Wolf didn’t sleep that night. He narrated his childhood adventures to Anna and Mandy, explaining how wonderful his father was. How he raised him all alone, and how Wolf’s memories of his mother were hazy to the point he remembered nothing but warmth and a blurry, slumbering woman.

He told them how a Third Order True-Namer tutored him on magic since he was three or four years old, and how they visited dangerous domains together. Wolf skirted the details of which dangerous domains they’d visited and focused on important things - walking, talking, cooking, learning the pen and the sword, and how to end lives.

Wolf slaughtered hordes of humans before turning ten. Anna and Mandy watched him behead nobles without flinching. He kept the expression of a chef chopping vegetables, and now they knew why. While children learned how to run without tripping on their own feet, Wolf learned how to decapitate and disembowel people twice his height.

And yet, the person who instructed Wolf to be a heartless killer, fondly taught him how to prepare delicious meals, how to return kindness with kindness and how to respect people who deserved respect.

Deep down, Anna found Archibald did a poor job. Otherwise, Wolf wouldn’t have treated her the way he did. Hadn’t she treated him kindly? But Wolf’s enthusiasm drowned that disgruntled thought, and gave birth to another.

Why isn’t my father like that? Anna didn’t utter those words. She knew life was unfair. No manlings are born equal. Their genetic potential, environment, upbringing, the sights they see, the thoughts they have, and most importantly, their dreams ensure no two lifetimes are the same and every life is unique.

*Ta! Ta! Ta!*

Someone rapped on Mandy’s door. Wolf turned around, realizing it was morning, and that Wayde came to pay him a visit.

“We’ll leave you two to talk.” Mandy didn’t consider her words, earning Anna’s glare.

Still, the younger woman followed, giving the boys some space.

Wolf went over to the door. He controlled Spell Formations in Mandy’s flat, but having the door open on their own seemed disrespectful.

Wolf reached the door, and through their transparent surface, saw Wayde. The young Duke waited… politely? Is he messing with me, or is he seriously going to act distant now? Is he angry because I hadn’t told him? Dad and his ancestor were bosom friends, and Dad got hurt protecting Wayde’s grandfather… Does he think he owes me something now?

Wolf wondered, but he couldn’t know until he spoke with Wayde.

“Come in.” Wolf opened the door grinning. Wayde was his only male friend, and he didn’t want to lose him over stupid formalities.

Should I give him a man-hug? It would be weird, we didn’t do those. How am I supposed to show him we’re still close? Wolf mentally listed male bonding activities and found celebratory drinking fit the occasion.

“Wanna drink…” Then he realized it wasn’t even seven in the morning. Coffee? No, that’s what girls drink when they get together. Tea? That’s an afternoon thing. Cocoa? We’re adults…

“… some hot milk?” Wolf finished weakly, unable to find another gender appropriate beverage you drank barely half an hour after sunrise. Do we have milk in the cooler?

“Sure.” Wayde’s level of self-control reached such heights he didn’t bat an eye at one of the worst attempts at socializing in human history. The inapt invitation only reaffirmed his opinion of Wolf.

Five minutes later, with a pleasant click, Wolf placed a fine porcelain cup full of milk on its saucer. Wayde glanced at the steaming cup, then picked it up and took a sip.

“Mmm. Good milk.” His face was perfectly straight as he replaced the cup, producing the same pleasant click.

“Oh, shut up. I tried to bond like guys.” Wolf snorted at that genuinely grateful expression Wayde slapped onto his face. He hated Wayde’s ability to mimic honest expressions.

“And you do it by inviting me to your mistress’s flat at six in the morning to drink milk?” A hint of a smile touched Wayde’s face.

Wolf downed his milk. “I wanted us to drink wine, but if we started drinking this early, it would make us appear like alcoholics.”

Wayde shot him a ‘when did appearances stop you?’ look.

“Oh, shut up.” Wolf shushed Wayde, who hadn’t uttered a word. “I wanted us to discuss some important matters. Do you want to be my regent? Duke Silverhound and I pieced together a Hillman marquessate.”

Wayde nodded slowly, grasping the situation. “I see. You wanted us to discuss politics over morning milk.”

“Enough with the milk.” Wolf sighed and rolled his eyes, thinking how he should’ve just hugged Wayde at the door. “Look. This is a good deal for you. You get to learn how to govern lands and command nobles. We will build up a proper armed force which will help you reclaim your lands if we clash with armies. Do you want me to continue?”

Surprisingly, Wayde shook his head. “I’m losing too much by giving up on Mage Academy education.”

Wolf was about to shout that Mage Academies were a sham, but stopped himself. Given the way Lord of Steel explained it to him, Wolf guessed this was a secret only True-Namers were privy to.

Instead, there was an alternate approach. “I’ve already written some manuscripts for Anna. I could make copies for you. It beats Mage Academy education. Besides, you want to be a Duke foremost. Becoming a True-Namer is just a means to an end for you.”

Deep down, Wolf was impressed. He couldn’t believe the effectiveness of the honey trap which was the Mage Academy. It successfully ensnared a man who dreamed of reclaiming a dukedom.

After a slight pause, Wolf continued. “As for everything else, the experience of governing a domain outstrips the benefits of being a Mage Academy student. Besides, if you help me, I will help you reclaim your ancestral lands. My father and your great-grandfather were good friends…”

Wayde closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and nodded. “Alright. We can do this.”

Wolf smiled and then took out several papers and magical quills, writing multiple letters at the same time while discussing finer details with Wayde. Wolf’s primary concern was his subjects’ safety. It was important enough that Wolf would fund the troops and patrolmen out of his own pocket, then recoup the money through taxes later. The well-being of the common man was one of Archibald’s greatest wishes.

Wolf didn’t understand why. A common human was trash in his eyes. Humans had no mental fortitude. In their despair, they turned to hurting others, sometimes even family, just to preserve themselves or worse still, to advance their own agenda. Those nobles killing Mage Academy students and forcing them into having sex with him was enough for Wolf to feel disgust for the petty creature which was manling. Bandits at least hid behind the curtain of hunger. And Wolf spared those fellows who didn’t kill and simply stole enough to feed themselves and their families.

Wolf wrote letters while conversing with Wayde and reflecting on his father’s unfathomable wishes. One letter was for Rand and Oakwood Freelanders, letting them know they had become a part of Wolf’s Marquisate. Rand became a Baron, with Oakwood Freeland and its forest as his domain.

The second letter was for Edmund of the Fallen Leaf. Wolf explained his current situation, and asked the Fellowship of the Leaf to move to Garnet Heart, a city which would be the capital of Wolf’s holdings. He believed Edmund and his followers would train his army and guards in no time.

The third letter was for Frida. Wolf originally didn’t know what to do with her. Letting her run wild and kill bandits was certainly possible, and he even thought about letting her toughen up by hunting on the fringes of Demon Forest. However, he wasn’t comfortable with either. She lacked experience and could die to beasts, or something worse could happen with a giant bandit gang. But now he had the luxury to bring her to Silver City. He even had a proper job for her. She could train with Mandy. Hopefully that would help both women improve over time.

Wayde watched with disbelief as Wolf penned four letters while talking with him. It was obvious Wolf either trusted him, or didn’t find the contents of these instructions important enough to conceal from Wayde. He even read his name mentioned in two letters. Wolf expected Rand and Edmund, whoever they were, to fully cooperate and obey Wayde, while bringing up their own thoughts and suggestions.

The fourth letter confused Wayde the most. It was the shortest and didn’t seem to contain any useful information.

Roger,

I’ll come and visit in the evening.

Wolf Hillman