[Chapter 8: Dilemmas & Goodbye shacky(shack)
---
Ahem. Before we continue the uproar going on at the shack. Let's move the story back to the two princesses....
The ornate doors to Princess Christina's private chambers closed with a soft click, finally granting the two sisters the privacy they desperately needed after the day's unprecedented events. The throne room's chaos still echoed in their minds—Noah's casual one-sided beat down, and his shameless demands, with the most shocking of all, his audacious marriage proposal to both of them.
Flora sat delicately on the edge of Christina's bed, her hands folded in her lap, with her violet eyes still wide with disbelief. Her gentle nature and shy character, carefully cultivated by their protective upbringing, seemed at war with the whirlwind of emotions Noah had stirred within her.
Christina paced back and forth across the marble floor, her usually composed demeanor completely shattered. Her sharp violet gaze, normally capable of stopping anyone in their tracks, now reflected pure bewilderment and barely contained frustration. The first princess who prided herself on her intelligence and understanding of politics had been completely blindsided.
"I still can't believe it," Flora whispered, swiftly breaking the tense silence. Her voice trembled slightly as she continued to speak. "He really said he wanted to marry... both of us. At the same time. In front of Father, mother, and the entire court."
Christina stopped pacing abruptly, whirling to face her younger sister. "Believe it? Flora, that... that absolute madman just casually proposed polygamy to the royal family like he was requesting a second helping of dinner!" Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, betraying the depth of her shock.
"He defeated Sir Alfred so easily though," Flora murmured, almost to herself. As she often did when facing difficult situations, she found herself wondering how Christina would handle it, but for once, her strong-willed sister seemed just as lost as she was. "The way he moved... it was like watching a completely different person. It even... looked like he was holding back~"
Christina's expression darkened at the mention of Alfred's humiliating defeat. "That display of power was... concerning. The nobles who witnessed it will be talking for months about it. And that move he used at the end to disarm sir Alfred—I've never seen anything like it. Where did a boy from the slums learn to fight like that?"
"Maybe that's why he's so confident," Flora suggested softly, then immediately blushed at her own words. "I mean... about the proposal. If he's truly that powerful..."
"Flora!" Christina's eyes widened in surprise. "You're not actually considering this madness, are you?"
The younger princess's blush deepened, and she looked down at her hands that were playing with each other. "I... I don't know what to think, Sister. He saved my life when those kidnappers took me. And today, he stood up to Father, to the nobles, to everyone. He's so... different from anyone we've ever met."
Christina felt her deep-seated anxiety beginning to surface, those same feelings that had plagued her throughout her sheltered royal upbringing. Strong-willed as she was, this situation was completely outside her realm of experience.
"Different is one word for it," Christina muttered, as she resumed her pacing. "Insane is another. Arrogant. Insufferable. Shameless. Did you see the way he winked at me? Winked! In the middle of proposing marriage! Urgg!"
Despite her embarrassment, Flora couldn't suppress a small giggle. "He did seem rather... pleased with himself. And the way he casually said 'wife potential'..."
"Don't you dare laugh about this!" Christina snapped, but there was no real heat in her voice. If anything, she looked more flustered than angry. "This is a serious matter of state! Royal marriages aren't decided by boys our age making grand declarations in throne rooms!"
"I know, but Sister," Flora said quietly, her gentle voice carrying surprising conviction, "when has anyone ever stood up to us like that? When has anyone ever looked at us and seen... just us? Not our titles, not our political value, but us?"
Christina stopped pacing again, her expression softening despite herself. She knew Flora was right. Their entire lives had been shaped by their royal status, every interaction calculated for political gain. Even their suitors had been chosen for strategic alliances rather than any genuine interest in them as people.
"He called us beautiful and intelligent," Flora continued, her voice barely above a whisper but still clearly heard. "Not 'suitable for alliance' or 'politically advantageous.' Just... beautiful and intelligent."
"He also said we were 'too good for most of the stuck-up nobles,'" Christina admitted grudgingly, sinking into the chair beside her writing desk. "Which, I hate to say, isn't entirely wrong."
The sisters sat in contemplative silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts about the day's extraordinary events.
"What do you think Father will do?" Flora asked eventually.
Christina sighed heavily, running her hands through her long violet hair. "Honestly? I think he's as bewildered as we are. Did you see his face when Noah made that proposal? I thought he might actually faint."
"He didn't say no though," Flora pointed out quietly.
"No," Christina agreed slowly, "he didn't. He left the decision to us." She looked at her younger sister with concern. "Flora, you understand what this would mean, don't you? If we were to even consider such an arrangement?"
Flora's shy nature warred with something deeper, something that had been awakened by Noah's bold declaration. "I know it would be unprecedented. Scandalous, even. But Sister... have you ever felt like you were truly alive before today?"
The question hit Christina like a physical blow. She opened her mouth to give a sharp retort, then closed it again as the truth of Flora's words sank in. Their lives had been comfortable, privileged, but utterly predictable. Every day followed the same pattern, every interaction was scripted by royal order.
"That's not the point," Christina said weakly, but even she could hear the lack of conviction in her voice.
"Isn't it though?" Flora pressed, showing a rare moment of assertiveness. "When he looked at us, when he spoke to us... didn't you feel something? Something you've never felt before?"
Christina's cheeks flushed, and she looked away. The truth was, she had felt something. Something electric and terrifying and completely inappropriate for a royal princess to feel about a commoner from the slums. The way Noah had challenged everything, his complete disregard for proper order, his confidence—it was intoxicating in a way that frightened her.
"He's completely unsuitable," she said, but it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than Flora.
"Is he though?" Flora asked. "He's clearly powerful enough to protect us. He's intelligent—you saw how he manipulated the entire situation to get exactly what he wanted. And he's proven he's willing to risk everything for what he believes in."
"You're talking about marriage, Flora. Not some romantic fairy tale."
"Maybe," Flora said softly, "but wouldn't it be wonderful if it could be both?"
Christina stared at her younger sister, seeing a maturity and determination that surprised her. Flora, who usually looked to Christina for guidance in difficult situations, was speaking with quiet conviction about something that went against everything they'd been taught about duty and propriety.
"What about the political implications?" Christina asked, grasping for rational objections. "A commoner marrying into the royal family? The kingdom would be in uproar."
"The nobility who just watched him defeat their royal captain without breaking a sweat?" Flora pointed out. "Sister, I think the political landscape might be changing whether we participate or not. The question is whether we want to be part of that change or victims of it."
Christina fell silent, her strategic mind beginning to see the broader picture. Noah wasn't just some random commoner—he was clearly something far more dangerous and valuable. His power, his knowledge, (what knowledge?), his complete disregard for established order... he was either going to become a significant political force or a serious threat. And he'd offered to align himself with their family.
"He said his seriousness was limitless," Christina murmured, remembering his words.
"What?"
"He said his seriousness was limitless about the proposal. And a little bit was just to see how red my face could get. Including yours." Despite everything, Christina felt her lips twitch slightly. "The absolute nerve of him~"
Flora giggled again, the sound lighter than it had been all day. "You have to admit, it was rather... effective. I don't think I've ever seen you so flustered, nor have I've been so flustered~"
"I was not flustered!" Christina protested. "I was... strategically confused!"
"Is that what we're calling it now?"
The sisters looked at each other for a moment, then both dissolved into slightly hysterical laughter. The stress and shock of the day finally caught up with them, and they laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
When they finally calmed down, wiping their eyes with silk handkerchiefs, Christina felt something she hadn't experienced in years—genuine lightness. For once, they weren't Princess Christina and Princess Flora, bound by duty and order. They were just two sisters, giggling about a boy who had turned their world upside down.
"So," Flora was the first to speak, her voice still shaky with residual laughter, "what do we do?"
Christina was quiet for a long moment, her sharp mind working through the implications, the possibilities, the sheer audacity of what they were considering.
"We learn more about him," she said finally. "If we're going to make a decision this important, we need to understand exactly who Noah really is. Not just the powerful fighter or the smooth talker, but the person beneath all that confidence."
"And how do we do that?"
Christina's expression turned thoughtful, and for the first time since the proposal, she looked like the strategic princess she'd been raised to become. "We arrange some... informal meetings. Get to know him away from the formality of court. See how he interacts with his family, his friends. Test whether that charm of his is genuine or just another manipulation."
"So... you want to spy on him?"
"I want to understand him," Christina corrected. "There's a difference. If he's truly serious about this proposal, then we need to know what kind of man we'd potentially be binding ourselves to."
Christina paused at a slight realization. Studying her sister's face carefully, she asked. "Flora, you spent time with him when you were... when you were taken. What was he like then? Away from the court, away from all the performance and politics?"
Flora's expression softened, her eyes taking on a distant quality as she remembered those frightening yet oddly comforting hours in the ramshackle building where Noah's makeshift family lived.
"He was..." Flora began slowly, choosing her words carefully, "different. Not the confident, almost arrogant boy we saw today. Well, not entirely." She smiled faintly. "He was still impossibly sure of himself, but it was... quieter. More focused."
"Focused how?"
"On them. His family." Flora's voice grew warmer as she spoke further. "Christina, you should have seen the way he looked at those children. Like they were the most precious things in the entire world." With a light giggle, she continued. "There was this little girl, Yui, barely five years old. Aww she was so cute~, and withdrawn. But when Noah spoke to her, his entire demeanor changed. He became so gentle, and patient."
Christina found herself leaning forward, genuinely intrigued despite herself. "Go on."
"And the way they looked at him..." Flora's eyes brightened with the memory's surfacing. "Not with fear or obligation, but with complete trust. Complete hope and... love." Her lips twitched Into a small smile, "This little boy, Toma, was trying so hard to be like him, mimicking his mannerisms. And Noah would ruffle his hair and tell him he was doing great, but then quietly redirect him when he got too reckless."
Flora stood up, pacing to the window as she continued. "But what struck me most was his intensity about their future. When he talked about what he wanted for them—education, opportunities, safety—there was this fire in his eyes. Though, it wasn't the normal kind of fire. His... was a beautiful blue. Like he would tear down the entire kingdom, the entire world with his bare hands if that's what it took to give them better lives~"
"That's... actually quite noble of him," Christina admitted softly.
"It was more than admirable, Sister. It was..." Flora paused, struggling to find the right words. "Have you ever seen someone who would sacrifice everything for the people they love? Not out of duty or obligation, but out of pure, genuine love?"
Christina was quiet for a moment, then said softly, "And you think that's what today was about? All of this—the mansion, the academy enrollment, even the marriage proposal?"
Flora turned back to face her sister, her expression more serious than Christina had ever seen it. "Did you notice what he said about the rewards? How he mentioned telling his family the 'good news' about the Royal Institute? Everything he demanded today—it wasn't for himself. It was for them~"
The realization hit Christina like a rock. "He's not interested in political power or personal gain. He's building a foundation for his family's future."
(A/n:Ahem...)
"Exactly." Flora's tone dripped with gentleness. "And if that's true, then what does that say about his marriage proposal? About us?"
Christina felt her throat tighten as the implications sank in. "He sees us as... as part of that future. Part of his family."
"When I was there, in that tiny, cramped space with children moving in the minimal space, I watched him promise them that things would get better. That he would make sure they had everything they deserved." Flora's voice trembled slightly. "And then today, in front of the entire court, he made those promises come true. In one afternoon, he secured them a mansion, education, and a future none of them could have dreamed of."
"By proposing to us," Christina finished, the full scope of Noah's strategy becoming clear.
"Not just proposing," Flora corrected. "By including us in his vision of family. Think about it, Christina—he could have asked for money, for titles, for political position. Instead, he asked for us. For partnership. For... love."
Christina sank back into her chair, her mind reeling. "You're saying he's not trying to use us for political gain. He's trying to... to bring us into his family."
"I'm saying that when I was scared and alone, surrounded by children who had every reason to be bitter and cruel, I found the most loving, fiercely protective family I've ever seen. And the boy who built that family with nothing but determination and hope just asked us to be part of it."
The sisters sat/stood in thick silence, both processing this new understanding of Noah's motivations.
"That's either the most romantic thing I've ever heard," Christina said finally, her voice shaky, "or the most terrifying."
"Why terrifying?"
"Because if you're right, if he truly sees us as potential family rather than political assets, then he'll protect us with the same intensity he showed today. The same intensity he shows those children." Christina looked up at Flora with wide eyes. "Flora, do you understand what that means? He wouldn't just be our husband—he would move heaven and earth to keep us safe and happy."
Flora nodded slowly. "And given what we witnessed today, he might actually be capable of it."
Flora nodded slowly, then asked the question that had been haunting both of them: "And if we find out he's everything he appears to be? If he's genuinely that powerful, that confident, that... caring?"
Christina stood up, walking to her window and looking out at the lights of the capital below. Somewhere out there, Noah was probably telling his family about his incredible day, completely unaware that he'd set two princesses' worlds spinning off their axis.
"Then," she said quietly, "we'll have a very important decision to make."
Flora joined her at the window, and together they stood in comfortable silence, each lost in thoughts of impossible power, and a boy who'd dared to ask for both their hands with the casual confidence of someone asking for directions.
"Flora?" Christina said eventually.
"Yes, Sister?"
"Promise me something. Whatever we decide, we decide together. No matter how this turns out, we're still sisters first. We protect each other."
Flora smiled, "Always, and forever, Sister~"
As they prepared for bed, neither sister was entirely surprised to find their dreams filled with white hair, challenging grins, and the memory of someone who looked at them like they were worth fighting the entire world for.
Outside their window, the capital slept, unaware that the kingdom's future might well rest in the hands of two princesses who were slowly realizing that maybe, just maybe, they wanted more from life than duty and propriety could offer.
The game had changed, and for the first time in their lives, Flora and Christina Beltrum were ready to play by their own rules.
---
Fantastic~, now back to the other chaos happening.
The chaos that followed Noah's casual announcement about being engaged to two princesses was exactly what he'd expected—and somehow still more entertaining than he'd imagined.
"ENGAGED?!" Rio practically launched himself out of his chair, his face cycling through confusion, disbelief, and something that might have been pride. "To PRINCESSES?!"
"Two of them!" Toma added helpfully, bouncing in his seat like he'd just discovered sugar. "Including Flora!"
"Wait, WHAT?!" Kenji's eyes went wide as dinner plates. "You mean Flora? OUR friend Flora? The one who played dolls with Yui and taught Rika how to braid hair?"
"That would be her, king kenji," Noah confirmed with a lazy grin, enjoying the absolute pandemonium breaking out around him.
Yui, who had been quietly munching on her bread, suddenly perked up. "Noah proposed to Flora? Does that mean she'll come live with us?!"
"Whoa, whoa, hold up," Mira interrupted, waving her hands frantically. "You proposed to Princess Flora? The sweet girl who helped me organize our food supplies? And her SISTER?!"
"Bang! You just figured it all out, mother mira~" Noah said with a completely straight face.
"WHAT?!" came the collective shriek from basically everyone except Yui, who was now clapping her hands in delight.
"Flora is gonna be our sister!" Yui squealed, apparently having completely missed the part about this being a marriage proposal rather than an adoption.
"Technically, she'd be our sister-in-law," Rio corrected, then immediately looked like he regretted speaking when everyone turned to stare at him.
"Exactly," Noah said dryly. "She's happy, let's leave it there."
Lina, who had been suspiciously quiet through all this chaos, finally spoke up. "Okay, but seriously, Noah—Flora is the sweetest person we've ever met. She literally almost cried when she had to leave because she was worried about us. And you proposed to her?"
"And her sister," Toma added again, as if anyone could forget that detail.
"Right, and her sister, who none of us have met but we've heard is... intense," Lina continued, crossing her arms and fixing Noah with her most intimidating kuudere stare.
"Intense is one word for it," Noah said with a grin.
"So wait," Mira slipped in, her mother-hen instincts finally kicking in properly, "when you went to meet the king you decided to ask for his daughters' hands in marriage?"
"Both of them," Noah confirmed cheerfully.
"WHY?!" came the collective wail again.
Noah's expression softened slightly as he looked around at each one of them.
"Because I figured if I'm gonna shoot my shot, might as well aim for the moon. Besides," he then added with a grin, "Flora already loves you guys, and from what I've seen, her sister's got the kind of personality that would fit right in with this circus."
"If your not dead and still here. She does seem like she'd be good at managing chaos," Rio admitted thoughtfully.
"Perfect qualification for joining this family," Rika said dryly after.
"But Noah," Yui tugged on his sleeve with that serious expression she got when she was worried, "if you marry Flora and her sister, will you still have time for us?"
"Huh???"
Noah's face suddenly shifted into an exaggerated chibi-style expression of pure confusion—wide, sparkling eyes and a tilted head that made him look like a bewildered anime character who'd just been asked to solve quantum physics.
"What kind of question is that?" he spoke in that high-pitched, innocent tone that only came with the chibi transformation.
The question hit the room like a physical blow anyway. Everyone went quiet, suddenly realizing the implications of what Noah was proposing, even as they tried not to laugh at his ridiculous expression.
Noah's face snapped back to normal as he immediately scooped Yui up and settled her on his lap, his voice and tone gentle but firm. "Yui, listen to me very carefully. No matter what happens, whether I marry princesses, become a duke, or somehow end up ruling the entire world—you, and you's will always be my little sisters, and little brothers. All of you will always be my family. That's never going to change~"
"But what if the royal family don't like us?" Yui whispered, her small hands fisting in his shirt.
"Then they're idiots," Noah said matter-of-factly. "Flora already adores you, and anyone who doesn't appreciate my amazing family clearly has terrible taste and probably shouldn't be trusted with sharp objects."
"That's not very diplomatic," Mira pointed out.
"Good thing I'm not a diplomat," Noah shot back.
"Yet," Lina added ominously.
"Anyway," Noah continued, completely ignoring her, "the point is, nothing changes. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not."
"Forever and ever?" Yui asked, her worried expression starting to brighten.
"Forever and ever," Noah confirmed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"Even if Flora teaches me how to be a proper princess?" Yui asked hopefully.
"Especially then. Someone's gotta keep you humble."
"What about me?" Toma demanded. "Can I be a prince?"
"You're already a pain in the ass, how much more royal do you need to be?" Noah replied without missing a beat.
"Hey!"
"So," Kenji chimed in, clearly trying to steer the conversation back to the important stuff, "what exactly did the king say when you asked to marry both his daughters?"
Noah's grin turned absolutely wicked. "Oh, you should have seen it. I thought he was going to have an heart attack right there in the throne room. Princess Christina turned about sixish different shades of red, and Flora looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor. I already miss the scene~"
"Poor Flora," Mira said sympathetically. "She's so shy."
"She'll get used to it," Noah confidently added. "And if not, well, Christina's got enough attitude for both of them."
"And they said yes?" Kenji pressed.
"They said they'd think about it," Noah corrected. "Which, considering I basically walked into the royal palace and asked for both princesses like I was ordering lunch, is probably the best outcome I could have hoped for."
"You're insane," Lina declared after listening to Noah's explanation, but there was quiet fondness in her voice.
"Thank you for the compliment, princess coolness~"
Rio, who had been unusually quiet during this whole exchange, suddenly straightened up. "Wait, so if you actually marry them, what happens to us? I mean, we can't exactly move into the castle, right?"
"Funny you should mention that," Noah grinned, taking on a distinctly mischievous quality that made everyone immediately suspicious.
"Oh no," Rika said flatly. "You've got that look."
"What look?" Noah asked innocently.
"The look that means you've done something completely insane and we're all about to find out what," Mira replied, as she narrowed her eyes.
"I resent that implication," Noah said with wounded dignity. "I'll have you know that everything I do is completely reasonable and well-thought-out thank you."
The silence that followed was thickening as hell.
"Okay, fine," Noah dropped the sarcasm for a second, and admitted. "I may have also asked for a mansion~, hehehe."
(゜ロ゜)
"A MANSION?!" Then came the chorus of shouts he was looking for.
Noah then casually reached into his pocket, and pulled out(of his inventory), a heavy bag of gold coins, letting it drop onto the floor with a satisfying *thunk*. The metallic clinking filled the sudden silence as everyone stared at the small fortune that had just appeared out of nowhere.
(ﾟ〇ﾟ)
"WHAT THE—" Kenji started.
"WHERE DID—" Toma followed.
"HOW DID YOU—" Lina jumped on the boat.
"IS THAT REAL GOLD?!" Rika shrieked, her usual composure completely shattered in face of the worlds most defying problem called, "money"
Rio just pointed at the bag with his mouth hanging open, making incoherent sputtering sounds.
Mira looked like she was about to faint. "Noah, that's... oh my, I need a seat... "
"How much is in there?!" Kenji demanded, reaching for the bag before Noah casually swatted his hand away.
"Ouch!"
"Enough," Noah said with a satisfied grin, clearly enjoying their reactions.
"Now, we have spending molaa, and a place with proper furniture and everything. Big enough for all of us, with individual rooms." Noah's voice grew warm as he watched their faces cycle through disbelief, joy, and back to disbelief for both of what they were hearing/seeing.
"No more sleeping on straw mattresses or sharing space. Yui gets her own room, just like she wanted. With a window that overlooks a garden."
"Where did you get that gold?!" Mira, who was now sitting on the floor, squeaked, finally calming and pointing at the coin bag like it might explode.
"Let's call it a 'bonus' from some generous nobles," Noah reassured with an innocent smile that fooled absolutely no one.
Yui, being the slow little princess she was, finally grasped Noah's words. So with gasp that was audible, she asked. "My own room? With a garden view? Really truly?"
"Really truly," Noah confirmed, earning himself a bone-crushing hug from the little girl.
"This is... this is actually happening?" Mira's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes suspiciously bright as she continued staring at the gold.
"It's happening," Noah assured her. "We're moving up in the world, ya little demons. No more slums, no more wondering where our next meal is coming from. We're going to have a real home."
The room erupted in cheers and excited chatter. Rio was practically bouncing in his seat that was out of character for him, Toma and Kenji were high-fiving each other like they won a team battle, and even Rika had allowed a small smile to cross her usually stoic features.
"Look at that," Noah floated into her ears with mock surprise, "Rika's face moved. I was starting to think it was permanently frozen in 'cold goddess' mode~."
"Shut up," Rika muttered, but her tiny smile grew just a fraction wider, which only made Noah's grin grow.
"I can't believe this is real," Lina shook her head in amazement.
"It's as real as day, lina," Noah said right after, feeling that warm contentment settle in his chest as he watched his family's joy.
"So when do we move?" Rio asked eagerly.
"Actually, about that..." Noah's grin turned absolutely evil. "We've got about an hour."
The resulting silence was so complete that Noah could hear his own heartbeat.
"An... hour?" Mira repeated slowly, like she was trying to process a foreign language she never heard of.
"Yep!" Noah said cheerfully, as if he'd just announced they were having ice cream for dinner. "The king decided he wants us settled in tonight instead of waiting around."
"But that's—" Mira started.
"Completely insane?" Noah suggested helpfully.
"I was going to say 'impossible,'" Mira finished weakly.
"Good thing we travel light," Noah said with a chuckle. "Come on, guys, this is exciting! We get to see our new home tonight instead of waiting a whole century to torture ourselves with anticipation."
The family exploded into cheerful chaos. What should have been a week or so of careful preparation became an excited scramble that looked like a tornado had hit their tiny shack.
"This is like a panic attack!" Mira shouted, frantically trying to organize their meager possessions.
"Hehehe~, this is like a fairy tale!" Yui added, clapping her hands in delight.
"Nope. More like a disaster," Rika observed, as she watched Toma try to pack a broken chair like it meant something. "Idiot..."
Noah scooped up Yui when she immediately attached herself to his leg. "To really make it a disaster, we need much more screaming."
"I'M NOT SCREAMING!" Kenji screamed.
"Point proven," Noah dryly said with a blank face.
Within thirty minutes, they had somehow managed to gather their few possessions into a collection of mismatched bags and bundles. It was a modest haul—some clothes, a handful of sentimental items, and the coin purse Noah had... 'got given* from some generous noble on his way home.
"Is this really happening?" Mira asked for the 100th time, clutching a small wooden spoon that had been her most prized possession. Polished, and somehow looked brand new.
"It's happening," Noah confirmed, shifting Yui to his other arm. "And it's going to be amazing." As he looked at all of them, he smiled and continued," So, who's ready to live like royalty~. "
They were excited, maybe a little overwhelmed, but completely trusting him to lead them into something incredible.
"More than ready," they all said in unison, meaning it completely.
---
The walk to their new home turned into an impromptu festival thanks to Noah's decision to blow a ridiculous amount of money on street food.
"I want that one!" Kenji pointed excitedly at a food stall selling what looked like fried pastries covered in enough sugar to kill a horse.
"And I want those!" Toma chimed in, gesturing toward skewered meat that smelled like heaven had decided to open a barbecue stand.
"Can we get the sweet bread too?" Mira asked hopefully, her usual motherly composure cracking in the face of actual bakery goods.
"And those little cake things!" Yui added, pointing at some delicate pastries.
Noah pulled out the same coin bag and shook it, enjoying the satisfying clink of gold. "Alright, you little demons, tonight we feast like the royalty we're apparently about to become adjacent to. Get whatever you want."
"Anything?" Lina asked suspiciously, like she was waiting for the catch.
"Anything," Noah confirmed. "I just extorted—ahem, i mean, negotiated a mansion out of the king. I think we can afford some fancy street food."
The resulting chaos was beautiful to behold. His family scattered to different stalls like sugar-crazed kids, their excitement infectious as they pointed at foods they'd only dreamed of before.
"Noah," Yui tugged on his sleeve, "can I really have the candied fruits AND the honey cakes?"
"Princess, you can have whatever your little heart desires," He ruffled her hair much to her delight. "This night is about yous."
"What about my little heart?" Toma chimed in after listening closely.
"Your little heart can have whatever it wants too, you dramatic baby."
"And my medium-sized heart?" Kenji added.
"All hearts get treats," Noah sighed and declared magnanimously.
Within minutes, they were loaded down with more food than they could reasonably carry. Pastries, roasted nuts, candied treats, meat skewers, and what appeared to be an entire roasted chicken that Toma had somehow convinced a vendor to sell him.
"This is the best day ever!" Rika declared, her usual cold composure completely abandoned as she bit into a honey cake with the enthusiasm of someone who'd just discovered sugar existed.
Rio, meanwhile, had somehow ended up carrying most of their purchases along with their bags, looking like a pack mule with arms full of food and belongings.
"You're doing great, little brother," Noah called back, not even looking as he helped Yui balance her armload of sweets.
"I'm gonna die right here in the street," Rio muttered, though there was somehow fondness in his voice.
"Don't be so dramatic," Noah shot back. "Save some energy for when you see your new room."
The walk through the upper district was like entering a different world for them, other then noah. There were no narrow, dirty streets of the slums, it was replaced by wide boulevards lined with elegant shops. Street lamps actually working, casting warm light over clean cobblestones that didn't smell like questionable substances.
"Wooooah," Yui whispered, her eyes wide as she took in the beautiful surroundings.
"This place feels like we're about to get arrested for trespassing," Lina nervously spoke.
Noah heard her, and replied with a calm tone that lightened lina nervousness somehow, "never gonna happen, princess. They wouldn't even make it into are vision~,"
Finally—and finally—they reached their destination after a five more minute walk.
The mansion rose before them like something out of a storybook, all elegant stonework and tall windows that glowed warmly in the night. Iron gates stood open, as if welcoming them home, and the garden beyond was visible even in the darkness—rolling lawns and flower beds that would make Yui's dreams come true.
His family froze in their tracks, staring up at the towering house with wide eyes, clutching their food and makeshift bags like they thought the building might eat their goods.
"This is ours?" Kenji whispered.
"Yup, this is ours," Noah confirmed.
Yui tugged on his sleeve, her wide, innocent eyes looking up at him with something that might have been tears. "Noah... are we really allowed in there?"
Noah knelt down, resting his arm casually across Yui's tiny shoulders. His voice was low and certain when he spoke. "Of course we're allowed, princess. This is our house. Your house. You hear me?"
Yui's eyes sparkled like she'd just heard the most wonderful secret in the world.
"LET'S GOOOOO!" Kenji bolted for the front door soon as noah stopped talking.
"Don't break anything expensive, or I'm selling you to pay for it!" Noah called after him, only half-joking.
They all raced up the steps like a pack of excited puppies, their laughter echoing off the elegant facade. Noah, yui and Rio walked more sedately behind them, with rio grinning at their family's joy.
They were just about to make it through the gate when Noah's enhanced hearing picked up on whispers.
Standing nearby, lurking behind lace fans and expensive cloaks like the world's most pathetic fucken spy group ever , was a small gathering of nobles.
The mansion was located in an upscale district, so naturally they'd attracted the attention of the local busybodies.
All eyes were on them, wide, judging, and full of the kind of disgust that only came with too much money and too little humanity.
"Tsk, Filthy street rats..."
"Look at them, dragging mud into our district..."
"I can smell the stench from here. Urgh Disgusting..."
"Who let them near that mansion?"
"Should we call the guards? They might be thieves."
Noah smirked slightly. He observed them closely, waiting for them to all blink in unison.
Which he didn't need to wait long. Right as their eyes were about to close everything slowed down. Wind. Movement. Time, all slowed. Then after like a second, everything speed up back to normal.
Noah was still there, standing, looking at the nobles like nothing happened.
Everyone was still there. Unaware of what just transpired before them.
Yui noticed the stares and shrank back behind Noah, her excitement dimming into uncertainty. The others slowed when they saw the looks, their joy fading as that old, familiar shame crept back onto their faces.
Rio moved to stand beside Noah, his gentle grin expression hardening. It was completely out of character for him to show a flicker of anger, but the protective instinct was stronger than his natural peacekeeping nature.
Noah fully turned toward the nobles, his expression shifting to blankness that looked scary. "You ass eaters got a problem?"
The lead noble, who noah assumed was, he was a pompous man with an elaborate wig, who puffed up his chest like a gorilla. "Ass eaters? You insolent little brat! How dare you address your betters with such disrespect! Do you have any idea who we are?"
"Hell no, but to soothe your balls enlighten me," Noah drawled, his tone dripping with mock interest.
"We are the distinguished nobility of this district!" another chimed in. "You should be on your knees begging forgiveness for even breathing the same air as us! You little brat!"
"Beg you say? Yeah, naaah, heh" Noah's mood suddenly turned evil. Completely shifting from the sarcasm one he was gonna stick too.
Without warning, every noble suddenly found themselves forced to their knees, faces pressed hard against the cold stone like they were meant to do that.
The impact was brutal—knees cracking against pavement, expensive clothes scraping against dirt.
A dark, suffocating purple aura radiated from Noah being, as it pressed down on everyone nearby. His eyes had shifted to something cold and daed, completely unlike the laid-back smile-smile boy they observed before.
The children flinched back instinctively, fear flickering across their faces. Yui's hand trembled as she reached for rio's. Toma's usual confidence cracked. Even Rika, the literally in bodiemeant of coldness, took an involuntary step backward.
They'd never seen Noah like this. Even when people from the slums talked down on them, noah would just insult them and their family's.
They never felt this overwhelming presence that made their skin crawl and hearts race with primal terror.
"What!—how!—" one noble sputtered, as he tried to lift his head.
Noah casually walked over and stepped on the lead noble's head, pressing it sideways with deliberate slowness. "Here's the thing about respect, you arrogant pieces of shit. You E.A.R.N IT, not fucken ask for it~"
The children watched in stunned, frightened silence as their usually sarcastic, gentle, Noah looked terrifying.
"You worthless monkeys think you're better than us? You cocksucking motherfuckers wouldn't last five minutes in the slums with me rolling those shit fucken streets." He pressed harder, grinding the man's face into the stone more. "You're nothing but pampered dumbass fucken bitches who inherited everything and earned absolutely fucken nothing."
"P-please—" one of nobles whimpered with struggle.
"Did I give you permission to speak, you pathetic fuck?" Noah's voice carried a cold authority that made even Rio tense. "You want to call children street rats? Me, a fucken street rat? Fuck you, and your slut of a mother~."
He didn't end there, he kept it going smoothly, "Since you have balls to say it once. C'mon, say it again! Call me a fucken rat, you cockroach~! "
Noah's foot pressed harder against the lead noble's skull, and for a terrifying moment, it seemed like he might actually crack it open. The dark purple aura around him intensified, and his eyes held nothing but coldness.
Then, small arms wrapped around his thigh.
"Noah..." Yui's voice was soft and trembling with fear. "Please... you're scaring me."
The suffocating aura vanished instantly. Noah's eyes returned to normal as he looked down at the tiny girl clinging to him, her face buried against his side.
He released the pressure and stepped back as he held Yui's back lightly, he watched as the nobles remained frozen against the ground, unable to move.
"Here's what's going to happen, you worthless pieces of shit. You're going to stay exactly where you are until we're inside. Then you're going to crawl back to whatever holes you came from and remember this moment every time you think about opening your mouths."
The other children slowly approached when noah got back towards where he was previously, they still was wary but relieved to see Noah's gentle expression return as he looked at Yui.
Noah, being a master at reading people, noticed their hesitation, the way they kept their slight distance. He sighed and crouched down just below their level, his voice unusually quiet.
"I'm sorry," the words coming out rougher than noah intended. "I didn't mean to scare yous."
"Noah... are you back to noah?" Yui asked quietly, her voice still shaky from what she'd witnessed.
"Of course i am, princess," Noah replied softly, as his hand gently patted her head.
Mira's eyes were wide with lingering fear and awe. "I've never seen anyone make nobles... do that. And you... your eyes..."
"I know," Noah said with another sigh, genuine sorry coloring his tone. "That wasn't... that's not who I want to be around you. So i apologize again..."
Toma tried to grin but noah could see it was forced. "That was... intense, man..."
"Too intense, mini-me," Noah admitted, running a hand through his white hair slowly. "It's just when they called yous, and me, street rats, I had the urge to hurt them. But I scared yous instead, and that's not okay."
The kid's listened closely as their fear lightened abit at his words.
Rika stared at the prostrate nobles, then back at Noah. "You could have killed them, y'know?"
Noah scratched the back of neck as he chuckled lightly. "Yeah. I could have. That's why I need you guys to keep me grounded. Especially you, Yui." He looked at the small girl still clinging to him. "Thank you for stopping me, princess~"
Lina's hands were still trembling slightly, but she stepped closer. "We understand why you went like that. They were being pretty mean."
"Doesn't excuse it though, lina" Noah said firmly. "And i promise that won't happen again. So yous can ease up now~"
"Anyway," Noah said right after, his voice returning to its usual laid-back tone. "What did I tell you about letting trash affect your mood?"
Still crouched down in front of his family, he completely ignored the nobles still pressed against the ground behind him.
"You look right at them and show them exactly what you think of their opinions. Because you know what? We just walked away from the slums and into a mansion. We went from wondering where our next meal was coming from to buying out half the food district in one night. We've got a family that would ride or die for each other, and a future that's going to be bright and incredible."
He gestured casually toward the prostrate nobles without looking. "They've got what? Money that braindead, opinions nobody asked for, and the kind of emptiness that comes from never having anything real to care about. Not even family warmth. "
"So who's really better off here?" he asked, tapping each of their foreheads lightly.
Itatchi style.
Slowly—and i mean very slowly—genuine smiles crept back onto their faces, brighter now with newfound confidence. Their fear completely leaving them seeing their noah back to... well normal.
"That's what I thought," with satisfaction in his tone, he continued jokingly. "Now get inside before I change my mind and make you sleep in the garden~"
The tension shattered, and suddenly they were laughing again, racing up the steps toward their new home with renewed energy.
As they disappeared through the big front door, Noah stood and dusted off his hands. He glanced back at the still-prostrate nobles one final time.
"Have a lovely evening, you worthless fucks," he called out cheerfully, then followed his family inside.
Rio lingered for a moment, looking back at the humiliated nobles with something that might have been pity.
"You know," he said conversationally, "you really should listen to him. Cause trust me—you don't want to see what happens when he stops holding back. Even though we never have, we could all imagine what that would be like..."
Then he too disappeared into the mansion, leaving the nobles to contemplate their earlier choices while still unable to lift their faces from the cold stone.
From inside the house came the sound of excited voices, running footsteps, and what might have been Yui screaming with joy as she discovered her new room.
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End