring just then, a towel draped around his waist, water still dripping from his hair. He smiled warmly at the group.
"The secret..." He said. "...is giving every one of you the love and attention you deserve. No favoritism. No neglect. Just...consistency. Making you all fall deeper in love with me every single day."
He paused.
"And also..."
Everyone leaned in.
"...Sex." He said simply, with a teasing smile.
All four women turned red instantly.
"I mean..." He continued with a shrug. "...hot, steamy, soul-melting sex. It really helps clear misunderstandings. Solves a lot of problems before they become actual problems."
Julie was covering her face. Skadi was nodding in agreement, almost proud. Aisha was staring at the sky like it would explain why her life had led her to this conversation.
And Nala? She looked like she didn’t know whether to jump him or throw a towel at his face.
But none of them said he was wrong.
Finally, Cassius clapped his hands once.
"Anyway! Enough of that. I think...it’s about time."
Everyone looked at him, as he rubbed his storage ring, and summoned a small, ornate box. Inside gleamed the engagement ring Nala had fallen in love with the night before.
"I know I already said my vow last night. And then again earlier. So...saying it all over again would be kind of weird, right?" He smiled as he stepped in front of her. "So I’ll keep it simple this time."
He gently took her hand.
"I love you, Nala. With everything I’ve got. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
Then, slowly and tenderly, he slid the ring onto her finger.
Nala’s breath hitched. She stared down at it, eyes wide, lips trembling.
And the moment the ring settled onto her hand, Aisha, Skadi, and Julie broke into loud applause.
"Congratulations!!" They cheered in unison.
"You’re officially part of the family now!" Skadi added.
"That really is a beautiful ring, Nala." Julie smiled warmly.
"And you can just tell how much Cassius loves you." Aisha said, nodding at the craftsmanship. "It’s written all over that ring."
Blushing furiously, Nala rubbed the back of her head. "T-Thank you...Thank you all..."
And as she gazed at that glimmering symbol on her hand, her chest swelled with something deeper than joy. Something sacred. Something eternal.
She never thought this moment would come.
But now that it had,
She would never let it go.