Chapter 63: The Demonic Wolf's Lament

Edward could be said to have watched Talisha grow up.

By the time Talisha blossomed into a tall young woman, Edward was already a rising star in the military. It was Edward who had recommended Talisha for admission to the Third Officer Academy of Edestrine.

In truth, there were plenty of people who could have recommended her, and at the time, both families were intentionally or unintentionally trying to forge a bond between him and Talisha.

During Talisha's years at the officer academy, every single military internship course, practical combat drill, and field exercise was arranged to take place within Edward's troops, giving him the opportunity to look after her.

Edward hadn't thought much of it at the time, assuming it was simply based on the deep and enduring friendship between the two families.

Moreover, as a young man whom she called "Uncle Edward," dealing with a girl more than a decade younger than him, he would have looked after her even without anyone's instructions.

As a result, the moment Talisha graduated from the officer academy, the two major families officially began discussing an arranged marriage.

Edward was not very keen on the idea. First, the Clement family had been on a bit of a decline in recent years.

By the time Edward might need critical assistance from the upper echelons of the military in the future, the resources the Clement family could provide would likely be quite limited.

A political marriage was a precious opportunity used to secure more resources and support, and Edward did not want to waste it on the Clement family.

Second, he viewed Talisha more like an older brother—or perhaps an older uncle.

To suddenly change this relationship into that of husband and wife, and to imagine having offspring with a little girl whom he had always regarded as immature, just felt entirely wrong.

Back then, Talisha was the epitome of a standard "beauty" in everyone's eyes.

Tall, slender, and graceful—hit her once and she might retaliate, hit her twice and she would cry for a long time, hit her three times and she would be down for the count.

Edward preferred tall and robust women, ideally the type who could fight side-by-side with him on the battlefield and whom he could trust completely with his back.

Such a woman had once appeared by his side, but unfortunately, her background was ordinary—or rather, somewhat problematic—and just as Edward was hesitating and had yet to make up his mind, she had fallen in action.

That was until Talisha, for reasons unknown, went and underwent magical transformation.

When Edward saw Talisha again, she was already a female demon wolf.

That stature of over two meters and thirty centimeters radiated an overwhelming sense of condescending oppression.

Sharp claws, powerful and sturdy limbs, and a body brimming with abundant, surging magical power.

Along with exceptional innate skills, especially that wolf's muzzle which still retained the soft, feminine contours of a woman.

Imagining how such a muzzle might lightly nip at his neck or other patches of skin during moments of intimacy, a certain emotion deep within Edward surged uncontrollably.

A Talisha like this deeply captivated Edward.

Although the Divanok family, who were deeply involved in the magical transformation experiments, repeatedly warned Edward that Talisha, having undergone demon wolf transformation, might no longer be able to normally bear offspring, Edward simply did not care.

Bear offspring? Any random woman could do that, but only Talisha could inspire in him the desire to spend his entire life by her side.

"Dead or alive, we must try," Mahait said calmly. "Talisha is the only test subject to become a tier-five demon wolf, and arguably the only truly successful product of magical transformation. She is vital for the Clement family's further magical transformation experiments."

"Is that what I'm talking to you about?"

Unable to maintain his veneer of calm any longer, Edward reached out and grabbed Mahait by the collar, hot breath venting from between his teeth as he suddenly seemed like a beast far more ferocious than a demon wolf.

"That tier-seven magician was probably encountering such transformed magical beasts for the first time as well. Although he wiped out the entire Wrath Beast Corps, he did not kill the demon wolves."

Mahait continued, "He was interested enough in the ordinary demon wolves to spare their lives, so Talisha, being tier-five, should make him attach even greater importance to her."

Only then did Edward release Mahait's collar, casting a somewhat impatient look toward the rear, where a heavily alcohol-breathed Beaumarchais was being led over by his subordinates.

"He is a very young grand magician—very young. He could crush me to dust with just a single finger," Beaumarchais mumbled as he staggered forward, his eyes dull and hollow.

Mahait could not help but frown. How long had Beaumarchais been at the tavern, anyway? How did he manage to drink himself into this state?

Why resort to using one's own weakness to exaggerate just how formidable the enemy was?

Yet, recalling the feeling he himself had experienced looking at Edward moments ago, Mahait said nothing and walked over to replace Edward's subordinate in supporting Beaumarchais.

"His tier-seven magic was truly terrifying—it was the first time I realized that tier-seven magic could also have its power enhanced through chanting. But his incantation was so profound, abstruse, and incomprehensible; I didn't understand a single word he uttered... Haha, I'll never be able to learn it in this lifetime, I'm just a piece of trash..."

With that, Beaumarchais muttered some garbled, nonsensical incantations to himself, then forcefully shook off Mahait, collapsed onto the ground, and rolled around.

Seeing Beaumarchais in this state, all of Edward's lingering doubts vanished completely.

If they hadn't encountered an opponent completely beyond their ability to match, and if the enemy's might hadn't stripped them of every ounce of courage, how else could someone be driven to such a soul-shattered state?

"It seems the ten magic-bullet cannons Divanok prepared for the Clements will have to be put to use ahead of schedule," Edward said much more calmly.

Beaumarchais was a magician, and he understood the gap between himself and a grand magician all too well, filling him with awe toward such a gulf.

In Edward's eyes, the opponent was a formidable enemy worthy of high regard, and when facing an enemy, the military's consistent approach was simple: bombard them with heavy artillery!

Let alone a mere tier-seven grand magician, even if you were the legendary Jörmungandr, could you possibly withstand the successive bombardment of ten heavy cannons?

Magic-bullet cannons could be continuously resupplied with ammunition, but was a grand magician's mana truly inexhaustible?

They could simply wear him down until he died.

As for how Mahait and Beaumarchais would subsequently be punished by the Clement family and the Demon King Council, Edward did not care; he only needed the two of them to remain useful for now.

Thus, his expression softened considerably. "You two should go get some proper rest. Tonight, I will host a banquet to welcome you. The prostitutes in Monroe Town seem to be quite renowned far and wide."

"Are there any female demon wolves?" At the mention of this, Beaumarchais seemed to sober up quite a bit, hoisting himself up from the ground.

His face revealed a knowing, profoundly suggestive grin shared between men. "No magician can resist the allure of a female demon wolf. By now, that grand magician must have thoroughly enjoyed their exquisite bodies. I wonder if Talisha... if Talisha managed to satisfy him..."

Mahait hastily barked, "Beaumarchais, you're drunk!"

Lost in his own imagination, Beaumarchais paid him no heed and rambled on.

"Hehe, normally Talisha looks down at everyone through her nose. In front of that grand magician, is she looking down at him from above, or looking up at him from beneath? When she lets out a wolf howl, is it a whimper of a moan, or a cry of agony or pleasure..."

"Enough!"

Hearing him finish, Mahait reprimanded him once more, having no idea whether Beaumarchais was actually sober or hopelessly intoxicated.

He hurriedly glanced over at Edward, only to find that the expression on the face of the Clement family's prospective son-in-law was as chilling and terrifying as the dead of winter.