CHAPTER 328: I PREFER BLOODTHIRSTY WOMEN

Cassius stared at the ruin before him, mangled bodies, pools of blood, shattered bones jutting through torn flesh. The scene was so grotesque, so absurd in its savagery, that he let out a low chuckle under his breath.

It wasn’t amusement so much as disbelief, like his mind couldn’t fully process that Aisha had done all this in mere seconds.

His gaze then drifted away from the carnage to Julie, still astride her horse. She had a delicate handkerchief pressed against her nose, but her expression was far from squeamish.

She wasn’t hiding from the horror, it was just the smell that bothered her.

Cassius tilted his head and called out, half-grinning, "Aisha really is quite brutal, isn’t she?"

Julie lowered the handkerchief just enough to flash a small smile, shaking her head with a knowing air.

"Just like I told you before...when it comes to bandits, she becomes vicious. She hates them, loathes them. Especially for what they do to children."

"She’s seen too many little ones left broken because of men like them. Every time she faces bandits, she pours all that hatred and all that vengeance into her hands."

Her tone softened, but there was no pity in it.

"I want to feel sorry for these men." She continued, glancing at the crimson-stained ground. "but I can’t. Not after everything they’ve done, and everything they would have done if they lived."

"...This is a fitting end for them."

Nearby, Skadi gave a solemn nod, her lips tightening almost in pride at the sight of Aisha’s work.

No revulsion. No hesitation. Only the steady acknowledgment of a fellow warrior.

And that’s when it hit Cassius, truly hit him.

These three weren’t just fighters. They were soldiers born and hardened by a life most people couldn’t even imagine.

Where others balked at brutality, they understood it, accepted it, even wielded it when necessary. And instead of flinching away, they stood calm. Proud. It made him respect them even more, deep in his chest where it mattered most.

It all made sense, they were trained for war, forged for protection. But still...even knowing that, he wasn’t ready for what Aisha did next.

After wiping out the bandits with earth and fury, she dusted her hands off, then reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a small cloth bag.

Without a word, she strolled toward one of the guards.

The man, who’d moments ago been grinning in relief at surviving the ambush, stiffened instantly.

His face went pale as she neared, every instinct screaming at him not to offend the woman who had just crushed men into pulp like overripe fruit.

But instead of a threat, she offered him a small, almost innocent smile, like a child politely asking for candy. She held up the bag with both hands and said, her voice formal but warm,

"Hello, I’m from one of the orphanages in the Holyfield Estate. Would you be willing to donate something for the children? Even a small amount would mean so much to their lives."

Her tone carried no menace, just soft pleading. If he hadn’t seen her turn men into mangled meat, he might’ve thought she was harmless.

The guard blinked, confused, then flustered.

Without a second thought, he fumbled for his coin pouch and tossed a generous handful into her bag, more than he’d normally give. Fear made him add even more, as though worried she’d find the sum lacking and turn that terrifying power on him.

Aisha’s smile brightened, and she moved to the next soldier.

He too contributed quickly, eyes darting anywhere but hers.

One by one she went down the line, the jingling of coins steadily growing louder.

When she reached the merchants, the effect was even more dramatic.

Their fear of her far outweighed their fear of losing a few coins, they gave far more than the guards, pouches nearly spilling over.

In no time, the little cloth bag swelled with donations.

Cassius could only stare in disbelief. He finally turned to Julie, pointing toward Aisha, and asked,

"...Is she extorting them right now? After saving them?"

Julie giggled softly, shaking her head.

"No, no, silly. She’s not extorting anyone. She’s asking for donations for the orphanage she helps run. She’s spent most of her life there, grew up there, in fact."

"Even now, after earning her position and pay, she still visits almost daily to teach and help raise the children. Ninety percent of her salary also goes straight to that orphanage."

Her smile softened as she continued,

"It’s her family, Cassius and this is her way of giving back for everything they gave her."

Skadi joined in from nearby, grinning faintly.

"That cat is always like this when she has the chance. We save someone, and she’s right there afterward, going around with her little bag. People are usually too scared of her to say no, so she always ends up with more than she expects."

Then Skadi, with a playful glint, stepped closer to Cassius and added,

"And I also give a good chunk of my salary to her orphanage and the rest to my family back at home. You are proud of me for that, right, Master?"

Cassius only smirked faintly as he patted her head to Skadi’s delight, but his eyes were drawn back to Aisha.

There she was, smiling sweetly, speaking gently, asking for help for children as though she hadn’t just slaughtered a dozen men. It was jarring...and endearing.

She might act feisty, cold, untouchable. But in that moment, Cassius could see the truth, beneath the steel was someone with a heart too big to ignore the smallest and most helpless.

Someone who would fight and kill without hesitation to keep them safe and he found himself smiling despite everything, just watching her work.

Aisha’s little cloth bag was heavy now, so full that the seams looked ready to pop. Coins clinked and gems clattered inside, glinting faintly in the morning light.

She walked back with a spring in her step, clutching it to her chest like a child holding her favorite toy.

When she reached Julie, she held it up with a proud grin.

"I got a good haul this time, Captain." She said, almost bouncing on her heels. "The children are going to have a feast for weeks."

Julie’s lips curved into a fond smile. "That’s wonderful, Aisha."

But Aisha didn’t just stop there, she glanced at Skadi, her grin twisting into something mischievous. She stuck out her tongue.

"I’m not giving you a single coin, no matter how much you beg, mutt. This is all for the children."

Skadi’s eyes narrowed immediately.

"Hmph! Like I’d even want to take from children. I’m not a villain."

She crossed her arms and huffed.

"Besides...I never have a single penny anyway."

Aisha’s smile grew smug at the response, the little spark of playful victory flickering in her eyes. But then her gaze shifted, upward, to where Cassius still sat on his horse.

And just like that, the confidence slipped. Her steps slowed, her head tilted slightly down, and when she finally reached his side, the proud smile was gone, replaced with a timid expression.

Cassius noticed instantly, his lips quirking in amusement.

"What’s wrong, Aisha?" He asked, leaning slightly over the saddle to look at her. "Do you want to say something?"

She hesitated, then held the bulging bag up toward him to his surprise. He took it instinctively, brows knitting in confusion.

"I...know I told you earlier I didn’t want to use your storage space." She began, voice quieter now, almost embarrassed. "And I meant it. But..." She glanced at the bag in his hands. "I didn’t expect to receive so many coins. It’s...heavy. Too heavy to carry around myself. So...would you keep it in your storage space for me?"

Cassius’s mouth curved into a slow smile.

"Really? You’re sure about that? You’re not worried I’ll just steal the whole thing and vanish?"

Her gaze lifted to his, shy but steady.

"You’re a demon in all sorts of manners." She said softly. "But not so much of one that you’d steal from children. I know you wouldn’t."

That earned a quiet chuckle from him. Without another word, the bag vanished in a shimmer of magic, sucked into the pocket dimension of his storage ring.

But even then, he noticed she was still standing there, fidgeting slightly with her fingers.

"You’re still here." He teased, arching a brow. "What is it now? Another bag of coins you want to deposit? Planning to treat me like your personal bank?"

"No...it’s not that." She shook her head quickly.

Cassius tilted his head. "Then what?"

Her fingers twisted together, her gaze briefly dropping to the dirt before she looked back up at him, her voice carrying a gentle, almost vulnerable edge.

"I...wanted to ask...Are you scared of me? After what you saw back there?"

He blinked, taken aback by the question.

"Scared of you? What are you talking about?"

She bit her lip, stumbling over her words.

"I mean...normally, people...they don’t look at someone the same way after seeing them kill like that. Brutal. Horrifying." Her voice wavered slightly. "It’s normal for them to...distance themselves. Like they can’t see you the same way they did before. I just..."

She paused, searching his expression.

"I just want to know if you feel that way. If...after seeing how cruel I can be...when it comes to bandits...you think differently of me now."

For a moment, Cassius simply stared at her. She looked so different now, gone was the fierce, smirking warrior who’d crushed men into pulp without blinking. Instead, she stood before him like she was bracing herself for a verdict she desperately didn’t want to hear.

And she really was as Cassius opinion of her really mattered to her and she was terrified of him agreeing and saying that he didn’t like the way she was and would much rather prefer a pure and innocent young lady like Vivi, who had no blood on her hands.

But to her surprise, he said no such thing and instead he smiled. Wide. Warm. Almost amused.

"What do you mean, scared?...No, Aisha. Not even close."

"Not...scared?" Her eyes widened slightly.

"Not even a little." He said. "In fact...I’m impressed."

"Impressed?" She echoed, almost disbelieving.

He nodded, leaning forward slightly, his voice low but certain.

"Usually, bandits are dealt with far too lightly. A slap on the wrist, tossed into jail for a while, maybe released when someone bribes the right official. And in the meantime, they keep breathing, keep plotting, keep hurting people."

"...But what you did? You gave them exactly what they deserved, and you made sure they’d never hurt anyone again."

Her eyes widened just slightly at his words.

"And honestly I enjoyed watching it." He continued plainly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Not because I’m some mindless sadist, but because it’s rare to see someone deal with filth in a way that actually prevents them from hurting anyone else again."

"...You didn’t just punish them, you made sure that they felt the pain of their victims. That aligns perfectly with my own principles and is exactly how I would’ve dealt with it."

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

"And you know what?" Cassius went on, his voice dropping slightly. "I’m proud of you for that. Truly. You’re just like me when it comes to these sorts of things. And that...makes me happy."

She didn’t know what to say, only that her chest felt strangely light hearing those words.

Then, to her surprise, Cassius reached out and placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair with a firm pat.

"You did well, Aisha." He said with a rare, warm smile. "Very well."

A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, but she couldn’t stop her own smile from forming. The knot of worry inside her chest loosened completely.

Because now she knew, he didn’t just understand her.

He accepted her for the bloodthirsty cat she was and she loved him for that...