Marshal Magnus. {2}

The captain held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, no, nothing like that. I just thought you should be aware. Your nephew has a knack for... stirring up trouble. And with tensions running high after the academy incident, I thought it best to keep you informed."

Evangeline leaned back in her chair, her expression unreadable. "I see. Well, Captain, I appreciate the heads-up. But let me make one thing clear: if anything happens to my nephew.... if he so much as stubs his toe because of your people, I will hold you personally responsible. And trust me, you do not want that."

The captain nodded quickly, his face pale. "Understood, Miss Evangeline. I'll make sure my men keep their distance."

"Good," Evangeline said with her smile returning, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meal to finish. My nephew deserves nothing but the best."

As the captain left, Evangeline sat back in her chair, her mind racing. She picked up a small photo of Alexius from her desk and her expression softened. "That boy... always keeping me on my toes," she murmured. Then, with a sigh, she stood and returned to the kitchen, determined to make sure his lunch was perfect.

After what felt like an eternity of trudging through the labyrinthine streets of the lower districts, Alexius finally stumbled into his aunt's bar. The neon sign above the door flickered faintly, casting a dim glow over the entrance.

He pushed the door open, his clothes still damp and his hair a disheveled mess. The bar was relatively quiet at this hour, with only a few patrons nursing their drinks.

"Hello, customer.... Oh, Alexius? What happened to you? You look like you just wrestled a sewer rat and lost," the waiter said, his tone a mix of amusement and concern as he took in Alexius's bedraggled appearance.

Alexius shot him a glare, though it lacked any real heat. "Oh, shut up. You'd look the same if you had to walk from the docks to this godforsaken bar. Remind me again why my aunt decided to build this place at the highest point in the lower districts? Wouldn't it make more sense to be at the bottom? Haaaa, I'm exhausted. Can I just get a glass of water?"

The waiter smirked while leaning casually against the bar. "You must be kidding. What kind of bar would we be if we served water? We've got whiskey, vodka, and rum; take your pick. But water? Not a chance."

Before Alexius could retort, Amanda appeared out of nowhere, her tray coming down hard on the waiter's head with a loud thwack. He yelled, crumpling to the floor as he rubbed the sore spot. "Ouch! What was that for, Amanda?" he groaned while looking up at her with a mix of indignation and fear.

Amanda ignored him, her expression as stoic as ever. She turned to Alexius, holding out a glass of water. "Here. Drink this. And for the love of the gods, go take a shower. You smell like a wet dog. Your aunt told me to tell you it's late, and you have school tomorrow. Go to bed; there's no need to wait for her."

Alexius didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed the glass and downed it in one go, then held it out for a refill. Amanda obliged, refilling it silently as he gulped down several more glasses.

"Haaaa... thank you, Amanda. You're the best," he said, finally catching his breath. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "Oh, by the way, Fitz told me to tell you he wants to come by for a drink. Specifically, he wants you to pour it for him."

He waited for a reaction, but Amanda's face remained as impassive as a stone statue. She simply raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Tsk. As always, you're not funny. Go take your shower and get some sleep. And you—" She turned her icy gaze to the waiter, who was still rubbing his head. "—stop being an idiot."

Alexius chuckled while leaning down to pat the waiter's cheek playfully. "Be a good boy next time, unless you're into getting smacked around by cold, beautiful women. You know you love it."

The waiter scowled, swatting Alexius's hand away. "Oh, screw you! I'll remember this, you little— OW!" His complaint was cut short as Amanda delivered another swift kick to his side.

Despite the rough treatment, the waiter was one of the few people who could get away with teasing Alexius. He'd been with Evangeline for years, proving his loyalty and usefulness time and time again.

He'd saved Alexius's ass more than once, fending off hitmen and low-ranking thugs who saw the young man as Evangeline's only weakness. Over the years, he'd taught Alexius how to fight and, more importantly, how to run.

Thanks to him, Alexius had become a master of escape. If he wanted to run away, no one could catch him.

As Alexius headed upstairs to shower, the waiter muttered under his breath, "One of these days, I'm gonna—"

Amanda cut him off with a glare. "Finish that sentence, and I'll make sure you're mopping the floors for a month."

The waiter wisely shut his mouth, grumbling as he returned to his duties. Meanwhile, Alexius disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filling the air.

As he stood under the hot spray, he couldn't help but smile. Despite the chaos of the night, there was something comforting about coming home to this place, his aunt's bar, Amanda's no-nonsense attitude, and even the waiter's endless teasing. It was messy, unpredictable, and utterly his.

After finally showering, Alexius felt somewhat refreshed.

Alexius let out a deep sigh as he leaned back against the sofa with his mind racing.

{How am I supposed to tell Aunt that I should probably drop out of the academy and start working for Mama full-time? If the military keeps digging, they're bound to find something that ties back to me. Those Iron Legionaries are worse than bloodhounds. They can sniff out evidence from thin air.}

He groaned while running a hand through his damp hair. "Ha... I'm already screwed. No point overthinking it. Maybe I can juggle both... faking going to the academy during the day and working for Mama at night. She always has interesting jobs, and the pay's good... ha... who am I kidding?"

Alexius let out a deep sigh as he leaned back against the sofa with his mind racing. He grabbed the blankets his aunt had left for him on the sofa and collapsed onto it, his body sinking into the cushions. "Well, future Alexius can deal with this mess. Right now, I'm dead tired. Time to sleep."

A few hours later, Alexius was deep in dreamland, his breathing slow and steady. The room was quiet, save for the soft sound of footsteps as Evangeline entered.

She had just finished her own shower and was wearing a simple white nightgown that clung to her figure, accentuating her natural charm. It was a sight that would have left most men speechless, but the only one who could see it was fast asleep, oblivious to the world.

Evangeline sat down on the edge of the sofa, her fingers gently brushing through Alexius's hair. Her expression softened as she watched him sleep, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing her features.

{I wonder... if I were your real aunt... would I still feel this way about you?}

She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek before wrapping her arms around him. "Well then, let's sleep, shall we?" She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She draped a leg over him, settling in as she closed her eyes and drifted off.

At 7 a.m., the shrill sound of an alarm clock shattered the silence. Alexius's eyes fluttered open, his brain struggling to process the warmth pressed against him.

As his vision cleared, he found himself face-to-face with a pair of pale, perfectly shaped breasts. His eyes widened, and before he could fully register the situation, he noticed a cute black mole on one of them.

He let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Aunt... I'm not a kid anymore, you know? You should really wear less revealing clothes when you're sleeping next to me," he muttered while carefully extricating himself from her embrace. He grabbed the blanket and draped it over her, making sure she was covered.

"Seriously, what would I do if someone saw you like this? You'd be done for," he whispered while shaking his head as he grabbed his academy uniform and got dressed.

Once he was ready, Alexius headed downstairs, his mind still foggy from sleep. As he reached the first floor, he was greeted by the sight of the Cheeto Girl bouncing on her heels with excitement.

"Alexius! You're finally up! My dad's here to pick me up, and he agreed to help you with that mess at the academy!" she said while practically vibrating with energy.

"I heard you the first time. Stop pulling me; I can walk on my own," Alexius grumbled, though he didn't put up much of a fight. It was too early for this kind of enthusiasm, and he was far from a morning person.

But the moment he stepped outside, any lingering drowsiness vanished. His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him.