A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 38: Rowena Blackthorn (1/2)

By the time they finished with their quest, the sun had already moved to the top of everyone’s head. It was past nood and a hungry Kael and Seraphina went to a restaurant for lunch.

The clinking of porcelain and the murmur of conversation filled the air as Kael and Seraphina sat across from each other at a refined, high-end restaurant. Sunlight streamed through the large, crystal-clear windows, casting warm golden hues over the pristine white tablecloth.

Kael took a slow sip of his tea, enjoying the brief moment of peace. Or at least, he thought so.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed glances—no, outright stares from the noble ladies around them.

"Hey, look at him. So handsome. *Squeal*" "Hey, you are married, for god’s sake." "So what? Can’t I enjoy the beauty in my leisure time?"

"Ugh… look at his skin. It was smoother than mine. I wonder what kind of water and soap he uses." "What’s the use, he is too weak. Look at his mana. It is barely above Tier-1." "So what? A man doesn’t need mana as long as the woman has the capability to feed him. If I could get such a husband, he doesn’t need to do anything. I’ll give him my entire savings to keep up his appearance." "Please, any appearance will fade away once they enter the Middle Ages." "Youth is there to enjoy, sister."

"Are they a couple?" "Doesn’t seem that way. Look at that woman. She was wearing clergy attire. A healer of the church?" "Shall we go and say Hello to them?" "Shh… don’t. Look at his attire. He is probably a young noble lord of some wealthy House." "Hey, look. He was looking at me…"

"Hey, I think I have seen that woman before." "It’s the princess." "Princess? Which one? All of them have the silver hair." "Not all of them, the eldest and the fifth princess inherited the late King consort’s dark hair. Anyway, it is Princess Seraphina." "Then, that handsome fellow beside her should be Lord Moonstone." "Yeah, I heard that his wives were quite protective of him."

Some whispered behind their fans, others made no effort to hide their open admiration. A few even giggled when he met their gaze.

Kael sighed, keeping his head down. It was a scene he had been accustomed to for several years now. However, it still bothers him.

Seraphina, on the other hand, didn’t even glance up from her meal. Instead, she passed a comment. "It’s a good thing I’m the one here with you today and not my fourth sister."

Kael swallowed his bite, tilting his head. "What do you mean? Does Laura hate this restaurant? I should have known it." Her comment threw him off guard a bit.

Seraphina’s fork paused mid-air. This time, she was the one who was taken aback.

Kael, oblivious to her thoughts, continued. "I actually brought her here once. We had dinner here. She said she enjoyed the dishes but was frowning the whole time."

Seraphina’s expression turned unreadable.

A heavy silence stretched between them.

Then, with a small shake of her head, Seraphina returned to her food. "Forget it. It’s nothing."

Kael, sensing that whatever it was wasn’t ’nothing,’ raised an eyebrow but decided not to press further.

Instead, Seraphina quickly changed the topic. "What do you plan to do with that statue?"

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Kael’s posture stiffened ever so slightly.

The cursed idol. The adamantine cat.

His fingers curled around his cup, choosing his words carefully. "Wait for the right time."

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "That’s vague."

Kael chuckled, trying to appear relaxed. "That’s intentional."

Seraphina sighed. "You’re impossible."

Before the conversation could continue, a burst of laughter rang out, loud and unapologetic. "Oh, look here, who it is. It is the princess and her pet peacock."

Kael glanced toward the entrance, only to see two noblewomen making their way toward them. He frowned.

Seraphina’s demeanor also instantly shifted. Her usual calm, composed presence hardened. "Rowena." A name escaped her lips.

The taller of the two women was dressed in an elegant deep-red gown, her gloved hands resting lightly on the handle of a delicate, feathered fan. She moved with effortless grace, her sharp eyes locking onto Kael like a predator who had just spotted something interesting.

The moment Kael heard the name, his frown deepened further.

Rowena Blackthorn, Marquessa of the Iron Barrens.

A two-star general, whose name was whispered both in reverence and fear.

Kael had heard about her exploits—how she once single-handedly fought and killed a Kraken in the open ocean a couple of years ago, turning the tide of a war.

But his wariness came from something else entirely.

Rowena was also infamous for the way she treated her enemies.

It was said that when she defeated a terrorist organization, she didn’t just kill the leaders—she hunted down their families, their children, and anyone who could one day rise for revenge. Not even babies were spared.

Some called it ruthless efficiency.

Others called it butchery.

Her reputation as a warrior was unmatched.

Her reputation as a merciless executor of justice was terrifying.

And she was one of the few people Kael hated but couldn’t take action against her. Not that he is powerless to assassinate her or something. It is just that it goes against his principles of assassinating someone.

He only assassinates two types of people.

One, those who are corrupted or have done evil acts and also have their names registered in the complaint but the palace couldn’t give the victims any justice because of whatever reason.

Two, those who threaten his life or his loved ones.

Rowena doesn’t fit in either of those things, or atleast, so far.

And now, that very woman stood before him, her lips curved into a knowing smile. "Well, well. What a pleasant surprise indeed."

Seraphina met her gaze, unflinching.

Rowena’s fan snapped open with a flick of her wrist, its delicate fabric concealing half of her smirking face. She didn’t spare Kael even a passing glance. Instead, her sharp gaze locked onto Seraphina, her expression filled with amused disdain.

"Princess Seraphina. I didn’t expect to see you here. What a moment of coincidence, right after I had an argument with your sister, Prime Minister Amanda."

Her voice dripped with a mocking scoff as she tapped her fan against her chin.

"Marquessa Blackthorn." Seraphina’s jaw tightened.

She didn’t acknowledge the insult, nor did she return the greeting in politeness, even for formality. Instead, she remained composed, taking a measured sip of her tea.

Kael, on the other hand, remained silent, eating his meal as if nothing was happening.

But the Marquessa wasn’t done.

She pulled out a chair without asking and sat down, her presence heavy with entitlement. The deliberate act of inviting herself to their table was more than just arrogance. It seemed like a challenge.

Seraphina’s fingers clenched subtly around her fork before she set it down with practiced grace.

Her voice was calm, but her words were sharp. "Marquessa Blackthorn. If you have business with us, speak. If not, leave."

Rowena’s smirk widened on her statement. "Oh?" She leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table, ignoring the clear hostility in Seraphina’s tone. "And what exactly will you do if I don’t, princess?"

Seraphina’s eyes darkened. "You’ll find out soon enough."

Rowena chuckled, tapping her fan against the table. "Please, don’t make me laugh. What can a powerless princess and her pet peacock (Kael) do to me? Do you want to complain to your mama or something?"

Kael, still calmly stirring his soup, made no reaction to the insult.

However, Seraphina’s patience snapped. She opened her mouth, ready to give Rowena a piece of her mind—

It was then a low growl rumbled through the air.

*Grrr…*

The temperature around them seemed to drop, a chilling presence coiling around the table like a silent predator.

Seraphina’s breath caught as a spectral wolf materialized at Kael’s side. The other customers around started leaving their seats instantly as the beast’s glowing eyes locked onto Rowena with an unnatural intensity.

The Marquessa’s smirk vanished. "A Tier-7 beast king?"

In a flash, the wolf lunged without any hesitation.

Rowena instinctively raised her arm, her warrior’s reflexes kicking in—but it was too late.

The spectral wolf’s fangs sank into her forearm.

*crack*

"Argh... you fuc***g do..."

With a snarl, it wrenched its head, flinging Rowena across the restaurant before she finished her curse.

She slammed into a table, splintering the wood beneath her weight. Kael and Seraphina’s table wasn’t disturbed the least.

Gasps and screams erupted from the other patrons as chairs scraped against the floor, people stumbling backward to flee, without bothering to pay. The staff also either fled outside or to the kitchens for their safety. The restaurant, once filled with elegant murmurs and soft laughter, had suddenly descended into chaos.

And yet, at the center of it all, Kael simply lifted his spoon to his lips, taking another sip of spirit chicken soup.

Seraphina, still tense, stole a glance at her husband. He hadn’t moved. He hadn’t reacted so far.

He had merely continued eating. It was as if he had nothing to do with the situation and wasn’t bothered by the chaos around.

The spectral wolf, soon, faded into nothingness, leaving only a haunting silence.

Rowena groaned, pushing herself up from the wreckage, her eyes blazing with fury.

She whipped her head toward Kael.

"You… Moonstone!"

Kael, without sparing her a glance, gently set his spoon down. He spoke. "So, you know my name, after all. Nice to meet you, Marquessa Blackthorn."