The noise of the banquet hall was shut out by the heavy oak doors, while the inner courtyard had a warm and private atmosphere.

The crackling fire in the fireplace dispelled the chill often found in the borderlands, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of roasted apples, cinnamon, and honey, a stark contrast to the rich meat and wine ambiance of the main banquet hall.

Linde removed his outer robe, a symbol of his lordly status, and casually handed it to the servant standing by. The coldness and aloofness he displayed when dealing with dignitaries melted away like ice and snow, replaced by a rare relaxation.

He walked quickly toward the area where his family was.

The first thing that caught his eye was a vivid and interesting scene.

Nix, with jet-black fur and cat eyes as clear as the finest amber in the dim light, was sprawled out on the soft carpet without any regard for her image.

The tip of her nimble black tail swayed happily in small movements, teasing one of the twins, Leon, who had only recently learned to crawl.

"Meow~ Little Leon, over here, come to Sister Nix~"

She held a speck of golden honey on her fingertip and deliberately waved it in front of Lyon. The sweet aroma made the little guy babble and persistently crawl toward her, his bright blue eyes fixed on that little "treasure".

Leona sat quietly to the side, still clutching her snow fox doll, watching curiously as her furry "big cat" sister and her silly little brother appeared.

The slightly older Linna tried to maintain her older sister's authority, squatting down beside her and whispering a reminder:

"Sister Nix, Mother said Leon can't eat too much honey yet, meow..." She accidentally picked up a bit of a verbal tic, and immediately covered her mouth after saying it, her face slightly red.

"Okay, okay, just a tiny bit, so he can smell the fragrance~ Meow~"

Nix grinned, and just as Leon was about to grab her hand, she nimbly raised her fingers a little higher, having a great time.

Alice and Leonis sat on the sofa nearby, watching this scene with smiles.

Nazra came over with a plate of freshly baked pancakes drizzled with honey. Seeing Nix "playing with the child" again, she shook her head helplessly, but her tone was full of affection:

“Nix, just say you want honey, don’t always use Leon as an excuse.”

"We've been spotted, meow!"

Nix stuck out her tongue, nimbly flipped herself up, took the plate without hesitation, took a big bite of the muffin, squinted her cat eyes happily, and purred contentedly.

Just then, Aaron spotted Lind entering and immediately shouted:

"Father!" He abandoned his game of charging on the rocking horse and ran over with a thud.

This shout drew the attention of everyone in the inner court.

Nix quickly swallowed the food in her mouth and tried to stand up to bow, but Lind raised his hand to stop her.

Her ears twitched slightly, but she still obediently sat back down on the carpet, only curling the tip of her tail to show a hint of respect.

Astaire stood not far away near the window, more composed than he had been a few years ago, with an aura as imposing as a mountain.

The years had not left many marks on his face, but his eyes had become increasingly deep and resolute. Standing beside him was a woman dressed in an elegant long dress, with a gentle and serene demeanor. She was Sister Rune, whom he had once risked his life to protect and who was now his wife.

Although the two did not engage in any overly intimate actions, their eye contact conveyed an unspoken understanding and warmth.

Upon seeing Lind enter, Astaire placed one hand on her chest and bowed slightly, while Rune lifted her skirt and performed a standard church salute with a gentle smile on her face.

"There are no lords here, only family."

Lind's voice sounded exceptionally gentle in the inner courtyard. He walked over, first ruffling Aaron's silver hair, then approached Alice, naturally placing his hand on her shoulder, and softly asked, "Are you tired?"

Alice shook her head, her smile warm: "How can I be tired looking at them?" She patted the spot next to her.

Linde sat down, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: his lovers with their diverse personalities, his thriving children, his loyal knight and his serene wife, and the seemingly eccentric catgirl intelligence officer who had transformed the power of shadow into an invisible web of territory.

This is the most authentic and softest core beneath his steel fortress.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nix grabbed another muffin, snuggled up to Lind's leg, and said in a manner that was both a report and a pout:

"My lord, those guys outside didn't dare bother you for too long, did they? I had the 'little shadows' keeping an eye on things, I guarantee no one will dare to cause trouble today!"

Her so-called "little shadows" are the secret intelligence network that she cultivated and controlled.

“Well done, Nix.” Lind nodded. “Thank you for your hard work today.”

"It's not hard at all, meow!"

Nix's eyes sparkled with excitement at receiving affirmation, and her ears perked up. "Being able to help the lord and also get to eat Sister Nazra's honey pancakes is the happiest thing, meow!" She licked the honey stains from the corner of her mouth with satisfaction.

Lind then looked at Aster and Rune: "Rune, are you getting used to the castle?"

Rune nodded gently:

"Thank you very much for your concern, my lord. It is very good here, and it is very good in Aster."

Her eyes were filled with love as she looked at her husband. Her experiences in the church had made her accustomed to life, death, and suffering, and she cherished this peace and happiness all the more. Astaire's resolute lips also curved into a slight smile as he took his wife's hand.

Everyone chatted casually, ate snacks, and watched the children play.

Linde leaned back on the sofa, listening to Alice softly recount the children's amusing stories from the day, to Leonis teasing Astaire about how well Astaire was now under her thumb, and to Nazra and Nix discussing which honey-baked dessert was the most delicious...

The firelight from the fireplace danced warmly, elongating and blending everyone's shadows together.

At this moment, there is no celestial power, no mysteries of the Shadow Abyss, no continental conflicts. There is only a warm fire, delicious food, and the joyful laughter of loved ones.

Linde's gaze slowly swept over everything. In his purple eyes, which could see through the essence of energy and analyze the rules of all things, only this ordinary yet precious warmth was reflected.

He knew that the winds of change had never ceased, the "evolution" storm in the Principality of Orc was still raging, the time to meet the Lord of Beasts was drawing ever closer, and countless mysteries hidden deep within the Shadow Abyss and the stars awaited exploration.

But at this moment, he just wanted to shut all of this out of his heart for the time being.

He reached out and took the cup of warm milk with honey that Nazra handed him, and then naturally took Alice's hand with his other hand.

Beneath the steel sky, within the rocky walls, lies the warmest "core" he is willing to give everything to protect.