Meanwhile, the Young Wolf and his companions were in the castle kitchen, where they had nearly devoured the entire mountain of scones. The warmth of the oven and the scent of fresh pastries filled the air with homely comfort, as though all the world's troubles had been left outside.
"I can't eat another bite," Andras sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"Someone bring me an ice‑cold beer!" Anita cried, her eyes sparkling playfully.
"Ask one of the maids to fetch it from the cellar," Noelle suggested, gathering the trays.
"I'm not going!" Ironclaw snorted, arms crossed.
"I wasn't talking to you," Noelle replied, a little annoyed.
"Marta, are you here?" Andras called.
"Yes, what do you command, Young Wolf?" the maid stepped forward.
"Bring us four bottles of mead, and three bottles of beer for Anita, please! Wait… give Ironclaw two as well, so make it five bottles of mead, all right?"
"I'll fetch them at once," Marta nodded, hurrying away.
Andrea looked around with mild concern.
"Isn't it a bit early for mead?"
"Oh, there's hardly any alcohol in it," Noelle waved dismissively.
"As long as we don't drink too much, it'll be fine," Andras reassured her.
"Too bad for you—I can drink real beer already!" Anita laughed boldly.
"If I wanted, I could too," Ironclaw cut in, "but I prefer mead anyway!"
"That's not true, you're only fourteen, same as me!" Andrea protested.
"And who cares about human rules? I'm a wolf!" Ironclaw declared proudly.
"Only half wolf!" Andrea countered.
"Then by that logic, I'm only half human," Noelle muttered, a little offended.
Andras spoke up with a mischievous grin.
"Ever seen a drunk elf?"
"No way—what's that like?" Anita asked, laughing.
"Half of it we can find out," Andras replied, his eyes gleaming playfully.
The group burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha!" Anita roared.
"Hahaha!" Ironclaw joined in.
"Hahaha!" Andrea laughed as well.
Noelle only sighed, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
"Very funny…" she murmured, though a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
The kitchen rang with laughter and cheer. After the tense atmosphere of the knight's hall, here among scones and mead, the young companions could finally enjoy the moment in freedom.
Christina Silverwood slowly descended into the castle's main courtyard. The fragrance of the flower garden filled the air, and the colorful array of petals radiated peace and serenity. The captain drew a deep breath, as though wishing to free herself from all her burdens. She thought to sit upon one of the benches, to rest and order her thoughts.
Yet as she approached, she noticed someone already seated there. Carla Wolfwood sat with a book in her hands, reading intently. Surrounded by blossoms and fresh air, she seemed utterly immersed in the world of words.
Beside her, at a respectful distance, stood two Wolf Knights—Xaba and Jula. They had been entrusted by the Young Wolf himself with the protection of his mother. They watched the surroundings with vigilance, yet positioned themselves so as not to disturb Carla's calm.
Christina halted. Her eyes widened, for she had not expected to encounter Carla Wolfwood. For a moment, surprise left her nearly speechless, though courtesy dictated she should greet first.
But Carla lifted her gaze from the book and addressed her with a gentle smile.
"Good evening, Christina Silverwood. It seems the flower garden has lured you here as well."
The two women, both having turned thirty in the same year, now looked into each other's eyes for the first time not through the lens of past grievances, but in the presence of present peace. The air still carried tension, yet the fragrance of flowers and Carla's kind voice seemed to soften it.
Christina Silverwood slowly approached one of the benches in the flower garden, where Carla Wolfwood sat with a book in her hands. The two women caught sight of each other at the same time. Christina's heart beat faster—she had not expected to meet Carla here.
But Carla smiled warmly and spoke first.
"Well now, good evening to you."
"A pleasant evening," Christina replied, a little flustered.
"A Silver Knight—such a rare sight in these parts," Carla remarked, closing her book.
"We came to Wolfwood on an important matter," Christina answered, her tone serious.
"Did you manage to discuss this matter with my son?" Carla asked, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Yes, though originally we intended to negotiate with Lord Bandorn Wolfwood. Instead, we spoke entirely with the Young Wolf about our cause," Christina replied.
Carla laughed, her voice warm.
"Hahaha! And to think, we haven't even introduced ourselves properly. My name is Carla Wolfwood, mother of the Young Wolf."
"My name is Christina Silverwood. I am…" Christina began, but Carla interrupted.
"My husband's former betrothed."
Christina lowered her gaze.
"Yes. I was the one who broke the engagement."
Carla's smile did not fade.
"Thank you."
Christina looked at her in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"For breaking the engagement back then," Carla said calmly.
"Is life in Wolfwood truly so good?" Christina asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
Carla sighed, her expression turning solemn.
"I won't lie to you. When I first came to Wolfwood and began living here, my life was nothing short of hell. Then my son was born. But the true change in my life came when he turned five. Imagine—at that age, he asked me to teach him to read. At five years old, can you believe it?"
Carla's eyes sparkled as she recalled the past. Christina listened in silence, the tension in her heart slowly easing. The fragrance of the garden and the women's honest words created an atmosphere where old grievances began to give way to understanding.
The fragrance of the flower garden filled the air as Christina and Carla sat facing each other, sharing memories in peace. Once rivals by the whim of fate, now they spoke with calm voices.
"He must have been a very clever boy even then," Christina remarked, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
"He was," Carla replied, her voice warm and proud. "It was clear from the start that he would be exceptional. From then on, my life changed completely. Every day I spent with my son filled me with joy. He made me forget the Wolfwood hell. At six years old, he learned to read and write fluently. And then, do you know what he decided?"
"I don't," Christina leaned forward slightly.
"To begin studying magic—and to try his hand at swordplay as well," Carla said, her eyes shining with pride.
"He started learning magic at six?" Christina asked in disbelief.
"Indeed! That was when it was revealed he possessed two magical elements. You can imagine how wide our mage master, Florian, opened his mouth in astonishment," Carla laughed.
"I can imagine," Christina smiled. "Our own mage master has his share of eccentric habits when it comes to magic."
Carla continued, her voice growing more enthusiastic.
"And then, at eight years old, he chose a girl from the orphanage to be his personal maid. Do you know whom he chose?"
"The half‑elf girl, Noelle?" Christina asked.
"Indeed! He brought her to me and asked that I teach her to read as well. I was so happy! Noelle is such a sweet and kind girl. Because of her elven blood, she has talent for magic too. By then, there were already two reasons why my days were filled with joy. Spending time with my son and with Noelle brightened every single day of my life."
Christina smiled sincerely.
"I'm truly glad things turned out well for you."
"Yes," Carla nodded. "And then my son's company grew. Anita, the Swift Gale. Andrea Wolf, his personal Wolf Knight. Even Ironclaw. Who would have thought that a beast‑kin could be so playful and full of heart?"
"What I heard of Ironclaw was that she's a ruthless hound, tearing apart any bandit she scents," Christina remarked.
Carla laughed.
"Hahaha! Not only bandits. For my son's sake, she would even face a dragon. In that sense, isn't she like a true knight?"
Christina nodded gravely.
"The loyalty of beast‑folk surpasses even that of knights. That's what I learned long ago, when our mage master drilled the books into me."
Carla's smile was warm, her eyes glistening with pride.
"Hahaha! But truly, thank you. My son is the greatest gift. I could never have asked for a better boy. A blessing from the Goddess Neptune."
In the quiet of the flower garden, the words of the two women slowly drew them closer together. The shadows of the past faded, replaced by mutual understanding and respect.